Haikyuu: Rise of Sengoku

"The Aoba Johsai Volleyball Club's welcome match is now officially starting. The White Team will serve first."

The referee for the match was the team leader, Sadayuki Mizoguchi. The match would be a best of three sets.

The White Team was made up of the upperclassmen: Ace spiker Hajime Iwaizumi, setter Tooru Oikawa, ace spiker Hanamaki Takahiro, middle blocker Matsukawa Issei, and setter Yahaba Shigeru.

The Red Team consisted of the newcomers: ace spiker Akashi Asuka, middle blocker Yūtarō Kindaichi, ace spiker Akira Kunimi, setter Ryuhei Sanashita, and libero Watari Shinji.

Since this wasn't an official competition, the teams made some position adjustments.

For example, Akira Kunimi willingly gave up his ace spiker spot to Akashi Asuka and switched to middle blocker while Akashi was on the court.

The Red Team did something similar.

After briefly discussing tactics, the match officially began.

…

First ball of the game.

The White Team's setter, Tooru Oikawa, took the serve.

As Oikawa stepped behind the baseline and readied himself with a full approach, the Red Team's libero Watari Shinji's expression changed.

"Damn it, Oikawa, he really doesn't cut anyone any slack!" Watari muttered under his breath.

Then, decisively, he shouted to his teammates Ryuhei Sanashita and Akira Kunimi at the backcourt, "Hey, stay sharp! That bastard's serve is lethal!"

"Newbies, consider this your welcome gift from your seniors, catch it well!"

Oikawa spun the ball a few times in his hand, a sly smile creeping onto his lips, then tossed the ball into the air, approached, and jumped, 

At that moment, both Sanashita and Akashi flinched slightly.

Sanashita thought Oikawa's serve preparation looked very familiar.

Meanwhile, a bizarre, intense tune echoed in Akashi's head.

BAM!

The volleyball sped like a meteor across the net, soaring past the block and heading straight for the gap between Watari and Kunimi.

"I got it!" Watari shouted, launching himself into a diving save.

Smack!

He managed to reach the ball with one hand, but the contact was off, and the ball flew far out of bounds.

Score: 0–1.

"Damn, Oikawa doesn't hold back at all!" Watari cursed quietly.

"Whoa, that's amazing! Oikawa-senpai's serve is just as fierce as ever!" Kindaichi praised openly.

Oikawa was also a graduate of Kitagawa, so he'd been Kindaichi's senior back then too.

Even Kageyama's lightning-fast serves were learned from Oikawa.

Sanashita glanced at the ball's landing spot and clicked his tongue. "Wow, that's insane. No wonder he's a high schooler. The power, speed, and control of his serves are seriously next level."

"Hey, you two, move a bit toward the sidelines. From now on, I'll handle all the serves landing in the middle, got it?"

Even the Aoba Johsai libero felt immense pressure facing Oikawa's hyper-fast serves. But as a senior, Watari took it upon himself to bear the Red Team's burden.

At the very least, he wouldn't let Oikawa get too cocky.

"Oh? Watari's expanding his coverage? But just that alone won't stop me!" Oikawa said calmly, spinning the ball and immediately launching a second jump serve.

The ball arced through the air and sharply descended toward Sanashita's position.

Seeing this, Watari's face changed. "Oikawa's aiming for you, Sanashita, watch out!"

As the ball raced toward him, Sanashita felt a wave of nostalgia. "So fast... it's been a while since I've faced a serve like this."

Smack!

The ball hit Sanashita's arm and popped high into the air, caught!

Though the angle was a little off, the ball was saved before it could fly back to the White Team's side.

"Whoa, he caught it? Did I mess up my serve?" Oikawa looked surprised.

"Trash Oikawa! Getting your serve returned by a newbie? Not very senior-like." Iwaizumi growled without even turning around. "But now it's our chance. Don't blow it."

Oikawa flashed an OK sign. "No problem. Iwaizumi, you better make the most of this."

Before he finished, something unexpected happened.

As the ball flew over the net toward the White Team's court, a figure on the Red Team suddenly leapt high in front of the net.

For a moment, Hanamaki and Matsukawa on the White Team were stunned as a huge shadow blocked the gym lights, like an airplane taking off.

"Pass and spike immediately... Hanamaki, Matsukawa, watch the block!" Iwaizumi shouted.

They snapped out of it and jumped to block, but it was too late.

BAM!

Before Hanamaki and Matsukawa reached the peak of their jump, Akashi slapped the ball hard, sending it past their fingertips and crashing onto the three-meter line with a heavy thud.

Silence fell over the court.

Everyone on the White Team looked up at the descending Akashi, their minds filled with a single thought:

"That guy can jump really high!"

…

On the sidelines, Coach Nobuteru Irihata's eyes lit up.

"Can we call him the 'ace' of the Junior High championship team? No wonder, 335 cm jump height... no, that's probably 340 cm now."

…

"Nice set, Sanashita!"

"Just luck. With that serve speed, I wouldn't have caught it if I wasn't used to it. Let alone pass it."

Akashi and Sanashita bumped fists, smiling at each other.

Meanwhile, Watari, Kindaichi, and Kunimi, who had planned to come celebrate, froze mid-step, caught off guard.

Five players on the court, but somehow, only two stood out.

Sanashita then said, "By the way, this welcome match is pretty intense! Even with newbies, they're going all out!"

"Maybe so. If that's the case, we have to return the favor!" Akashi nodded and tossed the ball back to Sanashita.

"Let's show the seniors what Sengoku is made of! Akashi!"

"Don't worry!"

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