"As expected of you, Hank. Even before I got here, you'd already beaten my dear underclassman into this state."
Toru Oikawa glanced at Tobio Kageyama, who was standing in front of him, and spoke calmly. In his eyes, the fact that Hank had pushed Kageyama this far already said everything that needed to be said about Hank's strength. And now that he himself had stepped onto the court, Karasuno was finally going to understand just how terrifying Hank really was.
"So you're back, Oikawa."
"Let's finish this match first."
Hank looked at Oikawa beside him and spoke flatly. Other than winning or losing, he had no real interest in anything else. As for what Tobio Kageyama thought of him, that had nothing to do with him.
All he needed to do was put this match away.
After that, he would be able to earn a huge number of points. With those points, he should be able to raise himself straight to the level of the Youth National Team.
And when that time came, he would be able to sign in for a multi-angle spike. Once that happened, even if he ran into Shiratorizawa Academy again in the Spring High qualifiers, it wouldn't be a problem at all.
From beginning to end, at Hank's current stage, there was only one true enemy in his mind:
Shiratorizawa Academy.
Other than that, the rest of the teams didn't really matter to him.
As long as he ran into them, he would crush them directly.
Not just Karasuno as they were now, and not just any opponents he might face in the future. He would defeat every last one of them and claim a ticket to Spring High in absolute fashion.
"Don't be so quiet. I'm the setter on the court, and you're Aoba Johsai's ace. We should be communicating at all times."
Oikawa said it in an almost overly familiar tone. Hank listened to his nonstop chatter without the slightest change in expression. On the contrary, his focus remained razor-sharp, fixed completely on the volleyball match in front of him.
"This guy... he can actually put up with Oikawa's nonstop mouth."
"So he really isn't human after all!?"
Standing at the back right of the court, Hajime Iwaizumi was stunned when he saw that Hank wasn't affected in the slightest by anything Oikawa said. To him, Oikawa was basically a walking nuisance. Sure, he was dependable when it really mattered, but most of the time he was just unbelievably irritating. Even Iwaizumi, who had grown up with him, could barely stand it.
And yet Hank, who hadn't even known Oikawa for that long, was somehow able to endure it completely.
That was just unbelievable.
At this point, Iwaizumi was starting to wonder whether Hank was even human.
How was it that no matter what it was, he could do it so well?
"Hiss—"
After the referee announced that the next serve belonged to Karasuno High, Oikawa finally stopped talking and looked at Tobio Kageyama in front of him. His expression was full of mockery.
If he hadn't had Hank on his side now, then maybe Kageyama might have been able to defeat him in the future.
But things were different now.
Now that Hank had appeared on Aoba Johsai, it didn't matter how much Karasuno adjusted itself later on.
They still wouldn't be able to catch up.
Because Hank's true strength...
Only Oikawa himself really understood it.
It wasn't just his top-tier jumping ability.
His terrifying learning speed in every area, along with his iron will, were the things that made Hank truly frightening.
Bang!
Tsukishima's serve clipped the top of the net and dropped into Aoba Johsai's court. Seeing the ball begin to fall almost as soon as it crossed over, Aoba Johsai's libero immediately lunged forward with a diving save and barely kept it alive.
"Then let's give this one to Hank!"
Oikawa took a long step under the ball his libero had saved and deliberately announced his intention out loud. Right in front of everyone on Karasuno's side, he sent the set straight to Hank.
The moment they saw that, everyone on Karasuno's side froze.
What was going on?
On a volleyball court, wasn't one of the biggest taboos letting the other side figure out how you were setting up your offense?
So why had Toru Oikawa, the instant he stepped on court, openly declared how he was about to organize the attack?
Could it be that this guy was actually an airhead?
"Damn it!"
Tobio Kageyama already understood what Oikawa meant.
He simply didn't take Karasuno seriously at all.
To reveal his attacking target so casually was enough to prove that he had never even considered the possibility that Karasuno would be able to stop the offense he was about to create.
To Kageyama, there was only one word for that behavior:
Arrogance.
Even if Toru Oikawa was his senior, this arrogance was taken too far.
Was he trying to crush his confidence the very first time they faced each other head-on?
But just as that thought flashed through his mind, the ball on Aoba Johsai's side had already reached the net.
And on the entire court, the only one making an approach and jumping...
Was Hank.
Exactly the way Oikawa had said it would be.
(End of Chapter)
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