The Karasuno bus rumbled through Miyagi's winding roads. The windows rattled slightly, and the morning light sliced through the overcast sky in narrow beams.
Inside the vehicle, silence reigned.
Hinata sat with his legs bouncing, barely able to contain the anticipation clawing at his chest. This wasn't fear. This was hunger.
Aoba Johsai—Seijoh.
The team that loomed over Miyagi volleyball like a blue-and-white shadow.
And today, Karasuno would face them.
Kageyama sat beside him, silent and focused.
"You're twitching again," he muttered without looking up.
Hinata smirked. "I'm charging up."
Kageyama rolled his eyes. "You better not short-circuit."
They both knew: this match wasn't just about showing off.It was about validating the work they'd poured in for weeks.
Arrival at Aoba Johsai
Karasuno stepped off the bus and into the lion's den. The Seijoh gym was pristine—polished floors, rows of white and blue warmups, and calm intensity pulsing from every player.
And then there was him.
Oikawa Tooru, Aoba Johsai's infamous captain, stood leaning against the wall in full warmup gear. His trademark smile curled just so. A knee brace wrapped tightly around his left leg.
"Karasuno, huh?" he said, eyes sweeping lazily across the team.
Then he spotted Kageyama and straightened, voice mock-sweet.
"Tobio-chan~ It's been a while."
Kageyama didn't respond. His eyes narrowed with tension.
Hinata looked between them. So this was Kageyama's upperclassman—the one he'd talked about but never named.
Oikawa's gaze drifted to Hinata next.
"And you… the tiny one with the scary vertical."
Hinata smirked. "I'll be scarier when I'm scoring on your team."
Oikawa's smile didn't falter. But the glint in his eye sharpened.
"Oh? You're confident. Let's see how long that lasts."
Then he pushed off the wall, turned away with a lazy wave.
"I won't be starting today," he added over his shoulder. "But don't relax too much, okay?"
[System Alert — Player Scouted]
Oikawa TooruStatus: Active Player — Not StartingRecovery: 80%
Special Passive: Sideline Influence – Boosts real-time tactical reads and adjusts team formation under observation.
Threat Level (Benched): BThreat Level (On Court): A+
Hinata's breath caught.
He's not playing… yet.
That "yet" rang louder than anything else.
Warmups
Karasuno ran through stretches, passing drills, and tempo setups. Across the net, Seijoh moved like clockwork. Their starting setter, Yahaba Shigeru, was sharp and controlled—no flash, just textbook setting.
Hinata worked through shadow jumps, eyes darting to the sidelines.
Oikawa was pacing now.
Watching.
Measuring.
Waiting.
Kageyama said nothing, but Hinata noticed how his sets were tighter today—sharper, almost defensive in their precision.
Sugawara nudged Hinata. "He's trying not to show it. But Oikawa's presence? It rattles him."
Hinata nodded slowly.
"We'll rattle them back."
[System: Match Preparation Complete]
Opponent Setter: Yahaba ShigeruPassive: Stable Tempo / Broad Awareness
Shadow Influence Detected: Oikawa Tooru (Sideline Control Active)
Warning: Probability of Rotation In (Oikawa) > 70% after Set 1
The whistle blew.
Karasuno lined up.
Daichi barked, "Heads up. Eyes forward. No matter who's across the net—play our game."
Kageyama inhaled slowly.
Hinata crouched into position.
Yahaba spun the ball.
Oikawa folded his arms near the bench.
And with the sound of a clean serve…
The match began.