Haikyuu! Reaching New heights

One week left.

One week until we faced Aokiri Middle School.

One week until we took on the strongest team we had ever faced.

We had seen their skills firsthand.

✔ Their defense was flawless.

✔ Their attacks were precise and brutal.

✔ Their captain, Ryo Takahashi, was a master strategist.

If we wanted to stand a chance—we had to train harder than ever.

Matsuda-sensei gathered us in the gym, arms crossed.

"We scouted Aokiri. You saw how good they are."

Kenji groaned. "Yeah, we also saw how dead we're gonna be."

Matsuda-sensei smirked. "Not if we fix our weaknesses first."****"

He pointed at the board behind him.

✔ Our defense still isn't good enough.

✔ Our blocks aren't stopping strong hitters.

✔ We rely too much on Hinata's quick attacks.

✔ Aokiri plays a disciplined game. We need to break their rhythm.

I clenched my fists.

'We're running out of time. We have to get stronger now.'

 1) Defense Reinforcement – Izumi, Daichi & Me

✔ Live Serve Drills – Matsuda-sensei fired jump serves at us at full speed.

✔ Rapid-Fire Digging – We had to react to spikes without knowing where they'd land.

✔ Libero Leadership – Izumi had to take full control of our defense.

Izumi wiped sweat from his forehead. "We're still gonna get wrecked, aren't we?"

I grinned. "Nope. We're gonna shock them."

2) Blocking Upgrade – Kōji's Last Chance

Kōji had been struggling at the net.

If he couldn't become a real wall, we'd get crushed.

So Matsuda-sensei made him do:

✔ Hand Positioning Drills – Learning how to angle his blocks to deflect the ball.

✔ Jump Timing Work – Training his reaction speed against different types of spikes.

✔ Mental Conditioning – Teaching him how to stay calm under pressure.

Kenji patted his back. "You block a couple of Aokiri's spikes, and I'll buy you lunch."

Kōji groaned. "I'd rather have new legs."

3) Setting Mastery – Kenji's Next Level

Kenji's biggest flaw?

He was still too predictable.

So we worked on:

✔ No-Look Setting – Forcing him to fake his movements before actually setting.

✔ Faster Decision-Making – He had to make choices within 0.5 seconds.

✔ Linking With All Attackers – Not just me. He had to trust Arai and Daichi too.

Kenji sighed. "This is the worst. Why did I choose volleyball?"

I smirked. "Because you love it."

Kenji muttered. "…I hate that you're right."

4) Attacker Evolution – Arai & Daichi Step Up

Until now, I had been our main scoring option.

That had to change.

Arai and Daichi had to become killers at the net.

✔ Power Drills – Hitting with more force, no hesitation.

✔ Target Practice – Learning to aim for open spots instead of just swinging.

✔ Confidence Training – They had to believe in their own attacks.

Arai gritted his teeth. "I don't want to be a backup anymore."

Daichi nodded. "Next match—we're gonna carry our weight."

I grinned. "That's exactly what we need."

..

I had one last mission.

I needed a spike that no one could predict.

So I trained:

✔ Mid-Air Control – Holding my swing longer before making a decision.

✔ Angle Manipulation – Learning how to adjust my shot at the last second.

✔ Blocker Trickery – Mixing fakes, soft tips, and delayed attacks to confuse the defense.

It was brutal.

But after days of trial and error—

I finally nailed it.

I jumped. Waited.

And at the last second—I changed my angle completely.

The ball shot past Kenji's hands, hitting the corner of the court.

Kenji blinked. "Holy—What was that?"

Izumi whistled. "That's dangerous."

I clenched my fists.

'This is it. This is my new weapon.'

..

Just as we were finishing practice, Matsuda-sensei's phone rang.

He answered, then looked at us.

"…Well, looks like Aokiri is paying attention."

Kenji frowned. "Wait, what do you mean?"

Matsuda-sensei smirked.

"They sent scouts to watch us today."

Silence.

I grinned. "Good. Let them watch."

Because in a few days?

We were bringing the fight to them.

.....

The day had finally come.

Yukigaoka vs. Aokiri Middle School.

The toughest match we had ever faced.

For the past two weeks, we had trained harder than ever—fixing our weaknesses, developing new weapons, and pushing past our limits.

But now?

None of that mattered unless we proved it on the court.

We stepped off the bus in front of Aokiri Middle School.

The gym was massive—bigger than any school we'd played at before.

Izumi exhaled. "Why does their gym look like a stadium?"

Kenji groaned. "I feel like we're walking into enemy territory."

I smirked. "Good. That makes beating them even better."

As we walked inside, we immediately felt the difference.

✔ Their players warmed up with insane precision.

✔ Their serves were already coming in like bullets.

✔ Their blocking drills looked terrifying.

It was clear—Aokiri was on another level.

But that didn't scare me.

It just made me more excited.

Before the match, as we were stretching, a familiar voice called out.

"Well, if it isn't the underdogs."

We turned around.

Ryo Takahashi, Aokiri's captain, stood in front of us—calm, composed, and confident.

I grinned. "You ready to lose?"

Takahashi smirked. "I admire your energy, but let's be real—you don't stand a chance."

Kenji scoffed. "Tch. We'll see about that."

Takahashi turned back to me. "I saw your new attack."

My eyes narrowed. "Oh?"

He smiled. "It won't work on us."

I smirked. "Then stop it."

For a moment, we just stared each other down.

Then—Takahashi chuckled. "Alright, Hinata. Show me what you've got."

I grinned. "Oh, I will."

The referee called us over.

Yukigaoka Middle School – Starters:

✔ Hinata Shoyo – Outside Hitter (Captain)

✔ Kenji Hayama – Setter

✔ Izumi Ryo – Libero

✔ Kōji Nakamura – Middle Blocker

✔ Tetsu Arai – Opposite Hitter

✔ Daichi Okabe – Wing Spiker

Aokiri Middle School – Starters:

✔ Ryo Takahashi – Outside Hitter (Captain, Ace)

✔ Masato Koga – Setter

✔ Daiki Yamada – Middle Blocker

✔ Toru Saito – Opposite Hitter

✔ Hikaru Inoue – Wing Spiker

✔ Shun Matsui – Libero

The referee blew the whistle.

"First set. Yukigaoka to serve."

I took a deep breath.

'This is it. The biggest match of our lives.'

I stepped up to the service line.

The gym fell silent.

I tossed the ball.

Jumped.

Swung.

Game on.