The tension at the match venue continued to mount.
With Kuroo Tetsurō stepping up his offensive plays, Nekoma High's attack became smoother and more versatile.
This, in turn, provided Kenma Kozume with more opportunities and space to deploy his diverse array of strategies.
Their seamless teamwork resembled a sharp, deadly blade—precise and lethal—leaving their opponents scrambling to keep up.
On the other side, Aoba Johsai gained a surprising edge with the addition of Kyōtani Kentarō in the second set.
Though Kyōtani's coordination with the team was still rough and unpolished, his raw, aggressive playing style was akin to an unpredictable storm, relentlessly hammering Nekoma's defensive line.
This disrupted the rhythm Nekoma had painstakingly adjusted to in the first set, leaving them momentarily overwhelmed.
The scoreboard alternated as the two teams traded points, each rally keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. Both teams poured every ounce of effort into offence and defence, refusing to give their opponents even a moment to breathe.
The score was now [20–21], with Nekoma leading by one point, prompting Aoba Johsai to call a timeout.
"Nobody's panicking, right?" Coach Nekomata asked as he scanned the team.
"Good. Stay connected as one."
As they prepared to return to the court, Kenma suddenly stopped Kuroo. "Kuroo, that number 16 from the second set…"
"Yeah, don't worry. I've got him figured out," Kuroo replied with a confident grin.
Kenma nodded, trusting Kuroo's instincts.
He knew that Kuroo had already analyzed how to counter Kyōtani's spikes and saw no need to elaborate further. Such silent understanding between the two was a common occurrence, even if their cryptic exchanges often baffled their teammates.
The game resumed with Nobuyuki Kai serving a powerful jump float.
Iwaizumi Hajime flawlessly received the serve, sending the ball soaring toward Oikawa Tōru.
Iwaizumi felt his receive becoming smoother and more natural. It wasn't an illusion—his recent gruelling, position-specific drills had seamlessly integrated skill and instinct.
Much like Sawamura Daichi of Karasuno, Iwaizumi was a well-rounded player.
However, anyone who had watched both teams closely could tell that Daichi leaned more toward defence, while Iwaizumi was more offence-oriented.
This difference stemmed from their respective team needs.
At 179.3 cm, Iwaizumi had a slight height advantage over Daichi's 176.8 cm, but such a minor difference wasn't enough to significantly elevate his attacking prowess.
At Karasuno, Azumane Asahi and Tanaka Ryūnosuke excelled as offensive players, providing Daichi the solid foundation to focus on defence and become the team's defensive pillar.
The addition of Hinata Shoyo and Tsukishima Kei further bolstered their offensive line, allowing Daichi to dedicate himself fully to guarding Karasuno's backcourt.
In contrast, at Aoba Johsai, Oikawa Tōru, as the setter and the team's core, was already stretched thin. With no designated ace, Iwaizumi had to shoulder more offensive responsibility.
Additionally, Iwaizumi was one of the team's best receivers, apart from the setter and libero. This dual responsibility forced him to juggle defence and offence, anchoring the defensive system alongside Hanamaki Takahiro.
This multifaceted role made Iwaizumi invaluable on both ends of the court, but it also limited his ability to specialize in any single area—particularly in defence, where further refinement remained elusive.
While his height constrained his offensive potential, it had no such effect on his defensive capabilities.
Now, with the inclusion of fresh talents like Kunimi Akira, Kyōtani Kentarō, and Kindaichi Yūtarō, Aoba Johsai's offensive structure had gained noticeable depth.
The turning point came after their loss to Shiratorizawa during a practice match. That night, Coach Irihata's words struck a chord with Iwaizumi. Determined to improve, Iwaizumi had called the coach for advice later that same evening.
"Iwaizumi," Irihata had said, "you've always been searching for the perfect role within the team, and that's commendable. But high school volleyball is fleeting. Every moment counts. You have incredible defensive instincts and solid offensive capabilities. What you need to figure out is how to maximize your strengths within this limited time to contribute the most to the team."
Perhaps it was the alcohol, but Coach Irihata had been unusually talkative that evening. His tone was more serious than usual, and every word carried weight, leaving a profound impression on Iwaizumi Hajime.
That night, Iwaizumi made a pivotal decision. He resolved to shift his focus more heavily toward defence, leveraging his speed, reflexes, and sharp instincts for volleyball to become the team's most dependable guardian in the backcourt.
At the same time, he understood this didn't mean abandoning offence entirely. Rather, it was about maintaining high-quality defence while striking unexpectedly when opportunities arose, catching opponents off guard.
With the pressure of being a primary attacker lifted, Iwaizumi concentrated on refining his defensive skills. During receive drills, he became the player who successfully handled Oikawa Tōru's serves the most.
Maybe I really do have a natural talent for defence, Iwaizumi often thought during the training camp.
"Nice receive, Iwa-chan!"
Oikawa's voice rang out as he watched the ball float perfectly into his setting zone. He knew how much effort Iwaizumi had put in to make such a clean pass possible.
Hanamaki Takahiro roared as he delivered a thunderous spike. The third-years, having played together for so long, understood each other on a near-instinctive level.
The ball slammed onto Nekoma's side of the court.
Point for Aoba Johsai.
[Aoba Johsai 21 – 21 Nekoma]
"It's fine! Let's block the next one!"
Even Nekoma couldn't help but acknowledge Iwaizumi's earlier receive. The ball had sailed perfectly to Oikawa, who set up a flawless quick attack, capitalized on by the pink-haired spiker with an elegant A-tempo quick.
It was now Aoba Johsai's turn to serve. Oikawa stepped up to the service line.
Today, Oikawa's serves had been subpar.
Partly due to the exhaustion building up from the training camp, and partly because Nekoma's receivers were just that good.
But after witnessing Iwaizumi's impeccable effort on that last rally, Oikawa felt compelled to step up. He couldn't let Iwaizumi's hard work go to waste.
Holding the ball in both hands, Oikawa exhaled slowly, letting his body relax.
Then, with a burst of energy, he tossed the ball high and took his approach. As the ball reached its peak and began its descent, Oikawa leapt powerfully into the air.
With a sharp swing of his arm, he smashed the ball down with all his might.
The sound reverberated across the court as the ball exploded like a missile at Kenma Kozume's feet. All Kenma caught was a fleeting blur before the ball detonated onto the floor.
[Aoba Johsai 22 – 21 Nekoma]
Kenma shifted subtly toward the left sideline, trying to avoid the ball.
"Kenma! Stop moving to the side! Receive the ball!" Coach Nekomata's voice boomed from the sideline.
Kenma lowered his head, avoiding eye contact with the coach. There was no way he could take that serve—it might actually break his arms.
"It won't break!" Coach Nekomata yelled again, as though reading Kenma's thoughts.
"Oh~" Oikawa smirked, thoroughly entertained by Kenma's subtle retreat. Picking up the ball again, he pointed directly at Kenma.
"The next one's coming to you, too!"
[T/N] - If you guys want to read 50 Chapters in advance of the current story, you can support me on my . Trust me, it's awesome!
Link - (P)atreon.com/Iseeblack [Remove the brackets]