Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

A year ago, in early summer, on an afternoon as ordinary as any other.

The new school term had begun for about a month, and Nekoma High School was quietly dismissing its students for the day.

Disheartened by the failure of his dream to recruit a female manager, Yamamoto Taketora sprinted toward the clubroom.

At the time, he had no idea...

That lurking within the boys' volleyball club's filthy activity room—

Was something feared by the world.

"Hey, Yaku!"

Along the hallway of Nekoma High School's Class 2-5, Haishin Kō called out to Yaku Morisuke, who was on his way to the clubroom.

"Oh, Haishin."

"Have you heard? There was another sighting near the club building…" Haishin Kō said mysteriously.

"Eh? Seriously?" Yaku's expression changed slightly.

"Yeah. Ota from the baseball club said he saw it after practice the other day." Haishin Kō's tone grew heavy.

"Ah…I see…" Yaku muttered quietly. "I'm actually kind of bad with this kind of stuff."

"Yaku-senpai!" Yamamoto Taketora suddenly ran over from the other side of the hallway. "Aren't you coming to practice?"

"Oh, oh! I'll be there soon."

"I've got class rep duties, so let Kuroo know I'll be a bit late."

"Got it. Then let's go!" Yamamoto declared energetically.

Watching Yamamoto's usual spirited demeanour, Yaku found himself slightly surprised.

"Ah, Tora, have you heard? That thing has been appearing again lately…"

"Huh? What thing?"

"You really don't know?" Yaku felt relieved that his sharp instincts had just saved Yamamoto's life. "They say Sadako has been spotted near the club building!"

Yamamoto froze in place.

"Wait, you mean that Sadako? The one with long hair covering her face? The one that crawls out of TVs?"

"I don't remember the last name, but yeah, probably that thing…" Yaku said, exasperated. "Anyway, people have been seeing some kind of creature with its entire face covered by black hair near the club building."

"Pfft…What is this nonsense?" Yamamoto laughed dismissively.

Seeing his completely unconcerned reaction, Yaku explained seriously, "They say that every time it appears, there's a strange, eerie sound. And if you turn around suddenly, you'll see a glowing-eyed monster swaying as it walks toward you!"

"Senpai, are you guys seriously buying into this stuff?"

Yaku: "…"

"Alright then, I'll go check out the clubroom myself!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Yamamoto took off running toward the clubroom.

"But—" Before Yaku could say another word, Yamamoto had already disappeared down the hallway.

"In horror movies, the ones who loudly say they don't believe always end up dying first," Haishin Kō said, hands pressed together like a solemn monk. "He just planted his own death flag. May he rest in peace."

Startled by Haishin's grave expression, Yaku shouted, "Saying stuff like that with such a serious face makes it even creepier, dammit!"

-----

"♪ FLY HIGH!! ♪"

"♪ With these wings shining with sweat, blood, and tears— ♪"

"♪ Now, throw it all away— ♪"

Yamamoto Taketora hummed off-key as he pushed open the clubroom door.

"Eh? No one's here?" He glanced around. "It's so dark…Why are all the curtains closed?"

Suddenly, from the corner of the room, came an eerie electronic sound.

"Hey! Who's there?"

No response.

Cautiously, Yamamoto tiptoed toward the corner, his steps light and careful. Then, he saw it—

A pale glow flickering amidst a curtain of black hair—

Sadako!

"AAAAAHHHH!!!" Yamamoto let out a series of bloodcurdling screams.

From the darkness, 'Sadako' stepped forward.

"...What's wrong, Yamamoto?"

"Ugh…It's just you, Kenma!" Yamamoto yelled dramatically.

"So…what's the problem?" Kozume Kenma asked, clearly uncomfortable with all the noise.

Now fully recovered from his shock, Yamamoto demanded, "Wait a second, were you the 'Sadako' everyone's been talking about?! What the hell are you even doing here?!"

"Uh…playing Monster Hunter?" Kenma replied casually.

Yamamoto: "…"@@novelbin@@

"Why are you sitting in the dark with the curtains closed just to play a game?"

"Because if the sunlight reflects on the screen, it's annoying," Kenma explained flatly.

Yamamoto Taketora struggled to suppress his frustration. "Hey, could you at least do something about your hair first?"

"...Why?"

"Because you look just like Sadako, and it's freaking terrifying!!! And your bangs are so long—if you lower your head, your face completely disappears!"

"Eh—"

Kozume Kenma tilted his head downward and took a few steps forward.

"See? Even if I lower my head, I can still see just fine."

"DON'T DO THAT! IT'S TERRIFYING!! Just fix your hair properly, will you?!" Yamamoto pleaded, exasperated.

"But it's not bothering me, and I feel more comfortable when my hair is a bit longer."

"It's not about whether it's convenient for you! Think about everyone else's hearts, dammit!!" Yamamoto grabbed Kenma by the shoulders and shook him. "If you keep looking like that, people might start thinking you crawled out of a game screen!!!"

"...That's impossible. The screen is only three inches, and the dimensions—"

"THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT?!"

Yamamoto felt like he had already used up a week's worth of energy just complaining.

"And if you keep wandering around outside looking like this, everyone's going to be staring at you!"

"Eh?"

"Of course they will! You've already become an urban legend around here!!"

"Eh?!!"

"People are even planning a test of courage around this! That's how much attention you're drawing!!!"

"Eh?!!!"

Kenma suddenly seemed completely shaken.

"Being noticed…Being noticed…"

"No, no, I can't—"

"Oi! Kenma! Where are you going?!" Yamamoto called out as he watched Kenma slowly shuffle out of the clubroom.

…Well, whatever. At least this should put an end to the ghost rumours.

-----

[The Next Day]

"♪ Fly high, FLY~ Even higher, FLY~ ♪"

"♪ Toward the ultimate future~ ♪"

Yamamoto Taketora hummed off-key as he pushed open the clubroom door.

"Eh? No one's here again?" He looked around. "It's so dark…Why are the curtains still closed?"

Suddenly, from the corner of the room, came an eerie electronic sound.

A glowing figure appeared—this time, amidst golden hair.

A YOKAI!!!

"AAAAHHHHHHH!!!" Yamamoto screamed at the top of his lungs. "THERE'S A NEW ONE NOW!!!"

"Huh? What's wrong, Yamamoto?"

"AHHH—It's you again, Kenma?!!"

And just like that, the Nekoma High School volleyball club gained a first-year setter…with dyed blond hair.

_________

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