Haikyuu!!: The Disaster of Gamers

The score is 8 to 12. The difference is four points.

This number is subtle in volleyball. It's not a huge number, as the deficit can be caught up in just two rounds of serves; but it's not a small number either, as it can be suffocating for the trailing side.

It's Tanaka's turn to serve.

"Alright—! One more point!!" Ryunosuke Tanaka slapped his cheeks hard, trying to shake off the frustration of being targeted earlier. He tossed the ball high, took a run-up, and swung his arm. He didn't quite control his wrist this time, so the ball's trajectory was a bit floaty, but it was full of power.

"I'll do it."

Chikaharu Watari, the libero from Aoba Castle West, took a step to the right, a movement as simple as doing calisthenics. Without any unnecessary movements, the volleyball bounced off his forearm and obediently towards the net.

The first pass accuracy rate is frighteningly high.

Oikawa Tetsu stood at the landing point, his gaze sweeping over Karasuno's front-line defense. Hyuga Shoyo and Higashimine Asahi were on high alert.

"Kunimi."

Oikawa flicked his finger, and the ball flew to the right wing.

Kunimi Hide, the first-year student with the "I want to get off work early" expression, didn't have an aggressive approach run, but his rhythm was extremely precise. Facing the double block of Hinata and Higashimine, he didn't choose to hit a powerful spike head-on, but instead flicked his wrist and hit a deceptive shot.

The volleyball struck the edge of Hinata's palm, changing its trajectory and wobbling as it flew towards Karasuno's backcourt.

"Damn it! I got slapped!" Hinata hurriedly turned around after landing.

The ball landed in an awkward spot, right in the no-man's land behind the three-meter line.

"Don't even think about landing!"

Ryunosuke Tanaka had just finished serving and rushed onto the court when he saw this and immediately threw himself out. His chest hit the floor with a dull thud, and he used the back of his hand to catch the ball, making a fist with one hand.

"Nice, Tanaka!" Daichi Sawamura shouted. "Kageyama!"

The ball didn't bounce very high and was a bit far from the net.

Kageyama Tobio quickly moved under the ball. At the same time, Hyuga Shoyo darted out like a spring-loaded rabbit. He cut in from the left, shouting as he ran, "Pass it to me!!!"

The shouts of desire for possession made Iwazumi, on the other side of the net, twitch his eyebrows.

"Is it bait or a real attack?"

Without hesitation, Iwaizumi fixed his gaze on Hyuga. In previous rounds, this kind of pass would usually be given to Higashimine Asahi on the wing, but now Kageyama…

Kageyama jumped while running, twisting his body forcefully in mid-air.

Pass the ball!

It's not for Higashimine, it's really for Hinata!

"Here it comes!" Iwazumi jumped up immediately after, his reaction speed was astonishing, and his arms stretched out, almost blocking Hyuga's cross-court shot.

Hyuga's pupils contracted in the air.

There's no road left?

No, there are still gaps.

Hinata remembered what Riku Ren had said before: "A foul going out of bounds is also a way to score." He didn't dodge, but instead swung his arm down at the outside of Iwaizumi Ichi's forearm.

"Bang!"

The volleyball slammed into Iwaizumi's arm and bounced off the west side of Aoba Castle, out of bounds.

"Out of bounds! Karasuno scores!"

The referee whistle blows.

"Yay!!" Hinata shouted after landing, clenching his fist and looking excitedly at his palm.

Although he had won the point, Lu Ren, standing in the back row, frowned even more deeply.

In that last play, Iwaizumi Hajime almost kept up with Hyuga's rhythm. If Hyuga's arm swing had been 0.1 seconds slower, or if Iwaizumi's arm had been pulled in one centimeter more, it would have been a solid block and a point.

The so-called "weird fast attack" has its invincibility frames decreasing.

The game continues.

Although Karasuno occasionally scored, Aoba Johsai was like a precise machine, operating with a frustrating efficiency. Oikawa Tetsu's orchestration allowed every attacker to spike from their most comfortable position, while for Karasuno, apart from the combination of Kageyama and Hyuga that could break through the defense, everyone else's attacks were tightly countered.

The sound of the scoreboard flipping over sounded like a countdown.

10:18.

The point difference has widened to eight points.

Lu Ren glanced at the scoreboard, and the anxiety he felt when encountering the "soft berserk" mechanic in a game welled up inside him.

This is like a boss fight entering its final stage, with the entire raid's health critically low, while the boss continues to stack attack power buffs. If you don't disrupt the boss's rhythm quickly, you'll be wiped out.

"Hoo..." Lu Ren exhaled forcefully, forcing himself to look away from the score difference.

Now is not the time for arithmetic; we need to stop the bleeding first.

Hanamaki Takada serves from the west of Aoba Castle.

The ball was served towards the center of the back row.

"I'll do it!" Daichi Sawamura firmly positioned himself, supporting himself with his hands.

The first pass was perfectly delivered.

With Tobio Kageyama standing in front of the net, Karasuno's entire front row started moving in that instant.

Tanaka opened up from the left, Hyuga made a feint attack in the middle, and Rikuren started his run-up from the right.

Three-point attack.

The netting at the west side of Aoba Castle was instantly pulled apart. Matsukawa Kazushige was pulled off course by Hyuga, but Oikawa Tetsu remained motionless.

Those brown eyes, through the net, coldly locked onto Lu Ren.

"I've been targeted," Lu Ren thought to himself with a cold laugh.

Kageyama's pass has arrived.

The shot was perfect, with a slight backspin, and stopped right at Lu Ren's hitting point.

Lu Ren jumped.

At the same time, a wall rose up in front of their field of vision.

Tetsu Oikawa and Yutaro Kindaichi.

Two guys, both over 1.8 meters tall, blocked Lu Ren's spiking route with their four arms side by side. Especially Kindaichi, whose height and wingspan were practically foul-level for a first-year student.

"The straight line is blocked, and the diagonal line is guarded by Oikawa."

Lu Ren only had a moment to think while he was in the air.

A hard spike will definitely be blocked, and if it's a lob, the libero named Watari is positioned very far forward, so it will most likely be received.

Then we can only... utilize the collision volume.

Lu Ren swung his arm, seemingly about to make a powerful diagonal shot. Oikawa Tetsu's hand instinctively tilted in that direction.

Just as he touched the ball, Lu Ren flicked his wrist to the side.

It wasn't a powerful spike, but a quick flick of the ball.

The volleyball didn't hit the center of his palm; instead, it grazed the tip of Oikawa Toru's right little finger and flew away.

"tentacle!"

The volleyball changed direction and flew towards the back corner of Aoba Castle West's court.

Although Watari Chikaharu reacted extremely quickly and lunged forward, the ball changed direction too suddenly and, with its spin, landed just two centimeters in front of his fingertips.

"Beep—"

Karasuno scores.

11:18.

After landing, Oikawa Tetsu glanced at his right little finger, then looked up at Lu Ren expressionlessly.

He didn't speak, nor did he flash his usual smug smile. But the meaning in his eyes was clear: You brat, were you aiming for my fingernail?

Lu Ren responded with a shrug that showed no remorse.

Since I can't win in a direct confrontation, don't blame me for exploiting a bug to fix the feet.

It's Karasuno's turn to serve.

Kageyama Tobio took the ball and walked to the baseline. He took a deep breath, the oppressive atmosphere around him almost solidifying.

"Let's deliver the killer serve!" Tanaka shouted from the front.

Kageyama tosses the ball, jumps, and slams it in.

This shot was of extremely high quality, so fast that it made a whooshing sound.

"Bang!"

Iwaizumi received the ball head-on. Even the usually steady ace was forced back half a step by the force of the ball. Although he caught the ball, it didn't go directly to the target, but instead flew towards the vicinity of the three-meter line.

"Sorry! It's a little short!"

"no problem!"

Oikawa Toru sprinted towards the ball. Despite his poor position, he maintained excellent concealment of his movements.

Should we pass to Iwazumi on the left wing, or attack from the back row?

Lu Ren stared intently at Oikawa's movements from the net.

Suddenly, Oikawa flipped his wrist backward.

Pass it on from behind!

The target is Kindaichi on the right wing!

"Oh no, it's a fast break!"

Lu Ren instinctively wanted to jump and block. But he glanced at Kindaichi, who had already reached the highest point of his jump, and then looked at his own position and jumping ability.

If I jump now, I won't have enough height, and it will be too late. Without Hinata's abnormal jumping ability, a forced block will only make me a "tool" for the opponent, or an obstacle that blocks the view of the back row.

"Since the air defense system has failed, let's switch to ground-based interception."

Lu Ren instantly abandoned his jump, pushed off the ground with both feet, and quickly retreated two steps.

His brain worked at lightning speed, creating a model of Kindaichi's spike.

*With his body leaning slightly inward and his arm swinging widely, Kageyama's block only covered half of the ball... the trajectory was most likely a wide-angle diagonal shot.*

Before Lu Ren could even get his footing, Kindaichi's spike came hurtling towards him.

It really is a diagonal line!

Lu Ren didn't move. He was like a roadblock that had been standing there all along, pressing down with his hands together.

"Bang!"

The volleyball slammed heavily into his wrist, the force so great it made his bones ache, but the ball bounced high into the air.

"Received it!!"

"Nice catch!!"

Lu Ren was knocked to the ground by the force of the ball, but he immediately scrambled to his feet and shouted, "Counterattack!"

Tobio Kageyama is in position.

Hyuga Shoyo has restarted.

"Whoosh!"

The orange lightning bolt streaked across the stadium.

Kageyama delivered a precise pass, and Hyuga swung his arm in the air, slamming the ball hard onto the floor of Aoba Castle West.

12:18.

Although they scored, the atmosphere did not become more relaxed.

Lu Ren rubbed his reddened wrist, looking at the opposite side. Just now, when Hyuga spiked the ball, Iwaizumi's blocking hand almost touched the ball.

That guy adapted too quickly.

The mystery surrounding "Weird Man Fast Attack" is being unveiled layer by layer. If it happens a few more times, Iwaizumi Hajime will definitely be able to stop Hyuga.

They must tie the score before that happens.

Kageyama continues to serve.

This time, Aoba Johsai's libero, Watari Chikaharu, was ready. He turned sideways and flicked the ball, sending it directly to Oikawa.

"Great pass!"

When Oikawa Tetsu gets such a good shot, he's like a fish in water.

Iwazumi has already run to the net.

"Stop him!" Tanaka roared and jumped up.

Lu Ren followed closely behind.

The two jumped side by side, forming a wall in the air.

Lu Ren's eyes were fixed on Iwazumi Ichi's shoulder.

*Block the diagonal shot. Force him to shoot straight.*

His and Tanaka's palms were tilted to the right, deliberately revealing a straight gap.

This is a conspiracy.

Because at the end of that straight line stands the guardian deity of Karasuno—Nishitani Yuu.

Iwaizumi, suspended in mid-air, clearly saw through the trap. His expression twisted for a moment, a mixture of anger at being slighted and resentment at being forced into this situation.

But he had no other choice. The diagonal shot was blocked, and forcing a shot would only result in it hitting the net or being blocked.

"Don't underestimate people!!"

With a roar, Iwazumi swung his arm down, sending the volleyball hurtling straight toward the sideline along the only passage.

"This is exactly what we've been waiting for!"

Nishitani Yu stood with her legs apart, her eyes flashing with an alarming intensity.

"Thump!"

This powerful, straight-line smash was received steadily by Nishiya.

"Great catch!!" Tanaka shouted after landing.

Opportunity ball!

Kageyama quickly ran to the landing spot.

"Tanaka-senpai!"

Kageyama chose to pass the ball to the most determined Tanaka.

Ryunosuke Tanaka jumped from the left wing, facing a double block from Aoba Josai who had already retreated to their positions.

Matsukawa Kazushige and Hanamaki Takahiro. These two seasoned third-year students have extremely solid blocking skills.

"Break it for me!!" Tanaka swung his arm and slammed it down.

"Snapped!"

The volleyball struck Matsukawa's palm squarely and was blocked!

The ball was even faster than when it went there, heading straight for Karasuno's field.

"It's not over yet!"

A figure slid past, skimming along the ground.

Lu Ren.

He practically used his body as a mop, stretching out one hand just as the ball was about to hit the ground.

The back of his hand was placed under the ball.

The volleyball bounced up and flew towards the backcourt.

"It's not dead yet!" Lu Ren shouted, still lying on the ground and unable to get up.

The ball flew towards the baseline.

Nishitani Yu turned and sprinted, diving to her feet just as the ball was about to go out of bounds.

"Go back here!!"

He hooked the ball back from behind with both hands.

The volleyball soared high, flying over most of the court, and wobbled its way towards the net.

At this moment, only Kageyama Tobio was in front of the net.

The ball wasn't high enough to pass, and it was positioned too close to the net.

On the opposite side, Matsukawa Kazushige and Hanamaki Takahiro jumped up again, their four hands covering the area like eaves.

Kageyama gritted his teeth and jumped, trying to poke the ball with his left hand or to make a contest.

But in the face of absolute height and numerical superiority, this was all in vain.

"Thump!"

The volleyball was pushed back by Matsukawa Kazushige, and this time, no one could save it.

The ball landed.

The referee blew his whistle and gestured towards the west of Aoba City.

12:19.

Lu Ren lay on the floor, watching the volleyball roll away, sweat dripping from his nose onto the floor.

In that last round, everyone gave it their all. Strategizing, setting traps, making saves, covering for the ball... they did everything they could.

But we still lost points.

This is the difference in hard power.

Coach Uyang Shishin on the sidelines scratched his head, looking anxiously at the field.

The pause function has been used up.

The feeling of watching your team get whittled down little by little, yet being unable to stop it or make adjustments, is even more agonizing than playing on the court yourself.

"It's not over yet!" Daichi Sawamura's voice rang out on the court as he clapped his hands vigorously. "Only 7 points behind! We'll close the gap one point at a time!"

Although the captain's voice remained calm, Lu Ren could feel the heavy sense of "defeat" in the air gradually pressing down.