There was a three-minute break between volleyball sets, so after the first set ended, everyone rehydrated while listening to the coach's instructions. However, Karasuno had won the previous set by a huge margin and had no major issues. Coach Ukai merely sent Hayato off and put Asahi in.
That was the confidence of a team with two aces. They could preserve both players' stamina for the matches ahead.
Unlike Karasuno's relaxed atmosphere, Sennan was much quieter. The massive score gap had left everyone dejected, and even their manager had no idea what to do.
"More important than winning or losing is that you gave it your all."
But those words were not particularly convincing. At that moment, a familiar voice came from the second-floor stands. Akimiya Noboru, Sennan's retired third-year and former captain, had come to watch their match.
"Hey, you're all way too quiet! You were so tough when you were fighting—why are you shrinking back when it comes to volleyball?"
Led by Towada, the three little punks who had provoked Tanaka immediately glared up at their former captain.
"Who's shrinking back?!"
"I'm not scared of you! I'm on the second floor, so no matter how tough you are, you can't hit me from up here."
Startled at first, Akimiya Noboru gripped the railing with both hands as he spoke from the second floor.
"What exactly did that guy come here for?"
Watching their former captain laugh from the second floor, one of them asked curiously.
"Giving up the moment you face a little setback—that's what weakness is. I won't tell you how to play your match. But there's one thing I have to say: being serious, fighting hard, giving it everything you have—none of that is embarrassing!"
Hayato, resting nearby, heard those words as well. Seeing the earnest look on the captain's face, he nodded in agreement.
"That makes a lot of sense. But there can only be one winner. Everyone, keep winning from here on out."
"Yeah!"
Inspired by their captain, the current captain Towada clenched his fists and shouted that they would defeat Karasuno, make it through the first round of preliminaries, and even take down Shiratorizawa. Hearing him, Sennan's players were fired up as well.
Tanaka responded just as seriously from Karasuno's side.
"Bring it on!"
Once the second set began, Asahi, who had taken the court, showed everyone present through his performance that he was also Karasuno's ace. He scored repeatedly, and his powerful spikes from the front row quickly widened the score gap.
But once there was a comparison, the difference became obvious.
"Karasuno's Wing Spiker who came in isn't bad either, but... you know."
"Yeah, number 13 was clearly better."
Watching Asahi fight to score on the court, players from other schools in the second-floor stands spoke with some sympathy.
"But with the gap in strength like this, the match will be over soon, right? Let's go. Our match is next."
"Got it. One-sided matches really do end fast."
After seeing the opening portion, they knew Sennan had little hope left. The two spectators decided to go warm up, since they would take the court after Karasuno's match ended.
Hearing them say that, former captain Akimiya Noboru reluctantly cheered for Sennan.
"The match isn't over yet! Don't give up!"
But the score was not much different from the previous set: 23 to 13, a full ten-point gap. Karasuno had the serve, and it was Kageyama's turn. Urged on by his teammates' cries of "Nice serve!", Kageyama decisively sent over a Jump Float Serve and scored directly, bringing Karasuno to match point at 24.
"Nice! Kageyama's Jump Float Serve is getting sharper too."
Ennoshita said excitedly, clenching his fist. Hayato patted his shoulder.
"During the latter half of training camp, Kageyama did an extra hundred Jump Float Serves with me every night. Of course he's getting better."
Hayato puffed out his chest with pride, but Sugawara beside him could not stand it any longer.
"Okay, okay, you can take half the credit. Now stop looking so smug."
"Hehe."
Having secured match point, everyone relaxed.
Another Jump Float Serve came over. This time, a Sennan player received it, but the ball struck his arm and flew away. Watching it sail over his head, captain Towada comforted himself inwardly.
There's no time to get that. Besides, we're only second-years. There's always next year.
That thought flashed through his mind for only an instant. The next second, Towada ran after the final ball.
"It's because we think like that that we've stayed so weak!"
Crashing headfirst into the water bottle area, Towada saved the ball and shouted, "Last ball! Keep it up!" Hearing him, Sennan's libero slid into position and sent the ball up. The volleyball grazed the net as it passed over, but Nishinoya saved it with the back of his hand. Hinata set the ball to Tanaka, who spiked it hard, only for Sennan's libero, who had scrambled back into position, to receive it again.
"It's not over yet!"
"Give me the ball!"
Captain Towada called for it from the left side, then jumped to spike, but Asahi received it steadily.
In that instant, Hinata flew past his eyes. Watching Hinata leap high into the air, Towada's heart filled with regret.
So the real idiot was me.
Kageyama set the ball precisely into Hinata's hands, and Hinata spiked it straight down for the point.
Karasuno ended their match against Sennan High School with a commanding two-set victory.
The two teams lined up again at the sidelines. As the whistle blew, everyone shouted, "Thank you for the match!" Karasuno would rest before facing their next opponent, while Sennan's journey had come to an end.
Dejected, Sennan rested by the stairway when their former captain walked over.
"Good work. You fought pretty hard, didn't you?"
Seeing their former captain approach, everyone stood up.
"It's only natural to feel frustrated right now. No matter what kind of competition it is, losing is bound to hurt. To put it harshly, even people who usually do not train seriously will feel upset when they lose a match. Everyone's frustration comes from the heart."
"But! Anyone who forgets that frustration after three days will be weak forever! Don't let the fact that you have three years of high school fool you. If you just drift through your days, they'll be gone in the blink of an eye. Remember today's frustration!"
After saying all that, the former captain realized he might have gone too far and hurriedly smiled as he said goodbye.
"Well, that's it. I'll come watch next year too. Keep it up."
He had just turned around when current captain Towada called out to him. Then, with his hands behind his back, he bowed deeply.
"Captain! Thank you for your guidance!"
The other players shouted along with him. His words had clearly encouraged them, and they were all deeply grateful to their former captain.
Seeing their reaction, former captain Akimiya Noboru smiled and waved to them.
Over on Karasuno's side, everyone wondered who their next opponent would be. They arrived early to prepare and looked into the court from the entrance, only to see a giant.
"That's a weapon. That height is a weapon."
"Two meters tall. That's terrifying."
Looking at the giant on the court, Asahi and Hitoka-chan said fearfully.
With his overwhelming height advantage, all he had to do was jump slightly to get past the opposing block and casually tap the volleyball into the other side of the court. The match was quickly decided, and the giant's team, Kakugawa Academy, won and became Karasuno's opponent.
Standing before the matchup board at the gymnasium entrance, Daichi looked at Kakugawa Academy's recent scores: 25:21, 25:19.
"If we win one more match, we'll make it through the first round of preliminaries and advance to October's Representative Selection Tournament. We have to make it through the first round."
"Yeah!"
Hitoka nervously thought that losing even one match would really mean elimination. Then the two-meter-tall giant walked past her.
"The other team has a player who's two meters tall."
Hinata watched the giant walk past him too, trembling nervously.
"Two meters is so tall."
Yamaguchi stood beside Hinata.
"Two meters and one centimeter versus one meter and sixty-two centimeters."
"If you round it up, I'm one meter and sixty-three centimeters."
Tsukishima walked over and drove the point home.
"Two meters and one centimeter versus one meter and sixty-two centimeters. Rounded off, that's a forty-centimeter difference."
"That's not how rounding works!"
Hitoka hurriedly tried to salvage the situation.
"Forty centimeters—that's about as tall as a Hello Kitty. It's not that much of a difference."
"Is that supposed to be comforting?" Tsukishima asked curiously.
"I remember Pikachu is forty centimeters too," Yamaguchi added.
"A Whale Shark too," the well-informed Tsukishima added.
"A Whale Shark?"
"What's that?"
"A kind of shark."
"Atsuki, you're so knowledgeable!"
Hinata wandered into the preparation area in a daze.
"I want to merge with a Whale Shark."
Hearing Hinata's incomprehensible words, Kageyama was confused.
"Huh?"
"If I merge with a Whale Shark, I'll be two meters tall."
At that moment, Hayato walked over and habitually rested his arm on top of Hinata's head.
"What's wrong? What's wrong? Is our Little Giant afraid of facing a real giant?"
"Hayato-senpai!"
Seeing Hayato, Hinata regained his spirit.
"Well, take it easy. Our Little Giant won't back down over something like this. Show him what you've got."
As he spoke, Hayato looked toward the giant on the court. Following his gaze, Hinata saw the man as well. Then the two looked away, and Hayato stared earnestly into Hinata's eyes.
"So? Do you have confidence?"
"I do!"
"Good. Then let's head onto the court too."
"Yeah!"
Seeing that Hinata had recovered his spirit, Daichi led everyone onto the court.
"Kuroba-senpai got Hinata fired up again with just a few words!"
Seeing Hinata like that, Hitoka felt happy too. Kiyoko beside her found the scene quite heartwarming.
"Yeah. After all, Hayato is our ace. Let's go too, Hitoka-chan."
Following Kiyoko, Hitoka placed the water and towels in the rest area, then returned to the second-floor stands to keep cheering everyone on.
Before you continue