A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Enjoy!

edited on september 16th, 2021 @ 9:52am

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CHAPTER THIRTY - SIMPLE AND PURE STRENGTH

HIDEAKI ALMOST FLINCHED WHEN YAMAGUCHI almost got a ball spiked to the head by the tall player from Kakugawa. Luckily, Yamaguchi wasn't hurt. Hideaki walked over to Yamaguchi and lightly dragged him away from the incoming spikes before the match began.

TWEEEET!

Both teams lined up as they bowed.

"Let's have a good game!"

Once Karasuno was done with their huddle, they headed onto the court. Hideaki stared at the tall player from the opposite side of the court as he narrowed his eyes.

"Whether our opponents be tall or short, we'll win in the end." Hideaki thought, a smirk appearing on his face.

"Tsukishima, nice serve!"

Tsukishima serves the ball as a player from Kakugawa received it. The ball goes to the setter as the setter tosses the ball to the tallest player, Hideaki runs over towards Hinata and Kageyama as he got ready to block the attack with them.

The three of them jump up, however Hideaki clicked his tongue in annoyance when he saw that the tall player was going to smack the ball over them. The ball touched the court, making Kakugawa gain the first point.

The game continues with the ball going up.

"Coming in from the left!"

"Hyakuzawa!"

The ball gets smacked down again by the tall player, Nishinoya shifted over and received the ball back into the air. "Sorry, cover!" Nishinoya announced. Hideaki ran over to the ball, watching it as he narrowed his eyes before looking over at Hinata.

"Hinata, get it!" Hideaki encouraged before sending the ball over to Hinata.

Hinata jumps up, Hideaki saw how he was going to do a feint, but sadly Hyakuzawa stopped the ball with ease, making the ball go back down on the court and the opposing team getting another point.

Hinata pouted before turning to Hideaki. "Sorry!" He apologized as the black haired male patted his shoulder.

"Don't mind." Hideaki reassured him.

"The ball was a little low." Hinata added.

"Seriously, Hinata. It's fine. Don't worry about it." Hideaki said as he turned to find Kakugawa staring at them. They looked away when Hideaki caught them staring.

"What the heck?"

Hideaki looked over and saw Hinata staring at Kageyama who was looking down at his hands. "Why are you moving your fingers like a pervy old man?" Hinata added as Hideaki snorted in amusement.

"Hah?"

Hinata moves back, scared of the intense aura Kageyama had, as Kageyama went back to look at his hands. "Why are all of my juniors so weird?" Hideaki wondered with a sigh.

The game soon continued as Hideaki kept his eyes on the ball and saw a chance for a spike, so he charged forward and jumped up, smacking down the ball but it got blocked. The volleyball goes up in the air.

"Up! Above the net!" Hideaki called out.

"Shove it in, Hinata!"

Hideaki watched as Hinata jumps up to push the ball onto the opposing team's side, however the tall player won the pushing match and Kakugawa gained a point once more.

The person to serve the volleyball next was a guy from the opposing team, as they serve the ball. "Out!" Nishinoya announced as they watch the ball go out and Karasuno gained a point. Soon it was Kageyama who was serving.

"Kageyama, nice serve!"

The referee blew the whistle and Kageyama did his jump serve, the libero saves it but they fall back, another guy covers for his teammate as he sets the ball up to the tall player. Daichi, Hinata, and Hideaki jumped up to block, but it was no use as Hyakuzawa smacked down the ball and got a point.

TWEEEET!

Karasuno had called for a timeout, making them get off the court to gather around Ukai. Kiyoko handed out towels and water bottles to them.

"No matter how much I jump, I get hit from above me. What in the world should I do?" Hinata groaned.

"For starters, calm down." Hideaki replied.

"Shoyo." Nishinoya spoke, making everyone turn to their libero.

"Air combat alone doesn't make volleyball."

Hinata seemed taken aback by his comment. "There's something I've noticed." Daichi began, making everyone glance over to their captain. "After watching their previous warm-up and how they play, it appears that Kakugawa's Number 9 can't hit shots in varying courses." He explained.

"He only shoots cross-court in the direction that his body is facing." Nishinoya added as Ukai walked over.

"Judging from their practice, that Number 9 must have recently started playing volleyball." He said as Hinata glanced at their coach.

"So he's like Lev from Nekoma?" Hinata asked as Hideaki chuckled.

"The only thing he's lacking is the speed and senses that Lev has." The hawk-eyed male commented.

"Put differently, Kakugawa's Number 9 only has his height, but that alone is far beyond everyone else."

"So when Number 9 is hitting, we'll disregard the possibility of line shots."

After that discussion, the whistle blew for the game to continue. Kakugawa having four points with Karasuno only having one.

"Left, left!"

Hideaki jumped up to spike, slamming down the ball but the opposing libero saves it, making the volleyball go up in the air. Hideaki watched as the setter of the opposing team sets to Hyakuzawa in which he jumps up to spike. Daichi, Hinata, and Hideaki jump up to block him, with Nishinoya to the side of them, as the ball gets slammed. However, Nishinoya managed to receive it.

"All right!"

Kageyama tossed to Hinata. Hyakuzawa jumps up to block him, but Hinata did a feint instead, making Karasuno gain a point as Hideaki sighed in relief, glad that they managed to get past the tall player.

"Hideaki, it's your serve." Daichi told the black haired male, handing him the volleyball.

"Right." Hideaki replied.

Before he served the ball, he looked over at Hinata to see him excited and nervous about something that was said. Hideaki took a deep breath to relax his nerves as he spun the ball in his hands, waiting for the whistle to blow.

Once it did, Hideaki threw the ball up and did his jump serve as the libero saves it, but just barely. Hyakuzawa jumps up to spike the toss his setter performed, but Nishinoya had his eye on the volleyball and saved it once more.

"All right!" Nishinoya cheered to himself.

Hinata raced to the end of the court, as Hideaki made the realization that him and Kageyama were going to try their new quick attack. The black haired male smirked as he watched the quick attack happen and the shocked faces of the opposing team.

The crowd in the audience who also witnessed the attack were also shocked.

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Kageyama and Hinata performed their new quick once again, getting Karasuno another point. Hideaki turned his head to look at the scoreboard.

Kakugawa

14

Karasuno

15

"Are we at the top of our game?"

"Boo-ya, boo-ya, boo-yah, boo-yah!"

"Are we at the top of our game Kageyama?"

"Shut up, you guys!"

Hideaki sweat dropped and deadpanned at Nishinoya, Tanaka, Kageyama, and Hinata as Daichi told them to be quiet. Hinata was serving the ball next as he took a big breath to relax.

"Hinata, relax!"

Soon Hinata serves the ball, as players run to receive it. The ball goes around to each team a few times as the tall player spiked down the ball, only for Hinata to save it by getting hit in the face.

"It's coming back! Hit it directly!"

Hideaki smirked when he saw Tsukishima jump up to block the spike. "You're not the only one with a tall player on your side!" He thought.

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"Number 10! Number 10!"

Hinata and Kageyama once again do their quick attack, getting Karasuno a point. "All right!" The two cheered.

Hideaki looked back to see the score and saw they were at match point.

Kageyama serves the ball, as the libero saves it in time. He watched as Hyakuzawa spiked down the ball his team's setter tossed to him. Hideaki managed to crouch down and receive it, but the ball bounced off his arm and the point goes to Kakugawa.

The ball goes back up in the air as Hideaki watched Kageyama toss to Tanaka, who spikes it down powerfully, but a player from the opposing team saves it, making Hideaki huff in annoyance, wanting the match to be done with already.

The ball gets spiked once more from Kakugawa, but Nishinoya shifted down to his knees and saved the ball. The ball goes into the air as Kageyama gets ready to set to Hinata, however it was a fast attack this time and Karasuno gets a point, winning the first set.

TWEEEET!

Karasuno gets off the court as Kiyoko gave everyone their water bottles and towels. "Hey, you know how you asked before the game if I was seriously chickening out?" Hinata asked Kageyama.

"Was that because you knew that the quick attack would go well?"

Kageyama turned to the orange-haired male. "Not really... though, I did think I was doing better than usual today." Kageyama started making Hinata confused.

"Then why did you say that?" He asked as Hideaki  looked over to the setter for his response.

"I mean, you crammed a lot of practice in back in Tokyo, right? Things other than the quick."

Hinata widened his eyes a little at the comment, until Kageyama smirked. "Though, that very first feint was stopped ever so easily." He teased.

"Shut up!" Hinata exclaimed.

TWEEEET!

It was the start of the second set, the ball goes into play, as Hideaki crouched down to receive it.

"Nice receive!" Tanaka complimented as Hideaki watched Kageyama sets to Hinata who smacks the volleyball down. The libero slightly saves it.

"Cover!" He called out.

Hideaki then watched as Hyakuzawa slams down the ball once it came to him. Nishinoya tried to save it, but the ball just bounced off his arms.

"All right!" Kakugawa cheered for their point.

"Damn it!" Nishinoya cursed.

The ball goes back into the air as Tadahiro kept his eyes on it, Nishinoya sends it up to Kageyama. "Nice receive!" Kageyama praised. Soon, Tsukishima, Hideaki, Daichi, and Tanaka run forward in unison, doing their synchronizing attack.

After Tsukishima faked doing a spike, Tanaka made sure to slam the ball down powerfully and got Karasuno a point.

The game continued, with each team not giving up. Hideaki was panting, getting tired from all the running and jumping, but was still able to play. He watched as Hyakuzawa slammed down the volleyball.

Hideaki shifted his feet as he received the ball. "Sorry, it went too high!" He apologized, wiping the sweat that was running down his forehead. Hyakuzawa reached the volleyball when it was close to the net and slammed it down, getting Kakugawa a point.

"All right!"

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Karasuno got a point when Tanaka slammed down the volleyball. "All right!" His team cheered as Hideaki sighed and glanced over at the score.

Karasuno

24

Kakugawa

19

"We're at match point. About time..." Hideaki thought.

"Tanaka, nice kill!" Sugawara praised. They had rotated with Daichi, Hinata, and Tanaka being at the front.

"Even though we're normal height, against someone who is 6' 7", we look like shrimps. I feel like that's what people are saying." Daichi spoke up.

"What was that?" Hinata hissed, glaring at the two guys who flinched back. Tanaka grabbed Hinata by the collar and pulled him back.

"All right guys, if we can't stop it, we'll receive it." Daichi said, making Hinata and Tanaka nod in agreement and determination.

Kageyama did his jump serve, the ball gets saved as it makes its way to the setter, who tosses to the tall player as he ran forward.

"Not yet! Hold it for a bit." Daichi told them.

"If a wall doesn't work... we'll use a plate!"

The three of them jumped as they made their hands flat, making them get a one touch. Hideaki dived over and saved the ball.

"Hideaki-san, nice!" Tanaka praised as he ran over and covered for him, sending the ball back up.

"Nice, Tanaka!" Hideaki exclaimed, getting back up.

Hideaki watched as Hinata jumped up, as three more blockers jumped up as well. Hideaki smirked when Hinata managed to hit the ball at the tall player's fingertips, making the ball go up as it touched the court and Hinata crashed onto the floor.

TWEEEET!

Karasuno had won the match, making them cheer in excitement.

"All right!"

Asahi came over and held up Hinata, in with the orange-haired male smiled as Daichi, Kageyama, Nishinoya, and Hideaki clapped for him.

"Hinata you did it!"

"We got past the first round of preliminaries!"

"Nice going, Shoyo!"

They all headed to the court to line up.

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The matches were finally over for today, as they were heading home. "Kiyoko, we'll hold all the bags!" Hideaki heard Nishinoya and Tanaka exclaim in unison.

"Most of the stuff has already been taken care of." Kiyoko informed, as Daichi looked at the trio, mainly at Nishinoya and Tanaka.

"Hey, let's go, guys." He called out.

"Oh, I'll go check to see if we've forgotten anything. Hitoka-chan, you go on ahead." Kiyoko said to Yachi, as Hideaki noticed Nishinoya and Tanaka were still staring at Kiyoko, making him sigh and drag them off. "Come on, Noya, Tanaka." He said, making the two second-years complain.

They reached the others as Hideaki heard Kageyama talking to Hinata. "Jeez, you've gotten good at attacking, but your receives are still so crappy. What was that hgya? What's a hgya?" Kageyama asked as Hinata growled.

"I-It went up though, right?" Hinata defended himself as Hideaki smirked in amusement.

"Hgya!"

"Hgya!"

Hideaki glanced at Tanaka and Nishinoya, then he saw Ennoshita, Narita, and Kinoshita behind them. "By the way, you guys are all okay with the summer break homework, right?" Ennoshita asked smugly as the two second-years tensed and yelped.

"Hgya!"

"You remember how I said I wasn't going to help you, right?"

Hideaki rolled his eyes as he noticed Yachi walking over to Hinata who was staring at his hand. "Is something wrong, Hinata?" Yachi asked.

"Now, we'll finally stand in the same ring as the Great King and Ushiwaka Japan!" Shoyo exclaimed as Hideaki sweat dropped.

"You do know they have real names, right?"

However, instead of a response, Hinata just yelled out in shock at something when he looked into his bag. "Huh?" Yachi yelped, jumping back.

"I forgot my lunch box!" Hinata announced as he runs off in a panic to retrieve it.

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While waiting for Hinata and Kiyoko to return, Hideaki felt his phone buzz in his pocket, he takes it out, seeing that Oikawa was calling him. He excuses himself from his team and accepted the call.

"Aki-chan! Did you guys win?!"

Hideaki moved his phone away from his ear. "Don't yell, Tōru. And yes, we made it through. Won both of our matches in straight sets." He replied.

"Iwa-chan, they made it!"

"I heard, Shittykawa!"

Hideaki rubbed his temple, feeling a headache coming on. "Well, I better get going, Tōru. I'll see you when the qualifiers begin." He said.

"I love you, Aki-chan!"

"Yeah, yeah, I love you too, trash."

"Hey—"

Hideaki hung up before Oikawa could finish his sentence. He returned to the team just in time for a guy with dyed blonde hair walk by who smirked at him. The hawk-eyed male just raised an eyebrow in question.

"What the hell was that all about?"

Soon after they left, Kiyoko and Hinata appeared. "Sorry to keep you waiting!" Hinata called out.

"You're late, moron!" Kageyama hissed.

"Kiyoko! We're glad you're safe!"

"Did you find anything left behind?"

"Oh, the cutely wrapped—"

"You don't have to tell them!"

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A/N: Another chapter is done! Thanks for reading!