Shuchiin Academy had an app just for students called [Shuchiin Time], complete with class schedules, lecture reviews, a community board, and everything else.
Among its features, the community board had a decent amount of anonymity and a large user base, so it was pretty lively.
Time passed quickly, and before long, with only a few days left until the class match, the atmosphere on the [Shuchiin Time] community board started heating up.
Title: [Breaking] Volleyball Tournament B Class vs. C Class Lineups Revealed!
Author: Ed
# B Class Lineup
Setter (S)
Suzuki Hotaro
Middle Blocker (MB)
Shirogane Miyuki
Left (L)
Kazamatsuri Gou
Toyosaki Saburo
Right (R)
Ishigami Yuu (#mercenary)
Libero (LI)
Tanuma Tsubasa
After the lineup went up, the comments that followed were roughly like this.
#Comments (29)
MollangHanTokyoCitizen: I expected it, but B Class’s lineup... honestly, legendary;;
Lte23: There isn’t a single person here with any proven athletic ability?
ㄴ 狂大: What about the sports-specialist student (laughs) lol
ㄴ revie sol: And he’s the setter too lol. That’s the position where it shows the most if you’re bad at it.
SD Capsule: If you count the mercenary, that makes three student council members. Since they’re going to get crushed anyway, I respect the student council’s decision to take the hit for it.
ㄴ Curry: The fact that they dragged in a certified piece of trash like Ishigami makes me think this is probably right;
Piasinseu: If this lineup wins, I’ll cut off my X and prove it, for real.
ㄴ DoYourBest: That’s some insane safe bet lol
ㄴ Chwahaha: It won’t happen, but if you really do win, make sure you prove it lol
There was nothing but negative reactions to B Class’s lineup.
But the evaluation of C Class’s lineup was completely different.
On the right was ace spiker Shidou.
The setter was the quarterback from the football club.
The libero was the starting goalkeeper from the soccer club.
The middle blocker was the basketball club’s center.
And on the left were a baseball outfielder and Shuchiin’s best-looking guy, Hongo.
Daskoon: This is basically the sophomore Avengers, isn’t it? How are you supposed to beat that?
ㄴFksk: Don’t they need to team up with the other classes to beat this?
ㄴ Jinchin: I still think C Class wins, though. Shidou is way too strong.
Yarisu: Wow... putting Shidou aside, a quarterback at setter, a goalkeeper at libero, and a basketball center at middle blocker? Is this for real?
ㄴspnate: Toss machine, strongest shield, an impassable wall, damn
Malpppeotak: Hongo is a little questionable, though. Isn’t he just a pretty face?
ㄴMurmurung: Ahaha, if you want to draw in female spectators, you need someone handling the looks. He’s actually pretty good at sports too.
DoriGom: Who the hell built this lineup lololol I’m about to throw hands
ㄴKeralis: Welcome to B Class~
ㄴ AlmondPie: B Class friend... stop! First calm down and then talk.
The comments about C Class’s lineup were overwhelmingly positive.
Even the negative ones were mostly complaints about how absurdly strong they were.
As the discussion heated up, Shidou seized the moment and jumped into the community to stir the pot.
He confidently wrote and posted a new thread.
Title: To Everyone in B Class, Sorry About This Class Match...
Author: ShidouIm
I feel so bad already thinking about how you’ll all be going home traumatized ㅠㅠ
I’ll take it easy and only put up about 40 points, so don’t be too hurt~
I wanted to go easy on you, but after seeing your practice, it was just too serious.
The president... well, at least he’s good at studying, and the sports-specialist student... you know what I mean, right? ^^
I’m going to beat you so badly you won’t even be able to make a peep, so make sure you come watch the match on Thursday.
You know what I mean, right? If you follow me, you won’t regret it lol
#Comments (42)
Chanbin363: God Shidou-sama is about to sort out the hierarchy of B Class’s trash from here on out lol
Passerby: Everything Shidou does turns into comedy gold, agree?
Y HP_514: Premeditated corpse humiliation, is this real? I feel bad for B Class;
Ieieak: Why do I feel like I can already see the future? Ah, ahh...
ㄴStarHJ: ???: Huh...? Why am I crying...?
Subeen: Nice hehe. That sports-specialist student deserves to be put in his place. I hated how he kept talking down to Kaguya-sama just because he was on the student council too.
ㄴkain Brunsterd: He’s a transfer student, so he’s just ridiculously clueless lol. Probably thinks he’s on the same level because he’s friends with the president.
———————————————————————
There was no way the members of B Class didn’t know that their class was becoming a laughingstock on social media.
Even if Miyuki had been left in charge of selecting the volleyball class match lineup, there was no way they’d be happy about being mocked like this.
And naturally, the arrow of that anger pointed at Miyuki, the one who had chosen the most controversial member of all: me.
When the whole class was gathered in the classroom, a debate broke out over it.
"President, I get that Suzuki is an old friend and a student council member, but in something like a class-versus-class match, shouldn’t you separate personal feelings from business?"
"I can understand bringing in the first-year guy since we didn’t have anyone else for the mercenary spot, but Suzuki is a little..."
Nishida and Kunimi. The two boys voiced their complaints to Miyuki, who was standing on the classroom platform.
Seeing a few students around them nodding along, it looked like there were several others who felt the same way. Miyuki listened to them and said with interest,
"Oh? So you’re saying I usually don’t separate personal feelings from business?"
"Ahem, that’s not exactly what I meant, but... you know. In this case, it could look that way..."
"I picked this lineup because I thought it was the best one. Seems like some of you disagree. Then let’s make this clear right here. Is there anyone who wants to play setter instead of Hotaro?"
"........."
The classroom fell dead silent.
"Nishida, Kunimi. The ones raising objections, do you want to play?"
"I wasn’t exactly saying I wanted to play..."
"......Ahem."
At the mention of their names, the two of them looked away.
Miyuki pressed a hand to his forehead as if he had a headache, then looked at everyone and said,
"You don’t want to step up and take any responsibility, and you don’t want to be embarrassed either, but you still don’t like the lineup..."
He stepped down from the platform a little and continued.
"Well, fine. We’re the kind of people who can’t help but be sensitive to other people’s opinions. I’m not about to tell you to stop caring what the outside world thinks. But..."
"........."
"We’re in the same class, aren’t we? For one year, we’re tied together as the same community. I can’t force you, but even if no one else does, I’d like at least you guys to believe in us once."
Miyuki’s sincere appeal made a few people nod, while others fell into deep thought.
After a brief silence, Miyuki cleared his throat a few times and then said in a confident voice,
"And don’t worry too much."
""...........?""
Everyone looked confused. Their faces practically said, Are you kidding? How are we supposed to not worry?
"We’ve prepared something too."
The corners of his mouth lifted into a grin.
**
Two weeks passed, and the day of the showdown finally arrived.
But...
"Why are there so many people?"
"I didn’t see this coming..."
For some reason, there were an absurd number of people here.
I had never seen the gymnasium this packed since the entrance ceremony.
Was our school community really that influential?
Unlike Gou and Saburo, who were trembling at the large crowd, there were also people who were so exhausted they didn’t even care.
"Tanuma, Ishigami. You okay? You look like your souls got sucked out..."
"I’ve lost so much sleep from the muscle soreness these past few days. Ugh..."
"Honestly, I thought I was going to die. I’m amazed I’m still alive..."
The two of them answered Miyuki’s worried question with zombie-like faces.
The way they looked at me was almost like they were seeing a ghost... What did I even do? Honestly.
Hayasaka did all the work, obviously.
"Yeah, that much is true. So, do you think you’ll be okay?"
"...Leave the back line to me. I’ll hold it down."
Maybe he had gained some confidence, because Tanuma thumped his chest and declared it. Miyuki gave him a thumbs-up.
"As for C Class or whatever, tell them to bring it on. I’ll blow them away with my flaming spike...!"
"Kyaa—!! C Class’s players are here——!"
"...Ugh."
Before Ishigami could even finish speaking, the C Class players started streaming into the gym through the doors.
Since Ishigami had a deep-seated aversion to athletic types, his face twisted in disgust.
One by one, they walked in with the kind of looks and presence that practically screamed, I’m good at sports.
The girls’ reactions were intense too. At Shuchiin, just being on a sports team had always been enough to make someone popular, and those guys were all top-tier athletes.
Maybe feeling a little pressured by that, Miyuki swallowed and asked,
"Hotaro, this is going to work out, right?"
"...Don’t ask me."
"I see."
"Instead of some meaningless word of comfort from me-"
"...?"
"Believe in the sweat you’ve shed."
The guy grinned.
"...Got it, jerk."
With that, the ten-minute warm-up ended, followed by a brief round of mutual handshakes and bows.
The moment everyone returned to their courts...
Beep!
"Play ball!"
At last, the match began.
**
C Class won rock-paper-scissors, so they got the first serve.
Since the libero was fixed in the back-center position without rotation, the adjusted serving order under the modified volleyball rules was as follows.
# Rotation and Serve Order
(4) Setter → (3) Middle Blocker → (2) Left ↓
↑ (5) Left ← (Fixed) Libero ← (1) Right
Starting from the right, the ace position, the rotation moved in order. Which meant...
"Hmm~ I wonder how many points it’ll take to establish dominance~?"
The first server was this man right here, Shidou.
He spun the ball on his palm and smacked his lips.
"Now then, the first target is... the left——!"
Bang!
The ball, loaded with spin, shot fiercely toward enemy territory.
And the place it flew to was—
"Ngh...!"
Toyosaki Saburo, in the left position, narrowed his eyes. He moved to react, but—
Beep!
The ball slammed straight into the corner of the court. The whistle for a counted point rang through the gym.
"Waaah——!!"
A powerful service ace on the very first serve. And a no-touch one at that. The crowd’s reaction was just as intense.
Toyosaki apologized to his team, saying he was sorry. We told him not to worry about it.
As if he had no intention of giving us a moment to breathe, Shidou rode the momentum and jumped high for his next serve.
"Next up is the gloomy guy, you——!"
Bang!
The ball flew toward Ishigami, and even at a glance, the speed looked brutal. Ishigami managed to react and chase after it, but...
"...Ghk!"
Beep!
Unfortunately, the ball struck his forearm and bounced straight off to the right side of the floor.
Two consecutive service aces. Now fully pumped up, Shidou put on a flashy celebration toward the stands.
"Heeey~~!! Come on—! Come ooon!!"
He spread his arms wide, inviting a reaction, and the crowd answered with cheers of their own.
""Shi-dou—! Shi-dou——!!""
Two straight points off serve, plus the crowd cheering overwhelmingly for one side.
The morale of the two players responsible for the points lost dropped so visibly it was almost painful to watch.
"S-sorry..."
Ishigami, especially, seemed heavily affected by the crowd. His hands were shaking.
I wanted to do something, but neither Miyuki nor I had any way to intervene right now.
Receiving was entirely the back line’s job, and unless they succeeded, there was no follow-up play.
All I could do now was trust them.
I had no choice but to believe they’d break the momentum and get the receive up.
"All right, next is... the libero, let’s go—!"
Bang!
Shidou’s powerful serve flew toward Tanuma in the center. It was the same brutal ball as before.
It wouldn’t have been strange at all if he’d gotten intimidated, but...
"I’m going to save it... no matter what, no matter what, no matter what, no matter what—! I’m saving everything—!!"
Tanuma’s eyes were blazing. He muttered something furiously, then—
Thunk!
He slid slightly to the right and successfully received Shidou’s serve. The ball shot high into B Class’s side of the court.
I sprinted under the landing point and shouted,
"Miyuki——!"
"Okay!"
With the ball still high in the air, Shirogane started sprinting from the far left side of the court toward the right.
I could hear Shidou’s snort of laughter from here.
"What are these idiots doing? What kind of comedy routine are they trying to pull..."
Then the ball dropped toward me, and—
".........!?"
In the blink of an eye, Shirogane Miyuki was already airborne, his form complete at the spike point—
KWAANG!
My toss arrived there perfectly.
The ball slammed into the floor of the opposing court the very moment he swung his arm.
C Class’s defense couldn’t even move—
Beep!
The whistle for a counted point sounded.
""...........""
The enemy team, our own teammates, and even the watching crowd couldn’t process what had just happened.
In the long silence, only the sound of the ball rolling across the floor echoed out.
The noisy cheers died down, and the gymnasium fell as quiet as a library.
"W-what just happened?!"
"...Was that a quick attack?"
Only occasional murmurs could be heard.
There were people smiling at the way the atmosphere had completely changed in a single play.
"Nice atmosphere."
"Nice kill."
Grinning as he walked toward me, Miyuki and I celebrated the wildly successful first combo play with a fist bump.
Thanks to that, even though they still looked dazed, the tension in the stiff members seemed to have eased.
Now we finally had the conditions to truly clash with the opposing team using the strength we had.
All right. From here on out, this match really begins.
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