The joint training with Tokai Heavy Industries Esperanza lasted for about ten days.
During that period, both Akashi Asuka and Oikawa Tooru improved individually, though the gains weren't dramatic. However, looking at the team as a whole, Aoba Johsai had clearly taken a big step forward compared to ten days ago.
Of course, it wasn't just Aoba Johsai that changed.
Hinata Shoyo, who had never received any formal volleyball training before high school, was like an unpolished gem. In those ten days, he absorbed everything like a sponge, soaking in nutrients from the pro-level players around him.
While his growth wasn't explosive in the short term, he had firmly laid down a strong foundation for his future.
After finishing their training at Sendai's Third Gymnasium, the Aoba Johsai team parted ways with Hinata and Miwa Oda.
But just before they left,
"Akashi-kun," Hinata suddenly called out, "what does it take to be a proper ace?"
"Huh? Isn't it just about scoring points?"
Akashi replied almost instinctively.
It was a simple answer, but it was exactly what Akashi truly believed. After all, no matter how many fancy words you use, if an "ace" can't consistently score and lead the team to victory, then they're not a real ace.
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Three Days Later
The Aoba Johsai team headed to Tokyo.
The Spring High School Volleyball Tournament had officially begun.
"Hehehe~~~ Long time no see, Akashi, Oikawa!"
Just as they stepped off the train and arrived at the venue, a familiar hoot echoed through the air, like an owl's call.
They turned to find none other than the white-feathered owl himself, Kotaro Bokuto.
"Yo! It has been a while, Bokuto," Oikawa greeted with a smile.
"Hehehe~~~ I heard you guys had a training camp this summer with Mujinazaka and Itachiyama, right? That's totally unfair, why didn't you invite me?"
"Uh... that was kind of unexpected, actually," Oikawa scratched his head.
Indeed, the entire Aoba Johsai team looked a bit awkward. They hadn't expected that their activities over the summer would trigger a domino effect across Japan, pushing every top-tier school into a frenzy of training and self-improvement.
Nearby, Hajime Iwaizumi walked up to Keiji Akaashi and shook his hand.
Iwaizumi: "It's been a while."
Akaashi: "Yeah. This time, we're not going to lose again."
There were many familiar faces outside the venue, Wakatsu Kiryu from Mujinazaka, Sakusa Kiyoomi and Motoya Komori from Itachiyama, and others. The Aoba Johsai players exchanged a few words with them before the Spring High Opening Ceremony officially began.
The opening ceremony followed a format similar to the Summer Nationals. Everyone had been extremely excited their first time stepping onto the national stage, but now, the second time around, they were much more composed.
Once the ceremony ended, the Spring High School Volleyball Tournament was officially underway.
As one of the top eight teams from last summer's Nationals, Aoba Johsai had a much more favorable bracket this time around. At least on paper, their first two matches didn't feature any particularly threatening opponents.
This was more or less an unwritten rule.
After all, the matchups for a national tournament couldn't be completely random. Imagine drawing the two strongest teams against each other in the first round, how would the organizers sell tickets or secure viewership?
Aoba Johsai's first opponent was Tsubakihara Academy, the second representative from Kanagawa Prefecture.
Coincidentally, in the original series, this was also Karasuno's first opponent during their Spring High debut. Tsubakihara's most notable trait... was essentially that they had no standout traits.
They did have one interesting server with a somewhat tricky serve, but other than that, the team was simply solid and fundamentally sound, not weak, but not exactly dangerous either.
They were lucky to be from a relatively easy region.
Had they been in Miyagi, they probably wouldn't even make the top four, let alone qualify for nationals.
Still, despite facing a clearly weaker team, Aoba Johsai didn't let their guard down.
This was Nationals, after all. Even if your opponent was weaker on paper, one moment of carelessness could send you packing. In a single-elimination tournament, there are no second chances.
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Tweet~~
"Teams, bow."
"Let's play our best!"
"Let's play our best!"
With the referee's whistle, Aoba Johsai's first-round match officially began.
Tsubakihara Academy, clearly aware of Aoba Johsai's reputation, went all-in from the very first serve, playing with full intensity.
But it didn't matter.
Just seven minutes in, the scoreboard read 12–7 in Aoba Johsai's favor.
Despite neither Akashi nor Oikawa putting in much effort, Aoba Johsai's overall team strength was simply on a different level now.
Twelve minutes into the match, Tsubakihara brought on a new player known for a bizarre ceiling-serve technique.
To be fair, that first serve did catch Aoba Johsai off guard and scored them a point.
But by the second serve, the novelty had worn off.
It wasn't even about decoding the technique. It was simply that players like Hajime Iwaizumi and Shinji Watari had reached a point where they could forcibly receive and neutralize even the weirdest serves.
With their trump card exposed, Tsubakihara collapsed.
One hour and five minutes later,
Aoba Johsai 2 – 0 Tsubakihara.
They advanced to Round Two of the Spring High Tournament.
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The Next Day
Aoba Johsai's second opponent came from Saitama Prefecture.
They had also undergone intense summer training this year, but so had the rest of Japan's elite schools, meaning the overall level of competition this year was no joke.
Still, the result was the same.
Up against Aoba Johsai's devastating offense, Saitama's representatives crumbled without managing to take a single set.
Another 2–0 victory, and Aoba Johsai advanced to Round Three.
It was in the third round that Aoba Johsai finally encountered their first major opponent of the tournament:
Inarizaki High – the runner-up of last Interhigh Tournament.
This was a team whose strength was on par with the likes of Itachiyama, a true powerhouse.
Not only did they boast the number one ranked setter in the country, but they also featured the final member of Japan's "Top 6 Aces."
In terms of sheer firepower and lineup depth, Inarizaki and Aoba Johsai now stood shoulder to shoulder, each with elite talent, each ready to fight for the title.