Haikyuu!!: The Disaster of Gamers

The whistle blew sharply, and the scoreboard flipped.

Karasuno 8:6 Kadokawa.

In that last ball, Tanaka Ryunosuke's serve disrupted the opponent's first pass, but Kadokawa's unknown middle blocker, with a flurry of wild swings, somehow managed to create a hit-and-run. The volleyball spun towards the stands, and Tanaka scratched his bald head in frustration, muttering "Damn it."

Nishitani Yu dusted off her hands and turned to leave the field. In the rotation area, Tsukishima Kei was slowly stretching her fingers, her black-rimmed glasses perched on her high nose, exuding an aloof and unapproachable air.

Lu Ren stood in the back row, watching Tsukishima walk up, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the other's slender figure and the two-meter-tall behemoth on the other side of the net.

"Hey, Tsukishima." Lu Ren put his hands in his pockets, his tone laced with a slightly smug tease, "Even though you're considered tall in the team, compared to that 'texture error' behemoth over there, you're just an ordinary NPC. Now that it's your turn to come up here, are you sure your pride and joy about your height won't fail you?"

Tsukishima stopped and glanced at Lu Ren. There was no anger at being provoked in his eyes, only a clear-sighted rationality, even with a hint of disdain for some kind of single-celled organism.

"Don't compare me to those single-celled organisms who can only rely on physical strength to get by." Tsukishima pushed up his glasses, his voice flat. "Volleyball is a game that requires brains as well as height. Besides..." He paused, "I didn't intend to compete with him to see who could jump higher."

"ha?"

Not far away, Tobio Kageyama and Ryunosuke Tanaka turned their heads simultaneously, both looking completely bewildered. These two clearly had a natural aversion to the word "brain."

"Is he swearing? He's definitely swearing!" Tanaka rolled up his sleeves, ready to argue.

Lu Ren shrugged, a playful smile curving his lips. "As long as you can understand human language. Then let me see how a high-IQ player conquers a monster with stats."

The game continues.

Kadokawa serves.

The ball's trajectory was straightforward, even somewhat conservative. Clearly, Lu Ren and Ying Shan's previous rounds of unreasonable attacks had left a significant psychological scar on these first-year recruits. Their current strategy was simple: just get the ball over there, avoid mistakes, and then wait for that two-meter-tall god to descend and punish them.

"I'll do it."

Lu Ren didn't even move much; he simply took half a step to the left. His receiving motion wasn't as wildly explosive as Nishiya's, nor as steady as Daichi's; instead, it exuded a calmness born of "precise calculation." He brought his arms together, released the force, and raised his shoulders. The volleyball, like a pre-programmed drone, obediently traced a parabola, hovering precisely above Kageyama Tobio's head.

A-level first pass.

"Nice catch!"

Kageyama didn't need to move a single step. The instant he was under the ball, his gaze swept across the entire court like a radar. Kadokawa's block faltered, their attention drawn to Hinata's exaggerated movement for about 0.5 seconds.

It's that 0.5 seconds.

Kageyama flicked his wrist backward, sending the volleyball flying backward toward the left wing.

"Tanaka-senpai!"

"Alright—!!"

Ryunosuke Tanaka was like a powder keg that had been lit; every step he took during his run-up pounded the floor. He stretched out in the air, his core strength exploding, his whole body like a fully drawn bow.

boom!

This powerful cross-court smash, accompanied by a whistling sound as it ripped through the air, crashed into Kadokawa's court.

But there, Kadokawa's free agent was already in position. Although his posture was awkward, like a duck flapping its wings, he was definitely there.

"Received!"

The volleyball slammed heavily against his forearm and bounced high into the air. Instead of flying towards the setter, it flew directly to a point behind the three-meter line.

There stood Bai Zexiongda.

"Chance ball! Hyakusawa!" Kadokawa's setter didn't even chase the ball, but just stood there and shouted.

The entire team's resources are being directed towards that giant.

Yuta Hyakusawa didn't take a running start. He just stood in the back row, watching the volleyball fall high into the air, and then, like he was doing calisthenics, he clumsily jumped.

No skill or tactical cover is required.

He just jumped up and swung his arms.

That hitting point was despair-inducingly high. Even when attacking from the back row, his height was enough to reach above most of the fingers of a front-row blocker.

boom.

The volleyball, carrying tremendous kinetic energy, flew over the net and crashed into Karasuno's backcourt.

"Don't underestimate people!"

Daichi Sawamura's voice boomed from the back row.

This cornerstone of Karasuno, his feet planted firmly on the floor like nails. He didn't back down; instead, he took a step forward to meet the ball's trajectory. Judging the landing point, adjusting his center of gravity, and pressing his arms down.

Boom!

A muffled thud.

The volleyball was forcefully lifted by those strong arms. Although the spin was intense and the force was so great that it made one's arms go numb, the ball didn't fly away; it steadily rose high and flew towards the net.

"Great pass! Captain!" Lu Ren whistled.

That's the difference in experience. For a defender of Daichi Sawamura's caliber, as long as the ball's trajectory is predictable, even with great power, it's just a slightly heavier sandbag.

An opportunity to retaliate.

Tobio Kageyama jumped from under the ball.

In the front row, Hotaru Tsukishima is already in position.

Kadokawa's blockers hurriedly jumped up as well. But the moment they jumped, they noticed that Tsukishima didn't swing his arm as quickly as usual.

He is waiting.

Wait until your body reaches its highest point, and wait until the opponent's blocking hand begins to descend.

Hotaru Tsukishima is 188cm tall. Although he is not as tall as Momozawa (2 meters), he is still the absolute "air superiority" among high school students. He calmly looked at the panicked hands in front of him and flicked his wrist slightly.

Instead of using full power to smash, he hit a very high overhand point.

The volleyball grazed the fingertips of the Kadokawa blocker and landed lightly near the undefended baseline.

beep—

The referee blew his whistle and gestured that the ball was in play.

Karasuno 9:6 Kadokawa.

"Beautiful." Lu Ren looked at Tsukishima's expressionless face and couldn't help but give the cunning bespectacled man a mental thumbs up. This kid could clearly smash the ball with force, but he insisted on scoring in this "intellectual crushing" way, purely to disgust the opponent.

The game continued, and Karasuno gradually took control of the pace.

Lu Ren stood on the field, not in a hurry to activate "Berserk Mode", but like a data analyst, he coldly observed Kadokawa's operating mechanism.

It's really strange.

Or rather, it's very abnormal.

Kadokawa's team was like a hastily assembled honor guard to cover the "Crown Prince's" procession.

Yuta Hyakusawa hardly participates in any defense on the court. When the serve rotates to the back row, he stands there like a wooden stake, and his teammates frantically cover for him, afraid that this expensive "Gundam" will even scratch the paint.

Their offense is shockingly one-dimensional. No matter how well they receive the first pass, no matter where the ball is, the setter always has only one option—to throw the ball high and find Bai Ze.

"What is this? A babysitting style of play?" Lu Ren frowned slightly.

This feeling reminded him of the man he had met not long ago—Ushijima Wakatoshi of Shiratorizawa.

That man, known as the "Absolute King," was also the core around whom the entire team revolved. Shiratorizawa's tactics were simple and brutal: "Give the ball to Ushijima."

However, the two are fundamentally different.

Wakatoshi Ushijima is a weapon honed through countless trials; his strength lies in his impeccable technique, terrifying power, and iron will. He can receive serves, block, and deliver a fatal spike from any awkward position. He is a true "Demon King."

And the man before me, Bai Zexiong...

Lu Ren shook his head as he watched the giant who almost stepped on his teammate's foot after spiking the ball.

This is a newbie who just created an account and only spent money to buy a skin with maxed-out height. His movements are stiff, his awareness is blurry, and he's useless except for his height.

"Let alone the current Karasuno," Lu Ren muttered to himself, a hint of boredom in his eyes, "Even the 'old version' of Karasuno could easily defeat this team if they used their brains a little."

This distorted tactical system can only intimidate opponents in low-level matches like county qualifiers. Once they encounter truly strong teams, this single point of attack becomes an easy target.

As time went by.

The numbers on the scoreboard were changing rapidly.

Karasuno 17:10 Kadokawa.

The huge point difference was like a mountain, making it hard for the Kadokawa team to breathe.

Kadokawa's players were already panting heavily, their jerseys soaked with sweat. That kind of relentless effort to fill defensive gaps was incredibly taxing on their stamina. On the other hand, Karasuno, aside from Hyuga who was still energetically bouncing around, seemed completely at ease.

Rotation.

Bai Zexiong moved to the front row.

At the same time, Hinata Shoyo also moved to the front row.

On either side of the net, 162cm versus 201cm.

The cutest height difference.

All eyes were instantly focused on the net. Whispers even broke out in the stands, everyone anticipating this extreme "tall vs. short" showdown.

"That short guy's going to get blocked again, right?"

"Of course, there's a 40-centimeter difference, how can you possibly hit it?"

Lu Ren listened to the surrounding noise but didn't say anything. He simply took a step back, creating space for Kageyama and Hinata.

Kadokawa serves.

The ball's trajectory was weak, clearly indicating that the server's stamina had reached its limit.

Sawamura Daichi easily set up the ball, his first pass so precise it was like a meal being fed to his lips.

"Kageyama!"

Hinata Shoyo has started.

Without the slightest hesitation, nor the slightest doubt despite the towering structure before him, his legs seemed to spring like hydraulic springs, pushing off the floor at an exaggerated angle. He transformed into an orange lightning bolt, slicing diagonally into the net.

Yudai Hyakusawa's reaction wasn't actually slow. He saw the ball, and he also saw Hinata.

As a "high wall," his instincts drove him to chase the ball's trajectory. He took long strides, ready to move.

But the instant his brain gave the command, Tobio Kageyama's fingers had already touched the volleyball.

This time, there was no waiting.

No observations were made.

They didn't even think about it.

That was muscle memory etched into his bones after thousands of repetitions. Kageyama's fingers flicked incredibly fast, applying an extremely unpredictable spin to the volleyball.

Whoosh.

The volleyball flew out of my hand at an astonishing speed.

While Hyakusawa Yuuda's gaze was still focused on Kageyama's hand gesture, the ball had already reached Hinata's face.

Then, in that instant.

A scene defying physical intuition has played out once again.

The volleyball, flying at high speed, seemed to be pulled by an invisible hand the instant it reached Hyuga's hitting point, and suddenly "brakes".

Hover.

Hinata Shoyo was already in the air. His eyes were fixed on the stationary ball; the tower in front of him, named Hyakusawa, was merely a backdrop to highlight his soaring height.

Swing your arm.

Snapped!

The crisp sound of the ball hitting the shuttlecock echoed throughout the stadium.

The volleyball turned into a white light and exploded past Bai Zexiong's ear.

The giant was still in a ready-to-move position, his arm not even having had time to rise above his shoulder. His eyes were still searching for the ball's landing point, but his ears had already heard the loud thud of the volleyball hitting the ground behind him.

Boom!

Kadokawa's back row players seemed to be petrified, stiffly turning their heads to look at the volleyball bouncing on the floor.

No one moved.

No one reacted.

This is the ultimate speed. This is the evolved "Weird Fast Attack".

Karasuno 18:10 Kadokawa.

"Wowh ...

Kageyama Tobio withdrew his hand, a rare look of satisfaction appearing on his face, though he still retorted, "Shut up, you idiot. We haven't won yet."

"Terrifying accuracy..." Lu Ren, watching from the back row, couldn't help but click his tongue in amazement. "This passing technique is so good, calling it a cheat code would be an understatement."

It's Karasuno's turn to serve.

Daichi Sawamura stood on the baseline. He took a deep breath and served a steady overhand float shot.

Kadokawa's libero received the ball well this time, although he stumbled a bit, he still managed to get the ball high.

"Baize!"

Without any suspense, the ball flew towards the giant once again.

Yudai Momozawa gritted his teeth and jumped. The "invisible" fast break from Hinata had just scored against him, leaving him feeling more anxious than ever before. He wanted to vent, to prove his existence with his power.

He swung his arm and smashed it hard at the volleyball.

At the net, Hotaru Tsukishima and Ryunosuke Tanaka had already jumped.

"Don't think you can get away with this so easily!" Tanaka roared.

But Bai Ze's hitting point was still very high, and the volleyball went over Tanaka's blocker.

However, just as the ball was about to fly over the defensive line...

A slender hand appeared with utmost composure in the path the ball was destined to take.

It's not that I want to stop them or confront them head-on.

Hotaru Tsukishima tilted her fingers slightly back, and at an extremely tricky angle, lightly brushed against the volleyball that whizzed past.

Snapped.

A very slight, crisp sound.

But to the people of Karasuno, the sound was even more beautiful than heavenly music.

The volleyball's trajectory changed; what was originally a sure-kill spike became a slowed-down high ball.

"One Touch!!"

Tsukishima landed, a cold glint flashing in his eyes behind his glasses.

"Finally... I touched it."

"remedy!"

Without a word, Tanaka Ryunosuke rushed out and dove to catch the ball.

"Kageyama!"

The call to counterattack has sounded once again.

Kageyama Tobio stood under the net, watching the volleyball fly towards him. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the small figure who had already taken off again.

Hinata Shoyo is like a perpetual motion machine that never tires.

Run-up, jump.

This time, Hyakusawa Yuta finally realized what was happening. He roared and stretched out his arm with all his might, trying to intercept the little guy who had made him lose face in mid-air.

His hands were high, like a dark cloud looming over the net.

But in the air, Hyuga Shoyo looked at that giant hand and a big smile spread across his face.

You are very tall.

But I can fly.

The moment Kageyama delivered the pass, Hyuga didn't dodge; instead, he met Hyakusawa's finger with a spike.

boom!

The volleyball whistled past Bai Zexiong's fingertips—the airspace he thought was absolutely safe.

A super spike!

The ball slammed heavily into the three-meter line of the Kadokawa court, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Karasuno 19:10 Kadokawa.

Lu Ren looked at the small man who clenched his fist and roared after landing, then looked at the giant opposite him with empty eyes who was obviously questioning his existence, and sighed softly.

"The game is over."

He turned around and looked at the scoreboard.

"This isn't a boss battle at all; it's just a one-sided, noob-stomping tutorial match."