Haikyuu!!: The Disaster of Gamers

Karasuno's match point.

The air in the entire stadium seemed to have been sucked out, leaving only a ringing silence and the muffled thud of hearts pounding in the chest.

Oikawa Tetsu stood at the baseline. He spun the ball, his face, usually adorned with a frivolous smile, now as cold as ice. As the absolute core of Aoba Johsai, with the team teetering on the brink of elimination, it was his turn to serve.

This script is absolutely terrible. For Karasuno, this is the worst boss battle mechanic ever.

"Don't worry about it! As long as we get through, it's our chance!" Daichi Sawamura roared, his voice a little hoarse, but enough to penetrate the taut nerves.

Lu Ren was bent over, his hands resting on his knees. His lungs felt like they were stuffed with two burning steel wool balls; every breath carried the metallic taste of blood. Black specks began to appear at the edge of his vision—a warning that his stamina bar was about to run out.

"Damn it, if only I could buy a stamina potion right now," he muttered, forcing his attention to the man holding the ball.

The whistle blows.

Oikawa Tetsuya moved. Toss the ball, take a run-up, jump. Every movement was textbook perfect, yet it carried a suffocating sense of oppression.

"Bang!"

The volleyball transformed into a white line, heading straight for Karasuno's backcourt corner.

"Nishitani!"

Without being told, the small guy in the orange jersey had already moved. Xilan Xi's pupils shrank to pinpoints; his body reacted faster than his brain. He stepped to the right, crouched down, and brought his arms together.

"Bang!"

A loud thud. The ball was really heavy. Nishiya frowned slightly, but his feet didn't budge. The volleyball was raised high, and although it spun violently, it landed precisely at the setter's position.

"Great pass!"

Kageyama Tokio arrived.

In that instant, the entire Karasuno team sprang into action. Hyuga Shoyo made a frantic run in the front row, taking away the middle blocker; Tanaka spread out on the left wing; and Rikuren staggered forward on the right.

Kageyama's gaze swept across the entire room, and he flicked his wrist backward.

Back row attack.

Sawamura Daichi charged out from the back row; the captain who usually handled defense and cleaned up messes was now baring his fangs.

"Don't even think about going there!"

Aoba Castle West reacted incredibly quickly. Matsukawa Kazushige and Hanamaki Takahiro swiftly joined forces, forming a wall in front of the net.

Dadi gritted his teeth and spiked the ball.

"Snapped!"

The ball hit Iwaizumi's palm and bounced off course.

"One touch!"

The counterattack from the west of Aoba Castle.

Matsukawa in the back row steadily cushioned the ball, and Oikawa Tetsu almost without hesitation, directly passing it behind his back to Iwaizumi on the left wing.

"trump card!"

Iwazumi roared and leaped up, his arm leaving afterimages as he swung it.

Karasuno's block arrived. Tsukishima and Kageyama's arms blocked the straight line, but Iwaizumi's shot was extremely tricky, managing to create a gap.

"Bang!"

The ball hit Dong Fengxu's arm and bounced out of bounds.

"Nishitani!"

"I am here!"

Nishitani Yu tumbled out like a rolling gourd, and just before the ball hit the ground, she used the back of her hand to cushion it back onto the court.

The ball flew very high and landed near the three-meter line.

Who will deliver this message?

Kageyama was dragged to the edge of the net and couldn't get back into position.

Dongfeng Xugang was still on the ground after receiving the ball.

Lu Ren watched the falling volleyball, his brain's CPU screaming alarms. His legs felt like lead, but he still moved. The ball was closest to him.

"Give it to me!" Hinata's voice boomed in my ears.

This little one actually has the stamina to run?

Lu Ren gritted his teeth and forced himself to adjust his footwork to get under the ball. He wasn't a setter and didn't have Kageyama's precise touch, but he had an "external cheat code".

That feeling of "stopping" the ball in mid-air.

He touched the ball with both hands. Time seemed to freeze for a moment. Lu Ren's fingers didn't immediately push the ball out, but instead gently released the force before sending it out.

The ball floated lightly towards the net, and at its highest point, it hovered eerily for a moment.

Hinata Shoyo was already flying in the air.

Facing the three-man block that quickly assembled in Aoba Johsai, Hyuga looked at the volleyball that seemed to be waiting for him still, and swung his arm.

"Bang!"

The ball hit the outside of Kindaichi's palm and flew to the side.

"Out of bounds!" Kanedaichi shouted.

"It's not over yet!"

Dong Fengxu, this usually timid big guy, suddenly displayed an amazing will to survive. He rushed out of bounds, flew through the air, and hooked the ball back with one hand in front of the GG sign.

The ball flew back to Karasuno Stadium, veering off course.

Both sides have gone mad. This is no longer a volleyball match; it's a physical brawl.

The ball goes over the net.

Oikawa Tetsu's eyes sharpened. Instead of opting for a safer approach, he jumped up and made a feint for a second attack in mid-air, but pushed the ball away with both hands the instant he touched it.

Long pass to the back row!

Hua Juan Guida made a run from the back row, unmarked.

"Oh no!" Daichi Sawamura's pupils contracted.

She jumps up and smashes the ball.

"Thump!"

The ball is still alive.

Nishitani Yuu reappeared on the path, albeit in a disheveled posture, having braced herself with her chest, but the ball did not touch the ground!

"Kageyama!"

Kageyama Tobio rushed to the ball.

Who can we beat now?

Hinata had just landed and hadn't retreated yet. Tanaka was being closely watched. Higashimine Asahi was still getting up outside the boundary.

Only the right side.

Kageyama's gaze met Riku's.

Lu Ren was bent over, panting heavily, sweat blurring his vision, and looked like he might collapse at any moment.

But his eyes conveyed two words: Give it to me.

Kageyama did not hesitate.

Pass from behind, spread out.

The ball flew to the right wing.

Lu Ren stared at the incoming ball, gritted his teeth, and tried to squeeze out the last bit of glycogen from his muscles.

Take off.

"Too low."

As soon as his body left the ground, Lu Ren realized the problem.

The prolonged tug-of-war, coupled with his previous reckless fighting style, had completely depleted his stamina. This jump was at least twenty centimeters lower than usual.

On the other side of the net, the three-man barrier from the west of Aoba Castle stood like an insurmountable mountain. Iwaizumi Ichi, Matsukawa Ichiji, and Oikawa Toru. Six hands blotted out the sky.

If you force a spike, it will definitely be blocked.

Is this the end?

Game Over?

No.

Lu Ren's lips suddenly twitched with extreme difficulty.

Since the hardware can't keep up, let's play dirty games.

He swung his arm in the air with a frighteningly large motion, as if he were going to smash the ball with all his might. The three blockers from Aoba Johsai instinctively tensed their muscles, closed their eyes, and prepared to meet the impact.

However, just as his palm was about to touch the ball, Lu Ren's wrist suddenly collapsed.

All the power vanished instantly.

Gently poke the bottom of the ball with your fingertip.

Drop ball.

The volleyball soared over the towering net, like a falling leaf, and wobbled as it landed in the open space behind the blocker.

There was no one there.

The free agent Watari Chikaharu from the west side of Aoba Castle was still on the baseline, preparing for a powerful spike. When he saw this, his pupils dilated in shock, and he lunged forward with all his might.

Oikawa Toru turned his head in mid-air and watched the ball fall.

Time stretched out infinitely.

one second.

two seconds.

"Clatter".

The slight thud of the footsteps was remarkably clear in the noisy stadium.

Watari's fingers were less than five centimeters from the ball.

Dead silence.

Then, the referee's whistle ripped through the air.

"Beep—beep—!!"

competition is over.

Lu Ren landed, his knees buckled, and he landed hard on his bottom on the floor.

"I...I cleared the game..."

He lay on his back, staring at the bright light on the ceiling, his vision blurred.

The next second, he was submerged.

"We won!!!!"

Hinata and Nishiya slammed into him like cannonballs, followed by Tanaka, Sawamura, Sugawara... Everyone was shouting and yelling, some were crying and some were laughing.

"It's so heavy... I'm going to die... Let me go..." Lu Ren protested weakly, but his voice was instantly swallowed up by cheers.

……

Line up and shake hands.

Lu Ren was supported by Zecun Dadi and Dongfeng Xu, and his feet felt like they were walking on cotton.

As he approached the net, he faced off against Toru Oikawa.

The man who was always so composed had slightly red eyes, but his back remained ramrod straight.

"Well done, you reckless guy." Oikawa Tetsu stretched out his hand, his palm burning hot.

"Thank you for the favor." Lu Ren shook hands weakly. "Don't serve those weird balls next time, it's hard on your hand."

Oikawa Tetsu paused for a moment, then snorted and turned to look at Kageyama.

The two stared at each other, sparks flying, but in the end they said nothing, only gripped each other's hands tightly.

As he packed his things to leave, Kageyama kept his head down, staring at his hands, silent like an autistic child.

Lu Ren took a big gulp of water, covered his head with a towel, and glanced at him sideways.

"Stop looking, it won't make any flowers grow."

Kageyama ignored him.

"Hey, you single-celled organism." Lu Ren nudged his shoe with his toe. "Don't you feel like, even though you won the game, you still haven't beaten Oikawa?"

Kageyama suddenly looked up, his eyes fierce: "Huh?!"

"Don't glare at me, I'm just telling the truth." Lu Ren shrugged, though the movement made his shoulder ache. "In the last few balls, Oikawa's playmaking was indeed better than yours. Especially that second attack to the back row, if it were you, you probably would have just passed it to Hyuga and forced your way in."

"Shut up! I know!" Kageyama gritted his teeth, but the fierce glint in his eyes slowly faded, replaced by a calmness. "Next time... next time I will definitely beat him technically as well."

"Alright, alright, keep leveling up." Lu Ren waved his hand. "I need to go to the toilet, my bladder is about to burst."

……

In the corridor.

Qingze Yazhi supported Lu Ren, her face full of disgust.

"Are you a mollusk? Stand up straight."

"Big sister, I just finished a boss battle. My health bar is empty, and my mana bar is empty too." Lu Ren leaned half his weight on his childhood sweetheart. "Just consider it an act of kindness, like helping an old lady cross the street."

"Who's the boss here?! And you're covered in sweat, you stink!"

The two were arguing when, as they turned the corner, Lu Ren suddenly stopped.

There were two people standing next to the vending machine in front.

One of them is Toru Oikawa, who just lost the game.

The other one, dressed in a white and purple tracksuit, was as tall as a tower, expressionless, and exuded an oppressive aura of "I am the strong one."

Shiratorizawa's absolute ace, Ushijima Wakatoshi.

Lu Ren immediately perked up, pulled Ya Zhi back to the corner, and pricked up his ears.

There's some gossip.

Ya-zhi rolled her eyes: "Weren't you exhausted?"

"Eating melon seeds is human nature's second nature; it doesn't consume mana."

Ushima's deep, resonant voice came from the other end, completely flat, as if he were reading an instruction manual.

"Oikawa, come to Shiratorizawa."

Oikawa Tetsu, holding a can of drink, seemed quite used to this kind of conversation, a fake smile on his face: "Huh? Iwa is still waiting for me, I'll be going now."

"Aoba Castle West isn't suitable for you." Ushijima completely ignored Oikawa's rejection and continued, "The soil there is too barren to nurture any good seedlings. You should come here; I'll provide you with the best environment."

Oikawa Tetsu's temple throbbed with a vein: "Little Niu Ruo, you're still as infuriating as ever. I already said I wasn't going, and I lost today anyway, doesn't that prove your theory?"

"No, that's the team's problem, not yours," Ushijima said earnestly.

"..." Oikawa Tetsu crushed the soda can in his hand.

Lu Ren, sitting in the corner, almost burst out laughing. Did God trade his emotional intelligence for volleyball skills?

Just then, Oikawa Toru turned his head sharply and looked at the corner of the wall.

"Who's there?"

Lu Ren coughed awkwardly, leaned against the wall and walked out, striking what he thought was a cool pose as he did so.

"Just passing by. You guys continue, I won't bother you."

When Oikawa Tetsu saw that it was Riku Ren, his expression was a little strange: "It's you... Riku Ren."

He pointed to the giant next to him: "Let me introduce you, Ushijima Wakatoshi, Shiratorizawa's ace, and also a volleyball idiot."

Ushijima looked at Rikuren and nodded: "Your last shot, although the form was awkward, was a very accurate judgment."

"Th...thank you?" Lu Ren's lips twitched. Was that a compliment?

"What were you two talking about just now?" Lu Ren asked knowingly, his eyes scanning back and forth between the two. "About transferring schools?"

"No!" Oikawa Tetsu immediately denied, "He's just acting crazy on his own."

"Oh—" Lu Ren drawled, with an "I understand" expression on his face, "One-sided... It's really painful to have unrequited love, especially when the other person is a stubborn straight man."

The air freezes.

Oikawa Tetsu's fake smile froze on his face.

Ushijima Wakatoshi frowned, seemingly deep in thought about the meaning of the word "unrequited love".

"Pfft." Qingze Yazhi couldn't help but laugh.

"Lu Ren!" Oikawa Tetsu gritted his teeth. "Does your mouth need some special training too?"

"To be honest," Lu Ren said, shrugging. "Look at Ushijima-senpai's eyes. They're full of the obsession of 'If I can't have you, I'll destroy you'... no, it's more like 'If I can't have you, I'll keep harassing you'."

"Thump!"

A muffled thud.

Lu Ren clutched his ribs and squatted down.

Kiyosawa Yashiro withdrew her fist, bowed to the two seniors, and smiled brightly: "Sorry, this guy's brain was fried during the match, he was talking nonsense. We'll be going now, goodbye seniors."

After saying that, she grabbed Lu Ren by the collar and dragged him toward the toilet like a dead dog.

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Ya-Chih, you've murdered your husband!"

"Shut up! That's incredibly embarrassing!"

As Oikawa Tetsu watched the two bicker and leave, his previously gloomy mood inexplicably improved. He turned to look at Ushijima, who remained expressionless.

"Little Niu Ruo, did you see that? Karasuno Jun is that kind of strange guy."

"Hmm." Ushijima nodded. "That backup is interesting. But his stamina is too poor. If he comes to Shiratorizawa, he'll be trained to the point of vomiting."

Oikawa Toru rolled his eyes and turned to leave.

"Who asked you that! Let's go, idiot!"