"It feels like Ushijima's power has increased again," Iwaizumi Hajime said gravely.

  "Indeed. It seems that when Taichi and I came to observe their training st time, he wasn't even using his full strength," Oikawa Tōru replied in a low voice.

  Throughout the journey here, Oikawa had acted perfectly normal. But precisely because of that, Iwaizumi sensed something was off. Without warning, he kicked Oikawa's calf.

  "Hey! You're way too tense. If the captain is like this, how are we supposed to win against Shiratorizawa? This is just a practice match," Iwaizumi chided.

  Oikawa stumbled forward, caught off guard, and turned around to gre at him. "What's your problem? 't I act a little deep and brooding? Besides, haven't you noticed all the Shiratorizawa girls in the audieoday?"

  "Soon, they'll witness my brilliant pys, fall for my charm, and cheer me on from the sidelines. Ah, what a sinful man I am~" Oikawa boasted, pletely immersed in his fantasy.

  Iwaizumi sighed, but he felt a little relieved seeing Oikawa back to his usual infuriating self. That familiar cocky grin prompted Iwaizumi to instinctively headbutt Oikawa's forehead, hard.

  "OW!" Oikawa staggered back, clutg his now-red forehead, about to pin wheiced the serious expression on Iwaizumi's face.

  "Good. If you're fihehe team through the warm-ups, Captain," Iwaizumi said firmly.

  "Got it," Oikalied, gng at the team behind him. He finally felt his earlier unease subside as he strode toward the tre of the gym.

  "All right, everyone, let's warm up. The match starts in thirty minutes," Oikawa announced.

  "Yes, Captain!" the team responded in unison.

  Both teams began their warm-up drills: passing, receiving, and spike simutions, oer the other.

  "Hey, System, there's gotta be a task for pying against Shiratorizawa, right?" Kaedehara Taichi asked while stretg.

  [Ding! Temporary Task: A Pre-Finals Preview]

  Shiratorizawa is the stroeam in Miyagi Prefecture. Winning this practice match ys the foundation for victory in the finals.

  Task Objective 1: Defeat Shiratorizawa. pleting this will increase all base stats by 1.Task Objective 2: Be the highest scorer of the match. pleting this will reward +5 to Spiking.Task Objective 3: Limit Ushijima Wakatoshi to 10 points or fewer in a si (inclusive). For every successful attempt, receive +2 to Receiving.Failure Penalty: None.

  Taichi studied the lines of text that appeared before his eyes and fell into thought. Three tasks for a single practice match, and y for failure—was the system implying he wouldn't plete even one?

  Was this match going to be that challenging?

  "Taichi, why are you spag out?" Kindaichi Yutaro nudged him from behind, signalling it was his turn to spike.

  "Nothing." Taichi snapped out of his thoughts and quickly jumped for the spike.

  Oher side of the endo Satori wandered over to Kawanishi Taichi and whispered in his ear, "Taichi, did you notice there's another kid aichi oher team?"

  Kawanishi nodded slightly. "Yeah, he's the first-year who came with Oikawa-senpai st time. I know who he is."

  Tendo grinned and darted to the opposite side. "I heard he beat Ushiwaka in a long-distance run during training."

  "What? Tendo-senpai, is that true?" Goshiki Tsutomu suddenly popped up from the side.

  Before Tendo could answer, Goshiki rushed over to Ushijima Wakatoshi. "Ushijima-senpai, did you lose to their first-year in a long-distance run?"

  Ushijima frowo him, that wasn't even a proper petition, but he still nodded. "Yes, that's correct."

  "What?!" Goshiki Tsutomu looked utterly devastated, his fidence shaken.

  Kawanishi Taichi, hearing Ushijima's response, couldn't help but gnce over at the first-year on the opposing side, feeling a ripple of uhin.

  "Ushijima-senpai, the only one who surpass you is me! Today, I'll prove myself by dominating Taichi from the other team!" Goshiki decred, his fighting spirit reigniting as he shouted at Ushijima.

  "Save y talk for when you've actually improved," Shirabu Kenjirou said ftly, dousing Goshiki's enthusiasm with his usual bluntness.

  "All right, all right! Goshiki's fidence is just as charming as his bangs!" Tendo Satori interjected, his voice brimming with amusement at the unfolding drama.

  "Thank you, Tendo-senpai!" Goshiki responded early, missing the teasing toirely.

  Kaedehara Taichi gnced over at the noisy Shiratorizayers, w what oh they were talking about.

  [Ding! Temporary Task: There Only Be Oaichi.]

  Due to Kawanishi Taichi's attention, you've beeified as the oppo he most wants to defeat on the court.

  Task Objective: Sore spikes than Kawanishi Taichi. Reward: +1 to Spiking.

  What? Before Kaedehara could process the ask, another notification popped up.

  [Ding! Temporary Task: Surpass the Future-Ace]

  Due to Goshiki Tsutomu's attention, you've beeified as the oppo he most wants to defeat on the court.

  Task Objective: Perform better overall than Goshiki Tsutomu. Reward: +1 to Receiving, +1 tth.

  Another one? And what does "perform better overall" even mean?

  Taichi g Kawanishi and Goshiki, only to find them ag perfectly normal.

  Ugh, treacherous oppos already spiring against me!

  Still, it's all the same goal. I just have to spike with everything I've got.

  Taichi couldn't help but feel like Shiratorizawa was some kind of task geor. The number of missions triggered by this single practice match already exceeded all his prior tasks bined.

  But after the flurry of system notifications, his initial nervousness began to fade, repced by a determined focus.

  Whistle! Teams, line up!

  "Please take care of us!" both teams said, bowing respectfully before the match.

  Aoba Johsai's lineup sisted of:

  Front Row: Setter Oikawa Tōru, Middle Blocker Kaedehara Taichi, Wing Spiker Kunimi Akira. Back Row: Wing Spiker Hanamaki Takahiro, Middle Blocker Matsukawa Issei, Opposite Hitter Iwaizumi Hajime and Libero Watari Shinji

  Shiratorizawa's lineup sisted of:

  Front Row: Middle Blocker Kawanishi Taichi, Opposite Hitter Ushijima Wakatoshi, Outside Hitter ōhira Reon. Baiddle Blocker Tendou Satori, Setter Shirabu Kenjirou, Outside Hitter Goshiki Tsutomu and Libero Yamagata Hayato

  The match began with Aoba Johsai serving.

  Shiratorizawa's formation was exactly as Aoba Johsai anticipated. To maximize Ushijima's offensive power, he ositioned in the front rht from the start.

  "Let's test the rookie's reception skills," Iwaizumi said as he served. Rather than targeting Tendo, a third-year, or the libero Yamagata, Iwaizumi aimed the ball straight at the first-year, Goshiki.

  "Nice receive, Goshiki!"

  Goshiki adjusted quickly, passing the ball with a , trolled motion that nded perfectly for Shirabu Kenjiro.

  "Ushijima-senpai!"

  As expected, the first ball was hao their ace. Shirabu set the ball high into the air, right in the middle of the .

  Ushijima began his approach from the back row, his strides growing more powerful with each step. He pnted his foot firmly a high into the air.

  He's ing! Seeing the setup, the three blockers at the —Oikawa, Taichi, and Kunimi—immediately alighemselves for a triple block.

  Bang!

  The volleyball bsted through with ance, smming straight into Aoba Johsai's court.

  A super spike!

  Ushijima's spiking point was so high that it pletely bypassed Kaedehara and Kunimi's block, striking deep into Aoba Johsai's backcourt.

  [Aoba Johsai 0 : 1 Shiratorizawa]

  _________

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