Practice matches weren't something Taichi could decide on his own, but when he shared the idea with his teammates, they were immediately intrigued.

  After reag out, Coach Irihata arranged a friendly match with Karasuno.

  Unsurprisingly, Karasuno's faculty advisor, Mr. Takeda, accepted the offer enthusiastically.

  ———

  A week passed quickly.

  For the first time, Aoba Johsai's team set foot on Karasuno's campus.

  "This pce is…small."

  pared to Aoba Johsai, Karasuno High School was much more remote, and its campus was visibly smaller. While school size didn't directly correte with a team's strength, the trast left a surprising impression.

  Upoering Karasuno's gymnasium, the difference became even more evident—the gym was only about ohird the size of Aoba Johsai's facility.

  Taichi recalled a metaphor from the inal story that pared the three schools:

  Shiratorizawa Academy—fertile soil;Aoba Johsai—barren ground;Karasuno High—reinforced crete.

  Now that he was here in person, the descriptio perfectly apt.

  "Taichi!" Hinata Shōyō greeted him eically.

  "Shōyō! And Tenma-senpai!" Taichi returhe wave, smiling as he approached.

  Oaichi had felt that Hinata bore some resembo his former mentor, Udai Tenma.

  But seeing them side-by-side now, that impression faded.

  "Wow, so this is one of the top eight teams in the try? The sheer presehey exude is overwhelming. Was my old team like this too?" Udai Tenma's eyes widened as he observed Taichi's teammates for the first time.

  The sense of intimidation wasn't exclusive to him. Even Karasuno's pyers, who had already faced Aoba Johsai twice, felt an almost palpable pressure when the Seijoh team eheir gym.

  This aura—it's even strohan before. What kind of training have they gohrough?

  The Karasuno pyers exged incredulous gnces. Not even during joint practice with Fukurodani, aop-eight team, had they felt sutense pressure.

  Aoba Johsai's pyers moved with a quiet, focused fidence. Each step seemed heavy with purpose, their expressions refleg both calm assurand an unquenchable thirst for victory.

  "Senpai, I heard from Shōyō that your protégé pns to defeat me today?" Taichi teased Udai with a mischievous grin.

  "Ahem, Shōyō!" Udai cleared his throat and turned aside.

  "That's right!" Hinata decred, squeezing himself between them. "Taichi, I'm not the same as before!"

  Taichi studied him ily.

  A pyer who once relied entirely on his team's quick attack system had evolved into one driven by personal growth.

  The differeweewo was like night and day.

  From his first steps into volleyball to his rapid transformation after fag setbacks, Hinata's journey has beeraordinary.

  [Hinata Shōyō—Middle Blocker. Overall rating: 86.5; Height: 163 bsp;Strength: 68, Jump: 96, Stamina: 99, Speed: 96. Teique: Blobsp;70, Receive; 70, Spike: 85.]

  His strength had increased marginally by three points, but the fact that his jump and speed, already in the upper echelons, had improved by even a single point was astonishing.

  Truly, Hinata's physique was that of a monster.

  His other skills were also making steady progress. His spiking teique likely improved after training with Bokuto Kōtarō and Udai Tenma.

  Taichi could fidently say that this Hinata Shōyō was far strohan the one he remembered from this point iory.

  Yet, his heart remaieady.

  Since Aoba Johsai had won the prefectural championship, Taichi and his teammates had worked harder than ever.

  After tasting bitter defeat at Nationals, Taichi had resolved: He would not lose to anyone again.

  [Kaedehara TaichHeight: 185 bsp;Strength: 92, Jump: 80, Stamina: 90, Speed: 92. Teique: Receive; 80, Serve: 88, Spike: 90

  ———

  Both teams were already well-acquainted with each other. After brief nods and minimal greetings, the pyers quickly transitioned into their respective warm-up routines, keeping pre-matteras to an absolute minimum.

  What was expected to be a lighthearted atmosphere shifted subtly the moment Aoba Johsai stepped onto the court.

  The aura they carried—their transformation aermination radiating from within—redefihe nature of this practice match without a single word spoken.

  Even when fag an oppohey had defeated twice before, Aoba Johsai showed no trace of uimation.

  As the warm-up tinued, a palpable tension and anticipation filled the air. Both teams silently reached a mutual uanding: save the words for after the match.

  "Let's have a good game!"

  The warm-up cluded, and the match began.

  Team Irihata lineup:Front row—Middle Blocker Kindaichi Yūtarō, Middle Blocker Hanamaki Takahiro, Setter Oikawa TōruBack row—Wing Spiker Kunimi Akira, Wing Spiker Iwaizumi Hajime, and Outside Hitter Kaedehara Taichi (Libero Watari Shinji).

  Team Irihata lineup:Front row—Middle Blocker Tanaka Ryūnosuke, Middle Blocker Hinata Shōyō, Wing Spiker Sawamura DaichiBack row—Setter Kageyama Tobio, Middle Blocker Tsukishima Kei (Libero Nishinoya Yū), and Wing Spiker Azumane Asahi.

  The Karasuno pyers noticed Kaedehara Taichi positioned in the back-row 1st position, puzzled by the choice.

  Was he not going to match up directly against Hinata?

  Coach Ukai Keishin also furrowed his brows. Seeing Coach Irihata smiling knowingly only firmed that Aoba Johsai had a specifi.

  Ukai knew Kaedehara had developed a dangerous jump float serve. Still, it seemed wasteful to pce their most offensively potent pyer in the back row just for that.

  Aoba Johsai stepped up to serve, with Kaedehara Taichi taking position on the service line.

  Sihe Shiratorizawa training camp, most of Taichi's practice time had been dedicated t and spiking. And now, Karasuno's Nishinoya Yū, the perfect test of his progress, stood on the receiving end.

  Nishinoya felt a pierg gaze and turo see Taichi standing behind the baseline. Was this first-year targeting him?

  Taichi tossed the ball single-handedly and began his approach.

  The movement, identical to Oikawa Tōru's run-up, firmed Karasuno's suspi—it was a jump float serve.

  "We won't fall for it this time." Karasuno's pyers instinctively stepped forward.

  Oikawa couldn't help but chuckle at their rea. "They're really uimating their oppos' growth," he thought.

  Then, with a sly smile, he added silently to himself, "But...I doubt anyone could have predicted Taichi's progress."

  Taichi leapt high, his left arm whipping behind him like a coiled spring before striking the ball with tremendous force.

  —Boom!

  Nishinoya barely caught a glimpse of the ball's trajectory before his body failed to rea time. What was worse—this ower serve!

  [Aoba Johsai 1 – 0 Karasuno]

  Karasuno's pyers straightened up slowly, their expressions grim as they g Taichi.

  So now, like Oikawa Tōru, he had bee a "dual-wielder" server—both float and power serves.

  Ukai's frown deepened. With Oikaositio the 2nd spot, was Aoba Johsai pnning to use secutive strong serves to pull ahead right at the start?

  Sensing his teammates' uer just one serve, Nishinoya patted his chest and decred fidently:

  "Don't worry, I'll definitely get the one!"

  Taichi stepped back to the service line again. Seeing Nishinoya's determined expression, he couldn't help but smirk and poi him with the ball in one hand:

  "Nishinoya-senpai, three serves—stop me if you !"

  _________

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