The timeout concluded swiftly.
Both teams returned to the court.
Following their brief scoring run, possession of the serve remained with Senkoku.
As the eighth point began, Senkoku's serve was once again handled reliably by Kitagawa First's ace outside hitter. The first pass settled into the hands of Kageyama Tobio.
"Is he planning a player substitution attack? Or will he continue to use the quick attack to circumvent our block?"
Akashi Asuka stood at the net, his eyes locked onto the subtle finger movements of Kageyama Tobio. In the next moment, the volleyball shot out from the setter's hands. Seeing the set, Akashi instinctively abandoned the middle blocker in front of him and shifted laterally toward Kindaichi.
Bang!
However, this time, Akashi had only just begun his reaction when a muffled sound reached his ears. When he turned his head, the volleyball had already struck the floor on Senkoku's side of the court.
The sudden, decisive shift caused every Senkoku player to freeze instantly.
"What a... truly unpleasant opponent!"
Akashi Asuka looked down at the spot where the ball landed, then a faint smile tugged at his lips. When he turned to face the opposing court, his gaze collided directly with Kageyama's—a gaze that seemed to contain a mixture of smugness and open challenge.
...
Accelerated Attack
The score stood at 4-4.
"Whoa! That was close, I almost missed it entirely. Hey, Kageyama! How many times have I told you not to use that reckless toss in the middle of a match?" Although they had scored the point, Kindaichi was far from excited, shouting with a visible look of fright.
Ultimately, Kageyama Tobio had failed to heed his coach's advice to trust his teammates.
Instead, he chose a different solution: he accelerated the setting tempo. If the opponent could manage to chase the current quick attack, he would use an even faster set to outpace the block.
To be frank, this kind of impulsive, reckless setting style would likely be forbidden on any other team.
Volleyball offense demands precise synchronization. The rhythmic harmony between the setter and hitter often requires months, if not longer, to meticulously fine-tune. If either party abruptly alters the rhythm during a match, it usually results in a fatal error.
Yet, Kageyama Tobio, through sheer, isolated talent, executed what was, technically, a perfect set. Despite the sudden shift in tempo, Kindaichi was able to barely strike the ball over the block.
"So, they can still track this speed? If that is the case, perhaps I can push the tempo even further on the next set."
Kageyama Tobio offered no response to Kindaichi Yutaro's heated reprimand. Instead, immediately after scoring, he retreated entirely into his own world, contemplating the exact mechanics of the next offensive play.
Seeing himself completely ignored, Kindaichi became furious, looking ready to charge the setter, but he was held back by the determined efforts of Kunimi Akira and several other teammates.
"Hey! Kageyama, did you even hear what I said? You bastard—"
...
The Vulnerable Ace
"Uh, are they... alright over there?"
"They should be, I guess."
"Stop worrying about them. We don't have the luxury to spare thoughts for the enemy right now. We need to focus on how we are going to survive the next few rotations."
The argument on the opposing side briefly captivated Senkoku's attention, but Oda Miki quickly pulled their focus back to the grim reality.
The upcoming rotations would be brutal.
If Senkoku secured one more point and retained the serve, the team would rotate positions again. The central problem was that this next rotation would move Akashi Asuka to the back row.
As the dual primary force for Senkoku's offense and block, Akashi Asuka carried an immense burden.
Putting offense aside, the moment he moved to the back, the front court would only be guarded by Omae Masato and Kazama Jujiro, whose blocking ability was essentially useless against the speed and precision of Kitagawa First's quick attacks.
Furthermore, there was another critical vulnerability.
When Akashi Asuka rotated to the back, Senkoku's overall reception and defensive quality would also plummet.
Currently, outside of his exceptional spiking and blocking, Akashi Asuka's remaining basic skills were technically below a passing grade, according to the system's metrics.
The Senkoku volleyball club also lacked suitable substitutes, making a defensive change impossible.
Beep!
The referee's whistle signaled the start of the ninth point.
Kitagawa First served. Senkoku's Libero fielded the ball, and Mishita Ryuhei set it to Kazama Jujiro for a spike, which was unfortunately blocked.
Score: 4-5.
Tenth point.
Kitagawa First served again. Senkoku organized an attack, culminating in Akashi Asuka faking the block and scoring with a powerful kill.
Score: 5-5.
Senkoku regained the serve and initiated the positional rotation. Akashi Asuka moved to the back row, taking the far-right Position One (the service zone).
This meant Akashi Asuka would now serve.
Akashi Asuka's serving ability was adequately represented by the data panel's score of 51.7.
Power, speed, accuracy, spin... the technique was critically deficient across the board. The only consistent success he could manage was getting the ball into the opponent's court.
Bang!
Kitagawa First easily received the serve and quickly organized an offense. Their outside hitter targeted Akashi Asuka's defensive zone and scored a clean kill.
Score: 5-6.
Twelfth point.
Kitagawa First continued to target Akashi Asuka's defensive area and scored again.
Score: 5-7.
Thirteenth point.
Kitagawa First still targeted Akashi Asuka, but this time he managed a lucky touch that kept the ball alive, though it flew straight over the net. After the second round of offense, Kitagawa First scored another kill.
Score: 5-8.
Fourteenth point.
Kitagawa First served long, committing a fault. Senkoku earned a free point, and Akashi Asuka rotated counter-clockwise from Position One to the back row center, Position Six.
Subsequently, the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth points unfolded in a flurry of back-and-forth exchanges, but overall, Senkoku remained definitively behind.
Twenty-three minutes into the second set.
The score reached 19-24.
It was match point for Kitagawa First.
The situation was dire, yet, with the cruelest timing, it was the opposing setter, Kageyama Tobio, who was now serving.
To compound the misfortune, Akashi Asuka was precisely rotated into the backcourt.
Despite Akashi Asuka's extensive competitive experience from his previous life, at this moment, he felt a crushing, insurmountable pressure descending from every direction.
There was no doubt.
As Akashi Asuka stood in the back row, his eyes met Kageyama Tobio's over the net, and he knew instantly.
This serve would, without fail, be directed squarely at him.
With a sheer precipice behind him, Akashi Asuka had no retreat.
One point would decide the set—a battle of life or death.
...
"Hoo~~"
Exhaling softly, Kageyama Tobio stood behind the end line, gently tossed the ball high into the air, and began his approach, jump, power accumulation, and arm swing...
THWACK!
With a heavy, dull crash, the volleyball flew forcefully over the net, rocketing directly toward Akashi Asuka's position.
In Senkoku's backcourt, Akashi Asuka's entire focus had been locked onto the ball since Kageyama's run-up began. The instant the ball shot out, Akashi suddenly felt time slow down around him.
He saw the clear trajectory of the ball arcing through the air, and the distinct pattern of its seams.
Guided by the trajectory, Akashi Asuka shifted his footing, preparing meticulously for the reception.
Then, as if reaching out to grasp a miracle, the ball contacted his forearms... and violently ricocheted away.
Thump... thump... thump... thump...
The volleyball bounced several times on the floor until, mirroring the expressions of the Senkoku players, it finally stopped rolling, resting motionlessly against the corner wall.
"BEEEEEP~~~~"