"Mosca! Don't lose to the new guy!" Alexander shouted.
"Don't need you to tell !"
Mosca waved impatiently and stepped onto the service line.
"Tweet!—"
The whistle for service blew.
BOOM!!!
Mosca leapt and unleashed a powerful jump serve!
Giovanni received it, though the first touch wasn't ideal.
Ricardo stepped in to set, and Giovanni ran up for the attack—
A pass-and-hit in one motion!
"Heh—"
Zaytsev leapt to block solo.
—Smack!!
Perfect timing! The ball struck Zaytsev's arms and dropped back into Perugia's court.
"Tch!"
Libero Part dove in a flash and kept the ball alive—but it cleared the net and flew into the opposing side.
Kageyama stepped in for the first touch, passing cleanly.
Boro rotated in for the second touch.
In the front row, Zaytsev and Yuri launched an attack simultaneously!
BOOM!!!—
—Smack!!!
Yuri's spike from the right was blocked—Perugia got their hands up fast.
Ricardo reset and sent it to the left side. Giovanni leapt again—
BOOM!!!
The ball slamd against Zaytsev's arm and flew out toward the baseline.
Mosca chased it all the way to the edge, reaching out with one hand.
Smack!
"Damn it!"
The ball continued to drift further out of bounds.
"Left wing—!"
Just as everyone thought it was going out off the block, Kageyama dashed past Mosca, shouting at the top of his lungs.
Zaytsev's eyes glinted—he moved on instinct.
Kageyama dropped to his knees and skidded into a controlled slide. His kneepads scraped against the floor as he fought to keep his balance.
Back turned to the court, relying on muscle mory alone—he popped the ball upward with both hands.
Whoosh!—
The ball shot out in a perfect line, soaring toward the left wing.
"Hah! No wonder the coach put him in!"
Zaytsev leapt—this pass wasn't just a scramble save after a busted play.
It was a proper, deliberate set!
BOOM!!!
The ball flew past the double block and slamd onto the left sideline of Perugia's court.
Zaytsev scores!
[Trentino 14 – 15 Perugia]
"Unbelievable!"
"Kageyama's pass is unbelievable!!!"
"What beauty, what artistry—what a ball!"
—"Trentino narrows the score to just one point!"
Alexander stood frozen in place.
He finally understood why Kageyama Tobio was here—
It was destiny.
A gift from the goddess Venus herself!
Only a setter like this was worthy of setting the ball for an "Emperor."
"Boro," Alexander called out.
Trentino's support opposite, Luca Boro, walked up to Kageyama.
"After the serve—crisscross run. I'll screen the receive. You organise the offence."
Kageyama furrowed his brows.
He thought he more or less understood what was being said.
"Got it!" he replied with determination.
Trentino continued serving—Mosca's second serve.
BOOM!!!
Part received it squarely, but the pass was slightly off.
Ricardo adjusted the set. On the left wing, Fromm went for a powerful spike!
"Double block!" Zaytsev and Yuri were there, sealing the line.
Fromm had no angle—he had to tip it over to the back row.
Alexander handled the ball calmly—first touch, on point.
Kageyama jumped to set.
Flawless. No gaps. No delays.
All four attack points on Trentino moved at once—even the attackers didn't know where the ball would go!
Whoosh—!
Perugia's blockers split apart to cover all options.
The ball sailed toward the left—Zaytsev leapt up to spike!
Giovanni jumped for a solo block!
—But that wasn't the plan.
Zaytsev's arm swung through empty air.
From the back row, Alexander had leapt—
To a wide-open net.
"What a beautiful sight."
He couldn't help but sigh.
—BOOM!!!
The ball landed squarely in the middle of Perugia's court.
Alexander scores!
[Trentino 15 – 15 Perugia]
Tied ga!
"Beep! Perugia calls for a tiout.
-----
Yuri slamd a cross shot into Perugia's double block.
Part kept the ball alive. Ricardo jumped to set—
BAM!!!
A fake set and spike—he sent the ball straight over the net.
"Tch!"
Boro couldn't move in ti as the ball fell into Trentino's court.
Smack!
Fabio dove, just barely getting a hand under it.
Kageyama moved in and popped a quick set to the left wing.
Zaytsev jumped!
"Double block!"
Perugia had begun adapting to Kageyama's rhythm, tracking his movents closely.
Zaytsev spiked through the seam—
BOOM!!!
Part was there for the dig.
Perugia countered. Ricardo shifted the ball to the right. Giovanni leapt—
"Double block!" Zaytsev and Yuri jumped together.
But Giovanni saw the angle was closed—he brushed the ball off the block instead.
It bounced off Zaytsev's arm and fell back to Perugia's side.
Fromm was already there, passing it cleanly to Ricardo.
Whoosh—!
Giovanni jumped again!
BOOM!!!
He split the block, sending the ball past the right side.
Yuri barely managed to get a hand on it—it popped back into Perugia's half.
Giovanni faked a tip—then redirected the ball to the left.
Fromm spiked and scored!
[Trentino 20 – 21 Perugia]
"Not fast enough!"
Kageyama clenched his fists, frustrated.
But how could he tell them that?
"Beep! Trentino calls for a tiout."
"Huh? Now?"
"They didn't even call one when they were five points behind—why now…?"
The players gathered by Coach Ferdinando.
"Kageyama," Ferdinando said, "if you have sothing to say—say it."
A tiout for Kageyama?
Assistant coach Riesen was caught off guard.
"Riesen, translate for ."
"Oh—right, okay."
"I'm grateful everyone's cooperating with my offence," Kageyama said, "but right now, it's still not enough to shake their block."
"Zaytsev—can you make your attacks even faster?"
"What do you an?" Zaytsev asked.
"You don't need to look for my position. You don't need to track the ball," Kageyama said.
"Just ti your jump—and go. I'll get the ball to you. 100%."
!!!
Everyone stared at Kageyama. Even Coach Ferdinando was taken aback.
"Do you even know what you're saying?" Zaytsev asked.
"Can you trust my sets?" Kageyama shot back.
Zaytsev paused.
Kageyama's sets had been perfect—always right where he wanted them.
Anyone would trust passes like those.
But to that degree...?
"I'm not like other setters. I can do it."
"Don't worry. I see your attack form—perfectly."
"…I'll give it a shot."
"Give sets like that too!" Alexander grinned, thumbing his chest.
"I trust your sets!"
—"As long as you keep getting stronger, you'll keep eting stronger people, Tobio~"
For the first ti, Kageyama Tobio smiled—genuinely, from the heart.
-----
The tiout ended, and the match resud.
Perugia to serve. Giovanni launched a powerful jump serve.
As the ball flew toward him, Kageyama Tobio's heart sank—
He was still being targeted.
Just as he lowered his centre of gravity to receive—
"Mine!"
Libero Fabio shouted, darting in front of Kageyama to shield him and take the serve.
Smack!
The ball flew smoothly to the front row. Kageyama moved up to set.
"What exactly did that new guy an?" Zaytsev was still pondering.
"Faster!" Kageyama shouted.
Zaytsev instinctively sprinted forward and leapt—
But he couldn't help glancing toward the ball.
Kageyama hadn't fully stabilised under it, yet his hands were already forming the shape of a set.
Whoosh!—
In the blink of an eye, the ball appeared right in front of Zaytsev!
"—?!"
"W-What!"
Zaytsev swung quickly—
WHIFF!
The ball flew far out of bounds.
"…Misset?"
The ball landed out.
[Trentino 20 – 22 Perugia]
"Oh! Trentino's sharp and accurate new setter suddenly tosses an explosive set!" the comntator cried.
"Not even his own quick hitter could catch up—what a mistake to make at this point in the match!"
"What happened?! He was doing so well earlier—what's wrong with this new guy now?!"
Voices of dissatisfaction rose from the crowd.
Perugia's setter stared at Kageyama, puzzled.
It looked like a misset—but it didn't feel like one…
"Sorry," Zaytsev said, but instead of frustration, a smile crept onto his face.
"I get it now."
"Faster than a quick set!" Alexander's eyes sparkled.
"That's so fun! Give the next one!"
Kageyama didn't understand what they were saying—
But he had no intention of changing his approach.
"Next ball!"
Perugia continued serving. Giovanni tossed up his second ball.
This ti, Kageyama rushed forward. Fabio received it cleanly and passed it to the front row.
Thud!
Alexander leapt from the back row.
"What's he doing?"
Perugia had no idea what Alexander was up to—
The ball was still with the setter!
Wait—
Ricardo suddenly realised sothing.
"Is that even possible? But—"
There was no ti for doubt!
"Fromm! Block!" Ricardo shouted.
Whoosh!—
The next mont, the ball flew precisely to Alexander—down to the centitre!
"Whoa—! It actually ca!"
Alexander tensed and swung—
WHIFF!
"???"
Alexander's eyes widened.
"Missed it? Too slow?!"
The ball sailed out. Zaytsev chased it and sent it back over the net without a spike.
"Free ball!"
Part easily received it. Perfect pass.
"Bastard!" Ricardo gritted his teeth.
He finally understood the opponent's plan.
"To try that against us—what an insult!"
Whoosh!—
The ball flew toward the right. Attack from position 4—clean spike and score!
[Trentino 20 – 23 Perugia]
"You'll pay for that!" Ricardo growled at Kageyama, eyes locked on him.
"What's going on!" Riesen paced nervously on the sidelines.
Just earlier their coordination had been spot on—
Why were things falling apart after the tiout?
"Ferdinando!"
"What is it, Riesen?" Coach Ferdinando replied calmly.
"Perugia is about to reach set point. Our team's rhythm is off—don't we need to adjust them?"
"Calm down."
Ferdinando gestured for Riesen to sit.
"You really trust that Japanese setter, don't you?" Riesen asked.
"He's done well so far. Even after the misconnect with Zaytsev, his sets showed no hesitation."
"But—"
"I trust the Trentino team. If the setter is solid, the rest will follow."
"Tweet!—"
Giovanni served a third ti.
BOOM!!!
Smack!
This ti, the serve targeted Alexander—
He received it cleanly. Perfect first touch.
Thud!
Zaytsev took flight to spike!
As long as he moved a bit faster—
As long as there was no hesitation—
As long as he trusted the set—
BOOM!!!
Before Perugia's blockers could even get off the ground,
The ball had already soared over their heads and slamd inside the 3-ter line!
Zaytsev scores!
[Trentino 21 – 23 Perugia]
"???"
These few minutes might've been the most confusing the audience and comntators had ever experienced.
"What just happened?"
"Trentino received the serve, and then—bam! The ball was on the ground?"
"Where was the set?!!"
Professional n's volleyball moves fast—
But even then, the crowd had never imagined this kind of speed would co from the setter.
"Unbelievable…"
Zaytsev looked at his hand.
He had spiked the ball…but he didn't feel anything.
No resistance. No delay. No warning.
Kageyama clenched his fists.
That was supposed to be his last risky attempt this set.
If they lost another point, it would be set point for Perugia.
But Kageyama believed—he could still catch up without relying solely on quicks.
The arena replayed the point on the big screen.
Zaytsev was seen jumping into the air—as if spiking at thin air.
Then, from the other side, Kageyama launched the ball at the exact mont.
The ball flew in a perfect line—
And just appeared in front of Zaytsev's hand, as if summoned by magic.
"So those previous two plays weren't miscommunications!"
"No wonder those first two looked like errors!!!"
"This is out-of-this-world offense! It's pure art!"
Side change. Trentino to serve.
Yuri sent out a powerful jump serve.
Part received it.
Ricardo passed to the left. Giovanni spiked from the back row!
"Double block!"
BOOM!!!
Fabio dug it, but the ball flew wide to the right sideline.
"Mine!"
Kageyama chased it out of bounds—this ti, no one fought him for it.
Thud!
Zaytsev jumped at the net!
"There's no way you can pull off a quick in this situation. I don't believe it!" Ricardo thought bitterly.
But the last point had left too deep an impression…
"Double block!" Ricardo and Fromm leapt together, right in front of Zaytsev.
Top-tier professionals.
See a quick attack once—and they can already block it.
Kageyama silently admired their ability.
But the real reason he showed them this attack early—
Wasn't to score.
He recalled a certain soone who once dread of becoming the greatest decoy.
Whoosh!—
The ball flew high toward the left wing.
Alexander leapt!
"So this is all it takes to beat a block?"
Alexander had never thought he'd be given this much open space.
No—this wasn't about the spiker.
The real difficulty had been taken care of by the setter.
"He really is…the setter I've been searching for!"
—BOOM!!!
The ball hamred the floor inside Perugia's 3-ter line.
Alexander scores!
[Trentino 22 – 23 Perugia]
_________
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