---
The gym felt different the moment they walked in.
Not empty.
Not quiet.
Occupied.
Again.
Hinata stopped at the entrance.
Not surprised this time.
Just alert.
On the court—
Another team.
Not the same one as before.
These players moved differently.
Sharper.
Faster.
More aggressive.
The sound of the ball hitting the floor was louder.
Heavier.
Each spike carried weight.
Fukuda narrowed his eyes.
"…Stronger."
Mori nodded.
"Yes."
Takeda swallowed.
"…They look serious…"
Sato leaned forward.
"More than the last ones…"
Nakamura shifted slightly behind them.
"…This feels bad…"
Hinata didn't speak.
He watched.
Carefully.
The way they received.
No hesitation.
The way they set.
Quick.
Confident.
The way they attacked—
Decisive.
No wasted motion.
This is different.
Not just better.
Faster decision-making.
Higher pressure.
Before he could think further—
A ball rolled toward them.
Hinata stepped forward and picked it up.
A player from the other side approached.
Tall.
Calm.
Focused eyes.
"You using the court?" he asked.
Hinata nodded.
"Yes."
The player glanced at his team.
Measured them quickly.
"…Play a set?"
Direct.
No hesitation.
Fukuda smirked.
"…We are getting popular."
Takeda whispered,
"…We are going to die…"
Hinata answered.
"We will play."
The player nodded.
"Five minutes."
And walked back.
Just like before.
But this time—
The air felt heavier.
---
They gathered quickly.
Fukuda cracked his neck.
"…Alright. Same plan?"
Hinata nodded.
"Yes."
Mori added,
"Stability first. Then speed."
Takeda took a deep breath.
"…Stay calm…"
Sato grinned nervously.
"Let's not collapse…"
Nakamura whispered,
"…Move early…"
Hinata looked at all of them.
"This will be faster."
Fukuda smirked.
"Good."
Hinata's eyes sharpened.
"Do not fall behind."
---
They stepped onto the court.
The opponent was already ready.
No wasted time.
No extra movement.
The whistle blew.
The match started.
---
The first serve—
Was fast.
Not overwhelmingly powerful.
But precise.
Targeted.
It went straight to Takeda.
He reacted—
Late.
The ball hit his arms awkwardly and bounced out.
Point.
Silence.
Fukuda exhaled.
"…That was quick."
Hinata nodded.
"…Too quick."
Takeda clenched his fists.
"…Again."
---
Second serve.
This time to Sato.
He moved early.
Better angle.
Better control.
The ball rose.
Hinata moved.
Set—
Clean.
Fukuda jumped.
Spike—
Blocked.
Hard.
The ball came straight down.
Point.
No hesitation.
No delay.
Just execution.
Hinata felt it immediately.
Pressure.
Not slow.
Not building.
Instant.
---
The third rally lasted longer.
Nakamura received.
Not perfect.
But up.
Hinata adjusted.
Set—
Sato hit.
Returned.
The opponent set fast.
Spike—
Takeda got a touch.
Ball stayed alive.
Hinata chased.
Set again—
Fukuda hit.
Blocked again.
But softer.
The ball bounced back.
Nakamura froze—
For a second.
Then moved.
Too late.
Point.
Silence.
Fukuda clicked his tongue.
"…We are behind already."
Hinata nodded.
"…Yes."
Mori spoke.
"They are not giving us time."
That was it.
No breathing space.
No adjustment window.
Just constant pressure.
---
Hinata inhaled slowly.
Focus.
Next ball.
Not the last.
Not the score.
Just this.
The serve came again.
Fukuda received.
Clean.
Hinata moved.
Set—
Fast.
Faster than before.
Fukuda reacted—
Jumped—
Hit—
The ball cut through the block.
Point.
Silence.
Then—
Fukuda grinned.
"…That worked."
Hinata exhaled.
"…Again."
---
The shift was immediate.
Small.
But real.
They could not match the opponent in consistency.
Not yet.
But—
They could disrupt.
The next rally—
Hinata used a normal set.
Stable.
Sato hit.
Returned.
Long rally.
They lost it.
But—
It stretched.
Then again—
Fast set.
Fukuda scored.
Then—
Back to stability.
Then—
Speed.
Back and forth.
Switching.
Adapting.
Trying to find rhythm inside chaos.
---
The opponent noticed.
Of course they did.
On the next fast attempt—
They adjusted.
The blocker moved earlier.
Closed the gap.
Fukuda hit—
Blocked.
Clean.
Point.
Fukuda landed.
"…They are reading it."
Hinata nodded.
"…Yeah."
Mori added,
"It is not enough yet."
Of course it wasn't.
Nothing was.
Not yet.
---
Pressure increased.
Mistakes followed.
Takeda hesitated again.
Sato drifted too far.
Nakamura nearly froze—
But recovered late.
Hinata mis-set twice.
Too fast.
Too slow.
Everything on the edge.
Everything unstable.
But—
They did not collapse.
Not like before.
They held.
Barely.
But they held.
---
Mid-set—
A moment came.
Perfect receive from Fukuda.
Perfect.
Hinata moved.
Time slowed.
This was it.
Not rushed.
Not forced.
He set—
Fast.
Precise.
Timed.
Fukuda jumped.
Full power.
No hesitation.
Spike—
Clean.
No block touch.
No defense.
Point.
Silence.
Then—
Even the opponent paused slightly.
Acknowledging.
That one.
Was real.
Fukuda landed.
"…Now that—"
Hinata finished.
"—is the one."
---
They kept pushing.
Harder now.
Not just surviving.
Fighting.
Every rally stretched longer.
Every point mattered.
But still—
The gap remained.
The opponent stayed stable.
Sharp.
Unshaken.
The set ended.
They lost.
Again.
---
But this time—
No one looked defeated.
Just tired.
Focused.
Thinking.
Fukuda bent forward.
"…They are on another level."
Hinata nodded.
"…Yeah."
Takeda wiped sweat from his face.
"…But we did better…"
Sato grinned.
"We scored more."
Nakamura whispered,
"…I did not freeze…"
Mori crossed his arms.
"Progress confirmed."
Hinata looked at the court.
At the space across the net.
At the level they had just faced.
"…Not enough."
Fukuda smirked.
"Of course not."
Hinata clenched his fists.
"But closer."
Silence.
Then—
Fukuda nodded.
"…Yeah."
Closer.
Not there.
But not far like before.
That difference—
That mattered.
---
The opposing player walked past them.
Paused.
"You improved during the set."
Hinata looked up.
"…Yes."
"Your speed variation is interesting."
Hinata blinked slightly.
"…It is incomplete."
The player nodded.
"Obviously."
Blunt.
Accurate.
Then—
"Refine it."
He walked away.
Just like that.
---
The gym quieted again.
Their court.
Their space.
But now—
Filled with something new.
Clarity.
Not comfort.
Not confidence.
Direction.
Hinata picked up a ball.
Looked at it.
Then at his team.
"We are not fast enough."
Fukuda smirked.
"Then we get faster."
Mori added,
"And more precise."
Takeda nodded.
"…And calmer…"
Sato grinned.
"And stronger."
Nakamura whispered,
"…And braver…"
Hinata stepped forward.
Eyes locked ahead.
"…Again tomorrow."
No hesitation.
No doubt.
Because pressure would not wait.
And neither would they.
---