"Don't rush, your strategy just now was solid, Takeru!" Coaikabe called out firmly to Takeru Nakashima.

  Takeru lifted his head a his coach's gaze. The coach spoke in a low voice, "Your battlefield is in the air!"

  "Yes, sir!" Nakashima responded resolutely auro the court with his teammates.

  Coaikabe watched Nakashima's batently. He khat at this moment, the only pyer Wakunan could rely on was Takeru Nakashima. As long as Nakashima was on the court, there was still hope for victory.

  "The point!" Nakashima sed his teammates with determination. "We're going to pick this one up!"

  "Yeah!" Wakunan echoed with renewed resolve.

  Oikawa Tooru wasn't intimidated by the opposing team's determination. He fidently went for another powerful jump serve.

  "Out!"

  The ball went out of bounds, and the Wakunan pyers silently let out a sigh of relief. Only Nakashima looked slightly dissatisfied.

  Sure enough, ing back from a timeout disrupted his rhythm, Oikawa thought as he g Nakashima, a tinge ret in his expression.

  [Aoba Johsai 5 – Wakunan 3]

  It was Wakunan's serve. Kunimi Akira received the ball ly, and Kaedehara Taichi, Matsukawa Issei, and Iwaizumi Hajime all rushed forward.

  Oikawa's gaze shifted to the right, fog on Taichi. Although Taichi had been briefly drawn by Nakashima's movements earlier, Nakashima had also been keeping a close eye on Taichi.

  Nakashima noticed Oikawa's focus and moved to blo front of Taichi.

  At that moment, Oikawa set the ball to the left for Iwaizumi Hajime, who spiked it down for the point.

  [Aoba Johsai 6 – Wakunan 3]

  That earlier look—it was a feint?

  Nakashima gritted his teeth. That setter across the was dht crafty.

  Oikawa, as if sensing the thought, turned back toward Nakashima with a smirk. " point, I really will set it to Taichi. You better be ready to block him."

  "Of course I will." Nakashima responded with a bright grin.

  "Tch, what a pain," Oikawa muttered, clig his tongue. He couldn't stand pyers who were unfazed by his mind games.

  Aoba Johsai served again, and Taichi sent the ball over.

  "ce ball!" Libero Kazeteru Akiu shouted, steadying the ball with a perfect pass to Hanayama Kazumasa.

  Damn it, that serve was too easy to haaichi rushed forward to defend.

  Hanayama set the ball to the left, and Naruko Teppei went for the spike.

  Taichi barely mao receive the ball, but it didn't reach Oikaosition.

  Ugh, the pressure of the first touch is crushing. My weak reception skills are pletely exposed right now.

  "I got it!" Iwaizumi ran in to cover.

  Oikario the ball a for Iwaizumi, who barely mao send it over the .

  Wakunan regrouped for atack. Hanayama set the ball to Nakashima.

  "Takeru!" "Double block!"

  Takeru Nakashima pleted his approad leapt into the air. Fag a two-man block, he spotted a narrow straight-line opening on the right side of the blod smmed the ball down with precision.

  The moment Nakashima jumped, Kaedehara Taichi had guessed he would go for the straight shot and quickly shifted to intercept.

  The ball struck Taichi's arm, spinning as it deflected out of bounds.

  Damn it. Even though I predicted the straight shot, I still couldn't make the py.

  [Aoba Johsai 6 – Wakunan 4]

  "Woohoo!""Takeru, nie!"

  "What a beautiful straight shot! He mao spike through such a small gap. Taichi's anticipation was good, but his reception fuals are still too weak," Mizoguchi Sadayuki ented from the sidelines.

  Coach Irihata pondered for a moment before calling Wataru Shinji over. "When Taichi rotates to the back row, you'll sub in for him. He's uoo much pressure on defence right now."

  "Yes, coach!" Wataru nodded.

  Wakunan's serve followed, and Nakashima walked to the service line.

  Taichi's heart sank. When he was subbed out in the past, he'd never felt this kind of pressure. Back then, he only o think about blog and spiking.

  But now, standing in the back row, Taichi could feel with stark crity that he was the weak link ieam. His hands a felt stiff.

  "You're too tense." Kunimi Akira, standing beside him, lightly tugged his arm. "Their serve is definitely ing at you. With your reflexes, you should be able to hahe first touch. At worst, it'll just be a bad pass."

  Kunimi shuffled two steps toward the baseline. "But don't worry—just get the ball up, and leave the rest to us."

  "Got it!"

  For a moment, Taichi saark of fighting spirit in Kunimi's usually indifferent eyes—though it was a decidedly zy kind of fighting spirit.

  Nakashima served, the ball cutting a perfect arc as it hurtled toward Taichi.

  Taichi quickly adjusted his position. The ball struck his hands but veered off behind him.

  "Save it!"

  As Taichi shouted, Kunimi had already read the ball's trajectory. He dashed toward the backcourt and dove, sending the ball back toward the just before it could hit the ground.

  Hanamaki Takahiro was already waiting at the he moment the ball came his way, he leapt and spiked it down.

  Nakashima, now in the baade the receive. Hanayama Kazumasa set the ball to the left, and Kawatabi Shunki unched a powerful spike.

  "First touch!" Iwaizumi went for a solo block, managing to deflect the ball upward. Kunimi followed up, setting the ball perfectly to Oikawa.

  Oikawa quickly sent the ball to the right side, where Matsukawa Issei was waiting. Matsukawa's spike boomed toward Wakunan's side.

  Again, Nakashima was there!

  In the back row, he received the spike ly. Without missing a beat, Yuki Shiroishi executed a quick attack through the tre, catg Aoba Johsai off guard.

  Shiroishi scored with a direct quick attack.

  [Aoba Johsai 6 – Wakunan 5]

  "Woohoo! Takeru, great receive!""Nice spike, Yuuki!" The Wakunan pyers had pletely regaiheir momentum.

  A sharp whistle cut through the air. Aoba Johsai had called for a timeout.

  Coach Irihata gathered his team around. "When Taichi rotates to the back row, our offensive power and blog will weaken, and the defensive gaps in the back row bee obvious. So, when Taichi moves to the back row, Shinji will sub in for him. Their offence cks strength, but their defence is solid. Stay patient while attag."

  "Yes, coach!"

  "Sorry for the trouble, Watari-senpai," Taichi murmured, his head low. This was his first time starting, and now he was being subbed out for poor performance. A wave of deje washed over him.

  Watari smiled and patted Taichi's shoulder. Though he wasn't the type to fort others with words, Taichi could still feel his senpai's encement.

  "Taichi," Oikawa suddenly called out. "Since you'll have time to rest in the back row, I'm ting on you to go all out on offen the front row."

  Taichi lifted his head, meeting his teammate's trusting gaze. "Uood!"

  Seeing Taichi's renewed determination, Oikawa couldn't help but smirk. "The ace still struggles with reception, huh? Pfft."

  Taichi's fastantly turned beet red. He shouldn't have expected any true captain-like demeanour from Oikawa.

  "Idiot, stop running your mouth." Iwaizumi's kick found its mark with pinpoint accuracy.

  The timeout ended, and Wakunan resumed their serve.

  From the bench, Taichi watched as both teams traded blows, her side giving an inch. It was only then that he noticed something—Nakashima was also in the back row.

  Without Nakashima in the front row to lead the block, Wakunan's offence cked its usual edge. His spiking skills couldn't be fully utilized, and their attacks were noticeably less threatening.

  However, Nakashima's presen the back row had signifitly bolstered their defence. In the prolonged rally just now, Aoba Johsai's two spikes were easily received by Nakashima, giving Wakunan a ce to terattack.

  How enviable….An ace who excels in both offend defence.

  "Boom!"

  Iwaizumi's spike nded, and Aoba Johsai rotated positions. Kaedehara Taichi was ba the front row.

  _________

  [T/N] - If you guys want to read 50 Chapters in advance of the current story, you support me on my Patreon. Trust me, it's awesome!

  Link - (P)atreon./Iseebbsp;[Remove the brackets]