The Ball I Pass to You

Self-Published

Community Rating

Description

The story of Himeko Nakamura’s volleyball journey, a talented middle blocker of the Port Osea Divers in the Voland professional league, where she finds love and the strength to confront the League's titans. ----------------------------------------This fiction is written for non-volleyball players. Give it a chance, you will have a blast ^-^! Artwork by: J. Win

Information

Status: Ongoing
Year: 2025
Author: Journey11

Reviews

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Community Reviews(6)

BombeeRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
If you're looking for a sports-centered read that masterfully balances athletic action with deep character development, this story is an excellent choice. It's exciting, well-crafted, and completely fleshed out in ways that keep you invested from the first page.The author's scene description is exceptional, painting vivid pictures of every crucial moment. Whether it's the tension before a big match or quiet moments of reflection, each scene feels immersive and carefully constructed. You can practically feel the energy of the competition and the weight of every decision.The writing style strikes a perfect balance—lighthearted and funny enough to keep the mood engaging without sacrificing emotional depth. The humor feels natural, woven seamlessly into character interactions rather than forced. This tonal balance allows the story to pivot effortlessly into moments of genuine suspense that keep you wondering what challenge or twist will emerge next.Himeko stands out as a remarkably strong-willed protagonist who immediately earns your respect and investment. Her determination isn't just told to us—it's shown through her actions and how she handles both victories and setbacks. What makes her particularly likeable is the complexity beneath that strong exterior. She's not perfect, and that's exactly what makes her compelling. Her flaws and struggles humanize her, making her journey feel earned rather than inevitable.Only four chapters in, and the story has already established enough intrigue to leave readers eagerly anticipating what comes next. Himeko's path to winning it all promises to be a rewarding journey worth following.
FirelessDragonRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style: The style has that action packed feel to me, when playing matches, the scenes are intense and the plays absolutely gripping. Plus the author actually tries to explain the plays and the strategy so don't be afraid if you don't know anything about volleyball(looking up roles for players might be good tho).Story: This is a sports fiction so the plot naturally revolves around the tournaments and volleyball. The Rival teams bring some good tension to the story and so far this has been very good.Grammar: Pretty much perfect(Disclaimer:English is a 3rd language for me)Character:An absolute masterclass, the main and supporting protagonist feel so very alive with their own lives, reasons, motivations and flaws. Their interactions push each one very slowly towards improvement. You can see this in Himeko's slowly breaking down mental walls which break that little bit more every time Kevin comes to visit.I hope we see a bit more character development for the Osea Divers team, but with the progress so far I trust the author to make that in due time.Overall: this is a masterful sports fiction and has the potential to become something truly great, if the author continues writing.PS:I think I want to go rewatch Haikyu now....
IceMelonTeaRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Spoiler free review!Overall: I really enjoyed it. To be honest, we need more sports fiction in RR. And since I used to play volleyball, this scratches my itch. This is a fun read, highly technical with engaging characters.Style: To those who might not be very familiar with most of the terms, the beginning can be a little bit rough. But once you get over it by reading the glossary (Chapter 0), it gets easier. Even if you don't, you'll still be able to understand most, if not all the terms few chapters in. But don’t take away how direct and high octane this story is. It reads between a mixture of light novel styles infused with packed action sequences from sports anime. Fast paced and before I realized it, I’m already clicking ‘Next’.Story: A sport story, in essence, is very simple. You have a set of goals you want to achieve. Then you work hard for it. And then you face challenges that you’ll grow from. Will failure break you? Will success define you? But what elevates the story to another level is how memorable and simply enjoyable the way it unfolds. This story is one of them. I can go into detail, but I’ll let you read this instead. This is a very well-crafted and thought-out story.Grammar: Excellent grammar. I haven’t found any jarring mistakes that take me out of my reading. Very well done.Characters: Too many characters introduced at one time, which is quite jarring in the beginning. But then again, some of these characters are memorable. Himeko, especially, is a great sport protagonist. And I love Kevin. He is an excellent foil that gives us moments of brilliance (I enjoyed his attempts at trying to get Himeko’s attention) combined with ruthlessness of star athlete.
Lovely-Cosmic-IcicleRoyal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This sports fiction does its job incredibly well. The characters are there, the rivals are there, and the intense strategy paired with action is there. These staples of the sports genre make this a great read for any fans of sports fiction.Style: the style is very descriptive which I think fits the sports genre well. We get in depth descriptions of maneuvers and matches that bring the story to life.Story: it’s not very typical for a sports fiction to have much story beyond the training and tournaments. This is what I’ve seen so far, but there’s also some interesting world building on the side. It’s not necessary to make the work great, but it’s cool to see it building and where it may go.Characters: Himeko and Kevin are immediately memorable. I love the relationship between them and Himeko’s annoyance. You can feel something building there. The rivals were introduced and are very interesting. They hail from different places to be explored. I can also see them on the cover and I think the ominous appearance there really adds to their depiction.Grammar: I haven’t noticed any major grammar issues.Overall, if you love sports fiction with some relationship building and an interesting world surrounding it, this is the story for you.
Smiling5Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
This is a strong, confident sports story that stands out immediately on Royal Road, both because of its subject matter and its execution. Volleyball fiction is rare on the platform, and this story fully commits to the sport instead of using it as a loose backdrop. The technical detail is dense but purposeful, giving weight to every rally, jump, and exchange. Even readers who aren’t familiar with volleyball can follow what’s happening after a few chapters, as the writing does a good job of translating mechanics into tension and consequence rather than dry explanation.The pacing is one of the story’s biggest strengths. Training arcs, matches, and quiet character moments flow naturally into one another, and chapters end with enough momentum that it’s easy to keep clicking “Next.” The tone balances intensity with restraint; it never feels melodramatic, but the emotional stakes are always present beneath the surface. Progress feels earned, and improvement comes through repetition, failure, and adaptation rather than sudden breakthroughs.The characters are another highlight. Himeko is a compelling protagonist, defined more by discipline and internal pressure than loud emotion, which fits the story’s atmosphere perfectly. Kevin works extremely well as a rival and foil, bringing charisma, unpredictability, and genuine threat. Their dynamic is engaging without overpowering the narrative. While a lot of characters are introduced early on, several leave strong impressions and help build a believable competitive environment.Overall, this is a polished, high-energy sports story that respects its subject and its readers. It’s intense, well-crafted, and genuinely enjoyable, especially for anyone who appreciates competition, growth, and character-driven tension.
kurowinter88Royal Road
★★★★★ 5.0
Style:The writing is crisp, technical, and fast on its feet. The use of vocabulary related to physics, geometry, and high-performance athletics (e.g., "Sisyphean loop," "Proactive Terminator," "desynchronization," "unfiltered explosion of joy") make the action feel supercharged. The internal monologue is sharp and analytical, perfectly matching Himeko's character. The use of strong, descriptive sound words ("BOOM," "Thud," "Fwick") gives the action visceral weight.Story:The plot development is masterful, using a singular, simple conflict (the wager: "One block") to structure a multi-chapter character arc. The pacing is deliberate, turning a few weeks training session into a high-stakes, dramatic arena. The narrative is taut and focused, using Ivanka's offer and Himeko's loyalty as the necessary emotional anchor for the subsequent grind. The progression from physical failure (Chapter 7) to mental breakthrough (Chapter 8) to intuitive triumph (Chapter 12) is perfectly paced and earned.Grammar:The writing is technically strong, clean, and professional. The use of dialogue is sharp, especially Himeko's deadpan one-liners. The complexity of the technical descriptions is handled smoothly. Occasional minor run-on sentences or slightly awkward phrasing appear, but they are rare and do not detract from the clarity or impact of the prose.Character:The character development is the core strength. Himeko is a great protagonist — quiet, smart, fiercely loyal, and more emotional under the surface than she lets on.Kevin Marvantis a fun contrast, a charismatic force of nature whose complexity is revealed through his professional intuition ("the vision") and genuine concern (the rescue). Zoe and Damian add balance and keep the scenes from getting too heavy. Everyone feels purposeful.Overall, it’s a strong, engaging arc with a lot of personality. Had a great time reading it!