Understanding Output Pressure and the Critical Hit Judgment Called "Senior"

The gymnasium doors were pushed open again, and the sound of crisp footsteps broke the awkward silence that Nishinoya Yū had just created.

Shimizu Kiyoko walked in, holding a clipboard. Her expression beneath her black-rimmed glasses was as cool and composed as ever. She seemed to completely ignore the strange atmosphere in the gym caused by Nishinoya's arrival, calmly walking towards the manager's bench.

"Kiyoko-senpai!"

Nishinoya Yū, who had been confronting Kageyama like a delinquent just moments ago, instantly transitioned from "Berserker" to "simp." He sprang forward as if he had springs in his legs, rushing to Shimizu with the spirit of someone willing to go to hell for others.

"I came to see you! Kiyoko-senpai! Did you miss me..."

"Slap."

A crisp, pleasant slapping sound echoed through the empty gymnasium.

Nishinoya Yū remained in his lunging posture, a clear, red handprint now imprinted on his left cheek. Shimizu Kiyoko retracted her hand, her pace undisturbed, and calmly walked around him.

"Just as stormy as ever," Sugawara Kōshi said from the side, a knowing, wry smile on his face.

Sawamura Daichi crossed his arms and sighed, "He's quite noisy, isn't he?"

Lu Ren, still with a candy in his mouth, watched the short guy on the ground who, despite being slapped, was smiling blissfully while covering his face. He couldn't help but imagine a sound effect for the scene: [Player "Nishinoya Yū" received physical attack, HP -1, mental satisfaction +999].

"He is noisy," Daichi's gaze softened. "But his playstyle on the court is surprisingly quiet, more than you'd imagine."

Nishinoya Yū, still on the ground, got up as if nothing had happened. He brushed the dust off his pants, the red mark on his face still visible, but his expression instantly turned serious. The playful demeanor vanished, replaced by an intensity that commanded attention.

He walked directly to Sawamura Daichi and got straight to the point: "Where's Asahi-senpai? Is he back?"

The air instantly froze.

Sawamura Daichi's gaze shifted slightly downward, avoiding Nishinoya's direct stare. Sugawara next to him awkwardly scratched his head.

"He... he's not back yet," Daichi said in a low voice.

"Tsk."

Nishinoya Yū clicked his tongue sharply, his teeth grinding. The anger that had been suppressed earlier surged back, even stronger than before.

"That useless guy!" Nishinoya roared, his voice laced with frustrated anger. "He's huge, but he's got the guts of a mouse!"

"Hey! Noya!" Tanaka Ryūnosuke couldn't stand it and stepped forward, frowning. "Don't talk about Asahi-senpai like that! He has his own difficulties..."

"Shut up! Ryu!" Nishinoya retorted without hesitation, his eyes fierce. "Useless is useless! If that coward isn't coming back, then I'm not coming back either!"

With that, he turned and left without giving anyone a chance to explain. The school jacket emblazoned with "Senpai" swished behind him in a decisive arc.

"Noya!" Tanaka tried to chase after him but was blocked by Nishinoya's retreating back, which clearly communicated his refusal to communicate.

"I'll go after him!"

An orange figure darted out. Hinata Shoyo hadn't thought anything through; his mind was only filled with the thought "Someone who's good at receiving is leaving," and he sprinted out of the gymnasium.

Lu Ren watched the farce, chewing his candy until it crunched loudly.

"So..." Lu Ren turned his head, looking at the grim-faced Daichi and Sugawara. "What exactly is going on here? A family drama? Or an ex's revenge story?"

Daichi gave a wry smile and said nothing.

"What happened?" Lu Ren's curiosity was piqued. For the usually boisterous but loyal short guy to be this angry, the "Asahi-senpai" in question must have done something significant.

"To put it simply..." Sugawara sighed, his gaze distant, as if lost in unpleasant memories. "It was last year's tournament. We met Date Tech in the second round."

"Date Tech?" Lu Ren searched his memory for the name but found nothing.

"They're known for their blocks, called the 'Iron Wall'," Sugawara explained. "In that match... our Ace Wing Spiker, Azumane Asahi, whom Nishinoya calls Asahi-senpai, was completely shut down."

"No matter how many spikes he sent, they were blocked. No matter how he attacked, he couldn't break through that wall," Daichi's voice was heavy. "In that match, Nishinoya saved balls with all his might. Several times, even though the ball was clearly blocked, Nishinoya miraculously saved it, giving Asahi another chance to attack."

"But..." Sugawara lowered his gaze. "Asahi... gave up attacking in the end. He felt he had let down Nishinoya's efforts to save the ball, felt he couldn't score, and his mentality broke. After that, the two of them had a falling out. That broken mop in the storage room was snapped then."

The gymnasium fell silent for a few seconds.

Kageyama Tobio stopped tossing his ball, clearly hearing this detailed inside story for the first time.