"Hmm..." Kenma Kozume averted his gaze, speaking softly. "Since their offence revolves around that Number 10, we just need to stop him..."
Lifting his head, Kenma continued, "If his strength is speed, then we'll use speed to neutralize him."
"Inuoka, you're the fastest among us. Keep chasing him down. When he goes for a spike, just slow the ball down."
"Got it, Kenma-senpai!"
"Even games that seem unbeatable at first can be cleared if you play them enough times," Kenma's expression turned serious, his golden eyes glinting with determination. "Let's start by taking away their quick attack."
The timeout ended, and the match resumed.
Hmm? They've changed their defensive setup?
Stepping back onto the court, Toru Oikawa quickly noticed Nekoma's new defensive strategy.
They shifted three blockers to the right, likely assigning their fastest player to limit Taichi's quick attacks.
This was similar to how Aoba Johsai had previously used Taichi to neutralize Shoyo Hinata's speed.
But Taichi is not the same as Hinata back then...
Oikawa exchanged a glance with Taichi Kaedehara, whose smirk was subtle but clear. Taichi made a quick gesture toward Inuoka, and Oikawa immediately understood.
"Let's see how long they can keep up," Oikawa muttered, a sly grin spreading across his face. This kid really has a wicked mind, huh? Works for me.
The serve came from Aoba Johsai. Iwaizumi Hajime delivered a powerful shot aimed at Kenma. Fukunaga Shōhei helped with the receive, setting it up for Kenma to deliver a precise set to the right. Nobuyuki Kai leapt into the air and slammed the ball down.
Matsukawa Issei intercepted the spike with ease, allowing Oikawa and Taichi to move into position.
Here it came again—the 'Tai-Oi Quick Attack'.
Inuoka was a fraction of a second too slow. The volleyball landed cleanly on Nekoma's side of the court.
Taichi Kaedehara scored.
[Aoba Johsai 13 – 8 Nekoma]
"Damn it! Just a little more!" Inuoka shouted, visibly frustrated.
"It's fine! Shake it off and focus!" Yamamoto Taketora called out encouragingly. "We'll get the next one!"
The atmosphere on Aoba Johsai's side buzzed with energy.
"Hey, you're Inuoka, right?" Taichi suddenly called out to the first-year who had been relentlessly chasing him. "Come on, try a bit harder. You're almost there."
"Huh? Are you messing with our first-years?" Yamamoto glared menacingly at Taichi from across the net.
"No, no, I'm a first-year too!" Taichi replied with a playful grin.
Kenma couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. Despite Inuoka gradually closing the gap on Taichi's quick attacks, Number 10 still looked completely unfazed, as though everything was going according to plan.
Aoba Johsai served again, with Iwaizumi's powerful shot flying straight and true.
"Chance ball!" Yamamoto called as Yaku Morisuke made a clean reception.
Kenma sent a set to the middle, and Yamamoto unleashed a devastating spike.
The volleyball powered through the double block set by Taichi and Kunimi Akira, slamming into Aoba Johsai's court.
[Aoba Johsai 13 – 9 Nekoma]
"Ahhh—!" Yamamoto roared at the two Aoba Johsai first-years, his voice echoing across the court.
Nekoma served next, with Kenma delivering another sharp, well-placed shot.
Matsukawa made the receive, and Oikawa quickly set the ball, once again targeting Taichi for a quick attack.
Oikawa's hurried set left the ball slightly off, giving Inuoka the chance he'd been waiting for. Taichi's spike barely brushed against Inuoka's outstretched fingertips as it flew past.
"I got it! I touched it!" Inuoka yelled in excitement, his voice brimming with pride.
The ball soared toward Nekoma's backline, where Yaku Morisuke smoothly received it.
Kenma Kozume set up another quick attack, sending the ball to the right for Nobuyuki Kai to spike.
Iwaizumi Hajime anticipated the trajectory, managing to barely keep the ball in play.
Oikawa Toru sprinted toward the ball, setting it high toward the net.
Not a quick attack. Nekoma's blockers quickly adjusted, positioning three players under the ball.
From the back row, a figure came charging in—a streak of blue and white. Number 10 leapt into the air.
"Three-man block!" There was no time to overthink. Inuoka Sō, Yamamoto Taketora, and Nobuyuki Kai all jumped together, forming a formidable wall at the net.
In mid-air, Taichi locked onto the slight opening on Inuoka's left hand and smashed the ball with precision.
The volleyball ricocheted off Inuoka's fingertips, landing out of bounds.
Taichi Kaedehara scored.
[Aoba Johsai 14 – 9 Nekoma]
Landing steadily, Taichi took a deep breath. Today's scrimmage, held during Golden Week, had few spectators since students were on break.
There were no cheers to follow his success, but that didn't faze him.
His gaze drifted past the three blockers, settling on Kenma Kozume, whose widened eyes betrayed his surprise.
"Kenma-senpai," Taichi called out with a sly grin, "the game's entering phase two now~."
For a moment, Kenma looked startled, but his expression soon shifted. His furrowed brow relaxed, his amber eyes sparkled as if uncovering a hidden treasure, and the corners of his lips curled into a faint, amused smile.
I see....Kenma realized something crucial—Number 10 on the opposing side was a kindred spirit.
A fellow 'player' immersed in the same game-like mindset as himself!
Suddenly, the match became far more intriguing.
Aoba Johsai served again.
Kunimi Akira aimed his serve at Nekoma's backline, targeting Inuoka Sō. While the first-year had exceptional athleticism, his receiving skills were still underdeveloped—worse than even Taichi's when he first joined the team.
Sure enough, Inuoka's receive went awry. Kunimi's serve earned a point.
[Aoba Johsai 15 – 9 Nekoma]
"Inuoka! You better work on your receives after this! They're treating you like a weak link," Kuroo Tetsurō shouted from across the court.
Despite his usual cheerfulness, Inuoka felt the sting of his mistakes. Kenma-senpai had trusted him to block the opponent's quick attacks, but instead, they had exploited the time it took for him to adjust, scoring even more points.
Now, even their serves were targeting him. No one openly blamed him, but Inuoka couldn't help feeling a twinge of shame.
"Inuoka," Kenma's calm voice broke through his thoughts. "Catching up to Number 10's quick attacks isn't meaningless. They've had to adjust their strategy because of you. Their quicks aren't acting as decoys anymore. Don't let them mess with your head."
"Yes, Kenma-senpai!" Inuoka straightened up, shaking off his doubt. Now wasn't the time to sulk. He readied his stance. This time, I'll receive it.
Kunimi served again, once more targeting Inuoka. Kenma moved quickly, stepping sideways to intercept and receiving the ball with practised ease.
Nekoma was now without their setter. Aoba Johsai's players tensed, their eyes locking onto the centre.
Nobuyuki Kai leapt, attempting to spike directly.
Kunimi managed to dig the ball, and Oikawa sent it to the right for Taichi to execute another quick attack.
"One touch!" Kuroo appeared seemingly out of nowhere, managing to graze the ball with his fingertips.
The ball was then passed high above Kenma.
On Nekoma's side, Yamamoto and Kuroo both ran from the left and right respectively, charging for a synchronized spike.
Kenma's set, however, went to Kuroo, who sent the ball crashing into Iwaizumi's face. The ball ricocheted but stayed in play.
The pace of the rally intensified. Oikawa quickly set the ball to the left this time.
It was Hanamaki Takahiro's quick attack—a completely unexpected move!
Hanamaki soared into the air, ready to spike. Just as he swung his arm, a massive hand suddenly loomed in front of him.
The ball was blocked by Kuroo's outstretched arms and fell back onto Aoba Johsai's side of the court.
[Aoba Johsai 15 – 10 Nekoma]
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