Volleyball: The Time of Resonance

The bathroom light was cool, and the blue eyes seemed to be scrutinizing themselves. The faucet, which wasn't turned off completely, made a dripping sound.

The members of Teiko High School clenched their fists. It was the same again. They didn't take them seriously at all!

"What are you so arrogant about?! At the very least, Otoko is just a weak team! Nobody has any faith in them!"

His blue eyes glanced at the doorknob, and Yinchuan Mian pondered what others had told him.

With her memories reconnected, Yinchuan Mian once again turned her gaze to the person in front of her.

"They say I'm a genius, are you too?"

Without feeling anything was wrong with calling himself a genius, the brown-haired boy's question left the other person speechless.

"Just you wait until tomorrow's match, Teiko High School will make you regret it!"

"Isn't that a phrase called 'pissing your pants in exasperation'?"

"Bang--!"

The toilet door was slammed shut, and the resulting gust of wind lifted part of Yinchuan Mianye's hair.

He also wanted to use a word to describe it: inexplicable.

Back in the cat team, Yinchuan Mian was the first to find Mushroom Cat, hugged her and gave her a kiss, and sensibly didn't put her weight on the poor Mushroom.

"Why did it take you so long to come back?" Kuroo Tetsuro handed Ginkawa Miya's water glass to him.

Yinchuan Mian thought for two seconds and then concluded, "I met someone from Teiko in the restroom. He said we were a weak team."

"Huh?!" Yamamoto Taketora suddenly joined the chat and let out a surprised shout.

"Teiko, huh? They're finished! Tomorrow I'm going to blow their heads off!!"

Yinchuan Mianye, who is currently petting a cat: So fast, such a loud voice!

He was certain that at least four people had been looking in his direction out of the corner of his eye.

Lone Claw Grinding: I really want to escape.

Kuroo Tetsurou, whose reliability was currently stable, coughed to calm Yamamoto Taketora down. They continued chatting about the topic while leading the others back to school.

...... ......

The venue for the IH qualifying tournament was very close to the stadium, and since the British team hadn't arranged any group accommodations, everyone should have gone home for the night.

Once again, the captain of the team, who was grinding the left claw with the right hand, was enjoying the close bond between his childhood friend and the right hand, a bittersweet experience.

This time, the sheep was very well-behaved, wrapping itself up like a silkworm and only burying Blacktail Iron's blanket, luckily without crushing anyone.

As always, the mushroom-headed cat slept quietly without moving around.

Kuroo Tetsuro's nights are spent falling asleep to the soft, gentle breathing of his childhood friends.

However, mornings are not a pleasant time to wake up; after picking up the sheep, I have to pick up the cat.

Even if we lived very close by, we should have rented a dormitory for a few days, but unfortunately, we didn't have enough money.

Naoki trusted his teammates to assemble at the designated time, so he used the funds for boxed meals.

(I'm currently very poor, Onkoma :(｡•́︿•̀｡).)

After the first day of preliminary rounds, the second day of competition returned to the normal best-of-three format.

This was not good news for Kozume Kenshin. By the end of the third inning, the match, which was not particularly close, was almost over.

If the match goes on for a long time, and each ball has to go back and forth several times before landing, then Kozume Kenma will become mentally confused and physically exhausted by the end of the second game.

Their match is at 10 o'clock.

The red team uniforms weren't particularly eye-catching among the various shades of color, but they still elicited some scattered whispers as they entered the stadium.

Most of the conversation was about Yinchuan Mianye, and some people were saying that Yinju's title of "fallen tycoon" could probably be removed.

Kuroo Tetsuro didn't feel anything. Wataru's popularity had always been good. Even though he was always defeated by Nodo Junior High when he was in junior high school, he still had a number of fans no less than Sakusho Seishin.

His looks are definitely part of the reason, but his strength is also undeniable.

The cats scattered down the corridor and started doing their own thing.

Kozume Kenmo dug out the recent match videos of Itayama. He had already watched the Teiko High School match yesterday when he got home. Since the third-year students had already graduated, there were quite a few changes in the players, so it wasn't very useful for reference.

Yesterday's preliminary rounds were not recorded because it was impossible to determine who the competitors were, and there was no evidence that someone was hired to record the videos in advance.

Teiko High School is indeed quite stable, but there are too many habits and unnecessary actions among the players. The current second-year game videos are unavailable, but the current third-year games are still available.

Sitting on the bench, Yinchuan Mian also put his feet on the edge of the seat and hugged his legs. He was also watching the video of Jingtashan's game.

The main purpose is to observe the new ball-handling strategies of a certain germaphobe.

How on earth do people bend their wrists like that?!

The brief waiting period ended, and Yinju missed the previous contestant.

Sports competitions are always accompanied by injuries. The air inside the stadium is always filled with the smell of disinfectant and painkillers, with the smell of sweat hidden beneath them.

No matter how cold the weather, the sports field is always hot and humid. IH is a grand and lively event, but it is the last competition for many senior high school students. Spring High School has countless students who risk never being able to play volleyball again, but they still try their best to score one more point and stay on the court for one more second.

Yinchuan Mian also looked down at the person who walked past him, large tears falling to the ground.

He didn't quite understand why people insisted on playing volleyball on this particular court when volleyball could be played anywhere.

So much cheering here, but not much of it is for me, is it?

Volleyball is indeed a fun sport. Perhaps when I get old, I will still play volleyball with Xiao Hei.

Xiao Hei didn't participate in the competition with the goal of winning the championship. Although he hoped to win, he wanted more people to like the sport.

The many little question marks that popped into my head were put aside as the whistle blew.

We'll find out sooner or later anyway, so it's okay if we don't.

A member of Teiko, feeling slighted once again, was furious.

Coincidentally, Teiko served, and Teiko's hot-tempered older brother was the one serving.

Yinchuan Mianye glanced at the indistinct figures on the opposite side through his teammates and inexplicably felt that the ball was aimed at him.

The hair-jumping motion, carrying a strong gust of wind, hurtled towards Yinchuan Mianye's front.

The boy reacted quickly, diving to catch the ball!

The volleyball hit my hand with a "thud," and my knuckles turned red instantly.

When Yinchuan Mian stood up, she shook her hands – it hurt!

The blue eyes stared intently at the other person, as if telling him, "You're finished."

The first pass for this ball wasn't handled very well. Kozume Kenma took a few steps back and passed the ball to Yamamoto Taketaka in position 4.

Ever since learning that Teiko looked down on Otoko, the mohawk-haired guy became unusually excited and let out a loud "Ah!" as the ball broke through the opponent's block.

"So emotions can have a detrimental effect," Yin Chuanmian muttered thoughtfully.

"Berserk mode increases damage, but it will make you lose your mind." Kozume Kenma looked at Mina with suspicion, afraid that the other party would go astray.

"Good shot, Yamamoto!"

Only Kuroo Tetsurou offered timely encouragement, and even Hisense was momentarily distracted by the two children's conversation.

"Well done, one more goal!" Hisense said.

Standing in the warm-up area, Yoruichi looked thoughtfully at the Teiko player. Did he know that Kozume Kenma couldn't receive the first pass? Or did he simply want to target Ginkawa Myako?

Yoruichi quickly dismissed his second idea. While Yinchuan Mian was indeed a key scorer, targeting a middle blocker at the start of the game was completely unnecessary.

When it was Yinchuan Mianye's turn to serve, the boy casually squeezed the ball, got into position, and was ready.

The whistle had barely blown when the ball was tossed up and served a jump serve, quickly grazing between the hot-tempered guy and his teammates.

Serve and score!

"So fast!" Sato Tsuyoshi looked incredulously in the direction the ball had bounced.

He was clearly watching Yinchuan Mianye's every move!

Another point with a jump float!

Sato leaped up but missed, and angrily slammed his fist on the floor.

Serves lead to consecutive points!

The audience began to chat.

"Otoko's serve is amazing, it's like a dual-wielding style!"

"Don't you know him? He's Yinchuan Mianye! He was very famous in junior high!"

"Oh, is that so? I don't watch junior high school matches."

"He was widely recognized as one of the top five outside hitters in the country during junior high!"

"Wait, isn't he a middle blocker?"

"Switching seats is normal!"

Is this normal?

...... ......

"Ginkawa Mina, don't be so smug. I will definitely defeat you." Sato Takeshi said through gritted teeth, his eyes reddening.

Yinchuan Mian blinked her blue eyes twice, a huge question mark appearing above her head. Who's so smug? Me?

(OO)?

The sheep, who had just dropped a ball, felt it couldn't keep up with the internet speed and secretly decided to go home and play video games for three hours straight.

"Mianye, what's wrong with you? Why are you so worried about me?" Kuroo Tetsuro asked curiously.

"I don't know him." The boy's voice was slightly hoarse from the intense exercise, and his soft tone sounded distant.

"Ah!"

A roar came from the other side of the net, startling two or three of the cats on this side.

Kuroo Tetsurou clicked his tongue and rubbed the cat beside him.

I got scared again (=°ω°)ﾉ

Yamamoto Kouya is one thing, but why does every team have that one player who likes to yell and scream?

(Yes, I'm talking about you guys, Wood Rabbit and General Yu.)

.......

Another ball was caught by Teiko High School's libero, and Kozume Makoto frowned.

Teiko High School's style is exactly the same as their banners.

"Never give up" is indeed a great slogan, but it can't be reflected in every single ball!

The black-haired Teiko setter's attempt to lure Ginkawa Myaya in the wrong direction failed, and he could only entrust his trust to his ace.

The volleyball flew forward in an arc, and Yinchuan Mianye's eyes never left the ball for even a moment.

Almost simultaneously with the opposing ace, Yinchuan Mian quietly cleared a space with her hand.

Blocking error!!

Teiko High School's main attacker finally found an opening and unleashed a powerful diagonal spike! It slammed down!

"boom--"

He was rescued by Yakuei.

"Good shot, Yoru-senpai!" Yamamoto Taketaka cheered.

His gaze was fixed on the opposing team's ace who had just jumped. He licked his lips, wanting to jump like that too, and then—slam the ball into the opponent's court, watching their surprised expressions!

Sato took a few steps back to defend.

Could it be Yinchuan Mianye's ball?

All thoughts flashed by in an instant, and Kozume Masami quickly reached out and threw the ball back into the air!

Fukunaga Shohei started his run-up from the back row like a ghost!

The students of Teiko High School were startled by Fukunaga Shohei's actions and couldn't help but follow him!

Damn it! It's a backline attack!

Everyone at Teiko High School was thinking the same thing, but Ginkawa Myaya had already started, not with a regular fast break run-up, but with a shorter and more sudden jump.

Kozume Kenpaku has wanted to do this for a long time!

Everyone should be wary of Mianye! If we don't, he'll definitely score! If we are wary of him, the defense in other areas will inevitably weaken!

Yinchuan Mian also hit the ball inside the baseline! Yinju scores!

"Go Teiko! Teiko will win!!"

"Imperial Light! Imperial Light! No one can stop it!!"

On one side of the audience seats, rows of boys dressed in identical clothes stood in neat rows, shouting in unison.

Yinchuan Mian was also stunned for a moment, and habitually looked up in that direction. This was only the second day of the qualifiers, and people had already come to cheer them on?

The cheers from Teiko High School weren't very loud; they were mixed in with the conversations in the audience, so you could hear them, but not very clearly.

A group of girls wearing the uniforms of Otoko High School looked at each other, all a little shy, and none of them dared to be the first to speak.

The girl who volunteered to set up the fan club gripped the plastic megaphone in her hand tightly.

"Go, Otokoma!"

"Yinchuan Mianye, another goal!"

"Keep it up!"

As the first person spoke, faint cheers of encouragement could be heard from the other half of the stadium.

"Yamamoto! What's wrong with you, Yamamoto!!" Yaku Eisuke smiled at the audience, then turned around and saw that Yamamoto seemed to be about to faint.

"No, I'm fine!! I'm perfectly fine now!!"

Yinchuan Mian also felt that Yamamoto Taketora was just short of getting a nosebleed; he really looked like a strange old man from a manga...

Perhaps cheers really can give players on the field a boost.

Kozume Kenma watched as the dying Teiko High School team across from him was revived as if by a powerful healing spell, their morale restored.

Sweat soaked through her collar, and Yinchuan Mian uncomfortably tugged at her collar a couple of times.

The first game has ended, with Otoko emerging victorious.

"Maya, you're in good shape today," Kuroo Tetsuro said to the cat who was checking itself.

"Hmm, I don't want to go through the hard work of grinding."

Even though the time is still the same, I always feel that the high school competition is much more tiring than the junior high school competition.

I looked up and saw the scoreboard with black and white text on white paper. Several white boxes contained zeros, while a smaller piece of paper had a huge two on it.

If we can win the second game quickly, we'll have more time to rest.

I pulled two lemon slices out of the tin box and popped them into my mouth; the crunchy dried fruit was very chewy.

The lemon peel had a refreshing but slightly bitter taste. It was good that there wasn't enough sugar. A sullen sheep appeared. He silently closed the tin box, went to where the backpack was, and squatted down to put it in the bag.

Just as he finished zipping up his zipper, a banana suddenly appeared in front of him.

"Want a banana?"

"Huh, Senior Hai?" Yinchuan Mian also asked in confusion, but obediently took the banana. "Thank you."