Ichinose Guren carefully applied gel foam onto his comb, meticulously slicking his hair back into a flawless pompadour.
Even Karasuno's players who weren't from Yukigaoka instinctively stepped back, inhaling sharply at the sheer presence of him.
Guren noticed his teammates' reactions and couldn't help but smirk.
"Ha, what's the matter?"
"I've been holding this in for too long, can't I release a little?"
"Don't blame me if I hog all the glory."
Facing Nekoma, avoiding their chicken-comb-headed captain's blocks was nearly impossible. If one did manage it, their reception became, in Guren's mind, the most reliable "training bag" in high school volleyball.
Though that training bag hits back pretty hard…
The thought remained unspoken, lingering silently in his mind.
The moment Guren finished his hairstyle, his entire aura shifted. A grin spread across his face, and the battle-hungry energy he'd been suppressing finally radiated outward.
Nekoma's players sensed something like a predator in the shadows. They instinctively looked up, their eyes sharp with suspicion and awe at this man emanating pure combat intent.
Tetsurouu Kuroo immediately turned to his childhood friend, the soul, brain, and heart of Nekoma, Kenma Kozume.
"Kenma, you feel that?"
"…Yeah."
"What do you think?"
Most people would have been confused by Kuroo's abrupt question. But Kenma, having grown up with him, instantly understood.
His catlike eyes opened slightly as he analyzed Guren, curiosity and caution in equal measure.
"Feels… like a big boss," Kenma said in his half-alive monotone.
"Let's just play the first set," Kuroo decided. "Until we figure out his style, being overly cautious won't help."
No matter how strong a demon, if the hero levels up enough and learns the boss's patterns, victory is always possible.
Kuroo glanced at the seemingly lazy setter beside him. Kenma, now calculating how to overcome the "boss," remained Nekoma's ultimate player.
With his brilliant mind and countless hours solving complex challenges, Kenma treats every formidable opponent like a solvable game level. With the right weapons and formations, he can execute moves both flashy and strategic, top-tier skill combined with supreme court awareness.
The ultimate player: Kenma Kozume
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Karasuno's first-set lineup: Yudai Hyakuzawa, Daichi Sawamura, Hinata Shoyo
Ichinose Guren, Nishinoya Yuu, Daichi Sawamura
Nekoma's first-set lineup: Kuroo Tetsurou, Yuki Shibayama, Inuoka, Yaku Morisuke, Fukunaga Shohei, Kenma Kozume
The match began. Kenma's first serve, a seemingly unremarkable underhand shot, rolled over the net.
Though lacking the ferocity of a jump serve, Kenma's precision made it tricky. Opponents who underestimated it risked losing points or revealing tendencies for him to exploit.
Do not show any weaknesses in front of Kenma Kozume.
Guren calmly received the serve, setting up a perfect pass for Kageyama to showcase his full range of setting skills. Surprisingly, Guren didn't throw any trash talk, he simply analyzed Nekoma's defense.
For the first time since Junior High, Guren could remain in the back row without running tirelessly. He began reading the match, noting the defensive and offensive habits of each Nekoma player.
As expected, their first-strike, high-speed attacks were aimed at Kageyama. Hinata's mid-air quick attacks were met with adaptive blocking, resulting in a genuine challenge.
"Whoa! What was that?!"
Inuoka, Nekoma's eager "puppy," gawked at Hinata's astonishing spike. He'd never seen a strike so fast.
Even sitting on the bench, Coach Nekoma muttered in disbelief:
"What the heck? That guy didn't even look at the ball!"
After witnessing Hinata's first-strike success, Ukai and Takeda couldn't hide their pride.
Next rotation: Kageyama stepped into the serving area, spinning the ball in his hands before unleashing his trademark jump serve.
Modeled after Tetsurou Sawamura's killer serves, Kageyama's power and spin challenged Nekoma's formidable reception.
Yet, Nekoma's reception was on par with Daichi Sawamura-level skill. Fukunaga leapt to intercept, protecting Kenma with a near-perfect save.
What infuriated Kageyama most: the pass quality allowed Kenma to comfortably advance to the net for a set. Three years of honing his serve, and it still couldn't disrupt the opponent's formation.
Hmph.
Landing and moving into a defensive stance, Kageyama prepared for the next rotation. Hinata, in the front row, was an easy target for Nekoma's strikes, while Kageyama had to anticipate the deadly attacks behind him.
As the ball approached, Kenma remained motionless, calmly awaiting it. Karasuno's players couldn't help but be surprised.
This guy… so composed?
Come on, move already!
Then, with no warning, Kenma executed a precise pass to the center. Inuoka, expecting the middle quick, struck with a fierce spike, facing Hyakuzawa and Hinata. His first attack in the match was aggressive and brutal.
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria