[Nekoma's Rest Area]
"How is it possible that a team like Aoba Johsai hasn't made it to Nationals in the past two years?" Yūki Shibayama couldn't hide his astonishnt as he turned to the upperclassn for answers.
"It's more than that," Yaku Morisuke replied, sharing so intel he'd gathered from other schools. "I heard they lost to Shiratorizawa both tis, 0-2, without even putting up a fight."
"You haven't seen Wakatoshi Ushijima, have you? Shiratorizawa was already a powerhouse, but now they have that monster as their ace," Kuroo Tetsurō remarked casually, leaning against the wall.
Inuoka Sō's eyes lit up with recognition. "You an Wakatoshi Ushijima? The ace ranked among the top three in the entire country? I just read about him in this month's Volleyball Monthly!"
"Yeah, along with Sakusa Kiyoomi from Itachiyama and Kiryū Wakatsu from Mujinazaka. They're all in the magazine!" Inuoka leaned in toward Kuroo. "Have you seen Wakatoshi Ushijima in person, Kuroo-senpai?"
Kuroo pushed Inuoka's face away with a firm hand, keeping him at arm's length. "Of course. Shiratorizawa's been in the Top 8 for the last two years. I've watched their matches."
A somber expression crossed Kuroo's face. "Ushijima's spikes....I'd say we'd be lucky to block him even once in an entire set."
Hearing this, Inuoka imdiately grasped just how formidable Ushijima was.
"No wonder Aoba Johsai couldn't even take a single set…"
"If we end up facing Shiratorizawa, wouldn't we be just as helpless…?" Yūki muttered, visibly worried.
Kuroo chuckled bitterly, unsure if they were overconfident or too self-deprecating. On one hand, they assud Nekoma could make it to Nationals. On the other, they seed convinced they'd lose to Shiratorizawa.
"That's not necessarily the case," Kenma Kozu interjected, his voice calm and analytical. "Back then, Taichi wasn't on Aoba Johsai, right? He's only a first-year now. And that #16… He looked awkward in their rotations, like he just joined the team recently."
The group paused to consider this. Kenma had a point. It was hard to say who was stronger now, but in any case, these were matters beyond Nekoma's imdiate concerns. They had their own formidable opponents to deal with just to make it out of their prefecture.
The sharp whistle blew, signalling the end of the break. The match entered its third set.
Nekoma noticed that Aoba Johsai had once again altered their starting lineup.
Their new lineup consisted of:
Front row:Middle blocker Kentaro Kyōtani, setter Toru Oikawa, and wing spiker Takahiro Hanamaki.
Back row: Middle blocker Matsukawa Issei, middle blocker Taichi Kaedehara and outside hitter Iwaizumi Haji (libero Watari Shinji).
This arrangent essentially positioned Kyōtani as a powerhouse opposite hitter. However, since high school players typically lack all-around skills, the roles weren't always so clearly defined.
Kunimi Akira, who had exhausted his stamina, was substituted by Kaedehara Taichi. The change also bolstered Aoba Johsai's offense. However, this configuration increased the defensive burden on Iwaizumi, Hanamaki, and Watari.
If they were up against Karasuno or Shiratorizawa, Coach Irihata would never have chosen such a lineup. It was a calculated move, taking advantage of Nekoma's lack of strong offensive options.
Nekoma's lineup remained unchanged:
Front row:Middle blocker Inuoka Sō, wing spiker Yamamoto Taketora, and middle blocker Kuroo Tetsurō
Back row:Setter Kozu Kenma, wing spiker Fukunaga Shōhei, and wing spiker Kai Nobuyuki. (libero Yaku Morisuke).
Maintaining Kuroo in the front row for as long as possible was critical for Nekoma. Without him, countering Aoba Johsai's two offensive powerhouses would be an uphill battle.
Yet another new player stepped onto the court. The Nekoma team was beginning to grow numb to Aoba Johsai's constant lineup changes. How many tricks did they have up their sleeve? Did playing at ho really make them feel this invincible?
Inuoka stepped up to serve, launching the ball across the net. Watari received it cleanly.
Oikawa scanned his options, surrounded by eager attackers. With so many choices, he felt almost spoiled for options—this match might have been the most luxurious setting he'd ever played in.
The first set went to the overzealous Kyōtani. If Oikawa didn't set for him soon, the fiery middle blocker looked ready to leap straight out of his skin.
Kyōtani's exceptional vertical jump, combined with his incredible core and back muscles, made his approach dynamic.
Every ti he leapt, his body would arch powerfully, building tension before releasing it all in a single explosive motion.
Bang!
Once Kyōtani's sharp spike tore through the blockers, there was little the back-row defenders could do.
Kyōtani scored.
[Aoba Johsai 1 – 0 Nekoma]
Hanamaki Takahiro served for Aoba Johsai. Fukunaga Shōhei received it cleanly, and Kenma Kozu set the ball to the left. Kuroo Tetsurō jumped and spiked it down.
"Cover!" Hanamaki scrambled to receive the ball, but it flew out of bounds.
Suddenly, Kaedehara Taichi dashed out and executed a diving save, sending the ball back into play.
"Chance ball!"
Taichi's overexertion caused the ball to soar high into Nekoma's side of the court.
Yaku Morisuke positioned himself perfectly, delivering a clean pass to Kenma.
anwhile, Taichi quickly got back on his feet and sprinted toward the net.
Kenma's set floated gracefully in front of Nobuyuki Kai.
"Double block!" Kaedehara and Kyōtani Kentaro ford a wall at the net.
But their movents were far from polished.
Nobuyuki, spotting a gap between their hands, spiked the ball directly through the middle.
But, the mont he struck the ball, Nobuyuki thought he saw Taichi smirk.
Taichi's hands tilted slightly downward and to the right, angling perfectly to redirect the ball.
Smack!
The volleyball deflected off Taichi's arm, landing squarely on Nekoma's court.
Aoba Johsai scored on a block.
[Aoba Johsai 2 – 0 Nekoma]
"Taichi!" Kindaichi Yūtarō shouted, his voice as energetic as ever, "Beautiful block!"
Even the Aoba Johsai players realized that Taichi had mimicked the block Kuroo had used earlier to stop Kyōtani.
Kenma's cat-like eyes widened with excitent as he observed Taichi's evolving blocking technique.
Kuroo, noticing Kenma's interest, studied Kaedehara Taichi with a curious smile.
The only one not pleased was Kyōtani, who was visibly fuming.
Oikawa Tōru, however, couldn't help but feel proud of his little "monster" for levelling up mid-match.
For once, he refrained from mocking the opponent, instead pitying the future players who'd have to face Kaedehara Taichi.
The direction of the third set defied everyone's expectations. The anticipated back-and-forth battle never materialized.
Originally, it seed like the match would turn into a drawn-out war of attrition. Nekoma's tight-knit defence was expected to slow down Aoba Johsai's offensive rhythm, with both teams clawing for every point until the bitter end.
Reality, however, painted a different picture. The ga's pace abruptly accelerated, evolving into a high-intensity clash of offence and defence.
Every rally bristled with tension, and each point felt as though it could decide the entire match.
Both teams appeared to abandon their usual strategies in favour of a more direct and aggressive approach.
On Aoba Johsai's side, Oikawa was clearly the happiest person on the court. Whether setting short balls or long ones, he seed liberated, guiding his team's offence with renewed energy.
For once, he had an entire lineup of attackers hungry for points.
Nekoma, by contrast, was forced to match Aoba Johsai's frantic tempo. Adapting to such chaos in real-ti was nearly impossible, and by the ti they adjusted, the match would have been over.
Their only option was to rely on their offence to keep up with Aoba Johsai.
Coach Nekomata noticed this shift but hesitated to call a tiout. Seeing his players enjoying themselves despite the chaos, he could only chuckle helplessly and let them continue.
Both teams found themselves playing an uncharacteristic style, leading to a match far removed from their typical strategies.
In the end, the third set concluded with a nail-biting finish:
[Aoba Johsai 29 – 27 Nekoma]
The practice match ended with Aoba Johsai narrowly claiming victory.
_________
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