"Did you get a good look? This is how an ace is supposed to spike the ball." ᴛhis chapter is ᴜpdated by novelfire(.)net
The overwhelming pressure lasted only for a mont. Just as the threat began to feel real, it vanished in an instant thanks to Akashi Asuka activating his Taunt once again.
Satori Tendo was left speechless. He seriously began to doubt whether he had imagined the whole thing, because right now, Akashi Asuka didn't seem to have any of the aura or presence a true powerhouse should carry.
Koushirō Ushijima, on the other hand, was clearly starting to crack. After all, he was still just a fifteen-year-old kid. How could he possibly handle this kind of treatnt?
Especially when it ca to soone like Akashi Asuka, Taunt wasn't sothing just anyone could use effectively.
If anyone else had tried what Asuka just did, even getting the other person to glance their way would count as a win. But this wasn't just anyone. The target was Tsutomu Goshiki.
Back when the match had just started, Goshiki had boldly pointed at Akashi Asuka and challenged him. And now, Asuka had responded to that challenge… by absolutely destroying him, and topping it off with a few sarcastic remarks for good asure.
Getting burned while trying to show off, this kind of humiliation was just too cruel for soone so young.
Even the players on Shiratorizawa's side couldn't bear to watch anymore.
"Asuka-chan, you're so cruel! I just told you to knock him off the court, not to scar the poor kid for life–" Oikawa Tooru whispered as he walked over to Asuka. "What if the poor first-year ends up traumatized?"
"Dude, what the hell?!"
Everyone, both Aoba Johsai and Shiratorizawa, turned to Oikawa with wide eyes, including Asuka himself.
Did he really just say that out loud?
On the surface, Oikawa's words sounded like genuine concern. But anyone with half a brain could tell that there was no way soone as dark-hearted as Oikawa Tooru would ever say sothing out of pure kindness.
In fact…
Just monts ago, Shiratorizawa's setter, Kenjiro Shirabu, was still hesitating, debating whether or not to bench Goshiki temporarily. Keeping a ntally shaken player on the court wasn't good for the team or the individual.
But now, after hearing what Oikawa said, Shirabu had no choice but to keep Goshiki in.
Because if he subbed him out right after those comnts, it'd only make things worse. Goshiki would definitely take it to heart.
Looking at Oikawa's ever-so-elegant smile, Shirabu felt no warmth from it at all. Instead, it was as if he saw the silhouette of a demon hiding beneath that princely face.
Akashi Asuka subtly distanced himself from Oikawa, not out of fear, but because he was genuinely worried that staying close to the guy might corrupt his pure soul.
Score: 2–1.
The serve returned to Aoba Johsai. After a rotation, the server for this round was none other than Oikawa Tooru.
Stepping to the baseline, Oikawa launched a super high-speed jump serve, aiming straight at Goshiki.
While the serve clipped the top of the net and lost so montum due to Goshiki's forward position, it still sent a chill down the spines of everyone on Shiratorizawa's side.
"You sneaky bastard!"
It was clear Oikawa had been gunning to ntally break Goshiki with that serve. If it had landed, Goshiki's confidence might've shattered for good.
He was only a first-year. Sure, he had decent offensive technique and a solid foundation, but receiving Oikawa's serves? Not likely.
Combine that with the ntal strain from earlier, and it wouldn't have been surprising if Goshiki had to be pulled out of the ga.
"Ah, what a sha~ I was hoping to pull ahead with my serve–" Oikawa said with a tragically disappointed look.
Of course, both teams knew better than to fall for that act. The audience, however, was a different story.
Screams erupted from the stands.
"Ahhhh! Oikawa-senpai, you're so cool!"
"I love you, Oikawa-senpai! And Asuka-senpai too, I love you both!"
"Go Oikawa! Go Asuka!"
A chorus of fangirls cheered them on. A few Asuka fans had recently joined the ranks after his standout performances, making him a rising star in the looks departnt too.
Seeing this, even so of the players on Aoba Johsai felt like they had daggers plunged into their chests, and they were taking real damage.
Dark clouds of envy and bitterness swirled over their heads. "Damn those normies. Explode already."
Shiratorizawa regained serve.
After the rotation, Ushijima Wakatoshi stepped up. But perhaps due to fatigue, his first serve went out of bounds.
3–2.
Aoba Johsai served next, while Shiratorizawa had the right to attack.
Kenjiro Shirabu set the ball to the newly rotated wing spiker Ohira Reon, but he was instantly shut down by a triple block from Asuka, Issei Matsukawa, and Takahiro Hanamaki.
4–2.
Aoba Johsai's formidable blocking was starting to show its teeth. Against Ushijima, they were still overwheld, but when it ca to anyone else on Shiratorizawa, their wall was rock-solid.
From the backcourt, Oikawa grinned at Shiratorizawa's lineup.
"Well, what now? Are you going to keep playing it safe and lose the third set… or unleash your ace at full power?"
To be honest, Oikawa was hoping they would go all-in with Ushijima on this set. That way, they could burn him out by the fourth set and crush them with full force.
By the ti they reached the fifth set, Ushijima likely wouldn't have recovered his stamina.
And without Ushiwaka, Shiratorizawa was no threat at all.
But it was clear…
Shiratorizawa wasn't taking the bait.
Even with the score slipping, they remained calm, keeping to their rhythm.
5–2.
5–3.
6–3.
7–3.
Without Ushijima leading the offense, and under the crushing weight of Asuka's attacks and Aoba Johsai's defense, Shiratorizawa's score fell further behind.
They were clearly throwing the third set.
────────── ✦ ──────────
"Such a sha we couldn't get Akashi Asuka to join us–" murmured one of Shiratorizawa's assistant coaches. "If he was on our team, this match would've been over long ago."
He knew exactly how tough Aoba Johsai was after all this ti. Under normal circumstances, they'd be a nuisance, nothing more.
Never before would Shiratorizawa willingly give up a set.
And the reason for that shift was clear.
Akashi Asuka's presence had completely transford Aoba Johsai's offense and defense.
"Hmph." Washijo Takiji scoffed with a grunt but said nothing.
By now, even he had to admit: Asuka had potential that rivaled Ushijima himself.
But that was precisely why Asuka would never join Shiratorizawa.
There can't be two tigers on one mountain, unless one is male and the other female.
Even sothing as simple as ball control would beco a power struggle between them. Aoba Johsai was flexible enough to accommodate multiple stars, but Shiratorizawa always ran on a single-core system.
If Asuka had joined, and Ushijima was still around, Asuka would've been relegated to a supporting role, or worse, benched.
Maybe that was fine for the average player, but for a genius like Akashi Asuka, it was simply unacceptable.
────────── ✦ ──────────
Boom!
With a deafening spike, Asuka smashed through a double block by Tendo and Goshiki. The ball slamd into the floor, ending the set.
25–20.
For the first ti, Aoba Johsai took a set from Shiratorizawa with a lead of over five points.
Series score: 2–1.
Oikawa couldn't help feeling a bit cocky. He even toyed with the idea of pushing hard in the fourth set and sealing the match early.
But that thought passed quickly.
Know your limits.
Just because Shiratorizawa gave them a little room didn't an they could afford to relax.
If Aoba Johsai pushed too hard and lost the fourth set, the fifth could be a disaster.
So, in the end, Oikawa decided to stick to the safer strategy.
────────── ✦ ──────────
The fourth set began.
This ti, the opening serve ca from none other than Ushijima.
Bang!
He unleashed a powerful left-handed serve that scread over the net and plumted toward the backcourt.
Just in ti, libero Watari Shinji dove and barely managed to dig it up.
After three full sets, Watari had finally begun to read the spin on Ushijima's serves. While he wasn't quite at Nishinoya's level, it was enough for Aoba Johsai.
The receive was off-target, and not even Oikawa could set up a proper attack with it, but that didn't matter.
Aoba Johsai had no intention of going for an aggressive offense on this set.
Watari's first touch was followed by a second pass from Hanamaki, setting up Haji Iwaizumi.
With such a poor toss, Iwaizumi could only tap the ball gently over the net.
Neither Asuka nor Oikawa were involved at all.
Naturally, the tip didn't have any scoring potential. Shiratorizawa's backline easily picked it up and sent it to Shirabu for a counter.
He set it once more to Ushijima.
As Ushijima rose for the spike, three blockers suddenly materialized in front of him.
He paused, just for a second, then smashed the ball with full force.
Smack!
The ball touched Kindaichi's fingers, not enough to block, but enough to deflect the ball high into the air.
"Touch!"
"I got it!"
Watari steadied himself and received the ball cleanly this ti.
Oikawa caught the perfect pass and floated it up for Iwaizumi once again, who leapt, only to make yet another half-hearted attack.
"Huh?"
The Shiratorizawa defenders caught the ball easily, but sothing felt… off. They couldn't quite place it.
Shirabu passed to Ushijima again.
He spiked.
This ti, no rcy.
1–0.
It took three full rallies for Shiratorizawa to win the first point of the fourth set.
And despite scoring, none of them looked happy.
"This is weird. Iwaizumi isn't that short, and he's normally more aggressive. Why is he going so soft on his attacks?" murmured the assistant coach, frowning.
Washijo let out another scoff. "Tch. Oikawa… still the sa sneaky little brat, always playing gas."
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