At Ryosuke's suggestion, everyone instantly grew excited.
Ryosuke looked at them in confusion. It was just a 3v3—was it really that big of a deal?
As if reading his thoughts, Sugawara smiled gently and said, "It's rare for our school to get practice matches with other schools.
"These past few years, Karasuno hasn't been what it used to be. People call us a fallen powerhouse—the 'Wingless Crows.' We're not really in a position to request practice matches anymore."
Sugawara delivered the harsh truth in the softest voice.
Ryosuke froze, flustered. Had he accidentally touched a sore spot? Ahhh, I'm terrible…
"But no matter what, we're really grateful you're willing to play 3v3 with them. In their eyes, getting to play volleyball with the powerhouse Shiratorizawa is a rare opportunity."
Ryosuke looked at their excited faces—and at Hinata, as enthusiastic as ever.
Their passion for volleyball was no less than his own. They truly loved the sport, quietly pushing forward when no one was watching. It reminded him of himself in the past, when he would do anything just to keep playing.
Sugawara noticed the determination sharpening in the boy's eyes and smiled to himself. He had heard Shiratorizawa players were proud and temperamental.
He hadn't expected someone this straightforward.
Ryosuke hugged the volleyball and ran over. "Shōyō, let's play."
It sounded like a simple invitation—but somehow also like a promise.
Hinata broke into a radiant grin and nodded.
For this match, Kageyama, Hinata, and Nishinoya were on one side. On the other were Ryosuke, Sugawara, and Asahi.
The upperclassmen gave the spotlight to Kageyama and Hinata. The others stood back to watch.
Sugawara walked over with a bright smile. "Looks like we're teammates. What a coincidence."
Ryosuke didn't know how to respond, so he just gave a shy smile. "Nice to play with you, Senpai."
"No need to be nervous," Sugawara said, patting his arm reassuringly.
Ryosuke couldn't help comparing. Why didn't Shiratorizawa have seniors this gentle? And why didn't they have a female manager either? He felt inexplicably wronged.
Nearby, Asahi was tying back his long hair. Despite his imposing build, he spoke hesitantly. "Sugawara… if I mess up, you're not going to hit me, right?"
Sugawara smiled sweetly. "Of course not."
Something about that tone made Asahi's instincts flare. He wisely stopped talking.
They took their positions at the net. Ryosuke naturally stepped into a receive-focused role. With a setter and an ace on his side, his job was to cover the floor.
Hinata had mentioned before that he and his grumpy setter had a special move called the "Freak-Quick." Ryosuke had come today specifically to see what that really meant.
The match began. Everyone stopped their drills to watch this small 3v3.
The coin toss gave the serve to Kageyama.
Kageyama held the ball, nodded to himself, and stepped to the service line.
Sugawara leaned toward Ryosuke and said softly, "Don't underestimate him. Hinata calls it his 'Killer Serve.'"
Ryosuke blinked. Killer Serve? What kind of serve earned a name like that? Now he was curious.
Kageyama inhaled deeply. He wanted to see how far he still was from a powerhouse like Shiratorizawa.
A few quick steps. A sharp leap.
The serve flew.
Ryosuke's eyes widened. That form… it looked familiar.
The ball came in with force. Ryosuke reacted on instinct—adjusted his footwork, extended his arms, absorbed the impact, and sent a clean pass forward.
Smooth and controlled.
Kageyama's face darkened—not in anger, but frustration. A serve he had worked so hard to perfect had been handled so easily.
If that wasn't enough, then he'd hit one that couldn't be handled. He clenched his fist silently.
"Whoa! Ryosuke's amazing!" Hinata shouted from across the net, eyes practically sparkling.
Blindingly bright.
Nishinoya bounced in place, pointing at the perfect pass. "What was that?! That was awesome! Teach me!"
Sugawara set the ball, wearing a gentle but unmistakably threatening smile. "You three should probably focus on the game."
While Hinata and Kageyama were still reacting, Asahi seized the distraction and smashed the ball down for a point.
Outside the court, Daichi's face darkened. Getting distracted mid-match? More training was clearly in order.
Kageyama, Hinata, and Nishinoya all felt a chill run down their spines, unaware of what awaited them.
Ryosuke suddenly realized why that serve had felt familiar. It reminded him of Oikawa's style. He'd been receiving Oikawa's serves nonstop lately—no wonder it felt recognizable. Had Kageyama modeled his serve after Oikawa?
He shook the thought away. Focus on the match.
Asahi went up for another heavy spike. Kageyama managed a touch on the block.
"One touch!"
"Got it!"
Nishinoya dug the ball and sent it back to Kageyama.
"Hinata!"
"Coming!"
Hinata stepped back, took a wide approach—
An orange blur shot forward.
For a split second, it looked as if wings had spread from his back as he soared.
From the back row, Ryosuke felt a strange pressure, like prey locked in a predator's sights.
"So high… he's flying…" he murmured.
Before he could process it, the ball had already whipped past and slammed into the floor. The impact echoed through the gym, leaving his ears ringing.
He stood frozen.
If he had been watching from the sidelines, he would have calmly analyzed it: perfect synchronization between setter and middle blocker.
But experiencing the Freak-Quick firsthand?
All he felt was speed.
In the brief fraction of a second he had blinked, it was already over.
Was that even humanly possible?
Sugawara looked at him gently. "Did it surprise you? It's okay—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
Ryosuke's stunned expression had shifted. His eyes burned with excitement.
Ah. So this is interesting. This is challenging.
Sugawara clicked his tongue internally. Another volleyball addict.
Ryosuke looked at him and smiled. "Thank you, Senpai. Karasuno… is really interesting."
Beside them, Asahi muttered like he was chanting, "Did you see that? Did you see that? Our underclassmen are amazing, right?"
Sugawara smacked him in the stomach. "You're too loud."
Ryosuke's gaze remained locked on Hinata.
He had never seen—never received—a ball that fast before.
...
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