July. → Google Search Reading
The scorching heat brought the taste of summer.
"Yo~ What are you looking at?"
In Class 1-A of Aoba Johsai Private High School, Akashi Asuka walked up to Mishita Ryuhei, glanced at the item on his desk, and found that it was the latest issue of Volleyball Monthly.
The content reported in the monthly magazine was none other than the National Tournamentthat had just concluded a short while ago.
[Miyagi Prefecture representative Aoba Johsai Private High School narrowly lost to this year's National Champion in the quarterfinals, regrettably stopping at the top eight!!!]
Akashi Asuka immediately chuckled after glancing at the report.
"How interesting, so all the reporters and news agencies in the country are the same? A crushing defeat of two sets to zero can be described as a narrow loss; they're really giving us too much credit!"
Mishita Ryuhei rolled his eyes at him, not even bothering to respond to Akashi Asuka.
Why couldn't it be called a 'narrow loss'?
In this year's National Tournament, if it weren't for the host's inappropriate arrangement, they were actually pitted against ItachiyamaAcademy, a team with the last of the top three Aces in the nation, in the quarterfinals.
Aoba Johsai might not have had the chance to achieve better results.
You should know.
Itachiyama was the champion of this year's National Tournament.
This means Aoba Johsai was eliminated early because they encountered the champion team prematurely.
Flip to the next page.
The person on the cover was none other than Akashi Asuka's photo from the National Tournament.
His solo photo almost occupied the entire cover, and at the top of the cover, the bold words "The Sixth Super Ace in the Nation is Born" were prominently written.
Evidently, due to Akashi Asuka's performance in the National Tournament, Volleyball Monthlyhas officially listed him as the 'Sixth Ace in the Nation,' on par with Motoyasu Kotaro.
Without a doubt.
Akashi Asuka became famous in one battle.
...
After school in the afternoon.
Akashi Asuka and Mishita Ryuhei arrived at the Volleyball Club; there was no familiar sound of hitting balls in the gym today, because the National Tournament had ended, and Irihata Nobuteru decided to give the club members a short break.
When they walked into the club room, most of the third-year members hadn't arrived yet; only Kunimi Akira and Kindaichi were inside.
Kindaichi was about to change his clothes, while Kunimi Akira sat in the corner, engrossed in reading a book...
"What are you reading, Kunimi?" Mishita Ryuheiasked curiously.
"A novel!"
"What novel?"
"It's 'cautious hero'; it's a pretty interesting novel, quite different from traditional hero novels. The bookstore owner recommended it to me before, and I heard it's selling very well recently."
"Oh? Really? Then after school, I'll go buy a copy to read too."
Mishita Ryuhei chatted while putting all his sportswear into the locker.
Akashi Asuka, beside him: "..."
To be honest.
Akashi Asuka hadn't noticed it before, but today, when Kunimi Akira and Mishita Ryuhei suddenly discussed his novel in front of him, Akashi Asukaimmediately felt a very strange and awkward sensation.
"Speaking of which, I heard from Yahaba-senpai that the third-year senpais seem to be planning to retire this summer. Did you know?"
"Huh?"
At these words, Mishita Ryuhei and Kindaichiwere both startled.
"No way! Is that true or false? Who did you hear it from?"
Kunimi Akira still had his listless expression, turning a page of his novel, and continued: "It seems many High Schools are like this. Although Harutaka is now held in January, third-year senpais with intentions of pursuing higher education generally retire early to prepare for university entrance exams."
"Furthermore, for many third-year senpais in our High School, their long-standing wish has always been to defeat Shiratorizawa and advance to the National Tournament."
"Now that both wishes have been fulfilled, it's not surprising for these senpais to retire early, is it?"
Kindaichi and Mishita Ryuhei were momentarily speechless.
They had to admit that Kunimi Akira's conjecture was not without possibility, after all, for the vast majority of High School students, participating in club activities and making it to the National Tournament is already considered a complete fulfillment of their High School goals.
So, in the time that follows, considering their own future and diligently preparing for exams is not a surprising choice.
"Don't worry! These guys won't retire that easily..."
Just as Kindaichi and Mishita Ryuhei were feeling uneasy, Akashi Asuka suddenly spoke with some profound meaning: "Those people love Volleyball so much, how could they give up so easily?"
"What's more, although we successfully made it into the National Tournament this year, human dreams are an extremely greedy existence!"
...
And just as the first-year newcomers were discussing the third-years' retirement in the club room, on the other side, on the third-year classroom floor, Oikawa Tooru also found Iwaizumi Hajime.
"Hello! Iwaizumi-chan, what have you decided about retirement? I've already decided to stay, you know!"
"Heh~"
Iwaizumi Hajime sneered: "With your academic performance, if you don't continue playing Volleyball, do you think you can get into university?"
Oikawa Tooru: "..."
"Too much, that's too much, Iwaizumi-chan! You're stabbing a knife into my chest, do you know that? I don't care, I don't care, you have to compensate me!"
Iwaizumi Hajime: "(▼へ▼メ)"
His fist hardened.
How did this guy become so disgusting after only a few days apart?
"Hehe~~ No compensation, but I have plenty of fists, you'll have the chance to slowly savor them later." Iwaizumi Hajime sneered.
Oikawa Tooru: "Ara~ So, Iwaizumi-chan, you're also planning to stay."
Iwaizumi Hajime did not respond, a tacit agreement.
In fact.
Originally, Iwaizumi Hajime had indeed planned to retire, but not because the goal of advancing to the National Tournament had been achieved. Rather, he felt that retiring at this time would give the juniors more opportunities to play.
However, just last night, Iwaizumi Hajimesuddenly received an email from someone (yes, that's right, it was Akashi).
The content was only eight characters:
"Harutaka goal, conquer the nation!"
Good heavens.
After seeing these eight characters sent by Akashi Asuka, Iwaizumi Hajime, who was already lying in bed at 12:30 AM, ready to rest, suddenly sprang up from the bed, a surge of passion rushing to his head.
Conquer the nation!
Which High School student could resist such a temptation?
And more importantly, after careful consideration, Iwaizumi Hajime realized that if based on Aoba Johsai's current team configuration, the goal of [conquering the nation] was not impossible to achieve.
At this thought.
All thoughts of 'juniors' playing opportunities' were instantly thrown to the back of Iwaizumi Hajime's mind.
Retire?
Why would he retire now?!
...