I AM FINALLY HOME! ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜
Let's go! Not sleeping until two chapters are posted today!!
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"..."
While the others were warming up, Shimizu quietly filled up bottles of water for the team. Takeda stood beside her, helping to organize the supplies.
"Finally, we're about to play in this enormous venue..."
The club advisor was both in awe and nervous as his gaze swept across the gymnasium. The sheer size of the crowd, buzzing with anticipation, was overwhelming.
"I'm getting anxious just watching from here..."
He let out a small, nervous laugh, rubbing the back of his neck.
Takeda could only imagine how much more intense it must feel for the players—standing in the center of all this, with the weight of the crowd's expectations pressing down on them.
"But that's precisely why..."
He handed another bottle to Shimizu as his eyes were locked onto the court where Karasuno's players were warming up under Keishin's sharp instructions.
"...we have to do everything we can to support them."
Shimizu paused as her hands tightened around the bottle in her grasp. She turned her gaze toward Takeda, catching the determination in his expression.
Then, her eyes followed his line of sight, settling on the court.
"Yes, that's it! Keep hitting those!"
Keishin's voice rang out across the gym as Karasuno's players moved in sync.
Tsuna soared high above the net, his form flawless as he spiked a ball perfectly tossed by Suga.
The sound of the impact reverberated across the gym.
On the other side of the court, Kageyama also tossed a ball to Hinata as Keishin looked on while nodding in satisfaction.
"Good! Keep it going and get warmed up!"
The lines of players alternated seamlessly, taking turns to spike the ball under the guidance of their two setters.
Meanwhile...
'He's… really ignoring me?'
Shimizu's gaze lingered on Tsuna.
'He's… really ignoring me?'
The thought hit her unexpectedly as a small ache formed in her chest. She didn't know why, but there was something about his sudden change that made her feel uneasy.
It caught her off guard as her gaze lingered as he moved across the court with ease.
"..."
Unconsciously, her fingers fidgeted with the cap of the bottle.
Shimizu might not have realized it, but her eyes followed Tsuna's every step, every jump, every movement.Â
Back in the audience...
"Hm, seems like they've got themselves a new coach," Mizoguchi muttered, his gaze fixed on Karasuno's bench.
"Hmm..."
Beside him, Irihata rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
Both coaches were looking at Keishin with interest.
Mizoguchi lowered his voice slightly, "Head Coach, do you think this will change anything about our evaluation?"Â
The topic of Karasuno High had been a frequent point of discussion between the two of them lately—especially with Tsuna's return. They had analyzed countless possibilities, weighing the pros and cons of facing the team.
Despite their deliberations, they remained confident in their own squad's ability to win.
Irihata glanced at Keishin again before replying, "Having a coach will definitely change their dynamic. It could give them structure, which they were lacking before."
"Karasuno was rough during that practice match. No real system in place. But if their new coach knows what he's doing…"
He leaned back slightly, arms crossed, "Well, it's definitely something to keep an eye on."
"I see..."
Mizoguchi nodded in agreement. Despite that, Irihata still chuckled as he added, "Good thing we decided to come and watch."Â
Meanwhile, within their group, Kunimi was watching Karasuno's libero with a surprised expression.
"Huh… I didn't know they had a libero."
"They've always had one," Iwaizumi replied with a shake of his head. "That guy just didn't show up for the practice game."
Kunimi blinked in realization. "Wait… so they weren't playing with their full team back then?"
"Looks like it," Kindaichi added, his frown deepening. His gaze drifted to the court, where another unfamiliar figure stood—Asahi Azumane.
"Uwahh, that guy still looks scary."
Among them was a tan-skinned player with gray eyes and a similarly colored gray buzz cut. He was staring at Tsuna's figure on the court.
'Shinji-san didn't play during the practice match either,' Kindaichi thought as he glanced at the tan-skinned player. 'I guess neither of us was at full strength...'
"Looks like we'll have a good game to watch later, right, Iwa-chan?"
Oikawa, who had been quietly observing suddenly commented with a chuckle.
"Huh? What do you mean?"
Iwaizumi turned to his captain, following his gaze.
Oikawa was staring at Tokonami High on one side of the gym before shifting his gaze to Date Tech's opponent on the opposite court.
"Oh..."
Iwaizumi nodded in agreement, understanding exactly what Oikawa meant. "Yeah. I can't see both of them losing this game. So, it's pretty much a sure matchup."
Karasuno vs. Date Tech!
Though they knew better than to underestimate any team, both Oikawa and Iwaizumi were confident that Karasuno and Date Tech would be the ones to emerge victorious, setting the stage for an intense battle between the two.
'They're scared...'
Iwaizumi's sharp eyes scanned Tokonami's players, and from the way they carried themselves, he could tell they were crumbling under the pressure.
He shook his head, almost feeling sorry for them.
"I-Ikejiri, they seem like a strong team..."
Chaya's voice trembled as he stared across the court.Â
"..."
Ikejiri followed Chaya's gaze and saw Tsuna on the other side.
As a small team, Tokonami didn't have access to footage of Tsuna's games from last year.
They had no idea what kind of player he was. But the way players in the lobby earlier had recognized him by name, the whispers of awe surrounding him—it was enough to unsettle them.
Fame like that wasn't baseless.
"Ugh, come on, dude, chill out!"
Tamagawa smacked Chaya's back in an attempt to lighten the mood. Chaya winced in pain, turning sharply to glare at his teammate. "Aren't you nervous too?"
"Ah... haha..."
Tamagawa laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head. He couldn't deny it.
His hands were clammy, and his heart raced just as much as everyone else's.
Across from them, Ikejiri stood silent, his gaze fixed on Karasuno. His eyes naturally landed on Daichi, who stood at the forefront of his team.
'You've changed, Sawamura...' Ikejiri thought to himself, memories of their middle school days flashing through his mind.
Daichi's dependable figure now felt worlds apart from the guy he once knew.
"Gather around!"
Tokonami's captain, Komaki, clapped his hands and snapped his teammates out of their thoughts.
"..."
The players huddled close, their nerves momentarily pushed aside as they prepared to face the challenge ahead.
The referee's whistle signaled the start of the pre-game ceremony. Both teams lined up across from each other, bowing respectfully before returning to their benches for their final briefings.
"Calm down and focus on getting that first point," Tokonami's coach said.
Looking at his players, he could see the nerves written all over their faces. He softened his tone, adding, "It's okay to be nervous. The time we spend training won't go to waste. Just focus on what you can do. Don't let anything else get in your way."
Ikejiri's hands tightened into fists as he took in his coach's words. His heart was pounding, but he took a deep breath and then exhaled slowly.
'That's right…' he thought, 'Just do what I can.'
His shoulders loosened, and the weight on his chest seemed to lighten.
The coach's voice carried on, "Make your receiving skills count. Connect the ball. And above all, enjoy the game!"
"Yes, sir!"
The Tokonami players shouted in unison, their voices loud and energized. On the other side, Karasuno's players were equally fired up, echoing their own spirited cries as both teams filled the court.
The crowd erupted into cheers, the gym buzzing with excitement. Shoes squeaked against the polished floor as players took their positions.
The game was about to begin.
"Yo, why does Karasuno look like a strong team?"
"I thought they fell off…"
The crowd murmured in surprise, their eyes glued to Karasuno's players. There was an undeniable aura about them—a sense of unity and confidence that gave off the impression of a seasoned, formidable team.
But there was no time to dwell on appearances.
Tweet!
The referee's whistle rang out, signaling the start of the game.
"Komaki, nice serve!"
One of Tokonami's players shouted, trying to hype up their captain.
"Ah… right," Komaki muttered, his nerves betraying him as sweat trickled down his chin.
He tossed the ball into the air, swinging his arm for what should have been a clean, normal serve.
However…
The ball wobbled, its trajectory weak and low. Komaki's eyes widened in panic, 'Damn it! I didn't put enough force behind it…'
His heart sank with embarrassment. As captain, this wasn't the start he wanted to set for his team.
"Huh?"
On Karasuno's side, Daichi's eyes caught the ball's descent and shouted, "It's not going to make it through!"Â
Tokonami's players felt their captain's tension, their own nerves heightening in response.
"Don't mind, Komaki!"
"Chill out, Captain!"
Their attempts to reassure him were well-meaning, but...
The unexpected happened.
The ball hit the net—but instead of falling back on Tokonami's side, it tipped over, barely crossing to Karasuno's court.
"Hold on...?"
The gym collectively held its breath, the ball spinning unpredictably as if defying logic. Tokonami's players lit up with hope, realizing the ball had landed on the perfect trajectory to catch Karasuno off-guard.
And yet...
A shadow darted across Karasuno's side faster than anyone could react as a loud, clean plop echoed in the gym as a single hand dived perfectly under the ball, sending it floating back into the air.
"Tsuna-san...?"
Kageyama's voice was quiet but laced with awe as his gaze locked onto the figure who had just saved the ball.
"...!?"
The gym fell into stunned silence. Even the crowd, loud just moments ago, froze in disbelief.
'What just happened...?'
But Daichi snapped back first, "Everyone, get moving!"
"...!"
His voice snapped Karasuno into action, their formation coming alive as they seamlessly transitioned into their counterattack.
Kageyama was snapped out of his daze and gritted his teeth as he sharply ran up toward the ball to toss it as their setter.
Meanwhile...
"Hey, this is unreal..."
"That monster..."
From the stands, Aoba Johsai's players exchanged glances. All of them were staring at Tsuna in stunned disbelief.
'Did he just improve his receive... overnight?'
The player who had once been a terrible receiver was now pulling off saves like a veteran libero.