Haikyuu: Reborn in Karasuno

The break between volleyball sets is just three minutes. After Karasuno's dominant win in the first set, the team rehydrated and regrouped while listening to Coach Ukai's feedback. However, with no major issues to address, his talk was brief.

Ukai then made a strategic change—he subbed Hayato out and brought Asahi in.

This was the confidence of a team with two Aces. There was no need to exhaust both of them in the opening match. They could rotate and preserve stamina for tougher rounds ahead.

In contrast, Ohgiminami High's side was silent. The crushing point gap had left their players deflated, their captain Towada included. Even motivational platitudes like "What matters is doing your best" rang hollow.

Just then, a familiar voice rang out from the second-floor stands.

"Hey! Why are you guys so quiet? You're so fierce when picking fights, but when it's volleyball, you freeze up?"

It was Akimiya Sho, Ohgiminami's former captain and a retired third-year.

Towada and two of the players who'd earlier mocked Tanaka immediately looked up, annoyed.

"Who's freezing up?!"

"I'm not afraid of you! You're up there! Come down here and say that!"

But Akimiya only gripped the railing and leaned forward with a smirk. "Doesn't matter how strong you are in a fight. You're not even trying down there."

"What's that guy even doing here?" one of them muttered.

Akimiya's voice turned serious.

"Losing doesn't make you pathetic. But giving up after one setback? That does. I'm not telling you how to play your match, but listen: going all out, fighting seriously, giving it everything you've got—there's nothing shameful about that!"

Sitting off to the side, Hayato overheard the speech. He glanced at Towada and gave a small nod. It made sense.

Then Hayato thought to himself, "Only one team can win. That's just the reality of it. So we've got to make sure we're the ones who do."

"Ohhh!" the Karasuno bench answered in unison.

Towada clenched his fists. Inspired, he shouted, "We're not done yet! We're going to take down Karasuno, push through the preliminaries, and even defeat Shiratorizawa!"

Tanaka blinked, then grinned. "Yeah? Bring it on!"

Asahi entered the match and wasted no time showing the crowd that he, too, was Karasuno's Ace. His spikes were clean and powerful, his presence steady. The point gap started to widen again.

But comparisons were inevitable.

"Karasuno's new wing spiker is solid… but you know."

"Yeah. That number 13—he was way more explosive."

Spectators from other schools, watching from the upper stands, commented casually. Their interest in the match had started to wane.

"The skill gap's too big. Let's go warm up—it's our turn next."

Hearing this, former captain Akimiya Sho leaned over the railing again, unwilling to accept it. "It's not over yet! Don't give up!"

But Ohgiminami was down 13 to 23.

Karasuno had the serve. Kageyama stepped up. His teammates cheered for a strong serve.

He delivered a blistering jump serve—service ace.

"24! Match point!"

"Kageyama's serves are seriously lethal now!" Ennoshita cheered.

Hayato smiled and patted his shoulder. "After camp, he and I stayed late every night to practice 100 jump serves. It paid off."

Sugawara rolled his eyes. "Alright, alright. Don't get cocky just because half the credit goes to you."

"Hehe."

Kageyama launched another serve. Ohgiminami's player touched it, but the ball ricocheted off his arm and flew behind him.

Towada watched the ball arc past him and thought for just a moment, "Well, we're second-years. There's always next year..."

But no sooner had that thought passed than he sprinted after the ball.

"Thinking like that is exactly why you're weak!" he scolded himself internally.

He dove, knocking over the water bottles, and saved the ball.

"LAST BALL! SAVE IT!"

Ohgiminami's libero slid in and passed it.

The ball skimmed the net—Nishinoya saved it with a backhand.

Hinata popped it to Tanaka—smash—but it was received again.

"It's not over yet!"

Towada called for the set.

He jumped and spiked—but Asahi was ready and cleanly received it.

Then, like a blur, Hinata flew past Towada's eyes.

He watched Karasuno's #10 leap high, and in that moment, Towada's frustration turned into clarity.

"The idiot… was me."

Kageyama's perfect toss met Hinata's hand in midair—point.

End of the Match

Karasuno won in straight sets.

Both teams lined up at the sideline. The whistle blew.

"Thank you for the game!"

Karasuno advanced.

Ohgiminami's run was over.

Towada and his teammates slumped near the staircase. Their former captain approached quietly.

"You guys fought hard," Akimiya said gently.

They stood up.

"It's normal to be upset. Even players who don't train hard feel bitter after losing. It shows you cared."

He looked at them all seriously.

"But if you forget this frustration in three days, then you'll always be weak. Don't waste your time in high school—it goes by in a flash. Remember today. Keep that feeling with you."

Realizing he'd gotten too intense, Akimiya chuckled and backed off.

"Well, that's enough lecturing. I'll come watch next year too. Keep at it."

As he turned to leave, Towada shouted behind him.

"Captain! Thank you for the game!"

The whole team joined him, bowing deeply in gratitude.

Akimiya smiled as he waved back.

Karasuno gathered early at the prep area to scout their next opponent.

From the doorway, they saw him—a literal giant.

"A weapon… that height is a weapon," Asahi murmured.

"Two meters tall… that's scary," Hitoka added.

The giant dominated the court. With minimal jumps, he spiked past blocks and tipped the ball in effortlessly. Kakugawa High won their match quickly.

At the schedule board, Daichi read the results:

Kakugawa High – 25:21, 25:19.

"One more win, and we reach the October regional qualifiers. We have to break through."

"YES!"

Hitoka gulped. "If we lose even once now, it's over…"

Then she noticed the giant walking past.

"2.01 meters," someone whispered.

Hinata stared up at him, trembling.

"So tall…"

"2.01 vs. 1.62 meters…" Yamaguchi added.

"If you round up, I'm 1.63!" Hinata protested.

Tsukishima chimed in dryly. "That's a 40 cm difference. Like, say… the height of a Pikachu."

"That's not comforting!" Hitoka cried.

"Or a baby shark—like the Fuji Whale," Tsukishima said, thinking aloud.

"Fuji Whale?" Hinata echoed.

"I want to merge with a Fuji Whale…"

Kageyama looked at him sideways. "Huh?"

"If I merged with a Fuji Whale, I'd be two meters tall."

Hayato appeared and casually rested an arm on Hinata's head.

"Our Little Giant afraid of a real one?"

"Hayato-senpai!"

Hinata perked up immediately.

"Relax. Our Little Giant's not backing down today, right?"

Hayato turned to look at the giant across the court. Then he looked Hinata in the eye.

"How about it? Got the confidence?"

Hinata grinned. "Yes!"

"Good. Let's head in, then."

"Oh!"

Daichi saw Hinata bounce back and smiled.

"Let's go, Karasuno!"

From the stands, Hitoka saw Hinata's spark return and sighed with relief.

"Hayato-senpai really brought him back…"

Beside her, Kiyoko nodded.

"Yes. After all, he's our Ace."

They placed towels and water in the rest area, then returned to cheer from above.

The next battle was just beginning.

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