Chapter 8: Shōyō Hinata

The momentum on the court had shifted in Aoba Johsai's favour. The substitutions had proven highly effective.

However, Taichi, tasked with defending against Hinata Shoyo, was reaching his limit. Hinata's relentless energy was on full display—his stamina, rated a near-perfect 99, made him an unstoppable force.

Taichi had been chasing Hinata across the court, left to right, jumping repeatedly to block him. Both his body and mind were exhausted. All he could hope for was that Hinata, who still hadn't managed to score, might pause to catch his breath.

Stealing a glance at Hinata, Taichi noticed the fiery determination in his opponent's eyes. Hinata seemed to sense Taiichi's gaze and turned to meet it. For a fleeting moment, Taichi felt his heart jolt as though caught in the sight of a predator.

In that brief lapse of focus, Hinata had already sprinted to the other side of the court and leapt into the air. Taiichi scrambled to react, launching himself upward. But he was just a fraction too late—Hinata was already out of reach.

At that exact moment, Kageyama Tobio's set found Hinata's hand with pinpoint precision.

Hinata Shoyo spiked the ball—point for Karasuno!

Hinata wasn't just a decoy anymore. Drawing only Kaedehara Taichi's attention wasn't enough. If he kept evading confrontation, he'd lose the very purpose of standing on the court.

What a quick attack! What a fascinating player! Taiichi couldn't help but smile. He hadn't realized it, but his face was now alight with exhilaration. This is how it should be. How could someone like him be stopped so easily?

Determined, Taiichi discreetly used a stamina potion. Feeling the rejuvenating energy coursing through his body, he locked his gaze onto Hinata once more, refusing to let up even for a second.

The score remained tight. Daichi Sawamura and Ryuunosuke Tanaka were formidable players in their own right, and combined with the genius setting of Kageyama Tobio, Karasuno's offence was flowing effortlessly.

On the other side, Aoba Johsai was handicapped by the fact that Oikawa Tooru hadn't entered the match yet. The team's attack lacked its usual explosiveness and had to rely on balanced, methodical play to earn points one at a time.

[Karasuno 16 - Aoba Johsai 15]

"Ah, my, my. The score's this close?" A languid voice drifted through the air.

From the second-floor audience, a wave of cheers erupted—mainly from the girls.

"Ah! It's Oikawa-senpai!"

"We specifically requested their team to put Kageyama on the court, but we don't even field our main setter? How do we explain that?" Coach Irihata frowned, directing his dissatisfaction at Oikawa.

"Haha... Sorry about that, Coach," Oikawa Tooru replied with an apologetic smile.

"Still, Karasuno is quite an interesting team." As Oikawa warmed up, Coach Irihata spoke from the sidelines.

"Kageyama's sets combined with that strange quick attack from the short kid are quite threatening. Beyond that, there's Ryuunosuke Tanaka, whose raw power and presence make up for his lack of composure; Tsukishima Kei, a blocker who compensates for his less imposing aura with clever plays; and Daichi Sawamura, their captain, who's versatile enough to cover multiple defensive gaps. It's a team with uneven strengths but remarkable flexibility in offence."

Coach Irihata paused before continuing, "Luckily, we've got some great rookies on our side too. If Taichi hadn't managed to keep up with that short kid and limit his impact, we might've lost the second set already."

"Is that so?" Oikawa's tone carried a hint of curiosity. To receive such praise from the coach suggested that the intriguing first-years weren't limited to Kageyama alone.

"An offensive team, huh?" Oikawa muttered as he finished his warm-up routine. "No matter how strong an attack is, if it can't be sustained, it's meaningless."

The referee's whistle blew. Substitution: Oikawa Tooru in, Kunimi Akira out.

[Karasuno 24 - Aoba Johsai 23]

Aoba Johsai's serve.

Oikawa's sharp gaze landed on Tsukishima Kei and Hinata Shoyo. "Even with limited viewing, it's obvious—the tall guy with glasses and chibi-chan, neither of you are good at receiving serves, right?"

With unwavering focus, Oikawa tossed the ball lightly into the air, took a deep breath, and then launched into a powerful three-step approach. Jumping high, he struck the ball with precision and spin, targeting Tsukishima.

Smack!

The ball ricocheted off Tsukishima's arm, flying out of bounds. Oikawa scored.

[Karasuno 24 - Aoba Johsai 24]

"We have to hold the line!" Daichi Sawamura's voice rang out, rallying his team.

"Second serve!" Oikawa wasted no time, delivering another targeted serve to Tsukishima. Forced to retreat, Tsukishima managed an awkward receive, the ball flying straight into Aoba Johsai's court.

"That won't do," Oikawa remarked, glancing toward his eager middle blocker.

Taichi, anticipating Tsukishima's shaky receive, had already calculated the trajectory. With a well-timed leap, he spiked the ball back down.

[Karasuno 24 - Aoba Johsai 25]

Just one point away—Karasuno had been so close to victory moments ago, but the tide had turned. Daichi looked across the net at Kaedehara Taichi and Oikawa Tooru—one had effectively neutralized Hinata, while the other bolstered Aoba Johsai's attack.

This serve couldn't be lost!

"Tsukishima, move back! Closer to the right sideline," Daichi instructed, expanding his own defensive coverage. Oikawa immediately picked up on the adjustment.

"Oh? The captain's widening his range. Let's test his receive, then." With that, Oikawa delivered a powerful serve straight at Daichi.

Daichi sank into a low stance, absorbing some of the ball's force upon contact, sending it high into the air.

"Well done! Nice receive, Daichi!" Sugawara Koushi shouted in encouragement.

Kageyama Tobio's sharp eyes took in the play. Fully aware of the difficulty behind Daichi's receive, his resolve solidified: We end Oikawa's service run here. No other option but to take this risk.

"Hinata!" Kageyama set the ball toward an empty spot on the court.

A mistake? No—it wasn't!

Hinata Shoyo's instincts kicked in like a beast sensing prey. He sprinted toward the ball, leapt into position, and prepared to strike. But on the other side of the net, someone was ready and waiting to block him.

Oikawa watched, understanding what Coach Irihata had meant earlier. Without Taichi restraining Hinata, they might've already lost this set. Hinata's speed—covering half the court for an aerial attack—was unmatched.

Midair, Hinata's eyes scanned the court. Simply spiking wouldn't guarantee a point. Spotting the defensive formation, he swung his arm decisively.

Thud.

The ball hit the ground—Hinata had swung and missed.

[Karasuno 24 - Aoba Johsai 26]

The referee's whistle blew. Victory: Aoba Johsai.

"Lost?" The scoreboard's unyielding numbers declared Karasuno's defeat. Kageyama Tobio stood in the middle of the court, staring blankly at the score. His lips parted as if to speak, but no words came.

"Let's do it again!" Hinata's voice cut through the silence, brimming with stubbornness. Taichi turned back to see Hinata's unwavering determination.

"Let's play another match," Hinata demanded, his calm tone betraying a fiery resolve.

"Hinata, stop it. We need to head back to school." Daichi placed a firm hand on Hinata's head, trying to rein him in.

"Chibi-chan, there's always next time." Oikawa waved at the Karasuno players with a grin. "It's just a practice match, after all."

Even as Hinata stood motionless, Taichi walked over, meeting his gaze directly.

"Shōyō, get stronger. I'll be waiting for our next battle."

Hinata's eyes burned with hunger. "I will."

'Ding!' The system's voice chimed in.

[Congratulations, Host! You have successfully altered Hinata Shōyō's career trajectory. Reward: Hinata Shōyō (Current State) Star Card acquired.]

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