Haikyuu!!: The Disaster of Gamers

The whistle blew, signaling the end of the match.

The scoreboard showed 25:20.

A brief but intense cheer erupted from Karasuno High School's half of the court, which quickly rallied at Sawamura Daichi's command. Across the net, Date Industrial's players were panting heavily, sweat streaming down their faces; their once invincible "iron wall" now appeared somewhat dim.

Both sides lined up and bowed.

Thank you for your guidance!

The sound echoed above the stadium. During the handshake, Hinata Shoyo stiffly extended his hand, which Aone Takashi, opposite him, grasped expressionlessly, then nodded solemnly. No words were spoken, but the feeling of being recognized made Hinata's ahoge (cowlick) tremble with excitement.

Lu Ren stood at the back of the line and casually shook hands with Futakuchi Kenji.

"I'll stop you next time." The two gritted their teeth.

"I suggest you upgrade your agility attribute first," Lu Ren casually replied, "otherwise you won't be able to keep up with the version."

The two were so choked that they wanted to hit someone, but Maoting tried to drag them away by force.

After packing their things, the entire Karasuno group went down to the stands. There, Kiyosawa Aya and several girls they didn't recognize were waving their arms vigorously.

Thank you everyone for your support!

Daisuke Sawamura took the lead, and everyone bowed deeply.

Just as everyone got up to leave, a scream that could have blown the roof off suddenly erupted from the adjacent stadium.

"Oikawa-senpai—look this way!"

"Ahhh! That serve was so cool!"

The decibel level was like some kind of sonic weapon. Lu Ren rubbed his ears and looked in the direction of the sound.

The match in Aoba Castle West is underway.

On the court, the setter in the blue and white jersey stood at the baseline, spinning the volleyball in his hand. He had that signature frivolous smile on his face that made Lu Ren want to punch him, but the moment he tossed the ball, that smile vanished instantly, replaced by a chilling focus.

Run-up, jump, swing your arms.

"Bang!"

The volleyball is like a cruise missile, accurately hitting the opponent's corner.

A point is scored from a serve.

Another piercing scream erupted.

"Tsk, is that guy's special effects turned up too high?" Lu Ren curled his lip and nudged Tanaka Ryunosuke next to him with his elbow. "Ryunosuke, look at that guy's 'I'm the protagonist' expression. Doesn't he look like he deserves a beating? How about we go over and give him a good whack? It's on me."

Tanaka was instantly ignited, rolling up his sleeves to reveal a fierce expression: "Just what I wanted! I've been wanting to get my hands on that pretty boy for ages! Let him see what Karasuno is all about..."

"Thump."

Sawamura Daichi's hand chop landed precisely on the heads of the two men.

"Stop embarrassing yourself. That's a competition." Da Di withdrew his hand with a dark face. "Pack your things and let's go upstairs to watch."

After putting on their coats, everyone went to the audience seats on the second floor.

At this point, Aoba Castle West was already leading by a large margin, and the outcome of the match was essentially over. But it was precisely because of this that the team's dominance was all the more astonishing.

Every pass, every movement, was incredibly fluid. If Karasuno was a newly assembled, still-break-in-time modified car, then Aoba Josai was a well-maintained, precisely functioning luxury sedan.

"How should I put it..." Sugawara Koji leaned on the railing, his expression grave, "Their coordination was absolutely flawless."

That kind of smoothness isn't something that can be achieved by one or two geniuses; it's the result of a high degree of teamwork from everyone.

Wu Yangxi crossed his arms, his brow furrowed: "That substitute setter you encountered in the practice match before was actually quite strong. After all, Qingcheng is one of the top four teams in the county, so their bench depth is considerable. But..."

His gaze was fixed on Oikawa Tetsu on the field.

"That Oikawa probably knows the Aoshiro team inside and out. He can sense the fluctuations in each attacker's condition, even a subtle glance, and then instantly adjust the passing strategy to bring out 100% of everyone's abilities."

"It's not just that."

Lu Ren suddenly spoke, interrupting Wu Yang. He leaned against the railing, his eyes unusually unfocused, as if he were reading some kind of data.

"Coach, you're underestimating that king." Lu Ren pointed to Oikawa Tetsu, who was high-fiving his teammates on the sidelines. "That guy's ability isn't 'familiarity,' it's 'adaptation.' As I said before, he has, to some extent, perfected the profession of setter."

Everyone turned to look at him.

"Whether it's his teammates from Qingcheng or just a few random people he picks from the roadside to form a team, as long as he has ten minutes... no, maybe just a few balls, he can figure out everyone's attacking habits and hitting points."

Lu Ren's voice was calm, yet it carried a chill.

"He's a versatile player. So, what limits Oikawa Tetsu's potential is never his own skill, but rather the configuration of his team. As long as his teammates can jump, he can deliver the ball to the most comfortable position."

silence.

A heavy pressure spread through the hearts of everyone in Karasuno.

The joy of just defeating Date Industries was somewhat dampened at this moment. Next, they would face a monster just like this: a commander who could double the fighting power of the entire team.

"That's amazing..."

A sudden exclamation broke the silence.

Hinata Shoyo leaned on the railing, his eyes fixed on Oikawa Toru in the audience, his pupils gleaming with excitement, showing no sign of being intimidated.

"Your Majesty is so amazing! I really want to compete against them soon!"

That pure yearning for the strong was like a gentle breeze, instantly dispelling the gloomy atmosphere around them.

Yuya Nishitani grinned, resting her chin on her hands: "I wonder if that serve will come my way? I really want to try and return it! Those curveballs must feel so good to receive!"

Although Kageyama Tobio did not speak, the fighting spirit emanating from his body was almost materializing.

"Heh, what a bunch of single-celled organisms that act on instinct." Tsukishima Hotaru pushed up her glasses beside her. Although she was sarcastic, her tense shoulders visibly relaxed.

Looking at this group of arrogant fools, Wu Yangxi couldn't help but laugh and curse, "They're so reliable it's infuriating."

Just then, Nishiya suddenly pointed to the other side of the stands: "Hey, look! Shohoku, there are TV people over there! Carrying cameras!"

"Really!" Hinata instantly became excited. The two of them leaned over the railing, desperately trying to attract the cameraman's attention.

The reporter below, who was reporting live, frowned at the noise above him. He looked up and casually said into the microphone, "Excuse me, elementary school students in the stands, please be a little quieter. We are recording a program."

Click.

It sounded as if petrification and shattering were taking place.

Hinata Shoyo and Nishiya Yuu remained in the leaning posture, their entire bodies instantly losing color and turning into grayish-white statues.

"Elementary school student..."

Yuu Nishitani, a second-year student at Karasuno High School, is actually quite masculine, except for his height.

Hinata Shoyo, a first-year student at Karasuno High School, is working hard to grow taller.

These two words were like two sharp swords, piercing precisely into the knees of the two men.

"puff--"

Tanaka Ryunosuke covered his mouth tightly, his body trembling violently. Lu Ren, however, was even more unrestrained, bursting into laughter: "Hahahaha! Elementary school student! No problem, this model is indeed a bit downgraded!"

"Lu Ren, shut up!" west Gu said angrily.

A minor incident completely ruined the tense atmosphere of preparation.

……

On the bus back.

After the adrenaline subsided, a wave of fatigue washed over me.

The carriage was quiet, save for the roar of the engine. Hinata, the stamina monster, was asleep, head tilted to one side, drooling on his lips, leaning on Tanaka's shoulder. Kageyama, clutching his volleyball bag, bobbed his head back and forth.

Lu Ren sat by the window, watching the scenery rushing past outside.

Qingze Yazhi sat down beside him, holding a bottle of water, and asked softly, "Are you tired?"

"It's alright." Lu Ren yawned. "It's just that my mana bar is depleted, and I'm currently in a mana regeneration phase."

"The next match is in Qingye City West." Yazhi looked at his profile. "Are you confident?"

Lu Ren didn't answer immediately. He was mentally replaying the match he had just witnessed: Oikawa Tetsu's serve, Iwaizumi Ichi's smash, and that breathtaking teamwork.

"It won't be easy," Lu Ren said honestly. "It's a boss battle, not a fight with mobs. But..."

He turned his head, looked at his teammates sleeping haphazardly in the carriage, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

"Isn't the loot from clearing these high-difficulty dungeons the most enticing?"

……

The bus drove into Karasuno High School.

Before anyone could even stretch, an elderly man wearing reading glasses rushed out of the teaching building.

"Teacher Takeda! Teacher Takeda!"

He was an elderly teacher with gray hair.

"We're on TV! The volleyball team is on TV!" the retired teacher exclaimed excitedly. "The county sports channel was just broadcasting today's preliminary matches, and they mentioned our school!"

"What?!"

The group, who had been as sleepy as zombies just moments before, were instantly revived.

"TV? Am I handsome on TV?" Tanaka was the first to rush out.

"Quickly! To the staff room!"

A group of people stormed into the staff office.

The television screen was showing a highlight reel of today's match.

"First up is Shiratorizawa Academy, home to the absolute king, Ushijima Wakatoshi..." the host's excited voice rang out. On screen, Ushijima Wakatoshi unleashed a powerful left-handed shot, blasting the opponent's block and the ball flying away.

"So strong..." Hinata swallowed.

The oppressive atmosphere was palpable even through the screen. The fight between Shiratorizawa and Ogi was a one-sided massacre.

The scene then shifts.

"Next up is the highly anticipated Aoba Johsai High School, where their star setter, Toru Oikawa, has demonstrated the strength of one of the prefecture's top setters..."

The camera gave Toru Oikawa a close-up for about two minutes, all of which were shots of him serving and scoring or making a cool pass, and there was even a shot of him winking at the camera from the sidelines.

"Is this guy going to play basketball or to participate in the draft?" Lu Ren couldn't help but complain.

"Finally, there is the 'fallen powerhouse' that has taken flight again after many years of silence—Karasano High School."

Everyone held their breath. It's here!

The footage did not include the scene of Karasuno vs. Date Industries.

"According to an unnamed source, the reason why Karasuno High School has been able to transform itself this year is not only due to the addition of Karasuno Koshin, the grandson of veteran coach Karasuno Koshin, but also to another key figure."

A photo suddenly popped up on the screen.

That's Lu Ren.

The photo was clearly taken secretly. Lu Ren was holding a tactical board and pointing with a sinister look on his face (actually, he was thinking about how to slack off).

"Lu Ren, a first-year student at Karasuno High School. It is said that he won the gold medal in the National Junior High School Mathematics Olympiad with a terrifying score that far surpassed the second place by ten points, and was known as the 'prodigy of mathematics'."

The staff room fell silent instantly. Everyone turned to look at Lu Ren.

The water glass in Lu Ren's hand froze in mid-air.

The host continued his nonsensical ramblings with a straight face: "This 'prodigy' perfectly combined mathematical formulas with volleyball tactics, creating a 'data-driven combat system' tailored specifically for Karasuno through precise calculations and probabilistic analysis. This is not just a contest of physical strength, but also a crushing defeat of intelligence!"

The screen even had a caption at the bottom: "[A genius boy who saved the volleyball team with his math skills]".

"puff--"

Hotaru Tsukishima was the first to lose control, turning around and her shoulders trembling violently.

"Math...math prodigy?" Tanaka's eyes widened. "Lu Ren, you have that nickname? It sounds so cringeworthy, hahaha!"

"No, I didn't, don't talk nonsense." Lu Ren denied it expressionlessly. "I only participated in the competition to buy figurines for the prize money. What do you mean, for the volleyball club? That's a lie! That's slander!"

However, the television station did not give him a chance to defend himself.

The camera cut back to the post-match interview area.

The camera focused on Toru Oikawa, who had just finished his match. A reporter handed him a microphone: "Oikawa, your next match will be against Karasuno High School. What are your thoughts on this resurgent powerhouse and their rumored 'strategist'?"

Oikawa Tetsu wiped his sweat and gave the camera a dazzling smile that sent chills down one's spine.

"Kasuno... is a very good team."

He narrowed his eyes slightly, his gaze revealing the excitement of a hunter spotting his prey.

Oikawa Tetsu extended his finger and gently tapped it towards the camera.

"I hope they can go all out and use all their strategies."

"And then, they were utterly defeated by us."

The television screen froze on Toru Oikawa's face, which was full of confidence and defiance.

The air in the staff room seemed to freeze.

The laughter from before had completely vanished.

Sawamura Daichi stared at the screen, his expression slowly fading, replaced by a chilling aura that seemed to instantly lower the surrounding temperature.

"Thank you, teacher."

Daichi turned around, bowed slightly to Teacher Takeda, and then looked at the team members behind him.

"It seems we've been underestimated."

His voice was soft, but everyone could hear the tension in it.

"Let's go to the stadium." Da Di revealed a smile that was both kind and somewhat terrifying. "Meeting."

Everyone involuntarily straightened their backs.

"yes!"

A large group of people walked out of the staff room. Lu Ren was at the back, still pondering the news he had just heard.

"Wait... who gave me that incredibly embarrassing title, 'Math Prodigy'?" Lu Ren scratched his head in frustration. "How am I supposed to face the world of anime and manga now? This is a complete black mark on my record!"

Qingze Yazhi walked beside him, laughing heartily: "I think it suits you quite well, Lu Ren. Please guide me from now on, Master Demon Child?"

"...Try calling out again?"

"Ne Zha, Ne Zha, Ne Zha!"

"Qingze Yazhi, you're dead!"

Under the setting sun, the shadows of the Karasuno members stretched long. Although the high walls of "Aoba Castle West" lay ahead, at this moment, their eyes were filled only with burning fighting spirit.