Seeing the incredulous expressions of the people around him, the older man scratched his head in embarrassment.
"Defeated Date Tech and Aoba Johsai, but the team from previous years!"
"Huh?"
"Previous years? Which team?"
"The team that used to make it to the national competitions a lot! Back then, even Shiratorizawa wasn't a match for them!"
"What?"
Hearing this, the older man widened his eyes. "Isn't that team long gone?"
"I heard they haven't even been able to qualify in recent years!"
"A team that fell that far can defeat Aoba Johsai? Are you sure you remember correctly?"
The younger man thought for a moment. "This year's Karasuno is really strong. I heard they have some powerful first-years!"
"Maybe they can at least put up a fight against Shiratorizawa."
As soon as he said this, the surrounding crowd erupted in laughter and disbelief.
"How is that possible? Just a few first-years? Challenging a powerhouse like Shiratorizawa?"
"Yeah, they're not even on the level of Aoba Johsai!"
"Forget Aoba Johsai! If they faced Shiratorizawa, their score would be as bad as Kutani Minami's! I'll eat a volleyball if they manage to win!"
"A team relying on rookies wants to challenge the strongest in the prefecture? That's wishful thinking!"
"Let's see if they even make it to the final first! I heard their next match is against Jozenji. That won't be easy!"
"Maybe they won't even get the chance to face Shiratorizawa! Hahaha!"
Seeing the reactions of the people around him, the younger man wiped a cold sweat from his forehead. "I didn't say they could win against Shiratorizawa… Just that if they beat Aoba Johsai, they might be a bit stronger this year."
But the noise of the crowd drowned him out.
—
Tweet!
The intermission ended, and the second set began.
But no matter how many sets they played, Jozenji lacked raw power. For a team like theirs, their weaknesses were undeniable.
Watching the score, Seiji Okutake felt an unease creeping in.
He was fully aware of the team's shortcomings. But his pride made him reluctant to acknowledge them.
For three years, he had been part of Jozenji's volleyball team.
Steady and solid.
That had always been their mantra.
The words of the seniors before him still rang in his mind:
"This is Jozenji's style!"
"We are the embodiment of stability!"
"Don't bother with unnecessary tricks! We are Jozenji!"
—
"Do we really have to be so rigid?"
Okutake turned his gaze to Terushima Yuuji's side profile, then glanced at Iizaka, Muhata, and the others on the court.
On the bench, Niki and Higashiyama watched the game intensely.
"After we graduate, the team will belong to them."
"Will they continue playing the way we do?"
Although he didn't want to admit it, he knew the answer.
They wouldn't.
No matter what he said, they wouldn't.
"Instead of forcing this style on them and losing anyway…"
"We might as well change things up."
"At least this way, we still have a fighting chance."
He glanced at the scoreboard and exhaled sharply.
Not many points left…
"Terushima… for the rest of the match, you and the others can play freely."
"Huh? What?"
The entire team turned to him in shock.
"Really? Senpai?"
Terushima's eyes widened in disbelief.
Since joining the team, the seniors had always preached control and steadiness. Playing freely was unheard of.
Terushima had never liked that style. It didn't suit him.
And it wasn't just him—his fellow second-years felt the same way.
But for the sake of the team, they had played along.
Even when they won, Terushima never felt truly satisfied.
But today…
In a game they were on the verge of losing, their strict captain was telling them to play freely?
"Stop wasting time and focus on the game!"
"Don't make me regret this!"
"Yes!"
The second-years lit up with excitement. Okutake felt a bittersweet sensation in his chest.
Looking back, he had seen glimpses of their individual talents in previous matches.
But back then, he thought maintaining the team's legacy was more important.
Sacrificing personal play styles for the sake of team strategy had always seemed justified.
But now, he wasn't so sure.
"If there's no joy in this… how long will obedience last?"
He muttered to himself, feeling a weight in his heart.
"I really haven't been a good captain."
"No, you already are."
Kamichi Yuto had appeared beside him, speaking softly.
"It's incredible that you managed to lead the team and balance different playstyles."
"They understand that, too."
"Otherwise, with Terushima's personality, do you think he'd respect you this much?"
Okutake stared at him in shock.
Before he could respond, Kamichi grinned.
"Don't just stand there! The opponent is about to serve!"
"Next point—we score!"