Haikyuu!!: The Disaster of Gamers

Before the whistle had even blown, Makoto Shimada of the Town Club team stepped up to serve again.

The middle-aged man pushed up his glasses, his eyes glancing between the back and front rows of Karasuno's team. Same posture, same throw height.

Standing in the back row, Lu Ren chewed on the air, a cold smile playing on his lips. This was like fighting a boss; if the boss only had one attack animation, players would have already wiped it out. He'd already suffered a loss in this position, and now they wanted him to suffer a second time? Did they think his game time was something he could easily gain?

"Front line cover!"

The instant Shimada swung his arm, Lu Ren's body moved. No thought was needed; it was pure muscle memory honed from being hit by the ball over the past few weeks. Like a cheetah already lurking in the grass, he anticipated the landing point, his knees slightly bent, his arms brought together in a perfect plane.

"Bang!"

The volleyball hit his forearm with a solid feel, without flying wildly or spinning. It bounced obediently, tracing a not-too-high but stable arc, heading straight for Tobio Kageyama's head.

"The first pass is in place!" Lu Ren shouted.

These past few weeks of grueling training haven't been in vain. Although I'm still far from having "maxed-out defense" like Nishinoya, I've at least moved beyond the "newbie" level and can barely be considered a qualified support.

At the net, the orange figure vanished instantly.

Hinata Shoyo was like a bug unrestricted by the physics engine; the instant Riku touched the ball, he had already leaped off the ground. There was no hesitation in taking a run-up, no delay in observing the block; it was simply—a full-speed sprint.

The middle-aged men from the town's team were still staring at the ball's trajectory, completely unaware that one of them had already flown into the sky.

Kageyama Tobio's fingers touched the volleyball just as it was about to fall. Without any further adjustment, he flicked his wrist, and the volleyball shot out of his hand like a bullet being accelerated.

That spot was empty.

No, someone has arrived.

Hinata's hand swept through the air, landing precisely on the trajectory of the volleyball.

"boom!"

A loud bang.

The volleyball slammed heavily into the three-meter line of the town's team, and bounced away before the blocking uncles even had a chance to jump.

2: 2.

The stadium fell silent for a second.

Takinoue stared, mouth agape, at the volleyball still rolling on the ground, then at the small, excited-looking guy who had landed: "Hey... what just happened?"

"So fast..." Shimada Makoto wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I didn't even see the trajectory of the pass."

On the sidelines, Uyang Shishin almost snapped the cigarette in his hand. He stared wide-eyed, as if he had witnessed some supernatural phenomenon.

Ittetsu Takeda stood to the side, adjusting his glasses. Although he tried to maintain a humble demeanor, he couldn't hide his smugness, as if to say, "See, I told you my kid is amazing."

On the other side of the net, Higashimine Asahi stared blankly at Hinata Shoyo.

In that brief moment, there was nothing in Hyuga's way. No tall nets, no arms obstructing his view. Only the wide court and a point he was certain to win.

"So that's what it means..." Dongfeng Xu muttered to himself.

The short guy had shouted to him earlier, "As long as Kageyama passes the ball, you can dodge any block, no matter how high it is, and the view in front of you will suddenly become clear."

He thought it was a metaphor.

What he didn't know was that Hyuga's eyes were closed when he spiked the ball. That guy didn't even look at the other side; he completely surrendered his body to instinct and placed his trust in Kageyama.

Dong Fengxu looked down at his palm.

That kind of smash without any obstacles, that exhilarating feeling of slamming the ball hard onto the floor.

Images flashed through my mind like a movie.

The fence of Date Kona was as strong as steel.

The ball was blocked again and again.

That feeling of powerlessness, that feeling of guilt.

And the argument in the storeroom that day.

"I want to..." Dong Fengxu's voice was soft, drowned out by the surrounding noise, but the voice in his heart grew louder and louder, "No matter how many times I'm stopped, I want to get stopped one more time."

Even if I face an iron wall again, even if I am humiliated again.

I still want to play volleyball, you bastard.

Nishitani Yu stood beside him, seemingly oblivious to Higashimine's whisper, but as if sensing something, he grinned wildly: "That's good! Asahi-senpai's words are enough!"

"I didn't say anything..." Dong Fengxu was taken aback.

"That's what your back view says!" Nishiya gave a thumbs up.

The game continues.

It was Karasuno's turn to serve. Hyuga Shoyo took the ball to the baseline, took a deep breath, and his expression was more serious than if he were about to blow up a bunker.

"Don't send it to the back of your head!" Kageyama threatened coldly from the front row.

"So verbose!"

Hyuga tosses the ball and swings his arm.

The ball didn't hit the target properly; it wasn't powerful enough. The volleyball wobbled towards the net, and under everyone's watchful eyes, it grazed the top edge of the net.

"Sizzle—"

The ball changed trajectory, lost momentum, and fell vertically towards the front area of ​​the town team's field.

Lucky ball!

"I'll take it!" Shimada Makoto reacted quickly, diving forward and using the back of his hand to cushion the ball before it hit the ground.

But the ball was caught too weakly and flew directly into the backcourt.

Sorry! Re-upload is not possible!

"It's alright!" Uncle Takigami squeezed in from the back row, looking up at the volleyball soaring high in the air. "Long-haired guy! I'm counting on you for the final hit!"

He passed the ball with both hands, delivering a high and long set-up attack, targeting Dong Fengxu.

The volleyball traced a long parabola in the air.

This gave Karasuno ample time to prepare.

"Stop him!"

Tobio Kageyama, Hotaru Tsukishima, and Ryunosuke Tanaka. The three quickly gathered at the net, moved in unison, and jumped.

This is practically a wall.

Hotaru Tsukishima's height, Tobio Kageyama's jumping ability, and Ryunosuke Tanaka's imposing presence.

Dong Fengxu takes a running start and pushes off the ground.

He looked at the three pairs of arms in front of him from mid-air, and that familiar sense of oppression returned. Just like when he faced Date Kou that day, everything was pitch black, and he couldn't see where he would land.

But he still swung his arm.

A powerful spike.

"Bang!"

The volleyball slammed hard into Kageyama's palm and bounced back forcefully.

"Stop them!" Tanaka roared.

The volleyball flew backwards towards the backcourt of the town's team, faster than when it was spiked.

Dong Fengxu landed and looked at the ball flying back, his heart suddenly clenched.

Is it like this again?

Is this reality?

"It's not over yet!!!"

A furious roar exploded from the side and rear.

A figure glided across the floor; it was Xigu Xi. He was like a pre-programmed sequence, appearing at the landing point the instant the ball was blocked.

"Smack."

The volleyball was steadily raised.

As Tanaka Ryunosuke watched this scene, a memory suddenly flashed through his mind of what he had seen earlier at the gymnasium. Nishitani Yuu was shirtless, her body covered in purplish-blue bruises. Those were medals earned from repeatedly falling to the floor while practicing receiving these blocked balls.

Nishitani Yu rolled over and stood up, his eyes flashing with an alarming light. He stared at Higashimine Asahi's retreating figure and shouted:

"Even if the ball is blocked by a high wall, I can still catch it for you! So—"

"Call for the pass again, Ace!!!"

The volleyball flew high and landed at the setter's position.

Sugawara Koji was standing there.

The ball is here.

But to whom should it be sent?

Sugawara's gaze swept quickly across the entire room.

On the left, Mr. Shimada is ready; the blocking there is relatively weak. On the right, Mr. Takigami is also making his positioning.

And Xu... Xu just had a shot blocked.

If I pass to him again, and if he gets blocked again... can Xu really get back on his feet? As the setter, should I choose the route with the highest success rate, or...?

"Sugawara-senpai!!!"

A loud shout suddenly came from the other side of the net.

Across the net, Kageyama Tobio's usually cold face was now contorted with rage and impatience.

"One more time!! Until we score!!!"

The entire audience was astonished.

Hotaru Tsukishima rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath, "Wow, the King is definitely a sadist. Is he going to publicly execute me?"

Lu Ren stood in the back row, watching Kageyama yelling at his senior, and couldn't help but smile.

This guy has changed.

In the past, Kageyama would only think that his teammates were weak and that the ball should be passed to someone with a better chance of winning. But now, he is forcing his opponents to evolve and also forcing his predecessors to make choices.

This isn't a dictator; this is clearly a devilish coach with a whip.

Sugawara was startled by the shout.

He looked into the flame in Kageyama's eyes—a desire for victory and an understanding of the setter's position: trust your attacker until the very last moment.

"In tough battles... when the first pass is off... the final ball must be entrusted to the ace..."

Sugawara gritted his teeth.

I understand.

I understand everything!

But isn't it too cruel to pass the ball to Xu, who wasn't waiting for it, and let him face those three blocking players alone?

Just then.

"A-Jin!!!"

A rough shout pierced through the hesitation.

Dong Fengxu stood three meters away from the line, leaning forward, the timidity and hesitation in his eyes gone. In their place was a hunger almost like that of a wild beast.

"One more goal!!!"

As long as the ball hasn't hit the ground and as long as there are people supporting me from behind, I have no reason to back down.

I am the ace.

I need to score!

Sugawara felt a chill run down his spine, and a long-lost surge of excitement rushed to his head.

"yes!!!"

Sugawara raised both hands, pouring all his trust and expectations into them the moment he touched the ball.

The volleyball flew out.

It wasn't the kind of fast ball that was deliberately spread out to avoid the block, nor was it the kind of cautious, probing ball.

It's closer to the network and a little further away from the network.

That was a pass that they had practiced countless times over the course of a year, and that Dong Fengxu liked the most, could generate the most power from, and found the most comfortable.

"Tsk."

Hotaru Tsukishima frowned as she watched the ball fly towards her. "They really don't learn their lesson."

He turned to look at Kageyama. "Are you really taking care of the opponents? Are you really trying to let them score?"

Kageyama stared intently at Higashimine Asahi's running figure, a fanatical smile curving his lips: "Holding back would be meaningless. If we don't stop him with all our might, how can we prove he's an ace?"

"Tch, what a nuisance." Tsukishima said this, but his arm was raised straighter than anyone else's.

The three-man block was formed again.

It's like an insurmountable mountain.

Dong Fengxu takes a running start.

One step, two steps, three steps.

The floor made a dull thud.

He jumped.

His body stretched out completely in the air, like a fully drawn bow. At that moment, there was no fear in his eyes, only the volleyball suspended in mid-air.

That was a pass from Asagi.

That was the ball that Nishinoya desperately caught.

That was the goal everyone was waiting for.

"Break!!!"

The arm swung down.

The palm made contact with the sphere, producing a loud, teeth-grinding thud.

"boom!!!"

It wasn't a skillful tip-out, nor was it a cross-court shot meant to dodge a block.

Pure power.

Pure violence.

The volleyball smashed through Kageyama and Tsukishima's joined arms, like a cannonball fired from a gun, carrying terrifying spin and kinetic energy, and directly pierced through the net.

"Thump!!!"

The ball hit the floor and bounced even higher than the net.

Lu Ren was standing in the back row defensive position when he felt a gust of wind sweep past him and the ball landed two meters away from his side.

He swallowed hard, feeling a chill run down his spine.

Luckily, I didn't try to catch the ball.

If that hit my arm, I'd probably need an ambulance on the spot, and an orthopedic appointment would be booked. Is this what they call a "fragile heart cannon"? This is clearly a human weapon!

The referee blows the whistle.

2:3. The town team scores.

Dong Fengxu landed, panting heavily. He looked at his slightly reddened palms and then at the broken net on the other side.

That heavy, substantial feel.

The thrill of breaking through obstacles.

came back.

They're all back.

"Good shot, Asahi!!!" Nishitani Yu rushed over and slapped Higashimine on the butt. "So cool!"

Sugawara stood in front of the net, his eyes a little red, but he smiled brighter than anyone else and gave Higashimine a thumbs up.

On the other side of the net.

Kageyama shook his numb hand, but instead of being annoyed, he showed an excited expression.

Tsukishima rubbed his wrist, his face grim: "Hey, if that ball had hit my face, it would have disfigured me, right? That was foul-level force."

Lu Ren walked over, patted Ying Shan on the shoulder, looked at the bearded uncle opposite him who had finally awakened, and sighed:

"Looks like the dungeon difficulty has increased. Now, our team finally has a berserker who can both tank and deal damage."