Breathing stopped at this moment.
The volleyball hit the far wall and bounced back, the booming sound echoing continuously in the stadium. All the Kitagawa Daiichi players stood rigidly in place, feeling as if their entire bodies were frozen.
What kind of powerful serve was that?
The Kitagawa Daiichi player the ball had just whizzed past broke out in a cold sweat. Never mind not reacting in time; even if he had, he wasn't sure he would have dared to receive it!
"BEEP!!!"
The Kitagawa Daiichi coach suddenly stood up, calling an emergency timeout.
The score was 4:5.
Although Senkoku was only one point away from tying the score, the critical issue to be addressed right now was clearly not the score.
The Kitagawa players left the court, drank some water, and the atmosphere within the team was strangely silent.
"To be honest, this was a misjudgment on my part."
The Kitagawa Daiichi coach began, "Only after seeing him with my own eyes do I realize that Senkoku's Ace, 'Akashi,' is far more terrifying than I previously estimated. Especially his jump serve—although it lacks complex technique, its power and speed are completely beyond the middle school level."
The Kitagawa Daiichi coach first admitted his mistake, then changed tack: "But we don't need to be overly afraid. Even if his serve can score directly, it's impossible for him to successfully serve every time. On this point, I think Kageyama will be more convincing than me."
With that, the Kitagawa Daiichi coach gave Kageyama Tobio a meaningful look.
Kageyama Tobio might have personality issues, but when it came to the match, his mind was quite sharp. He nodded and said, "That's right. Although I don't know his serve success rate, even professional players can't achieve a 100\% success rate for a direct-scoring serve like that."
"Based on my own 30\% jump serve success rate in official matches, the opposing Ace's success rate, even if it's high, is unlikely to exceed 50\%."
This wasn't mere comforting talk; it was the reality.
Kageyama Tobio's high-speed jump serve was something he began learning slowly in his first year of middle school after watching the third-year senior, Oikawa Tooru, play. Limited by physical development and other technical training, he only first attempted to use it in official matches in his third year.
However, the success rate had always been low.
Unless the match was stuck in a disadvantage or a difficult situation requiring a risky gamble, Kageyama Tobio mostly used a standard serve.
Akashi's situation was similar, roughly matching Kageyama Tobio's estimate.
Exceptional physical ability gave Akashi's serve astonishing power and speed, but the technical skill and success rate in other areas were actually quite low.
In one set, Akashi gets at least three to four opportunities to serve when rotating to Position 1.
But the number of successful serves per set is usually only one or two.
The rest either hit the net and result in a loss of point, or they are barely executed as a standard hit.
This is why, whenever it's Akashi's turn to serve, his Senkoku teammates instinctively clutch the back of their heads and deliberately leave the center of the court clear—these are all lessons learned through the painful experience of being hit!
Hearing Kageyama Tobio's words, the atmosphere in Kitagawa Daiichi slightly eased.
Similar to Kindaichi, the attitude of the other Kitagawa Daiichi players toward Kageyama Tobio was generally that they disliked his personality, but deep down, they respected his skill and ability.
So, in this regard, Kageyama Tobio's reassurance was indeed more effective than the coach's.
The timeout quickly ended.
The match resumed.
The serve was still in Senkoku's hands. However, perhaps the timeout had cooled Akashi's hot streak. On the first serve after returning from the break, Akashi did not feel the 'softness' of the ball he had experienced before.
But the power of the serve was still incredible. The ball crossed the net and flew directly toward Kageyama Tobio's position. Kageyama Tobio reached out to receive it, but the moment he touched the volleyball, an immense force disrupted his receiving form. His arms twisted, and the volleyball flew directly out of bounds.
Senkoku scored continuously, 5:5.
"Damn it! Can even a mistake have that much power?!"
Kageyama Tobio looked frustrated. The moment Akashi served, he had judged that the opponent's motion was flawed, but he never expected that even a flawed serve could carry such tremendous force.
Across the net, after celebrating with his teammates, Akashi took the ball and returned to the end line.
Before this serve, Akashi clenched his fingers, a slight frown on his brow: "Did the timeout cool down my touch?"
'State' is crucial for any athlete. Just like playing basketball in his past life, when in a good 'State,' the small hoop felt as wide as the ocean—every shot went in.
When in a bad 'State,' the shots were so terrible they would make a professional ironworker weep.
Mishita Ryuhei, the front-row blocker, noticed Akashi's slight gesture and his face instantly changed. He tugged at Ota Miki's jersey sleeve to signal him, then decisively covered the back of his head and pulled away to the side.
Ota Miki and the other substitute player who replaced the Libero quickly reacted in the same way.
Before long, a large area in the center of the Senkoku front court was completely empty.
"BAM!"
A loud crash exploded in the air above the court as Akashi sent out the third ball.
The instant his palm struck the ball, Akashi's eyes lit up. The touch felt good; that 'softness' sensation was back.
In the next moment, the volleyball flew out howling, then... grazed Mishita Ryuhei's ear and hit the net directly.
"(Д)ノ AAGH!!!"
A cool gust of wind ruffled Mishita Ryuhei's hair, instantly setting his nerves on edge and nearly making him jump up.
Akashi: "Uh... sorry, Mishita."
"It's fine. Just aim for a good serve next time."
Mishita Ryuhei swallowed, forcing a strained smile as he turned back.
The two blockers beside him also looked slightly pale, but even so, they managed to squeeze out "difficult" and 'humble' smiles, offering reassurance:
"Yes, yes, yes... don't worry about it, just try again next time."
"That was a great serve."
"Try to score ten points in a row next time."
...
For the victory of the team, mere 'risk of bodily harm' meant nothing.
This was now the most famous secret weapon within the Senkoku team: 'Akashi's Serve.'
A serve that could simultaneously intimidate the opponent and his teammates—a truly essential skill for an 'Ace.'