Challenging Karasuno's libero, the best receiver oeam, head-on?
He had only mastered a powerful jump serve, which was surprising enough, but this level of provocation was on another level.
Tanaka Ryūnosuke gred fiercely at Taichi.
"Kid, you're pretty full of yourself!"
"Ryū, let him try! I want to see just how good his serves really are now!"
Even Oikawa Tōru wouldn't dare cim he could score three secutive points off Nishinoya Yū.
Taichi merely smiled.
To him, Karasuno's "Guardiay" was a formidable presence—precisely why defeating him was worth everything he had.
Once again, Taichi tossed the ball and began his approach.
Nishinoya's eyes were locked on Taichi's movements.
As expected, it was impossible to predict the type of serve just from his initial movements.
—Bang!
The volleyball thundered across the court. Nishinoya's pupils tracted—not because of the power behind the serve, but because—
It was a left-handed serve!
Quickly predig the ball's nding point, Nishinoya took a step forward, adjusted his position, and aligned his arms to receive the ball.
"Got it!" Tanaka Ryūnosuke shouted excitedly.
In the instant, the ball flew out of bounds, rolling along the floor.
[Aoba Johsai 2 – 0 Karasuno]
Karasuno's pyers: "???!"
They had clearly received the ball—why did it go out of bounds?
Nishinoya Yū, someone who could perfectly receive even powerful spikes, had failed to trol it.
"Left-handed serve, huh? Taichi, you're something else!" Nishinoya shouted, his tone more impressed than frustrated.
Taichi replied humbly, "To spot that so quickly, Nishinoya-senpai, you're even more amazing."
Oikawa Tōru rolled his eyes. What is this? Mutual admiration?
Nishinoya quieted down, repying the sensation of the ball's spin in his mind, analyzing how he should adjust his arms for the serve.
Meanwhile, Coach Ukai Keishin's frown deepened. Based oa they had collected, the only left-handed power server in the prefecture was Shiratorizawa's Ushijima Wakatoshi. Aoba Johsai's Kaedehara Taichi had been known as a teical, quick-attag spiker—so what in the world had happeo him between the prefectural finals and now?!
Ukai made a mental o review all of Aoba Johsai's footage from the nationals after this practice match.
Taichi stepped up to serve for the third time.
Left-handed again! Nishinoya tracked the ball closely.
But this time, it was a jump float serve!
Nishinoya's heart raced. How is this even possible?!
The ball crossed the and suddenly dropped sharply. Nishinoya sprinted forward and dove, desperate to make the receive.
As the ball desded, it shifted unnaturally to the left.
Thud!
The volleyball hit the ground directly. Another service ace for Kaedehara Taichi!
[Aoba Johsai 3 – 0 Karasuno]
The gym fell silent. Taichi had specifically targeted Karasuno's "Guardiay" with three serves. If even Nishinoya couldn't receive them, then who on Karasuno could?
"It's not over yet. That first serve doesn't t," Taichi said as if reading the thoughts of Karasuno's pyers. "Nishinoya-senpai, you've still got one more ce."
"Tenma, is this the oppo you said we could hasukishima Akiteru stared at his junior in disbelief.
Kunimi Tenma looked sheepish. "Well, um...if I'm being ho, he wasn't really much of a server before this..."
The Karasuno pyers gnervously at Nishinoya. It was rare to see him struggle like this. No one knew whether they should help, or if their help would even make a difference.
"Senpai, I'll join you in receiving," Kageyama Tobio said with his usual calm expression.
He hadn't stepped in before because he had prioritized positioning for setting up attacks. But if the serve couldn't even be received, then there was no point in thinking about offence.
Still, this would mean Nishinoya admitti in his one-oh Taichi.
"Alright, thank you." Nishinoya's voice was unusually calm.
"Noya..." Tanaka Ryūnosuke looked at him with .
"It's fine. When one person 't do it, you let your teammates help. That's what being brave is about!" Nishinoya's fighting spirit hadn't diminished in the slightest. "I lost this time, but ime..."
He left the rest unsaid, but everyone could see the resolve burning in his eyes.
Kageyama expanded his defensive range, and Sawamura Daichi shifted slightly back to support the back row.
"Oh? What a pity," Taichi remarked as he gnced over. Karasuno's defen the right side of the court was now imperable.
Taichi chuckled softly. I'm not sant as to insist on pushing through there.
—Boom!
The fourth serve owerful right-handed jump serve, aimed directly at Karasuno's left side—between Tanaka Ryūnosuke and Azumane Asahi.
The power was undiminished, but the accuracy was even sharper.
Azumane barely had time to step forward before the ball hit the ground.
"Still want to go one-on-one, Nishinoya-senpai?"
[Aoba Johsai 4 – 0 Karasuno]
"Tweet!" Karasuno called a timeout.
Taichi stepped aside, pig up another ball and standing quietly.
"Taichi?" Kindaichi Yūtarō looked at him curiously.
"Don't disturb him," Oikawa said, pulling Kindaichi back. "Taichi's trying to maintain his focus. There's o interrupt."
Oikawa himself had simir habits when his serves were interrupted. While the methods were different, the goal was the same.
-----
The timeout ended, and the match resumed.
Karasuno adjusted their formation, allowing Nishinoya Yū and Kageyama Tobio to expand their receptie. No matter what it took, they had to stop Kaedehara Taichi's serves.
Taichi pressed the volleyball firmly, feeling its texture and hardness.
Perfeothing's ged.
He served his fifth ball—a right-handed float serve!
Nishinoya's face lit up with a mix of excitement and challenge. Impressive, Taichi! So, you really do it all!
He quickly positioned himself forward, reag to receive the ball. The volleyball floated uably after passing the , drifting slightly toward Karasuno's backcourt. Nishinoya extended his fingers in a desperate attempt to stabilize it, managing to barely upward.
But the ball was still falling backwards.
"Got it!"
Kageyama dived just behind Nishinoya, perfectly setting the ball high into the air.
"I'm on it!" Azumane Asahi sprinted in from the side, ung into a back-row attack that sent the ball flying into Aoba Johsai's court.
"Finally!" muttered Oikawa Tōru, watg the ball return. His sharp gaze lingered on it. If only it were lower…it could've been a quick attack.
"ce ball!" called Iwaizumi Hajime, easily receiving Karasuno's return.
Oikawa stepped in, smoothly setting the ball to Aoba Johsai's right side. "Taichi, it's your turn—shatter their hopes!"
From the back row, Kaedehara Taichi leaped into the air. His view of Karasuno's court was crystal clear.
"Three blockers!"
Tanaka Ryūnosuke, Hinata Shōyō, and Sawamura Daichi jumped in unison, f a formidable triple block.
"So what?"
Taichi's body stretched midair, his left arm fully extended behind him. With explosive power driven by his core and shoulders, his left hand smashed into the upper-back portion of the volleyball.
—BOOM!—
The ball ricocheted off Hinata's bloding squarely in Karasuno's court.
[Aoba Johsai 5 – 0 Karasuno]
Aoba Johsai had opehe set with a anding 5–0 lead! And almost every point had been dominated by Kaedehara Taichi alone.
As Taided, he gnced calmly at Karasuno's pyers, his expression unreadable.
Without a word, he turned and walked back to the service line.
"Prefecture's number one?"
"Nationals' top eight?"
None of that mattered anymore.
Yet, Taichi's cold, posed demeanour only seemed to fuel Karasuno's determination.
Suddenly—
Ding!
[Hinata Shōyō has entered burst mode.]
[Hinata Shōyō (Burst Mode): Overall Ability Rating: 91.6Height: 163 bsp;| Power: 75 | Jump: 99 | Stamina: 100 | Speed: 99Teique: Block: 80 | Spike: 90]
Ding!
[Kageyama Tobio has entered burst mode.]
[Kageyama Tobio (Burst Mode): Overall Ability Rating: 95Height: 182 bsp;| Power: 95 | Jump: 92 | Stamina: 99 | Speed: 90Teique: Serve: 98 | Set: 99]
Ding!
[Nishinoya Yū has entered burst mode.]
[Nishinoya Yū (Burst Mode): Overall Ability Rating: 93.4Height: 159.3 bsp;| Power: 75 | Jump: 95 | Stamina: 100 | Speed: 99Teique: Receive: 98]
Taichi paused mid-stride. The system notificati in his ears, their synization unnervingly perfect.
Wheurned back, his eyes met the fierce gres of Hinata, Kageyama, and Nishinoya.
Their gazes brimmed with a mix of anger, resolve, and the relentless hunger for victory—an aura uo the fabled "Monster Geion".
So, this is what makes them legendary…
Taichi's expression shifted. His eyes sparkled with a rare, untrolble excitement. He couldn't help but ugh.
"Alright then…" he said, his voice brimming with anticipation.
"e at me together!"
_________
[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]