The first set ended, with Aoba Johsai taking the victory.
"Ahhh—we lost the first set!!" The audience erupted in groans of disbelief. This result was more unexpected than anyone anticipated.
"Well, it's not that surprising," an older spectator commented. "When Atsumu messed up his first serve, I had a bad feeling. After all, last year, we watched them blow a six-point lead and lose to their opponent in a shocking reversal."
"With first and second-years still prone to inconsistency, who knows? They might even set a new record for collapses today."
"U-uncle, please stop…"
[Inarizaki bench area]
The loss of the first set came swiftly. Head Coach Norimune Kurosu had hoped Aran Ojiro could hold out a bit longer.
Frankly, the defeat was predictable after the first timeout. Aoba Johsai was a formidable opponent, and with Inarizaki falling behind early, it was difficult to claw back the deficit purely through adjustments.
Victory would've relied on the opponent's mistakes—but Aoba Johsai was proving to be a composed, mature team, without any obvious weak points to exploit.
Atsumu Miya's attempt to counter with a new trick shot had been blocked, leaving him visibly affected. His performance in the latter half of the set lacked the usual flair and creativity he was known for.
But this shift was precisely what Norimune Kurosu wanted. Atsumu's performance hadn't deteriorated; it had simply become more grounded.
Since losing the first set was likely inevitable, it was an opportunity to gather intel. From the first set alone, one thing was clear—Aoba Johsai's first-year ace could be contained.
Now, the plan was simple: take away his weapons and see what other options Aoba Johsai could bring to the table.
"You useless idiot, didn't you say you'd never choke?" Osamu Miya snapped at Atsumu, not holding back.
"Hah?! I didn't make any mistakes! My sets were spot-on every time!" Atsumu retorted indignantly. "You're the pig who couldn't score points—maybe you should reflect on that!"
"Your sets were stiff and predictable! Am I wrong, idiot?"
"You're the one who got blocked, you moron!!"
"Why did you two stop using the new strategy later on?" Kita Shinsuke asked the twins, his expression as stoic as ever. "Were you scared after getting blocked once? Or are you afraid of Aoba Johsai's #10?"
"Ha! As if!" The twins fired back in unison.
"I just wanted to see how many attack variations he has," Osamu gritted his teeth. "Turns out, it's nothing special. Next set, I'll shut him up."
"Since we know we can handle #10's straight shots, there's no need to triple-block his diagonal attack next time," Kita continued calmly. "The back row will cover it. You can shift to assist the block on another attacker upfront."
"That way, the front row won't leave another Aoba Johsai hitter completely unguarded."
"Got it…" Osamu conceded.
"Atsumu, are you letting the commentary about competing with Aoba Johsai's #1 for the title of best high school setter get to you?" Kita turned his attention to Atsumu.
"You're clearly working harder than he is. The truth is, as long as Inarizaki beats Aoba Johsai, everyone will know who's superior. Rankings don't matter as much as results."
"Understood…" Atsumu acknowledged, realizing he'd been distracted by unnecessary comparisons.
After addressing the twins, Kita moved on to the others.
"Rintarō, are you warmed up?"
"Mm…" Suna Rintarō muttered, averting his gaze.
"In the next set, you'll need to contribute not just in blocking but also in offence."
"Ginjima, don't tense up too much. You've been doing well so far."
"Yes!" Ginjima Hitoshi answered firmly.
Norimune Kurosu closed his eyes and leaned back, content. With Kita Shinsuke ensuring everyone understood their roles, the coach didn't need to intervene further.
The second set would begin with a relentless offensive strategy. No major adjustments were necessary—yet.
Both teams switched sides, and the second set began.
Aoba Johsai's lineup:
Front row—Wing Spiker Kunimi Akira, Middle Blocker Kaedehara Taichi, Setter Oikawa Tōru.
Back row—Wing Spiker Hanamaki Takahiro, Opposite Hitter Kyōtani Kentarō (Libero Watari Shinji) and Wing Spiker Iwaizumi Hajime.
Front row—Setter Miya Atsumu, Middle Blocker Suna Rintarō, Wing Spiker Miya Osamu.
Back row—Wing Spiker Ojiro Aran, Middle Blocker Ōmimi Ren (Libero Akagi Michinari) and Wing Spiker Ginjima Hitoshi.
To maximize Atsumu's serving advantage, Inarizaki rotated him from Position 1 to Position 2, while Aoba Johsai kept their formation unchanged.
Aoba Johsai began the set with Iwaizumi stepping up to the service line.
"Something feels…off. Inarizaki's atmosphere has changed. What happened during the break…?" murmured a spectator.
The Inarizaki supporters, who had previously been yelling disruptive chants, now focused on intensifying their drumbeats. The rhythmic pounding grew faster and faster, creating a tense and almost oppressive vibe.
"It's getting annoying," someone muttered.
Iwaizumi sent a powerful serve across the net.
The toss had been slightly low, and the ball grazed the top of the net.
Iwaizumi let out a breath of relief as the ball dropped into Inarizaki's court.
Inarizaki didn't falter in the face of the unexpected situation.
Osamu dashed forward, extended his arm, and punched the ball up with a single fist. Atsumu moved swiftly into position, setting the ball toward the net.
A quick A-tempo attack!
Suna leapt high for the spike, with Taichi fully extending his arms to block in front of him.
Suna Rintarō's spike thundered through Kaedehara Taichi's block and landed in Aoba Johsai's court.
[Aoba Johsai 0 - 1 Inarizaki]
Taichi blinked in confusion.
He was certain he had positioned himself well against Suna's attack. Judging by Suna's hand angle, the spike shouldn't have taken an unexpected trajectory.
Even after watching hours of footage to cross-reference it with his meta-knowledge, seeing it live on the court was something else entirely.
He couldn't figure out how to stop it—at least not yet.
Inarizaki's serve. Atsumu stepped up to the line.
"If my jump float serve is stronger than their setter's, I'll score as many points as I can here!"
The ball floated along the left sideline and curved into Aoba Johsai's court.
Based on the trajectory—
"Out!" Hanamaki shouted decisively.
But as the ball descended, it suddenly swerved eerily into Aoba Johsai's court.
It landed squarely inside the boundary. Atsumu had scored directly off his serve.
[Aoba Johsai 0 - 2 Inarizaki]
"Yesss!" Atsumu roared in exhilaration. He was on fire.
"Atsumu! Atsumu! Great serve!"
"Keep it up, Atsumu!"
"Let's go for another one!"
"That ball definitely curved!"
"Honestly, I thought it was going out too!"
"It looks like Miya Atsumu has adjusted quickly. His form in the second set is impeccable," a commentator remarked.
"This is bad news for Aoba Johsai. It looks like they'll have to scramble for every ball, even the ones that initially look like they're going out."
Aoba Johsai was suddenly under immense pressure to receive.
The ball zipped through the air and rocketed toward Watari's face.
Caught off guard, Watari tensed up, his body freezing for a split second. All he could do was tilt his head back instinctively.
The ball slammed into Watari's face and deflected upward.
Iwaizumi quickly moved in to dig the ball, setting it toward the front row. Oikawa leapt up, aiming to spike.
"I've got this!" Ojiro stepped forward and received the spike cleanly, sending the ball toward Atsumu.
In the front row, Osamu suddenly sprinted toward the far right side of the court—a movement Oikawa and Kaedehara immediately recognized.
Osamu jumped for the spike, with Kaedehara and Oikawa closing in to block him.
But the ball didn't come. It was a decoy!
Atsumu set the ball to the left, where Suna Rintarō hammered it down for another point.
[Aoba Johsai 0 - 3 Inarizaki]
"Oh? Looks like you fell for it," Osamu said with a sly grin, glancing at Taichi. "Doesn't seem like you've figured out this play yet, huh?"
[T/N] - If you guys want to read 50 Chapters in advance of the current story, you can support me on my . Trust me, it's awesome!
Link - (P)atreon.com/Iseeblack [Remove the brackets]