[Prologue]

"Someday… I'll defeat all of them."

The other team had finally cleanly received one of their serves, sending it spinning up and then down to where the setter was standing. Dyed blond hair had fluttered a bit as the volleyball was quickly set to the ace of their team.

And then suddenly the fight had been in midair, the raven-haired ace battling against a blocker with crazily gleaming red eyes.

The ace had smirked, his entire body bending as he hit the ball right through the block. He had fallen back to the ground on his knees, having lost his balance during the powerful spike. And then the ball was coming closer and closer to landing on their side of the court.

Nishinoya's vision tunneled and instantly she lunged and dived. Keeping the ball from dropping was her only goal at the moment. This was her role, the only way she could help her team.

Time seeming to slow down as she slid a single hand under the ball right before it touched the ground. Everything was frozen for a moment, all the players completely focused on her, before time started running again and Nishinoya's body painfully crashed into the ground. She couldn't see, but she knew the volleyball had been sent spinning back into the air based on the cheers from the crowd, coming back down about where the setter was standing.

A quick wrist flick later, the striped ball was completely slammed through the three-man block, and was whistling through the air towards the back of the court.

Nishinoya could see as the six players on the other team didn't even bother to chase it, already haven given up. She watched as the ball slammed onto the ground, almost deforming and changing shape before it bounced off the court.

The opponent's side of the court. Because no matter what -the strength, the skill, the strategy of a team- it all came down to one thing; whichever team let the ball drop first.

The world slowly bled back into focus. Nishinoya could faintly heard cheering from the bleachers, and felt her teammates clap her on the back with a sort of detached numbness. Her head turned to the scoreboard, eyes widening when she read the numbers.

25:6

They had won. So why did it feel so hollow?

On the other side of the net, clothes rustled as a black haired spiker with messy hair glared up at her from his position on the ground. A shorter boy with dyed blond hair extended a hand to help him up. The black haired boy pushed it away, making eye contact with her.

I'm sorry…

I tried to help… messing up a few times on purpose to give you a slim hope that you might still win, trying to encourage you to keep fighting…

But I knew from the beginning that you were fated to lose in the end, and I made it worse by giving you hope, seeing how it was crushed utterly by my teammates.

And the worst part is, that I expected it. That I knew all my actions would just hurt you more, and that I still made them.

I'm sorry, because I don't believe that I'm a good person anymore.

For a second, black and gold orbs clashed as sparks seemed to ignite, before Nishinoya turned her head away. She walked towards her teammates who were standing on the courtline.

It was over.

The change room was tensely silent for a few minutes before a brown-haired boy suddenly burst out.

"Damn it Tendou-kun! Couldn't you have blocked one more spike? Then we would have perfectly quintupled their score!"

Satori huffed from his place on the bench where he was tying his shoes, glaring at Oikawa.

"Don't blame it on me idiot. It's Noya-chan's job to save whatever spikes get past my block. You should be yelling at her, not me."

No… That's not true… Because I don't even know if you guys still need me. Oikawa's serves are aced half the time, and Sakusa always makes kills with his spikes. And even if the opponent somehow manages to form a decent attack, Tendou immediately blocks them. They don't even need a Libero anymore.

Nishinoya cringed as Oikawa turned to her. Now the others in the gym room also were staring at her. Hiding behind her hair, she lost her usual recklessness as she took a few small steps backwards.

They've changed so much

Sakusa sighed. "Oikawa. It's fine. Don't blame it on Nishinoya, although I must admit I am disappointed that we did not reach our previously set goal."

Oikawa immediately stopped examining her and looked away as Nishinoya painfully winced.

I didn't know about this… They set a goal to quintuple our opponent's score? Why? Is losing even a possibility to them? Or are they so certain they'll win that they don't even care about the other team and only focus on the score?

I don't think I'll ever be able to look Kuroo and Kenma in the face again.

I'm sorry.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Bokuto crowed, interrupting the thick tension. "It's our last match of junior high! Let's not waste time thinking about what could have been, and instead focus on the fact that we just won for the third year in a row!"

The gray haired boy high-fived another blond haired boy.

Terushima grinned back at him. "Another year of no losses."

He turned to the red-head next to him. "No need to frown so much Satori-tan! The only times I've ever see you smile are that creepy grin and "heart-break" song when we're on court" the blond admonished.

Satori scoffed, looking at the boy. "As if I'd ever lose. There's no way. And stop calling me that idiotic nickname."

Nishinoya turned away from all of them, heading slowly towards the doorway of the change room with her head bowed and her volleyball bag slung limply over a shoulder. She could already feel tears prickling at the corners of her eyes.

"Where are you going, Nishi-chan?" Oikawa spoke up, his long legs catching up to her in seconds as he placed a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"I'm tired, Oikawa-kun. I'm going home. I'll see you guys tomorrow at the school assembly, I guess" she said, gritting her teeth silently.

Oikawa seemed to want to protest, but he was quickly shut up by a cold look from the team's captain.

"We'll see you tomorrow then, Nishinoya." Sakusa said with a small nod.

Nishinoya almost ran from the room. Only managing to barely keep a fast walk as she fled the building.

How did everything go so wrong?

I waited three years to finally have a match against Kuroo and Kenma like I promised… But it wasn't anything like I imagined it would be.

When did my teammates start to change so much? When did they start to become monsters?

I don't know… But… I'll get them back somehow.

I'll defeat each and every one of them, and get them to love volleyball again.