Haikyuu!!: The Disaster of Gamers

The bandleader across the way, Sagara, put down his baton and rubbed his aching cheek. Their proud brass band had been completely shattered by the four brass suonas across from them. The trombone player was already playing off notes, and the trumpet player's face was flushed red. If this continued, Inarizaki's cheering squad would collapse from lack of oxygen first.

Sagara put his baton in his pocket, walked across the aisle of the stands, and headed straight for Karasuno's camp.

On the stands of Wuye, Lu Jianguo was unscrewing a bottle of mineral water and handing it to Grandpa Zhang, who was leading the suona playing.

"Old Zhang, take a break and clear your throat. These Japanese kids have good lung capacity; we'll have to fight a long battle." Lu Jianguo greeted him in his thick Sichuan accent.

Grandpa Zhang took the water, drank a big gulp, wiped his mouth, and said, "It's nothing. Back in the day, I could blow it for three days and three nights straight without breaking a sweat. This is nothing."

Xiang Le walked up to Lu Jianguo and stopped. He looked at the group of Chinese men wearing floral shirts and sunglasses, then at Lu Xin holding a megaphone. He stopped in front of Lu Jianguo and bowed slightly.

"Excuse me," Sagara said in Japanese.

Lu Xin put down the loudspeaker and turned to look at the boy in the Inarisaki school uniform. She was fluent in Japanese and took on the role of the communication bridge.

"Is something the matter?" Lu Xin asked.

Sagara pointed to the game on the field, then to the instruments played by both sides: "Your instruments are too penetrating, seriously disrupting the normal rhythm of the game. This interference is unfair to both teams."

Lu Xin translated Lu Jianguo's original words.

Lu Jianguo chuckled, taking off his sunglasses: "Hey, this kid's got a sense of fairness now. Who was it that started yelling at our kid with the loudspeaker? Is it a case of 'the magistrate is allowed to set fires, but the common people aren't allowed to light lamps'?"

Lu Xin relayed the message. An embarrassed look appeared on Xiang Le's face. He admitted that Inarizaki's cheering style was always domineering; using sheer volume to overwhelm opponents was their traditional tactic. But today they had met their match.

"I propose," Sagara said earnestly, "that from now on, both sides will only perform cheering music when their own team serves. Once the ball is served and we enter the rally phase, everyone must remain silent. How does that sound?"

Lu Xin told Lu Jianguo about the suggestion.

Lu Jianguo stroked his chin. His original intention was simply to help his son deflate the opposing team's arrogance; he hadn't intended to turn the volleyball match into a wedding or funeral. The old men weren't young anymore, and it would be exhausting to keep praising them.

"Okay, let's do it his way." Lu Jianguo made the decision. "When serving, everyone should rely on their own skills. Once the game starts, shut up. Follow the rules. We Chinese are the most rule-abiding."

Sagara received an affirmative reply, breathed a sigh of relief, bowed again in thanks, and turned to run back to Inarizaki's camp.

The conductors on both sides of the stands exchanged a glance and simultaneously put down their instruments.

The venue suddenly fell silent.

The only sounds were the echo of the volleyball hitting the floor and the creaking of the players' shoes against the plastic surface.

Gong You stood in front of the net, his ears still ringing. He picked at his ears and turned to look at the stands. Xiang Le gave him an "OK" sign.

On Karasuno's side, Tanaka Ryunosuke rubbed his temples: "Finally, some peace and quiet. I couldn't even hear what Kageyama was shouting just now."

Lu Ren stood in the back row and glanced in his father's direction. Lu Jianguo gave him a thumbs up.

"Agreement reached." Lu Ren cracked his knuckles. "The physical cheat has expired. Now it's all about raw power."

The score is 11-8, with Karasuno leading. Inarizaki has possession.

Ooshiro Alan stepped onto the service line once again. This time, there was no deafening symphony, nor the soul-piercing suona.

There was only the whistle for serving.

Oshiro Aran tossed the ball, took a run-up, and jumped. Without any external interference, his powerful jump serve was of extremely high quality. The volleyball, with a strong backspin, headed straight for the corner of the Karasuno court.

"I'll do it!" Nishitani Yu lowered her center of gravity and precisely positioned her arms at the ball's landing point.

"Bang!" The volleyball hit Nishiya's forearm, bounced high, and flew steadily towards the net.

A perfect first pass.

Kageyama Tobio was already waiting at the landing point. Without any extra movements, the moment his hands touched the ball, it turned into a white streak and flew towards the left wing.

Dong Fengxu jumps to meet the ball.

Inarizaki's blocking reaction was extremely fast. Kakuna Rintaro and Miyaji had already closed in front of the net, blocking the straight line.

Dong Fengxu used his waist to forcefully change the trajectory of his spike in mid-air, hitting it diagonally.

Inarizaki libero Akagi Jisei made a diving save, cushioning the ball's trajectory.

"Counterattack!" Gong You shouted.

Without the noise interference, Inarizaki's "dual-core system" began to operate at full speed.

Gong You ran towards the ball's landing point, turned his back to the net, and held the ball with both hands.

Gong Zhi sped up from the back seat.

This was an extremely well-concealed back pass. The volleyball flew over Yu's head and landed precisely on Osamu's hitting spot.

Karasuno's block was fooled by Miyazaki's feint, and Tsukishima Keihan jumped half a beat.

Miyaji scored with a powerful spike.

11: 9.

The Gong brothers high-fived in celebration. Their teamwork was flawless, and every pass pushed the limits of human reaction speed.

Lu Ren quickly analyzed the previous round in his mind.

[Inarisaki Dual-Core System: Synchronization rate restored to 95%.]

[Tactical execution: Extremely high.]

Without external interference, Inarisaki displayed the terrifying depth expected of a national runner-up. Their attacks were not only fast but also varied, and the Miya brothers' tacit understanding required no verbal communication.

Karasuno serves. Kageyama Tobio moves to the baseline.

The venue was so quiet you could hear him bouncing the ball.

Toss the ball, jump, unleash a powerful jump shot.

The volleyball hurtled straight to Inarizaki's back row. Akagi Jiro received it smoothly, making a perfect first pass.

Gong You takes control of the ball. He not only passes accurately, but is also adept at deceiving the blockers with his eyes and movements before passing the ball.

Hotaru Tsukishima stared intently at Yuu Miyabi's shoulder.

Left? Right? Or fast break?

Gong You's fingers touched the ball.

The ball flew towards the middle. Rintaro Kazuna jumped.

Hotaru Tsukishima quickly took steps together and jumped to block the net.

Kakunami displayed superhuman core strength in mid-air. He folded his upper body backward, avoiding Tsukishima's blocker, and then flicked his wrist to spike the ball into Tsukishima's defensive blind spot.

The ball landed.

11: 10.

Inarizaki scored two consecutive points.

"That middle blocker's hang time and flexibility are disgusting," Ryunosuke Tanaka gritted his teeth.

Lu Ren stepped forward and patted Yuedao on the back.

"He's used to observing the blockers in mid-air before making his move," Lu Ren said. "Next time you jump, don't rush to reach out. Wait until he's halfway through his movement before reaching out. Reduce his options."

Hotaru Tsukishima adjusted her glasses: "Easier said than done. He has a longer hang time than me, so I'm the one who suffers from being the one who attacked last."

"You don't need to block him completely." Lu Ren pointed to Xi Gu Xi in the back row. "Just block his most comfortable hitting route, and we'll take care of the rest."

The game continues.

Inarisaki serves. Miyako stands at the baseline.

He closed his eyes, savoring this rare moment of tranquility. Without the disturbance of the suona, he could perfectly control his breathing.

The eight-second rule. Throw the ball, jump.

Powerful jump serve.

The ball was extremely fast, heading straight for Lu Ren.

Lu Ren remained standing, leaning slightly backward with his hands clasped together.

The volleyball hit his arm, dissipating most of the force, and bounced steadily towards Kageyama's position.

"Great pass!" Hinata Shoyo shouted, rushing forward from the back row.

Karasuno's "multi-point cross-positioning" strategy has been launched.

Hinata, Tanaka, and Higashimine jumped at the same time.

Inarizaki's blocker hesitated briefly. Who should he mark?

Kageyama Tobio passed the ball to Tanaka on the right wing.

Tanaka faces a single block and smashes a powerful spike. The ball goes out of bounds.

12: 10.

Karasuno stabilized the situation.

The rest of the match became a contest of tactical awareness and raw skill between the two sides.

Without the mutual attacks from the cheering squads, every round on the field becomes extremely entertaining.

Inarisaki's attacks were both dazzling and deadly. The Miya brothers' fast breaks, Kakuna's unpredictable changes of direction, and Oshiro Aran's powerful breakthroughs took turns assaulting Karasuno's defense.

Karasuno, relying on Riku Jin's tactical arrangements and Nishitani Yu's extreme defense, kept the score close.

The "Chimera" tactic was constantly refined in actual matches. Lu Ren was not only the opposite hitter, but also the second brain on the court. He constantly collected information on the opponent's hitting habits and adjusted Karasuno's defensive positioning in real time.

Karasuno leads by one point at 15:14.

Inarizaki attacks. Miyako passes the ball to the corner flag.

Hotaru Tsukishima remembered Riku's instructions. After he jumped, his arms did not fully extend, but remained in a contracted position.

The antagonist twisted his waist in the air, preparing to avoid the net.

Just as Kakuna swung his arm, Tsukishima Kei's arm suddenly stretched upwards, precisely blocking Kakuna's spike trajectory.

"Bang!" The volleyball hit Tsukishima's hand and bounced back to Inarizaki's half of the court.

Miyaji dove to save the ball and propped it up.

Alan, in the back row, jumped to handle the half-high ball.

Lu Ren moved ahead to the ball's landing point and caught it steadily.

"Counterattack!"

Kageyama Tobio passes the ball. Hinata Shoyo leaps high into the air.

A "thump" style jump.

Hinata's body hovered in mid-air, her gaze passing over Inarizaki's net.

Smash to score.

16: 14.

Inarisaki requested a suspension.

Coach Kurosu looked at his players as they walked off the field, his tone serious: "Kanasano's adaptability is very strong. That number 13 is constantly adjusting their defensive system. The anglers' spiking routes have been restricted."

Rintaro Kakunami took a sip of water: "That bespectacled guy is smart. He doesn't care about blocking me to death, he only cares about disrupting my rhythm."

"Gong You, Gong Zhi," the Black-Bearded Dharma Master called out. "Speed ​​up the rotation. Use speed to break through their defenses."

On the other hand, Coach Ukai was very satisfied with Karasuno's performance.

"Well done. Keep this pace," Coach Ukai said. "Inarizaki's system is very sophisticated, but even the most sophisticated system has its limits. What we need to do is keep putting pressure on them."

Lu Ren wiped the sweat from his forehead. The intense mental work had taken a heavy toll on his physical strength.

"They'll speed things up next." Lu Ren drank half a bottle of sports drink. "The Miya brothers' fast break frequency will increase. Kageyama, Hinata, use your fast breaks to suppress them. Don't let them take the lead."

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

The competition has reached a fever pitch.

Inarizaki quickened the pace of the attack. Miya Yu's passes became faster and faster, and he even began to frequently use second-chance opportunities.

On Karasuno's side, Hinata and Kageyama's "weird fast attack" continues to cause trouble for their opponents.

The score went back and forth, with neither side able to widen the gap.

Karasuno leads 20-19.

The crucial 20-point mark.

It was Lu Ren's turn to serve.

He stood at the baseline, the volleyball in his hand spinning twice.

In the stands, Lu Jianguo and Grandpa Zhang sat quietly. Xiang Le also stood on Inarizaki's conductor's platform, arms crossed.

The whistle blows to serve.

Lu Ren took a running start and jumped.

This wasn't the banana kick he used before; it was a powerful and heavy jump shot.

The volleyball, whistling through the air, hurtled towards Akagi, the libero in Inarizaki.

Akagi mishandled the ball, and it flew out of bounds.

A point is scored from a serve.

21: 19.

A sigh escaped from the stands at Inarizaki.

Gong You looked at Lu Ren with a hint of apprehension in his eyes. This number 13 was not only intelligent, but also had terrifyingly solid fundamentals.

Lu Ren serves again.

This time, he changed his strategy and served a short, fast, floating serve.

The ball suddenly dropped after crossing the net and landed in front of Miyaji.

Miyaji made a difficult save, bouncing the ball up. The first pass was inaccurate.

Gong You was forced to adjust his pass while running.

This is a flaw.

Lu Ren seized this opportunity.

"Tsukishima! Keep a close eye on the left wing!"

Hotaru Tsukishima moved swiftly, forming a double barrier with Daichi Sawamura.

Tail White Alan launched a strong attack.

The volleyball hit the blocker's hand and bounced back to Inarizaki's half of the court.

Karasuno scores another point.

22: 19.

The situation began to tilt in Karasuno's favor.

But Inarizaki, as a national powerhouse, will never easily admit defeat.

Gong You took deep breaths at the net, trying to regain his composure. He had to step up and break the deadlock.

Inarizaki serves. Miyako serves.

He was extremely focused.

Throw the ball, jump.

A perfect hitting point. The volleyball, a blur, slammed into Karasuno's backcourt baseline.

Good shot, right on the line.

22: 20.

Miya Yu scored directly with a serve, stabilizing Inarizaki's position.

The suspense of the match remains.

Lu Ren looked at Gong You opposite him and stretched his neck.

"This is the level of intensity that a national competition should have," Lu Ren muttered to himself.

He enjoyed the feeling of dancing on the edge of a knife. The stronger the opponent, the greater his sense of accomplishment in cracking their system. The charm of volleyball lies in this clash of mechanics and numerical values. It's about whose system collapses first.

The referee blew the whistle, and the match continued. Both sides engaged in a new round of fierce competition at the net. There was no noise to distract them, only the symphony of sweat and the volleyball. On this wooden floor, the high school students' battle had reached its climax. Every point was crucial, every jump was taken with all their might. The crows of Karasuno and the foxes of Inarisaki were locked in a life-or-death struggle on this court.