Just as the Interhigh Tournament was approaching, Karasuno High finally completed its new gymnasium.
Coach Ukai, the volleyball team, and the accompanying staff, led by Mr. Kobu, entered the massive indoor facility, their faces a mixture of awe and excitement.
"Oh!"
"Ah!"
"Whoa!"
Amid the chorus of exclamations, Mr. Kobu guided everyone to familiarize themselves with the new facility: a wooden court large enough to fit four volleyball courts, and a 360-degree, panoramic eagle-eye camera system covering every angle.
"This is amazing!"
Shoyo Hinata couldn't help blurting out in admiration.
Beside him, Ryunosuke Tanaka and Nishinoya Yuu had eyes wide with excitement, letting out a synchronized, "Oh-ho!"
Kageyama Tobio wore a look that clearly screamed, I just want to play volleyball now!
The rest of the team expressed their excitement in a calmer, less flamboyant manner.
Next, they entered the strength-training room, separated from the courts by only a single door. Beyond standard gym equipment, everything was doubled: weights, benches, machines.
A 60-square-meter multifunctional training area featured a variety of unusual devices: randomly glowing light-beam balls on the walls, half-sphere/half-flat wave-speed balls, battle ropes, and even strobe glasses supporting eight vision modes.
…and a mountain of tennis balls.
"Eh!!"
"Guren's favorite!"
Hinata immediately pointed at the box of tennis balls, shouting with glee.
Guren, with a mix of amusement and resignation, lightly tapped Hinata on the back of the head and began explaining.
"These are for reaction training. You throw the tennis ball yourself or have someone else throw it, catch it with one hand, and simultaneously use the other hand to practice setting.
You can train ball sense and reaction speed at the same time."
After finishing his explanation, Guren tapped Hinata again. Hinata clutched his head and squinted at Guren, muttering complaints in an inaudible volume.
Hoshino Katsuri, skilled at reading lips, caught Hinata's words:
"You, the big boss, always hide a mischievous streak behind a sunny smile. No wonder someone tall and handsome like you has no love life."
But quick as ever, Hinata dashed off before Guren could grab him, chasing after Hoshino.
"What kind of idiot is this?"
Kei Tsukishima laughed, only to be noticed by Hinata, who turned mid-run to make a teasing face at him.
This, of course, prompted Tadashi Yamaguchi to retaliate, chasing Hinata and making a silly face back.
"Hey! Stop fooling around in the hallway!"
"Come on, Yu!"
"Got it!"
Daichi Sawamura, seeing the chaos unfold, rolled up his sleeves and joined the chase, calling on second-year Riki Yamaguchi to help restore order.
Soon, the captain and vice-captain rounded up the three running wild inside the facility.
Mr. Kobu pushed up his glasses, smiling:
"Alright, alright. Once I finish showing you around, then you can play hide-and-seek if you want."
The tour continued: locker rooms with shower systems, a storage room for old volleyball training equipment, a supplement area stocked with protein and electrolyte drinks, and a screening room with a massive projector.
After the tour, it was time for instruction. Following guidance from Coach Ukai and Mr. Kobu, Captain Daichi spoke to the team.
"You guys probably used to complain a lot, right?
The floor was too slippery, the lights too harsh, the space too small, not enough equipment…
I've memorized it all.
Now, every single complaint, whether conscious or not, is gone.
With Nationals around the corner, you will devote all your focus to training! Got it?"
"Yes!!"
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Physical training time.
"Oh! No wonder you're Guren!"
Nishinoya Yuu, impressed, gave Guren a thumbs-up for his workout.
Across from the other Karasuno players, Guren was performing his latest high-intensity exercises.
On the Roman chair, he attached a resistance band to dumbbells large enough for Hinata to lift, looping it around his own massive arms.
Then he began rapid presses.
Huff… huff… huff…
Each lift and drop was executed at a blistering pace.
"This kind of training… this is insane."
Asahi Azumane, usually timid, watched and thought, Being under this overwhelming talent is oddly reassuring…
On the half-sphere wave-speed balls, Guren rolled an ab wheel while keeping balance on the unstable support, hitting randomly lit light-beam balls on the wall with one hand.
"No, no, no, Senpai Azumane, this isn't just 'insane', this isn't something a high schooler should be doing!"
Tadashi Yamaguchi frantically waved his hands, agreeing.
Guren moved two kettlebells of different weights, one in each hand, shifting his center of gravity to create an unstable load, engaging deep core muscles.
The rest of the team either gawked like Ryunosuke Tanaka or, like Hinata, jumped at the chance to test their own strength.
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria