Haikyuu!!: The Disaster of Gamers

Fifth game.

The deciding game is played to fifteen points.

There is no room for error, and no time for trial and error.

Lu Ren stood outside the baseline.

The entire room fell silent.

The continuous cheers stopped. The wind band members put down their instruments.

All eyes were on number 13 at the baseline.

The carefree smile that Lu Ren always wore on his face vanished completely.

He held the volleyball in one hand, coldly watching Shiratorizawa's half of the court.

Take a deep breath.

Oxygen fills the lungs.

He took five steps back, creating ample space for his run-up.

In critical moments like these, it's crucial to avoid seeking stability.

Seeking stability is tantamount to a slow death.

Against a team like Shiratorizawa, whose statistics completely overwhelm them, a regular serve wouldn't even scratch them. The most brute force must be used to smash the ball over. A powerful jump serve. Not only must the first pass be disrupted, but the opponent must also be dealt a heavy blow mentally.

Throw the ball.

The volleyball rose high into the air.

Lu Ren exerted force with both legs, his sneakers screeching sharply on the floor.

Run-up, jump.

At its highest point, the body is stretched into a recurve bow.

He swung his right arm in a wide arc and slammed his palm into the lower middle part of the volleyball.

boom.

A loud bang.

The volleyball created a gust of wind and rushed straight towards Shiratorizawa's back row.

Hayato Yamagata lowered his center of gravity. Shiratorizawa's libero had terrifyingly solid fundamentals. He shifted his feet to the side, his arms precisely positioning themselves to catch the ball's landing point.

The ball hit my forearm.

The force of the rotation caused Yamagata's arms to jolt violently, and the ball bounced high into the air, deviating from its intended trajectory.

One and a half passes were made.

Kenjiro Shirabu quickly ran to cover for his opponent.

"left!"

Even if the first pass wasn't perfect, White Cloth's tactical choices remained simple and straightforward.

Give the ball to the strongest player.

Ushijima Wakatoshi advanced diagonally from the left flank.

Run-up, jump.

The left hand gathers power in the air.

In Karasuno's half, Hotaru Tsukishima and Ryunosuke Tanaka quickly joined forces, forming a double block.

Ushijima made no attempt to dodge, firing his heavy cannon directly at the two men's arms.

The volleyball hit Tsukishima's fingertips, changed direction, and fell into the open space in the backcourt.

Nishitani Yu was there.

Karasuno's guardian spirit leaned forward, sliding across the floor.

A diving save.

Just as the volleyball was about to touch the ground, Nishiya's hand gently cushioned its impact.

"Well done!" Daichi Sawamura roared.

The volleyball flew back into the air.

Tobio Kageyama was already waiting at the net.

He looked up at the trajectory of the ball, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the positioning of his own attackers.

Dong Fengxu jumped in from the back and took a long running start.

Kageyama touches the ball with both hands, flips his wrists, and delivers a high clear.

Dongfeng Xu soared into the sky.

At the Shiratorizawa net, Tendou Satoru's red hair was particularly eye-catching.

With his animal-like intuition, he blocked Dongfeng's straight spike route.

Dong Fengxu gritted his teeth in mid-air, exerted his strength in his waist and abdomen, and forcefully twisted the angle of his spike.

His right arm swung down heavily.

The volleyball grazed the edge of Tendou Satoru's forearm, forcefully squeezed through the gap in the net, and landed inside Shiratorizawa's three-meter line.

Landing, score.

The referee blows the whistle.

The scoreboard flips over.

Shiratorizawa 0:1 Karasuno.

Dong Fengxu landed on both feet, clenched his fists, and roared deafeningly. The frustration he had suppressed for four whole games was released in this one spike.

The serve is still in Karasuno's hands.

Lu Ren took the volleyball from the ball boy off the court and returned to the baseline.

He bounced the ball a couple of times, trying to get a feel for it.

Shiratorizawa's defense made slight adjustments to their positioning because of that last goal.

Hayato Yamagata stared intently at Riku Ren's hand gestures.

Throw the ball, take a running start, and jump.

Another powerful jump serve.

This time, Hayato Yamagata was better prepared and caught the attack steadily with both arms.

"The pass is perfect!"

Kenjiro Shirabu stood in front of the net, lifting the ball with both hands.

The pass was extremely high.

Ushijima Wakatoshi restarted the operation.

As soon as Lu Ren landed, his gaze locked onto Niu Island.

Not right.

Ushijima's running start this time carried an inexplicable sense of pressure compared to before. The surrounding air seemed to compress in that instant. It was a visual illusion created by pure violence.

Ushijima waves his left arm at the highest point.

boom!

The sound was louder than ever before.

The volleyball transformed into a streak of white light and soared over the net.

too fast.

Nishitani Yu had only taken half a step when the ball hit the edge of the baseline, bounced high, and flew into the stands.

The audience was silent.

None of the Karasuno members had time to react; they didn't even have time to fully straighten their arms to block the net.

The referee's whistle was delayed for a second before it sounded.

Within the boundaries, a point is scored.

Shiratorizawa 1:1 Karasuno.

This is the foundation of the nation's top three aces. At the start of the decisive game, they forcefully regained control using the most ruthless methods.

The substitution sign is raised.

Hinata Shoyo comes on, replacing Higashimine Asahi.

The short middle blocker bounced twice on the sidelines, his shoes scraping the floor with a short, sharp sound.

"Defense! Defense!" Daichi Sawamura clapped his hands and shouted a reminder.

The serve changed hands and came to Shiratorizawa's side.

Wakatoshi Ushijima walks towards the service court.

In the back row of Karasuno, Riku Ren, Sawamura Daichi, and Nishitani Yu stood in an inverted triangle formation, ready for battle.

These three people are Karasuno's strongest defensive shield at present.

Ushijima stood outside the baseline, holding the ball with his left hand.

There were no fancy moves, only a pure display of power.

Throw the ball.

The height is astonishing.

Run-up, jump.

Udo stretched out his body completely in the air, his muscles bulging under the lights.

Lu Ren's eyes were fixed on Niu Dao's left shoulder.

Muscle contraction, arm swing.

In the millisecond it took for Ushijima's palm to strike the volleyball, Lu Ren's body reacted before his brain did.

Move your feet half a step to the left.

The volleyball, with a strong backspin, tore through the air and headed straight for Lu Ren's face.

It's too late to dodge, and taking the hit head-on makes it very easy to lose your grip.

Lu Ren bent his legs, lowered his center of gravity to the lowest point, and crossed his arms to protect his chest.

boom!

The volleyball slammed heavily into Lu Ren's arm.

The tremendous impact traveled up the forearm and through the entire body.

Lu Ren fell backward, his back slamming heavily onto the floor. But instead of letting the force bounce off, he rolled backward, using the roll to dissipate the terrifying kinetic energy carried by the volleyball.

The volleyball soared high into the air, drifting towards the net.

One and a half passes were made.

"Well said!"

Tobio Kageyama had already moved to a position below where the volleyball would land.

Shiratorizawa's net defense tightened instantly.

Tendo Satoru and Shirabu Kenjiro both focused their attention on Kageyama's hands.

At the very moment that Kageyama touched the ball with both hands.

Hinata Shoyo burst forth from the right baseline like an arrow released from a bow. His speed was so great that only an orange afterimage remained.

Take off.

Without any extra running start or adjustments, he took off directly from the ground in front of the net.

Kageyama's wrist twitched slightly.

Without the slightest pause, the ball moved in a straight line and was precisely placed in front of Hyuga's swinging right hand.

The weirdo's fast attack.

Tendou reacted extremely quickly, instinctively moving to the right and blocking the diagonal line with both hands.

Hinata saw Tendo's arm from the air.

He did not choose to avoid it.

With a flick of the wrist, aim at the edge of Tiantong's forearm and slam it down hard.

The volleyball hit the outside of Tendo's arm and bounced out of bounds.

The thug went out of bounds.

The referee blew his whistle and gestured towards Karasuno.

Shiratorizawa 1:2 Karasuno.

Hyuga landed, turned around, and gave Kageyama a high-five.

Lu Ren got up from the floor, shook his numb arms, and let out a long breath.

Every point is a test of physical and mental limits. The numbers on the scoreboard move slowly. Neither side can easily pull ahead. The decisive fifteen-point battle has only just begun. Karasuno has trained relentlessly, sweating and sustaining countless injuries, all for the sake of standing here.

The tickets to the national competition are within reach.

The second half of Shiratorizawa.

Coach Eagle sat on the bench, hands clasped, his eyes cold and stern. Karasuno's tenacity had exceeded his expectations. This team was relentlessly pursuing their prey.

Ushijima Wakatoshi walked back to the front row expressionlessly. Lu Ren had received his serve earlier, but he hadn't felt much of a stir. That's volleyball for you: you either smash the ball or it gets received. Since it was received, you smash it again.

The serve returned to Karasuno.

Hinata Shoyo is heading towards the bottom line.

This is Karasuno's weak point. Hyuga's serve is just a regular overhand float serve, posing no real threat to Shiratorizawa's back row.

"Serve well!" Ryunosuke Tanaka shouted at the net.

Hyuga throws the ball, jumps, and hits it.

The volleyball flew over the net and landed in the middle of Shiratorizawa.

Shion Ohira steadily lifted the ball.

"The pass is perfect!"

Kenjiro Shirabu arrived quickly.

This time, he didn't target Ushijima. The Five Colors team quickly advanced from the left flank. The first-year main attackers were eager to prove themselves.

White cloth passes the ball.

Goshiki jumped, facing Tsukishima Hotaru's solo block, and hit an extremely tricky straight shot. The volleyball grazed the sideline and landed.

The referee blows the whistle.

Within the boundary.

Shiratorizawa 2:2 Karasuno.

The score is tied again.

The two sides traded blows, the pace of attack and defense so fast it was breathtaking. The cheers from the stands were drowned out by the intense competition. Only the screeching of cleats on the floor and the dull thud of the volleyball being hit remained.

Lu Ren stood in the back row, his mind racing. Shiratorizawa's tactical system was very clear: it revolved around Ushijima Wakatoshi's absolute power. The presence of other attackers was mainly to distract Karasuno's blocking. As long as Ushijima could be contained, Shiratorizawa's offensive would be greatly reduced. But that was easier said than done. Overwhelming the opponent's numbers was the most unreasonable way to play.

"Tighten the defensive formation, deploy small diagonal passes, and block the straight passes!" Lu Ren shouted from the back row.

Sawamura Daichi and Nishitani Yu quickly adjusted their positions. Since they couldn't stop them, they would block them with their bodies.

Shiratorizawa serves.

The powerful jump shot of the five-colored worker.

The ball was fast, but the angle was a bit off. Yuu Nishitani easily caught it.

Kageyama Tobio orchestrates the attack. Tanaka Ryunosuke breaks through from the left wing and scores with a spike.

Shiratorizawa 2:3 Karasuno.

The match entered a stalemate. Every point was fought for, requiring immense physical exertion. Lu Ren's breathing became heavy. He glanced at Niu Dao across the table. That man remained like an insurmountable mountain, standing firm at the net. Even sweat couldn't affect the stability of his arm swing. This was a national-level monster.

But Wuye insisted on carving a road through this high mountain.

"Again!" Hinata Shoyo jumped in front of the net and shouted loudly.

With a cold expression, Kageyama Tobio wiped the sweat from his forehead.

The serve rotates.

It was Kageyama's turn to serve. He stood outside the baseline, his eyes focused.

Throw the ball, take a running start, and jump.

Extreme explosive power. The volleyball transformed into a streak of light, heading straight for the corner of the court in Shiratorizawa. Yamagata Hayato dove to save it, barely managing to deflect the ball. The first pass was inaccurate.

Kenjiro Shirabu could only offer one attack. The volleyball flew high towards Wakatoshi Ushijima. This was exactly the situation Karasuno wanted to see. No tactical cover, just pure individual power attack.

Hotaru Tsukishima, Ryunosuke Tanaka, and Shoyo Hinata quickly closed in, forming a high wall in front of the net. The three blocked the net.

Ushijima Wakatoshi leaped. Facing three outstretched arms, he didn't hesitate for a moment. He swung his left arm in a wide arc and brought it down heavily.

The volleyball slammed into Tsukishima Hotaru's hand with a dull thud. The immense force bent her arm backward. The volleyball broke through the block and crashed into Karasuno's backcourt.

Within the boundary.

Shiratorizawa 3:3 Karasuno.

Hotaru Tsukishima shook her reddened hand, her brows furrowing slightly. This power was utterly unreasonable.

Lu Ren stepped forward and patted Tsukishima on the shoulder.

"Don't try to force it, deflect the force. Raise the ball, and I'll take care of the rest."

Tsukishima adjusted his sports glasses and nodded.

The pressure of the decisive game weighed on everyone's hearts like a boulder. At the halfway point of Shiratorizawa, Tendo Satoru whistled.

"Kasuno's resilience is quite impressive, but that's enough for now."

The serve returned to Shiratorizawa.

Tendo Satoru serves. He serves a short, flat ball to find an opening in the front zone. Sawamura Daichi steps forward and returns it steadily.

"The pass is perfect!"

Kageyama Tobio held the ball with both hands. This time, he chose a back-row attack. Riku Ren jumped from outside the three-meter line, his body gliding through the air. Shiratorizawa's blocking attention was entirely drawn to Hyuga and Tanaka in the front row. Facing an empty net, Riku Ren easily spiked the ball to score.

Shiratorizawa 3:4 Karasuno.

Every point was a delicate dance on the edge. Lu Ren landed and wiped the sweat from his face. He could feel his energy rapidly draining away. Receiving Ushijima's serve had consumed too much of his strength. But now was not the time to rest.

He looked at the Shiratorizawa group on the other side of the net. These overlords of Miyagi Prefecture had been driven to the brink of disaster. Just one more spark and their defenses would be completely destroyed.

"Keep oppressing them!" Lu Ren shouted.

The entire Karasuno team responded in unison. This flock of black crows was charging forward at full speed, ready to tear apart the old king's throne. The fifteen-minute decisive battle had only just begun. The real fight to the death was yet to come. Every drop of sweat, every fall, was adding to the chances of securing a ticket to the national tournament. Whoever relaxed first would face utter ruin.

Lu Ren took a deep breath and focused his gaze on the opposite half of the court once again.

Come on, numerical monster!

Let's see if your power runs out first, or if my mechanism collapses first.

The game continues.