Haikyuu!!: The Disaster of Gamers

As soon as the whistle fell, the rotating bugle sounded. Hyuga Shoyo bounced to the front row like a spring-loaded doll.

For a moment, the air seemed to thicken.

The gazes from Date Industries were like iron filings drawn to a magnet, stubbornly fixed on the small, orange-haired man. Especially the eyebrowless, blue-haired guy, whose eyes were practically glued to Hinata.

"Wow, this tank is getting maximum aggro across the entire map." Lu Ren stood in the back row, looking at Hyuga's thin back, and couldn't help but mentally add a "dangerous" label to the scene. "Is this the treatment a main tank gets? But isn't this tank's armor a bit too thin?"

Although they were startled by that last shot, Date Kogyo is a powerhouse in the prefecture. They didn't lose their composure because of a "first-time kill".

The right to serve is held by Date Industrial.

Kenji Futakuchi dribbled the ball, a smirk still playing on his lips that made you want to punch him. He tossed the ball, took a run-up, and jumped.

"Bang!"

The ball was fast, but luck seemed to be on the server's side. The volleyball slammed into the white ribbon of the net, and its originally sharp arc instantly turned into a strangely slowed and falling ball, dropping straight into Karasuno's three-meter line in the frontcourt.

The most disgusting thing is this kind of tennis ball grazing; the physics engine is completely messed up, and it's impossible to predict.

Hyuga and Kageyama in the front row were preparing for a fast break, with their center of gravity in front, and the ball landed right in their vulnerable area.

"Damn it!" Kageyama tried to stop abruptly, but the inertia made him stagger.

Just as the ball was about to hit the ground, a dark shadow slid past, skimming along the floor.

"QTE (Quick Response Event) triggered successfully."

Like a goalkeeper, Lu Ren stretched out one hand to its limit, and the back of his hand blocked the ball just before it touched the ground. Without any adjustments, he relied entirely on his reflexes from playing action games to "scoop" the ball up.

The ball didn't fly high, and it drifted crookedly towards the backcourt.

"Kageyama!" Lu Ren called out.

No further instructions were needed. The moment Kageyama Tobio saw Riku Ren move, he had already turned back. He chased after the erratic ball and jumped from behind the three-meter line.

At the same time, the orange figure in the front row had disappeared.

Hyuga Shoyo didn't care whether he caught the ball well or not; the moment Lu Ren touched the ball, he had already taken off.

"Sizzle—"

The sound of the shoe soles rubbing against the floor was sharp and piercing.

Date Industrial's blockers were still watching the ball's trajectory, trying to figure out how Kageyama would handle the off-target ball.

"Will it be on the left? Or will it be corrected for the ace?"

In that fraction of a second of delay as their brains processed the information, Kageyama, in mid-air, unleashed his core strength and forcefully corrected the chaotic ball with both hands, pushing it into an extremely flat straight line.

Central network port.

Hinata has reached his peak.

"Snapped!"

There was no hang time, no observation, just pure speed. The ball bounced off the opponent's court, rising even higher than the net.

The Date Industries blocker didn't even have time to close his arms.

"nice shot--!!"

Tanaka Ryunosuke excitedly patted Hinata on the back, almost making the little guy vomit blood.

9: 7.

"beep--"

Date Industries has requested a suspension.

Lu Ren got up from the ground, dusted off his knees, looked at the serious-looking old man on the opposite coaching bench, and smirked: "The first stage of the BOSS battle, the other side has started looking up strategies."

Back on the bench, Ukai Koshin, holding his tactical board, spoke rapidly: "The opponent is starting to adapt to the rhythm of the 'weirdo' quick attacks. Although Hyuga is still fast, their blocking is becoming more organized. They will be closely marking Hyuga from now on, and that's our chance."

"yes!"

The pause has ended.

When he returned to the court, Hinata Shoyo clearly sensed a difference. If before he was merely being watched, now he was being magnified by spotlights. Even when the ball wasn't in his favor, the opposing big men kept a close eye on his running path.

"I feel... creeped out." Hinata rubbed his arms, but his face was contorted with excitement. "Everyone's looking at me...this is amazing!"

"Is this guy a pervert?" Hotaru Tsukishima remarked coldly from the side.

The game continues.

Daichi Sawamura serves. A steady overhand float serve; while not particularly powerful, its placement is tricky. Date Industrial's libero, Yusuke Okunami, sidespins the ball and sets it up perfectly for the first pass.

Moting wanted to quickly organize a fast attack, trying to disrupt Karasuno's formation with speed.

"It's not that easy!"

Nishitani Yu appeared at the landing point like a spinning top, and caught the ball steadily.

The ball flew towards Kageyama.

Hyuga started up again. This time, Date Industries reacted with alarming speed; Aone jumped almost in sync with Hyuga, and a huge shadow instantly enveloped the net opening.

However, Kageyama's wrist twitched almost imperceptibly.

The ball wasn't meant for Hinata; it flew towards the left wing.

"Another bait?!" Qinggen's pupils contracted, but it was too late to change direction in mid-air.

Ryunosuke Tanaka faced the empty net and slammed it down.

"Bang!"

But the ball didn't hit the ground. Date Industrial's backcourt defense was very tenacious, managing to keep the powerful spike up.

The two sides entered into a stalemate.

After several rounds, the score remained very close. Although Date Industries couldn't stop the monster's fast break, they relied on tenacious defense and counterattacks to keep the score difference at bay.

It was Daichi Sawamura's turn to serve again.

Date Industrial received the ball, and Motonari passed it to their middle blocker, Yasushi Kamakichi. The muscular guy roared and prepared to spike a quick ball.

Tanaka and Hinata were in the front row of Karasuno, and the two quickly moved together to prepare for a block.

Lu Ren stood on the right side of the back row, watching Lian Xian's movements.

According to standard tactics, at this point, he, as the opposite hitter, should rush forward and form a three-man block with the two players in the front row to completely block the opponent's straight shot.

Lian Xian thought the same thing. He glanced at Lu Ren's position, a fierce glint in his eyes: "As soon as that seemingly weak setter comes up, I'll shoot his blocker and blast him away!"

However, the next second, Lian was stunned.

Lu Ren did not step forward.

Instead, he took a step back and even squatted down a little.

"Is this guy... scared?"

The thought flashed through Lian Xian's mind, but his hands didn't stop moving. Since there were no three people blocking, the straight line was a huge gap! He swung his arm and slammed it down hard at the spot where Lu Ren should have been blocking.

"Go to hell!"

The ball was launched like a cannonball.

Then, it bumped into a pair of arms that were already waiting there.

"Received!"

Lu Ren gritted his teeth, feeling the heavy force coming from his arm, and leaned back to relieve the force.

"What?!" Sickle landed first, his eyes wide open.

This guy wasn't scared; he anticipated I'd hit a straight shot! If Lu Ren had come up to block, given his height and jumping ability, he would have been riddled with holes by Lian Xian. But he chose to forgo blocking and go straight to ground defense.

"I don't fight numerical monsters head-on; I only attack their weaknesses," Lu Ren thought to himself with a cold snort.

The ball was raised high, in an excellent position.

"Counterattack!"

Kageyama Tokio roared.

Hinata Shoyo has already rushed to the net like an arrow released from a bow.

"That same trick again!"

Alarm bells rang in the minds of everyone at Date Industries.

Aone Takanobu's face remained expressionless, but a terrifying determination burned in his eyes. The instant Hyuga leaped, he forced himself to keep up with the rhythm, relying on his beast-like instincts.

Kageyama's pass has arrived.

Hinata waved her arms.

Qinggen's big hand has also arrived.

"Thump!!!"

A muffled thud, like a heavy hammer striking a thick wall.

The ball was firmly blocked and bounced back onto Karasuno's field, then towards the ceiling.

They were blocked.

The eccentric attacker launched a fast attack, but was blocked head-on for the first time.

Aogen landed, opened his arms wide towards Hinata, and let out a deafening roar: "Ooo ...

The entire stadium seemed to be shaking.

Hinata stared blankly at the high wall, but the light in her eyes did not go out; instead, it burned even brighter.

"Stop spacing out! Next ball!" Kageyama slapped Hinata's butt with a dark expression.

Lian walked over to the net and gave Lu Ren, who was rubbing his wrist, a deep look.

"That shot just now, you did it on purpose, didn't you?" Lian said in a low voice through the net, "Intentionally leaving an opening to lure me into hitting a straight shot."

Lu Ren blinked, looking completely innocent. "Huh? What are you talking about, senior? I just can't jump. You know, I'm just there to make up the numbers."

A vein throbbed on Lian Xian's forehead. Just there to make up the numbers? That guy's positioning for the ball was so precise, like a seasoned pro!

Date Industrial serves.

Perhaps the previous block had greatly boosted their morale, as this serve was extremely aggressive.

Although Nishitani Yu received the ball, the ball's spin was too strong, causing it to fly directly beyond the three-meter line at a very low altitude.

"Kageyama!"

"I can't reach it!" Kageyama reacted quickly, but the distance was too far.

Just then, a figure rushed over.

It's Lu Ren.

"I'll do it!"

Lu Ren slid under the ball, raised his hands, and assumed the position of a setter.

The scene instantly descended into chaos.

This is a corrective shot. Normally, the only option for this type of shot is to pass it to the outside hitters on the wings, raise the arc, and let the ace hit it.

Date Industries' defensive line quickly spread out to both sides, focusing on keeping a close watch on Higashimine Asahi on the left flank. After all, he was Karasuno's ace.

"Give it to the ace! It has to be the ace!"

Date Industries' defensive focus shifted entirely.

However, the commotion on Karasuno's side was outrageously large.

Not only was Higashimine Asahi running for his turn, but Hinata Shoyo cut in from the middle, Tanaka Ryunosuke was yelling for the ball on the right, and even Sawamura Daichi in the back row was making a starting stance.

All troops, attack!

In the midst of the chaotic movement, Lu Ren's fingers touched the ball.

His gaze fell on Dong Fengxu on the left wing, and his body leaned slightly in that direction.

"Fraud check begins."

The Date Industries' blockers almost instinctively prepared to move to the left.

In that very instant.

Lu Ren's wrist did not push the ball out.

He gently flicked it with his left hand.

The ball didn't fly towards any of the attackers, but instead floated lightly over the net and landed inside the empty three-meter line of Date Industrial.

Second attack.

Everyone was still watching the ball's trajectory in the air when it landed.

"Clatter".

The sound was so soft it was almost inaudible, but at that moment it was like a thunderclap.

The Date Industries players remained in defensive stances, stiffly turning their heads to watch the volleyball rolling on the floor.

What just happened?

That substitute opposite hitter... in this chaotic situation, instead of passing to the ace or to the fast break, he just pushed the ball himself?

Lu Ren withdrew his hand, looked at the group of people opposite him who seemed to be petrified, and revealed the kind of smug smile that comes after clearing a hidden level.

"Oops, my hand slipped."

He shrugged, his tone full of insincere apology, "I meant to pass a back-row attack, but it turned out to be a rookie's mistake."

There was a moment of silence, followed by a burst of laughter and exclamations.

"Lu Ren-senpai! You're so mean!" Hinata jumped over excitedly, "That shot was awesome!"

"That's tactics, you know what tactics are?" Lu Ren rubbed Hinata's head. "When the BOSS uses all its skills to defend against its ultimate move, a normal attack can often land a critical hit."

Kageyama looked at Rikuren with a complicated expression. For a moment, even he thought Rikuren was going to pass the message to Asahi. How on earth is this guy's brain working?

The scoreboard flips.

Karasuno's momentum did not wane because of the quick attack that was blocked earlier; on the contrary, it became even more unpredictable because of this playful second attack.

The coach from Date Industrial High School looked ashen-faced.

Besides that monster fast-paced combination, how come this Karasuno team also has such an unpredictable bastard?