A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Also, I decided to add Nakamura to the character list since he plays a major part in season four. Enjoy!

edited on september 30th, 2021 @ 8:42am

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CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE - A SIMPLE AND PURE STRENGTH

REI ALMOST FLINCHED WHEN YAMAGUCHI almost got a ball spiked to the head by the tall player from Kakugawa. Luckily, Yamaguchi wasn't hurt. Rei 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. Rei stared at the tall player from the opposite side of the court as he narrowed his eyes.

"Whether our opponents be tall or short, Karasuno will come out victorious in the end." Rei 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.

Kageyama and Hinata jump up, however Rei 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. Rei ran over to the ball, watching it as he narrowed his eyes before looking over at Hinata.

"Hinata-kun, get the point!" Rei encouraged before sending the ball over to Hinata.

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

"Don't mind." Rei reassured him.

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

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

"What the heck?"

Rei 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 Rei snorted in amusement.

"Hah?"

Hinata moves back, scared of the intense aura Kageyama had, as Kageyama went back to look at his hands. "I don't even know what this team is anymore." Rei thought with a sigh.

The game soon continued as Rei kept his eyes on the ball as Asahi jumped up, smacking down the ball but it got blocked. The volleyball goes up in the air.

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

"Shove it in, Hinata!"

Rei 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 Asahi 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." Rei replied.

"Shoyo." Nishinoya spoke, making everyone turn to their second-year 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 as Rei thought about it.

"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 Rei chuckled.

"The only thing he's lacking is the speed and senses that Lev has." The black haired 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!"

Asahi jumped up to spike, slamming down the ball but the opposing libero saves it, making the volleyball go up in the air. Rei watched as the setter of the opposing team sets to Hyakuzawa in which he jumps up to spike. Daichi, Hinata, and Asahi jump up to block him, with Nishinoya and Rei on each 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 Rei sighed in relief, glad that they managed to get past the tall player.

It was Asahi's turn to serve. Rei looked over at Hinata to see him excited and nervous about something that was said.

Once the whistle blew, Asahi 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 Rei 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. Rei turned his head to look at the scoreboard. He was sitting out on the sides as he was switched out with Tanaka.

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!"

Rei sweat dropped 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!"

Rei smirked when he saw Tsukishima jump up to block the spike. "It's like fighting fire with fire." 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.

Rei 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. Asahi 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 Rei watched Kageyama toss to Tanaka, who spikes it down powerfully, but a player from the opposing team saves it, making Rei huff in annoyance, wanting the match to be finished with. 

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 Rei helps Kiyoko on giving 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 Rei 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 as Rei laughed a little.

"Shut up! And Shiro, don't laugh!" Hinata exclaimed as Rei snickered in response.

TWEEEET!

It was the start of the second set, and Rei was now on the court with Tanaka being switched out. The ball goes into play, as Asahi crouched down to receive it.

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

"Cover!" He called out.

Rei 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.

"Shake it off, Noya-senpai!" Rei reassured his senior.

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

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

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

Rei 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 Asahi slammed down the volleyball. "All right!" His team cheered as Rei sighed and glanced over at the score.

Karasuno

24

Kakugawa

19

"We're at match point. About time." Rei thought with happiness.

"Asahi, nice kill!" Sugawara praised from the sidelines. They had rotated with Daichi and Hinata 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. Rei 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 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 two of them jumped as they made their hands flat, making them get a one touch. Asahi dived over and saved the ball.

"Asahi-san, nice!" Rei praised as he used his misdirection and covered for him, sending the ball back up.

"Nice, Shiro!" Asahi exclaimed, getting back up.

Rei watched as Hinata jumped up, as three more blockers jumped up as well. Rei 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 Rei 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!" Rei 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 Rei noticed Nishinoya and Tanaka were still staring at Kiyoko, making him sigh and drag them off. "Come on, Noya-senpai, Tanaka-san." He said, making his two seniors complain.

They reached the others as Rei 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 Atsushi smirked in amusement.

"Hgya!"

"Hgya!"

Rei 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?"

Rei sighed at them 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 Rei sweat dropped.

"You do know they have real names, right Hinata-kun?"

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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The team was waiting outside for about 15 minutes, making Rei sigh and handing Kageyama his bag. "I'll go look for them." Rei informed as Daichi nodded in agreement. The black haired male jogged back into the building to search for either Hinata or Kiyoko.

"Honestly, how long does it take for you to search for your lunch box, Hinata-kun?"

As Rei was jogging around, he paused when he heard voices ahead of him.

"Excuse me!"

Rei looked ahead to see that Hinata had jumped high in front of two guys with Kiyoko standing behind him, the two guys were taken aback. Rei grinned.

"Well, Hinata-kun did always surprise people with how high he jumps."

"Sh-Shimizu-senpai is our precious manager, so um, um..."

"Huh? So you guys beat the 6' 7" guy."

"Huh? Well, yeah..."

"Man, I wanted to play that 6' 7" guy too."

"Play?"

The guy with dyed blonde hair and Rei also noticed he had a tongue and ear piercing smirks down at Hinata. "Matches are super fun, aren't they?" He smiled.

"Um, are you one of the teams that got past the preliminary round?"

"Prelims? We didn't play in the prelims."

"Then you were in the top eight teams from the Inter-High preliminaries?"

"Ah, maybe it was top four."

Hinata was clearly taken aback by thus sudden information. "T-Top four!" He yelped. Even Rei had to admit that was impressive. He watched as the blonde-haired male ruffled Hinata's hair.

"See ya. If we ever go against each other in the decider tournament, let's have some fun and play." The guy smiled as him and his friend walked off.

However, they didn't get far as the two stopped and looked at Rei. "Hm? Who're you?" The guy with brown hair asked, as Kiyoko and Hinata looked over and saw the black haired male.

"Uh, I just came to get these two." Rei responded, gesturing over to Hinata and Kiyoko.

"S-Shiro!" Hinata announced his name in surprise.

"Honestly, Hinata-kun. Is there a place where you're not picking fights?"

Before Hinata could respond, the blonde haired male inches closer to him. "Shiro?" He questioned, making Rei raise an eyebrow at him.

"Do you need something from me?" He asked.

The guy then widened his eyes. "Are you Oshiro Rei?" He questioned.

Rei narrowed his eyes in suspicion. How exactly did this guy know his name? He's never met him before. "That's my name. Who the hell are you?" He asked.

"I'm Terushima Yuuji, you must be the childhood friend Sato was telling me about."

Rei widened his eyes at the mention of his friend's name. "You know Ryu-kun? That must mean you go to Johzenji." He commented, finally connecting the dots.

"I do. I've been trying to get Sato to join the volleyball team. I heard he was a fantastic libero back in junior high, but he wouldn't give in to my pestering." Terushima sighed in disappointment.

Rei flinched. "Uh, yeah. He had a bad experience in junior high so he's quit volleyball for good." He stated before looking at Kiyoko and Hinata who stared at the two interacting in confusion. "It was nice meeting you, Terushima-san, but we gotta get going, our team's waiting for us."

"Oh, right. I'll tell Sato you said hello." Terushima told him before heading off with his friend right behind him.

Rei headed over to Kiyoko and Hinata. "Sorry, he goes to my childhood friend's school." He said as Kiyoko and Hinata nodded in understanding.

"Sorry about that and thank you."

Kiyoko then hands a cute wrapped up lunch box to Hinata. "Here. You forgot this." She informed as Hinata got embarrassed and took the box, as he hid it behind his back.

"This lunch box wrap is cute." Rei commented with a sly grin.

"Th-This is Na... my little sister's, and it's definitely not mine!" Hinata informed, making Rei snicker.

"I won't tell." Rei promised.

Soon Kiyoko, Hinata, and Rei head off as they made their way to the front of the building. They see the rest of their team waiting for them outside.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Hinata called out.

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

"Kiyoko, Shiro! We're glad you're both 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!

Word Count: 3185 words.