Haikyu: Nah, I'd Adapt!

'I know what these two feel too...'

Keishin sighed, seeing these two players just staring stupidly at the ongoing match, likely imagining themselves to be part of it.

Back then, when he was playing as a setter for Karasuno, he, too, was benched. It was also his last year in high school.

He was never good enough to be put in as a setter since it was their golden age back then. Keishin looked at Naoi, who was serving as the referee at the moment, and thought, 'Well, I guess without it, we wouldn't be best friends...'

Naoi was similarly benched, just like him. That was why they both decided to call themselves the benchwarmers to cheer themselves up a little.

"..."

That's why his feelings were quite torn when he saw Suga, who had a similar fate to him. As Keishin, he wanted to put Suga in, seeing his teammates' trust in him. But as their coach, he couldn't bear to see Kageyama not be properly guided as their best setter.

"Either way, this practice game truly benefits us a lot..."

Keishin mumbled to himself as he looked over toward Nekomata, who was watching the game in silence, seemingly enjoying the spectacle.

Nekoma High as a team was already perfect. Their coordination was top-notch. Their foundations were solid.

It was quite clear to see how these players moved as if they had one mind with one body. They'd grown accustomed to each other's play and knew how to connect it with one another in a way that created a synergy that was the iconic Nekomata style.

'Still the same as I remember...'

It should be quite an apparent difference because Karasuno had no coach to guide them and had been developing in the blind.

Their coordination was a mess. They were only aware of each other's strengths yet knew nothing about how to connect their play.

"It'd be quite hard to win against them now..."

Keishin rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he observed the game unfold.

Despite knowing they were losing the game, the energy among Karasuno's players remained high as a quiet chuckle escaped his lips.

Keishin muttered to himself, "Well, thanks to them, we've learned a lot this game..."

He recalled his grandfather's words, spoken so many times before that having a good rival pushes you to break your limitations.

Back then, Keishin hadn't fully understood those words.

But now, watching these young crows evolve before his eyes, it finally made sense. Their instincts were sharper as their coordination got better.

Though still far from perfect, their improvement was undeniable.

The whistle blew, pulling Keishin's focus back to the court as he watched on.

"..."

Kageyama's eyes tracked the ball as it floated toward him. In that brief moment, he scanned his teammates and Nekoma's defense.

His brow furrowed, 'They have no apparent gaps…'

It wasn't like this earlier in the set. Nekoma seemed to have studied their patterns before adapting seamlessly.

Their cohesion was nothing short of impressive.

'Then the choice is obvious...'

Kageyama's gaze flicked to Tsuna, and without hesitation, he made his choice.

"..."

The ball soared toward Tsuna, who had already begun moving.

Tsuna's eyes snapped toward the ball as his grin got wider.

As the moment peaked, he launched himself into the air. With a sharp swing of his arm, he struck the ball with such force it seemed to warp under the impact.

BAM!

It hurtled toward Yaku.

The Nekoma libero remained calm as he then dropped into a perfect split to reach the ball as Yaku cupped his hands together to absorb the impact.

"...!"

The force jerked his hands downward, but the ball rebounded sloppily only to arc back toward Karasuno's side.

"Keke…"

Kageyama blinked as he heard a low chuckle. Turning, he saw Tsuna, grinning despite the sweat dripping down his face.

"I've been waiting for you to get used to it... Great," Tsuna muttered, his voice laced with excitement.

"...?"

Kageyama felt a bead of sweat slide down his temple. He couldn't understand it.

Why would someone be excited about their spike being returned?

But there was no time to dwell on it. His focus snapped back to the ball.

"Asahi-san!"

Kageyama's shout cut through the air.

Daichi's voice followed immediately, "Direct it!"

"Ah..."

Asahi's head snapped up. The ball was within reach, and the blockers weren't in position.

This was his chance!

"..."

Without hesitation, he immediately leaped into the air just enough to reach the ball as his body twisted slightly and swung his arm, putting all his strength into the hit.

A loud thud echoed through the gym as the ball smashed into Nekoma's court, skimming just past their defense.

The resounding impact filled the room.

Then the cheers erupted.

"Whoa! Let's go, Asahi!"

"Nice kill!"

Keishin stood by the bench, arms crossed, nodding in quiet satisfaction as the team celebrated.

His eyes drifted to Tsuna, who stood at the front line, sweat glistening on his brow while a small smirk tugged at his lips. He wasn't celebrating, nor did he join in the cheers. 

'Tsuna was like a wild card...'

Undeniably reliable despite his recklessness.

Keishin let out a chuckle, shaking his head. 'They've figured it out without anyone having to tell them...'

The team wasn't trying to match Tsuna's intensity anymore.

Instead, they had adapted and decided to work around him now, instinctively understanding that his focus and unique playstyle required them to adjust their own roles.

It wasn't about playing with him anymore; it was about supporting him, creating a system that revolved around this wild card.

'Smart kids,' Keishin mused, 'They're starting to get it.'

Although the current Karasuno played with a completely different style than the team Keishin had once been a part of, he didn't mind it at all.

In truth, he wasn't sure how to make Tsuna follow a more traditional approach. The kid had his own rhythm, quite an egoistical rhythm, but Keishin knew better than to stifle that.

'Well,' he thought with a wry smile, 'as long as he keeps growing at this pace, it's fine by me...'

On the other side of the court, Nekomata stood with his arms crossed, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Despite having lost the point, he couldn't help but feel amused by what he was witnessing.

Karasuno wasn't playing like the team he remembered. They were turning into something else entirely—an unrefined style that centered on one player.

Nekomata let out a hearty chuckle, "Ukai... you'd probably have a heart attack if you saw this."

He pictured Ukai's reaction, imagining his disbelief, frustration, and begrudging amusement all rolled into one as the thought made Nekomata laugh even harder, "Haha..."

The team Ukai had painstakingly shaped with careful precision and was now taking on a life of its own, becoming unrecognizable from the crows of the past.

And Nekomata couldn't help but feel entertained by it all.

'Your expression would be priceless, old friend,' he thought, shaking his head with a grin.

"Whoa... I didn't know Coach Nekomata could laugh like that," Inuoka mumbled, glancing at their coach.

His hearty chuckle filled the air. The rest of Nekoma's players turned their heads, equally intrigued by the rare sight.

Yaku raised an eyebrow, "He must've thought of something really funny..."

"I'd like to hear that joke. It must've been good this time," Kai added with a smile.

"Yeah, I wonder what it was..." Inuoka chuckled along, "Maybe a legendary one? I mean, for him to laugh that much..."

"It's probably one of his old grandpa jokes," Kenma muttered, shaking his head slightly.

Nekomata's usual humor flashed through his mind—corny puns and outdated jokes that only Naoi ever laughed at.

"I couldn't agree more," Kuroo said, smirking as he ruffled Kenma's hair.

Despite their words, the team couldn't help but smile at the sight.

Nekomata's rare laughter brought fulfillment to their hearts, reassuring them that their coach was enjoying the game just as much as they were.

'Let's focus back to the game...'

Inuoka's thoughts drifted as the game continued. His eyes quickly found Hinata, darting like a firecracker.

'Shoyo...'

Inuoka's heart quickened as he tracked Hinata's movements. He loosened his shoulders but kept his stance light and springy.

Then he saw it. Hinata pivoted sharply, sprinting toward the net with Kageyama's toss already in the air.

'...I won't lose, Shoyo!'

Inuoka's focus narrowed, blocking out the noise of the gym.

Adrenaline surged through him as he moved in sync with Hinata. That combination—it was the most impressive play he'd seen.

And now, more than anything, he wanted to block it again.

However...

"...!"

Inuoka's eyes widened as he followed Hinata's movements.

This time, there was something different. Hinata's gaze locked onto his as both of them leaped toward the net.

The toss from Kageyama was slightly slower than usual, giving Inuoka a fraction more time to react.

'I'll block it again this time, Shoyo!'

With a grin, Inuoka stretched his arms high as he was determined to create an impenetrable wall to stop Hinata's spike.

Yet...

As Hinata swung his arm, Inuoka noticed something unusual.

'Huh?'

BAM!

The sharp sound of contact echoed through the gym, reverberating in Inuoka's chest. His block was bypassed entirely. The ball ricocheted past his hands as if Hinata had just discovered a new way to control his aim midair.

"...!"

Inuoka could only watch as Hinata's eyes remained locked onto the ball.

"That was amazing..." Inuoka murmured with awe creeping into his voice.

A resounding thud followed shortly as the ball hit the court before the whistle blew.

"Ah...?"

Inuoka landed back on the ground, his heart still pounding. He turned toward the scoreboard and saw the final score of 25–21.

Nekoma had won the match.

Despite the victory, a pang of disappointment settled in his chest. 'I still want to play more...'

His gaze shifted to Hinata, who stood on Karasuno's side of the court, panting but not defeated. There wasn't a hint of frustration in those bright, determined eyes.

"That was awesome, Shoyo!"

Inuoka's lips curled into a wide grin.

The match was over, and Nekoma had secured the win. But to Inuoka, the result almost didn't matter.

Meeting Karasuno, and facing someone like Hinata was what mattered to him!

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