Chapter 8: Yukigaoka vs. Kitagawa Daiichi
"Ichise! I'm going to the bathroom."
Hinata Shoyo covered his stomach with his left hand and raised his right hand, which was trembling.
He was signaling that he needed to use the restroom.
"Okay, go ahead. Don't take too long!"
"Got it!"
"Wait! I'm also going to the bathroom."
Ichise Guren called out to Hinata Shoyo, telling him to wait.
He then started taking a small packet out of his backpack.
"The bathroom? Are you really going to use that thing?"
"Yeah, the first match is very important for establishing morale, and our first opponent is really strong. We need to bring out 200% of our potential."
Ichise Guren nodded and replied seriously.
"I don't want to lose the first match and then regret not giving it my all."
...
Paying no attention to what was happening outside the restroom.
Ichise Guren carefully took out a container of hair gel and a small bottle of styling spray from the small packet.
He spread the hair gel evenly on his hands and applied it uniformly to his hair.
Then with one gel-covered hand, he combed his messy bangs straight back into a slicked-back style.
He then reinforced it with styling spray.
At the same time, his entire demeanor transformed dramatically.
From a sunny, cheerful big boy rose an arrogant and domineering aura.
After putting his things away, he grinned at himself in the mirror.
"Kitagawa Daiichi, are you ready?"
After saying this, he picked up the small packet, pushed open the door, and walked out.
Returning to the competition venue, everyone looked at Ichise Guren with his slicked-back hair.
Except for Hinata Shoyo who already knew, everyone's expressions changed drastically.
Hoshino Masaru hurriedly walked to Ichise Guren's side and began whispering anxiously.
"Ichise! You..."
However, before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Ichise Guren with an impatient expression.
He picked at his ear.
"I know, I know."
"Just keep it under control, as long as I don't get warned by the referee."
"Alright, don't worry about me. Everyone come over, I gathered some intelligence last night."
"I'll tell you the key points today."
After the Yukigaoka volleyball club members formed a circle, Ichise Guren began explaining what he had learned the night before.
"Their offensive strength isn't actually that strong. They're only relying on basic height advantage and that setter's powerful ball control, passing speed, and awareness."
"This round: front row is Hinata, Mori, and Hyakuzawa. Back row is Suzuki, me (Hoshino), and Kawashima."
"In the back row, we need to strive for either me or Hinata to pair with Hoshino for ground defense in every rally."
"For blocking, we'll use adaptive blocking—don't try to predict. We're not aiming to completely shut down their spikes, so our jump point should be slightly farther from the net, then use soft blocking to try to slow down their spike speed through ball contact."
"As for offense, leave it to me, Yudai, and Hinata."
After Ichise Guren finished speaking, he looked toward Mori, who had completed basic training on the steps and was practicing overhead passes, positioned as the setter.
"Mori! The sets don't need to be fast and precise. It doesn't matter even if the opponents clearly know who among us is attacking."
"Yudai and I just need a high ball. Within your capabilities, just give Hinata a few first-tempo or second-tempo quick attacks."
"With Hinata's lateral speed, except for that setter, they won't be able to keep up."
Mori looked at Ichise Guren, who despite being arrogant, was still seriously coaching them.
After taking a deep breath and exhaling.
He looked seriously at Ichise Guren and said:
"Yes! Ichise-senpai! I'll be a good setter!"
Ichise Guren responded with a toothy grin.
"What else would you do?"
"Line up!!!"
The referee's voice rang out.
Both Kitagawa Daiichi and Yukigaoka players stopped their warm-up activities.
They lined up and bowed.
"Please take care of us!"
Hinata Shoyo's extremely powerful bow also caught the attention of the Karasuno volleyball club members who had come to watch Kitagawa's dominance from the stands.
The match began.
Kitagawa Daiichi started with the serve.
A player wearing jersey number 3 executed a standing serve.
Although it was an ordinary standing serve, relying on height, arm span, and strength, it was still a decent serve.
"I've got it!"
Hoshino Masaru flashed to where the ball would land with precise judgment.
He gripped with both hands and absorbed the impact with his whole body.
A very high-quality receive flew right to Mori's position.
"Oh! What an excellent receive! Is this really junior high level?"
Sugawara Koshi exclaimed from the stands.
Tanaka Ryunosuke also chimed in:
"Yeah, that receive had some of Yu's style to it."
Sawamura Daichi also nodded.
"Mm, that receive was indeed good. Let's see the attack that follows."
Seeing his serve easily received by the opponent.
Kitagawa's number 3 also clicked his tongue in annoyance.
He then quickly shifted into defensive receiving position.
Mori stood at the net, taking advantage of the time before the ball fell.
He quickly observed the positioning across the court.
'As expected of a national candidate, positioning without a single flaw.'
'Ichise-senpai also said that the first match is very important for morale.'
'And for the first ball of the first match, we need to bring out our fighting spirit while also giving the opponent some pressure and threat.'
'Then, the most direct display of power would be that person whose pure strength can cause a qualitative change!'
After Mori figured out who to set to, he no longer hesitated.
Making his decision immediately, he shouted loudly:
"Hyakuzawa-senpai!"
"Oh! Leave it to me!"
On the other side of the court, Kageyama Tobio quickly commanded his teammates to get into defensive positions.
"Mark that big guy!!!"
The Kitagawa players who quickly completed their positioning were surprised to discover.
The ball from the opposing setter was a slow, high lob.
Kageyama Tobio frowned.
'This kind of setting has no setter soul whatsoever.'
'Abandoning the setter's role as the team's brain and decision-maker, instead leaving the timing and speed of the attack entirely to the spiker's own judgment.'
Although he despised this soulless kind of setting, this was a match, so Kageyama Tobio still came to the net with his teammates with utmost seriousness.
Counting Hyakuzawa Yudai's steps, they began the countdown.
"Three! Two! One! Jump!"
Bang!
"What?!"
This wall formed by Kitagawa Daiichi's three highest reach points—Kageyama Tobio, Kindaichi Yutaro, and the number 1 captain—
Was broken by a super-hand attack that exceeded their fingertips by nearly ten centimeters.
As the high wall crumbled, among the Kitagawa Daiichi players, those who read manga.
All couldn't help but think of the moment when the wall that sustained human life was destroyed by the Colossal Titan.
Several hardcore Attack on Titan fans who were too immersed even showed expressions of despair on their faces.
The volleyball slammed hard into the ground.
Kitagawa Daiichi's libero didn't make it in time to attempt a save.
Because they hadn't expected, that this 'giant' from Yukigaoka Middle School could actually break through Kitagawa Daiichi's proud junior high iron wall.
Meanwhile, the well-experienced and professionally trained referee showed little emotional reaction.
Instead, he blew his whistle as usual, signaling the point.
The two students responsible for keeping score also followed the referee's signal and flipped the scoreboard.
1:0
Yukigaoka Middle School in the lead.
"Amazing! The contact point for that spike was really high!"
Tanaka Ryunosuke was also shocked by this super-hand kill from the stands.
Sugawara Koshi also showed an expression of amazement.
"How scary. Are we going to face opponents like this next year? No matter how I look at it, it seems impossible to block."
"I wonder if Date Tech's iron wall could stop that ball."
Sawamura Daichi remained as steady as always.
"Don't think about it too much. If we really encounter it, we'll just have to grit our teeth and play."
"Besides, although we can't completely shut down spikes with such high contact points."
"Taking a step back and using touch blocking should still be doable."
Just as the Karasuno members in the stands were using Hyakuzawa Yudai as a hypothetical enemy and thinking of ways to counter him.
Kageyama Tobio began telling his front-row teammates to step back a bit during blocking and use soft blocking.
And next, it was Yukigaoka Middle School's serving turn.
***
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