Niiyama Tech finally regaiheir serve, but the pyers' expressions had grown grim.
Stepping up to the service liheir wing spiker Saijō Naoya didn't have the fideo score directly with his serve.
, they would face Aoba Johsai's attack.
Could they hold their ground?
No one dared to ahat question aloud.
Saijō's jump serve was det, but it posed no threat to Seijoh.
Iwaizumi Hajime received the ball with ease, sending a perfectly accurate pass to the setter.
Niiyama Tech scrambled into defensive positions, only to see a shadow s toward the on the opposite side.
Yes, they'd seen this quick atta videos.
But only now, witnessing it in person, did they realize just how terrifyingly fast it really was.
Boom!
They didn't even have time to move their feet.
The ball smmed onto the floor behind Niiyama's front-row defenders before anyone could react.
[Aoba Johsai 4 – 1 Niiyama Tech]
It couldn't have taken more than ten seds.
No—maybe evehan five.
Aoba Johsai regaihe serve.
Kaedehara Taichi's expression was remarkably calm, as if the st point hadn't been his doing at all.
The cheers from the crowd reached a fever pitch. Seijoh's students khat any team making it to the nationals would be formidable, but they hadn't expected their team to domihis much.
Hanamaki Takahiro stepped up for the serve, delivering a solid jump serve.
The ball nded ly, and Niiyama's wing spiker Terazawa Kiyo mao receive it.
Setter Koike Fumi lifted the ball high, setting up their ace, Izumi Takeo, for atempt at an attack against Seijoh.
"Double block!"
This time, Oikawa Tōru and Kaedehara Taichi were waiting at the .
Once again, there wasn't a single opening.
Izumi couldn't find a clear ao spike through.
Smack!
Izumi's forced attempt was blocked directly by Kaedehara Taichi.
Once more, Niiyama Tech's ace was stopped cold by Seijoh's wall.
[Aoba Johsai 5 – 1 Niiyama Tech]
Izumi nded on the court, his mind bnk.
Niiyama Tech's jouro the nationals had been built on Izumi's prowess.
As their ace, he had sistently stepped up in critical moments to save his team and turn games around.
There were times when Izumi believed he might truly be a volleyball prodigy.
The title "ace" wasn't just for show—it roof of his ability to carry his team when all hope seemed lost.
But now, looking at the first-year across the , he suddenly felt—maybe it was time to wake up from this dream.
Hanamaki served again. Niiyama's libero Kanazawa Tomoyuki received the ball ly this time.
Koike prepared to set, but as he looked at Izumi's unmoving figure, he hesitated.
With no other choice, Koike sent the ball to the right wing for their middle blocker, Naruse Keie, to attempt a spike.
Smack!
"Oouch!" Kindaichi was quick to block, defleg the ball.
Hanamaki scooped it up, and Oikawa stepped in, sending a high set s into the air.
Niiyama's pyers g the ball as it hung in midair—it wasn't a quick attack.
Izumi snapped out of his daze, rushing to join his teammates in f a triple block.
As Niiyama's front rot to block, they realized something: Wasn't the ball set too high?
Before they could process it, a massive hand appeared behind the ball.
—Boom!
Kaedehara Taichi's spike bsted past the triple block, sg effortlessly.
[Aoba Johsai 6 – 1 Niiyama Tech]
Niiyama's coach had no choice but to call a timeout.
But thirty seds wasn't enough to fix anything.
-----
Hanamaki's serves tio nd with precision, and Aoba Johsai's relentless attacks kept rag up points.
Whether it was Seijoh's t front-row blocks or their imperable back-row defeniiyama Tech couldn't find any answers.
They couldn't score.
They could only struggle to hold on.
Even Seijoh's students, who had been cheering loudly moments ago, fell silent. The gym's atmosphere grew heavy as everyohe weight of Niiyama's plight.
Finally, after Hanamaki Takahiro's serve went out of bounds, Niiyama Tech's score ged at st.
But at this point:
[Aoba Johsai 15 – 2 Niiyama Tech]
Niiyama regaihe serve.
Izumi Takeo stepped up to the service line, his movements noticeably stiff. None of his teammates said a word, though—it wasn't like they were in much better shape.
Izumi tossed the ball up, but his thoughts were far from the court.
This is probably my st high school volleyball game...
No.
I won't even py volleyball in college.
So, this is probably my st game ever...
Thud!
Izumi's serve hit the directly.
[Aoba Johsai 16 – 2 Niiyama Tech]
No one expected this to happen.
But when it did, no one was surprised either.
Izumi stood frozen, looking up at the ceiling, uo say a word.
Tweet!
Niiyama Tech called for a substitution.
Katsuragi Shuto IN, Izumi Takeo OUT.
Aoba Johsai served , with Kindaichi Yūtarō stepping up to the line.
"Kindaichi," Taichi suddenly spoke, his tone calm yet firm, "Giving your all is the greatest respect you show your oppo. Serve well."
Kindaichi blinked in surprise. It was the first time Taichi had spoken during this match.
Taichi had been quiet throughout, focused and serious, his presence like a steady for the court.
"I got it," Kindaichi replied early.
He hadn't fotteing of their loss at nationals a few months ago. Back then, his blog had been vital to the team's strategy, but when it was his turn to serve in the back row, he became their weakest link.
That memory had stayed with him.
Boom!
Kindaichi's jump serve flew with power. While it still wasn't a major threat, it was no longer a free ball for the oppos to exploit.
Kanazawa Tomoyuki, Niiyama's libero, received it ly, and the rest of Niiyama's pyers rushed forward.
All-out attack.
Multiple offeions in motion.
Aoba Johsai's front-row blockers spread out, their eyes fixed on Niiyama's setter.
"I see it!"
Koike Fumi's slight hesitation revealed his pn—he boldly set for a back-row attack through the middle.
But the instant the ball left his hands, Seijoh's blockers reacted.
Matsukawa Issei and Kaedehara Taichi quickly crossed over, stepping toward Oikawa Tōru in the tre.
Ihan a sed, Niiyama's wing spiker, Terazawa Kiyo, found himself staring at a triple block.
"Triple block!"
Smack!
The ball rebounded off Seijoh's iron wall, falling bato Niiyama's side of the court.
[Aoba Johsai 17 – 2 Niiyama Tech]
It was like the st bit of fight had drained from Niiyama Tech. They couldn't muster aanymore.
Kindaichi's serving streak didn't st until the end. After a serving error, Niiyama briefly regaihe serve.
But their attacks tio falter against Seijoh's defence. Under relentless pressure, they quickly hahe serve back.
[Aoba Johsai 22 – 3 Niiyama Tech]
Kaedehara Taichi stepped up to serve.
No surprises.
His powerful left-handed jump serve secured three secutive points, sealing the set.
[Aoba Johsai 25 – 3 Niiyama Tech]
"Tweet—!"
The first set ended, with Aoba Johsai emerging victorious.
After a brief moment of silehe staed into thunderous cheers.
Aoba Johsai had won with a staggering 22-point margin.
This broke a nearly decade-old record for the rgest si point differen the Miyagi Prefecture Spring High representative tour!
_________
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