Chapter 20: Sensing Danger (Bonus Chapter!)

That spike was only a fraction of what Tsuna could do with his right hand.

It frustrated him deeply. He knew that if he'd used his dominant hand, the ball would have hit harder, moved faster, and carried the overwhelming force he was known for.

But frustration alone wouldn't change anything.

Tsuna had accepted that his right hand was out of the equation—at least for now. And this was the only way to slowly gain better control of his left hand. 

There were no shortcuts.

'So this is what he meant...'

For an entire year, he had pushed himself relentlessly. Yet, after so much progress he made, his left hand always felt slightly off.

It was as if his mind remembered how things should feel, but his body couldn't quite replicate it.

The dissonance—the awkwardness he felt should be quite normal since it's been a year since he played volleyball.

Still, Tsuna felt frustrated despite knowing that as he quietly clenched his fist as his mind wandered.

"Hmm, we might be able to stop training with my program now..."

It was only a few weeks ago that he heard Junichi talking to himself while being accompanied by some beautiful nurses.

Usually, there was only one, but occasionally, there were times when these nurses gathered. He stared at them weirdly and thought, 'Should I take him in as my master?'

Tsuna had to admit that Junichi got some game. An impressive one at that.

Besides his rehab plans for his right hand Junichi had him focus on Adaptation and Basic Motor Skills as the first phase of his training program on his left hand.

In the first phase, Tsuna spent hours squeezing stress balls and using hand grippers to strengthen his left hand. He stacked coins, shuffled cards, and carefully arranged tiny objects like beads—all to build precision and coordination.

That phase alone took nearly two months.

When he finally moved on to the next stage, he was tasked with using his left hand for daily activities. Turning doorknobs, brushing his teeth, using chopsticks—everything had to be done with his non-dominant hand.

At first, it felt impossibly awkward.

Dropped forks. Spilled drinks. Countless moments of frustration.

But over time, those small victories began to pile up. He could hold a pen without his writing looking like a chicken scratch. He could flip a phone open and text with ease.

It was truly a long process.

"Tsuna-kun, although you're now able to use your left hand almost as well as your dominant one, you might run into a problem later on since you're playing volleyball..."

Tsuna tilted his head, "Problem? What kind?"

"Well, just basic control and adaptation. It's hard to pinpoint exactly."

Junichi shrugged casually, rubbing the tip of his nose as if the answer wasn't worth the effort of explaining.

Tsuna frowned, "Didn't I do just fine already?"

"You did," Junichi admitted, "But it's not something I can explain to you. It's something you'll feel when it happens."

"..."

Tsuna didn't fully understand Junichi's words, but they stuck in the back of his mind nonetheless. The sound of a whistle snapped him out of his thoughts, pulling him back to the present.

The worn gym stretched out before him. Its floorboards were scuffed, with its lines almost faded. 

His teammates were covering the backs of their heads as he held the ball behind the service line. The sight almost made him chuckle.

Tsuna glanced down at his left hand, flexing it slowly.

As long as he didn't put too much force into it, the muscles felt more responsive. He still wasn't where he wanted to be, but he could feel the difference.

"I guess I could only put this much strength to it for now..."

But he would only move up from here as Tsuna turned his gaze toward his opponent who was staring at him nervously as he shook his head and threw the ball up into the air, swinging his arm in a normal serve.

'He's doing a normal serve now?'

Kageyama thought in surprise.

He looked at Tanaka, who was also surprised as he received the ball and passed it over to him. Kageyama snapped back into focus on the game while thinking, 'Now, who should I pass it to?'

The blockers' positions flashed in his mind like a map. He quickly assessed his options. Tanaka's figure stood out, positioned perfectly for a spike.

And Kageyama didn't hesitate, "Tanaka-san!"

"Yoshaa!"

Tanaka screamed at the top of his lungs as he leaped up. But then—

A strange, electric sensation prickled the back of Kageyama's neck. Instinctively, his body shifted, his hands moving in an automatic adjustment.

'Shit...'

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a small, darting figure. Kageyama's chest tightened. 'I reacted to him instinctively!'

Without a second thought, he redirected the toss. With a whoosh, the ball shot forward, aiming for the orange figure streaking across the court.

Hinata.

"Whoaaa..."

His eyes widened as the ball approached him. His grin stretched wider, the sheer joy lighting up his face.

The toss was lightning-fast, faster than anything most players could handle. But to Hinata, in that fleeting moment, it felt different.

The ball seemed to slow down, floating gently in the air.

Hinata's gaze locked onto it, sparkling with awe. His heart pounded in his chest, and it was almost hard to breathe.

'I've never seen this before...'

Memories of middle school flashed in his mind—walls he couldn't break through, heights he couldn't reach. He remembered the crushing weight of those unrelenting blocks.

But now, with this toss, with this moment, it was different. For the first time, Hinata saw something he had never seen before.

The net didn't feel like a barrier anymore.

The blockers didn't seem invincible.

He understood it now, this view...

"...it's beautiful."

...was the view from the summit!

Everyone watched, their breath caught in their throats.

The sequence had been perfect—the pass was instantaneous yet precise, Hinata's positioning flawless, and the timing impeccable.

Hinata's form in the air seemed like he flew, something they would never forget. They all could only watch on in quiet silence as Hinata swung his arm toward the ball.

This moment burned itself into their memories.

However...

On the other side of the court, Tsuna's lips twitched into a faint smirk. His sharp eyes caught a small miscalculation.

"...Yeah, right," he muttered under his breath.

Thud!

"Keuhak!"

Hinata's airborne figure crashed into the net before he could make contact with the ball.

"..."

The stunned silence in the gym was deafening.

The perfect play... ruined in an instant.

"Y-You..."

Kageyama's face contorted with pure frustration as he stormed over. He looked at Hinata in a mix of disbelief and anger.

The little guy was still tangled with the net, looking dazed.

And that pissed him off!

"You dumbfuck!"

Kageyama yelled, grabbing Hinata by the collar and hoisting him upright. "That was the best opportunity we had, and you jumped too far forward!"

Hinata's head bobbed up and down as Kageyama shook him in exasperation while sending him a profanity.

'I was so sure he was going to hit that quick,' Tsuna quietly thought watching from the side.

He has been interested in this weird duo since this morning. And this little game somewhat gave him an idea of why these two were interesting.

That kind of toss and that jump... Tsuna had never seen anything like it before.

'These two idiots...' His lips curved slightly as a glint of curiosity lit up his gaze. Without realizing it, he murmured, "...It'd be more fun if they weren't on the same team."

It'd be fun to play against them.

Before his musings could go any further, Suga's voice broke through the post-play commotion.

"Kageyama, you did it wrong."

Both Kageyama and Hinata turned toward Suga, tilting their heads in unison like confused puppies.

"Senpai, what do you mean?"

"He might be dumb—" Kageyama gestured toward Hinata, who puffed up indignantly, "—but he's got good reflexes, a ridiculously high jump, and he's quick."

"...?"

Hinata blinked in surprise as Kageyama pointed at him.

"So why is it wrong?" Kageyama crossed his arms defensively.

Suga sighed, shaking his head. "Don't you think you're repeating what you did in middle school?"

"Huh?"

Kageyama froze, his confusion only deepening. His scowl was almost comical as he tried to figure out what Suga meant.

Meanwhile, Hinata leaned in toward Tanaka, whispering loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear, "Did that stupid Kageyama just compliment me?"

"Yeah, he totally did." Tanaka, equally surprised, nodded. 

Hinata's face lit up like a kid discovering a hidden stash of candy. "I knew it! He thinks I'm amazing!"

Kageyama shot them both a glare, his face turning red as he barked, "Shut up, you idiot! That wasn't a compliment!"

"But Hinata's speed, which is his biggest weapon—you're killing it," Suga interrupted, cutting through the banter before it could escalate further.

"...?"

His words caught everyone off guard. The surprise in their eyes was evident as they turned to him.

Suga continued, "He has no technique and no experience to sync with your toss, Kageyama."

"Ah...!"

Kageyama's eyes widened as if a light bulb had gone off.

'I totally didn't get it...'

But, in truth, his understanding was still murky at best.

Suga seemed to notice Kageyama's clueless expression and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck, "Look, I don't know how to put it into perfect words, but you need to sync up with him—feel his rhythm. Use his speed to your advantage."

"...Huh?"

Kageyama scratched his head awkwardly, his brows furrowing as he thought, 'What the hell does that even mean?'

"Alright! Then, we'll do it on the next one!"

Before he could question further, Hinata's excited voice broke through.

"Urgh..." Kageyama groaned as he stared at Hinata who was waving his arms like a little kid. He rolled his eyes at him, "Idiot. How do you even know I'll toss it to you next time?"

Despite his irritation, Kageyama's mind raced. 'I need to be sure before I take that kind of risk. We're close, but not there yet.'

However...

"Eh? You will pass it to me though, right?"

Hinata tilted his head, his voice as innocent as ever, as if Kageyama had just said something absurd.

"You basta—wha...?"

Kageyama froze mid-sentence. Being caught off guard by Hinata's certainty was one thing, but seeing those bright, unwavering eyes stared back at him with complete trust was quite...

...suffocating.

His mouth opened and closed, unable to form a coherent response.

"...!"

Everyone on the court felt the same goosebumps Kageyama was experiencing as they all stared at Hinata in shock.

Even Tsuna, who was almost losing interest, somehow felt a jolt through his body.

It was a feeling he recognized, one that sent a thrill down his spine. It reminded him of the time that setter from Aoba Johsai was about to pull off something insane.

Without realizing it, Tsuna's expression changed. His face twisted slightly as his lips curled into a grin.

He stared at Hinata intensely and muttered, "This guy... he's dangerous!"

Dangerously fun!

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Author Notes

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I don't usually address things like this.

I tend to avoid arguments with anyone, especially when the stats already speak for themselves. But I'll do it this time because I might have gotten a bit triggered. (I shouldn't have, but maybe because I used to play volleyball competitively, it did.)

First of all, no technique in any sport is "easy."

At the basic level, sure. But to go beyond that, you need practice. Even Messi, Ronaldo, Kobe, or any GOAT out there practiced like crazy.

So, Tsuna being the MC is already borderline unrealistic by real-world standards. But I set it this way because it's Haikyuu! where realistic geniuses are everywhere in this world.

As a former athlete, I have a few levels of talent in mind:

1. The Ordinary

These are the normies who can play at a casual level in a supporting role. They might score a few points, but nothing crazy.

2. Casually Talented

These are "geniuses" who dominate casual matches in main roles, consistently scoring. But they still fall short compared to pros.

3. Pro

Pros are those who started training much earlier and are talented enough to keep leveling up. They can compete competitively. Some score points in pro matches, while others play solid support roles.

4. Crazy Pro

These are players who perform exceptionally well in pro matches. They score often and play crucial roles in their team's dynamics.

5. GOAT

These players are at the very top of the food chain in any sport. Their presence overwhelms other pros that they'd willingly play supporting roles for them. Messi, Ronaldo, Kobe, and LeBron all belong in this category.

Also...

Tsuna belongs in the GOAT category, but unfortunately, he's been playing in casual matches where even the casually talented dominate. Then, he came across a pro match (tourney) where he finally faced someone who gave him a bit of a challenge.

Obviously, he got excited.

The peak happened when he played against one of the top four teams, Aoba Johsai.

That was the first time he went all in, despite not having all the basics down. Most of the time, he didn't need to master everything to win anyway. (It's like LeBron playing with casual players, using one hand, and still winning.)

And lastly, I want to address the part about him being a genius.

Picking things up faster means being a genius, right? If an ordinary player learns something in years and Tsuna picks it up in months, that's genius.

Time works differently for everyone in different levels.

So yes, the MC is a genius. Seeing it once and immediately mastering it is Isekai stuff that is not happening here. I can't just have him suddenly go full Ronaldo on everyone when he hasn't mastered the foundation yet.

He's a GOAT, but he's still a baby GOAT.

As for why he didn't learn anything new in a year, it's because he was injured and needed rehab.

He also had a training program to switch his dominant hand during this period while working as a light novel writer.

So, unless he had a time stone, he didn't have enough time until the rehab and the "switching" program were done. 

Honestly, I took this route because it's the one with the most growth progress for the MC itself. Be it romance or his skills development. After reading Blue Lock, it's somehow occurred to me that a constantly growing MC is the most HYPE ever. 

Well, that's it.

This is just my opinion.

You know, you can have yours, I can have mine. You don't have to agree with mine as I don't have to agree with yours.

Uhh, I don't know what else to address, I think this is more than plenty, lol.

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