The last weekend of April. The twelve starting players of Aoba Johsai High School's volleyball team, along with their coach and manager, boarded the school's bus and set off for Shiratorizawa Academy.
The weather was nice today—clear skies without being overly hot. The deep blue of the sky carried the distinct feeling that summer was near.
However, the mood on the bus was subdued. No one matched the bright skies with a bright mood, because Shiratorizawa had become something of a nightmare for Aoba Johsai's players over the past two years.
"Do we really have to be this tense? Where's Oikawa? Come on, liven things up a bit," Hanamaki Takahiro said, leaning back in his bus seat.
They were usually loud and noisy, so today's unusual silence felt a bit unsettling.
"You third-years look so grim that the underclassmen are scared to speak," Matsukawa Issei added from the other side of the aisle.
"Don't even mention Oikawa. That idiot's probably the most nervous of all," Iwaizumi Hajime muttered from the second row. "He acted so confident after we came back from scouting."
"Huh? What are you saying? I'm not scared at all! I'm totally going to crush Ushiwaka today!" Oikawa Tooru suddenly jumped up, looking around, seemingly back to life.
Sitting near the back of the bus, Kaedehara Taichi leaned against the window with one hand supporting his cheek, watching the scenery blur past.
Ever since Taichi and Oikawa finished scouting Shiratorizawa and finalized the date for the practice match, a new tension gripped Aoba Johsai's training sessions. Every player seemed driven by a sudden pressure and urgency, voluntarily intensifying their focus and effort.
It started with Taichi and a few of the third-years staying behind after regular practice, repeating drills and working on stamina. Soon, the second-years followed suit, unwilling to be outdone. Even Kunimi was dragged into it by Kindaichi.
This training frenzy spread like ripples, quickly engulfing the entire Aoba Johsai volleyball team. From first-year rookies to bench players and even support staff, everyone caught the fever. The gym lights burned late into the night, echoing with the sound of volleyballs and the determined shouts of players, radiating an atmosphere of serious preparation.
Short-term, this intense workload was manageable, but it couldn't be sustained for long. Some players would inevitably break down physically. Coach Irihata and Manager Gōguchi, while proud, had to constantly remind everyone to take care of their bodies.
From everyone else's perspective, Kaibara's training could only be described as insane. He never skipped team practice, and even during meals, walking, and classes, he kept a volleyball with him.
After repeated questioning from Oikawa, Kaibara finally explained:
"You don't get it. This is called 'becoming friends with volleyball.' You've got to build a deep emotional connection with the ball—just like the protagonists in anime."
Oikawa couldn't understand it at all. But after two weeks of intense training, Kaibara's skills had improved dramatically. As a result, Oikawa started calling him a "little monster."
[System Update]
Kaibara Taichi
Power: 78
Jump: 68
Stamina: 73
Speed: 90
Key Skills
Receive: 71
Serve: 70
Spike: 72
(Receive and Spike now meet standard level. Phase training goals updated.)
Training Goals:
Receive +1 every 50,000 successful receives (up to a cap of 80).
Serve +1 every 50,000 successful serves (up to a cap of 80).
Spike +1 every 50,000 successful spikes (up to a cap of 80).
Once Kaibara's core skills reached 70, the system updated the goals and began tracking each one individually.
His other physical attributes also increased slightly. Jump saw a significant improvement after completing a system task, while Speed remained unchanged—likely because he had already reached his current physical limit.
The new training goal was five times harder than before, but Kaibara had expected that. For now, he focused solely on receive and spike training, determined to maximize his current role on the court.
When the bus arrived at Shiratorizawa's gym, Aoba Johsai's players disembarked one by one.
"Even though this is just a practice match, make no mistake—Shiratorizawa is the toughest hurdle between us and Nationals. I've seen how hard you've all trained. Now it's time to show what you're made of!" Coach Irihata gave his final speech as they lined up.
"Yes, Coach!"
Even Kaibara felt his blood boil with anticipation.
Wearing matching uniforms, the players grabbed their gear and headed inside.
The moment they entered the gym, the atmosphere shifted.
"So many people!" Kindaichi exclaimed in awe.
It was a little ridiculous. This was just a practice match, yet there were tons of spectators. Students in Shiratorizawa uniforms crowded the second-floor gallery.
Clearly, both schools saw this as a warm-up for the prefectural finals of the Inter-High qualifiers.
The noise in the stands echoed off the ceiling, pressing down on Aoba Johsai's players. The pressure of being the away team was palpable—even if this wasn't an official match.
Oikawa's gaze locked across the net. Standing there were Shiratorizawa's players, exuding the aura of champions. Their eyes met, and the air between them grew tense with unspoken challenge.
The Shiratorizawa players radiated confidence and dominance with every movement—unmistakably the bearing of a top-tier team.
As Aoba Johsai looked on, Shiratorizawa began their warm-up. Kaibara spotted Ushijima Wakatoshi among them.
A ball was tossed high into the air, and Ushijima leapt up and smashed it.
Boom!
The floor trembled, and the ball ricocheted off into the second floor, landing neatly in a spectator's hands.
"What the heck was that?! If you block a ball like that, your hands will break!" Kunimi yelped, stunned.
Those who had never seen Ushijima spike before were completely frozen in shock. In the face of that overwhelming power, all they could do was stare in disbelief.
Only now did Aoba Johsai's new players truly understand what it meant for Ushijima Wakatoshi to be "the best in the prefecture and one of the top three attackers in the country."
Now they finally realized—this was the kind of opponent they were about to face.
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