During that Junior National Team summer training camp, they had VO2 Max testing, he had a conversation with Hinata to confirm their respective data.
Based on the data he heard from Hinata, the gap between the two of them has been shrinking at an incredibly rapid pace from last year to this year.
Having undergone professional physical training and even studying under the country's top physical trainer, Hinata's improvement over this past year and a half has been terrifyingly rapid.
In that test during the summer, the difference between the two of them was only 0.4.
—This is a very subtle piece of data.
Improvement in this area has a ceiling and is heavily influenced by physical function.
During his third year of high school, his own improvement was a pitiful 0.5.
Hinata's physical condition is partly due to genetics and partly due to his junior high sports and regular cycling training, so his initial data was actually the result of "partially trained" results.
Therefore, Hoshiumi had no way to use Hinata's current data to make inferences based on a standard rate of progress.
If Hinata's physical condition had already reached its peak for his current age during the summer, then his subsequent growth would also slow down just like his, failing to exceed his current data, he would simply have to wait for further physical development.
But if Hinata's potential has still not been fully developed.. then the current Hinata might have already surpassed him.
Looking at Hinata's current expression, Hoshiumi already had a vague answer in his heart.
—It should be the latter.
This is going to be trouble. He can't outrun Hinata, so everyone else will be even slower. Even if he and Hinata don't need to face each other, dealing with an opponent's Block is the same for both of them.
Moreover, Hinata's specialty is speed, while he himself is even more proficient in height.
For Hinata, whose Achilles tendon is already sufficiently long, the physical exertion from lateral movement isn't particularly great; the true source of his exhaustion is actually the jumping.
This means.. even when considering only offensive methods, he is already at a disadvantage.
Rishia was already prepared to serve the second ball.
Hoshiumi tilted his head slightly to glance at Takahashi, contemplating what to do in this set.
The best option would actually be to let Hakuma perform a Strong Attack, but they have already lost two sets, if they want to win the championship, they must consider the possibility of playing all five sets; at this stage, letting Hakuma exhaust his stamina is not a good choice.
But.. if they lose this set, there will be no more chances.
At worst, they would have to rely entirely on him for the last two sets. He could grit his teeth and endure it; if he rested for one set, Hakuma would still be able to take the court for the final set.
They only need to take this set and find a way to exhaust one of Inarizaki's Middle Blockers.
The whistle blew in his ears, interrupting Hoshiumi's train of thought.
Rishia held the ball in one hand and raised it to serve the second after the whistle blew.
It looked like a quite casual toss, but in terms of angle, height, rotation, there wasn't a single flaw to be found; it was a perfect serve.
The moment his eyes caught the volleyball, Takahashi realized that something seemed wrong.
The spin on this ball was different from the previous ones; before, they were all topspin tosses meant to further increase the spike's rotation, but the spin on this ball was lateral. Furthermore, Rishia's forward movement was completely different from before, charging from near Position 5 toward the center along an almost sharp cross route.
This wasn't a backhand power serve, but a forehand power serve aimed at further increasing the power of the spike.
That means..
That ball's target was not him.
The sound of a heavy strike had already rang in Takahashi's ears the moment his gaze shifted toward Norikura Isao and Hakuma.
Rishia spiked the ball with a forehand in a nearly straight line, aiming it precisely at Norikura Isao, who was covering Hakuma.
Takahashi is skilled at absorbing power, so it is better to use spin against him. However, Norikura Isao's first receive technique is far from that sophisticated, so to deal with him, one only needs the simplest and most unstoppable serve.
BANG!!
A deafening sound exploded across the court as the ball hit Norikura Isao's outstretched arm, bouncing high into the air and falling toward the Inarizaki side of the court.
"Opportunity Ball!" Unabara Uta shouted.
Although this ball was essentially a simplified Ceiling Serve, it wasn't difficult for the skilled Unabara Uta to handle.
He moved into position for the ball, delivering a stable set toward the top of Miya Atsumu's head.
"Nice play." Miya Atsumu lowered his center of gravity, then suddenly jumped and raised his hand to touch the ball.
Tokura Ria's gaze followed Hinata, who had already completed his movement toward the back row of Inarizaki, just as her attention was drawn away by Hinata, Miya Atsumu performed a small back arch to send the ball toward the edge of Position 2.
Hirugami and Hoshiumi quickly moved to follow, but a double Block could not completely shut down Suna's spiking path.
And as long as the Setter's set was good enough, Suna could use his own flexibility to spike the ball along any path he desired.
The ball flew past Hirugami's side, smashing into the corner of Karasuno's Position 1.
Takahashi, who was positioned slightly forward, rushed over and managed to save the ball with a diving save in the heat of the moment.
The height of the ball was insufficient, so Tokura Ria couldn't set it; she could only push it toward the net.
But his underhand pass was not skilled enough, it failed to reach the height Hirugami needed for his spike.
Suna and Miya Atsumu locked onto Hirugami's spiking motion, pressing down from above to work together to block the ball back.
Takahashi, who had dove into the corner to save the ball, had no way to perform a diving counterattack, allowing Inarizaki to successfully score with a Block.
Hakuma pursed his lips.
He himself actually acted as a hindrance because he needed to be covered for during those two plays.
As expected, his receiving technique was a nightmare..
Unaware of what Hakuma was thinking, Tokura Ria cheered everyone on: "It's okay, it's okay! Break the next one!"
Rishia's serve was very unpredictable, Karasuno's first receive had no way to handle it smoothly.
Realizing this, Hoshiumi made a hand signal to Norikura Isao and Hakuma; he himself retreated into the first receive, while Hakuma was completely covered in the corner, clearly making it obvious that he had no intention of letting him take the ball.
Hoshiumi had already made up his mind; he didn't need to think about losing the subsequent sets anymore.
Everything must be given everything he has right now, whether it is his physical strength or Hakuma's physical strength.
Hakuma nodded seriously.
With Hoshiumi's help, Rishia's third ball was not easy to handle; after some hesitation, he still sent the ball toward the corner on Takahashi's side, just as he had done at the beginning.
And Takahashi, whose reflexes were nearly triggered, performed an incredibly ungraceful diving save this time, doing the bare minimum to ensure the ball could be received.
Hayami shook her head in the stands.
Tokura Ria quickly followed up on this ball; his physical condition was still very good, making it possible to pursue it.
He faced the side of Position 2 and sent a back set toward Position 4.
A beautiful long set was sent to that side, with a very high contact point.
Hoshiumi had already jumped to chase the ball, but at the moment of the spike, he descended with the momentum, not touching the ball.
Hakuma, in the back row, jumped to his highest point at this moment; the ball flew past Hoshiumi's hitting point and landed in front of Hakuma.
Suna and Miya Atsumu jumped too early; they were already descending, forced to watch helplessly as Hakuma delivered a heavy spike down the line into Inarizaki's court.
Rishia dove to try and receive the ball, but ultimately failed to reach it.
The whistle blew, Karasuno scored.
Rishia apologized, "Sorry."
He should have realized that the opponent was going to play in stages, but Hoshiumi-senpai's presence was just too overwhelming..
Hinata walked up to his side and slapped him hard on the back: "Next ball, next ball!"
Tokura Ria gained the Service Right.
His role at Karasuno is actually that of a key server; the reason Karasuno put him in the starting lineup for this set was actually to substitute him out mid-set so that he could come back in to serve at the end of the set.
Anyway.. let's try to use the serve to open up the game first.
Tokura Ria's serve was powerful and targeted the sideline where Hinata was positioned, avoiding Rishia, who looked intimidating to face.
Hinata quickly judged the trajectory of the ball.
To be honest, after receiving so many of Kumagai and Rishia's balls.. Tokura Ria's serve felt exceptionally gentle to him.
The moment he made contact with the ball, Hinata's entire body was jolted backward by the impact.
To stabilize his body, he lowered his center of gravity significantly, yet he managed to ensure that his knees did not touch the ground.
The ball flew up, landing near Position 3.5.
—It was a little bit off.
As Hinata got up to create distance for his approach, he reflected silently to himself.
Ginjima in the front row was already prepared to jump, Miya Atsumu's set was directed toward him.
Hoshiumi and Hirugami lunged toward Ginjima, but the ball grazed past Ginjima at an extremely subtle angle, landing behind him.
Hinata, who had already jumped, spiked the ball at this exact moment, smashing it over the top of the Karasuno Block.
The ball landed precisely in the corner, the Linesman signaled it was In-bounds.
Atsumu curled his lips at Hakuma on the opposite side.
—Did you see that? This is what a real rotation looks like.
After landing, Hoshiumi rested his hands on his knees, his eyes wide as he watched Hinata high-five Miya Atsumu in celebration on the opposite side.
The boy was so full of vigor, like a tireless machine, faithfully completing his own tasks or those given to him by the Setter; he would always give his absolute best to do everything to the fullest.
Even so.. in reality, just like him, Hinata didn't initially possess the capital required to dominate the entire court.
But none of that mattered.
A newborn star is brilliant, the most dazzling of all, radiating light and its own energy outward at all times.
Even if there might come a moment in the future when he becomes less prominent because he reaches higher and higher places, or becomes more reserved because he has gained enough depth..
He believed that none of this would ever affect Hinata himself.
Like the life of a star.
Whether it be turning into a nebula or becoming a black hole that is the most unobservable yet possesses enormous energy.
—In the end, he will surely head towards that sea of stars.