Chapter 5: Kageyama Tobio
"That's enough. You two, go stretch. Don't overtrain and ruin your bodies," Iwaizumi Hajime said, noticing that both players were nearing their limits.
"Yes, sir." Kaedehara Taiichi and Kindaichi Yutaro moved to the sidelines to begin stretching.
"Does the host wish to end Training Mode?" the system's electronic voice chimed in.
Oh? How user-friendly—it even asks for confirmation. Kaedehara Taiichi mentally agreed. But in that instant, as if an invisible switch had been flipped, an unprecedented wave of fatigue surged through him like a tidal wave, overwhelming his entire body.
Kaedehara Taiichi felt his strength drain in a moment, his eyelids too heavy to lift.
They say sports forge bonds of friendship. After training together, Kindaichi felt he and Taiichi were like old friends. As he indulged in visions of fighting side by side for the next three years, eager to deepen their camaraderie, he caught a glimpse of Taiichi, mid-stretch, suddenly go limp and collapse to the side.
"Taiichi?!" Kindaichi shouted.
His cry halted the other players' actions, all turning to look. They quickly noticed Taiichi's unnatural lying position. Iwaizumi Hajime and Oikawa Tooru rushed over, and the commotion drew the attention of the manager and coach nearby.
Iwaizumi quickly checked Kaedehara Taiichi's condition, then gave Kindaichi a deadpan look. "He's just asleep. Why are you yelling?"
Kindaichi's face flushed red instantly. "I… he… Taiichi just collapsed suddenly…"
The team paused, then Oikawa's laughter broke the silence, triggering a chain reaction. The entire volleyball club burst into uproarious laughter, easing the fatigue of training.
It happened so fast that Kaedehara Taiichi couldn't react immediately. He realized his body was demanding deep rest, but it wasn't the best timing. Before his thoughts blurred, he hurriedly used one of his stamina potions.
By the time Iwaizumi reached him, Kaedehara Taiichi had regained consciousness. Hearing the laughter, he instantly understood what had happened. To avoid further embarrassment, he decided to open his eyes at the right moment.
"What's going on?" Coach Irihata's voice rang out.
No longer able to feign sleep, Kaedehara Taiichi slowly opened his eyes, putting on a confused expression as he looked at everyone.
He noticed Oikawa winking at him, clearly seeing through his "little trick." But Oikawa played along, not exposing him. Following the conversation, Taiichi responded, "Sorry, Coach. The training intensity was probably a bit much, and I accidentally dozed off. I'm fine now." To prove it, he sat up deliberately, showing he was unharmed.
"Are you really okay?"
Seeing Coach Irihata's concern, Kaedehara Taiichi stood up and hopped a few times, looking full of energy. Irihata nodded. After this little incident, training was nearing its end.
Oikawa and the coach were quietly discussing something. After the coach nodded, Oikawa excitedly gathered the team, and everyone sat in a circle.
"Great news, everyone! Next weekend, we're having an exciting training match against Karasuno!"
"Karasuno? I've heard of them. Didn't they make it to nationals before?"
"You mean that fallen powerhouse? They're pretty weak now, right? Won't it be boring to play them?"
The players began discussing Karasuno's recent performance, wondering why Oikawa was suddenly interested in a seemingly uncompetitive match.
Hearing the chatter, Iwaizumi spoke up in his usual calm but firm tone. "Don't underestimate any opponent."
His words were like a sobering shot, instantly dispelling the team's flippant attitude. His piercing gaze swept over them as he continued, "Karasuno, whether at their peak or not, has left its mark on the national stage. Volleyball isn't just about paper strength. On-the-spot performance, tactical adaptability, team morale, even the day's condition—these can all sway a match."
Ahem. Seeing the team subdued by Iwaizumi, Oikawa quickly stepped in to lighten the mood. "Actually, it's because I have a super strong but totally uncute kouhai at Karasuno."
"Oikawa-senpai, are you talking about Kageyama Tobio?" Kindaichi suddenly stood up and asked.
"Yep. I remember you and Kunimi were his teammates in junior high, right?"
As all eyes turned to them, Kindaichi and Kunimi nodded. "That's right."
But it wasn't a fond memory. That "tyrant" only needed teammates to obediently follow his will.
A year ago, at a junior high tournament—
"Kindaichi, move faster!"
"Kunimi, don't be so lazy!"
"Play as desperately as we do in practice!" Kunimi frowned, lacking motivation.
"They don't even have blockers. I don't know what he's so intense about," Kindaichi muttered, annoyed.
"When are you going to get serious? The finals?" Kageyama turned and shouted at them.
The memory of Kageyama's stubborn scowl flashed before Kindaichi. He shook his head, trying to erase it. He didn't understand.
"Senpai, why are you specifically focused on Kageyama Tobio?"
"Well~ because Kageyama's setting is probably the best in the prefecture right now," Oikawa said casually.
"No way?!"
"But my serving, blocking, and spiking are all better than his," Oikawa added, scanning the team. "And so are my teammates'."
Oikawa's words ignited everyone's fighting spirit. "We have to win!" echoed in their minds.
For the upcoming training match, Kindaichi's desire to win burned especially bright. To him, Kageyama was an overbearing king, an annoying jerk, the opponent he most wanted to defeat.
Another person buzzing with excitement was Kaedehara Taiichi, eagerly anticipating his first encounter with Kageyama and Hinata. According to the original world's timeline, Aoba Johsai's main rival in the past two years had been Shiratorizawa Academy. However, in this Inter-High, Aoba Johsai's path to advancement took a subtle turn.
Before their fierce clash with Shiratorizawa, Aoba Johsai faced a formidable challenge from Karasuno High in the semifinals. Karasuno wasn't a traditional powerhouse, but in this tournament, they showed shocking progress. They fought tooth and nail against Aoba Johsai, pushing the match to a thrilling climax. Aoba Johsai barely won by the slimmest margin, advancing with difficulty.
More frighteningly, this Inter-High match wasn't the end of Karasuno's challenge to Aoba Johsai. It foreshadowed a shift in the landscape. As Karasuno continued to grow and evolve, they broke through Aoba Johsai's once-insurmountable barrier at the Spring High, achieving self-transcendence and rising as a new force capable of rivaling top teams like Shiratorizawa.
To reach nationals, Karasuno was an opponent they absolutely couldn't ignore. Aoba Johsai might not realize it yet, Kaedehara Taiichi thought to himself, but they had to establish an advantage in this training match. They had to win!