The morning of the match, the air felt different.Not heavy, not light — just… electric.
Karasuno's bus rumbled down the road toward the Prefectural Gymnasium, its windows reflecting the clear blue sky. Inside, the team was a mix of quiet focus and restless energy.
Hinata bounced his leg like he was ready to sprint through the aisle. "I've been waiting for this! The Iron Wall! The actual Iron Wall!""You sound way too excited for something that's supposed to block us," Tsukishima muttered, adjusting his glasses."That's because we're gonna smash through it!" Hinata declared.Akira leaned his head back, grinning. "Or maybe climb over it… or dance around it… or paint it pink."Everyone stared."What?" Akira shrugged. "Chaos has options."
From the back, Asahi nervously chuckled. "Let's… let's just focus on not getting blocked to death, okay?"
Ukai stood up at the front of the bus, holding onto the railing as the vehicle jolted over a bump. "Listen up! Date Tech's defense is legit. You all know Aone — he's not flashy, but he reads the game like a book. Their timing is deadly. And they've been watching us since the last match."Kageyama frowned. "They'll expect our quicks."Ukai nodded. "Exactly. So don't be predictable. We're not here to play their game — they're gonna have to play ours."
Yachi sat near the middle, clutching her notebook of scouting notes like it was a holy text. "They… they have a new middle blocker too, right? Tall, number 7?""Yeah," Daichi confirmed. "Not as famous as Aone, but his reach is insane."
At the same time, across the city, Date Tech's own bus was rolling toward the same arena. Their players sat in calm formation, Aone staring quietly out the window. Futakuchi leaned over the aisle toward him."Hey, you think they're gonna try that 'chaos' thing on us?""They will," Aone said without looking away from the window. "We stop it."
The Prefectural Gymnasium came into view. Even from the outside, you could hear the crowd — not just fans of the two teams, but volleyball lovers from across Miyagi who'd come just for this. The banners hanging above the entrance read:"PRELIMS — WALL VS CHAOS"and underneath in smaller letters:Karasuno High vs Date Tech High
Inside the main hall, the noise was like a wave. Reporters' cameras clicked. The smell of polished wood and resin powder mixed with the faint buzz of the scoreboard being tested. Fans were already wearing split scarves — half black-and-orange, half green-and-white.
"Is this… a prelim or a final?" Yamaguchi whispered."Guess chaos sells tickets," Noya grinned.
From the stands, voices rose:— "Aone's gonna shut them down!"— "Nah, did you see Akira in the last game? Wall's coming down!"— "Hinata vs Aone! I've been waiting for this since junior high!"
Izumi was already in her seat with a box of snacks, kicking her legs against the railing. She'd smuggled in a giant sign that read:"GO AKIRA (Sorry Oikawa)"Her phone buzzed — Oikawa had texted: "I saw the sign. You're disowned."She replied with a selfie holding the sign higher.
Both teams began their warmups. Karasuno's spikes echoed sharp against the walls, each thud met with cheers. Date Tech's blocking drills were crisp and punishing — two blockers moving as one, their hands a solid wall above the net.
Up in the commentary booth, a local sports announcer leaned toward his mic. "This is the matchup we didn't know we needed — Karasuno's unpredictable offense versus Date Tech's immovable defense. And the players know it. No one here is taking this like just another round."
The referees called the captains over for the coin toss. Daichi and Date Tech's captain shook hands firmly, neither breaking eye contact.Back on Karasuno's bench, Ukai pulled his team in close."This isn't about proving chaos can beat order. This is about proving you can force even the most solid wall to move. Play smart, play fast… and when in doubt—""Become chaos," Akira finished with a smirk.Ukai grinned. "Exactly."
The whistle blew. The match was seconds from starting.The crowd leaned forward as one, and somewhere in the back, a fan yelled the words everyone was already thinking:"CHAOS VS IRON WALL — LET'S GO!!"