Haikyuu!!: The Disaster of Gamers

Dong Fengxu stepped onto the service line. The referee blew the whistle.

Karasuno's ace tossed the volleyball, the sound of his running footsteps echoing rhythmically on the wooden floor. He jumped, swung his arm, and delivered a powerful jump serve. The volleyball, spinning intensely, hurtled towards Aoba Johsai's backcourt.

Watari Chikaharu had already lowered his center of gravity and slid forward. Higashimine Asahi's jump serve was extremely powerful. The moment the volleyball touched his arm, Watari Chikaharu's body slid half a step backward, but he managed to stabilize himself with his solid core strength. His arms precisely positioned themselves at the landing point of the volleyball, and with a crisp sound, the volleyball was steadily sent to the net.

"The pass is perfect!"

Oikawa Toru tilted his head back and raised his hands as he ran. It was an extremely standard setter's stance, yet it made it completely impossible to predict the direction of his pass. Kunimi Hideki cut in from the side, his steps neither hurried nor slow, but at the moment of his jump, he unleashed an astonishing leaping power.

"Is the energy-saving mode off?" Lu Ren stood in front of the net and caught Guo Jianying's movement.

Guo Jianying waved his arm.

Lu Ren and Sawamura Daichi jumped simultaneously, forming a double block in the air. The volleyball struck Lu Ren's fingertips, its trajectory altered by the force, and it bounced high into the sky.

"One touch!" Lu Ren shouted as he landed.

Nishitani Yuu in the back row was already crouching at the landing point. With a diving leap, his body glided across the floor, and his arms lifted the volleyball high as it was about to hit the ground, heading straight for the front court.

"Leave it to me!" Tanaka Ryunosuke roared as he charged toward the net, his eyes burning with excitement.

With a quick footwork, Kageyama Tobio executed a perfect set shot as his hands touched the ball. The ball traveled at incredible speed, hurtling straight towards the net.

Tanaka leaped to meet the ball, ready to unleash a powerful smash to tear through the defense. But instead, a three-man wall of defenders stood before him: Matsukawa Kazushige, Kindaichi Yutaro, and Hanamaki Takahiro. Matsukawa's blocking routes were extremely tricky, Kindaichi used his height advantage to suppress aerial vision, and Hanamaki completely shut down any possibility of cross-court shots. This trio's defensive line was like a precisely operating machine, leaving Tanaka no room to maneuver.

Tanaka gritted his teeth and forced himself to exert force.

The volleyball slammed heavily onto Matsukawa's arm, bounced back, and landed in Karasuno's half of the court.

The referee blew the whistle, and Qingcheng scored. The score became 4-4.

"Sorry!" Tanaka patted his bald head in annoyance.

"Don't worry about it, we'll make up for it with the next shot." Daichi Sawamura patted Tanaka on the back to stabilize the situation.

It was Aoba Josai's turn to serve. Iwaizumi took the ball and walked to the service area.

"Iwa-chan, serve well!" Oikawa Tetsu waved with a smile in front of the net.

Iwaizumi ignored him, bounced the ball twice, tossed it up, took a running start, and spiked it hard. His serve lacked the fancy feints of Oikawa Toru, relying solely on pure power and speed. The volleyball, with strong backspin, headed straight for Karasuno's back row.

Nishitani Yu lowered her center of gravity, stretched her arms forward, and caught the ball with a "thump".

"nice shot!"

Kageyama Tobio looked up, and Higashimine Asahi started from the back row, jumping off the three-meter line. This was Karasuno's back row attack tactic.

Kageyama's back pass was flat and fast, accurately finding Higashimine Asahi's highest hitting point.

Dong Fengxu drew his bow fully in mid-air and slammed the ball down. The volleyball flew through the net and headed straight for Qingcheng's backcourt.

Watari was prepared; with a side dive, he raised the ball high.

"Beautiful catch!" Oikawa Tetsu rushed to the ball, catching a glimpse of Kindaichi's run out of the corner of his eye. Without any unnecessary movements, he passed the ball directly to the center. The pass had an extremely high arc, perfectly tailored to match Kindaichi's jumping rhythm.

Kindaichi leaped high, swinging his arm to meet the volleyball. This was the highest point he could reach under Oikawa Tetsu's set shot. In junior high, he could never keep up with Kageyama's speed-oriented passes, but now, Oikawa Tetsu gave him ample hang time and space to generate power.

Lu Ren jumps to block the ball.

Kindaichi's spike was incredibly powerful; the volleyball forcefully knocked Lu Ren's hands away and slammed into the court.

The referee blew the whistle, and Qingcheng scored another point. 5:4.

Kindaichi landed, clenched his fist, and roared. The oppressive atmosphere of his junior high school years, caused by Kageyama's authoritarian style, vanished completely under Oikawa Tetsu's influence.

Lu Ren shook his wrist, which had gone numb from the shock, and glanced at Oikawa Tetsu across from him. Oikawa Tetsu was grinning and making a peace sign.

"This setter really drew a lot of hate," Lu Ren muttered, retreating to his defensive position.

Iwaizumi serves again.

The same throw, the same run-up, but this time the landing point changed, heading straight for the baseline corner.

Daichi Sawamura moved his feet, stood firmly, and raised his hands to catch the ball. As the defensive linchpin of Karasuno, his ability to receive the ball always inspires confidence.

"Received!"

Kageyama Tobio moved quickly and passed the ball to Higashimine Asahi again.

Dong Fengxu jumped from the front row and smashed the ball.

Qingcheng's two blockers arrived in time. Songchuan and Huajuan's arms blocked the net, the ball hit the blockers' hands, slowed down and bounced towards Qingcheng's back row.

Iwaizumi had just served the ball when he quickly covered the spot and saved it with a forward roll.

"Oikawa!"

Oikawa Tetsu made a run from the back row and passed the ball to the left wing while on the move. The whole process was smooth and seamless, without any pauses.

Hanamaki Takaaki jumped high, avoiding Karasuno's block, and hit a clever diagonal shot. The volleyball landed in an open space in Karasuno's defense.

The referee blew the whistle, Qingcheng scored. 6:4.

Karasuno requested a pause.

The team members walked back to the rest area. The air inside the stadium was a bit stuffy, as Aoba Johsai had scored three consecutive points and were riding high on momentum.

"Qingcheng's defense has changed." Coach Wu Yang held the tactical board, his brows furrowed. "Their transitions are much smoother than in previous practice matches. If the first pass is off, the others can quickly make up for it."

Lu Ren took a sip of water and looked at Oikawa Tetsu, who was wiping sweat on the opposite half of the court.

"They're evolving," Lu Ren said, wiping the sweat from his neck with a towel. "The system has been updated. Before, in Qingcheng, Jikawa Tetsu was a single-core processor. Now, in Qingcheng, Jikawa Tetsu has become a server, and everyone else is a terminal. There's no data transmission delay, and the fault tolerance has been greatly improved."

Kageyama Tobio, holding a water bottle, stared silently at Oikawa Tetsu's retreating figure. He knew better than anyone how terrifying Oikawa Tetsu was. That ability to bring out 100% or even more of his teammates' abilities was exactly what he had been striving to emulate.

"Don't let them lead you by their rhythm," Daichi Sawamura said, his voice steady and powerful. "We have our own weapons too. Catch the ball, and then hit it back. It's that simple."

The timeout ended, and both teams returned to the court.

At the net, Lu Ren and Kawa Che faced each other across the net.

"It seems that Tobihiro's team has come to an end," Oikawa Tetsu said with a smile, his tone carrying his usual provocation.

"Are all the BOSS's lines this cliché?" Lu Ren stretched, his bones cracking. "Ready to face a physics engine that's gone off track?"

Oikawa Toru raised an eyebrow, didn't reply, and turned to walk back to his seat.

Iwaizumi stepped onto the service line for the third time.

This time, he changed his serving posture. The volleyball was tossed up, without spin, drifting aimlessly in the air. A jump float serve.

Sawamura Daichi moved his feet, blocking the ball's path with his body, and then used both hands to cushion it. The ball's trajectory was extremely unpredictable, deviating the moment it made contact with his arms.

"One pass and a half in place!" Dadi shouted.

Kageyama Tobio quickly started running and ran to the ball.

Aoki's blockers kept a close eye on Kageyama's movements. Hyuga was on the left, Tanaka on the right, and Rikujin behind. Karasuno's multi-point attack system was fully deployed.

Kageyama pushed the ball with both hands. The ball flew towards the right wing.

Lu Ren took a running start and jumped.

Qingcheng reacted extremely quickly. Songchuan, Kindaichi, and Hanamaki quickly joined together, forming a high wall. They had already studied Lu Ren's spiking route, and this time their blocking defense was extremely tight.

Lu Ren was in the air, looking at the three people blocking the net in front of him.

No blind spots were left.

Then create a blind spot.

Lu Ren's dynamic vision was on full display at this moment. He caught the slightest movement of Kindaichi's arm. Just as Kindaichi attempted to further block the straight shot, Lu Ren's wrist changed. He didn't choose to spike with force. At the instant of contact with the ball, his wrist turned inward, and his fingertips lightly brushed the side of the volleyball, changing the angle of the shot.

The volleyball didn't head straight for the opponent's half; instead, it grazed the edge of Kindaichi's right little finger and flew out at an angle.

The fighter is out of bounds!

The volleyball traced an arc in the air and landed outside the back row of the Qingcheng court.

The referee blew the whistle, Karasuno scored. 6:5.

Lu Ren landed and shrugged at Oikawa Toru.

"You see, physics no longer exists."

Oikawa Tetsu's smile faded slightly. He looked at Lu Ren, the number 13 player, whose playing style completely defied convention. There were no fixed patterns, no rigid tactics, only the optimal solution for the situation on the spot.

In the stands, Kiyosawa Yazhi rested her chin on her hands, watching Lu Ren on the field.

"What tricks is this guy playing now?" Ya Zhi pouted, but the light in her eyes betrayed her emotions. She knew Lu Ren too well; whenever he encountered a tough opponent, his competitive spirit would be completely ignited.

In the stands, the players from Date Industries were also watching the game.

Qinggen stared intently at Lu Ren on the field, arms crossed.

"That number 13 is getting more and more slippery on the court," Kenji Futakuchi commented, leaning against the railing. "That foul just now, going out of bounds, was all pre-planned. He used Aoki's block as a springboard to score."

"Kanasano has too many offensive patterns." Huang Jinchuan stared wide-eyed at the movement on the field. "Don't they need to have fixed positions?"

"That's their 'Chimera' tactic," Kenji Futakuchi said, scoffing. "There's no fixed core; everyone can pass the ball, everyone can attack. Defending against a team like that is a nightmare."

The match continues. It's Karasuno's turn to serve.

Lu Ren took the volleyball and walked to the service area. He spun the ball twice in his hand, his gaze sweeping across the western half of the court in Qingye City.

"The defense mechanism of a max-level BOSS is indeed quite good," Lu Ren muttered to himself, tossing the ball high into the air. "Then let's try this move."

Run-up, push off the ground, jump.

Lu Ren swung his arm at the highest point. The volleyball, with a piercing whistling sound, flew straight towards Qingcheng's half of the court. This was not an ordinary jump serve, but a "powerful jump float" that combined the characteristics of a jump float serve.

After the volleyball crossed the net, its trajectory changed in an extremely bizarre way. The ball, which was originally heading straight for Kunimi Hide, suddenly sank in mid-air and smashed into the gap between the two players.

Chikaji Watari reacted extremely quickly, diving to make a save. The volleyball grazed his arm and went out of bounds.

Serve to score! 6-6.

"Great post!" Tanaka Ryunosuke shouted, rushing over to give Lu Ren a high five.

"Not bad luck." Lu Ren smiled and flicked his wrist.

Oikawa Tetsu stared at the volleyball that had landed out of bounds, his eyes sharpening. He walked over to Watari Chikaharu and patted him on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about it, I've already seen his serve trajectory," said Toru Oikawa.

Watari nodded and stood in his place again.

Lu Ren serves again.

The same motion, the same force. The volleyball flew towards Qingcheng's half of the court once again.

This time, Watari Chikaharu didn't make the save. He stood there, watching the volleyball fly out of bounds.

Out of bounds.

The referee blew the whistle, Qingcheng scored. 7:6.

"Oops, that was a mistake." Lu Ren offered a half-hearted apology.

"You did this on purpose, didn't you?" Kageyama Tobio stared at Riku Ren, his tone filled with dissatisfaction.

"Just testing their judgment range," Lu Ren shrugged. "The conclusion is that their libero's defensive range is larger than we thought. Also, Oikawa Tetsu's positioning is very interesting; he deliberately left an opening on the baseline, betting that I would serve a long ball. This kind of psychological game is quite fun."