Kyōtaarō stood with his ercial Street team, while Oikawa Tōru and Kaedehara Taichi pyed for the Amateur Enthusiasts.

  The match resumed, with the ercial Street team serving first.

  The serve packed a det punch—expected from adult pyers—but the pt was too direct. The Amateur Enthusiasts smoothly received it, sending the ball straight to Oikawa Tōru.

  No words or even gnces were exged. The moment the serve was received, Kaedehara Taichi moved instinctively. As Oikawa's hands made tact with the ball, Taichi was already mid-approach, leaping into the air.

  Boom!

  The timing was seamless. Just as the ball left Oikawa's fiips, Taichi spiked it. The blockers oher side barely had time to raise their hands, let alone jump.

  Kaedehara Taichi scored with a kill.

  [Amateur Enthusiasts 6 - 8 ercial Street]

  "Wha—what was that?! When did he even spike?" one of the uncles from the ercial Street team excimed.

  "I didn't even see where the ball went," echoed another.

  "Is he really a high schooler? A first-year, no less? Don't tell me all high schoolers are like this now," murmured two astonished pyers who had just subbed out for the Amateur Enthusiasts.

  Taichi maintained his usual harmless, sheepish smile, but the thrill of pulling off a perfect quick kill was undeniable.

  Kyōtaarō, despite his outwardly ferocious expression, was equally stunned.

  "Ah--, Mad Dog-, you'll o be mgressive with your blocks," Oikawa teased, casually shaking his hand as if to emphasize the ease of the py. " point? I'll set it to him again."

  Kyōtani was fuming.

  The Amateur Enthusiasts served .

  Both teams haheir receptions without much issue.

  "Sorry, that set was too low…" the ercial Street setter apologized nervously.

  But Kyōtani unched himself into the air regardless, smashing the ball with full force.

  "Smack!"

  The ball collided with Kaedehara Taichi's arm and ricocheted bato the ercial Street court.

  It was a rushed py—trying to force a quick atta a poor set. Against other blockers, it might have slipped through. But against someone like Taichi? There was no ce.

  Just as expected of the Mad Dog-senpai—strong, but ly….tactical, is he?

  Kaedehara Taichi scored a block point.

  [Amateur Enthusiasts 7 - 8 ercial Street]

  Kyōtani stood frozen, staring across the the first-year who was slightly taller than him.

  Moments earlier, Taichi had been standing several steps away from his spike zone. Any ordinary pyer would have been too slow to react.

  But when Kyōtani swung, a pair of hands appeared in front of him—fast and precise, as if Taichi had read his mind.

  "Beautiful block!"

  "Are you a starting pyer? You're incredible for a first-year," praised Taichi's teammates, sh him with pliments.

  "It's nothing, really," Taichi replied, scratg the back of his head with a bashful smile.

  Oikawa clicked his tongue, unimpressed. "There he goes, pying the i act again. That's how he tricked me when we first met."

  The Amateur Enthusiasts tiheir serve.

  This time, the ercial Street team avoided setting to Kyōtani. Instead, they sent the ball to atacker.

  The spike owerful, f the Amateur Enthusiasts into an awkward reception. The first touch sent the ball off-course.

  "Sorry, cover me!"

  Oikawa darted uhe ball, leaping high for a set.

  "Back-quick!"

  Taichi instantly uood Oikawa's i. A tricky py for most, but for him, it was child's py.

  Boom!

  Another fwless quick attack. Taichi smmed the ball into the oppo's court, sg once again.

  [Amateur Enthusiasts 8 - 8 ercial Street]

  Shimizu Nobu, standing at the sideline, widened his eyes in astonishment. He finally uood—the brilliance of this quick attack wasn't just reliant on the blinding speed of the first-year.

  The setter was the real terror!

  "Wow, you eve a quick off a broken py like that?" The pyer responsible for the earlier errant first touch gave Oikawa Tōru a thumbs-up.

  "Not a big deal!" Oikalied, mirr Kaedehara Taichi's i facade perfectly.

  The ercial Street team, however, looked tense. Praising their oppos' skill was all well and good, but losing another point like that would be ht embarrassing.

  They had already started fog on the first-year, but no one expected him to turn such a scrambled pass into an incredible quick attack.

  "Akiyama, Aoki, you two focus on him," one of the uncles instructed.

  "Of course," replied Uncle One and Uwo in unison.

  Meanwhile, the Amateur Enthusiasts were all smiles, chatting and ughing as they prepared for the serve.

  The ercial Street team received the serve ly this time, with the first touch pced perfectly. The setter tossed a high ball, giving Akiyama a ce to spike.

  But just as Akiyama leapt, anure shot up beside him, jostling him out of position. It was Kyōtaarō.

  He couldn't stand watg Oikawa and Taichi funt their skills any longer.

  Kyōtani stole the ball from his teammate and swung with all his might.

  Smack!

  But it was still received!

  "First touch!" Taichi shouted as he lifted the ball with his hand, steady as a pte, blog Kyōtani's powerful spike.

  The Amateur Enthusiasts recovered the ball. Oikawa set it high, giving Taichi time to adjust his position.

  "Three-man block!"

  ercial Street's blockers—Akiyama, Aoki, and Kyōtani—formed a wall at the hey weren't afraid of any spiker, as long as it wasn't a quick attack.

  In mid-air, Taichi smiled. This was exactly what he wanted. He targeted the edge of Kyōtani's hand and spiked sharply.

  The ball deflected off Kyōtani's fingers and flew out of bounds.

  [Amateur Enthusiasts 9 - 8 ercial Street]

  "This… is like watg the Little Giant!" Shimizu Nobu muttered in disbelief.

  He recalled the electrifying matches from Miyagi's high school volleyball tours and how those tactical hits off blockers left a sting impression.

  "Whoa, these high schoolers are amazing! They've been sg nonstop sihey came on!" The spectators around the court were now fully engrossed ich.

  "Kyōtani, that move was dangerous!" Akiyama scolded. Kyōtani had been reckless like this when he first joihe team, and it had taken ages for him to rein it in.

  Kyōtani didn't reply, silently returning to his position.

  Shimizu gestured to Akiyama to let it go for now and focus on the game. Akiyama sighed but didn't press the issue further.

  The Amateur Enthusiasts served their fifth ball.

  The ercial Street team received it ly, and the setter, notig Kyōtani's overly eager expression, deliberately sent the ball to the opposite side.

  Aoki spiked the ball, but it was once again picked up by the Amateur Enthusiasts.

  Taichi began a diagonal approach across the court. Akiyama and Kyōtani scrambled to keep up, determio block him. As Taichi leapt, both blockers jumped desperately in front of him.

  "Not a ce!"

  Boom!

  But the ball never came. Taichi was a decoy!

  Oikawa had set the ball to another uncle on the opposite side, who, with no blockers in sight, easily scored.

  [Amateur Enthusiasts: 10 - 8 ercial Street]

  Five secutive points!

  The pyers in the local gym fell silent. Since when had Aoba Johsai produced su incredible duo?

  "Sorry about the set earlier," Oikawa said to the uncle who had just spiked. "I think it was a little low. Didn't expect you to jump that high!"

  "No, no, it erfect!" the uncle replied, waving his hand. Truthfully, he hadn't expected the ball to be set to him at all, but the precision was stunning, especially for a first-time bination.

  "Taichi, let's go. o keep pying," Oikawa said, bowing slightly to the surrounding pyers in thanks. He motioo leave the court.

  "Huh? But Mad Dog-senpai hasn't scored yet," Taichi replied with a teasing grin.

  Kyōtani's gre could have burned holes through Oikawa.

  "He's not getting any more sets. No point tinuing," Oikawa said nontly, pulling Taichi along. He turo the spectators and pyers, bowing once more. "Sorry for the interruption. Thank you all."

  Oikawa's remark hit the ercial Street setter squarely on the nose. But he didn't deny it—Kyōtani's reckless style risked injuring teammates, so he'd already decided not to set to him again.

  Kyōtani, uanding the truth in Oikawa's words, quietly left the court and stood at the sideline.

  As Oikawa and Taichi were about to exit the gym, Kyōtani suddenly yelled, "Oikawa! What are you even here for?!"

  "If you want to know," Oikalied without turning back, "be at Aoba Johsai's gym tomorrow m at eight. Don't be te."

  _________

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