Shiratorizawa reacted swiftly, imdiately adjusting their receive formation to a four-man setup. Goshiki Tsutomu, positioned at the left wing, retreated to the back row, guarding the right corner of the court.
Although they hadn't expected Kyōtani Kentarō's serve to carry such imnse power, his ball control still seed sowhat lacking. Compared to the footage from Spring Nationals, Kyōtani's serves now retained their sheer force while incorporating subtle trajectory shifts—a slight arc that made them harder to predict.
However, this also significantly increased the risk of the ball going out.
Kyōtani tossed the ball up and unleashed his second serve.
Boom!—
Smack!
The ball shot toward Shiratorizawa's left baseline, where Shirabu Kenjirō barely managed to receive it.
"Save it!"
Akakura Sō dashed toward the ball at full speed. Just as it was about to hit the ground, he lunged forward and scooped it back toward the front row.
"I got this!"
Uda Toshiyuki wasn't about to let this hard-earned save go to waste and forcefully initiated an attack from the front row.
"Double block!"
Kaedehara Taichi and Kindaichi Yūtarō rose up to et him at the net.
So fast!
And there's no gap!
Uda had no space to swing.
Bang!
Smack!
The ball ricocheted off Taichi's arm and dropped straight to the floor.
Aoba Johsai scored with a block.
[Aoba Johsai 2 – 0 Shiratorizawa]
"You're seriously underestimating our blocking," Taichi remarked, glancing at the unfamiliar Shiratorizawa second-year.
[Uda Toshiyuki—Outside Hitter: Overall Rating: 82; Height: 182.7 cm, Strength: 85, Jump: 78, Stamina: 82, Speed: 83; Key Attributes:Spike: 85.]
No glaring weaknesses, but no outstanding strengths either.
Simply put—ordinary.
I won't hold back, Ushijima-senpai. Taichi thought to himself.
Kyōtani tossed the ball up again and fired his third serve.
Boom!!!
Having adjusted to his previous serves, this one carried even more explosive force.
The ball rocketed straight toward the baseline, heading directly for Goshiki. In the blink of an eye, it was already in front of him.
The wind from the ball's velocity ruffled Goshiki's bangs. The next mont, he tilted his head to the side.
Thud!
The ball landed beyond the baseline.
"Out!"
Kyōtani's serve had missed the mark.
[Aoba Johsai 2 – 1 Shiratorizawa]
"Nice read, Tsutomu!"
"Thank you, Akakura-senpai!"
Goshiki let out a deep breath. Judging that the ball would go out wasn't difficult—the hard part was resisting the instinct to reach for it when it shot toward him in an instant.
Possession switched. Shiratorizawa now had the serve.
"Tch." Kyōtani turned his head away, displeased.
"Don't sweat it. Keep up the pressure," Yahaba Shigeru called out, always keeping an eye on his teammates' ntal states.
Uda tossed the ball into the air.
Bang!
Surprisingly, he opted for a jump float serve.
However, the movent was too predictable.
"Mine!"
Kunimi Akira stepped up, delivering a precise reception. Taichi was already airborne in the front row.
"Damn it—!"
Shiratorizawa's front row had only Kawanishi Taichi available to contest the quick attack.
Bang!
The ball slamd into the back row, landing between Shirabu and Akakura.
Taichi had scored.
[Aoba Johsai 3 – 1 Shiratorizawa]
"He made that look way too easy," Shirabu muttered, his expression tense.
Among the Shiratorizawa players who remained from last year, Shirabu was the one most familiar with Kaedehara Taichi. He had spent yesterday analyzing recent footage of his matches.
What shocked him the most was how drastically Taichi's playstyle had evolved.
Last year, Taichi had been a standout presence on the court—his play was aggressive, eye-catching. When it ca to choosing his attack angles, he often went for high-difficulty shots: tooling the block, hitting down the line, or executing sharp cross-court spikes. His performances had frequently left spectators in awe.
Falling into the rhythm of the match, Kaedehara Taichi no longer exuded the sa sense of urgency he once did.
In the past, his plays had always felt like he was burning himself out—each match a relentless display of intensity, making him stand out in every mont. However, that approach often led to issues with stamina managent.
Now, he appeared far more composed. That last spike, which seed like an ordinary attack, was in fact a calculated shot, landing precisely in a spot where both defenders struggled to receive it.
A Kaedehara Taichi who had learned to conceal his sharp edges was far more terrifying.
Serve rotation. Aoba Johsai to serve.
—Boom!
Kindaichi Yūtarō's serve packed even more power.
Smack!
Akakura Sō barely managed to receive it. Shirabu Kenjirō swiftly repositioned and set the ball, allowing Goshiki Tsutomu to leap up on the right side.
"Double block!"
Kaedehara Taichi and Yahaba Shigeru stood firm in front of him.
Boom!—
The ball zipped past Yahaba's right side, landing precisely on the sideline in Aoba Johsai's backcourt.
A perfect line shot!
Goshiki Tsutomu effortlessly secured a point.
[Aoba Johsai 3 - 2 Shiratorizawa]
"Nice kill, Goshiki!"
"Thank you—ugh—!"
Goshiki's brows twitched happily at the praise, only to realize a second later that the complint had co from Taichi.
"Your line shots are getting sharper and sharper. Really impressive," Taichi said with a friendly smile.
Goshiki tensed up imdiately. Back at the dorms, both Tendō and Shirabu had repeatedly warned him: DO NOT engage in conversation with Kaedehara Taichi on the court.
But even as he tried to stay silent, his furrowed brow betrayed his inner turmoil.
"Huh? You don't want to talk to ?" Taichi feigned a deeply hurt expression.
"It's not—" Goshiki started to explain.
"Taichi! Please stop distracting our ace." Shirabu stepped in with a cold, stern voice, cutting off the conversation.
"Oh? Is it because I didn't complint you too?" Taichi's expression turned unreadable. "Shirabu-senpai, that set just now was beautiful."
Shirabu frowned but refused to engage further, simply pulling Goshiki back into position.
"Focus on the next play."
"Yes!"
Pfft—
Kunimi Akira, standing nearby, couldn't hold back his laughter.
Taichi turned to him expressionlessly. "Kunimi, do you think they're ignoring because we're not familiar enough?"
Kunimi sighed. No, it's because they know exactly what kind of person you are. But he wisely kept that thought to himself.
A smirk crept onto Taichi's face. "If it were Ushijima-senpai, they'd definitely be comfortable, wouldn't they?"
Kunimi: "…" What a petty guy.
Serve rotation. Shiratorizawa to serve.
Kawanishi Taichi stepped up to the service line. Toss, approach, jump, strike—
Bang!
Another jump floater—and an incredibly precise one at that!
"I got it!"
The ball sailed straight toward the centre of Aoba Johsai's backcourt. Kyōtani Kentarō had no choice but to receive it.
Smack!
"Cover!"
The ball grazed Kyōtani's forearms and veered left.
Kunimi quickly stepped in, adjusting his posture with a slight backwards lean, setting the ball perfectly to the left side.
To alleviate Yahaba's setting burden, Kunimi had personally suggested working more on his chemistry with Kaedehara Taichi. After two months of practice, Aoba Johsai now had two effective setters feeding him the ball!
BAM!
Taichi took his approach and soared.
"Triple block!"
Goshiki, Sagae Yūma, and Tanino Daisuke leapt up together, forming an impenetrable wall.
Even if they couldn't fully stop him, they couldn't afford to let Kaedehara Taichi score easily!
BOOM!!!
Taichi tightened his left arm and unleashed a full-force spike—one he hadn't used in a long ti.
Smack!
The ball blasted through Goshiki's block, slamming into Shiratorizawa's court with imnse force.
Simple. Direct.
Kaedehara Taichi scores!
[Aoba Johsai 4 - 2 Shiratorizawa]
His left hand. His height. His power.
The Shiratorizawa players had seen that silhouette countless tis during their own matches.
And now—
That sa figure stood across the net from them.
Shirabu Kenjirō's expression darkened. Kaedehara Taichi was playing exactly like he had in the past.
But worse than that—
Shirabu turned to see the flicker of hesitation in Goshiki's eyes.
Nothing could be more dangerous than that.
"Goshiki," Taichi spoke calmly, "now the match has really begun."
_________
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