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

edited on november 1st, 2020 @ 5:01pm

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CHAPTER SEVEN - REVIVAL

IT WAS FINALLY THE DAY. Tadahiro was nervous but excited. He got up and got dressed for the day. His phone buzzed on his nightstand, signaling someone was texting him. He picked up his phone to find a text from his younger brother.

Taiga 🐅:
> Hyuga mentioned that your Inter-High preliminaries start today. Good luck. Wish I can come to Miyagi to see you play. But Coach wants us to train for the Winter Cup.

Hiro-nii:
Thanks, Taiga. And I understand. I'll see you once Winter Cup starts :) <

Tadahiro placed his phone in his pocket before grabbing his things and heading out of his house.

The Karasuno team finally made their way to the Sendai City Gymnasium, however when they were walking over, they couldn't help but overhear some people, talking about them.

"Let's see, this block..."

"Tori... Torino?"

"I think that's Karasuno."

"They were strong once, not too long ago."

"Eh? Don't they have one of the top three spikers on their team? Kagami Tadahiro I think his name was?"

"Yeah, he goes by a lot of names throughout the volleyball community. His most famous ones are 'King of the Crows' and 'Ushijima 2.0' since his power rivals Shiratorizawa's ace."

"Who knows why he chose that school. They're not strong anymore. There's a saying about their team."

"What's that?"

"Fallen powerhouse. Flightless Ravens."

As the two were conversing and looking down at Karasuno, Tadahiro and his team all stood behind the two guys and they stare with a dark and annoyed look. One guy from the duo seemed to notice them as he gulps and whispers to his friend.

"Hey, shut up." He hissed in a whisper.

"Huh?" His friend commented, confused. Suddenly, Tanaka gets in between them.

"Flightless, you say? Is that what you said?" Tanaka growls, his face looking intimidating. Tadahiro watched as Daichi pulled him back.

"Come on. Let's go." Daichi scolded as he looked at the two guys. "I'm sorry." He bows as he drags Tanaka away.

Tadahiro clenched his fist. "Hey." He growled as the two guys looked at him. "You know what they call a flock of crows? A murder. But you know what they say about the King of the Crows? That he's dangerous and quiet when he reaches his full power."

He turned to look at them with a darkening glare, looking at the two guys who gulped. "When my teammates and I reach Nationals. I don't want either of you being there to cheer us on. Especially after that little conversation you had. Anyone who disrespects my team in the beginning, doesn't deserve to share our glory when we reach the top."

Tadahiro walked off and quickly caught up to join the rest of his team. The moment Karasuno walked in, Tadahiro felt all stares on them. And he managed to hear all the comments directed to them as well.

"All black..."

"That one guy doesn't look like a high schooler."

"Hey, is that guy... that's Karasuno's Azumane."

Tadahiro noticed that Asahi tenses up at this as he gulps, making Tadahiro glance at him in confusion. "What? Who's that?" A guy asked.

"Don't you know? I heard guys from Kita High worked for him to extort money." The guy stated making Tadahiro hold back a snicker since he knew Asahi would never do such a thing.

"I also heard he sold illegal substances on the street." The guy adds once more. Tadahiro could tell Asahi looked defeated by these rumors.

"And I heard he's been in high school for five years."

"He's an adult, then."

Daichi and Sugawara looked amused but also tired of these comments as they looked at their ace. "Oh, well. It's the usual gossip." Sugawara commented as Daichi hummed in agreement.

"All because of his appearance." Daichi sighed as Asahi panicked.

"But I like to have sort of a wild appearance." Asahi stated as the two third-years turned away.

"You wouldn't say that if you were really wild." Sugawara stated.

Nishinoya then laughs as he looks at his teammate. "Who cares about how they view you?" He grins as Tadahiro saw Daichi and Sugawara put a hand on the second-year's shoulders.

"Now this is what you call 'wild.'" The two spoke in unison as Nishinoya looked in between them with confusion.

"Besides, they'll regret saying those things once we're at the top. Remember that, Asa-chan." Tadahiro added as Asahi gave him a grateful smile.

"Hey, check it out." A voice spoke up, making everyone look to see some guys staring at Kiyoko.

"Cute."

"Go say hi. I dare you."

"Should I? Should I try?"

Tadahiro looked over to see Tanaka and Nishinoya who had evil like expressions as they glare at the guys and started circling Kiyoko to "protect" her.

"Stop that." Kiyoko scolds the two as she uses her two clipboards and smacks Nishinoya and Tanaka on the head before walking off with Takeda. Nishinoya and Tanaka seemed very pleased instead of in pain.

"That little guy... Isn't he Nishinoya from Chidoriyama?"

"He won the Overall Best Libero Award."

"Really?"

Tadahiro continued to walk with his team. "That's not all. That guy over there..." A man from another team spoke as Tadahiro saw him look at Kageyama. "They say he's a genius setter. That's Kitagawa Daiichi's King of the Court." The man announced. Kageyama paused and glanced over at the two guys and gave an intimidating look over at the two before grumbling and walked off.

"What's he doing at Karasuno?"

"Dunno."

"He wasn't very popular in junior high, though."

Tadahiro continued to walk, having his hands stuffed in his volleyball jacket as he yawned.

"Hold on... Doesn't the red head look familiar?"

"Hm? Oh, you're right! That's Kagami Tadahiro! The only player who can rival against Ushijima's power."

"He's one of the top three spikers in Japan! What's he doing at this school? Shouldn't he be at Shiratorizawa?"

"I heard he got offered a scholarship to Shiratorizawa. But he rejected it because he didn't want to be Ushijima's shadow."

Tadahiro scoffed. "Don't listen to them, Hiro." Daichi said, looking into his red eyes.

"It bugs me that people only see me as Ushijima's copy, Dai-chan." Tadahiro admitted. "That damn Hawk King... I'll dethrone his ass if it's the last thing I do."

Daichi smiled at his boyfriend. He knew Tadahiro since first-year. He would do whatever it takes to get Karasuno to the top. No matter what.

"Then, what about that guy over there?"

The guy had asked as Tadahiro glanced over to see him gesturing to Hinata. "That little guy." He adds as Hinata was looking around in amazement. "Is he awesome, too?"

"No... I don't think so." The guy replied as Tadahiro glanced over at the orange haired first year to see him looking around. He reminded him of an excited puppy, seeing the world for the first time. Tadahiro sighed and walked over to his kouhai.

"Oi, hurry up, Hina-chan." Tadahiro said to him as he nods enthusiastically at him.

Karasuno soon entered the room where it was filled with other volleyball teams. "This place is packed!" Hinata gasped as Tadahiro saw him make his way to a stranger who wore a shirt that said 'Top.'

"I'm... I'm aiming for the top, too. I'll do it."

Tadahiro facepalmed at Hinata's awkwardness as he nudged Sugawara. "Make him stop, before he embarrasses himself and the team." He begged and Sugawara had a panicked expression, rushing over to their junior.

"Idiot. What are you doing? I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Sugawara lightly scolds at Hinata before he apologizes to the guy Hinata was bothering.

"It's fine..." The guy reassured as Sugawara drags the first-year back to the team.

Tadahiro saw the big court up ahead as Karasuno walked inside. It was filled with spectators and other teams. "This gym is huge!" Hinata beamed as Tadahiro saw him smell the air.

"It smells like Air Salonpas..." Hinata added as the rest of the team gave him a confused and questioning look.

"What are you talking about?" Tsukishima questioned.

"That's the smell of tournaments." Hinata replied as Nishinoya bounced over.

"I know, right?" Nishinoya grinned.

Tadahiro smiled as he looked around the gym. "I'm home..." He thinks to himself, taking in the smell that Hinata mentioned.

"It's them!"

"H-He's huge!"

Tadahiro looked over as well as the rest of his team to see another team walking towards them. He growled when he realized who they were. They were Dateko. Karasuno stared at them with intense silence. Tadahiro sees one of Dateko's members, point at Asahi and then points back at Tadahiro, making him flinch a little.

"You got a problem?" Nishinoya hissed, ready to defend his upperclassmen.

Nishinoya was about to walk over but got stopped by Tadahiro who held his arm out to stop Nishinoya from advancing. Asahi didn't seem to look nervous as he stared down the opposing team.

"Noya-chan. Don't bother. We don't want to get into a fight right before our match." Tadahiro warned, though somewhat grateful that Nishinoya cared about his teammates.

It was quiet until Tadahiro saw one more guy from Dateko run over. "Hey, hey, hey. Stop that." He scolds as he tried to make his teammate lower his arm. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He apologized as he was struggling to lower his teammates arm.

"No..." Daichi replied, looking a bit shocked at his apologizing.

"Futakuchi, help me out." The guy pleaded to his other teammate. Tadahiro flinched at the mention of the name as his face darkened. "Of course that bastard is here..." He thinks to himself.

Tadahiro breathed heavily. "I don't know how much longer I can go on. But I have too. I have to do it. My spikes are the only ones getting through. I have to make Karasuno win!" He thinks to himself.

"My, my. It's not a surprise that you're worn out. I wonder how long until the great Kagami Tadahiro passes out from exhaustion?" A male with short brown hair taunted from the other side of the net as he smirked.

"Damn you, Futakuchi! I'm still standing! So give me all you got, bastard!"

Tadahiro clenched his fist. "Sure. Sorry about that. This guy targets our opponents ace whenever he sees them." Futakuchi stated.

"So... you better be ready." Futakuchi added. He spotted Tadahiro as he grinned. "If it isn't the great Kagami Tadahiro. It's been awhile." He said.

"Nothing has changed since last year... Your face still pisses me off, Futakuchi." He stated, this made Futakuchi smirk.

"I wonder how long it'll take until you'll pass out again, Crow King. The second and third-years have a bet you see. On how long you'll last on the court." Futakuchi taunted.

Tadahiro's eyebrow twitched in irritation. "Damn you, Futakuchi! Karasuno will have our revenge! You bastard!" He shouted as Daichi and Asahi held him back from doing something he'll regret.

"We'll see." Futakuchi grins as he and his team walked off. "You guys are too rude. Why must you do that?" The short man from Dateko huffs.

"That guy... he irritates the hell out of me." Tadahiro thought.

Once they were gone, Sugawara turns to his teammates. "That was a little jarring." Sugawara informed.

"Yeah." Daichi agreed as Sugawara smiled and turned to Asahi. "I'm amazed you stared back at him—" Sugawara praised but stopped when he saw Asahi was pale as a ghost.

"Th-That was nerve-wracking."

Nishinoya huffs at his friend. "Why are you such a wimp off the court?" He bluntly asked.

"Are you alright?" Tanaka asked as Tadahiro just sighed and ran a hand through his red hair.

"Sawamura."

Tadahiro looked over to see a guy smiling at Daichi. "Long time no see." He greeted as Tadahiro glanced back at Daichi who seemed to recognize the stranger.

"This guy must be Dai-chan's friend from junior high that he told me about. The one who went to a different school. If I remember correctly, they're our first opponents." Tadahiro thinks to himself.

"Hey, Ikejiri. Sorry, I'll catch up with you guys in a minute." Daichi greeted back as he turned to his team.

"Yeah." His team replied as they all leaved so their captain can have a chat with his friend.

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Tadahiro and the rest of his team were changed into their volleyball uniforms. Tadahiro had put away his phone and stuffed extra clothing into his volleyball bag so he can change after the games are finished.

"Hey, is your stomach upset again or something?" Tadahiro heard Kageyama ask. He looked over to see Hinata was shaking like a leaf.

"Tumbling with excitement!" Hinata announced, making Tadahiro raise an eyebrow at him.

"What?" Tadahiro questioned as Sugawara walked over.

"I think he meant 'trembling with excitement.'" He replied.

"No, he's just shaking with fear." Tanaka spoke up, Nishinoya crouched down to eye level with Hinata as Hinata was on the ground.

"I know. You got intimidated by Dateko, didn't you?" Nishinoya asked.

"O-Of course not." Hinata denied, looking flustered.

"Which is it?" Tanaka questioned as Tadahiro sighed and looked at Kageyama and Sugawara.

"Asahi's cowardly too, but he doesn't seem nervous." Sugawara spoke up, looking over at their ace.

"Cowardly?" Asahi repeated with a defeated look.

"I have a trick to calm my nerves. I try to remember the scariest experiences I've ever had. The scarier the better. Then I think to myself, 'whatever happens, I can never be as scary as that.'" Tadahiro informed as Hinata seemed interested in this.

"It puts me on an even kneel." Tadahiro added. He looked over at his orange haired kouhai who seemed to be in deep thought, then he looked pale, making everyone confused.

"Hinata?" Sugawara commented, wondering if he's alright.

"I'm fine now." He assured his team.

"Hey, Hinata. What's the matter?" Sugawara panicked as Hinata looked a little too calm.

"If you know how to calm your nerves, why did you get so defensive when we met Dateko again?" Nishinoya blunty asked, Tadahiro flinched.

"There you go again, Noya!" Tanaka hissed at his friend.

"Futakuchi is different. He knows what pisses me off and he uses it to his advantage." Tadahiro tried to explain.

"All right. Everybody ready?" Daichi spoke up as the team looked over at their captain. "Let's be the first on the court." Daichi added as he was halfway through the door to get to the courts.

"Yes."

Tadahiro and the rest of his team followed Daichi onto the court, where they looked around. Other school banners were already up, and some people were about.

"Wow. It's spacious. It's huge." Hinata beamed as he looked around.

"Hey, don't get intimidated." Kageyama warned making Hinata hiss and gave him a narrowed look.

"It's you who's intimidated." Hinata commented but he just got lifted up by his shirt by Kageyama.

"By the looks of it, it's you." Kageyama sassed back. Tadahiro just sighed at the two.

"Hey, don't get so mad." Hinata says to Kageyama. Tadahiro then noticed Hinata widen his eyes a bit and stare at something, the others followed his gaze to see Kiyoko and Takeda putting up Karasuno's banner.

"All right. Let's start practicing." Ukai announced.

"Yeah."

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Tadahiro and the rest of his team were doing receiving. Tadahiro was paired up with Daichi as Tadahiro spiked the ball and Daichi got down in a receiving position and let the ball hit his arms. The ball goes back to Tadahiro as he did the same thing.

"Hey, Dai-chan. That guy earlier. He was your junior high teammate that you told me about, right?" Tadahiro asked as Daichi looked at him.

"Hmm? Yeah." Daichi replied. "I told him about you. About our relationship, I mean."

"All good things, I hope." Tadahiro teased, chuckling as he did so.

"Of course. There's no bad thing about you." Daichi responded as he received the ball that was brought to him. "Is your brother coming to watch?"

Tadahiro shook his head. "Taiga couldn't come. His basketball team is training for the Winter Cup." He answered.

"Shame. I wanted to meet this brother you speak so fondly of at practice." Daichi stated.

"I'm gonna make a trip to Tokyo so I can watch him play at the Winter Cup. Perhaps you'll like to come with me?" Tadahiro suggested.

"Sure." Daichi accepted the offer.

"Hey, it's turnip head." Hinata commented, making Tadahiro raise an eyebrow at him and look up at the stands to see Aoba Johsai. The guy who Hinata was referring too look confused.

"Yoohoo." A voice called out. Tadahiro looked over to see Oikawa grinning down at them, holding a peace sign. Tadahiro scoffed. He already knew about him with the way Ushijima constantly talked about him at U-19 practices.

"Tobio, Shrimp. How's the freak duo doing?" Oikawa smiled.

"It's the Great King." Hinata mumbled out. Iwaizumi slapped down Oikawa's peace sign.

Oikawa flinches and rubs his hand. "That hurt, Iwa..." He complained.

"Huh?" Oikawa added as Tadahiro saw him looking over at himself and Nishinoya. "Iwa-chan, isn't that Kagami Tadahiro? One of the top three spikers in Japan?"

"So it is. I heard his power equals to Ushijima's. Though, I didn't know he attended Karasuno. He wasn't at the practice match we had with them." Iwaizumi replied.

Tadahiro smirked a bit, knowing that the star setter was shocked that they now had him, their libero, and their ace back on the team.

Tadahiro continued practicing his receives with Daichi until it was time for the match to begin.

TWEET!

The whistle blew, indicating the match was about to start as Tadahiro and his team all paid attention. "Captains." The referee calls out to Daichi and the other captain they were versing, the two walked over and shook hands.

TWEET!

"Huddle!" Daichi yelled at his team, as they did so. "Line up." He added as they followed his lead to bow to the opposing team. It was silent as Karasuno stared down at their opponent.

TWEET!

"Let's play." Everyone announced as they bowed. They walked over to the net, shaking hands with the players for a good and clean game. Tadahiro  saw a few players blush when he touched their hands, making him confused, but didn't question it.

"Go! Go! Let's go! Let's go, Dateko!"

"Go! Go! Let's go! Let's go, Dateko!"

Tadahiro looked up at the stands where he heard Dateko's cheering squad as they chant their lyrics out. "How annoying. I'm gonna throw something at them if they don't shut their mouths." Tadahiro thought.

Karasuno gathered around Ukai. "Listen up. This is everyone's first match. Everyone's nervous, everyone's anxious, everyone's not their usual self. But you have to overcome those things before they do. Score a big victory first and find your groove." Ukai spoke as the team nodded at him.

"Yeah."

"I mean what I'm going to say, and it's no empty compliment. You are all strong. Karasuno is strong. Let's show everyone in the gym how ravens fly." Takeda announced.

"Take, good one!" Nishinoya praises, getting hyped up.

"They say that inauspicious line everywhere we go." Tanaka adds with a smug look.

"Fallen powerhouse. Flightless ravens. But let's show them, 'Look! We Karasuno, are the champions of the old. We are winners.'" Takeda added to them with determination.

"Yeah."

Takeda then panicked. "Was that poetic? Was it moving?" He asked.

"It was fine. Fine." Daichi assured their teacher.

"What does he mean, 'champions of the old?'" Hinata asked, glancing at Sugawara and Kageyama.

"How am I supposed to know?" Kageyama replied.

"We aren't really, but the nuance seems to be that we were strong in the past." Sugawara explained.

"Hey, let's get going." Daichi informed as the team formed a circle. Tadahiro was between Asahi and Daichi.

"Karasuno, fight!"

"Yeah!"

They all get into position. Tadahiro stretched his arms, ready to play and also stretched out his legs. Tadahiro noticed their opposing team was confused as to why Hinata was a middle blocker, making Tadahiro smirked.

"Oh, they're gonna shit their pants when they find out what we have in store for them." He thought.

TWEET!

"Bring it on!" Hinata challenged as Tadahiro saw the opposing team serve the ball. Tadahiro kept his eye on it. "Asahi." Daichi called out as the ace saved it.

"All right." Asahi assured them as the ball made it's way to Kageyama.

"Nice receive, Asa-chan." Tadahiro praised as he watched Kageyama getting ready to set the ball.

Tanaka jumps up. "This one's mine!" He announced as he spikes it down. Karasuno gets a point as Tanaka and Nishinoya yelled in determination. "Tanaka, nice serve—" Daichi started to say but was then cut off by Tanaka yelling.

"Take that!"

Daichi sweat drops at him. "Nice opening—" Daichi praises again but got cut off by Nishinoya this time.

Daichi then snapped at the two. "Shut up! That's too much!" He yelled at them. Tadahiro just sighed at the two second years.

The referee blew twice at Daichi as a warning, making their captain bow at him in apology for Tanaka and Nishinoya's loudness. Some of the people in the stands laugh at Karasuno for already getting into trouble.

It was Tanaka's turn to serve. "Tanaka, nice serve!" Daichi praised as Tanaka serves the ball over the net, the ball got saved, as it made it's way towards the setter of the opposing team. Hinata was in front, ready to block.

Tadahiro watched as the guy tosses to the Ikejiri guy that Daichi knew. Tadahiro moved over towards where Daichi was as him and Tadahiro jumped up to block, it touched their hands but went past them, however they were rescued when Nishinoya slides in and receives the ball.

However, he couldn't get it to Kageyama, so Daichi got the ball. "Asahi." He spoke up, receiving the ball towards their ace.

"This ones yours, ace." Nishinoya grinned as Asahi jumps up and spikes down the ball and passed three blockers, gaining a point for Karasuno.

"That old guy is awesome."

"I hear he's in his fifth year in high school."

"Are you serious? Is that even allowed?"

"Maybe he can't get out."

These comments looked as though it struck Asahi one by one, as he looked glum. "Asahi, don't let it get to you." Sugawara calls over to him.

"Remember what I said, Asa-chan. They'll regret their shit talking when we're at the top." Tadahiro added as Asahi only nodded gratefully.

Tadahiro looked over at Hinata who kept giving a pleading look to Kageyama, making him snap. "Shut up, I know." He assured, as he was going to toss to him next. Tadahiro grinned at this.

"Tanaka, another nice serve."

Tadahiro watched as Tanaka hits the ball as it goes over the net and the opposing team saves it, its gets over to their spiker and he spikes it down. However, Tadahiro quickly uses his reflexes and saves the ball just in time, making him hear some people awe at him from the stands.

"Hey, he's got good reflexes!"

"Well, he's not one of the top three spikers in Japan for nothing."

Tadahiro had received it over to Kageyama who he sees glance at Hinata. Hinata runs forward as the ball touches Kageyama's palms as he tosses the ball quickly over to their orange haired teammate who spiked it down.

Tadahiro smirked as the opposing team and the rest of the people in the gym who saw what happened as well as some other teams watching them look at Hinata with wide eyes in suprise, wondering what just happened. Tadahiro watched as Hinata decends down from his jump.

"And they call us 'flightless ravens.' Just how pathetic do they think we really are? Like ravens, we'll soar in the sky. This... is Karasuno's revival!" Tadahiro thought with pride.

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A/N: Another chapter done! Hope you enjoyed!

Word Count: 4026 words.