The referee's whistle cut through the noise, and both teams stepped forward for the starting lineups.
For Nekoma, Kuroo Tetsurō stood at the front, wearing that half-smirk that made it impossible to tell if he was teasing you or plotting something cruel. Beside him was Kai Nobuyuki, the steady vice-captain; Yaku Morisuke crouched low like a cat ready to spring; Kenma Kozume lingered in the back row, shoulders slightly hunched, eyes already studying every movement on the other side of the net; Shibayama Yuuki, rookie libero, adjusted his jersey nervously; Inouka Sou tugged his sleeve, and Tamahiko Teshiro gave a calm nod.
For Karasuno, Akira Oikawa rolled his shoulders, his silver hair catching the stadium lights in a way that made more than a few fans in the crowd murmur. On his left, Hinata Shōyō bounced on his feet like he was made of coiled springs. Kageyama Tobio stood centered, expression sharp, hands twitching as if already shaping invisible sets. Tsukishima Kei adjusted his glasses with that cool detachment that only made his height more intimidating. Daichi Sawamura's posture radiated captain's steadiness, while Nishinoya Yū, grinning wide, slapped his knees and yelled something too fast to be fully understood.
From the stands, Oikawa Tooru cupped his hands around his mouth."Don't embarrass the family name, Akiraaa!"Akira tilted his head back just enough to flash a mocking peace sign without breaking eye contact.Hinata whispered to him, "Is he always like this?"Akira smirked. "That was mild."
The whistle blew again — Nekoma's serve.
Yaku launched the ball high with a snap of his wrist, the serve deep and fast. Nishinoya darted in, knees brushing the court, arms absorbing the impact with a satisfying thunk."Nice receive!" Daichi shouted, already moving.
Kageyama's eyes flicked in every direction at once — then he caught Hinata already starting his run, a blur of orange and adrenaline. Without a word, without even a glance, Kageyama sent the ball skyward.
Hinata was already airborne, higher than most expected, his body twisting mid-flight. The set met him in midair so perfectly timed that it almost looked fake — the kind of set you blink and miss. His hand connected with a CRACK, and the ball speared down into Nekoma's side before their blockers could react.
The crowd exploded.Oikawa leaned forward in his seat, smiling faintly. "He's got you running those super quicks already, huh?" he murmured to himself.
Kuroo clicked his tongue, shaking his head with a grin. "So it's like that from point one."Kenma, eyes still half-lidded, didn't answer — but his gaze on Hinata and Kageyama sharpened.
The next serve was Akira's. He tossed the ball lazily, his approach smooth — and then the hit came, a heavy, clean sound that made the crowd gasp. The ball carved through the air like it was slicing the court in half. Yaku barely managed to dig it, sliding on one knee to keep it alive.
Kenma was there, pushing the ball to Kuroo on the left. Kuroo swung with a sharp wrist snap — but Akira was already in the air, meeting him at the net with a perfectly timed block.THUD. The ball dropped almost straight down onto Nekoma's side.
"Holy wall's up early," Oikawa called, smirking.Aya nudged him. "Holy wall?""Wait 'til you see it when he's serious," Oikawa replied, eyes fixed on the court.
The game didn't slow. Nekoma adjusted, playing their signature defense — Kuroo slowing down his spikes to aim for gaps, Kenma sending tricky second-touch dumps, Yaku diving for impossible saves.
But Karasuno's offense was relentless. Hinata's quicks were lightning; Tsukishima was sharp with his read blocks; Daichi's counterattacks kept pressure constant. And every time Nekoma started to gain ground, Akira's presence swelled — not loud or showy, but absolute. His blocks landed like hammers, his serves ripped the air, his spikes seemed to aim for the deepest corner with cruel precision.
By the tenth point, Nekoma's bench was shifting uncomfortably.Kenma caught himself glancing at Akira more than the ball, noting not just his power, but the subtle timing — the way he didn't just play a position, he seemed to anchor the whole rhythm of Karasuno's court.
From the Karasuno bench, Kiyoko caught Aya staring intently. "What are you looking for?"Aya smiled faintly. "Just wondering what happens when that 'holy' thing Oikawa keeps talking about… shows up for real."