"LET's GO!! LET's GO!! Inarizaki!!"

  "LET's GO!! LET's GO!! Inarizaki!!"

  Just by standing at the service line, Miya Atsumu filled the Inarizaki cheering squad with unshakable fidence.

  They actually mao push the game to a eback situation…

  Atsumu slowly raised his left hand and ched his fist.

  —!!!

  The Inarizaki supporters' ts came to an abrupt halt.

  "He's ing!"

  Without any unnecessary theatrics, Atsumu tossed the ball up, took his approach, and struck.

  Bam!

  The sound of tact wasn't particurly loud, but by the time Iwaizumi Hajime tried to track the ball's trajectory, it had already dropped to his hand level.

  So fast!

  More importantly, he didn't even see how the ball got there!

  Iwaizumi reached out to receive, but the moment the ball hit his wrist, it didn't rebound upward. Instead, it plummeted straight to the floor.

  Iwaizumi Hajime: "!!!"

  The ball sumu had scored directly off his serve.

  [Aoba Johsai 23 – 23 Inarizak

  They…they caught up!!!

  From the very start of the set, Aoba Johsai had been in the lead, with the rgest gap reag five points on two occasions!

  But at some point, without anyone realizing, Inarizaki had g onto the score and finally eve out in the closing moments of the set!

  And it was still Atsumu's serve!!

  The Inarizaki supprew even more freheir cheers reag a fever pitch at this critical juncture. The surging melody of their brass band crashed over the stadium in waves, intensifying the already electrifying atmosphere.

  Atsumu was brimming with fidehe thrill of making a eback like this—holy, it was even more exhirating than steamrolling an oppo from start to finish.

  He ched his fist again, and the r stadium seemed to freeze for a moment.

  Maybe… maybe this was what he ehe most—trol.

  Atsumu tossed the ball again—his sed serve!

  Bam!

  The ball shot toward the gap between Iwaizumi Hajime and Watari Shinji.

  Judging by its trajectory, both of them had the same thought—"Out!"

  But—

  her dared to gamble on it.

  "I got it!" Iwaizumi and Watari both shouted at the same time.

  Yet in that brief moment of hesitation, as their eyes met, the ball was already behind them.

  There was still o hope—if it really was out!

  Smack!

  Half of the ball nded flush on Aoba Johsai's end line before boung out.

  "IN!" The referee signaled.

  Atsumu scored another ace!!

  [Aoba Johsai 23 – 24 Inarizak

  They took the lead…

  "YEAAAAHHH—!!" Atsumu ched both fists a out a triumphant yell.

  "ATSUMU!! ATSUMU!! That was sick!!!"

  "ATSUMU!! ATSUMU!! Keep going!!!"

  "Another service ace! Atsumu Miya is absolutely unstoppable at set point!!"

  "To be ho, I thought for sure that was going out!"

  "The Master of Serves from Inarizaki, the nation's No.1 high school setter, Miya Atsumu has single-handedly forced Aoba Johsai, who had been leading all this time, into a er with his serves!!!"

  Calm down...Calm down…You have to stay calm.

  Iwaizumi stood in the tre of the back row, sing his teammates' faces.

  He had seen it clearly—both of Atsumu's serves had an even sharper downward dip when they were about a meter off the ground. The ball ged trajectory so fast that his reas felt sluggish, his feet stuck to the floor…

  I have to get the ball up!

  As long as I receive it, Oikawa and Taichi will find a way to score!

  -----

  Atsumu stepped up to the service line again, his expression turning ice-cold.

  One more.

  Take the first set in one go!

  Bam!

  A third float serve!

  Iwaizumi saw its trajectory and immediately moved forward to meet it. Even if his hands couldn't make solid tact, he'd at least use his chest to pop the ball up!

  Smack!

  He got it!

  "Hehe, ry." Atsumu gri Inarizaki's end line.

  The ball had bounced off Iwaizumi's hands, veering toward the backcourt.

  Smack!

  "Taichi!!!"

  Kunimi Akira dove desperately, his entire body stretched out behind Iwaizumi. This ball OT be lost!

  The ball was sent high into Aoba Johsai's back row.

  Kaedehara Taichi sprinted from the front row to the back, leaping into the air in a siride—sideways, single-handed—spiking the ball over.

  Bang!

  "Wait, that actually worked?!!"

  The ball shot toward Inarizaki's backcourt at aremely tricky angle!

  Smack!

  "Osamu!" Atsumu twisted his body mid-air, managing to get a hand uhe ball. Osamu Miya followed up, jumping into position.

  They had to win this rally!

  Inarizaki initiated a full-team synized attack!

  Osamu's set was fwless—so fwless that it was impossible to tell where the ball would go. Behind him, Ojiro Aran had already taken off.

  —Whoosh!

  The ball sailed toward the middle—the spiker was Suna Rintarō!

  Boom!

  A dark shadow loomed over Suna's approach. Kaedehara Taichi had somehow made it from the back row to the , jumping up for the block.

  But this was exactly why Osamu had chosen Suna—his torso twisted mid-air, ae his spiking hand remaining unged in angle and dire, he forcefully redirected his attack.

  Thinking you stop me alone—how naive.

  Smack!

  Taichi's inally straightened arms snapped down and to the left, perfectly cutting off Suna's tack trajectory!

  The ball dropped bato Inarizaki's court, where none of the pyers, all involved iack, could rea time.

  Kaedehara Taichi scored on a block!

  [Aoba Johsai 24 – 24 Inarizak

  "...So at the end of the day, this is just another way to redirect the ball, isn't it?" Taichi looked at the stunned Suna. "pared to Sakusa-senpai's spikes, yours are way more predictable."

  A rare fsh of irritation crossed Suna's normally fox-like face. A subtle but unmistakable glint of anger flickered in his eyes.

  For the loime, he and Sakusa Kiyoomi had been stantly pared—both were sed-years, both renowned for their flexibility.

  In the beginning, their names had often beeioogether by rival schools and media alike.

  But as time passed, Sakusa's growth had far outpaced Suna's. Their skill gap became undeniable, and soon, people stopped mentioning their names in the same breath.

  Suna had never minded. It was just a fact. Everyone had different talents and developmental paths—growth was never uniform.

  But to have the gap so bluntly pointed out in his face—to be taunted about it like this—even Suna couldn't remain ued.

  This was the first time he had ever been so openly challenged.

  Of course, Taichi had no idea he'd just stomped right on Suna's sore spot.

  Or rather—if he had known, he probably would've said it even earlier.

  "Oh? You sound like you know Sakusa pretty well." Suna narrowed his eyes.

  "Eh, we were teammates for a few days, that's all." Taichi blinked ily. "Didn't Atsumu-senpai tell you?"

  Rintarō Suna's breath hitched for a moment. Now that he thought about it, that little brat really was among the most gifted pyers iire try…

  He recalled that brief instant just now—those arms stretg over the were like a maion of terror itself. Instinctively, he had altered his spike to avoid the block, relying on his usual teique.

  But his oppo's ridiculous rea speed made him feel as though he had frozen in midair…

  A block that doesn't inspire fear isn't a true block.

  In that sense, perhaps the moment he hesitated was the moment he had already lost that exge.

  Something within Suna shifted slightly. Had the gap between him and Sakusa Kiyoomi already formed the moment he hesitated against him as well?

  For the first time in a long while, an intense desire surged from the depths of his heart—a desire to pete with Sakusa Kiyoomi.

  But before that, he had to win this match first!

  Suna, whose eyes always seemed half-lidded with drowsiness, now opehem wide, fixing his gaze on Kaedehara Taichi.

  "Thanks. Let's keep going."

  Kaedehara Taichi: "???"

  Is this guy okay? He got blocked and then thanked me? The pyers at Nationals really are something else…

  (Miya Atsumu: So Rintarō's eyes actually open that wide, huh?!

  Ojiro Aran: Dumbass, this isn't the time for jokes!)

  -----

  The serve rotated, switg offend defence as Oikawa Tōru stepped onto the service line.

  "Tsk Tsk, Atsumu, you didn't appreciate the opportunity I gave you, huh? Then I'll be taking this matyself."

  "Oikawa-senpai, if you're that fident, you're in for a rough time."

  Oikaun the ball in his hand before suddenly halting, tossing it into the air—

  "OHH—HEYYYY!"

  A terrifying serve shot off from Aoba Johsai's baseline, hurtling toward Inarizaki's back row in an instant.

  Smack!

  Akagi Miari dropped to one knee, abs the impad successfully receiving the ball.

  "Save it!"

  Miya Atsumu sprinted out of bounds, mind rag—not just to keep the ball in py, but to orchestrate a fwless terattack.

  Aran was still in the back row. The stro front-row attackers avaible were Suna and Miya Osamu.

  But Suna had just been blocked…

  Who should he choose?

  Atsumu took his final step. At this moment, he was three-quarters of the court away from the , yet the thought of an erra never even crossed his mind.

  Whoosh—!

  A long-dista flew from beyond Inarizaki's baselioward the .

  "Aran!!!"

  In a team like Inarizaki, being called upon by a setter of Atsumu's calibre was the highest honour for a spiker!

  Aran charged forward, leaping from the back row.

  "Three-man block!" Iwaizumi Hajime, Kindaichi Yūtarō, and Kaedehara Taichi jumped in unison.

  Aoba Johsai's iron wall!

  Boom!!

  Smabsp;

  The ball smmed into Kindaichi's arms, failing to pierce through the block!

  "Oouch!"

  Kaedehara Taichi quickly retreated to the baaking space for an approach.

  "Give me the ball!!!"

  He raised his right hand high and shouted.

  It was a direct challeo Inarizaki's blod a bold decration to Aran, a national Top 5 top-tier ace!

  Watari Shinji received the ball, and Oikawa moved into position.

  He could se—Kaedehara Taichi's demand wasn't just for this rally. He wahe ball every siime until they secured the first set!

  Because he was Aoba Johsai's ace!

  Whoosh—!

  The ball soared toward the right-wing high above the court.

  Kaedehara Taichi started his approach from he baseline.

  Boom!

  Feeling his body surge with power, he asded like a hawk s from the forest into the sky.

  "Three-man block!!!" Ginjima Hitomi, Suna Rintarō, and Miya Osamu leapt together.

  Yet Taichi's ast was still inplete. A heartbeat ter, the block disappeared from his vision, leaving him with an open view of the court.

  "Bring it on!!!"

  From Inarizaki's back row, Akagi Miari, Miya Atsumu, and Ojiro Aran locked onto the airborne figure.

  With unshaken posure, Taichi swung his arm from behind, his wrist slightly flexing upon tact.

  BANG!

  The ball whizzed past the three blockers, carving a sharp trajectory through the air like a bullet, striking Inarizaki's baselih a crisp thud.

  Smack!

  The ball was in!

  Ign both blod defence, Kaedehara Taichi scored!

  [Aoba Johsai 25 – 24 Inarizak

  "That was terrifying…It felt like Inarizaki cwed their way baly for everything to colpse in a single point."

  "Aoba Johsai's #10 doesn't even seem like he's going all out."

  "It's just one point, but losing it feels suffog for Inarizaki. If this happens again, they won't be able to stop him."

  "Don't hesitate! Get back out there and take the point back!!!" Atsumu roared.

  "Defend with everything you've got!!!"

  Oikawa stepped up to the service line again. Aoba Johsai was a team meant to stay on this court until the very end.

  There was no way they'd fall here.

  Boom!!

  Oikawa sent another serve flying.

  "Urgh!" Atsumu received it. "Cover!!!"

  Miya Osamu retreated to assist.

  "Aran!!!"

  Aran unched into another back-row attack. Failing to score in his previous attempt was his greatest shame as an ace!

  "Three-man block!"

  Aoba Johsai's iron wall remaieadfast!

  Boom!

  Aran twisted his wrist, spiking a sharp cut shot!

  The ball barely slipped through the narro in front of Iwaizumi.

  Smack!

  "Kunimi Akira receives it! But the ball deflects to the left and flies out of bounds!"

  "Oikawa rushes in!"

  "He doesn't opt for an easy set—he sends a long cross-court pass to the far right!"

  "He's feeding it to the ace—Kaedehara Taichi!!!"

  Once again, Taichi charged along the right sideline, leaping high.

  "Three-man block!"

  This time, Inarizaki's blockers jumped with all their might, pletely cutting off his view of the court.

  "Sometimes, knowing too many teiques be a hassle."

  —!!!?

  Oher side of the , Suna Rintarō felt a sudden chill—he was being targeted!

  His gaze met Taichi's, and it felt like a sharpened bde was about to pierce through him. Instinctively, he tensed his arms, l them slightly.

  Taichi swung his arm down, and at the moment of tact, every muscle in his arm tensed explosively.

  BOOM!!!

  Unlike before, this spike carried raw, uing power.

  Suna barely had time to react before the ball smmed into his arms, instantly blowing them apart.

  The ball plummeted straight to the floor.

  Atsumu, Akagi, and Aran dove simultaneously—

  THUD!

  The ball struck the ground before they could reach it.

  Kaedehara Taichi, standing tall, looked down at the fallen trio.

  "You 't stop me."

  Kaedehara Taichi scores!

  [Aoba Johsai 26 – 24 Inarizak

  "Tweet—!"

  First set over.

  Winners: Aoba Johsai.

  _________

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