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

edited on november 10th, 2020 @ 12:40am

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CHAPTER SEVEN - REVIVAL

IT WAS FINALLY THE DAY. Hideaki was nervous but excited. He got up and got dressed for the day. His phone buzzed on his nightstand, signaling someone was texting him. He picked up his phone to find a text from his younger brother.

Shun 🏀:
> Hyuga mentioned that the Inter-High preliminaries for volleyball started today. Good luck, Nii-san. Wish I could come watch.

Hideaki:
I wish you could too. But you got to focus on training for the Winter Cup. <

Shun 🏀:
> Tell me if you win?

Hideaki:
You already know I will. <

Hideaki placed his phone in his pocket before grabbing his things and heading out of his house.

The Karasuno team finally made their way to the Sendai City Gymnasium, however when they were walking over, they couldn't help but overhear some people, talking about them.

"Let's see, this block..."

"Tori... Torino?"

"I think that's Karasuno."

"They were strong once, not too long ago."

"Oh, yeah. But not anymore. There's a saying about their team."

"What's that?"

"Fallen powerhouse. Flightless Ravens."

As the two were conversing and looking down at Karasuno, Hideaki and his team all stood behind the two guys and they stare with a dark and annoyed look. One guy from the duo seemed to notice them as he gulps and whispers to his friend.

"Hey, shut up." He hissed in a whisper.

"Huh?" His friend commented, confused. Suddenly, Tanaka gets in between them.

"Flightless, you say? Is that what you said?" Tanaka growls, his face looking intimidating. Hideaki watched as Daichi pulled him back.

"Come on. Let's go." Daichi scolded as he looked at the two guys. "I'm sorry." He bows as he drags Tanaka away.

Hideaki clenched his fist. "Hey." He growled as the two guys looked at him. "Karasuno may have lost their wings once, but like crows, we'll rise from the ashes." He said, making the two guys confused.

He turned to look at them with a darkening glare, looking at the two guys who gulped. "When my teammates and I reach Nationals. I don't want either of you being there to cheer us on. Especially after that little conversation you had. Anyone who disrespects my team in the beginning, doesn't deserve to share our glory when we reach the top."

Hideaki walked off and quickly caught up to join the rest of his team. The moment Karasuno walked in, Hideaki felt all stares on them. And he managed to hear all the comments directed to them as well.

"All black..."

"That one guy doesn't look like a high schooler."

"Hey, is that guy... that's Karasuno's Azumane."

Hideaki noticed that Asahi tenses up at this as he gulps, making Hideaki glance at him in confusion. "What? Who's that?" A guy asked.

"Don't you know? I heard guys from Kita High worked for him to extort money." The guy stated making Hideaki hold back a snicker since he knew Asahi would never do such a thing.

"I also heard he sold illegal substances on the street." The guy adds once more. Hideaki could tell Asahi looked defeated by these rumors.

"And I heard he's been in high school for five years."

"He's an adult, then."

Daichi and Sugawara looked amused but also tired of these comments as they looked at their ace. "Oh, well. It's the usual gossip." Sugawara commented as Daichi hummed in agreement.

"All because of his appearance." Daichi sighed as Asahi panicked.

"But I like to have sort of a wild appearance." Asahi stated as the two third-years turned away.

"You wouldn't say that if you were really wild." Sugawara stated.

Nishinoya then laughs as he looks at his teammate. "Who cares about how they view you?" He grins as Hideaki saw Daichi and Sugawara put a hand on the second-year's shoulders.

"Now this is what you call 'wild.'" The two spoke in unison as Nishinoya looked in between them with confusion.

"Hey, check it out." A voice spoke up, making everyone look to see some guys staring at Kiyoko.

"Cute."

"Go say hi. I dare you."

"Should I? Should I try?"

Hideaki looked over to see Tanaka and Nishinoya who had evil like expressions as they glare at the guys and started circling Kiyoko to "protect" her.

"Stop that." Kiyoko scolds the two as she uses her two clipboards and smacks Nishinoya and Tanaka on the head before walking off with Takeda. Nishinoya and Tanaka seemed very pleased instead of in pain.

"That little guy... Isn't he Nishinoya from Chidoriyama?"

"He won the Overall Best Libero Award."

"Really?"

Hideaki continued to walk with his team. "That's not all. That guy over there..." A man from another team spoke as Hideaki saw him look at Kageyama. "They say he's a genius setter. That's Kitagawa Daiichi's King of the Court." The man announced. Kageyama paused and glanced over at the two guys and gave an intimidating look over at the two before grumbling and walked off.

Hideaki walked over to Kageyama. "Don't mind them, Tobio. They're just trying to get under your skin." He assures his junior as Kageyama only nodded.

"What's he doing at Karasuno?"

"Dunno."

"He wasn't very popular in junior high, though."

Hideaki continued to walk, having his hands stuffed in his volleyball jacket as he popped his neck.

"Hey, who's that? The guy with black hair?"

"Hmm? Oh! That's Izuki Hideaki. Karasuno's ace. Also known as The Sharpshooter."

"Seriously?"

"He's also known as Karasuno's eyes. He has hawk eye vision, allowing him to see the full court on the opposite side. Though there is a rumor that he's dating someone from another school."

Hideaki growled. He hated it when people stuck their nose in places where they didn't belong.

"Then, what about that guy over there?"

The guy had asked as Hideaki glanced over to see him gesturing to Hinata. "That little guy." He adds as Hinata was looking around in amazement. "Is he awesome, too?"

"No... I don't think so." The guy replied as Hideaki glanced over at the orange haired first year to see him looking around. He reminded him of an excited puppy, seeing the world for the first time. Hideaki sighed and walked over to his junior.

"Oi, hurry up, Hinata." Hideaki said to him as he nods enthusiastically at him.

Karasuno soon entered the room where it was filled with other volleyball teams. "This place is packed!" Hinata gasped as Hideaki saw him make his way to a stranger who wore a shirt that said 'Top.'

"I'm... I'm aiming for the top, too. I'll do it."

Hideaki facepalmed at Hinata's awkwardness as he nudged Sugawara. "Stop him, Suga. Before he embarrasses the team and himself." He begged and Sugawara had a panicked expression, rushing over to their junior.

"Idiot. What are you doing? I'm sorry. I'm sorry." Sugawara lightly scolds at Hinata before he apologizes to the guy Hinata was bothering.

"It's fine..." The guy reassured as Sugawara drags the first year back to the team.

Hideaki saw the big court up ahead as Karasuno walked inside. It was filled with spectators and other teams. "This gym is huge!" Hinata beamed as Hideaki saw him smell the air.

"It smells like Air Salonpas..." Hinata added as the rest of the team gave him a confused and questioning look. "What are you talking about?" Tsukishima questioned.

"That's the smell of tournaments." Hinata replied as Nishinoya bounced over.

"I know, right?" Nishinoya grinned.

Hideaki smiled as he looked around the gym. "I'm home..." He thinks to himself, taking in the smell that Hinata mentioned.

"It's them!"

"H-He's huge!"

Hideaki looked over as well as the rest of his team to see another team walking towards them. He growled when he realized who they were. They were Dateko. Karasuno stared at them with intense silence. Hideaki sees one of Dateko's members, pointing at him, making him flinch slightly.

"You got a problem?" Nishinoya hissed, ready to defend their ace.

Nishinoya was about to walk over but got stopped by Hideaki who held his arm out to stop Nishinoya from advancing. He didn't seem to look nervous as he stared down the opposing team.

"Noya. Don't cause a scene, please. We don't want to get into a fight right before our match." Hideaki warned, though somewhat grateful that Nishinoya cared about his teammates.

It was quiet until Hideaki saw one more guy from Dateko run over. "Hey, hey, hey. Stop that." He scolds as he tried to make his teammate lower his arm. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He apologized as he was struggling to lower his teammates arm.

"No..." Daichi replied, looking a bit shocked at his apologizing.

"Futakuchi, help me out." The guy pleaded to his other teammate, who smiles charmingly.

"Sure. Sorry about that. This guy targets our opponents ace whenever he sees them." The guy, known as Futakuchi, said.

"So... you better be ready." Futakuchi added as he grinned before walking away with his team.

"You guys are too rude. Why must you always do that?" The short man from Dateko huffs.

Once they were gone, Sugawara turns to his teammates. "That was a little jarring." Sugawara informed.

"Yeah." Daichi agreed as Sugawara smiled and turned to Hideaki. "I'm amazed you stared back at him—" Sugawara praised but stopped when he saw Hideaki was pale as a ghost.

"Th-That was nerve-wracking."

Nishinoya huffs at his friend. "Why are you such a wimp off the court?" He bluntly asked.

"Are you alright?" Tanaka asked.

"Sawamura."

Hideaki looked over to see a guy smiling at Daichi. "Long time no see." He greeted as Hideaki wondered who this guy was.

"Hey, Ikejiri. Sorry, I'll catch up with you guys in a minute." Daichi greeted back as he turned to his team.

"Yeah." His team replied as they all leaved so their captain can have a chat with his friend.

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Hideaki and the rest of his team were changed into their volleyball uniforms. Hideaki had put away his phone and stuffed extra clothing into his volleyball bag so he can change after the games are finished.

"Hey, is your stomach upset again or something?" Hideaki heard Kageyama ask. He looked over to see Hinata was shaking like a leaf.

"Tumbling with excitement!" Hinata announced, making Hideaki raise an eyebrow at him.

"What?" Kageyama questioned as Hideaki sighed and walked over to them.

"I think he meant 'trembling with excitement.'" Hideaki replied.

"No, he's just shaking with fear." Tanaka spoke up, Nishinoya crouched down to eye level with Hinata as Hinata was on the ground.

"I know. You got intimidated by Dateko, didn't you?" Nishinoya asked.

"O-Of course not." Hinata denied, looking flustered.

"Which is it?" Tanaka questioned.

"Hideaki's cowardly too, but he doesn't seem nervous." Sugawara spoke up, looking over at their ace.

"Cowardly?" Hideaki repeated. "I have a trick to calm my nerves. I try to remember the scariest experiences I've ever had. The scarier the better. Then I think to myself, 'whatever happens, I can never be as scary as that.'" Hideaki informed, Hinata seemed interested in this.

"It puts me on an even kneel." Hideaki added. Hinata seemed to be in deep thought, then he looked pale, making everyone confused.

"Hinata?" Sugawara commented, wondering if he's alright.

"I'm fine now." He assured his team.

"Hey, Hinata. What's the matter?" Sugawara panicked as Hinata looked a little too calm.

"If you know how to calm your nerves, why did you get so devastated when we battled Dateko?" Nishinoya blunty asked the ace, Hideaki flinches at the bluntness.

"There you go again, Noya! You're rubbing salt in his wound." Tanaka hissed.

"They blocked my vision. You of all people should know how important my eyes are to me, Noya." Hideaki responded as Nishinoya just scoffed.

"All right. Everybody ready?" Daichi spoke up as the team looked over at their captain. "Let's be the first on the court." Daichi added as he was halfway through the door to get to the courts.

"Yes."

Hideaki and the rest of his team followed Daichi onto the court, where they looked around. Other school banners were already up, and some people were about.

"Wow. It's spacious. It's huge." Hinata beamed as he looked around.

"Hey, don't get intimidated." Kageyama warned making Hinata hiss and gave him a narrowed look.

"It's you who's intimidated." Hinata commented but he just got lifted up by his shirt by Kageyama.

"By the looks of it, it's you." Kageyama sassed back. Hideaki just sighed at the two.

"Hey, don't get so mad." Hinata says to Kageyama. Hideaki then noticed Hinata widen his eyes a bit and stare at something, the others followed his gaze to see Kiyoko and Takeda putting up Karasuno's banner.

"All right. Let's start practicing." Ukai announced.

"Yeah."

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Hideaki and the rest of his team were doing receiving. Hideaki was paired up with Daichi as Hideaki spiked the ball and Daichi got down in a receiving position and let the ball hit his arms. The ball goes back to Hideaki as he did the same thing.

"About the person you're dating, Hide." Daichi started to say as he received the ball that was brought to him. "How come you didn't tell us you were with someone?"

"Well, I didn't want you to think of me differently because of my relationship with him." Hideaki responded. "Plus, he's trash."

Daichi chuckled. "Is your brother coming to watch?" He asked, changing the subject.

Hideaki shook his head. "Shun's too busy with basketball. They got the Winter Cup around the corner." He answered as Daichi only nodded in understanding.

"Hey, it's turnip head." Hinata commented, making Hideaki raise an eyebrow at him and look up at the stands to see Aoba Johsai. The guy who Hinata was referring too look confused.

"Yoohoo." A voice called out. Hideaki looked over to see Oikawa grinning down at them, holding a peace sign. "Speak of trash and he shall appear." Hideaki thought.

"Tobio-chan, shrimp-chan. How's the freak duo doing?" Oikawa smiled.

"It's the Great King." Hinata mumbled out. Iwaizumi slapped down Oikawa's peace sign.

Oikawa flinches and rubs his hand. "That hurt, Iwa-chan..." He complained.

"Huh?" Oikawa added as Hideaki saw him looking over at Nishinoya. Hideaki smirked a bit, knowing that his boyfriend was shocked that they now had their libero back on their team.

Hideaki continued practicing his receives with Daichi until it was time for the match to begin.

TWEET!

The whistle blew, indicating the match was about to start as Hideaki and his team all paid attention. "Captains." The referee calls out to Daichi and the other captain they were versing, the two walked over and shook hands.

TWEET!

"Huddle!" Daichi yelled at his team, as they did so. "Line up." He added as they followed his lead to bow to the opposing team. It was silent as Karasuno stared down at their opponent.

TWEET!

"Let's play." Everyone announced as they bowed. They walked over to the net, shaking hands with the players for a good and clean game. Hideaki saw a few players blush when he touched their hands, making him confused, but didn't question it.

"Go! Go! Let's go! Let's go, Dateko!"

"Go! Go! Let's go! Let's go, Dateko!"

Hideaki looked up at the stands where he heard Dateko's cheering squad as they chant their lyrics out. He just rolled his eyes at their chant.

Karasuno gathered around Ukai. "Listen up. This is everyone's first match. Everyone's nervous, everyone's anxious, everyone's not their usual self. But you have to overcome those things before they do. Score a big victory first and find your groove." Ukai spoke as the team nodded at him.

"Yeah."

"I mean what I'm going to say, and it's no empty compliment. You are all strong. Karasuno is strong. Let's show everyone in the gym how ravens fly." Takeda announced.

"Take, good one!" Nishinoya praises, getting hyped up.

"They say that inauspicious line everywhere we go." Tanaka adds with a smug look.

"Fallen powerhouse. Flightless ravens. But let's show them, 'Look! We Karasuno, are the champions of the old. We are winners.'" Takeda added to them with determination.

"Yeah."

Takeda then panicked. "Was that poetic? Was it moving?" He asked.

"It was fine. Fine." Daichi assured their teacher.

"What does he mean, 'champions of the old?'" Hinata asked, glancing at Hideaki and Kageyama.

"How am I supposed to know?" Kageyama replied.

"We aren't really, but the nuance seems to be that we were strong in the past." Hideaki explained.

"Hey, let's get going." Daichi informed as the team formed a circle. Hideaki was between Asahi and Daichi.

"Karasuno, fight!"

"Yeah!"

They all get into position. Hideaki stretched his arms, ready to play and also stretched out his legs. Hideaki noticed their opposing team was confused as to why Hinata was a middle blocker, making Hideaki smirk.

"Oh, they should think twice before underestimating him." Hideaki thought.

TWEET!

"Bring it on!" Hinata challenged as Hideaki saw the opposing team serve the ball. Hideaki kept his eye on it. "Hideaki." Daichi called out as the ace saved it.

"All right." Hideaki assured them as the ball made it's way to Kageyama as he was getting ready to set the ball.

Tanaka jumps up. "This one's mine!" He announced as he spikes it down. Karasuno gets a point as Tanaka and Nishinoya yelled in determination. "Tanaka, nice serve—" Daichi started to say but was then cut off by Tanaka yelling.

"Take that!"

Daichi sweat drops at him. "Nice opening—" Daichi praises again but got cut off by Nishinoya this time.

Daichi then snapped at the two. "Shut up! That's too much!" He yelled at them. Hideaki just sighed at the two second years.

The referee blew twice at Daichi as a warning, making their captain bow at him in apology for Tanaka and Nishinoya's loudness. Some of the people in the stands laugh at Karasuno for already getting into trouble.

It was Tanaka's turn to serve. "Tanaka, nice serve!" Daichi praised as Tanaka serves the ball over the net, the ball got saved, as it made it's way towards the setter of the opposing team. Hinata was in front, ready to block.

Hideaki watched as the guy tosses to the Ikejiri guy that Daichi knew. Asahi moved over towards where Daichi was as him and Daichi jumped up to block, it touched their hands but went past them, however they were rescued when Nishinoya slides in and receives the ball.

However, he couldn't get it to Kageyama, so Daichi got the ball. "Hideaki." He spoke up, receiving the ball towards their ace.

"This ones yours, ace." Nishinoya grinned as Hideaki jumps up as his eyes turned into a lighter gray. He finally finds a spot to score and spikes down the ball, passed three blockers, gaining a point for Karasuno.

"That guy is awesome!"

"How the hell did he get passed those blockers?"

"I think it has something to do with his eyes..."

"Well, he's not called The Sharpshooter for nothing."

Hideaki looked over at Hinata who kept giving a pleading look to Kageyama, making him snap. "Shut up, I know." He assured, as he was going to toss to him next. Hideaki grinned at this.

"Tanaka, another nice serve."

Hideaki watched as Tanaka hits the ball as it goes over the net and the opposing team saves it, its gets over to their spiker and he spikes it down. However, Nishinoya quickly reaches over and saves the ball just in time, making some people awe at him from the stands.

Nishinoya had received it over to Kageyama who he sees glance at Hinata. Hinata runs forward as the ball touches Kageyama's palms as he tosses the ball quickly over to their orange haired teammate who spiked it down.

Hideaki smirked as the opposing team and the rest of the people in the gym who saw what happened as well as some other teams watching them look at Hinata with wide eyes in suprise, wondering what just happened. Hideaki watched as Hinata decends down from his jump.

"And they call us 'flightless ravens.' Just how pathetic do they think we really are? This... is Karasuno's revival!" Hideaki thought with pride.

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A/N: I know I'm updating a lot, but I want this book to get caught up with my other books. Hope you enjoyed!

Word Count: 3435 words.