"Wait… this guy, he's a crow too?"
The Aoba Johsai players were stunned when Sakusa Kiyoomi pulled off a move that clearly belonged to Akashi Asuka.
They knew this scene all too well.
After all, in Miyagi Prefecture, there was one particular school infamous for stealing techniques from other teams, and using those techniques even better than the originals.
Using the enemy's moves against them, it was the ultimate act of betrayal.
"Hold up… don't tell me he copied the Banana Jump Serve too?"
That single thought instantly spread among Aoba Johsai's players.
If it were just the curved spike, the threat level wouldn't be too high. After all, no matter how powerful a spike was, it could only score one point at a time.
But a Banana Jump Serve?
If Sakusa really had picked up that move… it would be a total nightmare for Aoba Johsai.
Hajime Iwaizumi and Watari Shinji had practiced receiving Akashi's Banana Jump Serve many times during training. And the results could only be described as devastating.
Sure, their backline defense had improved significantly since last semester, but they were still nowhere near the level of Motoya Komori, the nation's top libero.
Oikawa Tooru took one look at his teammates' uneasy expressions and clicked his tongue.
"Tch. So they're shaken after all…"
Unlike the others, Oikawa was 90% sure that Sakusa Kiyoomi couldn't perform the Banana Jump Serve.
It looked like a simple spin-based serve, but there were many deeper mechanics behind it.
Many players have, at one time or another, unintentionally served a ball with a curved trajectory.
But mastering the Banana Jump Serve through practice was another matter entirely, it wasn't something you could just replicate on a whim.
Even Akashi Asuka hadn't truly mastered it. His version relied heavily on his insane physical power to force the curve into existence.
Sakusa's wrist might be more flexible and his spin better, but he clearly didn't have that same raw power.
Still...
Even if it was just a 10% chance, it was that small "what if" that shook Aoba Johsai's momentum.
"These bastards… they really know how to mess with your head."
Oikawa was certain, Sakusa used that move at that moment on purpose, not to score, but to mess with Aoba Johsai's rhythm.
If he'd just wanted to score, he would've used it at the very start of the match, when Aoba Johsai wasn't prepared at all.
But no, he waited for the exact moment when Aoba Johsai's momentum was peaking, just about to crush Itachiyama with one final push.
That one move not only stalled their momentum, it gave Itachiyama a chance to catch their breath.
How did Oikawa know all this so well?
Simple.
He used to pull the exact same trick.
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12–9.
Score-wise, Itachiyama hadn't closed the gap much.
But momentum-wise, they'd gone from the brink of collapse to glimpsing a faint chance of a comeback.
If they could press the attack now, find another way to rattle Aoba Johsai's morale...
Aoba Johsai might really,
"UOOOOHHHH!!"
[Nice receive!]
[What a perfect dig, just what you'd expect from the nation's top libero!]
[Itachiyama's Motoya Komori just made Spring High history as the first player to successfully receive one of Akashi Asuka's power spikes head-on!]
As if responding directly to Oikawa's inner thoughts, the audience suddenly exploded into cheers.
The source of the commotion?
During the next rally, Motoya Komori had successfully received one of Akashi's signature explosive spikes, from the front, and sent it perfectly to Tsukasa Iizuna for the set.
Oikawa's expression darkened.
"Damn it… this is the worst-case scenario."
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"OHHHHHH!!"
"Nice one, Komori!"
"That receive was flawless!"
Even Tsukasa Iizuna, usually calm and collected as captain, couldn't stop his hands from trembling.
Sure, it wasn't the cleanest pass he'd ever received, but to him, this one felt heavier than a thousand pounds.
"Komori, you crazy bastard… you really kept your word."
Iizuna was overcome with emotion.
During the previous timeout, Komori had promised him, "Just give me three chances. I'll stop Akashi's spike."
And now, the third chance had just passed.
Blocking Akashi's spike wasn't just about defense, it was about proving that Itachiyama could stand up to him.
Even if Komori didn't stop all of them, just proving that Itachiyama could defend against Akashi meant Akashi would have to start holding back a little.
And if Akashi started pulling his punches?
Then Aoba Johsai's entire offensive power would drop significantly.
Bang!
Iizuna sent the pass straight to Sakusa, who followed through with a clean spike, one so well-placed that Aoba Johsai had no read on it at all.
Another point for Itachiyama.
12–10.
"BEEP!"
The referee blew the whistle. This time, Aoba Johsai called the timeout.
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"Ugh… this is getting tricky," muttered Oikawa, tapping his forehead with his knuckle.
Aoba Johsai handled timeouts a little differently than other schools. Most teams relied heavily on the coach's instructions.
But at Aoba Johsai, unless it was a major decision, the coach, Nobuteru Irihata, usually left everything to Oikawa.
Say what you will about his personality, but when it came to tactics, Oikawa Tooru was a captain you could trust.
"I was hoping we could take the first set a little more easily, but… I guess Itachiyama won't go down that easily after all."
To be clear, even though Komori had successfully received Akashi's "meteor strike," it didn't mean Itachiyama had the upper hand yet.
Aoba Johsai still had the lead on the scoreboard.
But more importantly,
Komori could now defend against Akashi.
And at the same time, Akashi could also defend against Sakusa.
In other words, the two teams were now back on equal footing.
From a nearly 90% chance of winning, Aoba Johsai's odds had suddenly dropped to 60%.
Rounded down…
That's a huge blow for Aoba Johsai.
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria