A/N: Hello, readers! It's finally here! The moment you've been waiting for! Enjoy!

edited on november 8th, 2021 @ 3:39am

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CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT - ANIMAL INSTINCT

TADAHIRO WATCHED AS THE BALL that Number 16 slammed down was out making the point go to Karasuno instead. The red head let out a sigh of relief. "Talk about lucky..." He muttered to himself as he glanced over at the score.

Karasuno

25

Aoba Johsai

23

Karasuno had won the first set against Aoba Johsai. They get off the court as they grabbed their drinks as they switched sides. While switching, Hinata stopped and stared at Number 16.

"Ah, that guy from earlier there. He's starting this set." Hinata informed as Kageyama hummed.

"Since he's subbing in for Kunimi, he might be pretty quick-witted. Be careful." He said as Tadahiro let out a scoff, getting his two juniors attention.

"I never would've thought I would meet another player that infuriates me almost as equally as that bastard Ushiwaka does." Tadahiro mumbled. "I'm gonna kick his ass."

Both Kageyama and Hinata shivered. "Then again." Kageyama began. "We have our own quick-witted player, and that's Kagami-san."

Daichi soon gestured for everyone to huddle up, as Tadahiro stood in between Kageyama and Nishinoya. "Let's stay on the groove and settle the score! We're gonna win the second set, too!" Daichi announced as his team nodded.

"Yeah!"

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Asahi was up to serve. "Asahi-san, get one! Nice serve!" Nishinoya encouraged. Asahi then threw the ball up and did a jump serve.

"Out!"

Tadahiro blinked as the ball went out and Aoba Johsai got the first point. "Damn it! Sorry!" Asahi apologized.

"So close! You'll get the next one!" Sugawara shouted from the sides.

"Shake it off!" Nishinoya added.

"Your face looks scary!" Daichi stated.

"What'd you say?" Asahi questioned in confusion.

Tadahiro chuckled before looking forward to see that Oikawa was now serving. He slams the ball, as Nishinoya was about to receive it but he stopped himself and ducked down.

"Out, out!" He exclaimed as he turned out to be correct, and Karasuno gets the point.

Tadahiro could hear Oikawa groaning and grumbling in annoyance as he apologized to his teammates. Tsukishima was up to serve next.

"Tsu-chan, nice serve!" Tadahiro encouraged as his junior hits the ball and sends it over the net, it touched the net and rolled off as Iwaizumi slides down.

"Bastard!" Iwaizumi exclaimed as he saved the ball.

"Nice cover, Iwa-chan!"

Tadahiro stood beside Kageyama and Hinata. "Who will Oikawa toss to?" He thought. "Mad Dog-chan!" Oikawa shouted out, as Tadahiro raised an eyebrow at the obvious nickname. Oikawa tosses it over to Number 16.

"An open toss to the right?" Tadahiro thinks to himself with shock.

"Three blockers!"

To Tadahiro's shock, Number 16 jumped up and hit the ball, which was even more surprising considering he was sprinting towards the net. "Tch... I'm starting to get annoyed." Tadahiro thought with irritation as the crowd went wild at the spike.

"Mad Dog is amazing!" Hinata announced in amazement.

"I think infuriating is the word you're looking for." Tadahiro mumbled to himself as Kageyama stayed quiet. They get back into position as Iwaizumi was up to serve.

He hits it over the net as Daichi slides down to receive it. "It's coming back! Chance ball!" Oikawa announced making Tadahiro scowl a little.

"Damn it! Sorry!" Daichi apologized.

Tadahiro was surprised when he saw Number 16 and Kindaichi run forward. "A double quick?" He wondered as he saw how Oikawa tossed to Number 16 who slammed it down. Hinata tried to block him but was unsuccessful.

Iwaizumi was up to serve once more. "Iwa-chan, one more! Nice serve!" Oikawa encouraged his friend. Iwaizumi hits the ball as Daichi saved it. The volleyball goes towards Kageyama who sends it over to Hinata who slammed it down. Iwaizumi slides down and used his one hand to receive it.

"Yeah!"

"Nice receive!"

Tadahiro saw how Oikawa was going to set the ball, his eyes following the potential players. However, he was shocked when Number 16 jumped up and slammed the ball over and got the point, but he also crashed into Hanamaki who fell down.

"A-Are you all right?" Oikawa asked in concern.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine." Hanamaki reassured him, holding an 'okay' sign.

"They're landing it, but the combination plays look a bit violent. Ever since Number 16 subbed in, the rhythm of their attacks has changed." Tadahiro thinks to himself, noticing the changes.

Next one to serve was Iwaizumi. His teammates shouted words of encouragement as Iwaizumi slams the ball, but it hits the net and Karasuno gained a point.

"Sorry!" Iwaizumi apologized as Oikawa chuckled sheepishly at him.

Kageyama was up to serve next, who did his usual jump serve, however Hanamaki received it and sent the ball back up.

"Nice, Makki!" Oikawa praised. Tadahiro saw how Number 16 charged forward, as both him and Hinata locked their eyes onto him.

Hinata and Tadahiro jump up to block him, however he ended up being a decoy as Oikawa tossed to Kindaichi instead. "A broad jump from Kindaichi!" Tadahiro thought. He landed on the ground and tried his best to jump up and block him as well.

He ended up being too late as the ball hits the ground and got the point, making Tadahiro groan. "Let's lock this down. That's a Seijoh team that we're not familiar with." Daichi informed as Tadahiro huffed in annoyance.

"I've just about had enough of this." Tadahiro thinks to himself before turning to his teammates. "Can I have everyone's attention for a moment?" He asked as his team looked at him before gathering around him, catching Aoba Johsai's attention.

Oikawa narrowed his eyes down at the red head. "What is he planning?" He thought.

"When Number 16 jumps up to spike again. Let me deal with him." Tadahiro announced in a hush whisper, making his teammates widened their eyes.

"Hiro, are you sure?" Daichi asked.

"A player who has great power without having access to the Zone. The only one who's ever come close to that is Ushiwaka. It pisses me off." Tadahiro responded as his eyebrow twitched. "I'll shut him down."

"Do you trust me, Dai-chan?" Tadahiro then questioned.

Daichi clenched the red head's bicep. "You know I do. You're one of Karasuno's best attackers." He answered.

Tadahiro smiled. "Noya-chan, can I count on you to guard my back in case shit goes south?" He asked the second-year.

"You can count on me, Kagami-san!" Nishinoya replied, giving him a thumbs up.

They all returned to their position as Kindaichi was the one serving. The ball gets hit over the net and Nishinoya crouched down to save it. "Got it!" He said.

"Left!"

"Center!"

Kageyama tosses to Hinata who slams it down, but Iwaizumi dived down in time and sent the ball back up. "So, their style is to always have one middle blocker glued to Hina-chan." Tadahiro thought, narrowing his eyes a little.

"It's up! Cover!"

"Got it! Kyotani, take the last hit!"

Tadahiro saw how Hanamaki sent the ball over to Kyotani. "Sorry! It's close to the net!" He stated as Tadahiro's eyes followed the ball. "The only way to counter a beast... is another beast!" Tadahiro exclaimed as he grabbed the ball the same time as Kyotani did, locking them in a joust.

"A joust!" Takinoue exclaimed from the audience as him, Shimada, Saeko, and Yachi stared in surprise. Both Aoba Johsai and Karasuno were shocked as well.

"And in this situation, the wolf is mightier than the dog! So bring it on!" Tadahiro finished.

"Push it over, Hiro!" Daichi shouted.

"Go, Kagami!" Ukai shouted from the sides as the bench players yelled out words of encouragement to the red head.

"Don't let him win, Mad Dog-chan!" Oikawa yelled.

The two players battled it out for a while. "It's about time you met your match, you rabid dog!" Tadahiro exclaimed, before finally winning the joust and knocking the ball over to Aoba Johsai's side, getting the point.

Tadahiro landed on the ground as he breathed heavily. "Hey... Does Tadahiro seem different to you?" Asahi questioned, noticing the changes of his friend.

"Now that you mention it..." Daichi trailed off.

"Did he finally open that second door he was talking about?" Asahi asked.

"No. If he did, we'd all be synchronizing with him." Daichi answered. "This is something entirely different..."

Up in the stands, Taiga felt something familiar. "This feeling... Don't tell me its—"

Tadahiro faced Aoba Johsai with a killer look in his eye as an image of a black wolf appeared behind him.

"Animal instinct!" Taiga exclaimed, realizing that his older brother's enhancement on his five senses had appeared.

"Kagami-san! Nice!" Nishinoya exclaimed trying to jump on the tall third-year's shoulders.

Daichi punched his arm softly. "Good work, Hiro." He complimented. "I could kiss you."

"Thank you, Dai-chan. It was all because you trusted me." Tadahiro informed. "And what's stopping you exactly, hmm?"

"You dumbass! We have a game to play!"

"Are they seriously flirting with each other right now?" Both Asahi and Sugawara thought, sweat dropping as they did so.

Oikawa gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Never would I thought I would meet a player as intense and scary as Ushiwaka..." He mumbled as Iwaizumi nodded in agreement.

Soon they continued on with the game, as the ball goes from Karasuno's side to the opposing side. "Makki!" Oikawa shouted to Hanamaki, who hits the volleyball in which Nishinoya receives it.

"Nice, Nishinoya!" Daichi praised.

Kageyama tosses the ball up and over to Asahi who hits it down, but Hanamaki dived down and saved it. "Nice, Makki!" Oikawa said as he gets under the ball to toss. "Mad Dog-chan!" He called out, setting the ball over to him.

Tadahiro noticed how Kyotani was coming from the side again, like he had done with his cut shot. However, he accidently hits the ball in the net, and Karasuno gets a point.

"That spike from Number 16... It's like whoosh! And zoom! It's so cool!" Hinata announced as Daichi and Tadahiro sweat dropped at their junior. 

The game goes on, as the ball gets served, and Oikawa was about to set the ball. He does so as Kyotani jumps in the air, as Tadahiro saw him hit the ball down and gain a point as the ball bounced off of Nishinoya's arms.

Oikawa was smirking in response.

Kyotani was serving, as he did a jump serve, however it was going to be an out. "Out!" Tadahiro announced as the volleyball goes out of the court and Karasuno gets a point. Aoba Johsai was at 9 points with Karasuno only being at 8.

It was Iwaizumi's turn to serve as he hits it over the net and Nishinoya crouched down a little and received it. Kageyama sends a toss to Asahi who slammed it down as the volleyball was coming at Iwaizumi in which he received it.

"Cover! Cover!"

"Makki, get the last hit!"

Tadahiro watched as Oikawa sends the ball to Hanamaki, as Kageyama and Hinata jump up to block him, the ball rebounds back. "Got it!" Their libero announced.

"One more, one more!" Oikawa stated as the receive was off. Oikawa runs after the ball with Hinata tailing him.

Oikawa tosses to Kyotani, in which Tadahiro saw that his timing was faster. The red head jumped up to block him, however Kyotani got past him and scored a point.

"That was a nasty angle he spiked from..." Tadahiro thinks to himself, staring at Kyotani who held a satisfied look on his face.

The game continued as Hinata called for a toss as Kageyama does so, however Hinata was a decoy as Kageyama sends the toss to Tadahiro who hits it down, getting a point.

Both teams got points each time someone spiked.

Tadahiro glanced over at the score.

Karasuno

11

Aoba Johsai

13

Tadahiro panted as Nishinoya ran off the court and Tsukishima was subbed in, with Hinata serving next. Tadahiro glanced over at Hinata to see him nod something at Kageyama but decided not to question their motives. The whistle blew as Hinata hits the ball, Aoba Johsai's libero receives it, as Oikawa tossed to Hanamaki who slams it past Daichi and Tadahiro managed to dive down to the left and send it back up.

"Nice receive!"

Tadahiro saw how Kageyama concentrated on the volleyball and got into position to set. Tsukishima, Asahi, Daichi, and Tadahiro all run to do their synchronize attack. Tadahiro smirked when Kageyama did a back-row attack with Hinata.

However, Hinata's attack was blocked and Aoba Johsai gets the point. "Did you think now was the time to use that? I thought so, too." Oikawa looks down at Kageyama as the two glare at each other.

Tadahiro could tell Kageyama was trying to control his temper with Hinata growling at the back-row attack debut. Tadahiro sighed and pulled Kageyama away from Oikawa.

"Don't let him get to you, Kage-chan." Tadahiro told his junior.

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The game went on as Tsukishima and Kageyama blocked Iwaizumi's attack, getting Karasuno a point. Aoba Johsai was at 16 points with Karasuno at 13. Tadahiro gulped a little when he saw that Oikawa was serving, in a blink of an eye when Oikawa did his jump serve, the ball goes to Karasuno's side of the court and Aoba Johsai gets a point.

Oikawa serves again, but he hits the top of the net. "Front!" Ukai shouted as Nishinoya dived down and saved the ball.

"Nice receive, Nishinoya!" Daichi praised.

"Left!" Tadahiro shouted at Tsukishima.

"Kagami-san!" Tsukishima announced, sending the ball towards the red head.

"Triple block!" Daichi exclaimed.

Tadahiro ran forward and jumped up, hitting the ball down and to the side, getting Karasuno a point. He grinned a little when Kyotani gave him a scowl. 

"Yeah!" Tadahiro's teammates cheered as he walked back to his position.

TWEEEET!

Tadahiro looked over to see Sugawara subbing in for Tsukishima, as they exchanged number plates and Sugawara walks onto the court. Sugawara goes over and whispers something to Kageyama. Soon Sugawara runs back to the court to serve, as Kageyama, Hinata, and Tadahiro were up front to block.

Tadahiro watched as Sugawara hits the ball over the net, as it was aimed at Kyotani. He grinned to himself when Kyotani was late to the attack, Oikawa tosses the ball and Kindaichi hits it, however Sugawara crouched down to his knee and set the volleyball back up.

Kageyama and Hinata do their quick attack and managed to get a point even though Kindaichi was close to blocking them. Karasuno was now at 15 points with Aoba Johsai at 17.

Sugawara was back to serving, he hits it again, and once more aimed at Kyotani, making him late for the attack once more. The ball gets hit but Daichi was there to save it, as Sugawara followed the ball, swapping places with Kageyama.

Sugawara soon tosses to Kageyama who did his line shot and got Karasuno a point.

"All right!"

Tadahiro smiled as swung his arm around Kageyama's neck. "Nice one, Kage-chan!" He praised his junior, who just nodded in response.

"We only need one more point to tie with Aoba Johsai." Tadahiro thinks to himself.

TWEEEET!

Aoba Johsai called for a timeout, as everyone exited the court. Tadahiro sighed in tiredness as he grabbed his water bottle and drank from it.

"Kagami." Ukai called to him, making the red head look over. "I'll be swapping Tanaka in so your legs can rest."

Tadahiro nodded in understanding. "Don't you worry! Just leave the rest to me, Kagami-san!" Tanaka reassured, looking at his senior with his chest puffed out.

"Right. Do your best, Tanaka-chan." Tadahiro replied.

TWEEEET!

Tadahiro walked over and sits on the bench next to Ukai as everyone else got ready to play. "Suga! One more! Nice serve!" Nishinoya shouted as Sugawara hits the ball, however instead of Kyotani receiving it, Hanamaki switched places and received for him.

Oikawa sets the ball to Kyotani who slams it down and got a point.

TWEEEET!

Sugawara was being swapped back out as Tsukishima subbed in. "Suga nice!" Nishinoya smiled as he runs to get off the court.

"Thanks." Sugawara replied as Tadahiro got up and walked over to his friend.

"Damn it, I wanted to take it to a tie." Sugawara stated.

The game goes on with Kageyama setting to Tanaka who spikes it down and got a point. "Tanaka-chan, nice kill!" Tadahiro called out, giving him a thumbs up in which the second-year beamed at. Kageyama was up to serve.

"Kageyama, nice serve!"

Kageyama does his usual jump serve, as Iwaizumi received it, Oikawa tossed the ball to Kyotani who spiked it down but Asahi was there to save it, with Kageyama following the ball and tossing it to Daichi who did a feint but Oikawa dived down and sent the ball back up.

The libero jumps up and sets the ball in mid-air to Kyotani who jumps up as well, and hits the ball past Tanaka and Hinata, getting the point. Tadahiro sighed and ran a hand through his red locks, wanting the game to end with Karasuno victorious.

Kindaichi serves the ball, as it goes forward and over the net. Tanaka was there to receive it as the ball made it's way to Kageyama who tosses the ball to Hinata, but Hanamaki saved it.

Oikawa sets the ball back up, calling out to Kyotani who ran forward, his eyes on the volleyball as he spiked it down, getting another point for Aoba Johsai.

TWEEEET!

Tadahiro sighed in relief when the referee blew that Kyotani touched the net, as both teams huddled together. Once it was done, Kindaichi serves, but the ball hits the net and Karasuno got the point, Tanaka was up to serve as he throws the ball up and spikes it forward.

He saw how Oikawa gets ready to toss once Iwaizumi saved the ball. Tadahiro noticed how Matsukawa was running behind Kyotani, making the red head believe he would spike the ball. Hinata must've also realized as he followed him. But to their surprise, Oikawa sends it to Kyotani who slammed it down, Tanaka tried to save it, but failed.

Tadahiro looked at the score and scoffed.

Karasuno

18

Aoba Johsai

21

"Not good. We'll be playing a third set if Aoba Johsai takes this one. How bothersome." Tadahiro noted. The one who was serving next was Kyotani who throws the ball up and hits it forward with a lot of power, making the red head blink as the spike happened so quickly. Aoba Johsai gets a point.

TWEEEET!

Karasuno called for a timeout as everyone walked off the court to cool down. Ukai talked with everyone as Tadahiro didn't really pay attention until Daichi called for everyone to gather in a circle, with Tadahiro being in between Ennoshita and Narita.

"Let's buckle down! Karasuno, fight!"

"Yeah!"

TWEEEEET!

Everyone goes back onto the court, with Tadahiro still being on the sidelines. Kyotani was serving again. "Let's get this one!" Daichi called out.

"Yeah!"

"Stop bugging me, I know." Tadahiro heard Ukai speak, making him follow his coach's gaze to see Yamaguchi looking at the coach with determination written on his face.

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A/N: I wanted to explain some things since some of you guys would be confused. First of all, Kagami's first name, Taiga, means "tiger" in Japanese. Therefore, is why Tadahiro calls Taiga "little tiger" as his childhood nickname, and why I didn't choose a tiger for his animal instinct. Also, I kinda gave you guys clues on a wolf being his animal in the description and the first chapter.

How did you guys like Kyotani and Tadahiro's battle? Do you think by the end of this, Kyotani would grow respect for Tadahiro?

Thanks for reading!