That blistering quick attack seemed to signal the start of Aoba Johsai's full-scale offensive.
Oikawa Tōru's sets became even sharper and faster, elevating the team's attag rhythm along with them.
"So their offence was just getting started, huh?" Kuroo Tetsurō wiped at the ent sweat on his forehead.
"If this were a game, I'd say the debuff on their court has worn off," Kozume Kenma muttered under his breath. "I was hoping we could take the first set somehow."
Under Oikarecise orchestration, Aoba Johsai's offense crashed down like relentless waves.
Nekoma's pyers were gradually being forced into a deferuggle, barely able to catch their breath.
No matter how strong their receive skills were, they couldn't anize an effective terattack against such a relentless onsught. Every successful reception only momentarily eased the pressure before the wave of attacks surged forward.
This tinuous barrage not only tested Nekoma's defensive capabilities but also put an immense psychological strain on them.
Every point Aoba Johsai scored was like a heavy blow hammering at their morale.
Still, the Nekoma pyers endured, waiting for their 'brain' to find an opening. But under Aoba Johsai's airtight coordination, this roving to be exceptionally difficult…
Boom!!
Kaedehara Taichi's powerful sharp-angled shot smmed toward the court.
"Out!" The referee's voice was calm and decisive.
"Hoo—" Nobuyuki Kai exhaled in relief. The ball had flht past him, and he hadn't even had time to react.
Kaedehara Taichi g his own palm. Looks like he had been too focused on avoiding Nekoma's receivers.
[Aoba Johsai 22 – 20 Nekoma]
Thanks to Taichi's attack error, Nekoma finally mao push their score past twenty.
"Beep! Nekoma requested timeout."
Both teams gathered at their respective beaking the ce to rehydrate and catch their breath.
"Are the preparations done?" Coaekomata squi Kenma, his voice ge expet.
"More or less," Kenma muttered, though a faint sense of uill lingered in his chest.
-----
The match resumed.
Kenma's serve targeted the seam between Watari Shinji and Oikawa Tōru.
"I got it!" Watari stepped forward to receive, while Oikarioward the without hesitation.
For a team as seasoned as Aoba Johsai, this type of serve wasn't enough to disrupt their formation.
Pop!
A perfect first touch—Oikawa immediately set the ball high to the right side.
Kyōtaarō took a diagonal approad unched into the air.
Even before Kyōtani's jump, Nekoma had already started moving.
A three-man block sealed off his attagles, while defenders covered both the sharp cross and straight shots, with an additional pyer stationed in the middle to guard against tips.
"Here it is—Nekoma's all-out defe!" The entator, Aoi, called out excitedly.
Bang!
Kyōta for a sharp cross-court spike.
Smack!
Fukunaga Shōhei dug the ball ly, sending a perfect pass to the setter!
Kenma quickly set the ball to the right side.
Boom!
Yamamoto Taketora delivered a powerful spike!
Iwaizumi Hajime stepped in to receive, and Oikaositioned himself to set the ball to the left wing.
Kaedehara Taichi sprihen took off for a powerful attack.
"Nekoma is already repositioning again!" Aoi stood up iement.
"They've sealed the attack routes with a double block, while the other four pyers are perfectly statioo cover the defence."
"This kind of precise deferucture is only possible because every single Nekoma pyer excels at receiving!"
"Their strategy is simple yet difficult—receive the oppo's attacks, then terattack from a perfectly stable position. They repeat this process over and over, like a cat toying with its prey…"
Smack!
Taichi's spike deflected off Lev Haiba's hands, boung bato Aoba Johsai's court.
"As expected, even Aoba Johsai's ace struggles to break through Nekoma's ironcd defence. He had no choice but to avoid the direct frontation!"
"ce ball!" Watari called out as he easily received the rebound.
"Avoiding frontation?" Oikawa's voice rang out as he decisively set the ball high to the left side once more. "Right now, there's no way our 'little monster' will hold back."
Thud!
Kaedehara Taichi approached from the back row, gathering momentum for another devastating spike.
"Oh? Taichi is going for atempt?" The entator sounded intrigued. "But Nekoma has already adjusted their formation! With such airtight defence, even he—"
BOOM!!
A resounding crash interrupted Aoi's entary.
Kaedehara Taichi's spike tore through Lev Haiba's blod smmed fiercely onto Nekoma's court.
[Aoba Johsai 23 – 20 Nekoma]
As Lev nded, he stumbled back two steps, uo steady himself.
"Imperable, huh?" Kaedehara Taichi g Lev. "Looks like pretty fragile to me."
"You—!"
"Lev!" Yamamoto Taketora called out. "Keep your hands firm when blog!"
"Got it." Lev relutly nodded.
The serve rotated—Kyōtaarō stepped up for a powerful jump serve.
Wham!
Yaku Morisuke received it.
Kenma Kozume stepped in ahe ball to Lev Haiba.
Bang!
Smack!
"Touch!"
"Damn it!" Lev saw the faint smirk on Kaedehara Taichi's lips—it was taunting.
Kyōtani recovered the ball.
"Set it to me!" Kaedehara Taichi called out.
"How ruthless~" Oikawa Tōru chuckled as he sent the ball s to the left wing.
Kaedehara Taichi took off once again.
"Triple block!"
Lev, Yamamoto, and Nobuyuki leapt together, f a solid wall.
This time, Lev focused intensely, his arms rigid and eyes locked on Taichi.
Then—he caught it.
Taichi's gaze flicked left for just an instant.
Not happening! Lev gritted his teeth and forcibly angled his hands left, shutting dowraight shot. His hand pt was slightly off, but at the very least—this time, he'd make tact!
BOOM!
Kaedehara Taichi's spike cut through the narro above Lev's head with a thunderous sound, nding right on Nekoma's baseline.
[Aoba Johsai 24 – 20 Nekoma]
"What exactly were you doing?" Kaedehara Taichi asked nontly, looking at Lev.
"I—!"
"Lev!" Yaku's voice rang out sharply. "What are you doing? Keep your hands steady when blog! There are defenders behind you for the straight shot!"
Kaedehara Taichi lowered his head slightly.
If Nekoma wathen their offehey had to endure growing pains like these.
Lev Haiba's blog was still far too weak…
If this were just a regional qualifier, Taichi might have let it slide—after all, Lev was a first-year with time to grow.
But this was Nationals.
A stage tless talented pyers had fought for three years to realy to never set foot on it.
If you're not strong enough, then at least learn to respect those who are.
Kenma finally uood the source of his unease.
Nekoma had tried to tain Taichi with their receive-focused strategy—but Taichi wasn't pying along.
He was simply bypassing their defehrough sheer force.
Lev was being targeted.
His receiving wasn't strong, so Nekoma positioned him as a blocker to pensate for that weakness.
It had worked against Kyōtani.
But Taichi didn't py by the rules.
Kyōtani served again.
Yaku delivered a perfect first touch.
Kenma set the ball to the tre. Yamamoto unched a powerful spike.
Boom!
Smack!
Watari Shinji received it ly.
Oikawa stepped in ahe ball back to the tre.
Kaedehara Taichi sprinted a into the air.
Midair, his sharp gaze swept across Nekoma's entire formation.
Step by step, analyzing their attack, waiting for the right moment to ter…
It was just like the old Aoba Johsai—except missing that one decisive finisher.
"That's what I am."
"Triple block!"
Nekoma's front rot again, their eyes resolute. This time, Lev wouldn't waver!
BANG!
Kaedehara Taichi's right arm sshed down.
The ball curved swiftly through the air, flying past Yamamoto's outstretched fingers—
—a cross-court super spike!
[Aoba Johsai 25 – 20 Nekoma]
"Aoba Johsai's ace secures the final three points of the first set all on his own!"
"Beep—!"
The first set ends.
Winner: Aoba Johsai.
_________
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