Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty-Chapter 499: Strangers
The final whistle echoed through the arena, and the glaring red numbers on the scoreboard pierced the nerves of the home crowd.
[DESEO Hornets 25 - 23 EJP Raijin]
[DESEO Hornets 25 - 23 EJP Raijin]
[DESEO Hornets 26 - 24 EJP Raijin]
Clean sweep! DESEO Hornets shut out the reigning champions, EJP Raijin!
Even DH's own fans could hardly believe the scoreline. For EJP supporters, the thought of losing had never even crossed their minds. And ever since Akutsu had joined the team, this was the first time EJP had ever been completely shut down by another squad.
Furumoto Enoki dug his fingers into his teammate's arm.
"OW—!" Kawaguchi Hiro yelped. "What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"How's that? Did it hurt?" Furumoto asked expectantly.
Kawaguchi stared at him. "..."
"Why didn't you pinch yourself instead?" Kawaguchi shot back—and returned the favour with an equally hard pinch.
"Didn't hurt…" Furumoto's previously flushed face fell into a look of disbelief. "Crap, I knew I had to be dreaming!"
Kawaguchi was speechless. Is this...the power of adrenaline?
But guys like Furumoto were the exception. Most of the DH supporters froze for a moment, unable to believe their eyes—then erupted like a volcano. Cheers, shouts, and high-pitched screams crashed together in a tidal wave of noise that made the entire stadium tremble.
"Who said DH is only second-tier now?!"
DH had been posting excellent results all season, holding steady within the league's top three since the beginning. Yet for the past month or so, they'd faced wave after wave of doubt and mockery.
But this match—what everyone had assumed to be a foregone conclusion—had ended in a way that left the crowd stunned into silence.
Not only had DH won, they had crushed EJP. And they hadn't just won close sets—each game ended swiftly, leaving EJP with barely any room to breathe.
The relatively few DH fans in the arena now leapt and shouted in euphoria, releasing weeks of suppressed frustration. And the one surrounded by DH teammates on court—the one who had shattered all doubt with sheer power—Kaedehara Taichi, in this moment, had become nothing short of a hero in their eyes.
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"What's this? Beating a top team and you're not going to celebrate with your teammates?"
In a yakiniku bar nestled somewhere in downtown Matsumoto, warm amber light glowed against the wooden furniture, pushing back the cold of the winter night outside.
Taichi had just stepped through the door when he heard Kunimi Akira's teasing voice.
"Isn't this a celebration with teammates too?" Taichi replied with a slight grin as he made his way over to the Aoba Johsai group.
The air inside buzzed with lively conversation. Plates clinked, laughter bounced off the walls, and the mouthwatering scent of grilled meat blended with the mellow sweetness of sake.
"Taichi!" Kindaichi Yūtarō waved enthusiastically.
"Taichi-senpai!" Ueda Ritsu jumped up to pull out a chair for him and neatly arranged his utensils.
"If only you were this diligent during practice," Kunimi muttered, shooting a glance at the rookie.
"Hehe…" Ueda gave an embarrassed laugh. It was his first time seeing a pro-level match live—and he had been absolutely blown away.
Taichi was their age, yet already shining so brightly on a stage like that.
"Thanks." Taichi sat down and casually picked up the glass of cola already poured for him. Tilting his head back, he downed it in one go. His throat bobbed visibly, the motion exuding an unrestrained satisfaction.
Ueda immediately leaned forward to refill his drink.
Taichi waved him off. "No need. Just wanted a taste."
Ueda paused, then his eyes lit up with realisation. "Ah—I get it! This is part of a pro athlete's dietary control, right? That's so cool, Taichi-senpai!"
Kunimi: "..."
Kindaichi Yūtarō gave him a suspicious look. "Taichi, weren't you the one who used to—"
"Kindaichi, I heard a few clubs have approached you?" Kaedehara Taichi cut in.
"Mm, yeah. Two V2 League teams have contacted me," Kindaichi replied naturally, picking up the topic without hesitation. "One's the Sendai Frogs from Miyagi, and the other is Tokyo's Tama Electric Elephants."
"Both V2, huh..." Taichi muttered, lost in thought. "So, what are you thinking?"
Kindaichi scratched his head. "I haven't really decided yet…"
"I don't think you need to rush," Kunimi chimed in, picking up where the conversation left off. "Both of those offers came before the Spring High nationals. Now that we've taken the championship, I'd bet a V1 team or two might come knocking."
"Maybe," Taichi replied, though he wasn't quite as optimistic.
The truth was, V1 League teams in Japan weren't especially keen on local middle blockers. They often preferred to fill that position with foreign players. That alone could explain why Kindaichi hadn't received any V1 offers yet.
In terms of pure ability, among the current generation of third-years, only Chigaya Eikichi (from Shinzen) and Kai Suzuharu (from Inubushi Higashi) were clearly stronger than Kindaichi. Others—like Bessho Kazuyoshi (Kamomedai), Tsukishima Kei (Karasuno), and Onaga Wataru (Fukurōdani)—were more or less on par with him.
"I've gone through the V1 teams that are currently lacking middle blockers and unlikely to sign foreign players," Kunimi said, his fingers tapping softly on the table. "Teams like VC Kanagawa, where Kyotani-senpai is playing, or Daiden Tetsu and JT Thunder. They don't often make the top eight, but they are V1 clubs."
"You've played against both V1 and V2 teams, right?" Kunimi turned to Taichi. "Even if someone starts out on the bench in V1, I think the experience and growth would still be more valuable than anything V2 could offer."
"Yeah. The game pace is completely different. The sooner someone adjusts to V1, the better," Taichi agreed.
It wasn't just about development. More importantly, playing in the V1 League meant greater visibility. People often underestimated how critical exposure was. But in the pro world, attention usually translates into opportunity.
"So if Kindaichi doesn't get any offers," Kunimi continued, "I'll have him take the initiative and reach out to those teams. See if they'll give him a tryout."
It was the first time Kindaichi had heard about any of this. And here he'd thought Kunimi, who already had multiple offers from V1 clubs, wouldn't need to think about such things at all.
"You really are thorough, Kunimi." Taichi smiled. This version of Kunimi felt oddly unfamiliar to him.
Automatically reminding teammates not to slack off. Carefully planning out their future careers. That presence on the court yesterday, commanding the team as captain…
It was strange. Kunimi had once been the laziest, most "don't bother me" person in Aoba Johsai.
Kunimi raised a brow. "What's with that creepy grin?"
"Nothing. Just realised I forgot to congratulate you guys on winning Spring High." Taichi lifted a glass of lemon water. "And besides—today's DH victory owes a little something to you too."
"Hmph. So that disgusting final spike was aimed at me, huh?" Kunimi scowled.
That last brutal hit had used a technique Kunimi had only just mastered after weeks of practice. And of course, Taichi had seen it once, adapted it immediately, and folded it effortlessly into his own playing style.
No surprise there…It was just so very him.
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