Komori Motoya's eyes widened in shock.
Did…did Sakusa just say that?
He sneaked a glance at Sakusa, only to find an unfamiliar sight—his face was far more expressive than usual.
"Of course," Kaedehara Taichi responded with a smile. "I want to go up against every team that has a top-five ace in the nation."
In the corner of the court, Kageyama Tobio was practically on the verge of developing a psychological complex. He had always thought that he wasn't a match for Oikawa-senpai—but now, could it have been because of Kaedehara Taichi all along?
"Idiot Hinata! Dumbass!"
Muttering curses under his breath, Kageyama managed to calm himself down a little.
No matter what, his performance just now had been solid. If he could maintain that state, then the next time they faced Aoba Johsai, they might actually have a chance.
That towering wall that had always stood in Karasuno's way—Kageyama could now see its peak.
Coach Fuki Hibarida walked over while applauding.
"Great work, everyone. That was a solid performance—some of you even exceeded my expectations."
"Now that you've gotten a bit more familiar with each other, make sure to stretch properly. After a short break, we'll go over the game footage."
"Just one set?" Kageyama suddenly asked.
Coach Hibarida looked at the group of teenagers. Each one of them had the same fierce glint in their eyes.
What a bunch of volleyball maniacs.
Perhaps it was this very passion that had brought them all here.
Hibarida couldn't help but chuckle. "Don't worry, there will be plenty of practice matches ahead. Today's main goal was to help you get to know each other."
"Who knows? Maybe in a few days, I might even have a surprise for you."
The Ajinomoto National Training Center was a venue used for Olympic events.
Besides its striking architectural design, the facility seamlessly integrated cutting-edge technology.
To ensure that every spectator had the best possible viewing experience, the venue was equipped with a massive display screen. Surrounding the court were numerous high-tech cameras—sharp, unblinking eyes that captured every single movement of the athletes.
These cameras weren't just abundant; they were also strategically placed, providing complete coverage of the court from every angle. No matter where a player moved, their actions would be recorded with pinpoint precision.
During the Intensive Training Camp, they would be making full use of this technology—reviewing and analyzing footage of their training sessions to pinpoint weaknesses and find ways to improve.
After wrapping up the first day of training, all the players gathered at the cafeteria for dinner.
The meal consisted of a well-balanced spread—four dishes, one soup, and fresh fruit for dessert. It looked quite impressive.
"Whoa… As expected of the national team, this food is amazing!" Chigaya Eikichi exclaimed.
For some reason, he had ended up sticking close to Kageyama Tobio. But for Kaedehara Taichi, having a normal but talented guy like Eikichi around was a relief—otherwise, he'd be surrounded by nothing but weirdos.
His gaze shifted toward Sakusa Kiyoomi and Komori Motoya, who were seated nearby.
"What?" Sakusa eyed him warily. "What kind of scheme are you cooking up now?"
Seated at the farthest end of the round table, Sakusa looked as if he was deliberately trying to distance himself from everyone else. Judging by how cautious he was, he was probably worried that the others might "contaminate" his food.
In that case, why even sit at the same table?!
"My bad, my bad! He tends to see things in a pretty negative light," Komori Motoya said apologetically.
"I'm not negative—I'm cautious," Sakusa corrected, clearly displeased. "That brat has a particularly devious mind. You should watch out too, Motoya."
Kaedehara Taichi: "…"
Wasn't that just a personal attack?!
"Haha…Don't take it personally," Komori chuckled. "That's just how he talks. Maybe he feels a little threatened by you, Taichi."
"I'm done," Sakusa suddenly announced.
"So fast?!" Chigaya leaned over in disbelief.
He looked like the type to eat slowly and meticulously, but did geniuses even eat faster than normal people?!
Sakusa shot a brief glance at the "broccoli-head" before quickly looking away.
Left-handed. Nothing special.
"I'm going to shower," he said to Komori, pulling up his face mask.
"I need to finish before the bathwater gets contaminated by other people's bacteria."
"Alright, I'll head over later."
Only Komori Motoya waved casually at Sakusa Kiyoomi, completely unfazed.
"Komori-senpai, even though you're on the same team, you and Sakusa-senpai have such a...good relationship"
Kaedehara Taichi commented, not out of surprise that they were teammates, but rather because it was hard to imagine Sakusa getting along so well with anyone.
"Hmm? Oh, you mean Kiyoomi? We're cousins~" Komori raised an eyebrow and casually dropped a bombshell.
"Huh?! But your personalities are way too different!"
"Haha…Yeah, people say that all the time," Komori laughed.
"Kiyoomi's parents were always busy with work, and his older siblings were much older than him, so he spent most of his childhood alone," he recalled. "Even as a kid, he was quiet and not the type to make friends easily. Even though we're the same age, we barely interacted back then."
Seems like he still isn't great at socializing…Chigaya Eikichi thought to himself.
"My parents told me to spend more time with him, so I invited him to play volleyball."
"But to be honest, I don't think he started playing because he really wanted to. It was more like… 'Well, I've got nothing better to do, might as well give it a shot.'"
"But the thing about Kiyoomi is—once he starts something, he never gives up halfway. He always sees things through to the end. That's probably why he's still on this path."
"Oh—he's seriously amazing!" Chigaya said with genuine admiration. Even if he's a bit strange, he's still incredible!
Hearing Komori's explanation, Kaedehara Taichi couldn't help but glance at Kageyama Tobio.
Ever since his grandfather passed away, Kageyama had also spent most of his time alone. In both of their worlds, volleyball was almost everything.
But at least Sakusa had Komori by his side. And in high school, Kageyama had met Hinata Shōyō.
In volleyball, the most important thing truly is 'connection.'
Komori looked at Kaedehara Taichi and Kageyama Tobio and said, "Back in middle school, we faced Shiratorizawa—the team Ushijima was on. After that encounter, every time we played against Ushijima in a match or got called to the same training camp, Kiyoomi would—very rarely—seem happy."
"And now, meeting the two of you is the same thing," Komori smiled brightly. "Miyagi Prefecture really is a blessing for us! It's like a treasure trove of monsters, each one appearing one after another, never-ending."
Kageyama had just finished his meal. Hearing those words, his mind immediately flashed to a certain bright orange-haired idiot.
Then he shook his head. That dumbass. He still has a long way to go.
Far away, at Shiratorizawa First Gymnasium, Hinata Shōyō—who was staying late to train—suddenly sneezed during his approach.
That was already the second time today.
"Idiot. You better not be catching a cold," Tsukishima Kei scoffed, stepping away from him in disgust.
"No way, I feel totally fine," Hinata said, looking thoughtful. "And I've been listening to Sugawara-senpai's advice—I always wear my jacket after practice!"
Are you a grade-schooler or something?
On the other side of the gym.
"Kunimi, you're training extra hard today…"
Kindaichi Yūtarō rarely saw Kunimi Akira put in this much effort, so he complimented him sincerely.
Kunimi didn't look pleased at all. Instead, his expression darkened.
"...If you're gonna say that, haven't you always been working hard?"
Kindaichi nodded, his eyes filled with determination.
"Yeah. I don't want to fall too far behind Taichi. And since even Kageyama is over there now, there's no way I'm losing to him either."
Kunimi glanced at the volleyball by his feet.
Ever since stepping onto the national stage, his mindset had started to change—just a little.
At least in high school, I can give my all for something I love.
[T/N] - If you guys want to read 50 Chapters in advance of the current story, you can support me on my . Trust me, it's awesome!
Link - (P)atreon.com/Iseeblack [Remove the brackets]