Iwaizumi Hajime and Yahaba Shigeru's feeling was correct: Akashi had indeed 'evolved.'
Entering the state of [Still Water, Clear Mirror] only allows Akashi to exert 100\%, or even 120\%, of his ability, but this super-normal exertion also has limits.
This 'super-normal exertion' mainly enhances Akashi's technique.
For instance, in this state, Akashi's serve success rate increases significantly, and the feel of every strike is correspondingly enhanced.
But some things are hard to change, no matter how much 'super-normal exertion' occurs.
For example: serving power.
Serving power is mainly reflected by Akashi's Power attribute, which is raised through daily training. Even if Akashi's condition is excellent during a match, this most fundamental physical attribute cannot suddenly increase.
Therefore, the reason he can now deliver a serve significantly more powerful than a few weeks ago is fundamentally because Akashi's Power attribute itself has increased.
Since joining Seijoh, even though the difficulty of 'inward competition' is high, the rate of improvement is still faster than when Akashi was 'inwardly competing' with himself at home every day after the middle school volleyball club disbanded.
Thus, after a month of training, Akashi's various attributes have seen considerable improvement. The two Advanced Techniques, [Cross-Court Spike] and [Straight Spike], even achieved the milestone breakthrough of 80 points after extra training yesterday.
However, since the match only just started today, Akashi hasn't had the chance to showcase his 'evolved' spiking yet.
Among the attributes above 80 points, the fastest improving one is undoubtedly the [Power] attribute.
Because this has always been Akashi's natural strength, even after breaking the limit of his innate talent, this attribute can still maintain a certain advantage.
It is precisely because of this that Akashi was able to increase his serving power by another notch in such a short time.
A 5:0 opening score was a situation no one could have predicted before the match.
Even Irihata Nobuteru felt that Akashi was being utterly ridiculous right now.
Good grief.
Five consecutive service aces.
It's only an internal practice match, is there a need to perform this well? Why didn't you dare to clash with Shiratorizawa like this before?
What gives?
Are you seriously an internal conflict expert?
The number one for 'inward competition' on the team?
...
CRACK!
Just then, Akashi launched the sixth serve.
Perhaps even fate couldn't bear to watch Akashi 'bully' his seniors like this. The sixth serve barely grazed the net, dissipating a portion of its force.
Then, Yahaba Shigeru and Iwaizumi Hajime finally received the first ball since the match started.
In a 2{v}2 match, there isn't much tactical strategy.
Both offense and defense primarily focus on just two aspects:
Stability and Speed.
Iwaizumi Hajime received the ball, passed the first pass to Yahaba Shigeru for adjustment, and then Yahaba Shigeru quickly set the ball back to Iwaizumi Hajime...
Mishita Ryuhei, who was almost yawning in the front-court corner, immediately snapped to attention upon seeing them receive the serve.
"Action!"
Mishita Ryuhei quickly moved, intending to set up a block in front of Iwaizumi Hajime.
However, perhaps because Mishita Ryuhei was hiding too far away earlier to avoid getting hit in the head by Akashi's serve, before he could reach Iwaizumi Hajime, Iwaizumi Hajime had already spiked the volleyball down.
5:1.
Three minutes after the start, Iwaizumi's team finally scored their first point.
Mishita Ryuhei was silent for a moment, then turned to Akashi, a bit embarrassed: "Um... sorry."
"It's fine," Akashi said plainly, not showing much emotional fluctuation.
He had not yet exited the state of [Still Water, Clear Mirror]. This state seemed to gradually increase in duration the more Akashi entered it...
The serving right finally returned to Iwaizumi's team. But unfortunately, neither Mishita Ryuhei nor Yahaba Shigeru had a powerful serve, so the serving right returning to them wasn't necessarily a good thing.
The volleyball flew over the net and was received by Akashi.
Then, Mishita Ryuhei's second pass set the ball high above Akashi. Akashi suddenly stepped forward and leaped, while Iwaizumi Hajime and Yahaba Shigeru on the opposite side jumped simultaneously, preparing to set up a block.
Then, the next moment.
The Seijoh players watching outside the court witnessed a "World Famous Painting."
Three figures jumped simultaneously across the net, yet one person's hand was raised a full half-arm's length higher than the other two.
Even though Iwaizumi Hajime and Yahaba Shigeru strained their hands upwards, clenching their jaws until the veins on their foreheads almost burst, they ultimately watched, helpless, as Akashi slammed the volleyball down over their fingertips.
Overhand Spike!
And it was an 'Overhand Spike' attack performed directly in front of the two of them.
When this ball landed, Iwaizumi Hajime and Yahaba Shigeru felt like they had just been hit by a Q from a Garen with Silence.
Extremely damaging, and even more humiliating.
6:1.
As the referee announced the score, this time, even the surrounding watching players opened their mouths, momentarily unsure what to say.
If this were simply about winning or losing the match, they could at least argue a few points.
But facing this situation, let alone them, even professional volleyball players would likely be speechless.
Although the match was not over yet, the scene just now, in reality, demonstrated a gap far, far, far, far... larger than a simple loss.
The air seemed to quiet down for a few seconds.
A moment later, Iwaizumi Hajime slowly said: "Yahaba, get ready to defend."
Clearly, even after this, Iwaizumi Hajime had no intention of giving up the match.
To be honest, Akashi truly admired Iwaizumi Hajime, because without the system, Akashi questioned whether he could maintain such a good mindset if he encountered this situation.
But precisely because of this, Akashi felt even more compelled to go all out and utterly defeat him.
The "Ace" represents not just the main spiker but the core of a team's offense. If Akashi could not demonstrate absolute power at this moment to solidify his position as the "Ace," then even if he claimed the position, it would be difficult to truly hold onto it.