Miya Atsumu decisively refused: "This is the private coaching I'm giving Shoyo."
Because Hinata's skill level couldn't keep up, there were no suitable lineups for the remaining matches in the morning, Kageyama ultimately didn't find any new opportunities to try something different.
Hinata played one set as a Middle Blocker and one set as a Libero in the last two sets, while the player who partnered with him as the Setter had also watched many videos of Inarizaki and knew very clearly just how strong Hinata's Quick Attack ability was.
The Middle Blocker's Quick Attack tactic was originally developed and popularized by Japan, so after seeing Hinata's Middle Blocker Quick Attack tactic, the Junior National Team coaches were full of praise for him.
However, the future trends will inevitably shift further as rules change and various countries delve deeper into tactical analysis, Hinata's height means he is destined to be unable to continue specializing in the Middle Blocker position.
Hayami, who had originally intended to walk with Hinata, was called away by the coach, so Hinata had no chance to ask him for advice regarding his float serve.
As Miya Atsumu walked toward Hinata, Kageyama also approached.
Hinata, what I said before..
Hinata stopped in his tracks, one hand on his hip and his chin tilted up, looking quite defiant. "Kageyama-kun, we agreed on something earlier. What were you going to say?"
Kageyama's expression contorted.
Watching Hinata's chin-up, head-tilting movement, Miya Atsumu felt a momentary trance and his footsteps faltered, seeing a certain obnoxious senior in him.
Wait, this isn't right!
Chapter 477: The Four Hundred and Seventy-Seventh Fox
Kageyama felt that he had always been very serious about volleyball.
During his two years at Karasuno, because he had Sugawara-senpai there before, he had also developed the habit of speaking up whenever he had something he didn't understand.
However, Coach Ukai and the others were all in a state of progressing together, so many times they were unable to smoothly resolve his doubts.
After obtaining Miya Atsumu's contact information, his person of consultation became Miya Atsumu.
Most of the time, Miya Atsumu would answer him with a cheerful few words, but if he was in a bad mood, he would simply pretend not to see him.
Even so, he had also found answers to many questions through his own unyielding spirit.
But at this moment, facing Hinata's face, he didn't know why he found himself unable to speak.
Hinata was still staring at him, his eyes full of eager excitement, his gaze still urging him on.
Kageyama opened his mouth, but the words got stuck in his throat, he couldn't say anything at all.
After a long time, Hinata finally heard a voice as faint as a mosquito's: "Help.. help.. me.."
He turned his head, cupping one ear toward Kageyama: "I can't hear you—"
Kageyama squeezed out a sentence through his teeth: "Please.. help me.."
Hinata took a step closer to Kageyama. "Huh? What? Did you not finish? What about the part before that?"
Kageyama looked toward Miya Atsumu on the side, looking for help.
But Miya Atsumu simply shrugged at him, then gestured toward Hinata.
It felt as if he would never satisfy Hinata, if that were the case, Hinata wouldn't even have to dream of getting any answers from him in the future.
In the end, Kageyama steeled himself.
He closed his eyes and said loudly, "Great Lord Hinata, please help me!"
Hinata's lips nearly twitched as he struggled to suppress a smile.
He hurriedly raised his hand to cover his mouth, feigning a couple of coughs. "Since Kageyama-kun is making such a sincere request, I suppose I'll cooperate."
Kageyama's temple twitched. For some reason, his personality, which had gradually stabilized over the past two years, was becoming uncontrollable, bursts of anger kept rising within him.
Where does this feeling of losing for no reason come from?
A satisfied Hinata stood with his hands on his hips and said with a grin, "But we have to eat now, so let's talk about it during our self-training tonight."
Kageyama nodded. "Okay."
Just as expected, he thought so too.
On the other side, Chikatani, who was waiting to go to dinner with Kageyama, didn't dare to speak, only able to watch as these two members of the underworld—one large and one small—bullied Kageyama.
Chikatani pressed his hands together in prayer.
Although he didn't dare go over and interfere right now, Kageyama, please hold on just a little longer; as soon as he gets his phone, he's going to find the Karasuno seniors and complain—
Watching Kageyama and Chikatani leave, Miya Atsumu shrugged his shoulders. "Shoyo, you're being quite boring now."
Hinata, who was still gloating, froze for a moment. "Huh?"
Well, he admitted that taking advantage of Kageyama was indeed wrong.
But.. this was the devil in his heart acting in broad daylight!
Miya Atsumu raised a finger and shook it at Hinata. "If you're going to do something like that, you have to do it when there are lots of people around. It's boring with just the few of us here in the Inarizaki No. 2 Gymnasium."
Besides, they don't allow phones in here, so you won't even be able to take a commemorative photo. Shouldn't such a rare sight be recorded and cherished forever?
Also, don't go acting like Oikawa-senpai; it doesn't suit you.
Hinata looked at Miya Atsumu, feeling as if a great door was slowly opening before him, behind it lay a brand-new Hoshiumi that he had never fully encountered.
“That.. that makes so much sense!!”
Listening to Hinata's exclamation of having learned something, Miya Atsumu nodded repeatedly.
See, this is the benefit of being the only one here!
If Miya Osamu, Hoshiumi, or any of the seniors were here, they would be complaining about how he was corrupting the juniors.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Hayami, who had been taken away by the coach, had just received some bad news.
A certain terrifying coach, having learned that the Volleyball Association was short on people, ended his other plans early and was already on the bus from Yokohama to Tokyo.
Therefore, starting from today, his afternoon training sessions have been changed to physical conditioning, which will take place at the testing center on the first floor.
Miya Atsumu, who came to act as a practice partner, will fill his position, so there is no need to worry about having no one for the practice match.
Hayami's vision went black.
Who would worry about that!
Is Coach Kosano really that idle! To rush over just by hearing it's work for the Volleyball Association! It's as if she's terrified Coach Unabara won't realize she's planning to headhunt players!
And Coach Unabara, by inviting Coach Kosano here, has truly let a rat into the rice jar!!
After leaving Hayami with the physical training, Coach Unabara left the testing center with a smile.
Oh, Coach Kosano is a rare and excellent physical trainer; it would be a waste to leave her at the Badminton Association. Even if she only manages to train a few people for the Badminton Association's team during team competitions, we have enough starters and substitutes here to keep her busy.
“And doesn't she like Hinata, Hayami, the others quite a lot? Even though we couldn't keep Oikawa, we aren't lacking in excellent players; who knows, maybe another one will catch her eye?”
Coach Unabara laughed with a particularly cunning and happy expression: "To be honest, the Volleyball Association is just lacking an excellent fitness coach like her."
And besides, she's already dual-sport in high jump and badminton, so the skills for both volleyball and badminton overlap. She could start working immediately! Plus, her compensation is negotiable; I can report it upwards, her resume is very impressive..
Coach Hiya didn't know what to say for a moment.
Kosano has always been eyeing the children of the Volleyball Association, but Unabara is looking to take on Kosano himself.
But he also felt that Unabara was right; they truly were lacking a physical trainer at the moment.
Unabara's promotion was essentially a done deal; once they began accepting the senior team, there would inevitably be a sweeping reform of the existing coaching staff.
More than half of the people currently in office are old fossils who are unworthy of their positions; we cannot allow these people to cause their children to suffer grievances.
Coach Unabara began to offer suggestions: "When she arrives, we'll block the door and won't let her leave."
Coach Hiya added, "We could also use a few more decoys."
Good idea.
Miya Atsumu officially joined the afternoon practice match. Since he was replacing Hayami's position, Coach Unabara did not assign him an offensive-focused position, so most of his roles were as Setter or Libero.
Moreover, in order to train the newcomers' decision-making abilities, Coach Unabara strictly prohibited Miya Atsumu from handling the team's main tactical coordination while playing as the Libero.
In the second set of the afternoon, Miya Atsumu and Hinata were finally on the same court.
—Even if they were on opposite sides of the net.
It was Hinata's turn in the Opposite position. Rubbing his hands together, he stared intently at Miya Atsumu, who was playing Libero on the opposite side.
Very good. After playing four matches, he has already gained a certain level of mastery over the serves he started practicing yesterday.
Controlling the ball to land near the corner of Position 1 on the opponent's side—even if it's not an eighty percent success rate, it's at least sixty percent.
What he primarily needs to do is avoid hitting the ball out of bounds, so sometimes, if he fails to control the power, he will hit the ball into the center.
And now that he has basically figured out how to control the angle of the ball, it's time to give the opposing setter a taste of that pain!
But unfortunately, Miya Atsumu wasn't playing in the setter position.
But then again, Miya Atsumu is not the kind of person who would be affected by the path of a first receive.
As long as the first receive is high enough, no matter where it comes from, it's a good ball for Miya Atsumu.
In that case, his serve-and-volley strategy would be declared a total failure.
And just at that moment, Hinata noticed Hayami walking through the entrance of the Inarizaki No. 2 Gymnasium.
He had no intention of returning to the court, instead choosing a long bench by the wall to sit down on.
The morning's practice match combined with the hour and a half of high-intensity physical training had completely exhausted Hayami's physical reserves for the day.
The good news is that Coach Kosano couldn't make it today, but the bad news is.. Coach Kosano was supervising and guiding him remotely just now.
Sitting on a chair by the sidelines, Hayami, who had been reflecting deeply, realized that she had made the biggest mistake of all.
He had originally gone to Miya Atsumu to complain simply because the other was Hinata's boyfriend and should be one of "their own," so the complaint was merely a way to gain his favor, allowing him to receive official recognition as a good friend within Hinata's circle of acquaintances.
But now.. the first person this certain someone came to persecute was actually him!
The roommate position he had worked so hard to secure, the teammate position that guaranteed him at least one partnership every four sets!
Now it's all gone!!
How can someone be like this!
Hayami was radiating a dark aura, staring toward the court with a face full of resentment, attempting to glare Miya Atsumu away with her eyes alone.