The players from San Juan were in peak form, playing with impressive composure and rhythm.
Even as the first set entered its later stages, the score remained neck-and-neck. The tension on the court was palpable.
And then—
"Ready, everyone?" León asked calmly, raising a hand to signal his teammates.
"Heh."
"Been waiting for this mont."
"I'm good to go."
The Lublin players responded with confident smirks and nods.
"What are they up to now?" Oikawa Tōru frowned, sensing sothing off.
"They only just caught up in points..." Conte muttered, a foreboding feeling creeping over him. "But sothing about them feels different now."
"Ushijima," León called back with a smile, "give them a good one."
"Understood."
Lublin continued serving. Wakatoshi Ushijima stepped up to the end line, expression unreadable.
"Tweet!—"
The whistle blew for serve.
Toss. Approach. Jump. Swing—
All in one fluid motion.
BOOOM!!!
Left-handed power jump serve!
"Hold the line!" Oikawa shouted.
SMACK!!!
The serve targeted Taichi, knocking him slightly off balance as the ball ricocheted high into the air.
The first touch veered forward at an awkward angle, but Oikawa quickly moved into position to set it. Both Conte and Loser launched into attack.
"No matter what Lublin is up to—we stick to our plan: execute our offence with precision!"
Whoosh—!
The ball soared high into the middle of the court.
"All it takes is improving your read ti by 0.1 seconds. That alone makes every jump more complete."
Thump!
"Double block!"
Christensen dropped back, while Bieniek and León sprang into the air in perfect sync.
"Conte!!"
"Is that a gap—or a trap?"
Midair, Conte analysed the block formation. With one fewer blocker, the pressure should've decreased. Yet sohow, it felt even more suffocating!
Those barely visible seams in the wall of hands weren't openings—they were lures hiding deadly intent.
BOOM!!!—
"Left side!"
Bieniek's arm swung down hard, snapping toward the front-left corner.
—SMACK!!!
The ball was blocked cleanly and slamd into San Juan's court.
A direct stuff block!
Taichi had been bracing for it, but he was still a step too slow to recover the ball.
Point for Lublin.
[San Juan 18 – 19 Lublin]
"You underestimated my blocking before, didn't you, brat?" Bieniek said with a smirk, staring Taichi down. "Why don't you try that again—if you've got the guts?"
"Lublin…" murmured Assistant Coach Frey, his expression grim as he studied the court. "They usually start conservatively, adjusting their rhythm and studying the opponent's patterns in the early stages."
"But now...now they're going on the offensive."
"Beep! Tiout for San Juan."
Coach Jose didn't hesitate for a mont.
"I trust you all knew before today's match just how tough the opponents would be," said José Blanco, voice low but charged with intent. "But they didn't."
"They're not underestimating you—but they don't think you're special either."
"They still believe you're just another challenger in a long line. That's why they're playing with such ease."
"But you're strong. Stronger than they expect."
"I want you to tear out their throats in this very first set. Show them who the real prey is in this match!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Taichi—go all out!"
"Will do."
---
"They really are a team worthy of reaching this stage. That tiout was tid to perfection," said Coach Nikola in admiration.
Just as Lublin was beginning to find their rhythm, San Juan had disrupted their montum. If their players weren't ntally prepared, they could've easily lost the set in a whirlwind.
"But our team doesn't lose focus over sothing like this."
-----
Tiout ended. Play resud.
Lublin served again—Ushijima's third serve.
BOOM!!!
"Ushijima continues targeting Taichi with every serve!"
"He got it this ti!"
The ball flew into the front court, the first touch only half-accurate.
Oikawa leapt from the front row for the set. Both front-row attackers moved at once—the sa offensive formation as before.
BOOM!
Oikawa twisted midair and spiked it himself—a setter dump!
"Trying to take pressure off the spikers with a surprise attack, huh?"
Christensen jumped instantly, cutting off the lane in front of Oikawa.
But the ball arced around the block, heading toward Lublin's back row.
Smack!
Kurek received it, though the first touch was erratic.
A weak point in Lublin's back row defence!
Ushijima raced forward to support. Bieniek charged from the left wing and took off.
"Double block!" Conte and Loser leapt to block.
BOOM!!!
"Touched!" Conte managed to get a hand on it, slowing the ball.
"Great block!" Oikawa called out.
It was a good sign—they were still keeping pace with Lublin's tempo!
Santiago scooped up the ball, and Oikawa set it high to the middle.
"Here it cos!"
Thud!
Taichi soared from the back row for a pipe attack!
"Double block!" Bieniek and León jumped together.
"They're directly in front of him!"
The back row defenders took their positions, eyes sharp and ready.
BOOM!!!
With a sharp twist of his wrist, Taichi spiked the ball hard.
The ball curved around the left edge of the block, aiming for Lublin's back corner.
"Thought you had figured out, huh?!"
Bieniek's arm snapped down to the left, his grin twisting cruelly. There was always that one type—the kind that thought they were different.
SMACK!
The ball slamd off Ushijima's arm and flew out of bounds.
Point for San Juan!
[San Juan 19 – 19 Lublin]
"He got to that? Again?" Taichi frowned.
In terms of reception technique, Ryujin's players were unmatched at the Club World Championship. But when it ca to pure reaction speed, Lublin clearly had the edge.
Once the blockers narrowed the spiker's options, the defenders in the back row knew exactly where to be.
Lublin's first-touch consistency was top-tier. Combine that with the fine-tuned adjustnts from Christensen and Paweł, and their attackers could keep applying pressure non-stop.
"Oh, right." Taichi suddenly turned toward the net, eyes locked on the stunned Bieniek.
"What was that you said about seeing through , again?"
Serve rotation. San Juan to serve.
Loser launched a powerful jump serve!
Smack!!!
Kurek received it—again, an imperfect first touch.
"San Juan is clearly targeting Kurek."
Christensen leapt at the net, setting the ball to the right wing.
León attacked!
"Double block!" Ramos and Conte leapt together.
BOOM!!!
The ball slipped through the narrow space between them and smashed into Oikawa's arm on the left side—then flew out of bounds.
Point for Lublin!
[San Juan 19 – 20 Lublin]
"Hurry up and get to the front row!"
León pointed straight at Taichi, issuing a challenge across the net.
Serve change. Lublin to serve.
Bieniek stepped up to deliver a powerful jump serve!
BOOM!!!
Smack!
Taichi received it cleanly, the first touch right on target.
"Let them focus all their attention on Taichi," Oikawa muttered as he jumped to set. "That'll only open up more chances for the rest of us."
Christensen was drawn in by Oikawa's movent, while León and Jakob each tracked Conte and Ramos in one-on-one coverage.
Then, at the very last mont—just as the ball was about to leave his fingertips—Oikawa spun in midair and attacked again!
"Seriously? Trying that again? Haven't you learned?"
Christensen leapt and sealed off the setter dump, blocking Oikawa straight on.
Smack!—
The ball rebounded off Christensen's arm—a perfect block!
But in the very next instant—
Thump!
Taichi launched himself from the back row to spike!
"Wait—is he using Christensen's block as a pass?!"
Thud!
León dashed sideways and jumped at an angle—solo block!
Whoosh!—
Taichi feinted a spike and set the ball instead, tipping it lightly toward the middle.
Conte jumped!
"This guy?!"
Jakob rushed to cover the centre, leaping diagonally to block just in ti.
"Don't go!" León shouted, moving to cover the back.
Too late.
Whoosh—!
The ball shifted directions again.
Ramos jumped in place for a quick attack.
BOOM!!!
The spike landed squarely inside the 3-ter line of Lublin's court.
Point for San Juan!
[San Juan 20 – 20 Lublin]
"Back-to-back feints and quick transitions—San Juan completely opened up the right side for Ramos!"
"What a dazzling display of coordinated play! The synergy in San Juan's offence is unreal!"
Serve change. San Juan to serve. Kaedehara Taichi rotated to the front row.
"Co on, bring it," Taichi said, staring León down across the net.
"Tweet!—"
The whistle blew.
Conte tossed the ball and delivered a powerful jump serve!
SMACK!!!
The ball slamd off Kurek's arm and flew out of bounds.
"Can't afford to ignore that weak spot—not now!"
Service ace!
[San Juan 21 – 20 Lublin]
"Increasing the number of receivers may limit the server's options, but whether you make the reception still depends on individual skill."
"Lublin still isn't bringing León into serve receive?"
Instead, they shifted their formation rightward, leaving Kurek to defend only a narrow zone directly in front of him.
San Juan continued serving. Conte went for his second ball.
BOOM!!!
It dropped between Ushijima and Kurek.
"I've got it!"
Ushijima called, stepping up to receive.
The serve drifted slightly left, but Ushijima moved quickly and received it cleanly.
Smack!
The ball floated toward the net—not perfect, but playable.
Christensen calmly set it high to the middle.
León leapt for the spike!
"Double block!" Taichi and Ramos jumped together.
Straight? Cross? Tooling the block? Tipping?
León's mind cycled through options.
"Let's try this one."
BOOM!!!—
The ball shot straight into the seam between Taichi and Ramos. A narrow path—just enough.
It pierced through the block and deflected near Bruno, bouncing off unpredictably.
Point for Lublin!
[San Juan 21 – 21 Lublin]
"Whoa!!"
"A block-piercing spike—unstoppable when executed like that!"
Serve change. Lublin to serve again.
"That guy again!" soone muttered.
Christensen stepped up to serve.
"Taichi, stay up front!" Santiago shouted. "We'll cover the back—this risk is ours to take."
"Focus on stopping León."
"Let them know who really owns the title of world's top ace!"
"Tweet!—"
BANG!!!
Christensen served a floating jump serve—targeting Taichi again!
"I've got this!" Bruno sprinted forward. "You're not rattling our ace!"
Taichi shifted aside, letting Bruno receive the serve. The ball was passed cleanly to the right.
The first touch wasn't perfect—but good enough.
Oikawa adjusted and leapt for the set.
Taichi jumped on the left wing!
"Triple block!" León, Jakob, and Kurek all went up together!
Straight or cross?!
Taichi's eyes focused on León's blocking hand and swung fast.
Tooling the block?! No—straight shot?!
León reacted quickly, swinging his arm downward to seal the final sliver of space between the antenna and his hand.
With that angle closed, he was sure of it: no matter what trajectory Taichi went for, the ball would hit his block.
"Or would it?"
At the very last instant, Taichi twisted his wrist.
There was a slight pause—and then, a second burst of power.
BO-OOM!!!
"A late change in angle?!"
León's pupils narrowed.
The ball grazed his arm and tore through the seam between the triple block!
WHAM!!!
It landed deep inside Lublin's 3-ter zone and bounced out.
Point for San Juan!
[San Juan 22 – 21 Lublin]
"Break point!"
"This rally at the net belongs to Kaedehara Taichi!"
"What extraordinary ball sense—and masterful body control! He was born for volleyball!"
Serve change. San Juan to serve again.
"But San Juan's montum wasn't done yet—because now, it was Oikawa Tōru's turn to serve!"
"We won't let you stand in Taichi's way to the top of the world!"
"Tweet!—"
With the whistle, Oikawa tossed the ball, sprinted, jumped, and struck!
—BOOM!!!
The ball cut through the air in a high arc and plumted into Lublin's back row.
Smack!!!
Christensen stepped up to receive—his forearm absorbing the spin.
"The spin…that's the key!"
Paweł dove across the floor, sliding with one arm outstretched just in ti.
Tap!
The ball popped up again.
León turned, recovered, and bumped it high—tipping it deep toward San Juan's baseline.
"Clean recovery!"
"I've got it!" Santiago called, receiving with perfect form.
Whoosh!—
BOOM!!!
As Lublin's blockers raced to match Taichi's approach—the spike had already been unleashed.
THUD!!!
The ball slamd into Lublin's baseline and bounced out of bounds.
Point for San Juan!
[San Juan 23 – 21 Lublin]
"A lightning-fast back attack!"
"Lublin's defence was completely torn open!"
"The first set is tilting toward San Juan—unstoppable, even against a championship team!"
"Beep! Lublin requests a tiout."
"We've got this. Lublin isn't unbeatable!" Assistant Coach Frey gathered the players tightly.
"They're good—really good—but so are we!"
"We're only two points away from taking the first set and grabbing control of the match!"
"Let's go!!" Loser shouted, fired up. "As long as we've got Taichi, there's no one we can't beat!"
Throughout this Club World Championship, Loser had felt himself growing—faster, sharper, more confident.
Against teams like Nizhnev, Trentino, and now Lublin, he could feel it in real ti: his eyes, his reactions, his judgnt—they were all improving.
"If we keep going like this…we can win!"
_________
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