Shinzen High School, Saitama. 1:15 PM.
The gym temperature had climbed to a sweltering 34°C. The air was thick with the smell of floor wax and cooling spray, but around Court B, the atmosphere was different. It felt charged, like the static before a lightning strike.
The "Freak Duo" had barely caught their breath after their frantic arrival before they were thrown into the rotation. Now, they were staring across the net at the person they had traveled half of Japan to catch.
Ryuu Gojou walked to the service line. He didn't spin the ball with flashy flair. He just gripped it, feeling the textured leather against his calloused palms.
"Hey, Kenma," Ryuu called out, not turning his head. "Don't fall asleep. I'm trying something out."
Kenma took a wary step back from the net, his eyes narrowing. "Just don't hit me in the back of the head. It's too hot to deal with a concussion."
...
Score: 0 - 0.
Ryuu stood eight meters back. He tossed the ball—a high, vertical climb that seemed to hang in the shimmering heat of the gym. He took his approach, his footsteps sounding like heavy drumbeats against the wood.
Step. Step.
BOOM.
The sound of the contact was a whip-crack that caused the players on the neighboring courts to flinch. The ball was a yellow-and-blue blur that defied the laws of physics.
Nishinoya shifted his weight, his eyes wide. Daichi braced himself.
THUD.
The ball hit the floor inches inside the baseline before Nishinoya could even drop his hips.
Silence.
Then, the referee's whistle. Service Ace.
"I didn't... I didn't even see it," Hinata whispered, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks.
On the sideline, Bokuto Koutarou gripped the railing. His hair seemed to stand on end.
"AKAASHI! Did you hear that?! That wasn't a 'pop,' that was an explosion! Why is his ball louder than mine?! It's not fair!"
Akaashi didn't look away from the court. "It's the contact point, Bokuto-san. He's hitting it at the absolute apex of his reach. It's... terrifyingly powerful."
Ryuu didn't let them recover. He stepped back and repeated the motion. This time, he added more shoulder, snapping his torso like a bowstring.
Nishinoya was ready. He moved before the contact, reading the shoulder drop. He threw his body in front of the missile, locking his arms into a perfect platform.
BAM!
The ball hit Nishinoya's arms, but the "weight" was monstrous. It didn't pop up; it ripped right through his form, forcing his arms apart and slamming into his chest before ricocheting into the stands.
"Guh!" Nishinoya stumbled back, staring at his reddened forearms. "It feels like... he's throwing bricks."
..
Ryuu noticed the slight gap between Tanaka and Asahi. He aimed for the "indecision zone."
He fired a high-speed floater—a ball with zero spin that danced in the humid air. Tanaka and Asahi both twitched. The split-second hesitation of 'Yours!' versus 'Mine!' was all Ryuu needed. By the time Tanaka dove, the ball had already kissed the wood.
Service Ace.
Ryuu exhaled a plume of hot air, his eyes glowing. He wasn't even breathing hard.
Over on the sideline, Bokuto had gone strangely quiet. His eyes were blank, his mouth slightly open. He was shivering, despite the 34-degree heat.
"Bokuto-san?" Akaashi asked.
"He's... he's so cool," Bokuto whispered, his voice trembling with a mix of jealousy and pure awe. "I want to do that. I want to make people freeze like that! Akaashi, I'm going to practice serves until I die tonight!"
Karasuno was desperate. Kageyama was barking instructions, trying to stabilize the back row. Ryuu served another heavy one. Tanaka managed to get a solid receive, but the power was too much to cushion. The ball shot back over the net—a perfect Overpass.
Ryuu didn't wait for Kuroo. He stepped in from the baseline, jumped, and smashed the chance ball directly into the floor at Hinata's feet.
Kill.
..
The referee blew the whistle for a Karasuno timeout. They had to stop the bleeding.
Ryuu walked to the bench, wiping his face with a towel. Kuroo handed him a bottle of water, a shark-like grin on his face. "Six in a row including the overpass. You're a real jerk, Ryuu. They just got off the bus."
"They were late," Ryuu said, his voice casual but firm. "Consider that the late fee for missing the morning session."
He looked over the net at Hinata, who was staring at his own hands, his whole body vibrating.
"Hey, Chibi-chan," Ryuu called out over the net.
Hinata looked up.
"That's the baseline," Ryuu said, pointing to the service line. "If you can't handle the serve, you don't get to play the game. Welcome to the Nationals."
Hinata didn't yell back. He just clutched his jersey, his eyes locked on Ryuu with a terrifying, raw hunger.
....
Nighttime: The Third Gym.
The day's matches had ended. Karasuno had lost every single set. Ryuu was heading to the Third Gym for his extra practice when he passed Shimizu by the equipment shed. She was checking the ball count.
"Six aces in a single rotation," Shimizu said as he approached. Her voice was calm, but her gaze was squinting.
Ryuu stopped, leaning against the doorframe. "I missed the seventh. My toss was a bit shallow because of the sweat. It's annoying."
"Our players are discouraged," she noted, looking him in the eye. "But Kageyama is already watching the footage on his phone. You've given them a mountain to climb, Gojou-kun."
Ryuu grinned. "Good. If they stay in the valley, they'll never see the view. It's more fun for me if they actually make it to the top."
He reached out and took a stray ball from the bin, spinning it casually.
"Go get some rest, Shimizu-san," Ryuu said, his tone softening. "The boys are going to be a mess tomorrow. They'll need their manager's head to be clear."
Shimizu gave a small, rare smile. "Goodnight, Gojou-kun"
"Night."
Shimizu watched him walk into the gym where Bokuto's "HEY HEY HEY" was already echoing.
...
The air in the Third Gym was slightly cooler than the main hall, but the intensity was much higher. The rhythmic thump-thump-thump of Bokuto spiking against a wall echoed through the rafters.
Kuroo was leaning against the net pole, wearing a provocative smirk as he looked at a very reluctant Tsukishima.
"Oh? Leaving so soon, Tsukki?" Kuroo teased, his voice dripping with mock disappointment. "And here I thought we were going to work on those 'cautious' blocks of yours."
"It's been a long day, Kuroo-san," Tsukishima replied flatly, his hand already on his bag. "Some of us actually value sleep."
"Sleep is for the weak!" Bokuto shouted, catching his ball. "Akaashi! One more! Give me a high one!"
Ryuu walked in right then, tossing his empty water bottle into a bin. He took in the scene: Bokuto vibrating with energy, Kuroo playing the "villain" mentor, and Tsukishima looking like he'd rather be anywhere else on earth.
"What's the hold-up?" Ryuu asked, walking toward the net. "I heard a lot of noise but I don't see any balls hitting the floor."
Bokuto's face lit up. "RYUU! Come on! We're doing three-on-three but Tsukki is being a killjoy!"
Ryuu turned his gaze to Tsukishima. He didn't look at him with the same "predatory" intensity he used during matches. Instead, he just looked amused.
"You're the tall one, right?" Ryuu asked, tilting his head. "I noticed you today. You've got good height, and you actually read the hitter instead of just jumping like a frantic squirrel."
Tsukishima stiffened slightly at the unexpected observation. "I just don't see the point in jumping if the ball is already past me."
"Logical," Ryuu nodded, stepping onto the court. He grabbed a ball from the cart and spun it. "But you didn't touch a single one of my spikes today. Not even a fingertip. Doesn't that bother you?"
Tsukishima's jaw tightened. "You're the National Champion. It's expected."
"Expected?" Ryuu laughed, a short, cheeky sound. "Man, you Karasuno guys are weirdly humble for a bunch of rebels. Look, Glasses. I'm staying for an hour. Bokuto-san is going to be hitting crosses, and I'm going to be hitting lines. If you leave now, you're basically saying you're okay with being my personal highlight reel for the rest of the week."
He tossed the ball to Akaashi.
"But if you stay," Ryuu grinned, "maybe you'll actually find out what it feels like to shut me down. Wouldn't that be a better story to tell your girlfriend?"
"I don't have a girlfriend," Tsukishima muttered, though he slowly let go of his bag strap.
"Even better. No one to distract you from getting stuffed," Ryuu teased. He looked at Kuroo. "Hey, Captain. You taking the middle? Let's see if we can teach the kid how to actually use those long arms for something other than reaching the top shelf."
Kuroo cackled, pushing off the net pole. "Now we're talking! Tsukki, if Ryuu is spiking, you better keep your eyes open. He doesn't give mercy points."
Hinata, who had been hovering in the shadows, practically vibrated out of his skin. "ME! I WANT TO BLOCK TOO! OR SPIKE! JUST GIVE ME THE BALL!"
Ryuu ruffled Hinata's hair as he passed. "Patience, shrimp. You're on our team. We need someone to chase the rebounds when Tsukishima actually manages to touch one."
Tsukishima sighed, taking his glasses off to wipe them on his shirt. "This is going to be a long night, isn't it?"
"The longest," Ryuu promised, a challenging glint in his eyes. "Akaashi! Toss it up! Let's give them a reason to stay awake!"