Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

"That was amazing!"

Kageyama Tobio couldn't help but be impressed.

Kaedehara Taichi's blocking wasn't something that could be so easily bypassed—Kageyama had experienced this firsthand during the match between Karasuno and Aoba Johsai.

Later, he had watched from the stands as Taichi successfully blocked Ushijima Wakatoshi's spike.

And yet, Sakusa Kiyoomi had scored almost effortlessly.

His jump height was excellent, but compared to the players at this intense training camp, it wasn't anything extraordinary.

His approach speed wasn't particularly fast either—but there was an undeniable fluidity to his movements.

As for his spiking power, the sound of the ball hitting Taichi's arm made it clear—it wasn't that strong.

In fact, it was even weaker than that of most outside hitters.

Yet, despite all these factors, Sakusa had easily scored against Kaedehara Taichi's block.

Not only had Taichi failed to stop the attack—he hadn't even managed to touch the ball.

Kageyama's eyes sparkled with curiosity.

He wanted to understand.

He wanted to see it up close.

When it came to volleyball, nothing excited Kageyama more than the unknown.

"Sakusa-senpai, what exactly did you do on that last play?"

He had completely forgotten about their previous tension and asked with genuine sincerity.

Sakusa: "…"

This guy…

Komori Motoya couldn't help but find it amusing. So Kageyama Tobio was the type to only care about volleyball, huh?

"Sakusa, don't tell me your pride is smaller than a first-year's? He's asking you a question, you know," Komori teased.

"Tch…" Sakusa clicked his tongue, clearly irritated. "Your set was precise, but the tempo could have been slightly slower."

"I understand," Kageyama responded calmly.

"Hah?" Sakusa frowned. What exactly do you understand? I haven't even explained it yet!

He hated when people pretended to know something they didn't.

"You're the type of player who doesn't rely on speed to avoid the block. Instead, you prefer controlling the rhythm to directly challenge the blockers," Kageyama stated bluntly.

Sakusa: "…"

Annoying.

For some reason, this guy was seriously irritating.

"Kageyama, that's exactly what Sakusa needs! Good job!" Komori grinned.

"Got it. I'll keep that in mind," Kageyama nodded. "Thank you, Komori-senpai."

"Mhm~" Komori was thoroughly entertained. Watching Sakusa's reactions was priceless.

-----

The serve rotated to Team B. Their middle blocker, Matsumoto Dai, stepped up to serve.

Boom!

A powerful jump serve rocketed toward the backcourt.

Libero Hirao Jin barely managed to receive it.

Miya Atsumu chased after the ball, sprinting out of bounds. Just as it dropped to a playable height, he jumped and sent a high set toward the right side.

Chigaya Eikichi ran up for the spike.

"Double block!"

Mochida Riena and Nakamoto Shigeru leapt up in unison.

Boom!

Chigaya drove the ball down at a sharp cross-court angle.

Komori took a single step, positioning himself perfectly.

Smack!

The ball struck his forearms—but ricocheted out of bounds.

Chigaya Eikichi scores!

[Team A 4 – 1 Team B]

"Ohh—" Komori let out a long, meaningful hum. "A lefty, huh?"

"Nice spike!" Atsumu called out as he jogged back onto the court.

"Thank you, Senpai!"

Chigaya still felt amazed.

To be able to deliver a perfect set for a left-handed hitter in such a chaotic situation…

That was insane.

Even at his own school, Shinzen High, it had taken a long time for his upperclassmen to fully sync with him.

"By the way, you're more of a speed type, aren't ya?" Atsumu asked with a smirk. "Next time, I'll speed things up a little more."

"Ah—Yes! Miya-senpai!" Chigaya responded loudly.

-----

"Both setters are quite impressive."

Head Coach Kobayashi walked up to Coach Hibarida.

"Even when setting for a left-handed middle blocker, Miya Atsumu adjusts seamlessly..." Kobayashi's gaze carried deep admiration as he observed the two setters. "Kageyama Tobio as well—his technical skill and ball control are outstanding."

"Though Kageyama seems more team-oriented. He actively adapts to his teammates, mature beyond his years," Coach Hiyake added. "Miya, on the other hand, has a stronger sense of self. He determines what type of set suits an attacker best and expects them to execute accordingly."

"Haha…I wonder what kind of sparks will fly when these two clash," Hiyake laughed heartily. "This year's setter lineup is truly stacked!"

—

Boom!

Smack!

The ball struck Chigaya Eikichi's forearm and flew out of bounds.

Only now did he finally understand what Kaedehara Taichi had just experienced.@@novelbin@@

It wasn't just the angle—the spin was equally impossible to control!

Sakusa Kiyoomi scores.

[Team A 4 – 2 Team B]

Sakusa reclaimed the serve.

Kaedehara Taichi suddenly noticed a shift in the atmosphere.

Miya Atsumu and Hoshiumi Kōrai's entire demeanour had changed—their eyes locked onto the baseline on the opposite side.

Following their gaze, Taichi turned to see Sakusa stepping up to the service line.

If Miya had to name the most difficult spike to deal with, he would undoubtedly pick Sakusa Kiyoomi's.

The same applied to his serve.

Even after struggling against Oikawa Tōru's dual-wield serves, Miya's ranking of nightmare opponents remained unchanged.

Sakusa tossed the ball high.

Just like when he spiked, his approach speed wasn't particularly fast, his jump height wasn't extraordinary, and his swing didn't look all that powerful.

But—

Boom!

The ball cut through the air in a flawless arc, curving sharply toward Miya's right side.

"Tch!"

Miya twisted his body, lowering his stance slightly.

Just as the ball was about to touch the ground, its trajectory shifted again.

Knew it!

Miya hadn't overcommitted to his first move—his legs tensed as he lunged forward with a final adjustment.

Smack!

The ball struck his forearm—and deflected out of bounds.

Sakusa Kiyoomi, service ace.

(Team A 4 – 3 Team B)

"Again?!" Miya gritted his teeth.

Hoshiumi Kōrai stood beside him, his face equally serious.

Inarizaki and Kamomedai had both fallen to Itachiyama—Sakusa's serves had played a massive role in that.

Not only did the ball naturally curve mid-flight, but by the time it reached the receiver, it carried an additional layer of spin.

Stack those two together, and there was only one way to describe this serve—

Disgusting.

Sakusa himself remained completely unfazed.

A service ace?

Wasn't that just the expected outcome?

Without hesitation, he returned to the service line.

Expressionless, he tossed up the second ball.

Boom!

It wasn't about speed—

It was unreadable.

Libero Hirao Jin had never seen a serve like this before.

His reaction was even worse than Miya's—he barely moved before the ball smashed into his shoulder and ricocheted out of bounds.

[Team A 4 – 4 Team B]

Back-to-back aces!

Sakusa Kiyoomi had scored all of Team B's points—

The score was tied!