16 Fired Up

The rest of the team also read about the featured players in the Volleyball Monthly. And they noted one thing.

"What is it? Seems like you're all coming up with a single thought like you're all having the same mental image. Is something the matter?" Apparently, not all of them were in sync since Asuma Genji's wavelengths were AC and theirs was DC. (Science people, I know you can do better!)

They all noted the fact that not a single player from their Kansai region was featured. In their fearless forecast, they thought that at least Miya Osamu from Hyogo's Inarizaki will be featured in the new Top 5 picks. But what they got was only Miya Atsumu – who was merely mentioned in passing.

A renewed spirit of determination stirred in the players of Shiroshikata after finding out about the formidable forces to be reckoned with in the entire nation. Their goal is to beat them all, but can they do it, though?

They trained hard during that day, refining what needed to be refined, improving what needs to be improved, and correcting what needs to be corrected. A little silent argument ensued between Hiro and Kouen when the two of them didn't really get what they were trying to achieve.

It was the high toss of Kouen which didn't really sit well with Hiro. Although the latter understands that this is a good technique to spike over the block, thus preventing wipes or total shutdown, he still thinks that Kouen's tosses too were a bit sloppy. They concluded that both of them needed to adjust themselves, though in reality, they really wanted to talk down to other for not doing 'it' right.

Before it becomes a full salty argument, Maki stepped in and pulled Hiro away so he can practice receiving his southpaw serves. Meanwhile, Kouen tried tossing to the rookies, and determined the quality of their jumps and conditions so he will know how to utilize them on court.

Kouen was secretly impressed with Asuma's jumps. He just noted this now, but Asuma's leaps were almost the same as those of Sumeragi from Kurokumogi. 'If only he can do more than just jump like that', Kouen thought, 'he might actually be useful.'

On the other hand, Kakuzo joined in the practice between Hiro and Maki. Kouha also entered and proposed a little two-on-two with them. So Hiro teamed up with the rookie while the two third years were on the opposite side.

Hiro sent the ball across and as expected, Maki's dig on it seemed a bit off. "Kouha!"

"Hai – hai." And Kouha hustled after the ball which arced in a far place. But even though it's far, he was still able to receive it with an overhead and managed to toss it even from that distance. He learned a little 'nice tossing' from his brother, after all. Maki was there for the spike the ball home.

Hiro got it up, but also not so neatly, since he knew himself that he's not too good either with serve receives. The ball bounced too low that Kakuzo had difficulty in making a follow up about it. As expected, the rookie wasn't able to get it high enough for Hiro to send the ball over.

"Sorry!" Kakuzo said. Hiro didn't mind it, since he knew it started with his bad receive. However, since Hiro didn't say a word, Kakuzo thought that he was mad about his sub-par skills in receiving.

"I'll get it next time." He told Hiro in a low tone.

Kouha, who serves a nasty jumper, sent the ball over to them and Hiro got it up better this time. Kakuzo volleyed the ball to his approximate location, and Hiro jumped up for the the kill. Maki wasn't able to stop that one.

Now, Kakuzo's the one who served normally, and Kouha got it up easily. Maki bumped it next, and he sent the ball over to Kouha. Hiro jumped for the block quickly, so he was able to get a hand on that spike.

"One touch!" he turned his head to try to look if Kakuzo was there for the save. The rookie got a dig under it, but the ball still bounced out from his arms.

"Yus!" Kouha celebrated.

"Nice kill, Kouha." Maki said.

"Grrrr!" Kakuzo felt even worse after that mess he made in the receive. 'Hiro-san got a nice one touch on that one, he's probably mad I wasn't able to follow up after that one. I really should get the next one up!'

Maki is on the service line and Kakuzo successfully got the ball up. Hiro followed after the ball and tossed it to Kakuzo, who spiked it from the middle back row. 'Nice, he can hit from there.'

"One touch!" Kouha yelled on the other side. The ball was about to land in the back row but Maki dived to save it. Kouha followed up after it, and Maki had no choice next but to just send the ball over to Hiro's side. Kakuzo once more got the receive and Hiro sent tha ball back to him for the finish.

Maki got a dig under it, and as the ball was about to cross over the net, Kouha did a direct. Hiro was expecting that to happen after seeing the dig made by Maki, so before Kouha can outmaneuver him, he outmaneuvered their ace first. He totally shut him down on that one.

He grinned his shit-eating grin at the ace, who looked pissed after seeing Hiro's grin like that.

"Nice kill, Hiro-san." Kakuzo complimented him. Hiro went to the tall rookie and told him a few tips so they can rile up Kouha and force him to self-destruct.

"Kakuzo, now that you'll be in front, try to jump after the toss. That's called read blocking. You block after seeing the toss, and read the situation before you so you can predict which way the spike will go. Also, stretch your arms out, don't spread them too wide too, or else, the ball will just push right through the gap above your head. Use strength of your forearms to block the shot, and push your palms down – like this."

Hiro demonstrated his blocking form to Kakuzo, and the rookie instantly felt better after getting these tips.

Meanwhile, on the other court, the others were doing their regular drills. But Asuma Genji's attention was towards his tall rival, getting some secret techniques from their senpai.

"Oi." Kouen called him. And the setter pointed his thumb to the net – a sign that he's the next one to do their spiking drill.

"Hai - Toss to me, Kouen-senpai!"

Takumi threw the ball over Kouen's head and the setter got his hands under it for a toss. However, his palms were sweaty from practice, so the ball kinda slid through his fingers when he tossed it to Asuma. It went a little too close to the net at a lower elevation. 'Crap, how am I going to get over this shameful toss?!'

He needn't worry though, because just as Asuma was about to jump straight in the middle, he followed the ball that went farther in the net and jumped diagonally to reach it. When he did, he launched a spike from that extreme angle, and the cut shot ripped through the air. Gai, who was on the other end of the court, failed to save the ball, which quickly travelled from that wicked diagonal trajectory.

Everyone who saw it momentarily stopped what they were doing and blinked as if they can't believe it just happened. Even Kouen was shocked – his visible eye not hidden from his mop hair widened in disbelief.

'He can spike from there? And what's with the crazy jump?'

Another sound caught everyone else's attention – Kouha was stuffed again in the other court – this time, by the rookie, Kakuzo Ryohei.

Coach Soma smirked from the bench, "It seems that our freshmen are fired up today, aren't they?" He said to the managers who also looked pleasantly surprised by the practice transitions that happened.