The atmosphere on the court grew increasingly intense.
After Tsukishima Kei's critical block, not only had the score returned to a tie, but more importantly, Shōyō Hinata was back in the front row!
Now with both the ace, Asahi Azumane, and the "Little Giant", Shōyō Hinata, in the front line, Karasuno was in its strongest offensive rotation.
"Karasuno's growth is incredible. Who would've thought they could push Shiratorizawa this far?"
"With the Little Giant back in the front, Karasuno might actually take the second set..."
Amid his teammates' chatter, Kaedehara Taichi felt a vague sense of unease. Ushijima Wakatoshi had spiked surprisingly few balls so far—and this wasn't the result of Karasuno's blocking efforts.
Karasuno's serve. Tsukishima Kei executed a basic overhand serve.
Karasuno's weakness was fully exposed at this moment: the team didn't have enough powerful servers.
Kageyama Tobio could be counted as one, and Asahi Azumane was borderline. Daichi Sawamura and Ryūnosuke Tanaka could deliver steady serves, but nothing spectacular.
Meanwhile, Shōyō Hinata and Tsukishima Kei's serves were practically gifts to the opponents.
Shirabu Kenjirō easily received the ball, and without hesitation, set it to the right wing.
Wakatoshi Ushijima followed closely, starting his approach and leaping at the net.
Eager to make an impact after returning to the court, Shōyō Hinata actively joined the block. Sprinting laterally, he jumped alongside his two front-row teammates.
Hinata, Sawamura, and Azumane stood in front of Ushijima.
Thanks to his running start, Hinata's blocking height was nearly equal to Azumane's. Stretching his arms as far forward as possible, he recalled Kuroo Tetsurō's tips about blocking techniques from the training camp.
The overwhelming force that struck Hinata's arms cut his thoughts short. His entire body was pushed backwards, and he fell to the court, landing hard.
The volleyball hit Karasuno's side of the court before he did, bouncing high into the air.
[Karasuno 26 – 27 Shiratorizawa]
Kenjirō Shirabu glanced at the Little Giant sitting on the floor, his expression one of pity.
So eager to get back on the court, thinking he could turn the tide...And then what?
Even when jumping with all his might, he could only reach Ushijima-senpai's level.
But what about the power gap? How could that possibly be bridged?
Shirabu acknowledged Hinata's strength, but for Ushijima Wakatoshi, that was all it amounted to.
Sitting on the floor, Hinata's wide eyes were filled with confusion and shock.
Being completely overpowered like that made him painfully aware of the vast gap between him and Ushijima.
What Karasuno had struggled to earn through sheer effort, Shiratorizawa's ace could reclaim with ease.
"Shirabu, leave the rest to me," came Ushijima Wakatoshi's calm voice. Even with the score at set point, his composure was unshaken.
"Yes, Ushijima-senpai!" Shirabu replied, his trust in his ace absolute.
Shiratorizawa was just one point away from victory, but Ushijima's words—the rest—implied complete confidence in handling any comeback Karasuno might mount.
The serve rotated back to Shiratorizawa. Shirabu Kenjirō executed a jump float serve.
Although Shirabu's jump float wasn't particularly polished, it still put Karasuno under pressure.
Yū Nishinoya received the ball with an overhand pass, and Kageyama Tobio quickly moved into position.
Having these two players was the only thing keeping Karasuno's offence afloat.
The ball flew toward the left wing, where Hinata was already in position. Always positive, never giving up—this was why Kageyama trusted him so deeply!
The ball pierced through Satori Tendō's block and headed straight for Shiratorizawa's back row.
Tsutomu Goshiki dug the ball out expertly.
If not for Kaedehara Taichi, Goshiki might have been the most well-rounded first-year attacker in the tournament. Coach Washijō certainly had an eye for talent.
As a side note, the second most well-rounded first-year sat lazily in the stands—Akira Kunimi.
Shirabu quickly moved into position and set a high ball, the kind he was most comfortable with.
The ball soared toward the right wing. Even before Ushijima jumped, Karasuno's players felt a suffocating pressure.
Yes, in this match, they had yet to stop Ushijima Wakatoshi even once.
"I've got this!" shouted Shōyō Hinata, sprinting and leaping to block.
Sawamura and Azumane weren't about to back down either. The three of them formed another wall in front of Ushijima.
The ball surged with unyielding force, violently deflecting Shōyō Hinata's arms apart. He fell unceremoniously to the floor once again, but this time, the ball arced high into the air.
"One touch!" Hinata shouted, scrambling to his feet as though fueled by sheer determination alone. He bolted to the other side of the court.
Yū Nishinoya positioned himself perfectly, delivering a flawless reception that landed squarely in Kageyama Tobio's hands. The setter, aware of the heightened stakes, deliberately slowed the pace of the offence.
On the left, Shōyō Hinata waited, poised to leap. On the right stood Asahi Azumane, equally ready to strike. Kageyama's mind raced, weighing his options for this critical play.
A solid thud echoed across the gym as Hinata launched himself into the air. His gravity-defying jump captured the audience's attention, holding them spellbound.
Yet, with surgical precision, Kageyama ignored the temptation to send the ball his way. Instead, he directed the set to the right—toward Asahi.
In that fleeting moment when all eyes followed Hinata, he fulfilled his role as the perfect decoy.
Asahi accelerated to the net, leaping with explosive energy. Suspended mid-air, he stretched his body to its utmost limits. For a split second, everything seemed to align perfectly.
On the opposite side, Shiratorizawa's Wakatoshi Ushijima remained unshaken. Even in the face of Hinata's distraction, his focus never wavered. His imposing figure rose before Asahi like an impenetrable wall.
Asahi extended his arms and unleashed his full strength.
The ball collided with Ushijima's fingertips, slightly altering its trajectory.
Hayato Yamagata was already retreating, his sharp instincts guiding him to the backline. With a desperate dive, he extended his arm to keep the ball in play.
Yamagata's single-handed dig sent the ball skyward, but the effort came at a cost—his body crashed into the wall with a heavy thud.
"I'm fine!" Yamagata gritted his teeth, shouting toward his teammates. "Wakatoshi!"
White-knuckling his resolve, Kenjirō Shirabu set the ball high and steady to their ace.
The ball sailed toward the right wing. Ushijima, undeterred by the chaos, repositioned himself. His focus narrowed, his thoughts entirely on the ball.
Taking two steps back from the net, Ushijima began his approach. His powerful strides culminated in a leap that seemed to freeze time. His body stretched, legs tucked, and left arm pulled back in a perfect arc.
Suspended in mid-air, he was a picture of raw power and precision.
Karasuno's front line—Daichi Sawamura, Asahi Azumane, and Shōyō Hinata—rose in unison, a final wall of resistance against the Shiratorizawa ace.
But Ushijima, with his immense strength and composure, waited for their timing to falter. Like Asahi moments before, he hovered in the air, outlasting their block.
In that agonizing moment of realization, Karasuno's trio felt themselves descending, their reach slipping further from the ball.
Ushijima seized the opportunity, snapping his arm forward with unparalleled speed and precision.
The ball tore past the block and rocketed toward Karasuno's court. Nishinoya darted to the falling ball's trajectory with a final burst of energy, attempting to intercept it. His arms came together just as the ball arrived, but its raw power forced them apart.
The ball struck the court.
[Karasuno 26 – 28 Shiratorizawa]
The sound of impact reverberated through the gym. For a moment, time seemed to stand still.
Daichi Sawamura, Asahi Azumane, and Sugawara Kōshi stood frozen, their expressions blank as the reality sank in.
For Karasuno's third-years, this marked the end of their high school volleyball journey.
The referee's whistle pierced the air.
Winner: Shiratorizawa Academy!
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