Set and Match
"WAAOOO~~"
Omae Masato was incredibly excited, shouting to the heavens, completely overcome with fervor.
The referee then gave him a warning look.
Why is it always you, kid? Do you have to scream every time you win a point? Why can't you be a little more composed after scoring, like your Ace?
17:12.
In volleyball, where offense and defense constantly alternate, when the score difference extends to five points or more, the outcome of that set can usually be considered decided.
It wasn't that a comeback was impossible.
But Akashi was determined not to grant Kōsen Academy that chance.
Twenty-four minutes into the second set, Senkoku secured the second set with a score of 25:21.
After winning two sets consecutively, Senkoku's morale soared, while Kōsen Academy had fallen into complete silence.
Even their coach seemed unsure how to console the team this time.
In the subsequent third set, Kōsen Academy experienced a small burst of momentum. Due to Akashi being uncharacteristically off-form in that rotation, he faulted all four of his serves, essentially handing Kōsen four free points, allowing them to take back one set.
The overall score became 2:1.
This round of errors from Akashi made the Kōsen coach's eyes light up, sensing a glimmer of hope for a reversal.
But in the very next set, that glimmer of hope was extinguished.
At the start of the fourth set, Akashi scored two consecutive points with his serve.
Subsequently, he displayed astonishing physical stamina. Even as both teams' players were nearing exhaustion after playing three sets, Akashi maintained incredible jumping height and spiking power. On multiple occasions, he faced a triple block and pierced through Kōsen Academy's defense with powerful spikes, scoring several more consecutive points.
With that, the Qualifiers Final was officially concluded.
The final score was 3:1.
For the first time since its founding, the Senkoku Middle School Volleyball Club had qualified for the National Tournament.
Celebration and Attention
The moment the match result was announced, all the Senkoku volleyball club players, the coach, the teachers in the stands, the music club members, the cheering students, and the parents watching the match—everyone—erupted in ecstatic cheers.
In particular, the volleyball club players, both on and off the court, rushed toward Akashi like maniacs, surrounding him, then hoisting him high and tossing him into the air.
"Champions! We are the champions!"
"Banzai! Banzai! Banzai!"
"We're going to the National Tournament!"
...
Confetti cannons, celebrations, the awards ceremony, interviews... For the first time in their lives, the members of Senkoku Middle School enjoyed the treatment of champions.
Especially Akashi. As the Ace who had almost single-handedly carried the Senkoku team to Nationals, he was sought after by many reporters.
Of course, these reporters were primarily from local Miyagi Prefecture sports publications, but this was still a significant achievement.
After the match, Akashi enjoyed a rare, relaxed weekend at home.
In truth, the pressure in today's match against Kōsen Academy was not as great as the pressure he faced against Kitagawa Daiichi Middle School. In terms of raw skill, the strongest middle school volleyball club in Miyagi Prefecture this year, apart from Senkoku, was Kitagawa Daiichi.
The prerequisite, of course, being that Kageyama Tobio could play normally.
School Life Changes
Returning to school on Monday, a large banner was already hanging in the most central part of the school building:
[Congratulations to our Volleyball Club members for their great achievement in this year's National Tournament Qualifiers!!!]
The principal of Senkoku Middle School was likely even more thrilled than the volleyball club members.
In Japan, the results of club activities are a significant factor influencing a school's enrollment rate and the quality of its incoming students. Many academically gifted students consider club activities as the second most important factor when choosing a high school.
And a school's enrollment rate and quality directly affect the financial allocation it receives from the school board.
One can imagine the sheer delight this was for the Senkoku Middle School principal—the previously lukewarm volleyball club suddenly soaring in performance, winning the Miyagi Prefectural championship, and breaking into the National Tournament.
The main players of the volleyball club instantly became the school's 'It' individuals.
This was genuinely being 'It.'
Due to the nature of the Japanese education system, a typical middle school grade usually has only two to three hundred students, with classes of about thirty.
Under these circumstances, if anything 'major' happens in any class, it can spread throughout the entire grade within a day.
With the historical first record set by the volleyball club, the news spread throughout the entire school in half a day.
Starting from their return to school on Monday, for a long time afterward, Omae Masato was constantly surrounded by a group of boys listening to him boast.
Akashi, however, experienced the opposite.
He was constantly surrounded by a group of young girls during this time.
These girls were incredibly annoying.
They didn't come to ask him about volleyball or to hear him boast. Instead, they would constantly ask strange, random questions.
For example, asking Akashi if he had a girlfriend.
Asking what kind of girl Akashi liked.
Asking which high school Akashi planned to attend.
...
These questions made Akashi incredibly frustrated during this period.
Ask, ask, ask.
What good is just asking?
If you genuinely have feelings, then take some action!
Naturally, the above was just a joke.
In reality, while this was true during the day in class, as soon as school was dismissed, students usually couldn't find Akashi and Omae Masato.
This was because the entire volleyball club was undergoing closed training to prepare for the upcoming National Tournament.
During this closed training, the enthusiasm of all the volleyball club members was sky-high.
This was not only because it was the first time in Senkoku volleyball club history that they were going to Nationals, but also because it was the last chance for the third-year members to participate in the National Tournament.
This intense atmosphere meant Akashi couldn't even manage to 'over-train' the rest of the team. Although his practice volume still vastly exceeded that of his teammates, he couldn't manage to double it anymore. This resulted in him not receiving the [Over-Achiever Value] feedback for several days.
Shimokawa Sando, however, had been beaming constantly during this time.
Clearly, the school's reward for the volleyball club breaking into the National Tournament would be substantial.
The music club on the other side of the school was also diligently practicing during this time. Although it was only for support, the volleyball club was attending the National Tournament. If their performance embarrassed the school, they would be ridiculed nationwide...
Every member of Senkoku was working hard in their own way for this National Tournament.
Time passed quickly.
Two weeks flew by.
The National Tournament was about to begin.
All the volleyball club members were fully geared up and heading toward Tokyo...