Seeing what Kageyama was thinking, Sugawara Koushi spoke up to reassure him.
"That was all in Junior High. Besides, in yesterday's practice match, you already showed…"
"You are not the same as the old tyrant we faced back then."
Sugawara's smile expressed both his changed perception of Kageyama and his appreciation for the growth he had seen.
Kageyama, momentarily stunned by his cheerful senior's words, didn't know how to respond. Lacking experience in such casual conversation, he found himself a little tongue-tied.
Sawamura quickly chimed in:
"Exactly, exactly. That's true."
"Come to think of it, back then Sugawara said he didn't want to face either of the two teams in next year's match."
"Hahaha, yes. That's actually what I wanted to say."
Sugawara smoothly continued, returning the conversation to the topic he originally intended.
"I never imagined that the players I once thought were strong would all end up at Karasuno. I'm at a loss for words."
"Not at all. Our experience is still shallow. We need lots of guidance from seniors."
Ichinose Guren joined the conversation at just the right moment, helping to ease the slightly awkward atmosphere.
After some light-hearted small talk, the four of them began discussing tomorrow's starting lineup inside the small shop.
Sawamura first looked to Sugawara, and after receiving his approving glance, he confirmed Kageyama as the starting setter. They then began deciding on the other starters.
With the setter position set, the next confirmed position was libero, assigned to Nishinoya.
The third confirmed player was Sawamura himself, unanimously approved by the others.
Guren spoke up, drawing from observations during internal team training over the past few days. He emphasized Sawamura's defensive ability:
"The team currently lacks a player with solid receiving skills. Based on recent training, I'm confident that Daichi is our strongest in that regard."
"In volleyball, the most crucial part is the reception."
"I propose that Daichi be in the starting lineup as a reliable wing spiker in addition to his receiving duties."
Sugawara nodded seriously in agreement:
"Yes, that's right. Daichi's ground defense is indeed the strongest among all of Karasuno at the moment. He must start."
For Kageyama, seeing both a respected senior and a talented teammate make this proposal, it was natural to agree.
However, confirming the remaining positions caused some debate.
Kageyama thought Hinata's on-court presence, the way he drew attention despite his small stature and scoring ability, could raise Karasuno's offensive ceiling by several levels.
Sawamura and Sugawara, meanwhile, valued Tanaka's ability to motivate teammates and his powerful attacks from the left side.
And regarding players like Yudai, Tsukishima, and Guren, their height made them vital for blocking and aerial defense, a critical area Karasuno still needed to refine.
Moreover, Guren's attacking ability was clear to all three. Back then, Guren was only 183 cm, but after the national tournament he had grown to 185 cm, and now he was 187 cm. His offensive ability had greatly increased, making him a definite starter.
As the three seniors worried about how to set the strongest lineup, Guren unexpectedly spoke up:
"Please put me on the bench for tomorrow's practice match."
"Judging by Karasuno's current strength, our paper strength is already impressive. We could be considered a national-level team."
"But volleyball is never just about paper strength. Every point must be earned."
"Each match is decided by teamwork, mental state, performance, physical condition, and even luck. All these factors determine the outcome."
"Tomorrow, I want you to start with Hinata and Kageyama at the core."
"I'm confident I can fit into any lineup, so please let me support the team from the bench for this match."
Sugawara suddenly laughed after Guren's impassioned speech.
I never thought our team would face the 'problem' of having too many capable players and not knowing who to start!"
"This is what they call a happy problem, I guess?"
Sawamura also grinned.
"Yes, we'll only get stronger!"
After careful consideration and accepting Guren's proposal, the starting lineup was clearly set.
Once the positions were confirmed, the four of them waved goodbye and left for home.
In the quiet small shop, the blonde-haired owner rested his bare feet on the counter, reading yesterday's newspaper while holding a lit cigarette in his mouth.
Though his eyes scanned the paper, his mind lingered on what he had just heard:
Two meters tall, three players averaging 190 cm, national top four, genius setter, Junior High MVP, the volleyball "the King" of Miyagi…
He quickly organized these keywords into a coherent line of thought and muttered to himself while smoking:
"Looks like Karasuno will be strong this year."
"Old man, you better recover your health soon. This year, Karasuno might really shine again."
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria