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Chapter 159: A New Aoba Johsai
🕑 Added 2025-01-16 16:00:12 +0000 UTCSeptember 1st marked the beginning of the second semester at Aoba Johsai High School, but for the members of the volleyball club, today held additional significance.
After the lunch break, the drowsy students noisily gathered in the sunlit auditorium. The warm rays streaming through the windows made the hall feel cosy, and the morning's opening ceremony had already lulled many into a near-slumber.
The afternoon was dedicated to club recruitment and oath ceremonies, leaving those uninvolved in clubs restless and distracted.
Behind the stage, Tōru Oikawa and Taichi Kaedehara waited. As the captain and ace of the volleyball club, they were expected to deliver speeches.
Anxious about the possibility of them going off-script, team manager Sadayuki Mizoguchi had repeatedly emphasized the importance of memorizing the speech draft. He even enlisted Hajime Iwaizumi to supervise the pair.
"Taichi, have you memorized your part?" Oikawa asked nervously.
For some reason, he found this school ceremony more nerve-wracking than a televised interview—likely because a misstep here meant facing Iwaizumi's iron fist.
"Huh? Memorize? Nah, I'd rather use that time to learn Iori Yagami's move combos," Taichi replied nonchalantly.
"Eh? Aren't you scared of Iwa-chan's punches? He doesn't hold back with you anymore," Oikawa exclaimed, surprised that Taichi's trip to Hawaii seemed to have emboldened him.
True, they both got hit, but the force wasn't exactly equal, Taichi mused silently.
Out loud, he added, "Oikawa-senpai, haven't you been punched enough? One more or less doesn't make a difference. Why be scared now?" He paused, then smirked. "Besides, that official speech is so boring. Look at the audience—they're all about to fall asleep."
Onstage, the captain of the basketball club droned on. Since Aoba Johsai's basketball team had never even cracked the top eight in the prefecture, the audience's interest was minimal, and the speaker himself looked eager to wrap up quickly.
"You've got a point! We're not like those teams!" Oikawa declared as if steeling himself for something bold.
For the volleyball club, recruiting new members wasn't a challenge.
Aoba Johsai's strong reputation ensured plenty of applicants, and many students from Kitagawa Daiichi naturally transitioned into the team. What they really wanted, however, was a new female team manager (a request strongly endorsed by Shigeru Yahaba, the next captain).
After seeing Karasuno with two female managers, many first- and second-year players were left feeling envious.
The baseball club's speech, on the other hand, was surprisingly well-received.
Near the end, their members—uniformed players and substitutes alike—filed onto the stage, forming several rows. Led by their captain, they broke into a team chant.
The energy caught on, and the previously inattentive audience became lively. The ceremony culminated with the entire baseball team shouting in unison:
"Knock it out of the park!"
The crowd erupted in cheers as the team marched off stage.
"We can't lose to that!" Oikawa said, adjusting his blazer and mustering his energy before stepping onto the stage.
"I'm Tōru Oikawa, captain of the boys' volleyball team," he began, glancing briefly at the neatly arranged rows of students before diving into his speech.
Oikawa was fairly popular at Aoba Johsai, and the moment he and Taichi stepped on stage, a ripple of excitement swept through the crowd.
"Wow, Oikawa-senpai looks so handsome! And that tall, tanned player—he's cool too!"
"That's their ace, a first-year…He's even taller than Oikawa-senpai!"
Taichi raised an eyebrow. Tanned player? How rude! People dream of getting this handsome bronze tone, thank you very much!
"Spring Nationals will be my final high school tournament, and I promise to make every opponent we face cry by the end of it!" Oikawa declared with theatrical enthusiasm. Tossing aside the speech draft had indeed made him feel more comfortable.
Grinning, he cast a grateful glance at Taichi.
Only to see the first-year pulling out a small, densely scribbled note from his pocket.
Oikawa's smile froze as dread crept over him. Sure enough, Taichi began his own speech.
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"TAICHI!! WHERE IS THAT IDIOT OIKAWA TŌRU?!"
Hajime Iwaizumi's fist was clenched so tightly it shook. As soon as the ceremony ended, the principal had cornered him to deliver a scolding about Oikawa's improvised remarks.
He was so angry he used Oikawa's full name—a rare occurrence that signalled imminent doom.
"I can't believe this! Even after all my warnings, Oikawa-senpai just had to do things his way. What a disappointment!" Taichi said, shaking his head in mock dismay.
"OIKAWA TŌRU! YOU ARE DEAD!!" Iwaizumi's fury flared.
Meanwhile, Oikawa was hiding in a nearby bush, trembling. One thing was now clear: Hawaii hadn't just tanned Taichi's skin—it had blackened his heart!
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Tōru Oikawa ultimately couldn't escape Hajime Iwaizumi's wrath. However, Taichi Kaedehara didn't emerge unscathed either.
The two of them were now doing diving drills in the gym, circling around their teammates as punishment.
The repetitive exercise reminded Taichi of the first time he was disciplined.
Ever since becoming a starter, he hadn't had the chance to observe his teammates from this perspective in a while…
[Tōru Oikawa]: Overall Skill Rating 91.5, Height: 186 cm, Strength: 95, Jump: 86, Stamina: 90, Speed: 88.
Key Attributes: Serve: 97, Set: 97.
Oikawa-senpai had finally broken past the barrier of innate talent. Now, he was undoubtedly at a level where he wouldn't lose to anyone.
The title he lost to Atsumu Miya at Nationals? He was determined to reclaim it at the Spring Tournament.
[Hajime Iwaizumi]: Overall Skill Rating 88.8, Height: 179.3 cm, Strength: 95, Jump: 85, Stamina: 88, Speed: 88.
Key Attributes: Recieve: 90, Spike: 85.
With his outstanding and near-elite receiving ability, Iwaizumi-senpai was truly the foundation of Aoba Johsai. If not for his height, he could have been one of the top wing spikers in the country.
[Kentaro Kyotani (Mad Dog)]: Overall Skill Rating 88.6, Height: 178 cm, Strength: 95, Jump: 90, Stamina: 83, Speed: 85.
Key Attributes: Spike: 90.
Mad Dog's strength and jump had reached new heights, though his speed had slightly decreased due to increased muscle mass. Facing powerhouse spikers like Wakatoshi Ushijima, Wakatsu Kiryū, and Alan Ojiro at Nationals had shaken his confidence.
But after growth comes an even stronger player!
[Takahiro Hanamaki]: Overall Skill Rating 83, Height: 185 cm, Strength: 88, Jump: 82, Stamina: 85, Speed: 75.
Key Attributes: Recieve: 85, Spike: 85.
Hanamaki-senpai had shown steady improvement.
[Matsukawa Issei]: Overall Skill Rating 83, Height: 188 cm, Strength: 88, Jump: 75, Stamina: 85, Speed: 85.
Key Attributes: Recieve: 85, Spike: 80.
Matsukawa-senpai's playing time had decreased recently, but during his stint as a substitute, he focused on honing his blocking skills.
At the Spring Tournament, with Matsukawa, Yūtarō Kindaichi, and Taichi Kaedehara forming a defensive wall, Aoba Johsai's blocking would become a force to be reckoned with.
[Yūtarō Kindaichi]: Overall Skill Rating 83.5, Height: 190 cm, Strength: 85, Jump: 80, Stamina: 88, Speed: 80.
Key Attributes: Block: 88, Spike: 83.
Kindaichi's growth was remarkable. After finding his direction, he was becoming the towering presence that Aoba Johsai needed.
[Akira Kunimi]: Overall Skill Rating 85, Height: 183 cm, Strength: 85, Jump: 85, Stamina: 85, Speed: 85.
Key Attributes: Recieve: 85, Spike: 85.
Though he often seemed lazy and indifferent, Kunimi had become the most improved player on the team.
Taichi always knew Kunimi had potential, but even he hadn't anticipated this level of progress.
[Shinji Watari]: Overall Skill Rating 81.8, Height: 172 cm, Strength: 70, Jump: 88, Stamina: 80, Speed: 85.
Key Attributes: Recieve: 88, Set: 85.
Watari quietly supported the team, always dependable. Taichi could still remember how many of his spikes were saved by Watari's perfect passes.
[Yahaba Shigeru]: Overall Skill Rating 81.8, Height: 181 cm, Strength: 80, Jump: 75, Stamina: 75, Speed: 85.
Key Attributes: Recieve: 89, Set: 89.
Yahaba had been working tirelessly to improve his technique. Though often overlooked, his time to shine would come—his hard work was bound to pay off.
No one on the team was standing still. Everyone was striving to move forward. During the three-week break Coach Irihata had given them, every single member of Aoba Johsai had continued training on their own.
Even Kunimi had been meeting with Kindaichi for practice sessions every afternoon.
The national top eight was not their final goal. Everyone could see the path ahead, and no one was willing to let this precious opportunity slip away.
After finishing his final lap of diving drills, Taichi felt both physically and mentally refreshed.
Aoba Johsai had grown into a towering tree, and by the Spring Tournament, they would cast their shadow over every opponent who dared to face them.
During the oath ceremony, in addition to reciting his speech, Taichi had also added a few words of his own:
"Our goals for this Spring Tournament are simple and clear."
"First, Aoba Johsai will conquer the nation."
"Second, Oikawa-senpai will become the best setter in Japan."
"Third, I will become the strongest ace in the country."
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