"I knew I'd find you here."
By the vending machine, Iwaizumi had just bought a drink when he heard Tsukishima's voice from beside him.
"What are you doing here?" Iwaizumi asked.
"Obviously, I ca to see if our dear 'Ace' is crying his eyes out." Tsukishima teased, poking his head out with a mockingly cute expression.
Iwaizumi shot him a disdainful look. "Don't treat like I'm as useless as you, Tsukishima! Besides, I'm not the team's 'Ace' anymore."
"Aww, but you'll always be the best 'Ace' in my heart!"
Tsukishima's tone was playful at first, but his expression grew serious by the end.
Surprisingly, this cheesy line actually threw Iwaizumi off for a mont.
After a long pause, Iwaizumi finally said, "If you're here just to comfort , you don't have to. I'm nothing like you, I'm not jealous of a rookie's talent."
"Really? But to , Iwaizumi, you don't seem like soone who gives up so easily."
Iwaizumi was silent.
"Damn it! If you already know that, why co all this way just to remind ? Are you trying to mock ?"
With a sudden slam, Iwaizumi smashed his drink can on the ground, his calm expression replaced by a rare, burning anger.
Tsukishima t his gaze evenly. "Mock you? Of course not. I just… understand how you're feeling right now."
Iwaizumi fell silent.
The atmosphere grew heavy.
After a mont, Iwaizumi muttered, "Sorry…"
Tsukishima smiled. "It's fine! If you still need to vent, you can smash a couple more cans, I'll pay for them."
Iwaizumi pressed his lips together, then covered his forehead. "No, you've got it wrong. I was actually apologizing to myself. I didn't expect I'd react the sa way you did. It's embarrassing."
Tsukishima blinked. "Uh… huh??"
The next day during practice, Tsukishima took the initiative to greet Akashi Asuka.
"Looking forward to working with you, Akashi."
"Likewise, Senpai Tsukishima."
Since Tsukishima would be the primary setter working with Akashi for the foreseeable future, more communication was inevitable.
Being the team's new "Ace" hadn't changed Akashi much personally. The real difference was the shift in tactical focus and the increased number of attacks.
And those were mostly the setter's responsibility.
So, after the change, the busiest person wasn't Akashi the "Ace." but Tsukishima as the setter.
There was also a change in training partners.
Previously, as a first-year, Akashi mainly trained with Ryuuhei Sanage. But now, his partner was Tsukishima, while Sanage tead up with Iwaizumi.
This switch in "Aces" had definitely worn Tsukishima out.
Though he'd once adored Iwaizumi, whom he jokingly called a "wooden stick." Tsukishima had to admit that Akashi, the "steel spear", was incredible in practice.
No matter how many tricks Tsukishima's mind could invent, there were only so many moves you could pull off with a "wooden stick."
But the "steel spear" was different.
With Akashi's explosive physical ability as the "Ace." he could execute nearly every idea Tsukishima could imagine.
This sparked a creative explosion for Tsukishima.
During those days, Tsukishima fought through grueling dayti practices and sleepless nights, all to discover the limits of Akashi's abilities and develop his diverse attack techniques.
In just a week or two, not only Tsukishima but Akashi himself seed to open up to a new world.
Before, with Sanage's limited ability, most plays were just passing the ball to Akashi, and that was it.
Even Akashi was surprised at how many new moves his body could pull off.
anwhile, on another court, Iwaizumi and Sanage often felt like sothing was weighing on their heads, an inexplicable pressure.
Saturday of the third week in May.
Akashi was training alone when editor Wakayama Kika sent him the second week's novel sales report.
Since its release, Cautious Hero sold 5,024 copies in the first week and 5,347 in the second, ranking fourth inside the publisher's monthly sales.
To be honest, the results surprised Akashi.
Though paper dia still thrives in the island nation, these numbers were excellent.
A simple example:
Akashi's novel royalty rate was 10%, paid based on the printing quantity, not just sales.
The initial print run was 5,000 copies, but seeing the surge in sales, the publisher quickly printed an extra 15,000.
The book's retail price was 820 yen.
At 10% royalty, Akashi had already earned 1,640,000 yen from the printed copies alone.
"Wow, who even needs volleyball? At this rate, I could live off just this one book for life."
He was shocked when he did the math.
Compared to Akashi, Wakayama Kika seed even more excited by the novel's success.
As an editor, having his first signed author achieve this was a huge bonus, not just for reputation but financially as well.
As long as sales stayed strong, Akashi's debut novel was safe from cancellation.
Wakayama sent a congratulatory email, then invited Akashi to et and discuss the next book's details.
Though Akashi felt a eting was unnecessary, he'd already finished writing volu two and was close to the end of volu three, he agreed.
They arranged a place to et, and Akashi threw himself back into training.
Thanks to reader 20200427000842800 for the 100 coins.
(End of Chapter)
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