The whistle was like a sharp pair of scissors, slicing through the tension that had stretched the air on the court to its limit.
25:23.
The numbers on the scoreboard froze. Only then did the heavy pressure on their chests finally lift, replaced by a burning ache in their lungs and soreness in their muscles. They'd won. It was only a practice match, and their opponent's starting setter had only played the final set, but a win was a win.
"Team, line up!"
Sawamura Daichi's voice was as loud as ever, though it carried a faint tremor that was hard to notice.
Across the net, the Aoba Johsai players wore a range of expressions. Iwaizumi Hajime gave Kindaichi a hard slap on the back, as if telling him to stand tall. As for Oikawa Tōru—the man who had nearly broken Karasuno's spirit in the final set—there was little gloom on his face over the loss. He simply stood there, looking across the net as if sizing up a bunch of rookies who'd just left Novice Village and already dared to challenge an Elite Monster.
Both teams walked up to the net, bowed, and shook hands.
"Thank you for the game!"
Their voices echoed through the gym.
Lu Ren was in the middle of the line. He was just about to pull his hand back when he felt a firm grip close around it. He looked up and met a pair of smiling brown eyes.
Oikawa Tōru.
"Lu Ren-chan." Oikawa didn't let go. Instead, he squeezed a little harder, leaned closer, and lowered his voice. "That offer I made at the city gym is still open."
Lu Ren raised an eyebrow. Was Oikawa really trying to poach him in front of the whole team? No wonder he was the big bad boss—he played dirty.
"The cafeteria at Aoba Johsai's probably better than Karasuno's, right?" Oikawa added with a bright smile. "And don't you think running dungeons with a team full of max-level accounts is way more fun than carrying a bunch of low-level ones?"
Lu Ren felt the rough calluses on Oikawa's palm, worn smooth by years of setting. He glanced at Hinata, who was baring his teeth at Iwaizumi, then at Kageyama, who still wore a blank expression but had clearly relaxed.
"Sure, Aoba Johsai's got a stacked lineup, top-notch gear, and the best support player on the server—you. But, well, I've got a bit of a masochistic streak." Lu Ren shrugged and pulled his hand free.
Oikawa blinked.
"Buying a max-level account outright is satisfying, but the real heart of a game is starting from nothing, slowly replacing your trash gear with legendary equipment, and watching your experience bar inch forward." Lu Ren brushed the dust off his sweatpants. "This team doesn't even have a proper libero yet, and its defense is full of holes. But that's exactly why it'll feel so good to climb back up."
Oikawa stared at Lu Ren for a few seconds. His smile deepened, and a dangerous glint flickered in his eyes.
"Is that so?" He straightened up, slipping back into his crowd-pleasing persona. "I respect your masochistic tastes, but Aoba Johsai's doors are always open to you. After all, I'm looking forward to the day I can shatter that 'fun' of yours with my own hands."
"Then I'll be waiting."
Lu Ren turned and rejoined his team.
On the sidelines, Teacher Takeda stood frozen in place. His glasses had even fogged over, and he looked as if the Monster Quick Attack had left him stunned. He kept murmuring under his breath, "Amazing... Just amazing..."
"Teacher!"
Sawamura Daichi led the team over to Teacher Takeda. In perfect unison, they bowed. "Thank you for the game!"
It was a strict rule in Japanese school sports clubs: after a match, they had to thank their instructor or coach.
At last, their shout brought Teacher Takeda back to his senses. He jolted and frantically waved his hands. "Ah! Yes! Um... Great work, everyone!"
Sugawara Kōshi quietly reminded him from the side, "Teacher, you're supposed to say something here. A few words of reflection from an elder, that sort of thing."
"Huh? A reflection? Me?" Teacher Takeda pointed at himself, looking a little awkward. He taught modern Japanese, and his understanding of volleyball began and ended with "the ball can't hit the ground." To him, the match they'd just played had been like watching a Hollywood special-effects blockbuster—one shock after another.
He took a deep breath and looked at the group of boys before him, drenched in sweat and bright-eyed.
"Um... when it comes to volleyball, I'm a complete outsider." Teacher Takeda adjusted his glasses, his voice gradually steadying. "I don't understand the techniques, but I do know that what you accomplished just now was truly remarkable."
The gym fell silent.
"Even though a group of talented first-years joined this year, at first you were a total mess. You even got in one another's way." Teacher Takeda's gaze passed over Kageyama and Hinata, then shifted to Tsukishima and Lu Ren. "But I think I understand something now."
He paused, his gaze turning distant, as if he could see something far greater beyond the gym ceiling.
"It doesn't matter if you aren't united. It doesn't matter if your personalities clash. The meeting of one person with another is a miracle in itself. When different elements collide, they can spark a powerful chemical reaction."
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