"Aone-senpai, can you block Ushijima-senpai's spike like that?"
On the other side of the court, the entire Date Tech team, defeated by Aoba Johsai just yesterday, sat in the stands. Even their third-year graduates joined to watch this finals match.
Aone Takanobu stared intently at the court, lost in thought.
"Date Tech's Iron Wall was never about just one person. Everyone blocks together, idiot," Futakuchi Kenji said nonchalantly.
No one in their right mind would try to challenge such a monster one-on-one.
"I believe you guys can do it. Actually, both Taichi and Ushijima's scoring efficiency in the second set was only around 60%," Moniwa Kaname said, holding a stat sheet prepared by their team manager, Sakuma Mai.
"Only 60%?" Sasaya Takehito chuckled bitterly.
For most teams, an ace achieving that level would already be considered exceptional. And yet, these two were relentlessly targeted by each other's defences.
"Well...it is Taichi and Ushijima, after all," Moniwa replied with an awkward laugh.
"But we're not here to be scared of how strong they are! And anyway, while it may sound like we're avoiding the issue, next year, your opponent will only be Taichi—and without Oikawa Tōru by his side!" libero Sakunami Kōsuke said as if a sudden revelation struck him.
"Phew—! That doesn't sound half as bad," Futakuchi said, as though a weight had been lifted.
"Eh? That's a shame. I was hoping to beat them at their peak with you guys," Koganegawa Kanji said with a serious expression.
Futakuchi covered his face with his hands and sighed deeply.
He had a sinking feeling that even with their third years gone, next year's Aoba Johsai would remain one of their most challenging opponents.
"Futakuchi, as the captain, show some spirit!" Kamasaki Yasushi said, slapping him hard on the back with his heavily muscled arm.
"I got it, I got it—" Futakuchi said helplessly. He wondered again how Moniwa had managed to convince him to take on the role of captain.
"Kamasaki-senpai, stop slapping me already. If you keep it up, Date Tech might end up without a captain..."
In the best-of-five finals, Aoba Johsai had shockingly taken the first two sets, earning three match points.
This unexpected development had the Aoba Johsai supporters cheering wildly, with even the school administrators standing to applaud several times.
The match's intensity was undeniable, leaving the audience satisfied.
Matches on the national stage weren't necessarily more thrilling than this one. Most had expected this game to go to a full five sets. Now, with the current momentum, that seemed increasingly unlikely.
Aoba Johsai had truly risen.
The third set began, and while the audience expected Aoba Johsai to ride their momentum to secure victory, a glance at their starting lineup raised eyebrows.
Aoba Johsai's lineup:
Front row—Middle Blocker Kindaichi Yūtarō, Outside Hitter Hanamaki Takahiro and Middle Blocker Matsukawa Issei
Back row—Outside Hitter Iwaizumi Hajime (Libero: Watari Shinji), Outside Hitter Kyōtani Kentarō and Setter Oikawa Tōru.
Shiratorizawa's lineup:
Front row—Middle Blocker Kawanishi Taichi, Outside Hitter Ushijima Wakatoshi, Outside Hitter Ōhira Reon.
Back row—Middle Blocker Tendō Satori (Libero: Yamagata Hayato), Setter Shirabu Kenjirō and Wing Spiker Goshiki Tsutomu.
Kaedehara Taichi wasn't in the starting lineup!
Indeed, Taichi was sitting on the bench, casually chatting with Kunimi Akira.
"Taichi, isn't it nice to take a break? Shiratorizawa is down two sets, so they'll go all out in the third set. Even if you played, you'd be too tired to make much of an impact," Kunimi said bluntly, eyeing Taichi, who looked eager to get back on the court.
"Hmm, I know. But still, it's frustrating," Taichi admitted, his eyes glued to the court. The match was in full swing.
Kunimi rolled his eyes. What's there to be frustrated about? Things were looking great for them. Anyone who understood volleyball, or even those who didn't, could tell from the last two sets how much of an impact Taichi had made.
As if reading Kunimi's thoughts, Taichi continued, "This is my last chance in high school to face Ushijima-senpai. I want to be on the court and send him off with a 3–0 loss."
Kunimi shot him a blank stare. What's wrong with this guy? Is this some attempt at humour? Does he seriously think Ushijima would thank him for such a "respectful" send-off?
Kunimi couldn't understand these volleyball-obsessed people, nor did he want to. He was already tired from all the dives and defensive plays he had to make in the second set.
He wasn't complaining about being subbed out for the third set—it felt more like a reward than a punishment.
"Kunimi, thank you," Taichi suddenly said, turning to him. "If it weren't for your coverage against Ushijima's spikes in the second set, we wouldn't have won."
"Well, only because the blockers managed to absorb most of the force. I wasn't planning to take those spikes head-on," Kunimi replied nonchalantly.
Victory was never achieved by one person alone.
Even Taichi, who had scored 18 points in the second set, wouldn't claim that Aoba Johsai won solely because of him. Kunimi certainly didn't think of himself as the key to their win, either.
"Of course. Everyone's role is unique and irreplaceable," Taichi said with a sincere smile.
Before Kunimi could fully process the compliment, Taichi's playful voice followed: "Speaking of which, I heard from Kindaichi that you trained with him over summer break. Weren't you the one who used to say, 'Effort is my second least favourite phrase'?"
Damn it. So embarrassing!
Kunimi's face instantly turned red. "It was just a bit of training, nothing like giving it my all!"
"Oh? And here I thought your least favourite phrase was 'hard work,'" Taichi teased, grinning mischievously.
"Now my least favourite phrase is 'Kaedehara Taichi,'" Kunimi deadpanned, silently cursing Kindaichi for being such a bigmouth.
"Achoo!" Kindaichi sneezed.
"Kindaichi, are you okay? Did you catch a cold?" Iwaizumi asked, concerned.
"I don't think so. I made sure to wear my jacket during the break," Kindaichi replied earnestly.
"Don't tell me you're scared because that brat isn't on the court?" Shiratorizawa's Tendō Satori teased with a grin. "If you're giving up on this set, just surrender already."
"Who said anything about giving up? We're going to beat you 3–0," Oikawa shot back, not backing down in the slightest.
Aoba Johsai had no intention of giving up this set lightly. Resting Kaedehara Taichi was just part of their strategy to prepare him for the fourth set.
If Shiratorizawa underestimated them, they might find themselves losing in three straight sets.
Even without their ace on the court, this Aoba Johsai team was stronger than ever.
For Shiratorizawa, every remaining set was critical. There was no room for error, and they had to give it their all!
[Thirty Minutes Later]
[Aoba Johsai 22 - 25 Shiratorizawa]
The whistle signalled the end of the third set.
Winner: Shiratorizawa.
Both Aoba Johsai and Shiratorizawa had been improving steadily. In the third set, no one underestimated their opponent or slacked off.
Was Kaedehara Taichi off the court?
To the fourteen players on the court (including the two liberos), the moment the whistle blew, such matters became irrelevant.
Tactics and strategies were one thing, but on the court, there was only one thought in everyone's mind—to win.
However, the score reflected the current difference between the two teams' lineups.
Oikawa Tōru and the rest of the team walked off the court.
Kaedehara Taichi had intended to tease them with a lighthearted remark, but the moment he caught sight of Oikawa's expression, he froze.
"Taichi, we must take the fourth set. I refuse to lose another one to Shiratorizawa." Oikawa's serious demeanour was one Taichi had never seen before.
"Yes, Oikawa-senpai!"
The fifteen-minute interval between sets flew by in the blink of an eye, though for Kaedehara Taichi, it felt like a full hour of rest.
As the referee's whistle echoed once more, the fourth set between Aoba Johsai and Shiratorizawa officially began.
Shiratorizawa's lineup:
Front row—Middle Blocker Tendō Satori, Outside Hitter Ushijima Wakatoshi, Outside Hitter Ōhira Reon.
Back row—Middle Blocker Kawanishi Taichi (Libero: Yamagata Hayato), Wing Spiker Goshiki Tsutomu and Setter Shirabu Kenjirō.
Aoba Johsai's lineup:
Front row—Middle Blocker Yūtarō Kindaichi, Outside Hitter Kaedehara Taichi, Setter Oikawa Tōru
Back row—Wing Spiker Kunimi Akira, Outside Hitter Iwaizumi Hajime and Middle Blocker Kyōtani Kentarō (Libero: Watari Shinji).
For the fourth set, Aoba Johsai shockingly left only two third-years, Oikawa Tōru and Iwaizumi Hajime, on the court. Three of the starters were first-years.
While the spectators marvelled at the talent of Aoba Johsai's newcomers, they also sensed the winds of generational change.
Shirabu Kenjirō stepped up to serve. His jump float serves had caused Aoba Johsai significant trouble in the second set.
Oikawa's determination was evident from the start, something Kaedehara Taichi noticed immediately.
[Ding! Oikawa Tōru has entered Burst Mode.]
[Oikawa Tōru (Burst Mode): Overall Ability Rating: 95
Height: 186 cm | Power: 99 | Jump: 92 | Stamina: 95 | Speed: 90
Technique: Serve: 100 | Set: 100]
At this moment, no one could doubt Oikawa's genius.
Having broken through his limits, he could now enter his peak state more easily, boasting two perfect scores in his skillset.
Victory would come naturally if he maintained this form!
Shirabu Kenjirō served, and the ball floated over the net.
"I've got it!" Kunimi Akira, who had been fooled by Shirabu's jump float in the second set, confidently stepped forward to receive.
Kaedehara Taichi instinctively made space, trusting his teammate, and simultaneously ran toward the left. Tendō Satori and Ushijima Wakatoshi immediately followed to block.
Kunimi's reception was perfect, and the ball was delivered with precision. Taichi jumped on the left, ready to spike.
"Not happening!" Tendō also jumped diagonally, his hands stretching high above the net.
Instead of spiking to the left, Oikawa executed a perfect back set, sending the ball to the right.
Iwaizumi Hajime, waiting in the back row, delivered a clean, decisive attack to secure the first point.
[Aoba Johsai 1 - 0 Shiratorizawa]
With Taichi back on the court, Aoba Johsai's offence seemed revitalized. His presence diverted the blockers' attention, allowing Oikawa's orchestration to shine even brighter.
"Damn it, we were tricked!" Tendō growled in frustration, gritting his teeth.
"Don't dwell on it, Tendō," Ushijima said calmly, though he couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't about the block. If they hadn't gone for Taichi, the set would have gone straight to him.
Oikawa and Iwaizumi high-fived in celebration.
"Shirabu, let me teach you what it means to be a setter with a knife," Oikawa declared, his voice brimming with confidence. He could feel it—his state was immaculate.
Oikawa approached the service line, and Shiratorizawa's players instinctively took a step back.
"That's not the right move~" Kaedehara muttered under his breath, his tone unreadable.
Oikawa smirked, tossing the ball lightly into the air.
A controlled approach, an effortless jump, a precise strike.
Despite Shirabu's readiness, the float serve zipped toward him, deceptively slow yet fast enough to throw him off.
Shirabu froze as the ball veered toward his face. Reflexively, he shut his eyes and braced himself.
The impact he anticipated never came. By the time Shirabu opened his eyes, the ball had already landed outside the court.
[Aoba Johsai 2 VS 0 Shiratorizawa]
"Beautiful serve!!" The crowd erupted into cheers.
To them, Shirabu seemed to have made no effort to respond. More shockingly, the ball, initially headed straight for him, suddenly curved right and dropped sharply to the ground.
Even Oikawa could only vaguely perceive the ball's trajectory, but it reassured him of his form.
"All right, let's go for the next one!"
This was different—completely different!
Shiratorizawa's players were at a loss. Oikawa's serves had always been powerful and fearsome but predictable. Now, his movements seemed almost too casual, throwing them off.
Once again, Oikawa tossed the ball lightly, his body tilting slightly as he began his approach. His steps were measured yet brisk. Nearing the ball, he suddenly accelerated and leapt.
His arm swung back, his wrist snapping forward like a whip, sending the ball flying with deceptive ease.
Shirabu locked onto the ball, forcing himself to ignore its illusory slowness and stepped forward for the receive.
The ball wavered midair, veering slightly.
A moment of hesitation was all it took—Shirabu missed.
The ball hit the floor.
Oikawa's consecutive service aces had widened the gap.
[Aoba Johsai 3 VS 0 Shiratorizawa]
Semu Eita, standing on the sidelines, frowned deeply. The momentum of the fourth set was entirely skewed.
Shiratorizawa's plan had been to push the match into a fifth set, but now—
Semu had always considered himself similar to Oikawa, a setter capable of standing out on the court. But at this moment, doubt crept in. Even his jump float serve paled in comparison to Oikawa's.
It felt like the difference between a mortal and a genius.
[T/N] - Oikawa finally having his Shounen MC moment!
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