"Hoshino!"
"Yes, yes~ Captain, what is it?"
At the sound of his name, Hoshino Katsuri seemed to instantly lose that powerful, guardian-like aura he carried on the court. His reply came weak and lazy, like someone running out of battery.
"I know you like to save your energy for the match," Ichinose Guren said, his tone calm but serious. "And I heard everything you said to Mori earlier."
He reached out and gave Hoshino's shoulder a firm pat.
"From here on, once the other side adjusts to our rhythm, the ground defense will be your responsibility."
Hoshino's eyes sharpened immediately, his voice steady despite the laid-back tone. "Yeah. You can count on me."
"Suzuki! Kawashima!"
"Sir!"
The two first-years, both trained intensively in defense and reaction drills, snapped to attention just like Mori earlier, standing upright as if at military training.
Their hearts pounded. Unlike Hoshino, who had already received some powerful serves, or Mori, who'd earned several assists, they hadn't done much yet.
In fact, they'd been the team's biggest weakness so far, even becoming the target of Kitagawa Daiichi's offensive strategy.
They were beginning to wonder if they were even cut out for volleyball at all.
But Guren didn't scold them. Not even a hint of reproach.
"I saw your effort out there, your defense, your receive attempts. You both worked your tails off."
"You did great!"
The two exchanged a nervous glance before quickly averting their eyes, lowering their heads.
"B-but…" one began hesitantly.
Guren cut him off with a calm smile. "What's wrong? Think you're not good enough?"
"Don't be silly. You're facing one of the top teams in the nation, Kitagawa Daiichi, Miyagi's powerhouse."
"Just managing to touch their spikes and redirect the ball already means you're doing amazing."
He grinned. "What, did you think you could surpass us veterans with just three months of practice?"
"Wha, ?! N-no, we'd never think that! We just… feel like we're dragging everyone down…"
"Yeah," Kawashima added meekly. "Suzuki and I are about the same level. Every time I rotate to the front line, it's Hoshino-senpai who covers for me. I'm afraid I'll just end up being the weak link in the defense…"
Their voices grew smaller and smaller.
That was when Hinata Shoyo suddenly stepped forward, serious for once.
"What are you two talking about?"
He stood firmly, eyes blazing.
"Without you guys, we probably wouldn't even have enough players to register for this tournament!"
"When I heard that three first-years had joined, I nearly cried, you know?"
"At that moment, you were saviors! Got that? Saviors!"
"There's no 'dragging us down' here. Look at the scoreboard, we're the ones leading!"
"And if you really think you haven't done enough, then just play harder, focus more, and give everything you've got in the next rally!"
"Right?"
He tilted his head, genuinely puzzled why they couldn't see it that way.
Guren chuckled, clearly satisfied with Hinata's little pep talk.
"Hinata's right," he said, stepping forward. "You've all done well. There's nothing to be ashamed of."
Then his gaze shifted, straight toward Hinata.
"But you…"
"Eh? Me?!" Hinata pointed at himself, startled.
"You're our secret weapon."
"From here on, it's your time to shine."
Guren's expression hardened slightly, his eyes focused.
"Your lateral movement always draws at least one blocker away. If they don't follow you, Mori will feed you a quick attack, you'll face an open court, just swing freely and score."
"But if they do chase you, then the two who stay behind won't be enough to stop me."
That was Hinata's role, his purpose in the grand strategy.
Hinata's face lit up instantly, his grin stretching from ear to ear.
"Eh?! Awesome! I'm the secret weapon? Hahahaha!"
He laughed heartily, hands on hips, then suddenly scratched his head in confusion.
"But, uh… Guren, why were you holding back earlier?"
Guren blinked, surprised. "You noticed that?"
"Well now I'm curious," he said, turning to look directly at Hinata. "How'd you figure that out?"
Under that sharp, focused stare, Hinata suddenly felt like he'd been targeted by a predator.
He waved his hands quickly. "U-uh, how do I explain it… it's just a feeling, you know? Like, every time you jump or serve, it looks powerful, but after your serve, your presence on court kinda… fades."
"Almost like you were intentionally holding back."
Guren raised an eyebrow. He hadn't expected Hinata, of all people, to see through that.
He'd assumed the experienced Hoshino would be the first to notice, not the wild, instinct-driven Hinata Shoyo.
Of course, Guren's reduced activity wasn't because he was slacking off, it was deliberate.
He wanted to give his teammates more chances to grow.
If he went all out, defeating Kitagawa Daiichi would be easy.
After all, Kageyama Tobio, the "King of the Court", was still far from the player he would one day become.
He lacked Oikawa Tōru's leadership, his trust in teammates, and his emotional depth.
Kageyama's sets were still split between two extremes, either slowed down to match his spikers, or pushed to full speed, forcing them to keep up.
His genius was undeniable, though, he could control attacks entirely through his setting.
The trajectory of his toss dictated how his teammates had to spike, cross-court or straight, tip or smash.
But that also meant that whenever Kageyama's will conflicted with his hitters', miscommunication and errors were inevitable.
"From those last few rallies, it's clear, when he sets toward the right, he wants a cross. To the left, he expects a straight shot."
"Poor guys… they're getting ruled by a 'King,' all right, more like a tyrant than a leader."
"Still… if he ever learns to unite that team, they'll be a real nightmare to face."
Guren chuckled softly. "This is a chance for you all to grow, that's all~"
"We're aiming for Nationals, remember? So make the most of every rally, learn, adapt, and get stronger."
He ruffled Hinata's messy hair affectionately, then turned to gather the team.
"Alright, everyone! Come here."
He extended his hand toward the center.
Yudai Hyakuzawa stepped forward without hesitation, placing his hand on top.
Hinata followed, bursting with excitement.
"Yeah! I've been waiting for this moment forever!"
"Finally, we're doing it in a real match!"
Hoshino sighed. "You're like a kid, Hinata. It's just a team chant, not a magic spell."
Still, he placed his hand on top as well.
Suzuki, Kawashima, and Mori joined in, one after another.
Guren took a deep breath, his voice strong and clear.
"Yukigaoka!"
A brief pause, then all six shouted in unison, their voices echoing across the gym.
"Conquer Nationals!"
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