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Chapter 191: The Match Begins
🕑 Added 2025-01-29 16:39:49 +0000 UTC"Ah! Kageyama!"
After Coach Hibarida Fuki announced the free activity period, the players from across the country scattered, looking for familiar faces in the crowd.
One boy with a broccoli-like hairstyle seemed particularly anxious, scanning his surroundings frantically before finally spotting someone he recognized.
Kageyama Tobio: "…"
"We trained together at the summer training camp, didn't we?"
"It's me! A first-year middle blocker from Shinzen High, Chigaya Eikichi." The boy pointed at himself, looking a little exasperated.
"Oh—!" Kageyama suddenly recalled something. "Broccoli No. 2…"
For the record, Broccoli No. 1 was Shinzen High's third-year captain, Ogano Daiki.
Chigaya Eikichi: "..."
Ugh…I already thought he was difficult to talk to back at the summer camp, but this guy really is impossible to read…
"But having someone I know here still makes me feel a lot more at ease…" Chigaya let out a relieved sigh.
And then—
Silence.
The conversation hit a dead end once again.
Say something, damn it! Chigaya screamed internally. No wonder Ogano-senpai warned me that most people who make it to the Youth National Training Camp are weirdos…
"…So, did Karasuno make it to nationals?" Chigaya awkwardly tried to restart the conversation. "We fought a tough three-set battle in the finals but lost in the end…"
"We lost to Shiratorizawa in the semifinals." Kageyama's face darkened instantly.
"…Ah. Hahaha." Chigaya let out an awkward laugh. "Well, it's Shiratorizawa—losing to them isn't too surprising. They're regulars at nationals, after all—"
"Hm?" Kageyama cut him off. "But the champions from our region were Aoba Johsai."
———
Chigaya's expression froze.
At that moment, he desperately wanted to escape. Please, just let me go!!!
Kageyama pointed toward a group of players gathered nearby. "He's right over there—Aoba Johsai's ace, Kaedehara Taichi."
Chigaya followed Kageyama's gaze and saw—
Sakusa Kiyoomi, Komori Motoya, Miya Atsumu, Hoshiumi Kourai, and an unfamiliar player—probably the Kaedehara Taichi that Kageyama had just mentioned.
What kind of lineup is this?!
Aren't these all players featured in Volleyball Monthly?!
Sure, Chigaya was considered a rising star in Saitama, and his senpais always spoke highly of him. Making it to the Youth Camp alone was proof of his talent.
But compared to these monsters, Chigaya was painfully aware of the invisible gap that separated them.
And then, as if sensing his gaze, those players turned toward him all at once.
Chigaya's heart started pounding. Oh no. I'm nervous. Are they looking at me?!
A million thoughts raced through his mind.
Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to calm down. They're just other high schoolers like me. There's no need to be so tense.
For all I know, they might see me as a rising star too!
Chigaya started brainstorming ways to respond if someone talked to him. This time, he planned to use a lighthearted topic to avoid another awkward silence.
Just as he steeled himself and flashed what he thought was his most natural smile—
"Kageyama! Come here for a sec."
Kaedehara Taichi called from behind him.
"Hm? Okay." Kageyama immediately walked away toward the group.
Chigaya: "..."
Ogano-senpai…I want to go home!
———
"Oh? So this is Oikawa-senpai's junior?" Miya Atsumu asked, his interest piqued.
"In terms of pure skill, Kageyama is in no way inferior to Oikawa-senpai," Kaedehara Taichi said with a small smile.
Kageyama was slightly surprised to hear such high praise from Taichi. Every time they played against each other, he could only sense the overwhelming confidence Taichi exuded, almost bordering on arrogance.
Still, hearing that kind of evaluation…it did feel nice.
"Is that so?" Atsumu smirked like a fox.
"Hm?" Kageyama's dumbfounded expression instantly shifted to a deep scowl, his guard shooting up.
Miya Atsumu—the setter who defeated Oikawa-senpai at nationals. A second-year.
The best high school setter in Japan.
Kageyama's competitive spirit flared to life.
The others, however, quickly lost interest in him and dispersed.
Before long, the coach of Japan's U-19 Men's Volleyball Team, Kajiya Kotarō, walked over with a sheet of paper in hand.
"For the next part, we'll divide into teams for a practice match. Play freely and show us what you've got."
Team A Lineup:
Outside Hitter: Kaedehara Taichi (1st Year, Aoba Johsai, Miyagi)
Outside Hitter: Katayama Akira (2nd Year, Tamamine High, Osaka)
Middle Blocker: Chigaya Eikichi (1st Year, Shinzen High, Saitama)
Middle Blocker: Kondou Masato (2nd Year, Inubushi East, Hiroshima)
Libero: Hirao Jin (1st Year, Higashihara High, Saitama)
Outside Hitter: Hoshiumi Kourai (2nd Year, Kamomedai High, Nagano)
Setter: Miya Atsumu (2nd Year, Inarizaki, Hyogo)
Team B Lineup:
Middle Blocker: Matsumoto Dai (2nd Year, Sakyuu Central, Tottori)
Outside Hitter: Sakusa Kiyoomi (2nd Year, Itachiyama, Tokyo)
Outside Hitter: Mochida Riei (2nd Year, Ichirin High, Tochigi)
Middle Blocker: Nakamoto Shigeru (1st Year, Takagiyama Academy, Aichi)
Libero: Komori Motoya (2nd Year, Itachiyama, Tokyo)
Setter: Kageyama Tobio (1st Year, Karasuno, Miyagi)
Outside Hitter: Kawakami Tomota (1st Year, Yagitani High, Nagasaki)
"The match will begin after a thirty-minute warm-up."
Starting Rotation:
Team A (Serving):
Front row—Outside Hitter Kaedehara Taichi, Outside Hitter Katayama Akira, Middle Blocker Chigaya Eikichi.
Back row—Middle Blocker Kondou Masato (Libero: Hirao Jin), Outside Hitter Hoshiumi Kourai and Setter Miya Atsumu.
Team B:
Front row—Middle Blocker Matsumoto Dai, Outside Hitter Sakusa Kiyoomi, Outside Hitter Mochida Riei.
Back row—Middle Blocker Nakamoto Shigeru (Libero: Komori Motoya), Setter Kageyama Tobio and Outside Hitter Kawakami Tomota.
Team A was up to serve first, with Miya Atsumu stepping onto the service line.
His 'dual-wield' serves had left a deep impression on Taichi during their past encounters—though, to be fair, the cheerleaders' reactions had been even more memorable.
Now, after nearly half a year of growth, who knew how much Miya Atsumu had improved?
One step. Two steps. Three steps. Four steps.
A jump float serve!
Thanks to Komori Motoya's keen observations, Team B's back-row defenders had already prepared for it.
By analyzing the number of steps Atsumu took during his approach, they could predict whether he was going for a jump float or a jump power serve.
The ball was tossed high into the air.
There were no roaring cheers from the crowd.
No teammates shouting from the sidelines.
In this unusually quiet atmosphere, Atsumu struck the ball with a forceful swing.
Boom!
A jump power serve!
The unexpected change caught Team B off guard—the ball rocketed toward their backcourt!
Despite the miscalculation, Komori Motoya didn't panic.
With a quick step to the right, he immediately dropped his stance, lowering his centre of gravity. His arms extended beneath the descending ball, wrists firm, ready to absorb the impact.
Smack!
A clean receive!
The ball rebounded high off Komori's forearms, though he had to roll backwards to dissipate the force. However, the impromptu reception wasn't entirely stable.
The ball soared back over the net, landing in Team A's half.
"Chance ball!" Hirao Jin called out, signalling his teammates to prepare for the attack.
And then—
A figure suddenly leapt into the air at the net.
So high!
All eyes locked onto Kaedehara Taichi as he soared, arm swinging back in a perfect arc.
Boom!
The ball slammed into Team B's backcourt with immense force.
Kaedehara Taichi had scored.
[Team A 1 – 0 Team B]
"An overpass is an opportunity too," Kaedehara Taichi said with a grin.
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