The gym was quieter than usual after practice ended, but the buzz of adrenaline still lingered. Players collapsed onto the floor or stretched silently, conversations scattered between water bottles and towels.
Hinata sat cross-legged beside the net, towel around his neck, legs aching and light.
He'd jumped higher than ever today.
But it wasn't just height that had changed.
It was precision.
Every move, every breath in the air—he was syncing with Kageyama faster than even he had expected.
And judging by the quiet way Kageyama passed him a water bottle earlier… the setter noticed it too.
Something had shifted.
Just then, the gym doors slid open with a sharp squeak.
A man in a green windbreaker and glasses entered, clipboard in hand.
Short, nervous, and clearly not a volleyball player — yet the air changed as he approached.
Daichi stood immediately. "Sensei."
Kageyama blinked. "Who's that?"
"Karasuno's faculty advisor," Sugawara whispered. "He's not a coach, but he cares."
Hinata tilted his head.
So this is the teacher in charge of the team?
The man smiled shyly at the players gathering around.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Takeda Ittetsu. I may not have a sports background, but I've recently started overseeing the volleyball club… and I'm very excited to be working with all of you."
He adjusted his glasses, cleared his throat.
"I've… also scheduled a practice match."
The room perked up instantly.
"A match?" Tanaka asked, straightening.
"With who?" Daichi asked.
Takeda smiled wider, almost sheepishly.
"Aoba Johsai High School. One of the top teams in Miyagi."
The silence that followed was sharp.
Hinata's mind flashed with memory. Tall blockers. Clean, fluid defense. Powerhouse plays.
Kageyama's eyes narrowed.
"They were strong in middle school," he murmured. "Their third-years were solid."
"They still are," Daichi said seriously.
Takeda nodded. "I know it's early, but they were kind enough to accept on short notice. They want to test their lineups too."
He held up the clipboard. "The match is in eight days."
Eight days.
That was all.
[System Notice]
Incoming Match: Aoba Johsai (Practice)
— Objective: Demonstrate adaptability vs tall blockers— Sub-objective: Test Quick Attack under dynamic defense
Progress Recommendation:• Increase Stamina• Develop Quick Variants• Begin Angle Break Practice
Hinata exhaled.
Eight days. He could work with that.
He would work with that.
The team immediately returned to high alert.
"We'll need to simulate taller blockers," Sugawara said. "We can use benches or mats to fake vertical coverage."
"Let's push focus drills," Daichi added. "Blocking reads, tempo sets, receiving—everything."
"Build up endurance too," Yamaguchi said, surprising even himself.
The team had already shifted gears.
Hinata stood at the edge of the gym, staring at the net.
Kageyama joined him a second later.
"Eight days," Kageyama muttered.
"Think that's enough?" Hinata asked.
"For us?" Kageyama glanced sideways. "...More than enough."
Hinata grinned.
That night, Hinata ran.
Not for speed, but distance.
Uphill sprints. Downhill bounding. Then shadow jumps in the school lot under the orange streetlight glow.
Each time he launched into the air, he imagined hands reaching over the net, eyes trying to track his form, walls forming in front of him.
But in his mind's eye—he always broke through.
[System Update: Night Training Bonus Applied]
Stamina: B- → BJump: B+ → B+ (Threshold maxed for current build)
Passive Skill Progress — Phantom Sync: 32%
Next Target: Angle Adaptation
The next day, Karasuno shifted into match-prep mode.
Scrimmages featured rotating tall blockers. Tanaka wore platform shoes. Tsukishima played exaggerated reads. The gym got louder, faster.
Hinata and Kageyama started layering in tempo quicks, delayed leaps, air drags, and even feints.
They weren't perfect.
But they were dangerous.
One afternoon, as Daichi reviewed formations with Sugawara, Takeda stood off to the side.
His hands trembled as he held his clipboard, but he smiled faintly.
"They're working harder than ever," he said.
Sugawara nodded. "They know what's coming."
"And they're not scared," Daichi added.
"No," Takeda said, almost to himself. "They're not."
Eight days would pass.
And then…
They'd face one of the strongest teams in the prefecture.
For most of them, it would be a proving ground.
For Hinata?
It would be the first true test of how far he'd climbed since starting over.
To be continued…