Back on the bench, Kuroo Tetsurou was still wrestling with a serious question.
Was the spot Akashi Asuka just targeted really a defensive gap in Nekoma's formation?
Wasn't that spike just another form of a powerful attack?
"Aoba Johsai's defense is a little beyond what we expected," Kenma Kozume muttered thoughtfully. "At this point, their blocking is nearly flawless."
Kenma's assessment wasn't baseless. What truly opened his eyes was Iwaizumi's block against Kuroo earlier, it proved that even Aoba Johsai's seemingly weakest point in their blocking lineup could still deliver powerful results.
Coach Nekomata, sitting beside him, nodded in agreement.
"Aoba Johsai only gained real recognition at nationals last year. Back then, even the monthly sports magazines mostly focused on their two star players, Akashi Asuka and Oikawa Tooru."
"But most people, including you guys, overlooked one detail: during the early rounds of last year's nationals, Aoba Johsai briefly earned the nickname Iron Wall."
"But after they faced teams like Fukurodani, Mujinazaka, and Inarizaki in quick succession, their defense was shattered again and again. That led everyone to shift their attention away from their blocking."
"In truth, Aoba Johsai's blocking has never been weak. They just had terrible luck last year and kept drawing powerhouse opponents, that's what gave people the wrong impression."
"The reality is, even on a national stage, Aoba Johsai's blocking stands among the best."
"And because their players are all relatively tall and technically sound, their blocking consistency and coverage are exceptional. There are very few schools across the country that can match them in that regard."
Nekomata's words struck the Nekoma team like a bomb dropped into a still lake, sending ripples of tension through the air.
"Man, how are we supposed to beat that?!"
"No wonder this match feels off. So Aoba Johsai's blocking is actually that strong?"
"Hey, old man! If you knew this earlier, why didn't you tell us before the match started?! We could've at least prepared ourselves!"
Coach Nekomata scratched his head and let out a hearty laugh.
"Wahaha~ I was only speculating, really. Even I wouldn't have believed a high school team could be this solid on both offense and defense without seeing it with my own eyes!"
Despite his carefree attitude, Nekomata couldn't help but feel a sense of awe.
He knew Aoba Johsai didn't have any truly elite blockers by national standards. But their strength lay in balance and depth. No matter how their rotation shifted, there was always at least one or two players over 190 cm stationed at the front line.
Even the remaining two front players could usually boast heights above 180 cm, sometimes even 185 cm.
They didn't have any single standout blocker...
Which meant they might struggle against truly top-tier attackers on the national stage.
But against teams with more average attacking firepower, their seamless, airtight blocking system could shut down offense from all angles.
In a way, Aoba Johsai was Nekoma's worst possible matchup.
"Kenma, how's your analysis going?" Kuroo asked.
"Still a long way to go," Kenma replied dully. "There are still two players whose behavior patterns I can't figure out at all... But I've found something that might help us buy a little more time."
"If we can't crack those two, we'll just have to leave them for now. Even if we did figure them out, that doesn't guarantee we could stop them," he added quietly.
Kenma didn't name names, but Kuroo already knew exactly who he meant.
"Alright, everyone, let's run it back!" Kuroo stood up and gathered the team. His voice lowered into a strong and steady rhythm:
"We are the blood that must flow freely, delivering oxygen to keep the brain running... Now let's go!!!"
"OH!!!"
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On the other side of the court, Aoba Johsai's bench had its own discussion brewing.
"Hmm... Seems like Nekoma's playing style hasn't changed much. Still the same old Nekoma," said coach Nobuteru Irihata, rubbing his chin as he reflected on the match so far.
"Coach, don't you think Nekoma's style is a bit too extreme? Their defense is solid, yeah, but their offense is seriously lacking. Even Iwaizumi-chan managed to block one of their spikes..."
Of course, only one person on the team could say something so provoking: Oikawa Tooru.
Before he could finish the sentence, Iwaizumi's fist thumped hard against his forehead, silencing him instantly.
Irubata said nothing for a moment.
"Nekoma has always been a defense-focused team, but this year, they seem more flexible. Their team cohesion also feels tighter than before..."
"Ah, I'd bet that has to do with their setter," Oikawa chimed in again, brushing off Iwaizumi's punch like nothing happened.
Time had proven that even a punch to the head couldn't keep Oikawa's mouth shut.
"Their setter?" Irubata blinked and looked toward the opposite court. If Oikawa hadn't mentioned it, he might have completely forgotten that Nekoma even had a setter.
In volleyball, the setter is the brain of the team. But to most casual viewers, they're easy to overlook. Irubata, however, was a veteran coach. There's no way he'd forget a setter's presence in any serious match.
So the fact that he had overlooked Nekoma's setter... could only mean one thing:
Their performance so far had been too ordinary.
"Is there really something special about that setter?"
"Well~ I'm not totally sure myself," Oikawa said, putting on a mysterious air. "It's just a gut feeling. But my first impression of that guy? Seriously annoying."
Irubata paused for a moment.
Then he turned to Akashi Asuka.
"Akashi, what's your take?"
Before every match, Akashi always came up with strange predictions, where he got his intel was anyone's guess, but they were almost always right. By now, the entire Aoba Johsai team had come to accept it as fact.
"I agree with Oikawa-senpai," Akashi said calmly. "Nekoma's setter might be average in terms of technique, but he's a gamer at heart. His mind works in unpredictable ways..."
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria