The volleyball was first saved by Nishinoya Yuu with an incredibly difficult block dig. But it was then intercepted by Ichinose Guren's sharp anticipation and lightning-fast spike, a strike even the most talented players couldn't reach.
Yet, that spike was still dived for by the upperclassman cornerstone, Daichi Sawamura. The quality wasn't perfect, but it was enough to keep the ball in play.
Determined to score, Takashi Sugawara ignored the risk of injury and sent out a high, long set, the kind Asahi Azumane excelled at.
The price? Sugawara slammed into the wall hard.
As for Asahi, fully committed to this spike, he poured every ounce of his strength into it. Without hesitation, without worrying about going out of bounds or being blocked again, he threw his entire body into a violent spike.
BOOM!
He shattered the two brothers' block, even driving Ichinose Guren's fighting spirit into a frenzied surge, overwhelming everyone around him for a moment.
But the ball didn't land as anyone had expected.
Because someone was there.
Hinata Shoyo, tracking the play.
He had perfectly read the direction of the former ace's strike.
In this face-off against an ace, Hinata had gained a temporary victory.
With no time to use his hands, he chose to absorb the massive, powerful spike with his chest.
Even using the thickest part of his body, the Little Giant was knocked to the ground by Asahi's strike.
The volleyball bounced far, teetering just at the edge of the court.
Just as Tadashi Yamaguchi spun around, rushing to save it, a taller, faster figure whizzed past him.
It was Kageyama Tobio.
Seeing what his senior setter had done, there was no way he could stand idle and let the ball hit the ground, or allow someone else to set it.
Faced with such a chaotic set from the opponent, if he didn't respond, he simply wouldn't be Kageyama Tobio.
The instant the ball rebounded off Hinata's chest, he was already moving.
And now, he faced the same problem as Sugawara:
The volleyball was about to smash into the wall.
No one doubted Kageyama's love for volleyball or his determination. Doing the same desperate maneuver as Sugawara? Totally normal.
But a genius doesn't act like a mere mortal.
Kageyama's body was as athletic as a tiny sports monster, Hinata Shoyo himself.
He perfectly calculated his speed and physical capability, enough to execute the maneuver in his mind. Whether he could deliver the set he wanted remained to be seen.
"Heh."
Let's see.
Running, Kageyama smiled faintly.
Volleyball was the only thing that truly brought him joy.
Relying on speed far beyond Sugawara's, he reached the wall ahead of time.
But facing the wall hurtling toward his face, he, like Sugawara, had no intention of slowing down.
He charged forward at full strength, even increasing his speed slightly.
THUD!
Kageyama planted his left foot firmly on the ground.
His ankle absorbed the momentum from his high-speed run and converted it into a jump.
He leapt toward the wall.
His right foot followed the left, pressing against the wall inches away.
His body soared to an absurd height.
Facing a set higher than Sugawara's, Kageyama executed an entirely different technique.
More than four meters in the air, he used his unmatched wrist control to make a subtle reverse flick, sending a miraculous set toward his teammate.
And waiting for that set, of course, was Hinata Shoyo, already leaping high when Kageyama pressed against the wall.
This level of trust is insane.
Ichinose Guren couldn't help but mutter in disbelief.
Kageyama did not betray Hinata's trust. The ball landed perfectly in Hinata's hands, avoiding Takinoue Yusuke's attempt to block, and slammed onto the upperclassmen team's court.
A successful point.
Ending a back-and-forth battle filled with unbelievable plays.
The score: 13–18.
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria