Inside a gymnasium near Kanto Uy, Taichi Kaedehara and Tenma Udai were practising volleyball together.

  "Wow, even though you mentioned Aoba Johsai made it to Nationals, I didn't expect you to have improved so much!" Tenma Udai stared at Taichi Kaedehara in amazement. The st time they had parted, he already had high hopes for him, but his growth was still astonishing.

  Initially, Tenma had assumed that Aoba Johsai's success had little to do with Taichi, given he was only a first-year.

  But now, it seemed he had been pletely wrong.

  Just a few rounds of watg him py revealed how difficult it would be to defend against Taichi's attacks. Moreover, the teiques Tenma had demonstrated to him months ago had been mastered to an impressive degree.

  "So, you've specialized in these moves, but your basic spiking teiques are just average, huh?" Tenma remarked, shaking his head after hearing about the challeaichi faced on the court.

  "It's all because your moves are just too effective, Udai-sensei!" Taichi replied with an embarrassed ugh.

  "Hmph!" Tenma scoffed, his fiden volleyball matters showing through.

  "First, you have to uand that cross-court spikes and straight-line spikes aren't separate cepts. Both rely on wrist or body rotation. Only by mastering both you exploit gaps in your oppo's defence."

  "Got it!" Taichi listened ily, so focused that any Aoba Johsai coach witnessing this se might have been moved to tears.

  From the perspective of an attacker at the sidelihe oppo's court forms a right-atack zone. Even the narrowest cross-court spike would he three-meter line.

  Thus, the attack trajectories from the er to the three-meter line fan out in a sector of less than 90 degrees.

  From the sidelihe spike paths are: straight-line, narrow cross, mid-range cross, deep cross, midline, and broad cross.

  "Try spiking along each trajectory," Tenma instructed, from the side.

  "Got it!" Taichi responded and executed spikes along the outlined paths.

  "As expected, your ball trol is good, so you mahe basic trajectories. But without enough power, any trajectory that requires wrist rotation will lose additional force. This makes your spikes soft ahreatening."

  "Building strength es with muscle training over time. Foastering wrist rotation first. I suggest starting with straight-line and deep cross spikes. Once you've gained more pradually work on midline and narrow cross trajectories," Tenma advised, quickly identifying Taichi's weaknesses and tailored training suggestions.

  "Uood."

  Taiodded early. He was already w on strengthening his core and arms, so bining these efforts shouldn't be an issue.

  Theoretical points were always quick to expin, but truly mastering teiques required extensive practice. After bidding Tenma farewell, Taichi began his training in the gymnasium.

  Tenma smiled wryly and shook his head. He had hoped to discuss more about their manga details with Taichi, but the tter was a plete volleyball fanatic!

  Still, wasn't he just the same ba high school?

  -------

  The m, Taichi arrived early at the Sumida City Gymnasium in Tokyo. Teams from various schools were already there, filling the veh lively chatter aement.

  "Wow, as expected of a big city. Even the gymnasium is enormous," Taichi mused as he wandered around, looking for Nekoma pyers.

  "Hey! Hey! Hey!"

  That voice!

  Though he had never heard it in person, the rhythm and energy were unmistakable.

  Kōtarō Bokuto!

  Taichi turoward the sound, and sure enough, a figure with a trademark 'owl hairstyle' appeared before him.

  [Kōtarō Bokuto, Wing Spiker(Ace). Overall ability score: 93; Height: 185.3 cm, Strength: 95, Jump: 90, Stamina: 97, Speed: 90. Skills: Serve: 90, Spike: 94.]

  S!

  "Yo, Kenma, look who's here..." Kuroo Tetsurō said to Kozume Kenma beside him.

  "Someone you know? He's staring at Bokuto-senpai like a fan," Akaashi Keiji remarked as he stood nearby.

  Only then did Taiotice the banners: Fukurōdani Academy, Nekoma High, Shinzen High, and Ubugawa High.

  Tokyo's tour sure is something.

  "I am a fan of Bokuto-senpai," Taichi admitted politely, smiling at Akaashi. "I've watched him py before. Hello, Akaashi-senpai. I'm Taichi Kaedehara, a first-year from Aoba Johsai Volleyball Club, Miyagi Prefecture."

  "What a polite kid. Is he really Bokuto-senpai's fan?" Akaashi's expression was plex.

  Meanwhile, Taichi had already joined Nekoma's group, chattihusiastically with Kozume Kenma.

  Kuroo smirked mischievously. "Don't be fooled by him. He's a first-year from Aoba Johsai, yes, but he's also a representative for the Miyagi region."

  "Miyagi? The region with Ushijima?" Akaashi's ears perked up at the mention of the familiar name.

  Bokuto's gaze sharpened as it nded on the first-year chatting happily with Kenma. "So, they defeated Ushijima's Shiratorizaotential oppo for the Nationals?"

  "Bingo!" Kuroo's smirk widened. "And acc to Kenma, he's their ace."

  "An ace, and a first-year, who beat Wakatoshi Ushijima..." Bokuto fell silent, his demeanour shifting as a sharp, petitive aura enveloped him.

  "Oh no, how scary!" Kuroo joked, though he couldn't help but feel a bit of sympathy for their future oppos.

  Akaashi, standiweewo, moved to shield Bokuto. "Thanks a lot, Kuroo-senpai. What a way to fire up our ace right at the start."

  "Hehe..."

  "Kenma, are you nervous?" Taichi asked as they chatted. It was half an hour before the teams would head to their courts for warm-ups.

  "Not really. The first oppo isn't to," Kenma replied softly, serving his energy as always.

  "True, but you might face Itachiyama in the sed round..." Taichi goward Itachiyama's area but couldn't spot Sakusa Kiyoomi.

  "Hmm..." Kenma's expression soured slightly at the mention but remained calm. "Nothing we do about it."

  "Really, Kenma-senpai? Didn't you just say there's nothing to worry about?" A tall figure approached from behind. "With me, the ace, oeam, Nekoma is different now!"

  Taichi turo see a familiar face grinning at him.

  [Lev Haiba, Middle Blocker. Overall ability score: 80; Height: 194.3 cm, Strength: 82, Jump: 83, Stamina: 88, Speed: 88. Skills: Receive: 55, Spike: 64.]

  At 1.94 meters, with such physical attributes, he was definitely impressive—though his teical skills were about as raw as Taichi's had been at the start.

  "Lev, focus on your receives before talking big!" Yaku Morisuke barked, nding a light ki Lev's shin.

  "Ah....Yaku-senpai, don't cope too hard...."

  "Lev!!!"

  ------

  The match was about to begin. Taichi Kaedehara returo the sed-floor stands, eager to catch both Nekoma's and Fukurodani's matches. After careful sideration, he decided to watekoma first. After all, loyalty couldn't be tossed aside so easily.

  "Go, Nekoma! Push forward, Nekoma!"

  A small girl stood at the front of Nekoma's cheeriion, holding a megaphone as she led the crowd in their cheers.

  "Yo! It's Captain Akane of the cheer squad!" It was evident how much everyone adored her.

  "Hehehe!" Yamamoto Akane ughed brightly.

  "Your sister is as enthusiastic as ever!" Yaku Morisuke ented with a smile.

  Yamamoto Taketora covered his face, visibly embarrassed. "Sorry about that, as always..."

  Shifting his gaze, Taioticed Lev Haiba's older sister, Alisa Haiba, standing with her arms spread wide, enthusiastically cheering for her brother.

  "As stunning as ever, Lev's sister!"

  "Right?!"

  -----

  "Aoba Johsai defeated both Karasuno and Shiratorizawa to secure their spot in nationals. There's no way we lose to them!" Kuroo Tetsuro rallied his teammates before the game.

  "Of course not!"

  From his seat, Taichi observed Nekoma's match against Matsukawa Industrial. The opposing team wasn't particurly strong and had no standout pyers. Nekoma seemed to hahem with ease.

  Bang!

  A sharp spike caught Taichi's attention.

  Kuroo Tetsuro executed a perfect straight-line approach. Matsukawa's blockers, misreading his iions, prepared to block a straight shot. However, Kuroo spiked the ball diagonally, breaking through their defeo score.

  Immediately after, Kuroo sprinted diagonally toward the setter, his movements and spiking form deceptively signalling another diagonal attack. As the blockers focused their efforts, Kuroo smashed a straight-line shot, catg them off guard once more.

  Taichi imagined himself in the blockers' shoes and wi the difficulty of the situation.

  From practice, Taichi khat exeg such precision attacks required exceptional wrist trol and core strength. Especially when spiking along the court's edges, the slightest miscalcution could send the ball out of bounds.

  Taichi watched ily, itg to jump in and py a few sets himself.

  The score reached [Nekoma 18 vs 9 Matsukawa] when Nekoma called for a substitution: Lev Haiba IN, and Inuoka Sō OUT.

  It seemed Coaekomata had high expectations for Lev Haiba.

  As the match tinued, it became clear to any observer that Nekoma's offence was heavily fav Lev.

  Smack!

  Yaku Morisuke fwlessly received the oppo's spike.

  Kenma Kozume g Lev ahe ball high in the middle.

  "Finish it, Lev!"

  Lev began his approach several meters from the , his steps short and powerful as he accelerated. His final strides lengtheo gee momentum for the jump. With a forceful push off the ground, his body soared.

  So high!

  Lev swung his arm powerfully.

  Fhoosh-

  Spike miss. Lev failed to make tact as the ball flew out of bounds.

  The whistle blew. Nekoma High called for a timeout.

  ------

  "Kenma, I'm leavio you," Coaekomata said with a gentle smile after outlining the strategy.

  Kenma sighed.

  "Whehis happens, your expressions are particurly vibrant," Coaekomata chuckled warmly.

  Kenma scowled and walked over to Lev, giving his leg a light kick before ung into a stream of critiques.

  "You were too flustered earlier, overexerting yourself during the py…"

  "Kenma-senpai?!"

  "You should at least track the ball properly! Also, don't drop your elborioritize the height of your hit over speed—"

  "Ah, Senpai! You're saying so much at once; I 't remember it all!" Lev frantically waved his hands.

  "I've told you this 8,000 times already!" Kenma grumbled.

  "Wow, Kenma-senpai is scarier than Taketora-senpai and Yaku-senpai in moments like this!" Lev mumbled, l his head to ehe scolding.

  "It seems you're still far behind Taichi….no, even Shōyō is ahead of you."

  "!!!"

  Lev gred at the stands in frustration. When Taioticed his gaze, he smiled and waved encingly.

  "Damn it!" Lev ched his fists.

  -----

  By the time Nekoma fiheir first set, Fukurodani's sed set was already underway.

  The opposing team served first, but Fukurodani's libero, Komi Haruki, received it effortlessly.

  "My ball!" Kōtarō Bokuto called out.

  His voice, brimming with passioeady, embodied Bokuto's tradis. When Akaashi Keiji looked toward him, he saw something rare—a perfectly fident call for the first point.

  Bokuto began his approach with his arms trailing behind him like wings. At the peak of his jump, his arms spread wide before swinging forward.

  "Double block!" The opposing blockers timed their jump.

  Without hesitation, Bokuto powered through their defence, spiking the ball down sharply.

  Bang!

  The volleyball ricocheted off their hands and flew high into the air.

  "!!!" Taichi reflexively reached out, catg the ball with one hand.

  "Hey! Hey!! Hey!!!" Bokuto pumped his fists excitedly, his fiery gaze log with Taichi's from across the court.

  Though the ball had flown toward Taichi uionally, the exge felt like a direct challenge.

  "See you at nationals!" Taichi mouthed silently. He was certain Bokuto would uand.

  "I'm fired up now!" Bokuto excimed. "Bring me another!"

  Fukurodani served again. Sarukui Yamato's powerful serve disrupted the oppo's formation.

  "Nice serve, Sakurai!"

  The opposing team barely saved the ball, returning it weakly. Komi received it effortlessly.

  "Left-wing! Mine!" Bokuto shouted again.

  Without hesitation, Akaashi set the ball to the left.

  Bokuto was already in midair.

  "Triple block!"

  Bang!

  The sound of a sharp-line spike rang through the gym. Bokuto's ferocious hit broke through all three blockers.

  This was Bokuto's answer.

  "See you at nationals!"

  _________

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