The same eight players could be seen in the gym next door, stretching for another four-on-four practice session.
"Lev, this time it's impossible for Yaku to let you escape. He's already aware of your little escapes and will probably come here to drag you back again!" Kuroo said accusingly, pointing at Lev.
"WHAT? No! This time I didn't run away... he said I was doing well and let me come here!" Lev replied, shrinking back.
"Hey, Bokuto-san, that shirt is really cool! It's called 'The Path of the Ace,' right?" Hinata commented, noticing that Bokuto was wearing his classic shirt this time.
"HEY, HEY, HEY... Looks like someone's interested in this beauty of a shirt, huh? It's a shirt for those who are proud Aces and know they have to be the pillar of the team! I bought it last time at Nationals," Bokuto said triumphantly.
"It's cool, but if it were black with white letters, it'd be even better..." Hinata said, wanting to use Karasuno's color palette.
"Hey, Beardy, I want you to test that attack on me! I want to see how much you've improved with my previous teachings!" Kuroo said with a grin.
"I'll try..." Asahi replied with a hesitant smile.
"ALRIGHT! THEN LET'S STOP TALKING AND PLAY BEFORE YAKU—I MEAN, BEFORE IT GETS TOO LATE!" Lev shouted.
The practice started with Akaashi preparing to make the first set.
"Asahi-san!" Akaashi called out as he made the first set to Asahi, who did as Kuroo said and attempted his attack with a delayed timing, facing a block from Tsukishima, Lev, and Inuoka. Lev had already jumped before the ball even left Akaashi's hands, leaving Asahi to face a block from Tsukishima and Inuoka. They timed it well, but the ball slipped past their arms and hit the ground next to Kuroo, who dove to receive it but failed.
"LEV! I TOLD YOU! YOU HAVE TO DO A PREVENTIVE BLOCK!" Kuroo complained.
"Anyway, it was a good attack this time!" Kuroo said, giving Asahi a thumbs-up. Asahi smiled, happy with the praise.
Now it was Kuroo's turn to make a play, and he prepared to set.
"Lev, do something!" Kuroo shouted as he set the ball to Lev, who jumped with a smile on his face, looking excited to attack. But in mid-air, he was met with a triple block from Hinata, Asahi, and Akaashi.
"TAKE THIS!" Lev yelled as he whipped the ball in a spike that hit Hinata's hands and went toward Bokuto.
"FREE BALL!" Bokuto shouted as he received the ball, running and waving his arms to signal that he wanted Akaashi to set for him.
"Guys! Try not to jump too far to the side when blocking. Stop your body completely and jump as high as possible, then direct the ball back to the ground," Kuroo advised as he watched the ball go to Bokuto, who jumped and slammed the ball hard in a cross shot.
"Cross shot!" Tsukishima thought after stopping his body, jumping, and moving his hand to block Bokuto's cross, which was successfully stopped.
"DARN IT! I GOT BLOCKED BY FOUR-EYES!" Bokuto said, frustrated.
"NICE!" Tsukishima thought, clenching his fists in celebration.
"NICE, Tsuki! You're finally improving your blocking!" Kuroo praised Tsukishima, who was satisfied enough not to mind being called "Tsuki" by Kuroo.
After sleeping, the players could be seen awake in the cafeteria, eating lunch before the day's matches began.
"Nishinoya, you need to make Tsukishima eat more! He's improving his blocking, but he needs more strength. Look at the pitiful amount of food he's taking!" Hinata said, smiling as he egged on Nishinoya's antics.
"You're right, Hinata! I've been too lenient with him! Put more food on that plate!" Nishinoya said, using the serving tongs to pile even more food onto Tsukishima's plate, catching him off guard.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU IDIOT MIDGET? HOW MUCH I EAT IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" Tsukishima snapped.
"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME, YOU INSOLENT BRAT?" Nishinoya retorted, attacking Tsukishima with tugs on his hair and face. Tsukishima tried to defend himself, but it only made everyone laugh, annoying him even more.
After finishing their meal, the players went to warm up and stretch before the first match of the day, which was between Karasuno and Ubugawa. It was the first match where things went really well for Karasuno, who won 25-21. There was at least one successful attack from each new play, like Asahi's timing-change attacks, Tanaka's two new attacks, the synchronized attacks, and even Nishinoya's sets.
"Finally! It looks like we're improving!" Sugawara commented, seeming relieved that they wouldn't start the day with punishments.
"Those guys didn't understand a thing when I used my inner cross!" Tanaka said triumphantly.
"We're improving, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. I don't think we're ready to beat Fukurodani yet, and we'll have a tough time against Nekoma. But our progress is undeniable," Ukai warned.
"Kuroo-san, look what you did! During the practice matches, you kept helping Karasuno's players, and now they're improving!" Yamamoto complained.
"Hey! That guy helped me train my receives, and every practice is a learning opportunity. I picked up a few things there too..." Kuroo said with a smile, not seeming to mind.
"Anyway, both middle blockers are talented. They would've learned and improved one way or another. You just sped up the process..." Nekomata observed with a shrewd look, as if evaluating Karasuno's evolution.