Haikyu!!: Rise of Sengoku

[Drageos]

lol.

The power of mooching off the smart kid.

 

[Veltoria]

Host: Akashi Asuka

Height: 182.6 cm

Weight: 79 kg

Reach: 339 cm

Strength: 78.5 [Core Strength 78.1, Arm Strength 79]

Speed: 75.2 [Explosive Speed 75.3, Reaction Speed 75.1]

Stamina: 75.7 [Endurance 75.5, Cardiopulmonary 75.9]

Jump: 77 [Jump Height 78.9, Hang Time 75.1]

Basic Skills: 72.8 [Serve 72.3, Bump 72.1, Set 65.8, Spike 79.4, Block 75.4, Defense 72]

Advanced Skills: [Cross-court Spike 73], [Straight Spike 73.4], [Power Jump Serve 74.5]

······

One week after the new term began.

After finishing all the chaotic "school start tests." the volleyball team's coach, Shimokawa Mitsuto, gave the players another round of assessments.

The data in hand was Akashi Asuka's latest test results.

Of course, the latter part of this data mainly came from the system, while the paper Shimokawa Mitsuto held lacked that same level of precision and detail, except for the first three categories.

Still, the newest stats were enough to shock Shimokawa Mitsuto.

To him, these weren't just numbers, they were a clear, concrete display of talent.

In just one month, Akashi Asuka's data had evolved to a whole new level compared to when the training camp ended. Such seemingly limitless progress was hard to explain with anything other than the word talent.

What baffled Shimokawa Mitsuto the most was that he had been coaching Akashi for quite some time, yet during his first and second years, there had been no sign of such gifted ability.

Could this really be what they called a "late bloomer"?

Puzzled, Shimokawa Mitsuto turned to the next data sheet.

"Hm! This one looks more normal."

The second set belonged to Ryuhei Sanashita. Compared to Akashi's data, Sanashita's growth trajectory was much more typical.

Starting with height and weight: they weren't too far apart. Both had grown nearly 1.5 cm in the past month.

While that rate of growth was somewhat fast, it was completely normal for a third-year junior high student. Shimokawa had even seen cases where students grew so much during summer break that all their clothes and shoes became unusable.

As for weight, Sanashita hadn't gained nearly as much as Akashi.

Akashi's weight gain came from his increasing strength attribute, which forced a rise in muscle mass, and that slightly limited his jump attribute growth.

In other areas, Sanashita obviously couldn't compare to Akashi.

Compared to the day the training camp ended, Sanashita's physical and skill stats showed some improvements, but a few areas had dropped slightly.

This wasn't surprising to Shimokawa.

In fact, considering a whole summer had passed, maintaining this level was already quite encouraging.

It showed that Sanashita hadn't wasted his vacation. Even if he didn't follow a strict training plan like Akashi, he at least kept up some practice.

If he had just played around for a month, his skills would've plummeted.

This is the nature of competitive sports.

The other players' stats were mostly similar, proving that the team was pushing themselves hard to defeat Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High.

Holding the stack of sheets, Shimokawa Mitsuto's heart burned with excitement.

"If they keep this up, maybe this year Sengoku really can make it to the nationals."

Last year, Shimokawa had entertained the thought of leading Sengoku to the national tournament, but it was just an idea back then. As a coach, he knew how tough it was to reach that level.

Now, that thought had begun to feel like a real possibility.

Not just because the players worked hard, but mainly because of Akashi Asuka's remarkable progress, the real hope for breaking through to nationals.

Though his heart was aflame, Shimokawa kept a calm exterior.

He stood up slowly and said, "After this test, it's clear you've all worked hard over the summer. But... it's still not enough. Except for Akashi, all of you have been too lazy since the training camp ended."

"There are just over three weeks until the national tournament, and this is your last chance in junior high. If you want revenge on Kitagawa and want to make a real push at nationals, then seize this limited time and give it your all!"

The group responded loudly, "Yes!!!"

Shimokawa's speech was a powerful boost of motivation for the second-year boys.

They immediately threw themselves into training with fiery passion.

Akashi grabbed a basket of balls, ready to keep practicing his jump serve, aiming to push his serve skill above 75 before the national tournament started.

But before he could begin, two figures approached him from a short distance away.

Nishimori Tomohiko arrived first, already excitedly waving his arms, "Asuka-senpai, "

"Hey Akashi, can you spike a few more balls my way during practice?" Ryuhei Sanashita cut in before Nishimori finished, stepping right up to Akashi.

Hearing that, Nishimori's excitement froze instantly, his face draining of color as the disappointment was obvious.

How did this happen?

I was here first...

Since the last match, Sanashita had been reflecting on himself.

During the prefectural tournament, Sanashita's performance wasn't bad. Aside from some initial nerves causing mistakes early on, his subsequent games were solid.

Still, he felt he just couldn't mesh well with Akashi on the court.

At first, he thought the problem was his own play, but after the summer training camp, he realized it wasn't that.

It was Akashi who was playing at an exceptional level.

Akashi's progress was so fast it was almost visible to the naked eye, not only in regular training but even mid-tournament.

Because of this, Sanashita felt his "normal" performance just couldn't keep up with Akashi's pace.

The setter is the team's commander.

Also, the blacksmith who forged the weapons for the spikers.

But during the first half of the prefectural tournament, Sanashita was undeniably an unqualified setter.

 

[Veltoria]

Ryuhei Sanashita was determined to forge a stronger weapon for Akashi Asuka.

Nishimori Tomohiko wanted to steal a few more glances at the senior he admired from up close.

When these two collided, the result was, naturally, not a battlefield of rivalry.

Only children pick sides.

Adults want it all.

Besides, with Akashi Asuka's current stamina, one setter alone simply couldn't keep up with his monstrous energy.

Only together could the two barely hold their own against him.

Before the national tournament officially began, Akashi's training regimen differed from the rest of the volleyball club.

While everyone else focused on match play to sharpen their skills and peak their conditioning, Akashi didn't need that.

Having trained hard all summer and competed frequently, his main goal was to strengthen his existing advantages: power, spiking, and serving.

Especially strength training.

Now, Akashi's arm strength was inching close to 80. Once he broke through that barrier, his spiking power would leap to a whole new level.

…

Three weeks, it's not long, but not short either.

As the Sengoku Junior High volleyball team pushed themselves relentlessly, time seemed to fly by in the blink of an eye.

The day of the National Junior High Comprehensive Sports Tournament men's volleyball preliminaries had arrived.

Dressed sharply in their uniforms, the Sengoku team boarded the school bus with a fierce determination.

Compared to the county tournament, their excitement and curiosity had given way to calm confidence.

Meanwhile, inside the bustling arena…

A boy with bright orange curls and the stature of a grade schooler, yet bursting with energy, experienced the venue for the first time.

"Wow! So many people! Such a huge gym, and it even smells like Salonpas spray!" he exclaimed, eyes wide in awe.

But his excitement didn't last long.

A team marched in through the entrance with a military-like presence.

At the front was Tobio Kageyama.

Compared to months ago, his aura had grown even more intense, his expression darker, and an unmistakable "keep out" vibe surrounded him.

This was the team from Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High.

The county's absolute top school, Kitagawa's every appearance sparked a roar from the crowd.

Then, in a place powered by miracles, the restroom,

The orange-haired boy and Tobio Kageyama met for the first time.

…

At the same time,

The Sengoku bus pulled into the parking lot outside the arena.

One by one, the volleyball members stepped off, their changed demeanor and fierce aura drawing curious looks.

"Whoa, that vibe is scary."

"This team isn't messing around."

"Yeah, but do you even know who they are?"

"Nope. Not a clue."

Sengoku Junior High's reputation paled compared to Kitagawa's. Even though they'd tied the club's best record at the county tournament, that was only making the top sixteen.

Hearing these remarks annoyed Oomae Masato.

But before he could react, Jujirou Kazama, who knew his body better than he did, grabbed his collar and pulled him back.

"Don't act up, Oomae. Kitagawa's match is about to start. Let's watch and learn about their current strength, then warm up."

Upon hearing the name "Kitagawa." Oomae snapped to attention, no longer causing trouble.

Kitagawa Daiichi Junior High wasn't a seeded team at this national preliminaries.

Last year, during the national tournament, they were transitioning from old to new stars.

Their former ace setter had graduated, and the new ace hadn't yet matured.

So, last year at preliminaries, they'd only made the quarterfinals.

As a result,

Kitagawa had to play from the very first round this year.

Once inside the arena,

The Sengoku team noticed Kitagawa's match had already started.

Only five minutes in,

The score stood at a staggering 10-3.

"Wow, that's a brutal score!"

The Sengoku team who just arrived gasped in surprise.

"Is Kitagawa really this strong now?"

"No way! Dummy, even Kitagawa can't rack up a lead like that this fast. Their opponents must be trash."

"True, Kitagawa isn't seeded this year, but their strength is undeniable. The organizers wouldn't match them against such weak opponents."

Coach Shimokawa explained.

They watched intently but soon started feeling sleepy.

They'd come to gauge Kitagawa's strength, but the opponent was too weak to reveal much.

After just ten minutes,

The first set ended with an overwhelming 25-8 score.

"That Yukigaoka Junior High team, except for that tiny orange-haired kid, looks like they don't know volleyball at all." Oomae yawned lazily.

"Yeah! And even that kid's skills are rough. What are they doing in a real tournament?"

"Hey, Akashi, you seem pretty interested in that Yukigaoka kid, you're watching him closely."

Akashi smiled and replied, "Of course. Watching anime live is totally different from seeing it on TV."

Oomae: "???"

"What nonsense. Are you running a fever or something?"

Akashi rested his chin on the front row chair, shaking his head gently.

"Don't underestimate that little guy from Yukigaoka! He's got some real talent. If we only compare vertical jump, he might even be higher than me right now."

Part of Akashi's reach advantage came from his height. But purely on jump height, the current Shoyo Hinata might even surpass him.

Oomae snorted. "Pfft! Even if that brat's got some talent, I don't buy that he's stronger than you, the 'monster.'"

Akashi: "……"

That left me speechless.

 

[Veltoria]

"Let's go! It's our turn to take the court now."

The second match between Kitagawa and Yukigaoka Junior High also wrapped up quickly, about ten minutes in total.

As always, Akashi Asuka got to witness Shōyō Hinata's final attack: a lightning-fast, flat spike. But that single point barely registered with the crowd given the huge gap between the two teams' scores.

Of course, for Tobio Kageyama, who was right across the net, the experience might feel a little different.

······

"Our next opponent is Sengoku." a middle-aged coach spoke seriously to his team in the waiting area of Shirakawa Junior High. "They were the dark horse at this year's prefectural tournament. Honestly, after reviewing the footage last night, I realized that if they hadn't met Kitagawa in the round of sixteen, they might've gone even further."

"What? We're facing such a strong team again?"

"So unlucky!"

"Looks like we're out in the first round this year too…"

"Don't be so down." the coach interrupted firmly, seeing the team's morale already tanking before the match even started. "Listen carefully, Sengoku is strong, but not unbeatable. According to my analysis, they revolve entirely around one player: their ace outside hitter."

"That ace really is top-tier in the prefecture, but aside from him, the rest of the Sengoku players are pretty average."

"So your job in this game is simple, shut down their ace. If you can stop him from scoring, we have a real chance. Understood?"

"Yes, coach."

······

"Bullshit!"

Smack!

Another fierce spike from Shirakawa's setter's side zipped past and slammed onto the floor.

Watching number three from Sengoku score again, Shirakawa's setter couldn't help but recall the coach's pre-game talk.

Something's off here, coach.

This Sengoku team isn't as weak as you said.

But one thing's true, number one on the other side must never get the chance to attack.

The setter glanced toward the imposing figure wearing Sengoku's number one jersey on the opposite court. Since the start, that guy hadn't attacked once, but as a player, the setter's instincts screamed danger.

This guy is way too dangerous!

A bead of sweat slid down the setter's forehead. The score was 9–4 now, but he wasn't overly worried, until he stood near Sengoku's number one.

Then it felt like a beast was staring him down.

Smash!

Oomae Masato scored again with a powerful spike and clenched his fists, cheering excitedly.

But Akashi Asuka felt no thrill. Instead, he felt a bit sleepy.

He didn't know what Shirakawa's setter was thinking right now, but if he did, he'd probably tell him, "You're overthinking it, kid."

From the start, Akashi hadn't attacked, not because he was heavily guarded.

Even with three blockers, Shirakawa's team would struggle to shut him down.

No, Akashi hadn't attacked simply because of the coach's plan.

Leveling up.

That's the main strategy Sengoku had been using during the early rounds of the qualifiers.

At the prefectural tournament, they used the same tactic, but the others weren't strong enough, and Akashi's individual skill was so overpowering that Shimokawa Mitsuto's "veterans leveling up the rookies" plan failed miserably.

But this time, with the rest of Sengoku's players improving by one or two tiers, they could finally carry their own weight.

So the goal in the early matches was to give the rest of the team real tournament experience.

Nice plan, but reality always throws some curveballs.

Because everyone was so focused on Akashi, Shirakawa always had at least two players tightly guarding him whenever he was in the front court. Even when he dropped back, the opponents remained distracted.

This left big holes elsewhere on Shirakawa's defense. Oomae Masato and Jujiro Kazama attacked freely, feeling zero pressure.

Twelve minutes in, the referee blew the whistle to end the set.

Score: 25–16.

Sengoku took the first set with a huge lead.

During the break, the Shirakawa coach furrowed his brows, thinking aloud, "Looks like they're using their ace as bait in this first set. In the second, maybe we can ease up a bit…"

"No."

Before the coach could finish, Shirakawa's setter interrupted sharply.

"Coach! We absolutely cannot let number one attack. If we do, we'll lose even worse."

The setter's expression was serious, sweat dripping like rain onto the floor.

The coach's eyes narrowed.

······

Meanwhile, as Shirakawa debated how to handle Akashi in the second set, Shimokawa Mitsuto made a tactical call on Sengoku's side:

"Akashi, you don't have to play in the second set."

"What?"

Before Akashi could respond, the rest of the team was stunned.

"Why? Coach, did Akashi do something wrong?"

"No. Not at all."

Shimokawa shook his head. "Our goal for the early rounds of this qualifier is to let everyone except Akashi get used to the national-level intensity. But our opponent is so focused on Akashi that the others aren't really experiencing the true challenge of this tournament."

"So for the next matches leading up to the round of sixteen, Akashi won't play. That way, we keep a trump card up our sleeve."

"I understand." Akashi nodded, agreeing to the plan.

Honestly, Shimokawa's strategy was risky. In a tournament like this, you never know when an underdog might appear.

But it's not feasible to rely on Akashi alone.

If the rest of the team doesn't improve fast, Sengoku could easily fall into the same tight spot they faced at the prefectural tournament when the competition stiffened.

 

[Veltoria]

"They actually dared to underestimate us? Let's show them what we're made of!"

After Shimokawa Mitsuto laid out the tactical plan, Akashi Asuka, the player being benched, had no real reaction. Instead, it was players like Oomae Masato who were inexplicably fired up.

We know Akashi Asuka is strong. But Shirakawa, putting all their focus on defending against him while completely ignoring the rest of us? Isn't that taking things a bit too far?

If we don't completely destroy them, how are we supposed to survive in the volleyball world after this?

That, more or less, summed up the mood of the rest of the team.

This twist of events…

Was actually a reverse morale boost.

Even Shimokawa Mitsuto, the mastermind behind this strategy, hadn't expected it to play out this way. But overall, it was a huge win for him.

Taking Akashi Asuka's place was a second-year wing spiker.
This was a temporary tactical decision.

If the next part of the match went smoothly, Shimokawa planned to rotate in other promising young players like Nishimori Tomohiko, giving each of them a chance to experience the game firsthand.

After all, once Akashi Asuka's class graduates, they would become the core of the team.

It was about time to start developing them.

…
As the second set began, Shirakawa, who had just spent the entire break strategizing around Akashi Asuka, were completely stunned by the new lineup.
And after the shock came the anger.
"What the hell is this?"

They had swapped out their main players, was this a joke?

Did they think so little of us?

Before the first point of the second set had even been played, the atmosphere between the two teams was already tense and explosive.

…

Back on the bench, Akashi Asuka was lazily yawning, looking half-asleep.

Then, as if sensing something, he turned his head toward the stands, just in time to lock eyes with Tobio Kageyama.

Their gazes met, and for a brief moment, it felt like sparks lit up the air between them.

"Let's go. Nothing worth watching here anymore." Kageyama said suddenly, slinging his bag over his shoulder and standing up.

"We're leaving already? The match isn't over yet." one of Kitagawa's players said in surprise.

To be honest, many of Kitagawa 's players still had a strong impression of Akashi Asuka.

Even though they had crushed Sengoku easily during the prefectural tournament, most of that was thanks to overpowering Sengoku's other players, not Asuka.

"No need. He won't be playing the rest of the match." Kageyama replied bluntly.

And with that, he left the venue without looking back.

The rest of Kitagawa 's team had no choice but to follow.

…
Meanwhile, the match continued.
Without Akashi Asuka's oppressive presence, Shirakawa finally began showing their true strength.

The second-year substitute who had taken Asuka's place struggled at first, understandable for someone playing in a major tournament for the first time.

A series of early mistakes put Sengoku at a disadvantage.

But with the support of his teammates, the score was soon back to even.

At the 26-minute mark of the second set

The referee blew the final whistle.

25–22.

Thanks to continuous attacks from Oomae Masato and Jujiro Kazama, Sengoku edged out Shirakawa by three points and advanced to the next round.

…
After the match, Shimokawa Mitsuto once again drove the team home in the school van.
Back at his house, Akashi Asuka quietly resumed his training routine.

After more than three weeks of consistent practice, his [Arm Strength] stat had finally surpassed 80.

80.

On the system's data panel, that marked the upper limit of what a normal high school athlete could achieve in raw power.

Beyond 80 was the realm of naturally gifted high school power players.

For example:

Asahi Azumane from Karasuno, at his third-year peak, had an [Arm Strength] of around 82–83.

But that was just his arm strength.

Due to a lack of core strength, Asahi's spikes, while powerful, couldn't compare to the destructive force of national-level heavy hitters.

Akashi Asuka might still be a bit behind Asahi in terms of arm power, but once his [Core Strength] also crosses the 80 threshold, the combined effect should allow his spikes to rival even Asahi's peak form.

…
Preliminaries – Second Round
Sengoku vs. Midori-no Junior High.
Once again, Akashi Asuka did not play, as Midori-no was even weaker than Shirakawa.

This time, Shimokawa subbed in several first- and second-year players throughout the match.

In the end, Sengoku won 25–21 and 25–23, securing another round with narrow but clean victories.

With two rounds completed, the team now had a one-week break.

…

Preliminaries – Third Round

Sengoku faced Seiten Junior High, another team that had reached the top 16 in the prefectural tournament.

The first two sets ended in a split: 25–22, then 23–25. Tied 1–1.

With the match on the line, Shimokawa finally brought Akashi Asuka in for the third set.

But Asuka didn't need to do much.

He simply blocked the opposing ace's spike three times in a row, and just like that, Seiten's morale collapsed.

2–1 victory.

Sengoku advanced to the fourth round.

…
Sunday.
Sengoku's next opponent: Shinkuuji Junior High, a private school.
They were a seeded team in this year's prelims, and had made the top four in last year's tournament.

As the Sengoku players stepped onto the court, a familiar feeling hit them, not because Shinkuuji was too strong, but because the whole scene mirrored a moment from the past.

Same elimination round.

Another seeded top-four team.

But this time, they wouldn't let history repeat itself.

Tweet!

The referee's whistle blew.

First serve came from Sengoku's opposite hitter, Oda Miki.

The ball sailed cleanly into the opponent's court.

Shinkuuji quickly organized their offense, and just as expected, the final touch went to their ace attacker.

Much like Sengoku, Shinkuuji was built around a single core weapon, an extremely aggressive, spearhead-style offense.

Their spear?

A top-tier, 186cm tall outside hitter named Amakawa Tenka.

Amakawa leapt high, his max reach exceeding 330cm.

The moment he jumped, Sengoku's blockers, Oomae Masato and Jujiro Kazama, felt like they were staring at a past version of Akashi Asuka.

Boom!

The spike flew clean over the double block, no surprise there.

But strangely, no one heard the ball hit the floor.

Neko Kurata had dug the spike.

Thanks to the training camp, she'd received countless of Akashi Asuka's spikes, and her body instinctively reacted to Amakawa's eerily similar strike.

The ball shot back into the air.

Still midair, Amakawa's expression instantly shifted.

At the same time, Ryuhei Sanashita stepped in, gently flicking the ball toward the space above Akashi Asuka's head.

Then…

Everyone from Shinkuuji watched as a dark shadow, taller and mightier than their own ace, suddenly blocked out the lights above the court...