The Conniving Crow

Chapter 107: The Most Incomplete Team

The bus ride back to Karasuno was bathed in the soft, warm glow of the setting sun. Inside, most of the players were lulled into a comfortable slumber, their bodies still humming with the remnants of adrenaline from the intense match against Aoba Johsai.

Amid the hushed conversations and the occasional snoring, (y/n) found herself with Kenta nestled comfortably in her lap. She couldn't help but smile as she watched the familiar landscapes of Karasuno approaching outside the window. This team had come so far, and she was incredibly proud of each and every one of them.

Taking her phone out, she decided to send a quick text to the group chat she had with the boys from Tokyo, wanting to share the good news with them.

...

Group Text With: BedHeadNeko, MamaCat, KentasPapa, GamerKitty, Meowhawk, HornedOwl, MamaOwl

(Y/n): We won today! 🎉

Almost immediately, her phone buzzed with responses from her friends in Tokyo.

BedHeadNeko: 🎉🎉🎉 Congrats!!! That's amazing!

MamaCat: Yay, that's my girl! So proud of you guys!

KentasPapa: Kenta is doing his job as good luck charm! 🐾

GamerKitty: Great job, (y/n)-san! I knew you could do it.

Meowhawk: Woohoo! Celebratory cat gifs incoming! 🐱🎉

HornedOwl: You guys are on fire! Keep it up!

MamaOwl: I'm so happy for you all! 😊

(Y/n) couldn't help but chuckle at their enthusiastic responses. It warmed her heart to know that her friends from Tokyo were cheering for her and the Karasuno team.

(Y/n): Thanks, everyone! Your support means the world to us. We'll give it our all in the next match too! 💪

With the encouraging messages from her friends, (y/n) felt even more motivated and ready to face the challenges that lay ahead. As the bus continued its journey, she gazed out of the window, her mind filled with thoughts of the upcoming showdown with Shiratorizawa. Karasuno had come so far, and they were determined to soar even higher.

The ride back to Karasuno finally came to an end, and as the team disembarked from the bus, they were greeted with the familiar sight of their gymnasium. The two energetic second years, Hinata and Kageyama, were engaged in their usual banter, with Kageyama teasing Hinata about his tendency to drool during naps. (Y/n) couldn't help but smile at the sight. Despite having just beaten a major powerhouse like Aoba Johsai and facing the biggest obstacle on their journey to nationals, these boys could still find the time to argue about something as trivial as drool.

Inside the gymnasium, Daichi decided it was time to vocalize their aspirations. He stood at the center of the court, looking around at his teammates, and said, "Our goal is to win the Spring Tournament!"

He expected this statement to be met with a powerful and emotional response. However, Kageyama's straightforward reply was anything but emotional. "Well, duh. What else would it be?"

Tanaka jumped in, exasperated. "Geez, bruh! Why do you always have to say things like that?"

"Yeah, man! Sometimes you gotta be a little more sensitive!" Hinata chimed in.

"Calm down, you two," (y/n) chuckled. "What may be obvious to some might be more difficult for others to say out loud. Daichi-senpai just changed our goal from going to nationals to winning nationals."

Daichi smiled, grateful for the understanding. "That's right. We're aiming for the top."

"Yeah! We've been aiming for that from the start!" Nishinoya exclaimed, his enthusiasm infectious.

"I'm with you guys all the way," Asahi added, his voice filled with determination.

"Personally, I don't really care," Tsukishima deadpanned, drawing an irritated sigh from (Y/n) as she smacked him lightly on the arm.

The team seemed highly motivated, and Daichi could feel that this was their moment to seize.

"Looks like there's no need to worry about everyone's motivation." Keishin walked in, sensing the heightened energy in the gym. "So, how about we talk about who we're up against next?"

"An annoying pain in the a—," (y/n) began to grumble before being interrupted.

"If Seijoh is the most complete team in this prefecture," Keishin continued, "then, I would say Shiratorizawa is the most incomplete team in this prefecture."

The boys exchanged puzzled glances. How could the most formidable team be considered the most incomplete?

"Right. So, we and most other teams bring players together with the intent of 'multiplying' everyone's abilities," Keishin explained. "But, in Shiratorizawa's case, it's plain old 'addition'."

"They're just a collection of highly skilled individuals," (y/n) added. "While we use all sorts of tricks to get around opposing blockers, Shiratorizawa doesn't. They rely on sheer strength, mostly Ushijima-senpai's strength, and it works."

"Their offensive style isn't anything new," Keishin clarified. "In fact, they're probably very easy to read."

"Seeing it coming and stopping it are two very different things," Daichi stated firmly.

"Exactly," Keishin agreed.

"They bring out their best weapon and just beat any team with that," (y/n) sighed. "That's Shiratorizawa for you."

"Ushijima is their best player, no doubt," Keishin continued. "But the rest of their players aren't slouches either. Not by a long shot."

"One more thing," (y/n) spoke up again, turning to Nishinoya. "Ushijima-senpai is left-handed."

Nishinoya's eyes lit up with excitement. "A left-handed spiker... That's very rare here."

"It will take time to get used to receiving those spikes," (y/n) warned, her expression serious.

As the team absorbed the information about their next opponent, Keishin could see a mixture of determination and unease on their faces.

"This is going to be one tough battle," Daichi admitted, glancing around at his teammates. "But we've faced tough opponents before, and we've come out stronger each time. Let's use this challenge as an opportunity to grow even further. We'll prepare diligently and give it everything we've got. Remember, our goal is to win the Spring Tournament, and we won't stop until we achieve it!"

The gymnasium echoed with resounding cheers and applause as the team rallied around their captain's words. The path ahead was filled with challenges, but the determination in their hearts burned brighter than ever before. Karasuno was ready to take on Shiratorizawa, and they were prepared to fight with everything they had.