The ball carts were rolled onto the court, and the gymnasium atmosphere instantly shifted. Unlike the first preliminary round, the stands now roared with life. Students from every school had megaphones and water bottles, pounding out rhythms, amplifying cheers that echoed through the arena.
Hayato closed his eyes, extending his hands as if to grasp the noise itself. For a fleeting moment, he wasn't in Sendai anymore—he was back in the Capital Gymnasium, standing beneath the same deafening wall of sound, the same flood of voices crashing down on him like waves.
"Hayato-senpai?"
Hitoka's small, tentative voice cut through his trance. She had come over with a ball in her arms, only to freeze when she caught the sharp, burning gaze in his eyes.
"Th-that…"
Her words caught in her throat. Realizing he had startled her, Hayato softened his expression into a warm smile, then bent forward to stretch.
(He's even scarier today than usual…) Hitoka thought, shivering slightly before Kiyoko called her over to help with warm-ups. She quickly ran back to the others, still unsettled.
On the opposite side of the court, Jozenji High burst into the gymnasium.
"We're gonna have more fun than anyone else here!"
"Yahoo!!"
Captain Terushima Yūji led the charge, his team bouncing around like they were at a festival rather than a serious tournament. Their shouts were so loud that Karasuno's players instinctively glanced over.
"There they are—the festival team," someone in the stands whispered.
"Don't be fooled by their antics," another replied. "They're still strong."
In the stands, banners waved as student sections from each school cheered their teams. Karasuno's side, however, was strangely quiet. That was, until three figures appeared—bright uniforms, ponytails in motion, pom-poms glittering under the lights.
"Faster, Uki-chan, the match is starting!"
"Wait for me, don't pull so hard!"
"Less talking, more running, Kohane!"
It was Karasuno's Cheerleading Club—Uki, Koyuki, and Hizume. Their arrival immediately drew eyes from every direction.
"Cheerleaders? Here?"
"They're… with Karasuno?!"
Sure enough, the trio stopped beneath Karasuno's banner. Kohane, catching her breath, fluffed her pom-poms, then spotted the team on the court. Raising one arm high, she shouted with all her might:
"Hayato! Tanaka! Karasuno, do your best!!"
The black-jacketed players all turned their heads.
"Ryu, am I seeing things?" Nishinoya gasped.
"You're not! That's Koyuki—and they're cheering for us! Wahahahaha!" Tanaka threw both arms up, laughing smugly as envy rippled through rival student sections.
"Coach Ukai, look!" Takeda nearly jumped out of his seat, tugging Ukai's arm. "Karasuno has a cheer squad!"
Ukai frowned, though his eyes flickered with surprise. "Cheering won't win the match. Don't let it distract you," he barked, though everyone could see the small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.
The players returned to warm-ups, but their resolve sharpened. With those voices cheering for them, they couldn't afford to hold back.
On Jozenji's side, the players nudged one another.
"Cheerleaders, huh? I'm jealous."
"Play first, flirt later," another laughed.
Meanwhile, Hinata pointed at Tsukishima's new sports glasses. "Tsukki, those look so cool!"
"…Your definition of 'cool' is broken," Tsukishima deadpanned. "Don't compliment me."
"What was that?!" Hinata squawked, already puffing up.
The lighthearted bickering calmed the seniors' nerves.
"…Turns out we third-years are the most anxious ones here," Sugawara admitted, scratching his cheek.
"But we've got reliable juniors," Daichi said firmly, his eyes landing on Hayato's spikes—sharp, fast, brimming with power. He patted Asahi and Suga's shoulders.
Soon, the warm-ups ended. The captains stepped forward for the coin toss. Jozenji won, choosing to receive.
The lineups gathered.
Front row: Tanaka, Kageyama, Tsukishima.
Back row: Hinata, Daichi, Hayato (rotating with libero Nishinoya).
"Hayato, start us off strong!" Daichi encouraged.
Hayato spun the ball slowly in his hands, took a deep breath, and stepped to the line.
Beep!
The whistle cut through the air. Hayato's eyes snapped open, his aura surging. Even from across the court, Jozenji felt the pressure.
The toss. The jump. His body coiled like a spring—then snapped forward with explosive force.
BOOM!
The serve rocketed across the net, smashing into Jozenji's court before anyone could react.
"Wha—?!"
"It's in!"
"Did you see that speed?!"
The crowd erupted as Jozenji froze in shock.
Terushima turned, staring at the ball still spinning on the floor, cold sweat forming on his temple.
(That serve… it's like Ushijima's. No… maybe even sharper.)
Looking up, he found Hayato pointing directly at him, his gaze a silent declaration of war.
Instead of being rattled, Terushima grinned. "Now this is gonna be fun."
On Karasuno's side, Hinata practically bounced out of his shoes. "Electromagnetic Cannon!! So cool!!"
The bench players roared in approval. The clean, devastating opening point sent Karasuno's morale soaring.
From the bench, Ukai exhaled in relief, his grip on his clipboard loosening.
"Phew… I thought he might get carried away and miss. Guess I worried for nothing. Hayato's still Hayato—no matter how big the stage."
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