During the break, Coach Ukai gathered the team and went over the first set.
"Your offense was sharp," he said, voice steady. "And it proved our A-B rotation plan works. For the second set, we'll shift into B Form. Tsukishima, Nishinoya, Sugawara, Kageyama, Daichi, Asahi, you six will start."
Everyone blinked. Even Jin their silver-haired first-year ace was left out.
Jin stepped forward, frowning. "Coach, why me? Kuroo only got a fingertip on one ball. I was about to crush him the next chance I got!"
Coach Ukai placed his hand on his shoulder. "I get it. If this were an official match, you'd be on the court without question. But this is a practice match. The point isn't winning, it's growth. And you're not the only one sitting this round."
Jin followed Coach Ukai's gaze and saw Hinata and Tanaka sulking on the bench.
"Tch, seriously?" Hinata puffed his cheeks, glaring at Tsukishima who smirked back.
Tanaka leaned in menacingly toward the tall blocker. "Don't think being tall makes you a great middle. If your spikes don't land, I'm gonna lose it."
Coach Ukai ignored the noise. The truth was clear, training meant everyone had to get court time. But to Jin, who had just tasted the fire of real battle, being benched now felt like cold water poured over his head.
"Coach, I still-"
Before Jin could finish, a sharp chop landed on his side.
"Ow! That hurts!" he yelped, clutching his waist.
Kiyoko stood beside him, expression flat, hand retreating from the hit. "Calm down. Follow the plan."
No matter how fired up Jin was, once Kiyoko spoke, he could only swallow his protests.
From a short distance away, Tanaka and Nishinoya clasped their hands together dramatically. "Kiyoko-san! If it helps, you can punish us too! We'll take it!"
"I refuse," Kiyoko said, already turning to sit back down.
"Ahh… even rejection feels sweet," the two groaned, they're enjoying it.
The whistle for the second set blew, and both teams walked back onto the court.
---
After Karasuno winning the first set, Nekoma had just begun to settle into their rhythm. But now, with Karasuno switching styles entirely, that rhythm was shattered again.
Takeda-sensei leaned toward to Coach Ukai on the bench. "Coach, forgive me, but… why pull Jin? Isn't he our biggest weapon?"
Coach Ukai's eyes stayed on the court. "Don't you see? Right now, the team doesn't fully know how to work with him. Volleyball is six-on-six. If one player is too strong, the team either ends up revolving around that cannon or they all have to level up to match him. If Jin ever gets shut down or injured, and the team can't score without him, we'll collapse."
Takeda's brows furrowed, then slowly relaxed. "So you're pushing the others to grow… so they can stand alongside with him."
Coach Ukai nodded. "It's not easy to keep pace with a genius. But the day they do, Karasuno will truly fly."
---
On the bench, Jin sat between Kiyoko and Hitoka, helping track stats.
For Hitoka, it was the first time watching so closely. Though she already knew a lot about volleyball, Kiyoko's explanations over the past days had deepened her understanding.
"Strange," Hitoka muttered. "Since the rotation, their receive errors have dropped a lot. Even after long game, they don't miss."
Jin smirked. "Of course. Nishinoya-san, Daichi-san, and Suga-san are our best passers. Back in practice, I tested them with spike after spike, and they received almost everything."
"But," Hitoka tilted her head, "if you focus so much on defense, doesn't it weaken your attack? Wouldn't it be better to just field more hitters?"
Jin wagged a finger. "Nope. Receive is the base of everything. A clean pass sets up a clean attack. Look."
On court, Nishinoya absorbed a sharp spike, softening the spin completely and putting the ball right into Kageyama's hands.
Kageyama set instantly, finding Asahi on the left wing.
Facing a one-and-a-half block, Asahi snapped a clean straight shot.
"That set was beautiful!" Jin said, nodding in admiration.
Hitoka clenched her fists, eyes shining. "So cool!"