KOBAYASHI AOTORI didn't forget the promise he made with a certain orange-haired individual. Therefore, he intended to finish today's training as quickly as possible. Throughout the entire morning, he was as energetic as if he had taken a stimulant.

Although this kind of thing was only a slight burden for him, it meant something completely different for his setter.

Without going into the details of what the other party was imagining, just the fierce and almost murderous look in his eyes made Semi Eita, who happened to be passing by, break out in a cold sweat.

And so, even after Kobayashi Aotori finished all his training for the day in the morning, the atmosphere in Shiratorizawa remained tense, so much so that even the usually talkative Goshiki Tsutomu fell silent.

Hmm? What's going on with everyone?

Ah, they must be focusing hard on their training.

Kobayashi Aotori blinked, realizing that there was nothing for him to do. After completing his training regimen, he greeted the advisor and left.

NOT LONG AFTER, Ushijima, who was resting off the court, didn't see Kobayashi Aotori's figure and looked at Ohira Reon next to him with confusion.

"Where's Aotori?"

Ohira Reon wiped away his sweat, "Ah, he finished his solo training and asked the coach for leave." After some thought, he added casually:

"Maybe he's resting? After all, it's the weekend."

"Impossible."

Shirabu Kenjirou spoke up quietly, his eyes unyielding.

"That guy relies on training to supplement his physiological functions. Preliminary speculation suggests that he might be a new species."

"We should report him to the authorities..."

"Don't give Aotori any more strange settings, Shirabu! Besides, he's our junior!!"

—————

AT THIS MOMENT, Kobayashi Aotori was wearing a white shirt on the upper body, loose black trousers on the lower body, a pair of black sneakers on his feet, a baseball cap on his head, and his navy-blue hair tied into a small bun with a sunflower hair tie at the back, half of his face hidden behind the cap.

He was currently looking down at his phone, actually in the middle of a "date."

But it was a date with a man.

Looking at the various stickers sent by Hinata in their chat, and then at his own dry responses, hmm... he feels like he suddenly became unapproachable.

Following the navigation, Kobayashi Aotori looked up and saw Karasuno High School.

That's right, Kobayashi Aotori is here to watch the match.

Karasuno vs. Nekoma, the long-awaited "Garbage Dump Battle" between the Crows and the Cats.

Kobayashi Aotori wasn't too keen on interacting with the "protagonists," but the situation was different now. He doesn't have to play volleyball himself; instead, he can watch the protagonists play from a close distance. Why not enjoy it?

He lowers his head and pinches his finger joints, which were wrapped in bandages soaked with medicine. He now smelled strongly of the ointment.

This smell is different from the Yunnan medicine from my previous life; it's even more pungent, as if there were a sign on my head saying 'I'm injured.'

T.N.: Yunnan medicine, rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, uses diverse herbs and natural elements from China's Yunnan province to promote balance and address health issues. It combines acupuncture, herbal remedies, massage, and dietary therapy, reflecting the region's cultural heritage alongside modern medicine.

However, Kobayashi Aotori didn't pay much attention to it. Since the "2D curse" didn't reduce pain, the protagonists must be accustomed to this smell too.

At this moment, Kobayashi Aotori forgot his usual stance of "I'm different from the protagonists."

Perhaps because it was the weekend, he entered the campus without anyone bothering him. Following Hinata's directions on the phone, he searches for the famous Karasuno volleyball club.

—————

ON THE OTHER SIDE, the match between Karasuno and Nekoma had already begun. Sawamura Daichi observed Hinata Shoyo occasionally glancing toward the entrance and couldn't resist asking,

"Hinata, what are you looking at?"

Hinata Shoyo, caught in the act, laughed sheepishly and said mysteriously in front of a frowning Kageyama:

"I invited a friend!"

"Eh? A friend of Shoyo? Do we know them?" Nishinoya Yuu exclaimed.

"Um... I guess you do?" Hinata Shoyo answered Nishinoya in surprise. If it were Daichi who asked, he would have nodded without hesitation.

"Hmph... what kind of friend could you have?" Tobio Kageyama muttered. Hinata, who had been all smiles, instantly turned serious and glared back, his feathers ruffled.

"Bakayama! What did you say!!"

"Alright, alright, focus on the match." Daichi quickly clapped his hands, signaling everyone not to chat too much.

Kenma, who overheard, glanced at the Karasuno team but didn't think much of it.

The referee's whistle sounded. Regardless of the team, facing Nekoma always made the game intense.

Because... Nekoma wouldn't let the ball touch the ground easily.

Kageyama took a deep breath, watching the volleyball flying in the air. Suddenly, a flash of orange passed behind him. The figure moved so fast, like an afterimage. Kageyama's pupils contracted, and his breath hitched.

Damn it.

He saw the opponent's hand and quickly set the ball—

"Whoosh—"

"Smack—!"

It all happened in an instant. Nekoma's players froze, looking at the volleyball that hit the ground. Coach Nekomata's eyes, which were usually squinted, opened.

Good, good...

"SO FAST."

Yeah... huh? Who's talking?

Everyone turned to the door in unison. In the next moment, Kageyama immediately took a step back, his expression somewhat unpleasant. Sugawara and Daichi were extremely surprised, and even Nekoma's players were stunned. Kuroo Tetsurou was the first to react, chuckling softly.

Didn't expect to see you here...

Kobayashi Aotori.

The teenager at the entrance leaned against the door, lifting his baseball cap with one hand. His hazel eyes smiled as he watched Hinata Shoyo on the ground. His bandaged fingers and casual outfit made him look very relaxed.

"Mr. Dynamite!!"

Hinata's excited shout broke the silence, and Kobayashi Aotori felt something was wrong when he saw the sudden brightness in the other's eyes. However, he was too late to stop it.

"Oh? Mr. Dynamite?" Kuroo repeated the nickname, looking at Kobayashi Aotori's helpless expression with an amused expression, crossing his arms.

"I'm late." Kobayashi Aotori smiled, about to walk towards Karasuno's resting area when a flash of orange passed by. He was momentarily stunned, feeling himself being hugged.

"Wow! You really came!" Shoyo's eyes sparkled as he hugged Kobayashi Aotori, oblivious to his stiff response. Jumping down happily, he asked,

"Did you come to see Kageyama?"

"...Huh?! Don't talk nonsense, idiot!!" Kageyama Tobio shouted, clearly annoyed by the sudden attention.

Since he didn't have to play, Kobayashi Aotori felt more relaxed. He raised an eyebrow, looking at Kageyama's angry face, and tilted his head.

"Oh, right. I came to see the 'King' play."

Sure enough, the title made Kageyama's expression darken even more.

He raised his hand slightly, his gaze suddenly shifted, meeting the gazes of the people from Nekoma across from him, directly into Kuroo's eyes.

"Let's have a game together someday," Kuroo said with a playful smile. Kobayashi Aotori nodded, indicating that he heard.

"W-wait?! Is Mr. Dynamite injured?!" Hinata suddenly interjected, behaving like a curious dog, sniffing around Kobayashi Aotori. Everyone's expressions changed at this.

"Alright, let's talk after the game." Kobayashi Aotori pushed Hinata away, bowed to everyone, apologized with a smile, and then quickly jogged to Karasuno's resting area, where Shimizu Kiyoko had already prepared a spot for him.

Meeting Shimizu Kiyoko's gaze, even though Kobayashi Aotori was prepared, he couldn't help but be impressed.

She's really beautiful... especially with that mole at the corner of her mouth.

Speaking of moles, he remembered that Tomoko Ito also had one, but hers was on the nose. Different from Shimizu's charm, Ito's mole enhanced her cuteness and innocence.

Sitting next to the substitute players, Kobayashi Aotori greeted Coach Ukai, who had a strange expression on his face, and then focused on the game.

Coach Ukai was probably curious about why he wasn't surprised by the convenience store owner's transformation into a coach... Haha.

Watching the match between Karasuno and Nekoma, Kobayashi Aotori crossed his arms and leaned against the chair, his hazel eyes focused.

SUGAWARA COULDN'T HELP but glance at him several times, seeing Kobayashi Aotori remain calm until that moment—

When Hinata and Kageyama's quick attack was blocked.

After that, Hinata's quick attacks were blocked repeatedly, and the atmosphere on Karasuno's side became tense.

"So... why do you keep your eyes closed?"

In this tense moment, a somewhat hoarse whisper was particularly noticeable. Coach Ukai instinctively looked towards Kobayashi Aotori.

This was something Kobayashi Aotori couldn't understand in his previous life; it was previously explained as the protagonist having extraordinary talent. However, if it were him... closing his eyes would make it impossible to play, whether it's because he can't fully trust others or because he relies on himself.

He only trusted his eyes' judgment.

Moreover... his balance is poor, and closing his eyes would make him fall, which is super lame.

Just like standing on one leg, which was simple enough, became extremely difficult with closed eyes.

"Because Hinata currently can't master the super-quick attack yet."

Coach Ukai stated solemnly, hands crossed in front of his mouth, presenting the fact seriously.

Kobayashi Aotori couldn't understand.

But maybe that's the world of the fast players. Someone slow like Kobayashi Aotori couldn't comprehend it.

Noticing Kenma Kozume's ability to evade Karasuno's block accurately and swiftly...

Hmm... it's really a headache. If it were me, could I seize the opportunity... no, that's not right!

Kobayashi Aotori was startled.

How did he end up thinking about standing side by side with the protagonist? What was happening!

He should have known early on that no matter what, he was not in the same league as the protagonists, and even if he miraculously seized an opportunity, both in terms of ability and mentality, as well as fate, they were completely different!

He exhaled a sigh, calming the fervor in his heart that had ignited.

He watched the movements of both teams closely. Whether it was an illusion or not, while enjoying the visual feast, he felt like he gained some insight into strength and positioning from Nekoma.

... It must be an illusion.

In the future, when Kobayashi Aotori faced them in a match, Nekoma would feel an inexplicable sense of familiarity. But that was a story for another time.

—————

BOTH TEAMS PLAYED until dusk at Hinata's request.

During the match, Kobayashi Aotori was even forcibly pulled up to hit a ball, surprising everyone with a line shot. He took advantage of everyone's stunned moment to quickly escape the court.

The match ended, and as everyone packed up, they exchanged words, forming odd friendships.

Kenma Kozume was scared away by Kageyama, Tanaka Ryuunosuke and Yamamoto Taketora formed a peculiar camaraderie, and Sawamura Daichi and Tetsurou Kuroo were laughing and joking.

Suddenly, Hinata's loud voice drew everyone's attention:

"Mr. Dynamite!! How was it? Kageyama's amazing, right? Super amazing, right!"

Far off, Kageyama shrank at being called out, the dark aura around him hard to ignore, seemingly muttering something sinister.

Kuroo tilted his head curiously, and Daichi also appeared somewhat nervous and serious. Everyone awaited Kobayashi Aotori's response.

"Hmm..." Kobayashi Aotori tapped his chin, and under everyone's gaze, particularly under the nervous tension of Kageyama, he teasingly dragged out his response and slowly said,

"Kageyama..."

Everyone: Such a bad egg!

T.N.: 好坏的 (hǎohuài de): An intensifier, similar to saying "really" or "such a" in English. It emphasizes the degree of the following noun. 坏蛋 (huàidàn): "bad egg," which colloquially means "villain" or "meanie." In this context, "好坏的坏蛋！" is an exclamation expressing that someone is being very mean or naughty. It uses casual, somewhat playful language, which might be seen in informal or friendly contexts. This phrase does have a bit of a slangy, playful tone.

Nekoma: Worse than Kuroo?! /Shocked

Deciding not to continue teasing Kageyama, Kobayashi Aotori put one hand in his pocket, leaned against the wall, smilingly smoothed his tousled hair, put on his baseball cap, and said loudly in a voice that Kageyama could hear from afar:

"Indeed, he has become stronger."

"But, I believe he can become even stronger."

"Mr. 'King.'" He tilted his head, hazel eyes smiling as he softly spoke towards the calm figure of Kageyama's back.

"Bye." With one hand, he casually pressed down on Hinata's head, causing Hinata to squint his eyes, finally getting to touch Hinata's orange head as he had hoped.

His hair volume is really impressive.

Everyone watched as Kobayashi Aotori waved his hand, leaving only his departing silhouette.

Under the twilight, his navy-blue ponytail and loose hair danced in the wind, his footsteps leisurely and steady, gradually moving away from their sight.

"Ah!"

Hinata's exclamation broke everyone's thoughts. He looked distressed.

"I forgot to ask Mr. Dynamite about his injury!"

Everyone: Idiot, he clearly never intended to tell you in the first place!