---
The gym was quiet.
Not silent.
Just—
Empty.
---
Hinata stood at center court.
Ball in hand.
No teammates.
No voices.
No calls.
---
Just him.
---
The last match stayed in his head.
Not the loss.
Not the score.
---
The moments.
---
The hesitation.
The wrong choice.
The delay.
---
"…I'm the limit."
The words came back.
Clear.
Unavoidable.
---
He bounced the ball once.
Twice.
Then tossed it up.
---
Set.
---
Too slow.
---
He caught it.
Again.
---
Set.
---
Too obvious.
---
Again.
---
Set.
---
No pressure.
---
No meaning.
---
Hinata stopped.
Exhaled.
---
This wasn't working.
---
Because setting alone—
Wasn't setting.
---
Setting needed—
Information.
Movement.
Choices.
---
Without that—
It was just a motion.
---
He looked at the empty court.
Then—
Moved.
---
He tossed the ball.
Ran to position.
Set.
---
Then moved again.
Different angle.
Set again.
---
Again.
Again.
Again.
---
Simulating.
Imagining.
Forcing scenarios.
---
"…Left."
He said it out loud.
Set.
---
"…Back."
Set.
---
"…Quick."
Set.
---
But something was missing.
---
He stopped.
Frustration building.
---
"…This isn't it."
---
Because in a real match—
There was no time to think like this.
---
Everything happened at once.
---
He closed his eyes.
---
Replayed the match.
---
The blockers.
Their movement.
Their timing.
Their eyes.
---
Not on the ball.
---
On him.
---
His hands.
His shoulders.
His steps.
---
They weren't reading the set.
---
They were reading—
Him.
---
Hinata's eyes opened.
Sharp.
---
"…Then I change that."
---
He picked up the ball again.
---
This time—
He didn't focus on the set.
---
He focused on himself.
---
His posture.
His movement.
His rhythm.
---
He tossed the ball.
Moved.
---
Paused.
---
Then set.
---
Again.
---
Moved.
---
No pause.
---
Set.
---
Again.
---
Fake pause.
---
Set fast.
---
Again.
---
Same motion.
Different result.
---
Again.
---
Different motion.
Same result.
---
Over and over.
---
He wasn't practicing sets anymore.
---
He was practicing deception.
---
Removing patterns.
---
Breaking habits.
---
Hours passed.
---
The floor filled with the sound of the ball.
---
Set.
Step.
Turn.
Release.
---
Again.
Again.
Again.
---
His breathing got heavier.
His legs slower.
---
But he didn't stop.
---
Because now—
He understood something.
---
It wasn't about choosing faster.
---
Or choosing better.
---
It was about not being readable.
---
At all.
---
He tossed the ball again.
---
Moved—
Identical steps.
---
This time—
Set back.
---
Next time—
Same steps.
---
Set front.
---
Again—
Same setup.
---
Dump.
---
The ball dropped near the net.
---
Hinata stared at it.
---
"…That's it."
---
Not different choices.
---
Same starting point.
---
Different outcomes.
---
No signal.
---
No tell.
---
No pattern.
---
He reset.
---
Again.
---
Again.
---
Again.
---
His movements tightened.
---
Less wasted motion.
---
More control.
---
More precision.
---
More—
Uncertainty.
---
Because even he—
Didn't fully know what he'd choose until the last moment.
---
That was the goal.
---
A voice broke the silence.
"…You're still here."
---
Hinata turned.
---
Mori stood at the entrance.
Arms crossed.
Watching.
---
Hinata blinked.
"…How long?"
---
"Long enough."
---
Silence.
---
Mori stepped inside.
---
"You changed something."
---
Hinata nodded.
"…Trying to."
---
Mori walked closer.
---
"Show me."
---
Hinata picked up the ball.
---
Tossed.
Moved.
---
Same motion.
Same approach.
---
At the last second—
Set left.
---
Again.
---
Same movement.
---
Set right.
---
Again.
---
Same start.
---
Soft dump.
---
Mori watched carefully.
---
"…Indistinguishable."
---
Hinata exhaled.
"…That's the point."
---
Mori nodded.
---
"You removed your tells."
---
Hinata looked at his hands.
"…I had too many."
---
Silence.
---
Mori spoke again.
---
"This will change everything."
---
Hinata nodded slowly.
---
"…It has to."
---
Because now—
It wasn't just about the team adapting.
---
It was about him—
Becoming something harder to read.
Harder to stop.
---
Mori turned to leave.
Then paused.
---
"They won't keep up immediately."
---
Hinata looked at him.
"…I know."
---
"Your speed will increase."
---
"…Yeah."
---
"They may fall behind."
---
Silence.
---
Hinata looked at the court.
---
"…Then I bring them with me."
---
Mori nodded once.
Then left.
---
The gym fell quiet again.
---
Hinata stood alone.
---
Ball in hand.
---
Different now.
---
Not just reacting.
---
Not just adjusting.
---
Leading.
---
From the front.
---
He tossed the ball one more time.
---
Moved.
---
Set.
---
Clean.
Sharp.
Unreadable.
---
"…Next time…"
---
His eyes sharpened.
---
"…They won't read me."
---
Because now—
The limit wasn't fixed anymore.
---
It was moving.
---
And he was pushing it forward.
---
Alone—
For now.
---