The Birth of A Volleyball Legend

It seemed the news delivered by Kawaki about his chance to play in the next game was enough to fuel Yuki's motivation for the rest of the day. Even though the training session itself was pretty light—considering there were only four days left before the game—he still gave his hundred percent and then some during the session.

From agility training to quickness and reaction drills, even in the serving practice where he had already excelled, Yuki ran through everything desperately as if his life depended on it. The determination he displayed today left a strong impression as Kawaki kept nodding in approval as time passed. Ultimately, the grit he demonstrated was enough to escalate the competitive atmosphere among the players, suddenly prompting everyone to give their best and not want to be outperformed by a rookie.

"Damn, Kobayashi! Why the hell are you trying so hard? Is it about your chance to debut next game?" one of the players, Kojima Hara, asked after the training session ended.

"Well, that's one of the reasons," Yuki admitted while wiping the sweat from his face. "But mostly because I feel a bit out of place here."

"What? Out of place?! What do you mean by that?!" Otsuka Shou, the team captain, asked, worried. "We haven't been excluding you, right?"

"No, Shou-san, we haven't done that," Kojima replied. "I'm a bit curious, though. Why do you say that?" he asked Yuki.

"Well, it's simple. I haven't been on the team for long, so I can't easily adjust to the rhythm. I also don't know the team's routine, unlike both of you, who know it like the back of your hand. So, this is just my coping mechanism to ensure I don't feel left out. At the very least, if I excel in training sessions, anyone who sees it will think highly of me."

Kojima and Shou exchanged glances before shrugging, relief evident on their faces. "Well, if that's what you want to do, who are we to stop you? Just make sure you don't go overboard, and let me know if anyone here wants to make your life difficult. And hey, if you really want to adjust here, why don't you try striking up a conversation? Just like your friend," Shou advised while pointing at the blonde boy, who was in the middle of a conversation with others.

"Nah, I'm not as good as him with crowds," Yuki waved his hand quickly. "Don't worry about me, Senpai, and thanks for your concern."

After taking a rest for about fifteen minutes, Kawaki suddenly asked everyone to go to the multimedia room, as he wanted to conduct an analysis class for the next game. Yuki decided to sit in the front row immediately, not caring about the whispers directed at him for being a 'teacher's pet.' He had a chance to debut next game, so he didn't dare mess up, especially in terms of understanding the next opponent.

"Okay, let's get back to business," Kawaki spoke loudly as he walked into the room, capturing everyone's attention. "Miyahara, stop eating your snack just this once and pay attention to me. Endo, you don't need to act pompous; you still smell like training. Momota, focus and don't fall asleep yet. Come on, this will be quick—put your attention on the screen."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

His words were enough to make the players wake up and focus on Kawaki. After turning on his laptop, the coach quickly operated it before clicking on a video to show everyone.

"Okay, this is their last game against Nagoya Steelers; they won 25–21 and 25–14. A solid performance from Giant Bear. Let's analyze it thoroughly." All the players straightened their backs immediately, their eyes glued to the screen. "First, they have Ojiro Senta, their outside hitter. You know his capabilities, so just don't get trapped into his rhythm, and try your best to cut off his momentum before he gets going."

Yuki cringed at the explanation, fully aware that it didn't outline Ojiro Senta's weaknesses at all. His eyes were on the screen, observing how the outside hitter played, and he hated to admit that Ojiro Senta was a far better player than any opponent he had ever faced. Ojiro was calm and composed, never rushing or panicking, and, most importantly, he was always reliable—a perfect trait for the team's ace.

"There's a possibility that he won't play much since he was called up by their main team last week. So, we need to take advantage of that if he's out of the game, okay?" Kawaki continued.

Some players sighed in relief, and just based on that reaction, Yuki could guess that Ojiro Senta had been a considerable headache for the team in the past.

"Next, we have Izuki Sekihara, the setter," Kawaki pointed at the boy, who wore a confident smirk. "Usually, he's calm and composed. However, he is a glory hunter, so once he sees an opportunity, he always goes for a high-risk play to impress the audience. So, blockers, don't get swayed by his antics too easily, okay?"

Yuki glanced at his blonde friend for a moment, recognizing the uncanny resemblance between Riku and this Izuki Sekihara. Both were setters with bold personalities who loved the spotlight, giving him a good idea of what kind of setter he would have to face in the next game.

"The next player we need to watch is their middle blocker, He—"

"Wait, middle blocker?!" Tondo suddenly interrupted. "Their middle blocker can't be that good, right? I mean, guys like that have never been a threat to any team, so why should it be different for us?" Some who knew about the middle blocker Tondo mentioned nodded in agreement.

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"If you'd be kind enough to let me finish my explanation, you'll know the reason for sure," Kawaki glared at Tondo for cutting him off. The boy rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, knowing he had overstepped.

Kawaki sighed tiredly before continuing, "Well, as I was saying before I was rudely interrupted," some players stiffened their laughter at Tondo, "the next biggest threat from Giant Bear is their middle blocker because they have a new player who is very capable in that position. Here, see for yourself." He pointed at a particular blonde boy on the screen.

Seeing that person, Yuki and Riku were stunned for a second before one of them muttered lowly, "Is that Haruo?!"