Victory?

  In that decisive moment, as the ball hit the ground, the scoreboard froze, announg the match's oute.

  The news of victory surged through the tense, electrified air like a current, yet it seemed to need a moment to truly register in everyone's minds.

  The pyers of Aoba Johsai remained rooted in pce, as if uo believe what had just happened.

  Joy, like the first rays of dawn, slowly illumiheir stunned expressions.

  "We…we actually won!" Their eyes sparkled with a mix of disbelief aion.

  Oher side, Shiratorizayers froze in their final, desperate postures, as though time had stopped for them in that fleeting instant.

  "Farewell, my paradise," Tendō Satori murmured, tilting his head back to stare at the gring lights on the ceiling, his gaze tinged with regret. Ushijima Wakatoshi stood silently, motionless and wordless, his expression unreadable.

  Time seemed suspended for a few seds before it slowly thawed, life seeping bato the se.

  "Aaaahhhhhhh?!"

  "No way!"

  "How is that even possible?!"

  Shiratorizawa's supporters erupted into cries of disbelief and anguished wails.

  "Wooohoooo!!!"

  "Oikawa-senpai! Iwaizumi-senpai!"

  "The first-year who scored the most points is from my css! Taichi! Well done!" Aoba Johsai's cheeriion exploded with jubint shouts.

  "Kyōtani, you were amazing!" Uncle Shimizu, seated iands of the Sendai City Gymnasium, watched as the young man tio grow into a core part of the team.

  "We really won…sniff…" In the audience, some of the third-years who had left the volleyball club couldn't help but tear up. They uood better than most just how precious this moment was.

  Thunderous appuse and cheers filled the arena, a celebration of both teams' incredible performances.

  "Things are going to be absolute chaos now…" Reporters scrambled to aim their cameras at the Aoba Johsai team.

  Aoba Johsai had do—they had advao the National Inter-High Tour!

  On the court, the pyers finally snapped out of their daze. Oikawa Tōru and Iwaizumi Hajime exged a look before pulling each other into a tight embrace. This was a moment they had waited far too long for!

  Kaedehara Taichi, though equally eted, kept his outward demeanour calm, his face betraying only a hint of his inions.

  "Seriously, there's still Nationals ahead....." he muttered.

  Before he could finish his thought, he felt a hand csp his shoulder. It was Kindaichi, grinning as he pulled Taichi toward the group.

  Kyōtaarō lingered oskirts, caught betweehrill of this new experiend a sense of unfamiliarity in such a moment.

  "What are you standing there fet in here and celebrate!" Yahaba Shigeru gave Kyōtani a pyful shove.

  Youthful energy soon took over, and the team huddled together, revelling in the joy of their hard-fought victory.

  ------

  "Line up!"

  "Thank you for the match!" For both teams, this erhaps the most heartfelt bow they had ever exged.

  Shiratorizayers left the court in sileheir expressions sombre.

  Coach Irihata's smile was warm and kind. It wasn't just about winning the match; he had glimpsed something eveer—the boundless potential of his team.

  He had already held Oikawa Tōru in high regard, but after this match, he realized he had still uimated him.

  The same went for Iwaizumi's incredible receives, Kyōtani's decisive spikes, and Kindaichi's impeccable blocks.

  Above all, Irihata had seen a dazzling light shining from Kaedehara Taichi—the brilliance of a 'super ace'.

  Initially, Irihata had thought Taichi would need more time to mature, but the first-year's rapid growth had sistently exceeded expectations.

  Maybe, just maybe, they had what it took to challeionals.

  "Take a quick break and freshen up. The award ceremony and interviews will start soon," he called out.

  "Yes, sir!" the team replied in unison.

  Taichi made his way toward the restroom, intending to spsh cold water on his face. Before he could get far, Oikawa Tōru draped an arm over his shoulders.

  "You don't seem all that excited, especially for a first-year rookie," Oikawa teased.

  "Of course not. After all, I haven't spent five straight years losing to Ushiwaka-senpai," Taichi quipped, the pyful jab perfectly timed now that they had won.

  "Oh?" Oikawa's arm tightened around Taichi's neck. "I'll give you one ce to rephrase that."

  "Ow. My bad! My bad!" Taichi ughed, spping at Oikawa's arm until the setter eased up slightly.

  Taking a deep breath, Taichi's expression grew serious. "I'm not overly excited because I want to beat Ushiwaka-senpai one-on-one. I'll surpass him, no matter what."

  Oikawa Tōru froze. This guy…wasn't satisfied with just defeating Shiratorizawa? He even harboured such lofty ambitions?

  "Taichi, you really are something."

  Kaedehara Taichi blinked. "???"

  "Nothing. But holy, it would have beeer if Ushiwaka had shown a bit more frustration…" Oikawa mused aloud.

  "Ahem." Taichi coughed meaningfully, nodding toward the figure standing by the restroom—Ushijima Wakatoshi himself.

  "What?" Oikawa was still lost in his own thoughts. "I've lost to him so many times, and it's always been agonizing. If he'd broken down and cried after losing, I'd finally feel vindicated for all those years of suffering!"

  "Oikawa."

  "Huh?" Oikawa finally noticed the imposing presence before him. "Ah! Ah….ha…haha! Ushiwaka, you haven't left yet?"

  "Taichi," Ushijima said evenly, his expression unging. "ime, I will defeat you." He turned and walked away, his tone calm but resolute.

  "Not a ce, Ushiwaka!" Oikawa shouted after him. "ime, I'll beat you even faster!"

  There was no response. Ushijima didn't so much as gnce back.

  Taichi, however, was lost in his own musings.

  Wait….Was Ushijima Wakatoshi just standing here, waiting for us to e over so he could deliver that line? Would he have waited forever if we hadn't shown up?

  His thoughts tio spiral.

  Oh, and now he's ght after saying his piece. That's kind of thrilling…no ce to retort or anything.

  "Taichi!"

  "Huh? What is it?" Taichi snapped back to reality.

  "Never mind," Oikawa muttered, brushing it off. He was eager to return to the court and bask in the cheers of his juniors and supporters.

  "And the winner of the Miyagi Prefecture Inter-High Preliminaries is….Aoba Johsai High School!"

  "gratutions to them on being the prefectural champions!"

  "To honour the remarkable performances of both teams in this matd to wish Aoba Johsai success at the uping Nationals, let's give them a round of appuse!"

  The areed with thunderous appuse.

  "Oikawa-san," the announcer said, stepping forward. "As the captain of Aoba Johsai, how does it feel to defeat your long-time rivals in today's final?"

  "Well, it's certainly…" Oikawa's words faltered uhe pierg gazes of Iwaizumi Hajime and Matsukawa Issei.

  After all, this was about the school's reputation as well. "...It's incredibly gratifying. Shiratorizawa is a very strong oppo, and we're extremely happy to have won this match."

  "And what are yoals for the uping Nationals?"

  "I think that question is best answered by our ace," Oikalied, stepping aside and pushing Kaedehara Taichi forward.

  The announcer hesitated briefly. This was the first time Aoba Johsai had officially introduced their a publid it turned out to be a first-year who had joihe team less than six months ago.

  Still, the number 10 jersey had left a deep impression on the annouhe pyer's omnipresence during the matd his decisive finishing shot—would be etched onto their memory for years to e. He had evehe subject of yesterday's 'Hello, Miyagi' segment.

  The announcer extehe microphooward the bck-haired boy, eager to hear his response.

  Taichi took a step forward, his voice steady and clear. "oal is simple: to quer Nationals."

  _________

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