"Today, our first opponent is Nekoma. How did we do yesterday?"
After the warm-up, Coach Ukai gathered everyone around and asked Kiyoko. She flipped through the notebook in her hands to the page where the match results were recorded.
"Today is our third match against Nekoma. Yesterday's two sets ended 25–21 and 20–25, so we each won one."
"So that means we only drew with them. Even though Hayato has joined us now, you still aren't familiar enough with each other. Stay calm in the next match and play properly; you'll find an opening eventually. Hinata, Kageyama, it's been a while since you played Nekoma, right? Take this chance to settle the score."
Coach Ukai first summed up yesterday's matches, then looked at Hayato. Hayato nodded in acknowledgment. Finally, he placed his expectations on the two first-years and encouraged them.
Kageyama and Hinata answered in unison, and everyone headed onto the court together.
Today's lineup had Kageyama, Hinata, and Tanaka in the front row. Tsukishima rotated with Nishinoya, while Tsukishima, Daichi, and Hayato started in the back row. The other side served first.
"Bring it on!"
Hinata locked eyes with Haiba across the net, took up a defensive stance, and shouted.
"Nice receive!"
As Tanaka's words fell, Hinata and Kageyama's Monster Quick Attack scored successfully, bringing the score to 10–12. Though the match had only reached its middle stages, Haiba's extraordinary reach and height had already allowed him to gradually keep up with Hinata's Offensive Rhythm. He had nearly touched that last ball.
That made Hinata even more anxious. Since Karasuno had scored, Tanaka served according to the rules. Nekoma received it and sent it back, but Daichi managed to receive it perfectly.
"Chance ball!"
At Daichi's shout, Hinata leaped again, and Kageyama set the ball to him. But this time, Haiba jumped diagonally upward and blocked the ball solidly.
Because the spike had been so powerful, the rebounded ball flew back into Karasuno's court at tremendous speed. Nishinoya failed to save it, and Nekoma gained a point. Haiba, having successfully blocked the attack, was showered with praise from the others.
"They cracked it that quickly?"
Teacher Takeda found it unbelievable.
"Nekoma was already good at dealing with that quick attack. Add that rookie's height and incredible reaction speed, and this is getting troublesome."
Coach Ukai crossed his arms and watched Haiba take his position again, speaking with a headache.
Standing at the net, Haiba beckoned Hinata with his hand, telling him to come at him.
His fighting spirit stirred, Hinata glared back without yielding.
At that moment, Kageyama discussed switching to a normal quick attack with Hinata. Kenma, Nekoma's setter, saw through his intentions as well. He called Haiba over and told him to use an Adaptive Block next.
An Adaptive Block meant watching the direction of the set before jumping to block.
Kenma sent the ball over with an ordinary serve. Tanaka received it steadily, and Karasuno launched another attack. This time, however, Hayato had rotated into the front row, and Kageyama sent the ball directly to him.
"Kuroba-senpai!"
"Got it!"
With Hayato attacking instead, even though Haiba switched to an Adaptive Block, he still could not stay in the air as long as Hayato. A powerful spike pierced through the double block and flew straight at Kenma.
Faced with the fierce volleyball, Kenma simply dodged out of its way, infuriating Coach Nekomata enough to shout at him.
"Kenma, don't dodge!"
"My arm will break."
"It won't break!"
Knowing Kenma's personality well, Hayato had deliberately aimed that ball at him. Karasuno scored again, and everyone was delighted. Hinata, however, was not as happy. He had jumped too, but neither of the two blockers had even looked at him. That left him deeply dissatisfied.
Kenma also realized that Hayato had deliberately targeted him. Watching Hayato celebrate the point with his teammates, Kenma sank into thought.
Just as Hayato wanted to use the same trick again, Kenma, having already discussed it with the libero Yaku, retreated immediately. Yaku stepped in to receive the ball and neutralized Hayato's attack.
"Tch. As expected of someone who plays with his brain. He thinks fast."
Clicking his tongue in resignation, Hayato quickly moved beside Kageyama to prepare for a block. Due to the rotation, their libero had just left the court, while Hinata had moved to the back row. Their defense was at its weakest.
After they managed to touch the ball, it remained on Karasuno's side. Everyone shouted for a chance ball and assumed Hayato would be the main attacker again, but Kageyama used a Quick Attack and scored on the drop.
"Nice one, Kageyama!"
Hayato reached out and ruffled his junior's hair, praising him happily.
"Thanks for the praise."
Kageyama was also very happy to have scored.
The two sides continued trading points. When Hinata rotated to the front row again, he became increasingly fired up after being provoked by the other side. Just as Kageyama saved one of Nekoma's spikes and Daichi set the ball up—
The ball had originally been meant for Hayato, but before he could jump, he sensed a predatory aura. He glanced sideways and saw Hinata, full of fighting spirit, already preparing to leap. It was not a jump meant to serve as a decoy. Hinata's gaze was fixed entirely on the ball, and Hayato immediately understood that he was trying to take it.
An even more domineering, irresistible aura of the King of the Sky burst forth, startling everyone nearby. Aura was something intangible, but at that moment, everyone could feel what Hayato meant.
This ball is mine. No one gets to take it.
Hayato soared high into the air and scored with a spike. After landing, he took several deep breaths to calm himself down.
"Whoa, that was terrifying."
Haiba, who had been part of the three-man block, had faced Hayato directly just now. Hayato had looked like the ruler of the sky itself—expressionless yet brimming with aggression, his eyes fixed tightly on the volleyball like a bird of prey spreading its wings and diving down from the heavens to hunt.
What had happened in that brief instant made everyone outside the court break into a cold sweat as well.
"Hinata was trying to steal the ball set for Hayato just now, wasn't he?"
Sugawara guessed with a trace of cold sweat on his face, while Asahi beside him nodded.
"How should I put this? Hinata's jumping posture and direction just now scared my heart out of my chest. I thought they were going to collide, but Hayato suddenly erupted and completely stunned Hinata."
Having realized what he had done, Hinata hurriedly dropped into a dogeza and apologized to Hayato.
"I'm terribly sorry, Kuroba-senpai! I'm so sorry! I was too focused on the ball!"
"Well, these things happen sometimes. It's fortunate no one got hurt."
Hayato withdrew that intimidating aura and smiled gently as he helped Hinata up. Then he told him to make sure he watched everyone else's movements properly. There was none of that aura from before, the feeling that he alone ruled heaven and earth.
"Hinata, you idiot! Watch what's around you! Otherwise, what's the point of calling for it?!"
After scolding Hinata, Coach Ukai leaned back in his chair and let out a breath of relief. Thankfully, there had been no collision.
At the same time, he watched everyone comfort Hinata and looked at the harmless-looking Hayato.
"Hinata's move just now may have been unconscious, but Hayato could stun him with sheer aura alone. Kuroba Hayato... I have to admit it. He has now completely evolved into Karasuno's ace."
With a long exhale, Coach Ukai glanced at Asahi in the substitute area, his feelings complicated.
On the other side, Coach Nekomata had also noticed Karasuno's situation. With his arms crossed, he looked at the combination of Hinata and Hayato.
"A sudden bird of prey has occupied the crows' nest. One of the little crows wanted to do something, only to be ruthlessly suppressed by the foreign king. Interesting. What will happen next? Will the foreign king blend into the nest, or will the little crow rise to the challenge?"
"Well, those who do not seek change can never evolve. How far Karasuno can go depends on how they handle this."
After reaching that conclusion, Coach Nekomata decided to continue watching.
After that small disturbance, the match resumed. Nothing like that happened again, and the match ultimately ended with a score of 25–20.
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