The hair-raising crack of the hit still echoed through the gym.
The volleyball rolled into the corner. The court fell silent, so quiet that every breath sounded crystal clear.
That last hit had been like someone pinning the laws of physics to the ground and rubbing them in the dirt. No watching the ball, no adjustments, not even a thought—just pure speed and perfect placement.
Lu Ren stood in the back row, staring at Hinata Shoyo, who was gaping at his own palm. A snapshot of that moment flashed through Lu Ren's mind.
An ordinary person would probably have marveled at the speed. But Lu Ren was a data nerd who took apart and analyzed every frame. He'd seen it clearly: the instant that orange-haired kid jumped and swung his arm, his face had been completely blank.
That expression only appeared under one condition—when you cut the signal to the monitor.
"Hey, Four-Eyes."
Lu Ren moved two steps closer and spoke so quietly only Tsukishima Kei could hear. "Did you see that?"
Tsukishima pushed up his glasses, his brow furrowed. "See what? That reckless speed?"
"Not the speed." Lu Ren pointed at his own eyes. "That guy didn't open his eyes at all."
Tsukishima froze mid-wipe. He turned to Lu Ren and gave him a look that said, "What kind of international joke are you making?"
"Huh? His eyes were closed?" Tsukishima's voice rose slightly. "You mean he was swinging blind in midair?"
The commotion caught the attention of the players on the other side of the net. Kageyama Tobio was coming down from an intense rush of excitement, but when he heard that, he whipped around to look at Hinata.
"Hey, idiot." Kageyama grabbed Hinata by the shoulders, his tone unsettlingly intense. "Did you watch the ball when you hit it?"
Hinata blinked his big eyes twice, looking perfectly matter-of-fact. "Nope."
Kageyama tightened his grip. "What? You didn't look? Then how'd you hit it?"
"Because you told me to!" Hinata shouted back, completely unperturbed. His voice rang through the gym. "You said if I jumped with all my strength, the ball would get there! You said not to worry about the ball, just jump with all I had! So I closed my eyes and jumped!"
The entire court fell into an eerie silence once again.
Sawamura Daichi's mouth hung open, and the ball slipped from Tanaka Ryūnosuke's hands.
Was this what they called "trust"? This wasn't trust. Hinata had turned himself into a launched cannonball, given up all control as the pilot, and put his life entirely in the setter's hands.
Freaks. They were both freaks.
"So... that's why?" Kageyama stood frozen, staring at his hands. That feeling that a set would score as long as he sent it over—it had been built on this kind of absolute, unquestioning faith.
So this is what they call a "script" paired with "cheats"? Lu Ren mentally marked the duo as a high-risk threat in red.
As long as Hinata Shoyo was on the court, this Super AI named Kageyama Tobio had the ultimate execution terminal.
If they didn't do something, they might as well call the match GG right now.
Lu Ren turned to Tsukishima beside him. "Can you stop them?"
Tsukishima stared coldly at the little guy still bouncing around on the other side of the net. For once, he gave an honest answer. "Humans can't react to that kind of acceleration. If I focus on blocking that Monster Quick Attack, both wings will be completely open. It's a dead end."
"If you can't react, then don't." Lu Ren rolled his sore neck. There wasn't a trace of fear in his eyes—instead, they shone with the shrewdness of someone playing a strategy game. "If it's a special move, it has to have a cooldown or some Stiff Animation. Next time that orange-haired kid charges in like that, leave him alone."
Tsukishima raised an eyebrow. "Leave him unblocked?"
"Yeah, leave him unblocked." Lu Ren fixed his gaze on Kageyama. "If we can't stop him, we'll bet on the odds. You cover your zone. If that missile comes flying over..." He paused. "I'll receive it."
Tsukishima gave Lu Ren a long look, then simply nodded.
If they didn't try a new strategy, all that awaited them was a slow death.
The whistle blew. The match resumed.
Kageyama stood behind the service line. That Monster Quick Attack seemed to have unlocked something in him; the aura around him was even more terrifying than it had been at the start.
He tossed the ball, took his approach, and jumped.
A textbook Power Jump Serve. The volleyball shot off like a cannonball, heading straight for the far corner by the sideline.
"This is what they call 'reading the pattern.'"
Lu Ren was already moving the instant Kageyama hit the ball. No need to think. After being put through the wringer for most of the set, he'd developed muscle memory for the trajectory of Kageyama's serves. He shifted right, dropped low, and intercepted it.
"Thump!"
The ball slammed into his arms, sending a burning pain through them. But Lu Ren didn't even furrow his brow. Using the Force Dispersion Technique, he popped the ball high into the air.
It sailed toward the area near the three-meter line.
Yamaguchi Tadashi scrambled into position. His form was awkward, but he stubbornly managed to send the ball toward the net. "Tsukishima!"
The set was a little high, but that suited Tsukishima just fine. He jumped to his astonishing height and, using his advantage in stature, spiked the ball down before Kageyama could form a block.
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