"Feeling anything yet? The strength of your seniors, I mean."
Outside the court, as the game began to stabilize, Coach Ukai exhaled in relief and turned to Kageyama Tobio beside him.
"They're really strong!" Kageyama answered honestly.
The current score on the court was 8–7. Although Karasuno was technically behind, the way they were playing suggested they still had a real shot at turning things around.
And that shift in momentum, something Kageyama had struggled to achieve during the entire first set, had been brought about by someone else.
"If we're talking about individual skills, you're probably already better than Sugawara. But let me ask, how much of that skill do you think you're actually putting to use during the game?"
"Huh?"
Kageyama froze, unsure how to respond. If it came to taking the match seriously, he knew he was second to none.
Seeing his puzzled face, Ukai smacked his own forehead. "Ahhh, guess that didn't quite hit home. Let me try a different approach, do you like beer?"
Kageyama: "?????????"
What kind of wild analogy was that?
Even the team advisor, Takeda-sensei, couldn't stay silent. He quickly cut in, "Coach! He's still underage!"
"Oh, right! Sorry, sorry…" Ukai scratched his head apologetically. He furrowed his brow, thinking deeply before trying again. "Okay, then let me ask this, what brand of sports shoes do you usually wear?"
"Huh?"
Kageyama blinked, then replied after a pause, "Probably Butterfly."
"And do you think Butterfly makes the best sports shoes out there?"
"Uh…"
Suddenly, a spark of understanding flashed in Kageyama's mind. He was beginning to get what Coach Ukai meant.
"See, when it comes to shoes, it's not about what's objectively the best, it's about what suits you best. Volleyball's the same way. Sugawara may not match your technical level, but as a seasoned member of the team, he knows the habits of every player. He knows how to bring out the best in them."
"That's why, even if the attacks aren't as sharp without you on the court, the team's rhythm and morale are better. The overall impact becomes stronger."
"Kageyama, you're incredibly gifted, but volleyball isn't a solo sport. Learn to trust your teammates."
Kageyama stayed silent for a moment, then nodded. "I understand, Coach."
Ukai rubbed his hair again. "Well, I don't expect you to grasp it all at once… Now go get warmed up. You'll be subbing in soon. If we're going to turn this game around, we'll need your strength."
"Yes, sir!"
Kageyama responded with renewed energy.
Looking back at the court, Ukai's expression turned serious again. On the surface, Karasuno looked like they had things under control, but this was already Sugawara Koushi's limit.
If they wanted to match up against Oikawa Tooru, Sugawara alone wasn't quite enough.
Right now, Aoba Johsai was only struggling because they were still unfamiliar with Sugawara's style. Once they adapted, Karasuno would be in trouble.
They had to bring Kageyama back in, before that happened.
It didn't feel entirely fair to Sugawara, but that was the harsh reality of competitive sports.
Tweet!
Ukai signaled the referee for a substitution.
Sugawara stepped into the sub area and exchanged number plates with Kageyama.
"I did my best, but I couldn't turn the score around. The rest is up to you, Kageyama."
"Leave it to me, Sugawara-senpai."
After their brief exchange, Kageyama stepped back onto the court.
────────── ✦ ──────────
"Huh? Subbed out already? I was just starting to get a read on that cheerful guy's playstyle!"
Oikawa Tooru looked genuinely disappointed. He had finally begun syncing with Sugawara's rhythm and was eager to "exchange ideas" as setters.
Next to him, Hajime Iwaizumi gave him a deadpan glare. Being around someone with that level of deviousness made him worry a bolt of lightning might strike them both one day.
"…Kageyama looks different–" Issei Matsukawa suddenly commented. "He's always been serious, but he used to seem tense. Now he looks… relaxed."
"Ahhh~ Even kings need to unwind every now and then, right?" Oikawa said in a sing-song voice, deliberately obnoxious.
The match resumed.
The score was 10–9. Aoba Johsai had the serve.
The ball flew over the net from Seijoh's side. Karasuno's libero received it cleanly. Matsukawa and Hanamaki stood at the net, eyes locked on Kageyama, trying to read who he'd set the ball to.
The next second,
Thud.
The ball shot straight between them, landing cleanly in Seijoh's court.
Across the net, Hinata Shoyo hovered midair like a tiny sun illuminated by the gym's ceiling lights. Only as he descended did the form of Kageyama supporting the set become visible.
The expressions of everyone on Seijoh's side froze in shock.
"That was fast!"
Even compared to the previous Quick Attack, this one was on another level.
"Did Kageyama improve his precision that much in such a short time?"
"No, it's not about accuracy. Their timing's gotten sharper, they're more in sync."
Oikawa wiped the sweat from his brow, a grin spreading across his face, one that was almost feral.
"How interesting. The King of the Court… is beginning to cast off his crown and evolve into a real monarch. But why? What brought about this change?"
His gaze locked onto Hinata.
"Don't tell me… it's because of that tiny shrimp?"
Tweet!
The scoreboard flipped, 10:10.
For the first time in the match, Karasuno had tied the score.
Tweet!!
Seijoh called for a timeout.
Back on the bench, Coach Irihata remained calm, addressing the team with composure.
"No need to panic. We're still in control of the game. Keep your rhythm steady, don't let a burst of energy from the other side rattle you."
"And remember, no matter how flashy those two first-years are, they're still just bait. Focus on defense. As for offense, we'll leave that to Akashi, hm?"
He paused, realizing something was off.
"Where's Akashi?"
The team blinked, confused.
They turned around, and immediately froze in shock.
Standing silently before them was Akashi Asuka. The atmosphere around him felt like a bottomless black hole, threatening to swallow everything in its path...
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