In volleyball, nothing is ever guaranteed. Success often es from riding the uable winds of fortune.
And if winning was the goal, why not use every possible tactic to achieve it?
Nohebi Academy's serve. Naoyasu Kuguri delivered a float serve with a trolled jump, sending the ball spinning toward the court. Watari Shinji moved terally and received it ly.
"Eh? 't you even receive properly?" Naoyasu Kuguri taunted Kunimi Akira, his tone dripping with mock surprise.
The ball had nded in the seam between Watari and Kunimi—a situation typically handled by the more skilled receiver, Watari, since Kunimi o remain ready for offence.
It was yet another baseless provocation. Kunimi didn't dignify it with a response.
Oikawa Tōru set the ball to the left side, where Kaedehara Taichi leapt to spike.
"Double block!" Suguru Daishō and Hiroo Kōji leapt into position.
Taichi avoided their blod struck a sharp cross-court shot. In the back row, Kazuma Numai received it with precision.
"No problem, that spike was weak!"
Nohebi's setter, Isumi Sakishima, lifted the ball high into the air. Suguru Daishō jumped, spiking with ferocity.
"Double block!" Taichi and Hanamaki Takahiro rose to meet him, their height casting a shadow over the opposing captain.
Smack!
The ball grazed the side of Hanamaki's hand and flew out of bounds.
Off the blod out. Daishō scored.
[Aoba Johsai 1 – 2 Noheb
"What exquisite spiking teique! Nohebi Academy's captain, Suguru Daishō, scores against Aoba Johsai's double block!" The entator's voice expihe py to the excited crowd.
"Oh? So your blocks are all height and no teique?" Daishō's voice carried a lighthearted yet cutting tone.
Hanamaki frowned but held his tohey had just lost the point—there was little room for rebuttal.
Moments ter, it was Iwaizumi Hajime's turn to attack.
"Oooh, a thunderous spike from Aoba Johsai's #4, Iwaizumi Hajime! He powers through Nohebi's block for a spectacur point!"
[Aoba Johsai 2 – 2 Noheb
"#4? Isn't that supposed to be the ace's number? Did some first-year kid snatch your ace spot?" Hiroo Kōji teased, gng at Iwaizumi with mock disbelief.
In volleyball, the #4 jersey was traditionally reserved for the ace, though many teams didn't adhere to this rule strictly. Still, for a third-year starter and vice-captain, it was hard not to raise questions.
"How pitiful…" Suguru Daishō chimed in at the perfeent, feigning sympathy.
"Do you always talk this much after losing a point?" Iwaizumi retorted calmly, his expression stoic as he faohebi's pyers.
"Just my dolences," Daishō replied with a nont wave of his hand.
Kyōtaarō rotated to the front row.
Aoba Johsai served. Kaedehara Taichi's jump float nded in Nohebi's court, where Akama Sō received it. Isumi Sakishima quickly stepped into positioing to the right side for Kazuma Numai's spike.
Hanamaki mao dig the powerful attack, the ball ricocheting toward the .
"Hit it back!"
Hiroo Kōji leapt to attack but found himself matched by Aoba Johsai's setter.
"Mad Dog-!"
Oikawa Tōru rose higher than expected, tipping the ball to the left side where Kyōtani had already started his approach.
"Double block!" Nohebi's Numai and Seguro leapt to intercept. But their rushed block proved futile against Kyōtani's raw power.
Boom!
The ball nearly grazed Seguro's chest before smming into Nohebi's court.
Kyōtani scored.
[Aoba Johsai 5 – 4 Noheb
"A fwless cross-court spike!" Even the entator souhrilled. "Aoba Johsai's setter capitalized on the smallest window to set up their #16, Kyōtaarō, who delivered a spectacur answer!"
"A sharp angle, immense power—this could easily make today's top five highlights!"
"No doubt about it! Aoba Johsai is full of hidden talents!"
In Nohebi's cheeriion:
"Isn't that guy a deli? How someone like him py in a national tour?"
The crowd's murmurs and pointed fingers were impossible to ignore.
"What did you just say?!" Kyōtani gred at the audience, his expression feral enough to make a few people fall silent.
The first referee g Kyōtani, his displeasure evident.
Oikawa quickly stepped in front of Kyōtani, bowing slightly toward the referee in apology. The situation diffused before it could escate further.
"Oh? Is there a story here?" Suguru Daishō's sly grin deepened as he exged gnces with his teammates.
Aoba Johsai served again. Kaedehara sent a jump float over, which Akama received. Sakishima lifted a quick set aimed squarely at Kyōtani.
Kyōtani was forced to receive, passing the ball to Oikawa, who set it high for Iwaizumi.
But Iwaizumi's attack was dug by Seguro, and the rally tinued.
Nohebi's setter maniputed the py, baiting Aoba Johsai into fog on the tre. Hiroo Kōji spiked into the space vacated by their defence, sg ly.
[Aoba Johsai 5 – 5 Noheb
"An unfortunate sequehe entator announced. "It seems #16, Kyōtaarō, was too far forward, leaving the backcourt vulnerable to Hiroo Kōji's attack. And—oh no! The spike ricocheted off Kyōtani's face!"
The ball left Kyōtani stunned, and Nohebi cimed the point.
-----
"Kyōtani, are you okay?"
"Kentarō-senpai?" Aoba Johsai's pyers gathered around him.
"I'm fi that guy…" Kyōtaarō growled, gring daggers at Numai Kazuma.
"A-ah! I'm really sorry!" Numai bowed at a perfect 90-degree angle, his voice filled with feigned siy.
"atg this eam py really clears the air~."
"Yeah, such polite high schoolers, huh?"
"I've never seen a pyer bow for something as on as an actal hit during a match," a spectator ehe crowd, charmed by Numai's dispy, even started g. The referee, too, gave a slight approving nod.
"This is disgusting…" Taichi muttered under his breath. Though he wasn't the direct target of Nohebi's tactics, their underhanded ploys were starting to grate on him.
Nohebi was serving again, with Suguru Daishō targeting Kyōtani.
"I got it!" Kunimi Akira shouted, stepping iively. He had anticipated this and positioned himself closer to Kyōtani.
Smack!
Kunimi's receive steadied the ball, and Oikawa Tōru set it up for Kyōtani. Shut them up with your skills!
Kyōtani began his approach from just beside the . With a sharp first step, he leapt explosively, his body arg backwards like a b drawn taut. Every muscle in his arm tensed as he spiked the ball with ferocious force.
"Triple block!" Nohebi's front row adjusted quickly, stag their defence against Kyōtani.
Boom!
The sheer power of Kyōtani's spike bsted through their three-man blod nded sharply within Nohebi's three-meter line.
Kyōtaarō scored!
[Aoba Johsai 6 – 5 Noheb
"Sorry, I touched the !" Seguro Akihiko loudly admitted his blog viotion, bowing to the referee.
"What's he doing? It's Seijoh's poiher way!" Yahaba Shigeru grumbled on the bench, visibly frustrated.
"It's all for show. They're trying to impress the refs," Matsukawa Issei said, watg the se unfold with furrowed brows.
-----
[Aoba Johsai 7 – 7 Noheb
Two rotations ter, Oikawa Tōru stepped onto the service line.
"Oikawa-senpai, get us a good one!"
Standing at the line, Oikawa soaked imosphere of the court.
By now, the court's dimensions, the height of the ceiling, the lights above, the hum of the crowd, and the distant camera lenses were all familiar to him. His nerves remained, but more than that, he felt exhiration. This is what I've been dreaming of—pying oional stage.
He realized he had been unusually quiet during the match, a stark difference from his usual self. Perhaps his teammates had noticed it too.
Breathe.
Oikawa exhaled deeply, his focus sharpening. The familiar motions of toss, approach, and jump felt sed nature.
His palm ected with the ball, and it rocketed over the with overwhelming force, pressing the air around it.
Boom!
The ball smmed into the baseline of Nohebi's court and rebounded into the audience behind them.
The are silent, all eyes drawn to Oikawa.
"Out!"
Akama Sō, the libero of Nohebi, hesitated briefly before g, "It was out!"
"It was out. I saw it too. Such a shame." Suguru Daishō feigned ess, masking his satisfa.
The sideline referee hadn't clearly seen the ball's trajectory.
In the absence of teology like Hawkeye, the decisioed on the main referee. Trusting Nohebi's prior dispys of 'hoy', he signalled:
"Out!"
The call stood.
[Aoba Johsai 7 – 8 Noheb
"Such a pity. I could've sworn that ball clipped the baselihe entator mented.
"But Aoba Johsai's Oikawa Tōru proves his skills are truly exceptional even at the national level!"
"Defeating Shiratorizawa wasn't a fluke. This team is packed with talent," the entator added, trying to keep the mood light.
While Aoba Johsai's pyers looked visibly frustrated, they held back their protests—except for one.
"Are you blind?! That was clearly in!" Kyōtani shouted, his rage boiling over as he poi the referee.
The referee frowned and issued him a warning.
"Ask the spectators! Even their libero is lying!" Kyōtani tinued, stepping toward the referee.
Before he could get any closer, his teammates rushed to restrain him.
The referee brandished a yellow card.
"Are you siding with them?!" Kyōtani roared, struggling against Iwaizumi's firm grip.
"Kyōtani!" Iwaizumi Hajime barked, holding him down as their coach, Irihata, intervened.
Tweet! The referee blew his whistle and raised a red card.
Aoba Johsai enalized 1 point.
[Aoba Johsai 7 – 9 Noheb
Aoba Johsai called for a timeout.
_________
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