A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Enjoy!

edited on september 7th, 2021 @ 2:27pm

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CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE - A SIMPLE AND PURE STRENGTH

ATSUSHI ALMOST FLINCHED WHEN YAMAGUCHI almost got a ball spiked to the head by the tall player from Kakugawa. Luckily, Yamaguchi wasn't hurt. Atsushi walked over to Yamaguchi and lightly dragged him away from the incoming spikes before the match began.

TWEEEET!

Both teams lined up as they bowed.

"Let's have a good game!"

Once Karasuno was done with their huddle, they headed onto the court. Atsushi stared at the tall player from the opposite side of the court as he narrowed his eyes.

"Whether our opponents be tall or short, we'll win in the end." Atsushi thought, a smirk appearing on his face.

"Tsukishima, nice serve!"

Tsukishima serves the ball as a player from Kakugawa received it. The ball goes to the setter as the setter tosses the ball to the tallest player, Atsushi runs over towards Hinata and Kageyama as he got ready to block the attack with them.

The three of them jump up, however Atsushi clicked his tongue in annoyance when he saw that the tall player was going to smack the ball over them. The ball touched the court, making Kakugawa gain the first point.

The game continues with the ball going up.

"Coming in from the left!"

"Hyakuzawa!"

The ball gets smacked down again by the tall player, Nishinoya shifted over and received the ball back into the air. "Sorry, cover!" Nishinoya announced. Atsushi ran over to the ball, watching it as he narrowed his eyes before looking over at Hinata.

"Hinata, get the point!" Atsushi encouraged before sending the ball over to Hinata.

Hinata jumps up, Atsushi saw how he was going to do a feint, but sadly Hyakuzawa stopped the ball with ease, making the ball go back down on the court and the opposing team getting another point.

Hinata pouted before turning to Atsushi. "Sorry!" He apologized as the brunette patted his shoulder.

"Don't mind." Atsushi reassured him.

"The ball was a little low." Hinata added.

"Seriously, Hinata. It's fine. Don't worry about it." Atsushi said as he turned to find Kakugawa staring at them. They looked away when Atsushi caught them staring.

"What the heck?"

Atsushi looked over and saw Hinata staring at Kageyama who was looking down at his hands. "Why are you moving your fingers like a pervy old man?" Hinata added as Atsushi snorted in amusement.

"Hah?"

Hinata moves back, scared of the intense aura Kageyama had, as Kageyama went back to look at his hands. "I don't even know what this team is anymore." Atsushi thought with a sigh.

The game soon continued as Atsushi kept his eyes on the ball and saw a chance for a spike, so he charged forward and jumped up, smacking down the ball but it got blocked. The volleyball goes up in the air.

"Up! Above the net!" Atsushi called out.

"Shove it in, Hinata!"

Atsushi watched as Hinata jumps up to push the ball onto the opposing team's side, however the tall player won the pushing match and Kakugawa gained a point once more.

The person to serve the volleyball next was a guy from the opposing team, as they serve the ball. "Out!" Nishinoya announced as they watch the ball go out and Karasuno gained a point. Soon it was Kageyama who was serving.

"Kageyama, nice serve!"

The referee blew the whistle and Kageyama did his jump serve, the libero saves it but they fall back, another guy covers for his teammate as he sets the ball up to the tall player. Daichi, Hinata, and Atsushi jumped up to block, but it was no use as Hyakuzawa smacked down the ball and got a point.

TWEEEET!

Karasuno had called for a timeout, making them get off the court to gather around Ukai. Kiyoko handed out towels and water bottles to them.

"No matter how much I jump, I get hit from above me. What in the world should I do?" Hinata groaned.

"For starters, calm down." Atsushi replied.

"Shoyo." Nishinoya spoke, making everyone turn to their libero.

"Air combat alone doesn't make volleyball."

Hinata seemed taken aback by his comment. "There's something I've noticed." Daichi began, making everyone glance over to their captain. "After watching their previous warm-up and how they play, it appears that Kakugawa's Number 9 can't hit shots in varying courses." He explained as Atsushi thought about it.

"He only shoots cross-court in the direction that his body is facing." Nishinoya added as Ukai walked over.

"Judging from their practice, that Number 9 must have recently started playing volleyball." He said as Hinata glanced at their coach.

"So he's like Lev from Nekoma?" Hinata asked as Atsushi chuckled.

"The only thing he's lacking is the speed and senses that Lev has." The brunette commented.

"Put differently, Kakugawa's Number 9 only has his height, but that alone is far beyond everyone else."

"So when Number 9 is hitting, we'll disregard the possibility of line shots."

After that discussion, the whistle blew for the game to continue. Kakugawa having four points with Karasuno only having one.

"Left, left!"

Atsushi jumped up to spike, slamming down the ball but the opposing libero saves it, making the volleyball go up in the air. Atsushi watched as the setter of the opposing team sets to Hyakuzawa in which he jumps up to spike. Daichi, Hinata, and Atsushi jump up to block him, with Nishinoya to the side of them, as the ball gets slammed. However, Nishinoya managed to receive it.

"All right!"

Kageyama tossed to Hinata. Hyakuzawa jumps up to block him, but Hinata did a feint instead, making Karasuno gain a point as Atsushi sighed in relief, glad that they managed to get past the tall player.

"Atsushi, your serve." Daichi told the brunette, handing him the volleyball.

"'Kay." Atsushi replied.

Before he served the ball, he looked over at Hinata to see him excited and nervous about something that was said. Atsushi took a deep breath to relax his nerves as he spun the ball in his hands, waiting for the whistle to blow.

Once it did, Atsushi threw the ball up and did his jump serve as the libero saves it, but just barely. Hyakuzawa jumps up to spike the toss his setter performed, but Nishinoya had his eye on the volleyball and saved it once more.

"All right!" Nishinoya cheered to himself.

Hinata raced to the end of the court, as Atsushi made the realization that him and Kageyama were going to try their new quick attack. The brunette smirked as he watched the quick attack happen and the shocked faces of the opposing team.

The crowd in the audience who also witnessed the attack were also shocked.

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Kageyama and Hinata performed their new quick once again, getting Karasuno another point. Atsushi turned his head to look at the scoreboard. He was sitting out on the sides as he was switched out with Tanaka.

Kakugawa

14

Karasuno

15

"Are we at the top of our game?"

"Boo-ya, boo-ya, boo-yah, boo-yah!"

"Are we at the top of our game Kageyama?"

"Shut up, you guys!"

Atsushi sweat dropped at Nishinoya, Tanaka, Kageyama, and Hinata as Daichi told them to be quiet. Hinata was serving the ball next as he took a big breath to relax.

"Hinata, relax!"

Soon Hinata serves the ball, as players run to receive it. The ball goes around to each team a few times as the tall player spiked down the ball, only for Hinata to save it by getting hit in the face.

"It's coming back! Hit it directly!"

Atsushi smirked when he saw Tsukishima jump up to block the spike. "You're not the only one with a tall player on your side!" He thought.

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"Number 10! Number 10!"

Hinata and Kageyama once again do their quick attack, getting Karasuno a point. "All right!" The two cheered.

Atsushi looked back to see the score and saw they were at match point.

Kageyama serves the ball, as the libero saves it in time. He watched as Hyakuzawa spiked down the ball his team's setter tossed to him. Asahi managed to crouch down and receive it, but the ball bounced off his arm and the point goes to Kakugawa.

The ball goes back up in the air as Atsushi watched Kageyama toss to Tanaka, who spikes it down powerfully, but a player from the opposing team saves it, making Atsushi huff in annoyance, blowing some of his brown locks out of his face.

The ball gets spiked once more from Kakugawa, but Nishinoya shifted down to his knees and saved the ball. The ball goes into the air as Kageyama gets ready to set to Hinata, however it was a fast attack this time and Karasuno gets a point, winning the first set.

TWEEEET!

Karasuno gets off the court as Atsushi helps Kiyoko on giving everyone their water bottles and towels. "Hey, you know how you asked before the game if I was seriously chickening out?" Hinata asked Kageyama.

"Was that because you knew that the quick attack would go well?"

Kageyama turned to the orange-haired male. "Not really... though, I did think I was doing better than usual today." Kageyama started making Hinata confused.

"Then why did you say that?" He asked as Atsushi looked over to the setter for his response.

"I mean, you crammed a lot of practice in back in Tokyo, right? Things other than the quick."

Hinata widened his eyes a little at the comment, until Kageyama smirked. "Though, that very first feint was stopped ever so easily." He teased as Atsushi laughed a little.

"Shut up! And Atsushi, don't laugh!" Hinata exclaimed as Atsushi snickered in response.

TWEEEET!

It was the start of the second set, and Atsushi was now on the court with Tanaka being switched out. The ball goes into play, as Asahi crouched down to receive it.

"Nice receive!" Atsushi complimented as he watched Kageyama sets to Hinata who smacks the volleyball down. The libero slightly saves it.

"Cover!" He called out.

Atsushi then watched as Hyakuzawa slams down the ball once it came to him. Nishinoya tried to save it, but the ball just bounced off his arms.

"All right!" Kakugawa cheered for their point.

"Damn it!" Nishinoya cursed.

The ball goes back into the air as Atsushi kept his eyes on it, Nishinoya sends it up to Kageyama. "Nice receive!" Kageyama praised. Soon, Tsukishima, Asahi, Daichi, and Atsushi run forward in unison, doing their synchronizing attack.

Atsushi narrowed his eyes on the volleyball that was in front of him. After Tsukishima faked doing a spike, Atsushi made sure to slam the ball down powerfully and got Karasuno a point.

"Yes!" Atsushi cheered as Daichi came over and ruffled his brown locks.

The game continued, with each team not giving up. Atsushi was panting, getting tired from all the running and jumping, but was still able to play. He watched as Hyakuzawa slammed down the volleyball.

Atsushi shifted his feet as he received the ball. "Sorry, it went too high!" He apologized, wiping the sweat that was running down his forehead. Hyakuzawa reached the volleyball when it was close to the net and slammed it down, getting Kakugawa a point.

"All right!"

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Karasuno got a point when Atsushi slammed down the volleyball. "All right!" His team cheered as Atsushi sighed and glanced over at the score.

Karasuno

24

Kakugawa

19

"We're at match point..." Atsushi thought with happiness.

"Atsushi, nice kill!" Sugawara praised from the sidelines. They had rotated with Daichi, Hinata, and Atsushi being at the front.

"Even though we're normal height, against someone who is 6' 7", we look like shrimps. I feel like that's what people are saying." Daichi spoke up, making Atsushi nod in agreement.

"What was that?" Hinata hissed, glaring at the two guys who flinched back. Atsushi grabbed Hinata by the collar and pulled him back.

"All right guys, if we can't stop it, we'll receive it." Daichi said, making Hinata and Atsushi nod in agreement and determination.

Kageyama did his jump serve, the ball gets saved as it makes its way to the setter, who tosses to the tall player as he ran forward.

"Not yet! Hold it for a bit." Daichi told them.

"If a wall doesn't work... we'll use a plate!"

The three of them jumped as they made their hands flat, making them get a one touch. Asahi dived over and saved the ball.

"Asahi-san, nice!" Atsushi praised as he ran over and covered for him, sending the ball back up.

"Nice, Atsushi!" Asahi exclaimed, getting back up.

Atsushi watched as Hinata jumped up, as three more blockers jumped up as well. Atsushi smirked when Hinata managed to hit the ball at the tall player's fingertips, making the ball go up as it touched the court and Hinata crashed onto the floor.

TWEEEET!

Karasuno had won the match, making them cheer in excitement. "We are eligible for the qualifiers!" Atsushi thought.

"All right!"

Atsushi smirked and nudged Asahi to pick up Hinata, to which he nodded as Asahi came over and held up Hinata, in with the orange-haired male smiled as Daichi, Kageyama, Nishinoya, and Atsushi clapped for him.

"Hinata you did it!"

"We got past the first round of preliminaries!"

"Nice going, Shoyo!"

They all headed to the court to line up.

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The matches were finally over for today, as they were heading home. "Kiyoko, we'll hold all the bags!" Atsushi heard Nishinoya and Tanaka exclaim in unison.

"Most of the stuff has already been taken care of." Kiyoko informed, as Daichi looked at the trio, mainly at Nishinoya and Tanaka.

"Hey, let's go, guys." He called out.

"Oh, I'll go check to see if we've forgotten anything. Hitoka-chan, you go on ahead." Kiyoko said to Yachi, as Atsushi noticed Nishinoya and Tanaka were still staring at Kiyoko, making him sigh and drag them off. "Come on, Noya-san, Tanaka-san." He said, making his two seniors complain.

They reached the others as Atsushi heard Kageyama talking to Hinata. "Jeez, you've gotten good at attacking, but your receives are still so crappy. What was that hgya? What's a hgya?" Kageyama asked as Hinata growled.

"I-It went up though, right?" Hinata defended himself as Atsushi smirked in amusement.

"Hgya!"

"Hgya!"

Atsushi glanced at Tanaka and Nishinoya, then he saw Ennoshita, Narita, and Kinoshita behind them. "By the way, you guys are all okay with the summer break homework, right?" Ennoshita asked smugly as the two second-years tensed and yelped.

"Hgya!"

"You remember how I said I wasn't going to help you, right?"

Atsushi sighed at them as he noticed Yachi walking over to Hinata who was staring at his hand. "Is something wrong, Hinata?" Yachi asked.

"Now, we'll finally stand in the same ring as the Great King and Ushiwaka Japan!" Shoyo exclaimed as Atsushi sweat dropped.

"You do know my Nii-san has a name, right?"

However, instead of a response, Hinata just yelled out in shock at something when he looked into his bag. "Huh?" Yachi yelped, jumping back.

"I forgot my lunch box!" Hinata announced as he runs off in a panic to retrieve it.

Atsushi sighed and looked at his teammates. "I'll go after him to make sure he doesn't get lost." He told them before jogging off to follow the orange-haired male.

Atsushi eventually caught up to him, they run around to get to the last place he left it, but both stopped when they heard someone talking.

"Come on, just gimmie your number!"

"Sorry... Sorry, I have people waiting for me."

Atsushi saw that Kiyoko was cornered by two guys, making him narrow his eyes as he realized she looked uncomfortable. "It only takes a second to give me your number." The guy with blonde dyed hair, and wearing a red shirt said. Atsushi glanced over at Hinata who was shaking on the spot with nerves, so he decided to step up and help out Kiyoko.

"I'm sorry."

"Well, I'll just get it from your phone real quick."

"Hey."

The three turned to Atsushi, who had an unamused expression. "She said no, so leave her alone." He said as he calmly walked over to get in between Kiyoko and the two guys.

"Hm? And who are you?" The guy wearing a green shirt and brown hair asked him. Atsushi glanced at him, his stotic expression not leaving his face.

"Someone who's going to kick your ass if you don't leave my team's manager alone."

The blonde haired guy looks at Atsushi before smirking. "You know, you're pretty hot looking yourself. Can I get your number as well?" He asked.

"Huh?" Atsushi questioned as both him and Kiyoko were getting cornered.

"Whoa!"

Atsushi jumped back when Hinata ran over and stood in front of him and Kiyoko, he still looked scared, but Atsushi had to give him effort for trying to defend them.

"Sorry! That's my lunch box!" Hinata added as he started to push Kiyoko and Atsushi away from the two guys.

"Let's go! Hurry!"

They didn't get very far when Hinata got pulled back by the guy with the dyed blonde hair. Atsushi watched as Hinata literally got tossed aside like he was a ragdoll.

"Wait up!" The stranger called out. Atsushi deadpanned at him, still standing protectively in front of Kiyoko. "We were still talking."

"Hinata!" Kiyoko exclaimed, concerned for the first-year. Atsushi held his hand out, signaling for his senior to stay behind him as the guy inched closer, still talking to them.

"You come any closer and you'll get sent to the hospital." Atsushi threatened but the guy just laughed in amusement.

"You two got a smartphone? Or you still using a flip-phone?"

"Okay, your head is probably so far up your ass you didn't listen to me when I said I'm happily taken. Don't say I didn't try to warn y—"

Atsushi was cut off by Hinata ran over with such speed and jumped into the air, making the guy back away from them. "Excuse me!" Hinata shouted as he lands on his feet, standing in front of the two.

"Sh-Shimizu-senpai is our precious manager, and Atsushi is our amazing teammate. So um, um..."

"Huh? So you guys beat the 6' 7" guy?"

"Huh? Well, yeah..."

"Man, I wanted to play that 6' 7" guy too."

"Play?"

Atsushi then smirked. "You're a volleyball player." He concluded, he could also see the guy had a tongue and ear piercing.

"Matches are super fun, aren't they?" He smiled, challenging them.

"Um, are you one of the teams that got past the preliminary round?"

"Prelims? We didn't play in the prelims."

"Then you were in the top eight teams from the Inter-High preliminaries?"

"Ah, maybe it was top four."

Hinata was clearly taken aback by thus sudden information. "T-Top four!" He yelped. Even Atsushi had to admit that was impressive. He watched as the blonde-haired male ruffled Hinata's hair.

"See ya. If we ever go against each other in the decider tournament, let's have some fun and play." The guy smiled as him and his friend walked off.

Atsushi kept his eyes trained on him just in case he tried to touch Kiyoko or himself.

"Have some fun and play?" Hinata repeated.

"Looks like you got his attention, Hinata." Kiyoko spoke up, making Hinata jump a little.

"Sorry about that and thank you. Both of you."

"No worries, manager. I wasn't going to let him get near you."

Kiyoko smiled before handing Hinata his lunch box. "Here you forgot this." She informed. Hinata grew flustered and tried to hide the lunch box.

"This lunch box wrap is cute." Atsushi commented with a sly grin.

"Th-This is Na... my little sister's, and it's definitely not mine!" Hinata informed, making Atsushi snicker.

"I won't tell." Atsushi promised.

Soon Kiyoko, Hinata, and Atsushi head off as they made their way to the front of the building. They see the rest of their team waiting for them outside.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Hinata called out.

"You're late, moron!" Kageyama hissed.

"Kiyoko, Atsushi! We're glad you're both safe!"

"Did you find anything left behind?"

"Oh, the cutely wrapped—"

"You don't have to tell them!"

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A/N: Another chapter is done! Let me know if there's any mistakes! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 3446 words.