Ryuhei Sanashita was determined to forge a stronger weapon for Akashi Asuka.
Nishimori Tomohiko wanted to steal a few more glances at the senior he admired from up close.
When these two collided, the result was, naturally, not a battlefield of rivalry.
Only children pick sides.
Adults want it all.
Besides, with Akashi Asuka's current stamina, one setter alone simply couldn't keep up with his monstrous energy.
Only together could the two barely hold their own against him.
Before the national tournament officially began, Akashi's training regimen differed from the rest of the volleyball club.
While everyone else focused on match play to sharpen their skills and peak their conditioning, Akashi didn't need that.
Having trained hard all summer and competed frequently, his main goal was to strengthen his existing advantages: power, spiking, and serving.
Especially strength training.
Now, Akashi's arm strength was inching close to 80. Once he broke through that barrier, his spiking power would leap to a whole new level.
…
Three weeks, it's not long, but not short either.
As the Sengoku Junior High volleyball team pushed themselves relentlessly, time seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye.
The day of the National Junior High Comprehensive Sports Tournament men's volleyball preliminaries had arrived.
Dressed sharply in their uniforms, the Sengoku team boarded the school bus with a fierce determination.
Compared to the county tournament, their excitement and curiosity had given way to calm confidence.
Meanwhile, inside the bustling arena…
A boy with bright orange curls and the stature of a grade schooler, yet bursting with energy, experienced the venue for the first time.
"Wow! So many people! Such a huge gym, and it even smells like Salonpas spray!" he exclaimed, eyes wide in awe.
But his excitement didn't last long.
A team marched in through the entrance with a military-like presence.
At the front was Tobio Kageyama.
Compared to months ago, his aura had grown even more intense, his expression darker, and an unmistakable "keep out" vibe surrounded him.
This was the team from Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High.
The county's absolute top school, Kitagawa's every appearance sparked a roar from the crowd.
Then, in a place powered by miracles, the restroom,
The orange-haired boy and Tobio Kageyama met for the first time.
…
At the same time,
The Sengoku bus pulled into the parking lot outside the arena.
One by one, the volleyball members stepped off, their changed demeanor and fierce aura drawing curious looks.
"Whoa, that vibe is scary."
"This team isn't messing around."
"Yeah, but do you even know who they are?"
"Nope. Not a clue."
Sengoku Junior High's reputation paled compared to Kitagawa's. Even though they'd tied the club's best record at the county tournament, that was only making the top sixteen.
Hearing these remarks annoyed Oomae Masato.
But before he could react, Jujirou Kazama, who knew his body better than he did, grabbed his collar and pulled him back.
"Don't act up, Oomae. Kitagawa's match is about to start. Let's watch and learn about their current strength, then warm up."
Upon hearing the name "Kitagawa." Oomae snapped to attention, no longer causing trouble.
Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High wasn't a seeded team at this national preliminaries.
Last year, during the national tournament, they were transitioning from old to new stars.
Their former ace setter had graduated, and the new ace hadn't yet matured.
So, last year at preliminaries, they'd only made the quarterfinals.
As a result,
Kitagawa had to play from the very first round this year.
Once inside the arena,
The Sengoku team noticed Kitagawa's match had already started.
Only five minutes in,
The score stood at a staggering 10-3.
"Wow, that's a brutal score!"
The Sengoku team who just arrived gasped in surprise.
"Is Kitagawa really this strong now?"
"No way! Dummy, even Kitagawa can't rack up a lead like that this fast. Their opponents must be trash."
"True, Kitagawa isn't seeded this year, but their strength is undeniable. The organizers wouldn't match them against such weak opponents."
Coach Shimokawa explained.
They watched intently but soon started feeling sleepy.
They'd come to gauge Kitagawa's strength, but the opponent was too weak to reveal much.
After just ten minutes,
The first set ended with an overwhelming 25-8 score.
"That Yukigaoka Junior High team, except for that tiny orange-haired kid, looks like they don't know volleyball at all." Oomae yawned lazily.
"Yeah! And even that kid's skills are rough. What are they doing in a real tournament?"
"Hey, Akashi, you seem pretty interested in that Yukigaoka kid, you're watching him closely."
Akashi smiled and replied, "Of course. Watching anime live is totally different from seeing it on TV."
Oomae: "???"
"What nonsense. Are you running a fever or something?"
Akashi rested his chin on the front row chair, shaking his head gently.
"Don't underestimate that little guy from Yukigaoka! He's got some real talent. If we only compare vertical jump, he might even be higher than me right now."
Part of Akashi's reach advantage came from his height. But purely on jump height, the current Shoyo Hinata might even surpass him.
Oomae snorted. "Pfft! Even if that brat's got some talent, I don't buy that he's stronger than you, the 'monster.'"
Akashi: "..."
That left me speechless.
------------
Note: If you guys want to read up to 30+ chapters in advance of the current story, you can support me on Patreon. You can read up to chapter 68 there! Patreon.com/Veltoria