Haikyuu!!: The Disaster of Gamers

Wu Yangxi picked up another ball from the basket and weighed it in his hand.

"The last ball." He looked at Lu Ren. "Stop giving me those math formulas. This is a sports field, not an Olympiad math competition."

Lu Ren wiped the sweat from his forehead, his eyes behind his glasses fixed on the volleyball.

Tsukishima's line about "forcing people to reach" really hit home. In Lu Ren's game logic, the setter is a numerical planner, responsible for delivering the perfect attack to the designated coordinates. But real attackers are flesh and blood; they get tired, they slack off, and they have inertia.

He closed his eyes, and the image of Toru Oikawa that he had seen at the city stadium flashed through his mind.

That monster Oikawa doesn't even look at the coordinate axis when he passes the ball. His eyes scan like radar, observing the tension in his teammates' muscles, the momentum of their jumps, and even the micro-expressions on their faces. That's the ultimate control over human nature, the highest level of support.

"call--"

Lu Ren adjusted his breathing. Since the theoretically optimal solution wouldn't work, he would give these troublesome NPCs a "user experience" patch.

With a flick of his arm, Wu Yangxi sent the volleyball flying in a high arc.

Tsukishima Kei started her run-up again, her lazy posture making you want to kick her in the butt. Lu Ren followed closely to the ball's landing point, her feet firmly planted on the floor.

He didn't jump immediately, but instead glanced at Tsukishima out of the corner of his eye.

Tsukishima's shoulders weren't crushed, and his knees were bent at a three-degree angle less than usual. This guy was definitely just paddling; he had no intention of jumping with full force at all.

Lu Ren jumped.

The moment he touched the ball, he abandoned the so-called "highest point coordinates". His fingers gently wrapped around the ball, his wrist slightly turned inward, and he brought the ball slightly to Tsukishima's right-hand side, lowering the height by ten centimeters and slowing the speed by half a beat.

The ball wasn't meant for Tsukishima to "reach" for; it was deliberately "bumped" into his hands.

"Snapped!"

A crisp sound of the ball hitting the ground rang out.

Hotaru Tsukishima barely exerted herself; she simply swung her hand along with the momentum of her jump, and her palm firmly enveloped the center of the ball. The volleyball, like a precision-guided projectile, slammed diagonally into the opposite baseline.

The entire room fell silent for a second.

That shot was so smooth that even Hinata, who was watching from the sidelines, was stunned.

Tsukishima landed, looking down at his right palm, his expression extremely complex. He frowned, as if he had eaten something strange, and after a long while, he managed to utter a single sentence:

"That's disgusting."

Lu Ren was expecting positive reviews, but when he heard those three words, his face immediately fell: "Huh? Say it again?"

"That feeling..." Tsukishima pushed up his glasses, his eyes filled with disgust, "It felt like the ball was glued to my hand, so comfortable it was nauseating. Are you trying to please the attackers this way?"

Lu Ren's eyes widened, his temper flaring up instantly: "You're really hard to please! Too high, no good; just the right height, no good. You only want me to pass you a ball that hits the instep, right? Today I'm going to make you do both!"

He rolled up his sleeves, ready to rush over and confront Tsukishima; this teammate was just too difficult to manage.

"Alright, alright, Lu Ren, calm down." Tanaka Ryunosuke hugged Lu Ren's waist, grinning from ear to ear. "You know how foul-mouthed Tsukishima is, he's definitely praising you!"

Sawamura Daichi also came over, patted Lu Ren on the shoulder, and said with satisfaction, "Indeed. For Tsukishima to say 'comfortable' means your passing has already mastered the craft."

Tadashi Yamaguchi nodded vigorously, trying to smooth things over for his sharp-tongued childhood friend: "Lu Ren, A Yue was just shy, really, that shot was really cool!"

"Shy my foot!" Lu Ren pointed at Tsukishima. "Look at his face, where is there even a hint of shyness?"

Uyang Shishin stood on the other side of the net, looking at Lu Ren, and a barely perceptible smile finally appeared on the corner of her mouth.

"Alright, stop fooling around." Wu Yang clapped his hands, signaling everyone to gather. "Lu Ren, although your setting technique is still a bit raw, your awareness is definitely up to par. Starting today, you will also participate in the specialized training for setters."

He paused, his expression turning serious: "Kageyama is a starter, but that doesn't mean he'll never have a problem. If his passing lanes are blocked by the opponent, or if things get chaotic on the field, you're our backup plan. I want you to be a 'jack-of-all-trades' who can switch modes at any time."

Upon hearing this, Lu Ren immediately dropped his aggressive stance and gave Wu Yang a thumbs up: "Coach, your judgment is impeccable. As the ancients said, 'A thousand-mile horse is common, but a discerning eye is rare,' and you are that discerning eye."

Stop flattering me and get back to training!

For the next three hours, the stadium turned into a true battleground.

Ukai Koshin lined up Kageyama, Sugawara, and Rikujin in a row, placing them on the left, center, and right of the net respectively. The remaining team members formed a long line, running around like parts on an assembly line.

"After Kageyama, we'll move on to Sugawara, and finally Rikujin! Anyone who dares to stop will have to run laps around the track!"

Lu Ren felt like he had become a ruthless serving machine.

Kageyama's passes are "precise violence," as ruthless as a scalpel; Sugawara's passes are "gentle guidance," making players feel at ease; while Rikujin's passes are constantly trying to add various "human touches," sometimes making Tanaka play happily, sometimes making Higashimine Asahi dunk smoothly.

As darkness fell, the streetlights outside the stadium cast a dim, yellowish glow.

When Wu Yang announced, "That's all for today," Lu Ren collapsed onto the floor, feeling as if his fingers no longer belonged to him.

"Is this... the training camp?" Although Hinata Shoyo was also covered in sweat, his eyes shone with an astonishing light.

Everyone dragged their tired bodies to the training dormitory.

This is a somewhat old building, with the air carrying the musty smell of wood and tatami mats.

"Wow! Is this where we're going to stay?" Hinata looked around the corridor like a primary school student on his first autumn field trip, wanting to examine every single floorboard.

Kageyama walked behind him, his face grim: "Calm down a bit, this is embarrassing."

"This is my first time participating in a training camp! Kageyama, aren't you excited?"

As Tsukishima walked past the two, he abruptly remarked, "What's there to be happy about when you're constantly running into a bunch of sweaty, slovenly guys?"

"Tsukishima, you bastard!" Tanaka Ryunosuke glared at him.

Nishitani Yu jumped out, retorting with a serious expression, "Tsukishima, you're too naive. As long as Kiyoko-senpai is within a 500-meter radius, how could the air be stale?"

Tanaka immediately chimed in, spreading his arms as if embracing the void: "That's right! Can't you feel the clear, refreshing energy in this air? That's the blessing of the goddess! What a pathetic sense!"

Sugawara Koji helplessly poured cold water on the situation, saying, "Well... as for Shimizu, since her home is nearby, she'll go back as soon as she's done with her work."

The air suddenly became quiet.

Tanaka and Nishitani fell straight to the ground like two pieces of wood that had lost their power, letting out a mournful wail as if their souls had left their bodies.

Lu Ren threw his bag on the ground, looked at the two clowns, and his sarcastic instincts kicked in again: "Senior Tian Zhong, Senior Xi Gu. If I hadn't gotten to know you two well, just based on what you said and your expressions just now, you would definitely be arrested as perverts outside."

Tanaka looked up and pointed weakly at Lu Ren: "Hey... Lu Ren, show some respect for your senior."

Just then, footsteps came from the end of the corridor.

Kiyoko Shimizu and Ayako Kiyosawa walked over side by side. Kiyoko still had a cool and indifferent look, while Ayako had changed into a casual tracksuit with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows.

Tanaka and Nishinoya instantly revived on the spot, their eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

"Jie...Jie-senpai! Weren't you going home?" Tanaka asked excitedly, her words tumbling out incoherently. "Could it be that you stayed behind specifically for someone?"

His gaze swept over everyone, finally settling on himself, a mysterious blush spreading across his face.

Lu Ren walked over and casually patted Tanaka on the shoulder, shattering his illusions: "Senior, you're half right. Senior Jiezi did stay, but not for you. She stayed to keep Yazhi company because she was worried about her being alone here."

Tanaka and Nishitani were stunned for a moment, then bowed deeply to Kiyoko Shimizu in unison.

"Thank you for your kindness, Senior Jiezi!"

Kiyoko Shimizu adjusted her glasses, nodded politely, and then turned to Ya-Chi and said something.

Ms. Takeda, wearing an apron, poked her head out from the kitchen next door: "Oh! Everyone, you've come at the perfect time. Help with the cooking, I really can't manage alone."

"Okay, Mr. Takeda," Yazhi replied, pulling Kiyoko Shimizu along as they headed towards the kitchen.

Lu Ren put down his luggage and, as if possessed, followed them.

The kitchen was steaming hot.

Teacher Takeda was chopping vegetables, Kiyoko Shimizu was washing rice, and Yazhi was standing in front of the stove, tying the straps of her apron.

Lu Ren leaned against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest.

The last rays of the setting sun streamed through the window, falling perfectly on Ya-zhi's profile. She tied her ribbon with practiced ease, her long hair cascading over her shoulders; her relaxed, homely demeanor was a stark contrast to her efficient and decisive persona at school.

As Lu Ren watched, he couldn't suppress the smile on his lips.

This feeling is like reaching a save point in a game, where all the noise around you quiets down.

Yazhi turned her head and met Lu Ren's gaze.

"What are you looking at? Hurry up and help carry the plates." She raised an eyebrow, her tone still assertive, but her eyes held a hint of tenderness that was hard to detect.

"Yes, sir."

Lu Ren walked over and took the vegetable basket from her hand.

At that moment, volleyball, training, and Oikawa Tetsu were all forgotten. He thought, if the training camp was always like this, then this hellish dungeon might not be impossible to keep going indefinitely.