Fresh off their match, the Yukigaoka players learned from the staff that their final opponent for tomorrow hadn't yet been decided, Kousen Academy was still locked in a fierce third set against Suisui Junior High.
Instantly, their curiosity sparked.
"Going home? We can leave anytime, no rush," Hoshino Katsuri mused, chin resting on his hand, scanning the surrounding teammates with a contemplative yet playful look.
"Shall we go watch?"
The first to react was Hinata Shoyo, whose small stature and fiery personality hardly matched the Yukigaoka name.
"Yeah! Let's go! That's our final opponent! A perfect chance to scout their play!"
Hinata dashed straight for the venue, even cleverly planning to watch from upstairs, a surprisingly tactical move that made it feel like Hinata had leveled up.
Of course, he forgot his clothes, hadn't changed shoes, and left his water bottle behind.
The others groaned: "Still a little monkey, after all."
"Go ahead. I'll ask Mr. Ayasaki to watch over these for us," Ichinose Guren said, quietly packing up the group's things.
"Long live the captain!"
Hoshino, usually so unnoticed after matches, barely ten meters away, shouted this without realizing how far he'd already moved.
Only Shimizawa Yudai took his time finishing packing, while the "three little ones" quickly bowed to Guren before racing off.
"Yudai, you should watch too. Kousen's spikers aren't much shorter than you."
At Guren's one-on-one reminder, Yudai nodded, pulled on his jacket, and headed toward the stands.
After Ichinose sent a quick message to Ayasaki Hayato, thirty seconds later, the man, wearing Yukigaoka attire, arrived with three muscular men from lunch, flashed his ID, and dashed in.
"No wonder Mr. Ayasaki hasn't lost his whirlwind butler legs!"
"Flattery, sir. Just doing my duty," Ayasaki replied.
By the time Guren reached the upper stands, the third set between Kousen Academy and Suisui Junior High had already begun.
Kousen led 6:5.
Noticing Guren's arrival, the nearest "three little ones" respectfully stepped aside, allowing him the C-position view.
Hoshino began briefing Guren on what he'd seen, analyzing strengths and weaknesses. As for Hinata, well… don't expect much accurate intel from someone still bouncing with excitement.
"Kousen's blocks and spikes are excellent," Hoshino explained. "But their floor defense and setter coordination leave something to be desired. They're a team focused on scoring points, kill blocks and strong spikes are their two main weapons."
"They have two players around 188 cm and a middle at about 185 cm, all very agile."
"In contrast, Suisui's team is shorter on average. Except for their tallest at 183 cm, most are around 175 cm. Their libero isn't short though, maybe 171 cm, and excels at floor defense."
"They're a team that maximizes floor defense, with their 183 cm middle as the front-line, and the libero as the core. His footwork is lightning-fast, hand-eye coordination superb, and the arm span, 171 cm tall, probably 180 cm reach, lets him handle almost every ball without rolling to absorb impact. Even against spikes, his strength remains stable."
"Don't be fooled by the single-digit scores, they fight for every point through multiple rallies. Watching them is exhausting."
Guren nodded, impressed.
"Thanks, Hoshino. Your analysis helps a lot. With your experience in national tournaments, you're indispensable."
Hoshino, unexpectedly praised, scratched his chin awkwardly and turned back to the game.
"No problem. I came first to gather intel, not to play monkey-see-monkey-do like Hinata."
The others exchanged meaningful looks at Hinata, still bouncing and cheering uncontrollably.
Shimizawa quietly muttered: "Don't worry. Maybe he's just excitedly thinking about their strategy. He hasn't forgotten we're here to gather intel."
Hinata suddenly turned, pointing at Kousen's middle blocker, eyes brimming with admiration.
"That guy's so cool!"
Just now…
He mimicked the blocker's movements:
"Whoosh! Bam! Pop!"
"Too cool!"
"His height and spike are amazing!!!"
"I want to be that cool too!!!"
Hinata's energetic antics caught the attention of the staff below.
"Hey, little one! Where's your guardian? You can't just play by the railing alone!"
"Such a little kid…"
Seeing Hinata frozen in mock terror and recalling Shimizawa's earlier timid defense, the others couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
"Ha ha ha ha ha!"
The upper stands were filled with joyful laughter.
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