"I didn't expect you to fall for Taichi's provocation, Kuroo." Kozume Kenma glanced at Kuroo Tetsurō with a hint of disdain.
"That brat used to pester me to teach him techniques! And now he's acting all cocky—how could I let that slide?!" Kuroo retorted, clearly dissatisfied.
"But Nekoma only has one real serving threat—you," Kenma sighed. "And now that it's finally your turn to serve…you only got one point? Seriously?"
Kuroo pulled a face, sighing in defeat. "That's like saying, 'Ahh, one bag of chips is too little' when Mom already told you there's no money left for more…"
Kaedehara Taichi let out a quiet breath. Disrupting Nekoma's rhythm before they could fully establish their game was a huge relief.
Just like he would never underestimate Karasuno, Taichi had never taken Nekoma lightly.
In the original story, Karasuno, after evolving significantly, barely managed to defeat Nekoma in the Spring High quarterfinals.
But before that, Nekoma had maintained a 90% win rate over them.
Kuroo Tetsurō, one of the top three middle blockers in the country.
Yaku Morisuke, one of the top three liberos.
And Kenma, who—if he were serious—could easily be ranked among the top five setters in Japan.
With an almost libero-level team defence and the addition of their new weapon—Lev Haiba—Nekoma had only suffered losses against Itachiyama and Fukurōdani so far.
Underestimating them was the greatest mistake one could make in a match.
[Midway Through the First Set]
Nekoma, playing a steady and calculated game, had gradually closed the score gap.
[Aoba Johsai 15 – 14 Nekoma]
It was Aoba Johsai's serve. Iwaizumi Hajime launched a powerful jump serve, but Nobuyuki Kai easily received it.
Kenma stepped forward and set the ball to the far left. Fukunaga Shōhei leapt and swung hard for a spike.
"One touch!" Kyōtani Kentarō called out.
Watari Shinji received the ball, and Oikawa Tōru swiftly moved into position, setting it up for the right wing.
Fukunaga, who had just attacked, had no time to react defensively. Along the sideline, Matsukawa Issei struck the ball down.
Nobuyuki Kai once again received it.
Kenma moved forward with small, controlled steps and lifted the ball high.
From the back row, Lev crouched low, coiled like a feline ready to pounce. His movements were sleek, controlled, and explosively fast—perfectly timed for the ideal attack point.
His sharp gaze locked onto the ball. As it reached peak height, Lev unleashed his full power—his leg muscles tensed, propelling him upward like a spring.
The force gathered in his arms, ready to strike.
"Triple block!" Kyōtani, Oikawa, and Matsukawa jumped simultaneously.
Lev's eyes darted across Aoba Johsai's block. Having already been stuffed by Taichi once today, he was much more cautious this time.
Lev's arm whipped through the air at an astonishing speed, his wrist snapping at the last moment to add a sharp downward spin to the ball. The volleyball shot forward in a low, fast arc, targeting the deep corner of Aoba Johsai's court.
Super High Reach Spike!
The ball soared past Kyōtani's hands, heading straight for the back row!
Despite the tight coverage from the triple block, Taichi dug the ball cleanly.
"Damn it! It's him again!" Lev groaned in frustration. He had executed a near-perfect attack, yet still failed to score.
Oikawa barely had time to move, but Watari leapt from the back row, setting the ball high into the air.
Kyōtani twisted his body mid-air and hammered the ball down.
Once again, Nekoma's defence held firm!
Oikawa's brows furrowed. Nekoma had reached their rhythm far too early. Many of Aoba Johsai's best attacks had been neutralized.
The first set wasn't just about winning points—it was also about adapting to the court. In hindsight, getting a bye in the first round might not have been such a great thing.
The ball arched above Kenma.
Aoba Johsai's front-row blockers immediately noticed his subtle glance toward the left.
Nekoma's two front-row spikers—one on the left and one on the right—were deliberately spaced far apart, aiming to pull apart Aoba Johsai's blocking line.
"Damn it! This guy is all fake-outs! The more we try to predict him, the more we get tricked—!"
Just as Oikawa hesitated, Kenma jumped lightly and tapped the ball over the net in sync with its downward arc.
Not to Fukunaga on the left.
Not to Lev on the right.
Kenma went for a setter dump—right down the middle!
[Aoba Johsai 15 – 15 Nekoma]
Nekoma has finally caught up!
"This little brat…might be even craftier than me!" Oikawa Tōru muttered, staring at Kozume Kenma. He hadn't been this aggressive even during their last practice match.
Oikawa glanced at his teammates. It was about time to ramp up their offensive…
Serve rotation change—Nekoma to serve.
Fukunaga Shōhei's jump serve lacked power, allowing Watari Shinji to receive it effortlessly.
"Let's go, Mad Dog-chan!"
Oikawa sent the ball soaring toward the right wing.
Kyōtani Kentarō's eyes locked onto the ball's trajectory—his engine was finally roaring to life.
"What a monstrous cross-court spike from Aoba Johsai's number 16, Kyōtani Kentarō!" commentator Ōtomo shot to his feet.
"If you watched last year's Nationals, you'd never forget his devastating cross shots!"
Commentator Aoi laughed, picking up the thread. "In a pre-match interview, team captain Oikawa Tōru mentioned that Kyōtani has a special nickname—'Mad Dog'. And now, that 'Mad Dog' is baring his fangs!"
"Absolutely incredible! And once again, we witness Kozume Kenma's exceptional reception skills—this ball landed right on the three-meter line, yet he still managed to pick it up! Without a doubt, he's one of Nekoma's strongest defenders!"
"Nekoma managed to keep the ball in play, but without a setter to organize their offence, they have no choice but to send a weak return over the net."
"Chance ball!" Iwaizumi Hajime called out, his voice sharp. The first touch was perfect.
Oikawa sent the set high into the air.
The moment that sound echoed through the court, the Aoba Johsai players instinctively smiled.
Kaedehara Taichi soared from the back row!
"Three-man block!" Nekoma reacted swiftly—even Kenma joined the wall!
Kozume Kenma, Haiba Lev, and Yamamoto Taketora formed a solid line, hands stretched high to deny Kaedehara's spike.
"Another over-the-block spike! Aoba Johsai's ace, Kaedehara Taichi, dominates the airspace!!"
"A thunderous shot! But Yaku Morisuke reacts instantly, making yet another crucial dig!"
"Fukunaga Shōhei scrambles to recover, sending the ball back into Nekoma's court! Nobuyuki Kai from the back row delivers a no-attack return!"
"Nekoma's resilience is impressive, but against Aoba Johsai's relentless attacks, they're barely keeping up!"
The ball arced high and returned to Aoba Johsai's side.
Nekoma's players swiftly reset their positions—no matter how desperate the situation, as long as they kept the ball alive, the game wasn't over!
All eyes locked onto the descending ball.
"Chance ball!" Watari delivered a perfect first touch, and Oikawa leapt into position.
A shadow suddenly streaked forward.
"Not good!" Kenma's mind barely registered the movement before the figure was already airborne.
For half a set, Aoba Johsai had held back this technique.
In the instant Kaedehara Taichi sprang into action, it was as if he had momentarily broken free from time itself.
Just as Nekoma's nerves reached their peak, he struck—appearing suddenly at the net.
At that moment, only one figure soared in midair.
The ball slammed into the floor, landing right by Haiba Lev's feet.
Kaedehara Taichi scores!
[Aoba Johsai 16 – 15 Nekoma]
"Un-un-unbelievable!!"
"After that intense back-and-forth rally, Aoba Johsai seamlessly transitions into Oikawa and Taichi's signature move—the ultra-fast attack!"
"Even the cameras couldn't keep up with that ball!!!"
The arena erupted in deafening cheers, the crowd's energy surging to a fever pitch!
"Is…is this even the same sport we play in school? It feels like a completely different game…"
The sheer brilliance of the attack was a stark reminder—this was Nationals.
Just a single point was regained, yet it felt as though the scales had completely tipped in Aoba Johsai's favour!
Nekoma's players, however, remained unfazed by the electrified atmosphere. Their eyes turned toward the figure standing ahead of them.
"It's fine. We knew exactly what kind of team Aoba Johsai is before coming here…"
"So we'll do what we always do—observe, adapt, and see through them."
Kenma's golden eyes stayed sharp. The 'brain' of Nekoma was still calmly thinking.
[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!
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