"Right wing! Right wing!"
"Watch the setter on the other side, read the direction of his pass!"
"Get ready to defend!"
────────── ✦ ──────────
Forty-five minutes into the match.
As Oikawa Tooru gradually adapted to the new team environment, he and Akashi Asuka found their rhythm and quickly secured the first set.
Once the second set began, the rest of Aoba Johsai's players also shook off their nerves and started showing their true strength.
Ever since Oikawa's miraculous set in the first set, Shinzen High had been on high alert, especially toward him.
Their coach even used a second timeout just to reorganize their strategy and adjust to the unexpected threat.
"High ball! Watch number 8!"
Oikawa had been forced to receive the first touch in this rally, so the setting duties fell to Shinji Watari instead. As Watari sent up a high set, Shinzen High's defenders immediately saw through his intention.
"He's not getting past us, block together!"
A voice shouted from the Shinzen front line.
In the next second, three players leapt in front of Akashi Asuka. Three sets of arms extended in unison, forming a wall-like block so massive it even blocked out the overhead lights.
Such a formidable triple block would rattle even the most confident spiker.
But Akashi Asuka's eyes didn't waver. He jumped straight into the wall of arms with unwavering composure, swinging his arm wide like a giant hawk spreading its wings, launching a sharp diagonal spike.
Shinzen's middle blocker, Eikichi Chigaya, caught the movement. His eyes flashed, and in a split-second, he shifted his arms across, covering the spike's projected path.
The ball twisted mid-air with an unnatural curve, just barely avoiding Chigaya's outstretched arms, slamming down right on Shinzen's three-meter line.
"Another brilliant diagonal shot! That's already Akashi Asuka's fourth this set, almost like a 'magic ball.' Shinzen High just has no answer for his attacks!"
"And with that point, Aoba Johsai officially hits 20 points!"
"Aoba Johsai has been leading this second set from the start, it looks like the outcome is all but decided!"
"That guy… It looked like he read your spike trajectory just now, didn't he?" Hajime Iwaizumi said as he approached Asuka, frowning slightly.
Iwaizumi had personally experienced just how tricky Asuka's topspin spike was to block. The fact that someone could even begin to read it after just a few attempts shocked even him.
"Yeah, that middle blocker on their side reacts quickly, I'll give him that–" Asuka said with a calm shake of the head. "But his technique is still rough. He's not a serious threat, yet."
Since Shinzen High didn't feature much in the original story, Asuka didn't recall them too clearly. But he vaguely remembered that their first-year middle blocker was also invited to the All-Japan Youth Training Camp, just like Kageyama.
Still, not everyone is Kageyama Tobio. The most update n0vels are published on 𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹•𝑓𝑖𝑟𝑒•𝙣𝙚𝙩
The Shinzen blocker had talent, yes, but he was far from reaching the realm of a true "genius." Maybe if he were a second or third-year student, he could've caused real problems for Aoba Johsai.
But sadly, Eikichi Chigaya was still a first-year, and what he lacked most was experience.
"Huh? You're leaving already? The match isn't even over!"
"There's no need to keep watching, the winner's been decided."
In the back of the stands, a gloomy-looking man with a mask and a shoulder bag said in a low voice, "Besides, I've already seen what I needed to. That guy… he's no Wakatoshi. But… the team itself isn't bad."
"This year's Inter-High just got another interesting opponent."
With that, the masked man turned and left. Behind him, a nervous boy with two tiny eyebrows scrambled to catch up. "H-Hey! Wait for me!"
Elsewhere in the spectator stands around Court 2, several players in different team uniforms reacted in the exact same way as the masked man.
A stern-faced bald guy, a pair of twins, a small white-haired kid, even a human-sized owl...
These were the seeded players of the national tournament.
They had all come for the same reason: to scout the enemy.
Aoba Johsai might not have been famous, but any team that beat Shiratorizawa and made it to nationals was bound to attract attention.
Now that they'd seen what Aoba Johsai could do... they had their answer.
It just might not be the answer they were hoping for.
Above the court, the announcer's voice boomed with excitement:
"Aoba Johsai launches another attack! Shinzen High continues to commit a double block to mark their ace, it's clear Akashi Asuka's offense is putting immense pressure on them!"
"Oikawa's received the first touch, now who will he choose for the final strike? Will he continue to rely on their ace, or try for a breakthrough elsewhere...?"
"He sets it, Oikawa Tooru does not choose Akashi Asuka! He's opted for a back-row attack! A bold move!"
"Number 4! He sets it to number 4... It's a point!"
"Hajime Iwaizumi delivers!"
"What a pity, Shinzen High completely misread Oikawa's decision and failed to defend. With that brilliant set, Oikawa tore open a gaping hole in Shinzen's formation!"
"This is the team that defeated Shiratorizawa in the preliminaries. The synergy between Oikawa Tooru and ace Akashi Asuka is nearly flawless. Even against Shinzen High's tightly coordinated defense, they're breaking through like it's nothing."
A sharp whistle rang out above the court.
It wasn't the sound of a point, but the final whistle.
At the sound, Shinzen's libero, who was still bent over to pick up the ball, froze mid-motion. He turned slowly to look at his teammates, who stood like statues, stunned.
It wasn't until the referee officially announced the results that the libero snapped back to reality.
"Winner: Aoba Johsai High School. Final score: 2–0."
"Set scores: 25–20, 25–21."
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