After warm-ups, Takeda-sensei discussed details with Coach Irihata from Aoba Jōsai, and the practice match officially began.
Shirogane Jin stood at the left wing spiker position. Next to him, Hinata was trembling.
"J-Jin… aren't you nervous too?" he whispered.
Hinata had never played such a serious match before, his middle school "team" was just a pickup group. Nerves were natural.
Jin bent slightly, smirking. "Didn't you say you wanted to compete with me for the ace spot? You're shaking like a newborn deer. Hahaha."
Tsukishima, who overheard, covered his mouth and chuckled. "A newborn deer, huh? Sounds about right. Fragile and wobbly."
The double jab from two "black-bellies" made Hinata flush red. His nervousness was replaced with fiery determination. "Just watch! The ace is mine! Kageyama, pass everything to me, I'll score all of them!"
Kageyama ignored him completely, his eyes were fixed on the opposite court, calmly analyzing positioning. No matter the match, the moment he stood on the court, he switched into game mode, that was his strength.
The whistle blew. Seijoh's Kunimi Akira stepped up for the first serve. His floater wasn't powerful, but targeted the back corner.
Hinata, nerves still twitching, instinctively go after it only for Jin to grab him back. "Calm down! Don't try to do everything alone. Volleyball's a team game. Just do your job."
Daichi steadied the receive and passed cleanly to Kageyama.
This was the first ball, perfect timing for a surprise strike.
Hinata quickly darted into an empty lane. His quick movement shocked Kindaichi, who was a step too late. Just as Kageyama was ready to launch the famous "freak quick," a wave of killing intent came from behind him.
'Set it here.' Jin's eyes alone made Kageyama hesitate.
Across the net, Iwaizumi Hajime's instincts screamed. The first-year in front of him radiated pressure that only an ace should carry. "This way!" he shouted, yanking Kindaichi back into blocking position.
Kageyama switched at the last second, set the ball to Jin, high and clean.
Iwaizumi, Yahaba, and Kindaichi all leapt together, arms walling off every angle.
It's not Kageyama's intention but he'd been pulled into Jin's rhythm.
Jin's gaze sharpened. To him, the triple block split into dynamic frames. Kindaichi flinched, being stared at and felt like prey facing a predator.
"If you don't believe you'll win, you'll never stop me."
Relaxed shoulders, graceful swing and then, at midway, his arm snapped faster, spike straight at Kindaichi's stiff hand.
"Bang! Bang!"
The impact tore through the block, echoing across the gym. Kindaichi staggered back two steps before regaining balance. Only now did he realize why Yahaba had urged him to fetch Oikawa.
Even Seijoh's own players froze at the sight of it. To challenge a triple block head-on, and break through? That was an ace's declaration.
Jin shook his arms loosely, said to the corners of the gym. "The one hiding in the corner, how long are you going to sit there? These guys aren't enough for me."
All eyes turned. From the shadows, a familiar figure emerged with a smile.
Oikawa Tōru, Seijoh's captain, walked forward leisurely, gaze sharp yet playful.
"Well, well. Seems Karasuno's got themselves an arrogant new spiker… right alongside that troublesome pipsqueak."