"What?! You saw two of the top five spikers iion at the Tokyo games?!"

  A loud excmation from Kindaichi echoed through the hallway of Css 1-5 at Aoba Johsai High, drawing curious gnces from nearby students.

  "Keep your voice down; we're already attrag enough attention as it is…"

  Retly, the volleyball team members had indeed bee the talk of the school.

  Despite Aoba Johsai's reputation as an academic-focused institution, their volleyball team's return to the Nationals after five years delighted the school administration.

  A massive banner now hung in the tre of the school building: "gratutions to Our Boys' Volleyball Team on Advang to Nationals!"

  Even the cafeteria pyed clips of their games and post-matterviews o, making them the tre of attention both on and off campus.

  "Sakusa Kiyoomi and Bokuto Kōtarō—those two senpais are incredible. They're not the same type of pyers as Ushijima-senpai, though."

  "Of course not! They're on the cover of Monthly Volleyball for a reason!"

  Kaedehara Taichi and Kindaichi Yūtarō walked side by side down the hallway. Their height made them stand out naturally in the crowd.

  Taichi, with his signature bck hair and -cut features, exuded a charm that was both dashing and approachable—like a protagonist straight out of a manga. Students passing by, especially girls, couldn't help but steal a gnce.

  Kindaichi, with his u hairstyle, was equally eye-catg.

  "The rest of their teams are strong, too. I'm really looking forward to pying against them!"

  Taichi's excitement made Kindaichi stop in his tracks. As expected, Taichi's presence alone was enough to banish any fear of these powerhouse teams.

  "By the way, while you were in Tokyo, we also trained with some strong teams."

  "Oh? Shiratorizawa?"

  "No, it was some alumni from Aoba Johsai who still py in college. Coach Irihata specially arra."

  "That must've been intense. So, did you guys win?"

  "…No."

  "See? You need me, after all!" Taichi grinned. "I bet testing my new moves on them would feel soo amazing~"

  -----

  Bam!

  Taichi spiked a sharp line shot.

  "Out!"

  "Tch. Fog on power makes the angle harder to trol," Taichi muttered, looking at his hand in frustration.

  When spiking a line shot, the arm must swing quickly and directly, minimizing wrist movement to keep the ball's trajectory straight.

  For cross-court spikes, the key y in a swift wrist snap and the dire of the arm swing.

  At the moment of tact, a sharp inward or outward twist of the wrist altered the ball's flight path.

  Both teiques required precise trol over power—too much force risked sending the ball out of bounds, while too little made it easy for the oppoo block.

  This is hard. Trying to master both teiques at once might be too ambitious for me, Taichi thought.

  Uanding these spikes wasn't difficult; it was training his body to execute them sistently that posed the challehe two teiques demanded opposite approaches: one minimizing wrist movement, the other maximizing it.

  Trying to do both simultaneously could leave him masteriher.

  Am I getting impatient just because Aoba Johsai finally made it to the Nationals?

  Finishing his final set of spike drills, Taichi leaned against the court's edge, lost in thought.

  He wasn't the type to rely on raw passion to achieve his goals. Whenever he entered a problem, he o think clearly about the step forward. Right now, it seemed like he could only choose oeique to focus on…

  "Taichi, what's b you?"

  Kunimi Akira's voice suddenly broke his train of thought, startling Taichi slightly. Despite being the other first-year starter on Aoba Johsai's team, Kunimi's presee overshadowed.

  Smart but perpetually zy, Kunimi's attitude had frustrated Taichi in the past.

  Taichi had wondered if there was a way to motivate him, believing Kunimi's full potential could take the team to new heights.

  Yet reason and reverse psychology alike seemed to have little effe someone as sharp as Kunimi. Likely, the rest of the team thought the same, which expined why Kindaichi remaihe only one particurly close to him.

  That Kunimi was noroag him voluntarily made Taichi feel almost fttered.

  "What's with that look on your face?" Kunimi asked irritably.

  "Happy" Taichi replied offhandedly. The amusing enter lifted some of his training frustrations.

  Kunimi: "…"

  "You were a plete rookie at the start of the year. Now, not only have you secured a starting spot, but after beating Shiratorizawa, everyone's even calling you the ace. So why do you still look so restless?"

  Kunimi's words came out in a rush, as though they'd been bottled up for a while.

  As a self-procimed energy servationist, Kunimi hated watg Taichi train with such relentless determination. (After all, "effort" was Kunimi's sed least favourite word.) Yet seeing Taichi surpass him, leaving him in the dust, sparked a mix of admiration and annoyance.

  But today, seeing Taichi looking dissatisfied despite improving further, Kunimi felt genuinely frustrated.

  "Because…I'm not the stro yet."

  Taichi's expression ged in an instant. The cheerful smile disappeared, repced by a serioushat made Kunimi involuntarily hold his breath.

  "Anyway, I've been struggling with line and cross-court spikes…"

  Taichi's did expnation dissolved the momentary tension. Kunimi exhaled unsciously.

  "So, I was thinking of fog on just one for Nationals. What do you think?" Taichi finished, looking at Kunimi expetly.

  Kunimi thought for a moment before ging the subject. "Didn't you try spiking with your left hand during the Shiratorizawa match? How did that feel? Was it awkward?"

  "Left hand?" Taichi recalled the experience. "It felt a bit unfamiliar, but not unfortable. My left-hand strength isn't there yet, but the spin sometimes creates surprising effects. It's definitely something I want to master."

  The thought of needing to practice even more teiques made Taichi feel even more restless.

  "If trolling wrist movements is so tricky, why not use your left hand for line shots and yht hand for cross-court?" Kunimi suggested offhandedly.

  Taichi: "???" But…it seemed pusible?

  Seeing Taichi's intrigued expression, Kunimi sighed. "You're not seriously sidering it, are you? Do you realize how much extra practice that would take? Not to mention the different approach paths and the need for a top-tier setter to keep up."

  Kunimi tried to reason with him, pointing out that mastering one skill to perfe would be more effit.

  "But wouldn't ambidextrous spiking look awesome?! Plus, it'd be harder to defend against. Speaking of amaziers, we already have one on our team!" Taichi's eyes sparkled with excitement.

  Kunimi: "…" I'm doraining's over. Time to go home.

  "Thanks, Kunimi! I'll treat you to rameime!" Taichi shouted before running off to find Oikawa.

  Watg Taichi and Oikawa dive into an animated discussion, Kunimi pletely fot why he'd approached Taichi in the first pce.

  --------

  Two weeks.

  For someone pletely immersed in training, it felt like an instant had passed.

  As expected, Nekoma faced Itachiyama in the sed round of the preliminaries.

  The inexperienced Lev Haiba couldn't yet serve as the spearhead of Nekoma's offehe result: 0-2.

  The undeniable gap in skill forekoma to bid an early farewell to this year's Inter-High national tour.

  When the agreed-upon date arrived, a group of uy pyers, led by Ichisuke Takahashi and Heiji Morita, returo Aoba Johsai's third gym—this hallowed ground that carried three years of their memories.

  "Good day, senpai!"

  The momeepped into the gym, Ichisuke Takahashi could sehe atmosphere had ged.

  Two weeks ago, the Aoba Johsai pyers had sized them up warily, their eyes guarded. But today, their expressions brimmed with fidend unshakable determination.

  Heiji Morita's gaze swept the gym mischievously, and soon he caught sight of an unfamiliar face among Seijoh's starting lineup.

  "Hey, kid," Morita said, addressing Taichi Kaedehara with a teasing smirk. "So, you're Seijoh's rookie ace?"

  "Hello, senpai. Yes, I am Seijoh's ace," Taichi replied politely. Then, with a hint of innoce, he added, "Were you Seijoh's ace ba your day?"

  "Pfft—" Kazuya Sugimoto couldn't hold back a chuckle. This kid packed quite the punch.

  Morita, who had quickly sized up Taichi's height—likely even taller than his own—chose to keep his distance. "I was the team's setter."

  The implication was clear: in most cases, the ace was the main spiker.

  "Oh, what a ce!" Taichi excimed, his expression genuinely delighted. "Our captain, Oikawa-senpai, is also a setter—and he's often called aoo."

  The uy pyers, well-acquainted with Tōru Oikarowess, couldn't deny the accuracy of the statement.

  Morita: "..."

  "Taichi!" Hajime Iwaizumi stepped in, firmly pressing down on Taichi's head. "Morita-senpai, I apologize—our first-year doesn't know aer."

  "Hahaha…" Morita's initially tense expression broke into ughter. "Having some personality is a good thing. Just don't let yourselves get scared off by other teams at Nationals."

  "Thank you, senpai!" Taichi responded sincerely. A little pre-match banter was normal, and their willio take time out of their schedule to help Seijoh train was already something to be grateful for.

  "Well, let's get started. I'm curious to see what Aoba Johsai looks like at full power now," Morita said, his anticipation evident.

  After a brief warm-up, the match began.

  Aoba Johsai's lineup:

  Front row—Middle Blocker Taichi Kaedehara, Wing Spiker Hanamaki Takahiro, Outside Hitter Kunimi Akira Baiddle Blocker Kyōtaarō (Libero: Watari Shinji), Setter Oikawa Tōru and Outside Hitter Iwaizumi Hajime.

  Uy Team lineup:

  Front row—Middle Blimoto Kazuya, Middle Blocker Matsumoto Kentaro, Outside Hitter Takahashi IchisukeBack row— Wing Spiker Sato Ryo, Setter Morita Heiji and Outside Hitter Uchida Subaru (Libero: Kobayashi Yuri).

  Opening serve.

  Kyōtani served with a powerful jump serve that smashed into Kobayashi's arm, sending the ball rocketing upward.

  "Save it!"

  Yuri Kobayashi's eyes widened slightly—this fiery guy's serves packed even more power and spin than two weeks ago.

  Morita quickly moved to cover, setting the ball toward the . Matsumoto leapt and spiked it down.

  "Oouch!"

  Taichi instinctively wao go for a block-kill, but he restrained himself—taking the safest approach for the opening py.

  As Taided, he sprioward the opposite side of the court.

  "He's fast!"

  "What's he doing?" The uy's front-row pyers looked fused as they tracked Taichi's sudden movement.

  The ball returo Oikawa's hands, a it high to the right side. Taichi soared into the air, perfectly positioned.

  Whoosh!

  Before the uy team could react, the ball was already in front of Taichi.

  "Bang!"

  Before any blockers could even jump, the ball smmed dowheir feet.

  [Aoba Johsai 1 - 0 Uy Team]

  Ichisuke Takahashi: "???"

  What just happehat seemingly meaningless run was for this?

  "Hahaha, iing! So this is Aoba Johsai's ace?" Sugimoto remarked with intrigue.

  But Morita's gaze shifted toward Oikawa. That set—he'd already thought Oikawa was incredible, but this brought another yer of surprise.

  "Nice spike, Taichi!"

  "Let's go! Another point!" Seijoh's pyers were fired up, the rhythm of their game finally falling into pce.

  The match resumed.

  Kyōtani stepped up to serve again, his jump serve packed with explosive force.

  Smack!

  This time, Yuri Kobayashi mao ha much better. The ball flew ly toward Morita.

  “I’ve got it!”

  Ichisuke Takahashi stepped back a couple of paces, preparing for an attack from the back row.

  Seeing this, Taichi adjusted his position areated as well, fog ily on the ball.

  With a resounding thud, Takahashi unched into the air and struck the ball with full force.

  “Double block!”

  Taichi and Hanamaki jumped in unison, f a wall in front of Takahashi.

  “Boom!”

  Takahashi’s spike shot through a diagonal angle and nded ly on Seijoh’s court.

  [Aoba Johsai 1 - 1 Uy Team]

  No wohey lost st time, Taichi thought, suddenly feeling the challenge ahead.

  The libero could handle even Kyotani’s powerful serves, and their spikers possessed strength, teique, a hohrough years of collegiate-level petition. Their physicality and refined skills were the core of their fidence.

  This was on par with the iy of a national-level match.

  Taichi’s focus sharpened as his eyes locked on the oppos across the .

  The uy team now had the serve.

  Kazuya Sugimoto prepared a jump-float serve, and his wrist flicked the ball into an uable trajectory.

  Iwaizumi moved forward to receive but only mao graze the ball, which floated toward the back row.

  “Taichi!” Oikawa shouted as he rushed to cover.

  “I’ve got it!” Taichi responded, beginning his approach.

  Was he really pnning to spike in this situation?

  Oikawa sent the ball flying toward the , perfectly positioned.

  Taichi followed it, his body twisting mid-air in pursuit of the ball.

  “Triple block!”

  Takahashi, Sato, and Matsumoto jumped together, f an imperable wall in front of Taichi.

  The block was high, with solid defeahat left little room for error. A standard spike or soft tip would likely fail.

  Taichi’s sharp eyes noticed a narro on Takahashi’s left side. With steady wrist trol, he smashed the ball into that sliver of space.

  “Bang!”

  The referee closely observed and sighe ball nded just ihe line.

  Taichi had scored a perfect straight shht on the edge.

  [Aoba Johsai 2 - 1 Uy Team]

  “You’re a lefty?” Takahashi asked, frowning slightly.

  He trusted his block pt—such a tight-araight shot was nearly impossible with a right hand. Refleg on Taichi’s slightly aosture mid-air, he quickly deduced the answer.

  “What do you think?” Taichi responded with a cheeky grin.

  _________

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