The prefectural gymnasium, site of the boys' volleyball final.
"Anyway, their number one and number seven spikers mostly use straight-line spikes and rarely use diagonals. That doesn't mean they can't use them. In the last match against Suisui, it was tough going, but their spikes weren't completely blocked by the opposing team's blocks."
"Most of the time, the ball just lost some power after contact and was picked up by the floor defense. It's normal for them to rely on their favorite straight-line spikes, so our defense should focus on stopping those straight spikes, while still making every effort to touch the diagonal ones!"
"That number nine middle blocker on the other side combines straight-line and diagonal spikes, be very careful! Against me and Yudai, they might use soft-style blocks to reduce the height disadvantage. So in this match, we might have to go for fast attacks. The sets will come to you, Mori!"
"That's it! Got it?!"
"Understood!"
"Understood~~"
The Yukigaoka team stood in a line, listening intently to Ichinose Guren's briefing. But when Guren asked a question, starting with Hinata Shoyo behind Hoshino Katsuri, the four players' voices trembled with a sort of mesmerized, almost swooning tone.
Yudai Hyakuzawa and Hoshino Katsuri turned their heads, dumbfounded, staring at their four teammates.
Some clutched their stomachs, some tightened their throats as if about to vomit, one even hugged a trash bag just in case, and another traced shaky characters on their hands before swallowing hard.
"You alright?"
Back in reality, Yudai Hyakuzawa, as concise as ever, expressed concern for his teammates in just three words.
"Don't mind them. They're nervous. One punch from me will fix it."
Since getting close to the team, Hoshino Katsuri had transformed from a shy, low-profile kid to a playful troublemaker, using that low-profile charm to unleash pranks. His nature was like the sofa in the volleyball activity center, truly mischievous.
Seizing the moment while the four nervous teammates were distracted, Hoshino Katsuri quietly crept up beside them.
"Hmph, hey, ha, heh!"
A precise, smooth sequence of rapid punches, back-of-head knife-hand strikes, and even a couple of comically brutal attacks,
BOOM!
The four felt the pressure instantly. They sat firmly on the bench, hands clasped, harmoniously tense but bonded.
"Just needed a little sorting out," Hoshino Katsuri said with a friendly smile, a teasing edge in his voice.
"Well, it's understandable. After all, it's the prefectural finals. People are watching. The Miyagi Prefectural TV crew is filming, and volleyball magazines sent reporters."
"First time facing cameras, being nervous is normal~"
Ichinose Guren patted Hoshino on the shoulder, signaling him to calm down.
"Hey! You guys, those moves we practiced a few days ago, are you ready?"
The three little ones and Hinata Shoyo turned back in unison, nervous but excited, their eyes shining with anticipation.
"Finally! All that practice at home these past few nights wasn't wasted!"
Hinata Shoyo bounced with excitement, immediately shaking off his earlier awkwardness.
Kawashima and Suzuki exchanged glances, a silent 'You look cool too~' expression passing between them.
Only Mori and Hoshino Katsuri showed slightly awkward expressions.
"Uh… I could skip it, actually."
"Captain, I agree with Mori."
"Proposal denied."
Guren, wearing a mischievous grin, exercised his captain's authority with the air of someone planning trouble.
Yudai Hyakuzawa went first. Growing up doing physical training, he wasn't shy; it was almost muscle memory now.
Facing Guren, they shook hands, reversed grips, bumped shoulders, dusted off each other's shoulders, and ended with a playful elbow clash.
This flashy gesture immediately attracted the attention of TV reporters and volleyball magazine photographers, who quickly aimed their cameras to capture this rare handshake ceremony in a volleyball match.
Two short kids in the stands, only able to peek through the railing, noticed the scene.
"What is this? So extravagant, yet strangely interesting."
"This is a handshake, also called a greeting handshake. I heard it started as a street-style greeting, but recently became popular in basketball. I didn't expect volleyball to have such a stylish ritual too!"
Next was Hinata Shoyo, still brimming with anticipation but instantly flustered when the cameras turned on him.
Thanks to a few days of practice, even with a vacant, numb expression, he managed the up-down, left-right AABB sequence flawlessly.
The remaining four followed suit: Suzuki and Kawashima nervous but excited, Mori awkward but tense, and finally Hoshino Katsuri, reluctantly embarrassed.
Clearly, Hoshino didn't enjoy the ritual, it was a bit humiliating for him. Unlike the others, he and Mori mechanically completed the handshake, faces flushed.
When everyone finished, Guren wore a mischievous victorious grin. Combined with his refined features, he exuded a sort of roguish charm, part troublemaker, part superstar.
Once the ritual ended, the surrounding reporters gradually dispersed. Yukigaoka instantly went from the center of attention to practically invisible, at least in the players' perception.
This contrast instantly relaxed the four previously nervous players. After the hellish scrutiny, only a few scattered spectators now watched them, easing the tension from the opening moments.
Hoshino Katsuri noticed this, glancing at his captain.
"To think, you're only a junior high school students… Captain Guren."
"Using high-intensity tension to weaken opening-stage nerves… Incredible. The ultimate ace, both brains and brawn. He's starting to look more and more like an anime big boss. No hero could be this smart."
Time to watch the show. Ahahahahaha!
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