[Karasuno 21 vs 25 Shiratorizawa]
[Karasuno 26 vs 28 Shiratorizawa]
Shiratorizawa concluded the afternoon match with a dominant 2-0 victory.
Kaedehara Taichi gazed at the scoreboard. While not entirely unexpected, he had assumed the match would at least stretch to three sets.
Karasuno now was far stronger and more tenacious than they had been in the original timeline. Yet Shiratorizawa had also made significant strides—and most crucially, they hadn't underestimated their opponents this time.
In the original story, Tsukishima Kei needed almost a hundred rallies to block just one of Ushijima Wakatoshi's spikes.
Through relentless pressure from himself and Hinata Shōyō on Shirabu Kenjirō, combined with the team's sustained effort to wear down Ushijima, they had forced Shirabu into a slightly flawed set, leading to Ushijima's awkward attempt to spike close to the net.
That had resulted in That One Block—a moment that shook the arena.
But this time, that iconic scene never materialized. Neither Shirabu nor Ushijima gave Tsukishima the opportunity to shift the momentum.
Sighing, Taichi thought about how merciless Miyagi's "group of death" truly was. At least three teams here were of national calibre.
By next year, that number would likely rise to four.
But only one team could claim the ticket to nationals, leaving everyone else with nothing but regrets.
"Let's go. Tomorrow, we face Shiratorizawa again." Iwaizumi Hajime rose from his seat, guiding Aoba Johsai's players out of the stands.
Oikawa Tōru remained, silently watching the court. Unnoticed by himself, his emotions had undergone a subtle transformation.
In the past, seeing either of these teams lose would have brought him satisfaction.
Now, he felt only a sense of loss.
Whether it was Tobio or Ushijima, he couldn't help but wish for one more chance to face them himself in his final tournament as a high school player.
The greatest regret of high school volleyball wasn't losing a match but knowing you could never again share the court with your teammates.
Karasuno's players exited the court with heavy hearts, their expressions a mixture of bewilderment and frustration.
"Asahi-san, you're not blaming yourself for not scoring on that last ball, are you?" Nishinoya Yū asked. Of everyone, he was most concerned about the third-years, knowing they had no second chance.
"Well...maybe a little," Asahi admitted, recalling that final moment. "But honestly, I felt great during that rally. Better than I've ever felt before. I gave it my all."
"Exactly! I thought that spike was incredible. Even Ushijima almost didn't block it. It's just a shame their libero reacted so quickly," Nishinoya said with a grin.
"Shiratorizawa really is amazing..." Asahi sighed. "But if I have one regret, it's that I didn't embrace the responsibility of being an ace sooner. Compared to those who've been obsessed with volleyball from the start, I wasted so much time...My training, my commitment to winning—it all came too late."
Asahi tried to force a smile, but tears fell before he could.
"Asahi!" Sugawara Kōshi and Sawamura Daichi clapped him on the back, walking alongside him at the front of the team.
Nishinoya remained still, fists clenched. He never wanted to feel this helpless again.
"Tsukki..." Yamaguchi Tadashi walked beside Tsukishima Kei, searching for the right words.
"I couldn't block a single ball," Tsukishima muttered, his voice heavy. "I knew I wasn't good enough beforehand, but I still wanted to block at least one of Ushijima's spikes."
"Tsukki, you already did so well earlier!" Yamaguchi interrupted hurriedly. "That block you made helped us even the score—"
"But it wasn't enough." Tsukishima cut him off, raising his head with determination. "I just want to get back to practice right now."
He turned to Yamaguchi. "And you need to serve directly for points next time."
"Got it!" Yamaguchi responded firmly.
A few paces behind the others, Kageyama Tobio and Hinata Shōyō walked in silence.
"Why are you staring at me?" Kageyama finally snapped. "My decision during that rally wasn't wrong!"
"I know," Hinata replied, his voice lifeless.
"You were the perfect decoy. Asahi-senpai's spike was incredible. Even you wouldn't have been able to do better in that moment!" Kageyama shouted, his tone filled with frustration yet somehow explanatory.
"I know." Hinata's response remained the same.
Kageyama grabbed his shirt collar, slamming him against the gym's outer wall.
"Then why are you staring at me like that? What do you want to say? If you have a problem, spit it out!"
Hearing the commotion, Asahi rushed over, but Daichi held him back.
"Let them handle it themselves, Asahi. The team will be theirs soon. They need to sort this out."
Asahi nodded reluctantly, though worry lingered in his eyes.
"I know Asahi-senpai was the best choice at that moment," Hinata said hoarsely, his voice trembling. "I know even if I'd spiked that ball, it might not have scored..."
"But I still wanted you to set it to me!" Hinata's eyes lit up with fiery determination.
"I don't want to be just a decoy anymore."
"Next time, I'll make sure you set to me."
On the Aoba Johsai team bus, Chiba Kano handed Kaedehara Taichi a neatly compiled set of data.
"The stats you wanted."
"Thanks," Taichi replied, ignoring Yahaba Shigeru's death glare as he accepted the papers.
Ushijima Wakatoshi had scored 10 points in the first set and 14 in the second.
For most teams, these were outstanding ace numbers.
But for Shiratorizawa, the data was unusual.
Despite facing Karasuno—a team with Nishinoya Yū anchoring their defence—Ushijima's spike success rate still exceeded 80%.
And yet...Shiratorizawa had changed.
It wasn't just about Ushijima participating in receives or blocks.
Other players had stepped up. Goshiki Tsutomu, in particular, had shown glimpses of carrying the team when needed. That's why, in the second set, he had been placed in Ushijima's rotation to share the offensive load.
Tendō Satori's antics aside, Kawanishi Taichi had also matured, revealing the potential of his versatile blocking.
Additionally, Shirabu Kenjirō and Semi Eita were beginning to execute dual-setter plays. Semi wasn't just a clutch server anymore.
And Ōhira Reon, supporting libero Yamagata Hayato, had significantly bolstered the team's defence.
Since losing their dominance over Miyagi, Shiratorizawa has evolved considerably.
Chiba watched as Taichi alternated between frowning and smiling while studying the data.
Suddenly, Taichi stood up.
"Everyone, I have something to say about tomorrow's match..."
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