A/N: Besties this reached 100K views?! Thank you so much! I didn't expect this book to get so popular T-T. Enjoy the chapter!

edited on may 19th, 2022 @ 2:12am

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CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE - BATTLE LINES

IT WAS THE DAY AFTER the opening ceremony as Karasuno was currently practicing at the gym before their first match.

"Nice serve!"

"Out!"

"Nice serve!" Takeda praised. "Everyone was antsy during the opening ceremonies, but they don't seem as nervous as they were during yesterday's practice."

"Okay. Okay, got it." Ukai said, getting Takeda's attention. "Thanks."

"What's the matter?" Takeda asked.

"That was from Shimada at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. Apparently, the matches are moving much faster than expected. Especially in the beginning, it's really important that warm up properly. I was hoping we'd have some more time to do it." Ukai replied.

"It's about ten minutes to the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium by bus." Takeda pointed out.

"All right, let's get going." Ukai told the team.

"Right!" Daichi replied.

Tanaka clenched his fist in determination. "All right!" He cheered.

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Karasuno arrived at the bus station wearing their jackets. There was also a woman with her child.

"When's the next bus?"

"In four minutes."

"Bathroom break."

"I'm gonna go, too." Hinata announced.

"I'll watch your stuff." Yamaguchi offered.

"Thanks!" Hinata thanked him, handing him his things.

"You're seting yourself up to be late." Tsukishima commented.

"Hey, stop that!" Hinata said.

The team finally arrived at the stadium as Atsushi was wearing his pass over his neck. He was standing next to Kageyama as Hinata realized his shoes were missing.

"So it got switched out somewhere?" Takeda asked.

"It's that orange-colored one from that kids' clothing store, right?" Yachi questioned.

"It was Natsu's... but it's sturdy and was the prefect size..." Hinata trailed off.

"While you were in the bathroom, I looked away from the luggage for just a sec. That must've been when..." Yamaguchi realized, grabbing onto his head. "I'm so sorry!"

"It's not your fault, Yamaguchi!" Hinata reassured, also clenching his head.

"Okay, calm down." Takeda held out his phone. "I'll call the gym where we were doing our warm-ups."

"Sorry!"

"Hey, where's your phone?" Tobio asked.

Hinata then felt his body, searching for his phone. "It's inside that bag!" He announced as he had sparkles around him. "Nice, Kageyama."

Yamaguchi tried calling Hinata's phone and a woman picked up.

"Apparently no one's turned in a bag..." Takeda informed.

Yamaguchi rushed up to them. "A kid accidentlly took it. The mom said they'd wait at the gym." He informed.

"Thank goodness... It's not far." Takeda said in relief.

"But Shimada went to pick up the neighborhood crew." Ukai said.

"I have to meet Miura and Ren at our reserved spot shortly." Takashi added on.

"I'll go." Kiyoko offered.

"Huh?"

"In that case, I should probably go." Yachi raised her hand.

"I'm pretty confident when it comes to stamina and speed. I won't take too long, but I know you'll probably feel a little lost without me. But... you'll just have to get used to that." Kiyoko told her.

"Right." Yachi replied in determination.

"I'll be back before the match starts." Kiyoko informed.

"We're sorry!" Yamaguchi and Hinata said in unison.

"This might be asking too much, but try not to worry while I'm gone, okay?" Kiyoko said.

"Thanks, Shimizu. We're counting on you." Daichi said in which Kiyoko nodded her head and ran off.

"Kiyoko-san... Please be safe." Nishinoya and Tanaka both said.

"Hearing you talk like that is making me even more nervous, so just stop." Asahi commented.

"Shimizu will be just fine." Sugawara reassured.

"Come on! We need to concentrate on our match!" Daichi told them. "Let's get down there and warm up."

"Right!"

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Takashi joined up with Miura and Matsuda at their reserved spot as he sat down in his chair. It was a spot where they could watch the participants up close.

"How are they doing?" Matsuda asked, referring to Karasuno.

"They have some nerves. Though, Hinata ended up getting his volleyball shoes swapped with some kid's bag. Kiyoko is on her way to retrieve it." Takashi explained.

A smug look was plastered on Miura's face. "What an idiot." He commented.

"You're in no room to talk, Miura. Didn't you forget your gym bag once when we played in Rome and you made the whole team miss our flight back to Japan?" Matsuda reminded him, raising an eyebrow.

Miura tensed up as he slowly turned towards Matsuda. "I-I thought we were supposed to forget about that, Matsu-chan..." He muttered, causing Takashi to snicker a little.

"Looks like Karasuno's first match is starting."

Takashi looked over to see that Matsuda was right. Karasuno had entered the court. He sees Ukai talking to them.

"Listen up. Compared to the floors we usually play on, the floors here will be harder to slide on. You'll get hurt if you play like you usually do. Work up a good sweat to get rid of some of that friction." Ukai told the team.

"Right!"

"All right, let's go!" Daichi announced once the match that was currently going on was finished.

"Yeah!"

"Make sure you get the ball higher than usual!" Ukai said.

"Right!"

Kinoshita tossed the ball up. "So bright—" Hinata paused as the ball was about to hit his head, but he caught it on time.

"Come on! Be more careful!" Kinoshita scolded.

"Right!" Hinata replied.

Sugawara was rubbing his hands together. "Man, my hands take forever to warm up when I'm nervous." He commented.

"Do you need some gloves?" Tobio questioned.

"Nah, I'll be fine." Sugawara reassured. "Don't you ever get nervous?"

"I do." Tobio admitted. "But I'm not nervous right now."

"The hell?" Sugawara commented in disbelief.

"This is just another step toward our goal." Tobio replied, making Sugawara smirk.

"Damn you, you big shot!" Sugawara exclaimed, kicking his behind.

Ukai tossed a ball up in the air as Nishinoya received it. Tobio tossed the ball and Asahi spikes it over. Tanaka spikes the next ball that was tossed towards him over the net.

Kiyoko eventally arrived with Hinata's volleyball shoes as she tosses the ball down for Yachi, in which she caught it.

"All right, line up—" Daichi started to say.

"Tsuba High! Fight!"

"Yeah!"

Daichi only smirked in irritation as their opponents walked forward.

"My nerves... are about to kill me... so let's make sure we're being heard out there!" Tsubakihara's captain said.

"Stop making it sound like all we know how to do is yell."

"Tsubakihara Academy — The representative for the Kanagawa Prefecture." Takashi spoke. "Their volleyball team is considerably strong. All members are solid at receiving and serving, and can pull off high-level plays, such as wipes, aiming serves, and feints."

"Most notable players are the captain Echigo, their ace Teradomari and their pinch server Himekawa." Takashi continued on.

"Echigo is level-headed and able to calm his teammates when they are nervous. As the team's ace, Teradomari, uses a variety of powerful attacks and can spike despite difficult setups. His 190 cm height also allows him to spike above blocks. Although he's inexperienced, Himekawa is capable of scoring through ceiling serves and is skilled at defense."

Miura blinked in confusion. "Speak Japanese, Taka-chan." He mumbled.

"My apologies."

"So their ace is the same height as me, huh..." Miura trailed off in thought.

"Does Karasuno have a chance at victory?" Matsuda questioned as Takashi was writing down notes.

"Only one way to know for sure." Takashi answered.

Both teams were lined up by jersey number as they faced each other. The two captains for the teams were holding their respective signs.

"Karasuno High School. Tsubakihara Academy. The match is about to begin!"

"Let's play!"

Karasuno then gathered around in a circle. "Yeah!" They all shouted in unison.

"You okay, Maruyama?" Tatsumi asked. "You look like you're the most nervous."

"I'm okay!" Maruyama reassured. "I'm never going to repeat the nightmare where we were on the bus back home before I knew what happened!"

"You were insanely nervous for our first nationals last year."

"All right, I want you to concentrate on splitting up their attacks with your serves. We'll be able to deal with them as long as we can limit their attacks. But don't take your eyes off of their #10. He'll hit the ball from the direction we're least expecting." Tatsumi responded.

"Right!"

"What do you want a bet that their focus will be on Hinata." Takashi mumbled, causing Miura and Matsuda to look towards their captain.

"What makes you say that?" Miura asked.

"It's a pattern I've noticed throughout Karasuno's games. Hinata has been getting a lot of attention, as well." Takashi answered before he grinned. "However, if they pay all of their attention onto him, they'll get backstabbed when they least expect it."

Tobio was the first one to serve as the ball was tossed to him. "Hit 'em with a killer serve!" Hinata encouraged.

TWEEEET!

Tobio did his jump serve as it ended up being an out. "Sorry." Tobio apologized.

"It's okay. We'll get the next one." Asahi reassured.

"Lucky, lucky, Tsuba High!"

"Lucky, lucky, Tsuba High!"

Tsubakihara served next as Tanaka received the ball. "Sorry!" He apologized.

"Cover!" Daichi shouted.

"Daichi-san!"

Daichi spiked the ball as it got received. "Nice receive!" Teradomari complimented.

"The one we have to definitely look out for is their #4, Teradomari. He's a tall guy, 190 cm, and hits the ball even if the set isn't perfect. His back row attack is pretty intense, too. Do whatever you can to make sure he doesn't get over your blocks." Ukai spoke to the team.

"Tera!"

Teradomari ran forward as Daichi and Hinata jumped up to block him, and Nishinoya crouched down to receive it.

"Cover!" Nishinoya shouted.

"Tanaka!" Asahi called out, tossing the ball over towards him.

"It's long!" Asahi thought as Tanaka jumped up but the ball ended up getting hit by the opposing team as Tsubakihara got another point.

"Sorry!" Asahi said.

"It's all right! Move on!" Ukai told him.

The whistle blew again as Tsubakihara served once more. "Got it!" Tanaka reassured as he received the ball and Hinata ran forward. Tobio tosses the ball too far as it landed on the court.

"Volleyball is a sport where the ball is usually in the air. A sharp sense of spatial awareness is absolutely necessary. But there's no doubt that their nerves and being in this gym for the first time are messing with that awareness." Takashi thinks to himself. "And the one who is being affected the most is Tobio, whose setting requires absolute precision."

"Sorry." Tobio said to Hinata, who turned to him. "I'll adjust."

Hinata only grinned in response. "Sorry, I'll need a little time." Tobio told Daichi.

Daichi smiled. "I know." He replied.

The game resumed as Tobio kept missing his tosses towards Hinata. "It's too long." Tobio thinks to himself.

Tanaka rushes forward and dives down to save the ball on time, making Takeda sigh in relief.

"Nice, Tanaka!"

"We've gotta keep things going..." Daichi began to think.

"...until Kageyama's accuracy is back on point!" Tanaka finished.

"You can definitely tell that Karasuno's playing a bit stiff."

"Yes. It's rare to see Kageyama-kun make very apparent mistakes. Considering his older brother is—"

"Don't even think about comparing my baby brother to me or so help me I will shove my foot so far up your—" Takashi began as Matsuda clasped his hand over his best friend's mouth.

"Sorry!" Matsuda immediately apologized.

Miura sighed. "And here I thought we would make it through the nationals without Taka-chan getting pissed at the announcers." He muttered.

Matsuda removed his hand off of Takashi's mouth as he scoffed. "Damn stupid announcers... Got nothing better to do then compare who's better. They don't realize that even a pro setter like me has made mistakes." Takashi mumbled.

Teradomari scored another point as Kageyama failed to receive it.

"#4 Teradomari drops the ball right into Karasuno's court."

"He's got good awareness. And the point gap widens."

"There won't be any quicks coming! Keep concentrating on the left!"

"Why, though? We're still gonna do quicks." Hinata stated, making Tobio smirk.

The game then continued on. "Got it!" Daichi reassured as he received the volleyball.

Tobio got into setting position as everyone ran forwards. Tobio sets the ball over towards Asahi, who spikes it down.

"Yeah, yeah, Asahi! Push it, push it, Asahi! One more time!"

The ball goes up in the air as Tobio tosses it towards Hinata, but his hand ends up missing the ball, landing on his head instead.

"Damn it! He actually made that miracle shot."

"Come on, let that freak accident pass."

"The hell was that?"

"That was awesome."

Takashi releases a breath as he looks back at the score.

Karasuno

07

Tsubakihara

11

Yamaguchi ended up getting subbed in as Hinata was being switched out. The whistle blew as Yamaguchi did his jump floater as Tsubakihara's libero received it.

"Echigo, get the last!"

Asahi, Tsukishima, and Daichi all jump up to block him.

"Three blockers!"

"Nice!" Yamaguchi complimented.

"Their first block of the day!"

TWEEEEET!

"Yamaguchi! Get another nice serve!" Hinata encouraged.

Yamaguchi throws the ball up in the air once more as he scores a point. "Yes!" He cheered.

"Yes, yes, yes!" Ukai exclaimed.

"One more!" Daichi shouted.

Yamaguchi threw the ball up, but this time, it got received and Tsubakihara scores another point when the ball lands on Karasuno's side of the court.

"Tsubakihara Academy finally cut that off. But it looks like Karasuno's finally gaining momentum."

"All right! Let's get right into those double digits!" Daichi said.

"Yeah!"

The ball was in the air once more. "Tsukishima!" Daichi shouted out. Tsukishima jumps up and spikes the ball down.

"Nice kill, Tsukishima!"

"All right. Nice job! Keep it up!" Takeda said.

Tsukishima was up next to serve as Karasuno had 12 points while Tsubakihara had 15. Tobio glanced over at Hinata who had a look on his face, silently begging for him to toss to him.

"Right... on the mark!"

Tobio tosses towards Hinata who ends up getting past the blockers and scoring a point.

"Yes!"

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Tobio said as Hinata just grinned and threw his fist up in the air.

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A/N: Takashi is definitely going to be yelling at the announcers a lot if they say anything negative. Just a fair warning. Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 2424 words.