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

edited on september 27th, 2022 @ 10:46pm

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CHAPTER SIXTY-FOUR - VIVID

"LINE UP!" Daichi told his team.

"Nice game!" Tashiro's voice was brought to Daichi's attention. "You did so good!"

"Congrats!" Shimada said.

"Good work! You guys did great!"

"Tashiro-san and Kurokawa-san are here!" Daichi told Sugawara, Asahi, and Hideaki.

"Sawamura! Sugawara! Azumane! Izuki!"

"You didn't notice, Daichi?" Sugawara asked.

"I didn't notice them for a while, either." Asahi admitted sheepishly.

"Thank you very much!"

"Thank you!"

Karasuno then bowed to their supporters as they clapped.

Karasuno High School proceeds to round 2.

Afterwards, they met up with Tashiro and Kurokawa. "Oh, crap. You're way bigger up close, Sawamura." Tashiro commented.

"Wait, did I gain weight?!" Daichi asked.

"No, I mean your bigger in general." Tashiro replied.

"Hello, Kurokawa-san!" The second-years greeted Kurokawa.

"I guess he's an alumnus." Yamaguchi commented.

"Oh! So he's our senpais' senpai!" Hinata said.

"Hinata! Yamaguchi!" Daichi called their names. "Kageyama and Tsukishima, you guys come over here, too."

They walked over. "Let me introduce you guys. This is Tashiro-san, who was the captain when I was a first-year. And this is Kurokawa-kun, who was our captain when I was a second-year." Daichi introduced the two.

"Hello!"

"Hello." Kageyama greeted as Tsukishima only nodded.

"Whoa!"

"Are they really first-years?" Tashiro questioned.

"Sadly..." Sugawara responded.

"We should have some bentos, so go ask Shimizu about them, and hand them out to everyone." Daichi said.

"Right!"

"That first-year setter and middle blocker... Who are they?" Kurokawa asked.

"Kageyama, the setter, is an amazing kid that's also a candidate for the All-Japan team. The tiny one... Er, I don't know what to say..." Daichi replied.

"He's an energetic brat." Sugawara said.

"An athletic monster." Asahi added on.

"What about when he was in middle school?"

"He was totally an unknown. And sometimes... He's like a completely unknown force..." Daichi answered.

"He picked a fight with Shiratorizawa's Ushiwaka." Sugawara added on.

"Seriously?! With the Ushiwaka?!" Tashiro exclaimed in disbelief.

"An unknown force..." Kurokawa commented, getting their attention. "I'm pretty sure that's what the other schools think of Karasuno right now. Make sure you win the next match, too."

"Right!"

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Hideaki was currently watching Nekoma's match with Daichi, Sugawara and Asahi. "They're good... But I mean... There's basically no team here who doesn't have someone amazing." Sugawara commented.

"Nice receive!"

The opposing team did a feint as Kenma easily dived down and saved it. "Oh, man... This is hard... This is so exhausting..." Hideaki commented.

"You're empathizing way too much with Kiyokawa's ace." Sugawara told him.

"Those are some nice receives." Daichi complimented.

"Out!"

"Out!" Hinata commented.

"There was nowhere he could go with that." Tanaka stated.

The ball hits Kuroo's hands. "One touch!" He shouted out.

"Fukunaga!"

Fukunaga spikes the ball down as Nekoma won their first match.

Nekoma High School proceeds to round 2.

Daichi soon stood up. "We have a little time after we eat, so you guys can go shopping if you want." He said.

"I'm gonna go buy a 'The Way of the Ace' shirt!" Hinata exclaimed.

"Wait, Hinata! I'll go with you!" Yamaguchi called out.

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"Welcome back. Where's Ukai-san?"

"He's still talking to some of the previous Coach Ukai's acquaintances. How have the matches been?" Daichi asked.

"That #5 guy from Kamomedai is really amazing." Sugawara replied.

Asahi was flipping through the booklet. "Oh, here he is. Hoshiumi Korai. 169 cm." He announced.

"Left, left!"

Hoshiumi then jumped high in the air, spiking the volleyball down on the court.

"He's supposed to be amazing, right?" Yamaguchi asked Kageyama. "Wasn't he in one of the magazines?"

"Nah. Apparently, he absolutely hates interviews." Kageyama responded.

"Really? I'd be super excited to even do an interview for the school paper." Yamaguchi commented as Hinata stood up suddenly.

"Where are you going?" Kageyama questioned.

"I want to watch from up close!" Hinata replied.

"Korai!"

Hoshiumi dived down and saved the ball on time before he blocked a spiker from scoring.

"Stuffed! Look at that block!"

"That was Hoshiumi-kun again, wasn't it?"

"Indeed, it was."

Hoshiumi spikes the ball, getting Kamomedai another point as he kept scoring.

"Again?"

"Wow..."

"Dang, he can do anything."

"Who the heck is their #5?"

The whistle blew as Hoshiumi jumped high in the air and served the ball.

"Service ace! Hoshiumi does it again! He can't be stopped! The one-man army is on a roll! He's indeed... A little giant!"

"Wow..." Sugawara muttered. "Hinata's never faltered against two-meter-tall opponents, but I wonder if it's more shocking for him to see someone in a similar situation that's above him. That just popped up in my head for a sec."

The whistle blew as Kamomedai came out victorious against Chiuida.

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Everyone was soon packing up, ending the first day as they were going back to their hotel. "Oh, he's back." Yamaguchi spoke as Hinata rejoined them. "Hinata, Ukai-san's back, so we're taking off."

Everyone stared at Hinata, who had his fists clenched. "I'm... I'm so happy I made it here!" He declared.

This caused everyone to smile in determination. "Guess I was worried for nothing." Sugawara stated.

They were soon outside of the gym as the sun was setting. "Hey there, now..." The sound of Kuroo's voice was heard. "Looks like we've got us some country bumpkin crows. Good for you. You came all this way and you don't have to go back immediately."

"We didn't travel that far..." Sugawara mumbled.

Tanaka and Yamamoto clasped their hands together as both Karasuno and Nekoma talked with one another.

"Well... Try to survive tomorrow, too." Kuroo told Daichi.

"Right back at you." Daichi said as the two captains sent each other a smirk before walking away.

"As both Kuroo-san and Sawamura-san turned around, they stopped smiling. Surviving day 2... I was reminded just how difficult that was going to be."

Tournament Day 1: 40 teams disappeared.

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Karasuno finally arrived at their hotel. "Huh?" Daichi said, spotting the Niiyama Girls' volleyball team walking by them.

"They're from Niiyama Girls' High." Sugawara pointed out, looking up at the hotel.

"So they're at the hotel next door." Asahi said.

"The difference, though..." Sugawara commented.

"They're seeded, right? I mean, they won the girls' Inter-High." Asahi stated.

"Maybe they just finished their practice." Hideaki added on.

"They really are royalty." Sugawara said.

"And their food must be..." Yamaguchi trailed off. "A luxury all-you-can-eat buffet!"

"But I love how crispy they fry up all the salmon here! And I really like their rolled omelets."

"Nothing beats the unlimited refills on the rice!"

Hideaki stood outside, still in his volleyball jacket as he made a call.

"Hideaki, this is new. You never call me."

"Tōru's busy preparing for Argentina. Didn't want to disturb him."

"Of course you don't." Iwaizumi said. "How'd your match go?"

"Fine. We won." Hideaki replied.

"That's great." Iwaizumi said, proud of his friend. "But I'm guessing that's not why you called me."

"This doesn't feel right."

"What doesn't feel right?"

"This... being at nationals without you and Tōru." Hideaki replied. "I should be happy... My team and I have worked hard to get this far. But this was something the three of us wanted to achieve together, and I just... I really wish you guys were on the court with me."

Iwaizumi went silent on the other line. "Hajime, you still there?" Hideaki asked.

"Yeah, sorry. I was just processing your words." Iwaizumi said. "Listen, everything happens for a reason. Perhaps Aoba Johsai wasn't meant to go to nationals, and Shittykawa would probably disagree with me, but that's just how I think."

"Thanks for cheering me up, Hajime." Hideaki smiled even though he couldn't see it. "I better get some rest before my match tomorrow."

"Tell me how it goes."

"Will do."

Hideaki hangs up the phone, closing it shut before walking back into the hotel.

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A/N: Whoo! Who's excited for Karasuno's match with Inarizaki? I can't wait to write it! Thanks for reading!