Aoba Johsai's bus was driving through the night, bringing the players back after their match against Karasuno. The atmosphere on the bus oscillated between excitement and fatigue.
Iwaizumi: "We dominated them, but they are not to be underestimated. Their rapid attack is really annoying."
Oikawa (smiling, leaning towards Ren): "That's true, but thanks to our Genius Ace here, we showed who the boss is, right?"
Ren (with a smirk): "Don't worry, king, with you throwing caviar at me, I could have even scored with my eyes closed."
The team burst into laughter, but behind the humor, a certain admiration for Ren began to take hold among his teammates.
Coach Irihata (turning from the front of the bus): "Ren, Oikawa, don't rest on your laurels. Karasuno has potential, and they will be sure to prepare accordingly. If we meet them again, it won't be not that simple."
Ren (smiling, but serious): "That's good. I like challenges."
----
Meanwhile, in Karasuno, the team stayed after the match for a quick meeting with Coach Ukai.
Coach Ukai: "Okay, we lost, but it was a good match. You showed some good things, especially with the fast attack. But now we have to find a way to counter their new player, Ren."
Hinata (clenching his fists): "This guy is incredibly strong. His attacks were impossible to read, and he jumped so high..."
Kageyama (staring thoughtfully at the ground): "It's not just about strength or height. He has game intelligence... almost like Ushijima, but more unpredictable."
Tanaka: "This guy is a machine, but that means we just have to get better to beat him!"
Coach Ukai: "Exactly. We're going to work on our blocks and our receptions. Nishinoya, you'll need to prepare for explosive serves."
Nishinoya (raised fist): "Let me take care of this, coach!"
----
The next day, Oikawa and Ren stayed after general training to work on a special attack.
Oikawa (with a playful smile): "Okay, Ren, you're strong, but to be a real Ace, you need a signature attack. Something unstoppable."
Ren (stretching): "Ah, so you want us to make a combination so perfect that they won't even have time to react?"
Oikawa: "Exactly. We're going to combine your trigger and my precision. Look at that."
Oikawa made a quick but slightly off-kilter pass, forcing Ren to adjust his jump in mid-air. Ren hit the ball at an acute angle, directing it away from the imaginary defenders.
Ren (landing, with a smile): "Not bad. But if we speed up any more, they won't even have time to jump."
The two repeated the maneuver several times, adjusting their timing. In the end, Oikawa seemed satisfied.
Oikawa (out of breath, but smiling): "That's our secret weapon. We save it for the big matches."
Ren (mocking laughter): "I hope you're ready to make me shine, king."
----
After training, the team met for a moment of relaxation.
Hanamaki (pointing at Ren): "Hey, our new prodigy, don't you feel like you're a little too perfect? It's getting annoying."
Ren (shrugging his shoulders mockingly): "Sorry, it's natural. You should try, but I doubt it will work."
Matsukawa: "Ooh, it's getting hot in here. Hanamaki, are you going to let this pass?"
Iwaizumi (tapping Ren on the shoulder): "Don't be too smart, kid. Even geniuses can fall."
Ren (smiling mischievously): "Maybe, but not today."
The atmosphere was light, but the bond between Ren and his teammates was strengthening.
As the team gathered for a final briefing, Coach Irihata made an announcement.
Coach Irihata: "Good job, guys. Your performance against Karasuno was solid, but we need to keep improving. That's why I have another challenge for you."
The players looked at each other, intrigued.
Iwaizumi: "What kind of challenge, coach?"
Coach Irihata (smiling): "In a week, we face Shiratorizawa in a training match."
A stunned silence invaded the room.
Oikawa (smiling nervously): "Tch, Ushiwaka, huh? Interesting."
Ren (with a confident smile and a look full of excitement): "I can't wait. It'll be a good test…"
----
Later, as Ren was returning home, he thought about his interaction with Kageyama during the match.
Ren (inner thought): "This kid... He has potential. But it will take more than one good pass to stop me."
On the other side, Kageyama had a similar thought. Kageyama stared at his training notebook, thinking about what his grandfather had told him: "If you get really good... I promise you ...
somebody even better will come and find you."
Kageyama: "Ren... He's different. If I want to beat him, I have to become even better."