The Birth of A Volleyball Legend

Chapter 259 On the Giant Bear's Side...

"Hey, hey, I know we've talked a lot of trash about this team, but are you sure they still represent Giant Bear's name?"

"I know, right? This is embarrassing!"

"I've never seen our team get humiliated like this!"

The atmosphere on the Giant Bear bench was grim. Almost everyone had their heads bowed, shoulders slumped as the criticism from their supporters continued. Yet that wasn't the main reason for their depression.

No, it was the fact that more than half of their supporters had already left the arena, believing there was no way for them to mount a comeback. Honestly, they would rather face harsh scolding and criticism than be abandoned like this. It felt as if the supporters were giving up on them, a sentiment that hurt the players who hadn't even reached 20 years of age yet.

Sadaharu, the team's coach, was speechless, unsure of what to say to lift the mood. Honestly, moments like this made him question the management's decision to put him in charge of the U-19 team. After all, while he excelled in tactics, he struggled with dealing with players' emotions, more often than not exacerbating the situation. This was why he had spent over 15 years of his career as an assistant rather than as a head coach.

Still, he couldn't give up now, especially when the team needed a leader the most. After racking his brain for a moment, he made a controversial decision: "Besides Haruo-kun and Goro-kun, everyone else will be replaced by the bench players."

For a moment, silence fell over the bench as everyone stared at him in disbelief. When they saw the old man's serious expression, the first to protest was the captain. "Sensei, are you going to give up on the game?"

While the other players didn't voice their opinions, they, too, stared at Sadaharu intently, creating a heavy and tense atmosphere as they awaited the coach's response.

"No, this is not me giving up on the game." Sadaharu spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. "Contrary to what you believe, I still think that this game is salvageable. Hell, even if we end up defeated, I don't want to be humiliated more than this."

Haruo shook his head, trying to rouse himself from his daydream. Seeing the concerned gaze from his captain, he pondered for a moment before asking a question that had been bothering him. "Why hasn't the coach said anything about me?"

"Huh?" Goro was taken aback by the sudden question.

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"I also didn't play well in the first two sets, so why hasn't he said anything?" Haruo repeated his question. "Does he really hate rookies so much that he doesn't want to give feedback at all?"

Goro winced, unsure how to respond. Even among professional teams, Sadaharu had a reputation as a rookie killer. The coach would not hesitate to bench rookies for a full year simply due to their lack of experience, forgetting that without giving them a chance, they would remain inexperienced.

'Well, no wonder he's asking the question. He must be worried about his future on the team,' Goro thought.

Still, after considering the situation for a moment, Goro felt that it was different this time. He patted the middle blocker on the back reassuringly before saying, "Don't worry about it too much. The fact that you're still here means that Sadaharu-sensei appreciates your performance today. Didn't you hear? He's scolding everyone so harshly because they gave up too quickly and only spared us both out of his mercy. That means whatever performance we displayed meets his standard, so don't complicate things in your head."

That was a valid point, something that Haruo had never considered. For a moment, his eyes wandered toward the opponent's side, particularly where Yuki and Riku sat, listening to their coach. Honestly, he didn't know what to think about those two. At first, he viewed them as worthy opponents for the future, but he never considered them a threat. However, as time passed, he began to see their development, and it would be a lie to say he wasn't scared.

Still, Haruo sensed deeper feelings within himself. The fact that those two were in a much better environment than he was to develop their careers didn't help him feel any better. It felt as if the universe was doing its best to aid them, while he was destined to be a spectator of their success.

'Man, this is so unfair....'