First-year setter Fujii Fuku stood on the court, overwhelmed and at a loss. In his mind, the position of Mujinazaka's setter had always seemed retively simple.

  With Kiryū Wakatsu, one of the top three ace spikers iion, and their t 190cm twin blockers, all the setter had to do was feed the ace. After all, Kiryū-senpai was famous for being able to hit any ball, even if the set wasn't perfect.

  "That's how it should've been…"

  "That's how it was supposed to be!"

  "ce ball!" Hondo Subaru called as he easily received a pass, sending the ball high above Fujii Fuku.

  Who should I set to?! Fujii's mind raced, his thoughts clouded by the looming presence of the Aoba Johsai pyers watg his every move.

  A chilliiohrough his limbs. I warmed up properly…so why? Why is this so different from practice matches?!

  "Fuku!" Kiryū Wakatsu's voice cut through the fog in his mind.

  "A-Ah, Wakatsu-senpai!" Fujii's voice cracked, hoarse and uneven as he called out.

  With trembling hands, he set the ball to the right wing, where Kiryū was already waiting.

  But the set was too low.

  Both Aoba Johsai and Mujinazaka pyers immediately reized the misstep.

  Kiryū adjusted his approach, leaping high and swinging with all his might.

  "Double block!" Kindaichi Yūtarō and Kyōtaarō shut down the line.

  Bang!

  "Oouch!" Kyōtani shouted as the ball ricocheted off his block. For the first time, they successfully stopped Kiryū's spike.

  Oikawa Tōru, positioned in the back row, sent a perfect dig to the , allowing Kindaichi to soar up and spike decisively.

  To Fujii, everything happened in the blink of ahe moment his set left his hands, his teammates had already switched into defence.

  And then, before he could react, the volleyball whizzed past his ear.

  Boom!

  Kindaichi's spike nded ly on the court.

  [Aoba Johsai 25 – 20 Mujinazaka]

  Tweet! The referee's whistle sighe end of the sed set.

  Winner: Aoba Johsai.

  It recisely because Mujinazaka had a powerful ad exceptional blockers that their oppos chose to exploit the setter as the oint.

  In just a few short minutes, Fujii Fuku came to uand this harsh reality.

  ------

  [A few minutes earlier, Mujinazaka's bench]

  "Usuri, Wakatsu needs you. Mujinazaka needs you," Coach Michiko said softly, sitting beside him. "Fuku is only a first-year; expeg him to hahe pressure of a high-stakes match like this is too much."

  Usuri Mitsuru stared at the court, silent for a long while, before muttering to himself:

  "After pying alongside Wakatsu-senpai for so long and winning match after match against powerful oppos, I started to believe…that I was strong too."

  "I began to think I ecial…How utterly delusional of me."

  "Mitsuru!" Coach Michiko interjected, thinking he was losing fidence.

  But Usuri raised his head and stared at her with a steady gaze. "The opposier is a third-year. I've never even heard of his name, yet the entators are praising him as incredible. At first, I couldn't accept it."

  "But now I uand. That setter is no ordinary pyer. And I've been foolishly fixated on proving that I'm better than him…"

  The entator's voice echoed through the arena, pulling them both back to the match:

  "Aoba Johsai regains their footing in the sed set! With Mujinazaka's startier beheir momentum has wahe score is now tied, and we're heading into the decider! Stay tuned for the thrilling clusion of this match!"

  Usuri ched his fists. This isn't right. I o reset my mi. Dwelling on personal battles is meaningless right now. Stop it. Stop it immediately.

  He spped his cheeks hard, the sharp sound reverberating in the quiet of the bench. His face flushed red, but when he reopened his eyes, all traces of hesitation had vanished.

  "Ohe score ges, we only have about ten seds before the serve. There's no time for me to brood over personal victories or defeats. All I do is focus on what o be done."

  ------

  [Aoba Johsai's Bench]

  "When Kiryū forces an attack, the blockers must make a quick read!" Coach Irihata instructed during the brief respite.

  "Yes!"

  "Also, keep up the aggressive serving!"

  "Yes!!"

  "Alright, go out there and take the final set!"

  "Yeah!!!"

  The pyers from both teams returo the court for the deg set.

  "Both teams are now taking their positions for the third set," annouhe entator. "We see Mujinazaka's sed-year setter, Usuri Mitsuru, has returo the starting lineup."

  Aoba Johsai's lineup:

  Front row—Middle Blocker Kindaichi Yūtarō, Opposite Hitter Kyōtaarō, Setter Oikawa TōruBack row—Wing Spiker Hanamaki Takahiro, Wing Spiker Iwaizumi Hajime and Middle Blocker Kaedehara Taichi (Libero: Watari Shinji).

  Mujinazaka's lineup:

  Front row—Wing Spiker Hondo Subaru, Middle Blocker Unnan Keisuke, Wing Spiker Naoharu EzotaBack row—Wing Spiker Kiryū Wakatsu, Middle Blocker Nozomu Mami (Libero: Bishin Haruma), Setter Usuri Michiru

  The match began with Mujinazaka serving.

  Usuri's serve targeted Kaedehara Taichi.

  "Still holding a grudge, huh…" Taichi muttered as he dove low, extending one arm to keep the ball in py. The pass stayed low, f Iwaizumi to bump it higher. Kindaichi unched a straightforward spike across the .

  "ce ball!" Mujinazaka's libero, Bishin Haruma, received it ly.

  "Wakatsu-senpai!" Usuri sent a high set to the ter.

  Kiryū executed a three-step approach, leaping from the back row to deliver a devastating spike.

  "Touch!" Kindaichi mao get a hand on it, softening the blow. Iwaizumi scrambled to dig it, sending the ball toward Oikawa.

  "Mad Dog-!"

  Oikawa quickly set the ball to the right wing. Kyōtaarō sprinted into position, his arm snapping like a whip as he unleashed a ferocious straight-line spike.

  Smack!

  Once again, Bishin was ready, digging the ball perfectly.

  Usuri jumped at the ter a a set to the left. Unnan Keisuke hammered the ball straight through Aoba Johsai's blockers.

  Smack!

  Iwaizumi dived and mao save it, the ball veering toward the sideliaichi dashed after it, barely keeping it in py with an acrobatic return.

  "They saved that?!" Mujinazaka's pyers were visibly stunned.

  Hanamaki sent the ball back over the with a soft bump.

  "Free ball!"

  Bishin's perfect reception allowed Usuri to orchestrate a multi-protack.

  Boom!

  Kiryū spiked ruthlessly from the back row, the ball ricocheting off Iwaizumi's arm and flying out of bounds.

  [Aoba Johsai 0 – 1 Mujinazaka]

  "Kiryū Wakatsu! Once again, it's Kiryū Wakatsu with the unstoppable onball!"

  "Even the best aces 't stay on fire every sich, but Kiryū Wakatsu's form today is absolutely unstoppable!"

  "Wakatsu-senpai today is the stro!"

  Usuri stepped up for his sed serve.

  Hanamaki hahe reception, and Oikawa quickly set it to Kindaichi for an A-tempo quick attack.

  Smack!

  Unnan Keisuke reacted instantly, blog the ball straight back over the .

  Kyōtani reflexively dove to keep it alive, and Oikawa jumped high, delivering a fwless backset to the right wing.

  "Such a beautiful set!" Usuri couldn't help but admire Oikarecision.

  Kyōtani, already in position, unleashed a diagonal spike aimed at waist height.

  Smack!

  Bishin was ready again, digging the ball with impeccable timing.

  Usuri responded with a ft, rapid set to the far right. From the back row, Kiryū leaped effortlessly into position.

  "Triple block!" Kindaichi, Kyōtani, and Oikawa rose together to form an imposing wall at the .

  Bang!

  The ball collided with Oikawa's arms and ricocheted backward.

  "They blocked it!"

  But before Aoba Johsai could celebrate, the line judge raised a fg to signal the ball had go of bounds.

  The ball had deflected off their blod nded outside the court. Mujinazaka scored.

  [Aoba Johsai 0 – 2 Mujinazaka]

  _________

  [T/N] - If you guys want to read 50 Chapters in advance of the current story, you support me on my Patreon. Trust me, it's awesome!

  Link - (P)atreon./Iseebck [Remove the brackets]