[January 7th—The Third Day of the Spring High National Tournament]
Aoba Johsai was finally beginning to understand the advantage of getting a bye in the first round of the so-called "Demonic Third Day".
Having played only one match so far, the team was still brimming with energy—both mentally and physically. Even though they had two gruelling battles lined up today, none of the players found it daunting.
Of course, the prerequisite was that they had to win against Inarizaki in the morning.
And for that, Aoba Johsai was more than ready.
Hyōgo Prefecture Representative—Inarizaki High School: Three consecutive years in the Spring High nationals, with a total of 31 appearances.
Miyagi Prefecture Representative—Aoba Johsai High School: Returning to the Spring High nationals after five years, with a total of eight appearances.
On Court D of the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, the third-round match of the Spring High National Tournament—Aoba Johsai vs. Inarizaki—was about to begin.
Their encounter yesterday, thanks to the amicable exchange between Kaedehara Taichi and Miya Osamu, had left the teams with little to say to each other today.
With the referee's whistle, both teams moved into their warm-ups.
Suddenly, an electrifying tune blared through the arena. Inarizaki's cheer squad had launched into their performance.
The black-and-red tide surged, and their impassioned battle anthem echoed throughout the stadium.
"Here it comes...Inarizaki's over-the-top cheering."
But this time, standing across from them in the stands, fully prepared, was the entirety of Aoba Johsai!
A wave of blue and white swept through the arena, catching everyone's attention. The bold, resonant notes of trumpets and trombones rang out, their brassy tones harmonizing with the steady rhythm of the drums, forming an exhilarating cadence.
Then, flutes and clarinets wove through the melody like a gentle spring breeze—light, fluid, and elegant.
Just as the audience was getting lost in the long, flowing notes of Aoba Johsai's symphony, a sudden burst of percussion ignited their passion.
"Otomo-sensei, it looks like Aoba Johsai came prepared this time!"
"Indeed. Last time, they were completely drowned out by Inarizaki's cheers. I'm sure the students have been holding in their frustration ever since."
"Even during warm-ups, the cheering squads are already locked in a battle of their own—it's quite the spectacle!"
"Aoba Johsai and Inarizaki—two of the tournament's top contenders. Who would've thought they'd clash so early, on the third day?"
"Their last encounter was in the quarterfinals, where Inarizaki claimed victory. This time, who will come out on top?"
"Will Aoba Johsai get their revenge, or will Inarizaki continue their relentless march forward?
Ladies and gentlemen, turn your eyes to the court—the match is about to begin!"
With warm-ups concluded, the players stepped onto the court one after another as the announcers introduced them.
Front row—Middle Blocker Kindaichi Yūtarō, Outside Hitter Kaedehara Taichi, Setter Oikawa Tōru.
Back row—Outside Hitter Iwaizumi Hajime, Outside Hitter Kunimi Akira and Middle Blocker Matsukawa Issei (Libero: Watari Shinji).
Front row—Outside Hitter Ginjima Hitoshi, Middle Blocker Suna Rintarō, Outside Hitter Miya Osamu.
Back row—Outside Hitter Ojiro Aran, Middle Blocker Ōmimi Ren (Libero: Akagi Michinari) and Setter Miya Atsumu.
The match was about to begin. Inarizaki had first serve.
"Be careful," Kaedehara Taichi reminded his teammates once again. "You can't rely on his approach steps to determine his serve type anymore. Also, there's a high chance that he won't be affected by the crowd noise at all."
Miya Atsumu stood at the service line, relishing this moment.
Among all the setters he had encountered in high school, Oikawa Tōru was the toughest opponent he had ever faced.
Ever since their match against Aoba Johsai ended, Atsumu had never quite found that same exhilarating feeling.
Then, at the Youth National Team Training Camp, for the second time, he experienced the same suffocating pressure—this time, from a first-year named Kageyama Tobio.
And just like before, it all traced back to that man.
In their match against the Youth National Team, Atsumu found himself directing an unfamiliar group of teammates. And yet, once again, when it came to commanding the court, he had been outclassed by Oikawa Tōru.
As a setter, with his most trusted weapons (his teammates) by his side—he had another chance.
Atsumu slowly raised his left hand and clenched it into a fist.
The cheers from Inarizaki's supporters immediately fell silent.
However, just as Kaedehara Taichi predicted—Atsumu no longer cared about the noise.
This was merely a habitual gesture of his.
Whether the court was silent or deafening, his only focus was on the serve.
Stepping forward, he moved with effortless fluidity, his footfalls light against the polished court.
He tossed the ball, his approach building in rhythm and power, before his legs exploded into motion—a powerful leap, arms coiling with tension.
A thunderous jump serve.
The deafening roar of the stadium fell silent for a brief moment, eclipsed by the resounding thud of the ball striking the court. It was as if even the players' heartbeats had paused.
The serve was too fast to track.
One second, it was within their sights—then, in the blink of an eye, it had vanished, slamming into the floor behind Kunimi Akira.
No mistakes this time. Miya Atsumu had scored an ace on his very first serve!
[Aoba Johsai 0 – 1 Inarizaki]
The last time he played against Aoba Johsai, his first serve had gone out of bounds. Even afterwards, he had opted for float serves to score points.
But this time—this was the first time Atsumu had successfully landed a power jump serve against Aoba Johsai!
One serve was all it took for Aoba Johsai's players to realize—Inarizaki hadn't remained stagnant after their last victory. They had continued to grow stronger.
"That was a beauty, 'Tsumu!"
Atsumu spread his arms wide, basking in the cheers from his teammates. This match was Inarizaki's to win—again!
"Forget it! Focus on the next ball!" Iwaizumi Hajime turned toward Kunimi, but his expression remained calm—he didn't seem particularly fazed.
Atsumu tossed up his second serve.
Another power jump serve!
His confidence was undeniable.
The ball streaked toward Kunimi's right side, its trajectory sharp and swift. Kunimi shuffled slightly, eyes locked onto its path.
Watari Shinji reacted first, already positioning himself.
The ball struck his arms and bounced high into the air.
Atsumu's eyes widened in disbelief. His second serve—returned already?!
Oikawa darted into position and delivered a precise set to the middle.
Kaedehara Taichi soared into the air.
Ginjima Hitoshi, Suna Rintarō, and Miya Osamu all leapt together. Atsumu had warned them—Aoba Johsai's first-year ace had grown terrifyingly strong.
But seeing it in person was a completely different experience.
Kaedehara Taichi's spike point was above their triple block!
A clean shot over the blockers—an off-the-hand spike!
The ball crashed into Inarizaki's side of the court, bouncing high off the floor.
Kaedehara Taichi had scored!
[Aoba Johsai 1 – 1 Inarizaki]
There was no doubt about it. Kaedehara Taichi was different now.
He was no longer just relying on technical finesse to evade blockers—he had chosen to face Inarizaki's defence head-on.
His spike carried a level of confidence and dominance that hadn't been there before.
The most shocking part? Even against a triple block, his attack looked effortless.
Every motion was controlled, every movement precise, exuding an overwhelming sense of composure.
This is what Atsumu meant when he said Taichi had gotten stronger?
No, this isn't just progress—he's a completely different player!
"The senpais look pretty surprised," Taichi narrowed his eyes with a smirk. "No need to rush—we've got plenty more coming."
"Hah, the way you're grinning tells me you haven't changed one bit," Osamu shot back.
"Of course, I haven't," Taichi's gaze locked onto the banner hanging behind Inarizaki. "The only thing changing today…is the outcome."
"This time, Aoba Johsai is the one who will win!"
[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]