Mid-May was supposed to be an ordinary day, but for the pyers of Aoba Johsai High School's volleyball team, it carried extraordinary significe.

  After practice, rather than dispersing as usual, the team stayed ba the gym. A mixture of nervousness and anticipation hung in the air.

  Today, they would learn the hat could shape their journey ahead—the grouping for the Inter-High (IH) Prefectural Qualifiers.

  The tension in the room alpable. The moment the coach, Irihata, and the team manager, Mizoguchi, stepped into the gym, it felt like a breeze had swept through, dissipating some of the ay while simultaneously kindling fresh waves of expectation.

  "Mizoguchi-sensei?" Iwaizumi Hajime was the first to break the silence.

  "Thank you for waiting," Mizoguchi's voice was calm yet anding. "Now, I'll annouhe groupings for the IH Prefectural Qualifiers."

  His words froze the air.

  Everyone in the gym held their breath. Excitement mixed with trepidation filled their hearts. After all, the qualifiers' groupings didn't just determiheir first oppos but also hi whether their road to Nationals would be smooth ht with obstacles.

  Though the team was determio win the championship and cim the title of the stro, no one wao face Shiratorizawa right out of the gate.

  Coach Irihata silently observed the pyers' reas. While they were visibly tense, he also noticed their eagerness for the challenges ahead and an uing hunger for victory.

  Satisfied, he o himself. With such a mi, no oppo could truly intimidate them.

  Mizoguchi unfurled the sheet of paper in his hands and began reading out the details.

  "Miyagi Prefecture skips district qualifiers and starts directly with the prefectural round," he expined. "Out of 55 teams peting across the prefecture, only one will earn a ticket to Nationals."

  The pyers te this reminder—just oeam would advance. A single loss would shatter their dreams of Nationals.

  "For Aoba Johsai, oal is clear: to cim the top spot in Miyagi Prefecture," Mizoguchi emphasized.

  Taichi Kaedehara could feel the weight of the stakes through Mizoguchi's matter-of-fact tone.

  Sports at this level were merciless. Fifty-five teams, each with pyers who had poured their sweat and effort into training, all vying for victory. Yet, only the team that kept winning, again and again, would stand uhe spotlight at Nationals.

  "The top eight from st year's tour will be seeded and skip the first round," Mizoguchi tinued. "Additionally, because the total number of teams is odd, one lucky team will draw a bye and also skip the first round."

  He paused for a moment before adding, "The tour is divided i a brackets. The East bracket sists of Groups A, B, d D, while the West bracket includes Groups E, F, G, and H.

  "Each group will produe team to ehe prefectural quarterfinals. Then, the quarterfinals will determihe top four, and the semifinals will decide the two teams heading for the final match."

  As Mizoguchi's expnation cluded, the magnitude of what y ahead finally sank in for the team. The IH qualifiers weren't just a test of skill but a gau where only the stro could emerge victorious.

  Ultimately, the champions of the East a brackets would face off ohird day in the final match to determihe prefectural winner.

  Only that team would earn the right to represent Miyagi at Nationals.

  Group A: Aoba Johsai gets a first-round bye—Matchups: Chikawa North vs. Oomisaki, Tokonami vs. Karasuno, Date Tech vs. Sakurashita.

  Group B: Naraikawa gets a first-round bye—Matchups: Konuma vs. Ohu, Izumiishi gets a first-round bye, Ohu South vs. Tatemori.

  Group C: Dewakko Os a first-round bye—Matchups: Hayashi vs. Isamu, Kajikita vs. Midorikawa, Shirato Tech vs. Dewakko Twroup D: Shirato ercial gets a first-round bye—Matchups: Suzuhara vs. Hakusuikan, Jouzenji vs. Kadokawa, Kajiyama vs. Sengoku Tech.

  Group E: Shinzan Tech gets a first-round bye—Matchups: Wakutani South vs. Koshirou Tech, Kimoto vs. Koshirou Agricultural, Shirato vs. Ten'yama.

  Group F: Mine ercial gets a first-round bye—Matchups: Ougi Tech vs. Dewakko Three, Momijiwara vs. Yukama, Mine vs. Kajii.

  Group G: Ougi ercial gets a first-round bye—Matchups: Sakui vs. Higashida, Kuroda vs. Nishida, Sunayama vs. Umezuhara.

  Group H: Shiratorizawa gets a first-round bye—Matchups: Ten'yama South vs. Amemaru ercial, Tohoku First vs. Yricultural, Izumiishi Academy vs. Ohgi South.

  Taichi sed the matchups, finding it amusing to search for familiar names among so many unknowns.

  For others, the detailed grouping sparked waves of varied emotions—curiosity, determination and ay.

  "All things sidered, I think the grouping works in our favour. Fag Shiratorizawa in the final? It's almost poetic," Matsukawa Issei finally spoke, breaking the sileh his optimistiterpretation.

  His words rippled through the group like a stoossed into still water. Slowly, expressions shifted, and a few teammates began to emerge from their initial worry or unease, choosing io view the situation through Matsukawa's lens.

  "Whether it's Chikawa North or Oomisaki, our first-round match should be a breeze," one of the pyers offered.

  "Day two will probably briher Date Tech or Karasuno," Kunimi Akira reasoned, eyes glued to the matchups.

  "Wait….Karasuno being here makes sense, but why is Date Te this bracket too?" Yahaba Shigeru asked, finally uanding why the senior pyers had been so quiet earlier.

  Date Tech—dubbed the 'Iron Wall'—was a team notorious for its exceptional blog, earning a fearsome reputation that extended beyond its teical prowess. Their t defence wasn't just about skill; it had a psychological edge that could crush oppos' spirits.

  Pying against Date Tech ofte like smming into a wall—both literally aally. Their relentless blocks weren't just successful defensive manoeuvres; they were precision strikes aimed at dismantling the fidence of opposing attackers.

  For most offensive pyers, fag Date Tech's iron defence repeatedly led to subtle yet iable shifts iality.

  What began as fierce determination could devolve into creeping self-doubt. Their deferategies disrupted not just the pace of the game but the very thought processes of their oppos.

  "So, I guess it's safe to say our sed-day oppo will be Date Tech," Hanamaki Takahiro specuted, his toraying a hint of wariness.

  "Hmm? Why so sure? Karasuno should be manageable, right? I mean, the st time we saw them, they were far from their best," Yahaba tered.

  "That's because Karasuno's ace wasn't enough to overe Date Tech during the Miyagi Exhibition ba March. They lost 0-2, didn't they? And their new little guy probably isn't ready to hahat kind of wall on his own," Hanamaki expined matter-of-factly, bag his cim with ret results.

  Still, if things unfolded as expected, Karasuno might advaaichi thought to himself. After all, Karasuno's growth had been nothing short of revolutionary.

  "It's hard to say…" Oikawa Tōru interjected, catg Taichi's subtle expression of doubt. It seemed the two of them were on the same page. "With Tobio there, he'll definitely help their ace break through those barriers."

  Because that's exactly what I would do, Oikawa mused. As fellow setters, their thought processes sometimes mirrored each other eerily.

  "All right, enough," Coach Irihata cpped his hands, snapping the team's focus back. "No matter who it is…"

  "We will win!"

  The team echoed the decration in their hearts, each member silently vowing to rise above every challenge in the days ahead.

  _________

  [T/N] - If you guys want to read 50 Chapters in advance of the current story, you support me on my Patreon. Trust me, it's awesome!

  Link - (P)atreon./Iseebbsp;[Remove the brackets]