"What about you two?"
Oomae Masato brushed some grass off his hair and turned his head, asking the question.
"Hmm... I don't plan to join any clubs in high school." Neko Kurata replied. "After the entrance exams, I'll try applying to Kitagawa first. If I don't get in, I'll choose between Aoba Johsai, Ohgiminami High, or Hakusuikan."
The schools Kurata named were all well-known academic high schools in Miyagi Prefecture. What's more, those schools didn't require students to join extracurricular clubs, allowing them to focus fully on studying for university entrance exams.
Clearly, Kurata had done his homework.
"My original plan was to join the shogi club in high school." Oda Miki chimed in. "But lately, I've found myself actually enjoying volleyball more than I expected, so..."
She paused and reached one hand up toward the sky.
"If we can make it to the national tournament, maybe I'll keep playing even in high school."
"What about you two?" Oda looked at Akashi Asuka and Ryuhei Sanashita.
Akashi opened his mouth, ready to answer, but before he could speak, Oomae interrupted.
"Alright, you shut it, Akashi. Whatever you decide to do, you're probably gonna succeed anyway, so don't rub it in and make us feel bad."
Thinking of Akashi's terrifying growth in volleyball, combined with his top-three academic performance on recent exams, the rest of the volleyball club could only nod in agreement at Masato's words.
Damn it, this guy's a freak.
Fifteen years of life, and they'd never met anyone like him. This year had truly opened their eyes.
Ryuhei Sanashita spoke up, "Me? Unless something unexpected happens, I'll focus on academics in high school. As for clubs... I haven't decided yet."
"So basically, the chances of us ever sharing a court in high school again are pretty slim, huh?" Masato turned to Akashi and declared loudly, "That's why you better listen up, Akashi! Tomorrow's match is our last battle together. You have to win it!"
"At least let us walk with you a little longer at nationals. That way, if you get famous someday, we can brag to our kids about it."
Akashi laughed dryly. "Uhh... just a reminder, volleyball is a team sport, right?"
"Shut up."
Masato shot him a glare. "You think we're clueless Junior Highers? I know exactly how good I am. So tomorrow, I don't care if your legs fall off, you better win. Got it?"
Akashi sighed. "...You guys are such great teammates."
He rolled his eyes but then smiled. "Don't worry. We'll win tomorrow. Absolutely."
…
Saturday.
The Finals of the Prefectural Qualifiers Begin.
Over the past week, Sengoku Junior High had analyzed footage of Kousen Academy's matches dozens of times, getting a solid grasp of their opponent.
In general, Kōsen was a well-rounded team without any standout "genius" players, but their strength lay in their solid foundation. Years of being a powerhouse allowed them to train ordinary students to perform at high levels.
In the original timeline, Kousen Academy's ability to dominate Kitagawa in the first set alone was proof of their strength.
And even if none of their players were prodigies, they were far from average. For instance, two of their blockers were an imposing 188 cm tall.
"Everyone clear?" Kōsen's coach boomed in the locker room. "Our opponent this time isn't as scary as you might think. Yes, they beat Kitagawa, but you've all seen the footage, that team was falling apart internally. If not for that, the match could've gone either way."
"Sengoku's ace is powerful, sure. But our blocking is just as strong. If we can shut him down, the victory will be as good as ours!"
"Understood!" the players responded in unison.
..
Both teams stepped onto the court.
After exchanging bows and greetings, the match began.
The finals drew an even larger crowd. Behind each team, rows of student supporters and live music ensembles cheered them on, an iconic part of Japanese school sports culture.
Tweet!
The referee's whistle blew.
Kōsen didn't have a player like Tobio Kageyama, no one could serve pressure like Akashi Asuka. Their defense relied heavily on blocking. Their backline defense was strong too, but at most, it was on par with Kitagawa.
So, for the first serve of the game, Coach Shimokawa had only one choice: Akashi Asuka.
The moment Akashi stepped into the serving position, the atmosphere shifted. Kōsen's players on court, and even their coach on the sidelines, suddenly tensed.
The coach's earlier words about their opponent "not being scary", he hadn't truly believed them. Deep down, he knew the threat Akashi posed.
To put it mildly, they were about to face another "monster" in the same league as Ushijima Wakatoshi.
From the stands, the cheering music of Sengoku's band swelled.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
Akashi bounced the ball a few times, closed his eyes, took a long breath in and out, and when he opened them again, an eerie chill ran down the spines of the Kōsen players.
Sengoku's team instinctively took a step aside, covering the backs of their heads.
Kōsen's captain stood in the back row, eyes locked on Akashi. He shouted, "Get ready! The ball's coming, "
BOOM!
He hadn't even finished the sentence when the ground under his feet seemed to shake. The sound hit before he could react. The whistle blew.
Tweet!
Sengoku scored on the serve.
1–0.
Kōsen's captain stood frozen. He turned stiffly, and there, behind him, was the ball, already lying on the court.
"What... was that?"
"You're kidding... That was a serve?!"
Several Kōsen players swallowed dryly. They had seen Akashi serve on tape, but in person, the power and speed were on a completely different level.
The captain looked up again. Across the court, Akashi's eyes were calm, calm to the point of unease. His presence radiated a chilling intensity.
------------
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 82 there! Patreon.com/Veltoria