On the final weekend of April, the Aoba Johsai High School volleyball team boarded the school bus. Twelve starting pyers, along with their coad manager, were headed to Shiratorizawa Academy.

  The weather was excellent—clear skies stretched endlessly, with just the right warmth to suggest that summer was on its way.

  But the mood on the bus was sombre, a stark trast to the bright day outside. For the past two years, Shiratorizawa had been a recurring nightmare for the Seijoh pyers.

  "Does it really have to be this gloomy? Oikawa, aren't you going to lighten the mood?" Hanamaki Takahiro leaned against his bus seat, his tone carrying a hint of teasing.

  It was unusual for the usually lively team to be this quiet, and the silence felt almost unnatural.

  "You third-years look like you're carrying the weight of the world. It's making the undercssmen afraid even to speak," Matsukawa Issei chimed in from across the aisle.

  "Don't mention Oikawa. That idiot is probably the most nervous of all right now," Iwaizumi Hajime muttered from the sed row, his lips curling into a smirk. "The guy was all cocky and full of fideer he came back st time."

  "What are you talking about? I'm not scared at all! I'm going to crush Ushiwaka today!" Oikawa Tōru suddenly came to life, standing up and gng around the bus dramatically.

  he back of the bus, Kaedehara Taichi sat by the window, propping his on one hand as he gazed at the moving sery outside.

  Ever since Oikawa and Taichi had returned from scouting Shiratorizawa and finalized the date for their practice match, the atmosphere during Seijoh's training sessions had grown increasingly inte was as if an invisible pressure had gripped the team, driving every pyer to push their limits with heightened focus and effort.

  Initially, it had been Taichi and the third-years who stayed behind after regur practice for additional drills, refining teiques and improving their physical fitness.

  Inspired by their seniors, the sed-years soon followed suit, extending their training hours. Even the usually id-back Kunimi Akira found himself being dragged along by Kindaichi Yutaro.

  The feverish energy spread like ripples, eventually enpassing the eeam. First-years, substitute pyers, and even the support staff were swept up in the fervour. Night after night, the Seijoh gym remained brightly lit, filled with the echoes of volleyballs and the palpable tension of preparation.

  However, the coag staff, including Coach Irihata and Manager-Coach Mizoguchi, couldn't help but worry.

  While they were pleased with the team's enthusiasm, they reminded everyoo be mindful of their physical limits to avoid burnout.

  Taichi's training, however, stood out even among his dedicated teammates. To others, his regimen seemed nothing short of insane. He didn't just train during practice—his focus on volleyball exteo meals, walking, and even during css.

  After much pestering from Oikawa, Taichi finally expined his mi.

  "You don't get it, do you? This is called 'bei friends with the volleyball.' You have to form a deep emotional bond with the ball. That's how anime protagonists do it."

  Oikawa rolled his eyes, uo make sense of it.

  But over two weeks of releraining, Taichi's skills had improved signifitly. His dedication earned him a new niame from Oikawa: "The Training Monster."

  [System Update]

  [Kaedehara Taichi – Stats:

  Power: 78

  Jump: 68

  Stamina: 73

  Speed: 90

  Teique: Receive: 71, Serve: 70, Spike: 72

  (Receiving and spiking have reached average proficy. Training objectives have been adjusted.)]

  [Training Objectives(updated):]

  [For every 5,000 successful receives: +1 to Receiving (up to a max of 80).

  For every 5,000 successful serves: +1 t (up to a max of 80).

  For every 5,000 successful spikes: +1 to Spiking (up to a max of 80).]

  The system had updated Taichi's training goals when most of his stats reached the 70-point threshold. Now, his serve and receive drills were tracked separately.

  His other physical attributes had seen slight improvements as well. His jump stat had increased signifitly thanks to pleting a system mission. However, his speed seemed to have hit a pteau, likely refleg his current physical limitations.

  The new goals were five times more demanding than before, but Taichi had anticipated this. He resolved to focus on perfeg his receiving and spiking skills, maximizing his impa the court.

  This, he believed, was the role he o fulfil for his team.

  -----

  The bus came to a stop outside Shiratorizawa Academy's gymnasium, and the Aoba Johsai volleyball team disembarked one by one.

  "Even though this is just a practice match, there's no doubt that Shiratorizawa will be the toughest obstacle on our path to Nationals," Coach Irihata said during the team's lineup. "I've seen all the hard work you've put in during training. Now's the time to test your strength. Go out there and give it your best!"

  "Yes, sir!"

  Even Taichi felt a rush of excitement, his blood boiling at the prospect of the match.

  matg tracksuits, the team grabbed their gear and walked toward the gym.

  As they stepped ihe atmosphere ged dramatically.

  "So many people!" Kindaichi couldn't help but excim.

  It was, indeed, overwhelming. For a mere practice match, the number of spectators was staggering.

  Scores of Shiratorizawa students in school uniforms lihe sed-floor baly, from above.

  It was clear that despite being belled as a 'practice match', both sides treated it as a preview of the prefectural finals for the Inter-High qualifiers.

  The crowd's chatter reverberated against the ceiling, amplifying the noise and instantly reminding Aoba Johsai that they were ierritory—even if this was just a practice match.

  Oikawa Tōru's gaze locked onto the figure standing across the .

  Shiratorizawa's team exuded an almal presence, each pyer brimming with the fidend posure of champions. Their eyes met, and the tension in the air alpable, like the calm before a storm.

  Every pyer the white-purple uniform carried themselves with an air of authority, every movement radiating the poise of a team aced to victory.

  As the Aoba Johsai pyers observed, Shiratorizawa began their warm-up routiaichi quickly spotted the figure of Ushijima Wakatoshi among them.

  A ball was tossed high into the air, and Ushijima leapt with an effortless grace.

  Boom!

  The ball struck the floor with a resounding thud, vibrating through the gym. It ricocheted off the ground, s effortlessly over the heads of the audience before ndily in the hands of a student on the sed floor.

  "What…what was that? If I tried to block that, my hand would probably break!" Kunimi Akira muttered, shaken.

  The sheer force of the se left the Aoba Johsai pyers stuhose who had never witnessed Ushijima's spikes before stood frozen, their jaws s awe of his overwhelming power.

  For the first time, the eam members truly uood what it meant for Ushijima Wakatoshi to be rahe prefecture's best and one of the top three attackers iion.

  And for the first time, they grasped the gravity of the oppohey were about to face.

  _________

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