The score was 15-12, Nekoma leading.
Usually, a match against Nekoma felt like drowning in quicksand. They didn't crush you instantly; they dragged you down, keeping the ball alive until you suffocated from your own mistakes.
But today, the rhythm was wrong. It was jagged. Violent.
Every time the ball went to the left side of the net, the gym held its breath.
"Left!" Ryuu called out.
It wasn't a request. It was an order.
Kenma, who was currently sweating more than he preferred, glanced at the rotation. The pass from Kai was a bit short. Normally, Kenma would set this to the middle or dump it to disrupt the flow.
But the pressure coming from the left wing was tangible.
'He's annoying,' Kenma thought, his face expressionless as he adjusted his hands. 'He takes up so much space.'
Kenma pushed the ball high to the left. It wasn't his best set. It was slightly drifting away from the net.
Karasuno saw the opening.
"Three blockers!" Daichi shouted.
Daichi, Tanaka, and Tsukishima jumped. It was a solid wall. Against a normal high school ace, a drifting set against a triple block was a death sentence. You'd have to tip or wipe it off the block.
Ryuu saw the wall.
'Scenario 4,' Ryuu analyzed instantly, his internal monologue sounding like a mecha pilot's HUD. 'Sub-optimal set. Triple block density: High. Evasion path: Non-existent.'
He grinned.
'Solution: Brute force.'
Ryuu didn't try to hit around them. He twisted his torso, channeling every ounce of torque from his hips, and swung his arm like a sledgehammer.
He aimed for the seam between Tanaka and Daichi.
BLAM.
The ball hit Tanaka's inner hand and Daichi's outer hand simultaneously. The sheer velocity blew their hands apart. The ball tore through the seam, smashing into the floor before Nishinoya could even react.
"Ugh!" Tanaka shook his hand, wincing. "It feels like blocking a rock!"
Ryuu landed, looking at his hand, then at Kenma.
"Too low," Ryuu said simply. "Higher. Give me more time to enjoy the view."
Kenma wiped his forehead. "You scored. Stop complaining."
"I'm not complaining. I'm calibrating you," Ryuu retorted, walking back to his position.
On the bench, Coach Nekomata was laughing softly.
"It's messy," Coach Ukai Sr. (who had come out of retirement just for this match) grumbled from the other bench. "Nekoma is supposed to be a fluid system. That kid... he's a wrench in the gears."
"He is," Nekomata agreed, watching Ryuu banter with Kuroo. "He disrupts our connection. He's selfish. He's arrogant."
Nekomata's eyes gleamed.
"But sometimes, to evolve, a cat needs to grow fangs."
The game continued. Karasuno was resilient. With the Freak Quick earning them points and Asahi finally getting over his nerves to land a few heavy spikes, the score tightened. 20-18.
It was Tsukishima's turn to serve. The tall blonde looked bored, as usual.
He served a short floater, aiming for the front zone to disrupt the formation.
Yamamoto dove for it. "Sorry! It's up!"
The ball popped up, but it was an overpass. It was going straight over the net to the Karasuno side.
"Chance ball!" Kageyama shouted.
"No," a voice boomed.
Ryuu didn't wait for the ball to cross. He stepped on the attack line and launched himself upward.
Tsukishima was already at the net, ready to dunk the overpass. He saw Ryuu jumping from further back.
'He's late,' Tsukishima thought calmly. 'I'm closer to the net. I win.'
Tsukishima reached for the ball.
But then, a shadow eclipsed him.
Ryuu's vertical was absurd. He didn't just jump; he levitated. He caught the ball at the very apex of its arc, right as it was crossing the plane of the net.
Tsukishima's eyes widened behind his glasses. He looked up to see Ryuu staring down at him.
For a split second, time froze.
Ryuu's golden eyes bore into Tsukishima's soul. He knew this character. He knew the apathy, the "it's just a club" mentality, the fear of trying hard and failing.
'You annoy me,' Ryuu thought. 'You remind me of a mob character who thinks he's too cool for the plot.'
Ryuu swiped his hand.
He didn't spike it. He stuffed it. He pushed the ball directly over Tsukishima's reaching hands, pressing it down with overwhelming strength.
THUD.
The ball hit the floor right at Tsukishima's feet. Ryuu's hand had practically invaded the Karasuno airspace, legally aggressively.
Tsukishima stumbled back, looking rattled.
Ryuu landed, hanging on the net slightly, looming over the blonde blocker.
"Moon Island, right?" Ryuu asked, using the literal translation of his name.
Tsukishima scowled. "Tsukishima."
"You're tall," Ryuu observed, tilting his head. "You're smart. You have good positioning."
Ryuu pointed a finger at Tsukishima's chest.
"But you play like a salaryman waiting for his lunch break. It's boring."
Tsukishima's expression twitched. A vein popped. "Hah?"
"Don't worry," Ryuu patted the net post, walking away. "I'll give you a reason to try hard. Losing to me is very motivating. Ask the other extras."
"Extras?!" Tanaka and Nishinoya shouted from the back. "Who are you calling extras?!"
"Ryuu, stop antagonizing the opposition!" Yaku yelled, though he looked satisfied with the point.
Ryuu walked past Kuroo.
"That was mean," Kuroo grinned. "He's just a first year."
"I'm a first year," Ryuu reminded him. "Besides, I'm doing him a favor. He needs character development. I'm accelerating his arc."
"You talk like we're in a manga," Kuroo sighed.
"Aren't we?" Ryuu looked at the ceiling/sky. "Anyway, give me the next one. I want to finish this set. I'm hungry."
Kageyama and Hinata were staring at Ryuu.
"He stopped Tsukishima..." Hinata whispered. "He's huge."
"He's fast," Kageyama muttered, his competitive spirit burning. "He reacted to that overpass faster than I did."
Ryuu stood in position, waiting for the whistle.
He looked at the scoreboard. 21-18.
'Alright,' Ryuu thought. 'Time to close the curtain on Act One.'