Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

As the match reached a deadlock, the prolonged stalemate gradually drained both teams' stamina, and the mounting psychological pressure weighed heavily on each player.

A single point won after such an intense tug-of-war often proved crucial. It was a point fought for with everything they had—a point that could potentially shift the momentum of the match.

"After two consecutive powerful spikes, Taichi Kaedehara catches Fukurōdani off guard with a sudden tip, securing the point!"

"An incredibly precise placement! Even with Fukurōdani fully focused on defending against him, they still failed to stop the ball from landing!"

"Will Aoba Johsai use this as the spark for their counterattack? Or will Fukurōdani regain control and maintain their lead?!"

The serve rotated—Aoba Johsai's turn.

"Tweet!—" Aoba Johsai calls for a substitution—Kentaro Kyotani IN; Issei Matsukawa OUT.

Aoba Johsai had chosen to accelerate the pace of the game, striking while the iron was hot.

Kyotani walked to the service line.

In last year's Inter-High Nationals, he had been repeatedly suppressed by opponents who outmatched him in power and height, leaving him frustrated and uncertain. And now, once again, he had encountered someone who could attack sharper angles than even his most confident cross-court spikes.

But this time, Kyotani refused to waste any more time drowning in useless hesitation.

His teammates had put their trust in him by sending him onto the court—he would respond with action.

"Mad Dog-chan, show them what you've got~!"

"Take another point! Don't give them any room to breathe!"

"Kyotani-senpai, give'em hell!"

Kyotani tossed the ball into the air. The negativity that used to plague him whenever he played alone was nowhere to be found.

His body felt lighter—freer.

BAM!

He leapt, his body stretching into a massive arc in midair, like a bowstring pulled to its absolute limit. Under the stadium lights, the muscles of his back tensed and stood out sharply, forming the perfect curve of an archer ready to release.

"What an insane jump!" Komi Haruki's arms began to ache just watching.

At the peak of his jump, Kyotani swung down with explosive force, his full-body tension snapping like a released bowstring.

Bang!!!—

The ball compressed violently in his palm before vanishing from Fukurōdani's sight the next second.

Thud!

The volleyball struck the floor near Komi's feet and ricocheted high into the air.

No touch ace!

[Aoba Johsai 17 – 17 Fukurōdani]

Komi's expression stiffened slightly. Another serve aimed at him?

"Aoba Johsai has tied the score! They are pressing forward with relentless momentum! Kyotani Kentaro, who just subbed in, lands a powerful jump serve for a direct point!"

"Oikawa-senpai, why do I feel like Mad Dog-senpai's serve was even stronger than yours?" Kaedehara Taichi teased with a grin.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!" Oikawa turned his head away, refusing to acknowledge it.

"Kyotani, that was a hell of a serve!" Iwaizumi Hajime called out.

Kyotani scratched the back of his head, looking slightly embarrassed as he nodded back.

"Komi, you're not scared, are you?" Konoha Akinori glanced at his teammate.

"Oh yeah? Why don't you take the next one, then?" Komi shot back immediately.

Konoha: "..."

"I'll do it!" Bokuto Kōtarō pounded his chest. "I'll handle him with my 'Bokuto Shield'!"

Komi: "..."

"I'll just take it after all..." Komi muttered, resigned.

-----

Kyotani stepped back to serve again.

Boom!!—

"Komi!" Konoha shouted.

The ball blasted toward Fukurōdani's back row with remarkable speed and power, though its trajectory remained fairly straightforward.

Komi muttered something incomprehensible under his breath before gritting his teeth and stepping forward.

SMACK!

"Son of a—!" Komi was sent tumbling backwards from the sheer force.

The ball rebounded high into Fukurōdani's court.

Akaashi Keiji quickly positioned himself under it—dealing with this kind of ball was no easy task.

"Give it to me!"

From the back row, Bokuto started his approach.

Akaashi jumped and set the ball.

Smack!

The trajectory shifted as the ball descended rapidly over the net, scraping the tape as it dropped into Aoba Johsai's side.

Swoosh—!

Oikawa lunged low, cushioning the ball with both hands.

A difficult ball, yet he made it look effortless.

Boom!

Iwaizumi took off through the middle and slammed the ball down.

Aoba Johsai's third-years executed a seamless quick attack, catching Fukurōdani off guard.

Iwaizumi scored.

[Aoba Johsai 18 – 17 Fukurōdani]

"Ahhh, I wonder if there are some players who go for a setter dump just because they struggle with high balls~?" Oikawa said in a sing-song voice, sneaking a glance across the net at the opposing setter.

"Sorry, Bokuto-senpai," Akaashi ignored Oikawa's taunt entirely. His priority was elsewhere—he hadn't responded to their ace's call.

"Akaashi! That was amazing! I didn't even realize you were planning to dump it!" Bokuto beamed like an overjoyed child. "And Oikawa, you actually managed to receive it!?!?"

Oikawa: "…"

Watching Akaashi's completely unbothered expression, Oikawa rolled his eyes. This was exactly why he couldn't stand these single-celled guys.

Kyotani's presence had amped up Aoba Johsai's offence. In just moments, they had flipped the score in their favour.

"Beep! Fukurōdani calls for a timeout."

It was their first timeout of the set. Coach Takeyuki Yamiji used the opportunity to address Aoba Johsai's newly introduced threat. Throughout the discussion, Bokuto remained unusually quiet.

And that was precisely what worried his teammates the most.

Neither his usual overexcitement nor his occasional slumps—this unsettling normalcy left Fukurōdani unsure of how to react.

The unknown was dangerous. Everyone feared that Bokuto might spiral at a critical moment.

But no one dared to break the silence just yet. It was best to wait until the first set ended and let Akaashi handle it…

"Why do you all keep sneaking glances at me? What's up?" Bokuto suddenly looked up, scanning his teammates.

Fukurōdani's players immediately shook their heads in unison.

"Nope, nothing at all."

Bokuto blinked in confusion, then turned to Akaashi. The setter appeared deep in thought.

-----

The timeout ended, and the match resumed.

Kyotani served his third ball.

Konoha received it, sharing the same thought Komi had earlier—Aoba Johsai's serves hurt way too much!

Smack!

The ball soared high, and Akaashi jumped to set.

On the left side, Sarukui Yamato spiked it down.

Thud!

Hanamaki Takahiro received it, Oikawa set it high, and Kaedehara Taichi soared from the back row.

Here it comes.

"Triple block!"

Sarukui, Onaga, and Akaashi jumped together.

"Smack!"

"One touch!" Akaashi called out.

Whether blocking or setting, he remained perfectly composed—even after facing multiple setbacks.

Taichi exchanged a glance with Oikawa, a flicker of understanding passing between them.

"It looks like breaking through this defence will take some patience..."

Komi managed to receive the ball. Konoha executed a high set to the right side, where Bokuto Kōtarō exploded into the air from the back row.

"Triple block!" Kindaichi Yūtarō, Iwaizumi Hajime, and Oikawa leapt together.

Bokuto's eyes instinctively flicked toward the diagonal path—was he going for a cross-court spike? No—

"It's a tip!" Taichi shouted toward Kyōtani.

Bokuto had already made his move. The ball grazed Oikawa's fingertips, dropping behind him.

Kyōtani dove, but he was a step too late.

Thud!

The ball hit the floor.

Bokuto pointed toward Aoba Johsai's back row.

"Taichi! If you've got more tricks, bring them all out!"

[Aoba Johsai 18 – 18 Fukurōdani]

The score was tied once again.

Taichi understood that knowing Bokuto's personality, this wasn't a taunt—it was a challenge.

Bokuto wanted to play the most exhilarating volleyball possible.

The serve rotated. Fukurōdani took possession, and Bokuto moved back to the front row.

The tension on the court escalated. Both teams understood one thing: from this point on, every single point was critical.

The team that fell behind would lose.

Sarukui Yamato launched a powerful jump serve, but Kaedehara Taichi's reception was flawless.

Oikawa Tōru set the ball high to the right, where Kindaichi Yūtarō faced a double block from Fukurōdani. Without hesitation, he spiked past Akaashi Keiji's outstretched hands, executing a clean wipe-off shot.

Konoha Akinori kept the ball in play, and Akaashi quickly set it to the right wing.

Bokuto Kōtarō went for a straight-line attack, hammering the ball off Hanamaki Takahiro's forearm and out of bounds.

"Hey! Hey!! Hey!!!"

Bokuto Kōtarō's spike secured the point.

[Aoba Johsai 18 – 19 Fukurōdani]

Fukurōdani had officially taken the lead.

Sarukui Yamato served again, targeting Kaedehara Taichi to disrupt his offensive play.

Taichi bumped the ball forward. Oikawa leapt—but to Aoba Johsai's surprise, no one in Fukurōdani's front line moved to block.

Thwack!

Oikawa easily spiked the ball down.

[Aoba Johsai 19 – 19 Fukurōdani]

"Am I being underestimated?" Oikawa tilted his head at the Fukurōdani players.

Coach Takeyuki frowned. It was understandable that Bokuto, in the heat of the moment, had forgotten Oikawa's tendency for setter dumps. But Akaashi, too? While Kaedehara's bump set had been deceptive, the bigger issue might lie with Akaashi himself.

"Sorry!" Akaashi called to his teammates.

"Oh?"

Taichi noticed. So it had affected him—Akaashi's composure was starting to waver.

The serve rotated to Aoba Johsai.

Taichi moved to the front row as Oikawa stepped up to the service line.

Aoba Johsai's offense became significantly more dangerous.

Oikawa tossed the ball into the air. Given that several of Fukurōdani's players were excellent receivers…

Wham!

A jump float, aimed straight at the front-row freshman—Onaga Wataru.

"Targeting first-years in receive is just common sense!"

The ball shot toward Onaga in an instant. At 193 cm, he had the height—but not the experience. His hands flailed helplessly.

Smack!

The ball changed trajectory and plummeted to the floor.

A service ace for Oikawa.

[Aoba Johsai 20 – 19 Fukurōdani]

"Aoba Johsai reclaims the lead!"

This time, Onaga dodged aside, leaving the reception to Sarukui.

Akaashi adjusted quickly, setting to the right.

Bokuto fired a precise line shot.

Smack!

The ball clipped the sideline. Bokuto scored.

[Aoba Johsai 20 – 20 Fukurōdani]

The serve switched.

Onaga served a straightforward ball, which Hanamaki handled with ease.

Kaedehara executed a lightning-fast quick attack with Oikawa, scoring immediately.

[Aoba Johsai 21 – 20 Fukurōdani]

Iwaizumi stepped up and unleashed a powerful jump serve. Konoha received it cleanly.

Bokuto drew two blockers, and Washio Tatsuki capitalized with a sharp crosscourt spike.

[Aoba Johsai 21 – 21 Fukurōdani]

Smack!

Taichi executed a wipe-off shot off the blockers' hands, sending the ball out of bounds.

[Aoba Johsai 22 – 21 Fukurōdani]

Smack!

Bokuto answered with a wipe-off shot of his own.

[Aoba Johsai 22 – 22 Fukurōdani]

Smack!

Taichi baited the defence, then set up Kyōtani Kentarō for a clean kill.

[Aoba Johsai 23 – 22 Fukurōdani]

Taichi rotated to serve.

"Not him again?!" Fukurōdani's cheering squad groaned.

At the most critical moment, they faced the last server they wanted to see.

Fukurōdani braced themselves.

BOOM!

Kaedehara's right-hand jump serve rocketed forward!

So fast!

Komine Haruki's eyes widened. Kaedehara Taichi's right-handed serve lacked the unpredictable spin of his left, but the speed and control were even sharper.

Smack!

Komine barely managed to make contact, sending the ball flying off-court.

"Save it!"

Akaashi chased after it, jumping to set—

"???"

The ball slipped past his fingers and dropped out of bounds.

A setting error.

Aoba Johsai took another point.

[Aoba Johsai 24 – 22 Fukurōdani]

Aoba Johsai reached set point. Fukurōdani was on the brink.

"Beep! Fukurōdani calls a timeout."

Coach Takeyuki immediately used their second timeout. Whether to reset their mindset or disrupt Kaedehara's rhythm, they had to do something.

"Akaashi, can you continue?" the coach asked.

Akaashi was a composed player—he usually had an accurate grasp of his condition. At this urgent moment, stabilizing his mindset was far safer than subbing in a first-year setter.

"I…I don't know," Akaashi admitted. His mind wasn't panicked, but for some reason, his body felt stiff.

Was it the subconscious fear that this might be his seniors' last high school match?

Or—was it something else? The strange feeling he'd had all game—how normal Bokuto had been acting.

"Akaashi, you're fine. Let him stay in," Bokuto suddenly said.

The team was surprised. Bokuto usually spent timeouts spacing out, lost in his own thoughts.

Akaashi turned to him, unable to hold back his question any longer.

"Bokuto-san, why are you acting differently today?"

Bokuto blinked. "Huh? I'm different?"

Fukurōdani's players nodded vigorously.

"Am I cooler? Is it because of my new special move?"

They shook their heads just as fast. First of all, no one had ever heard of this so-called new special move.

Bokuto scratched his head. "Now that you say it…I have no idea!"

Akaashi sighed. He had expected this. Asking Bokuto for self-reflection was never going to yield answers.

"Bokuto-san," Akaashi said, "even after you graduate high school, you'll keep playing volleyball, won't you?"

"Of course!" Bokuto beamed. "I've been aiming for pro volleyball from the start."

"Then…" Akaashi hesitated, "why does this tournament feel different from all the ones before it?"

Bokuto tilted his head.

"It doesn't feel different to me," he said. "Even though it's our last high school tournament, it's still just another match."

"But—"

Bokuto grinned.

"I still want to play more matches with everyone from Fukurōdani."

"!!!"

The team froze.

Bokuto had never said something like this before.

"…You're not dying of some incurable disease, are you?" Akaashi asked warily.

"Haha! No way! I'll live to be at least 130!" Bokuto laughed.

Konoha and Komi exchanged glances—then jumped up and slammed their fists into Bokuto's shoulders.

"If that's the case, then quit acting all sentimental!"

"It's only the third day of the tournament! We've got plenty more matches to play together!"

Bokuto crossed his arms, his voice unwavering.

"Then we'll just have to win them all!"

-----

The timeout ended, and the match resumed.

The members of Fukurōdani had never expected Bokuto Kōtarō to express such a mature sentiment—that was why he felt different.

And now, they had one more reason why they couldn't afford to lose this match.

They wanted to stand at the very end of the Spring High tournament alongside the ace they were most proud of!

"Wear them down, Ace!" Washio Tatsuki called.

"Lead us to victory, Ace!" Sarukui Yamato added.

"Become the greatest ace!" Komi Haruki encouraged.

"Absolutely demolish Aoba Johsai!" Konoha Akinori grinned.

"Bokuto-senpai, I believe in you!" Onaga Wataru declared.

Standing directly in front of Bokuto, Akaashi Keiji met his eyes. "Bokuto-san, I will give you the best sets possible."

A sharp ding seemed to resonate through the air.

[Ding! Bokuto Kōtarō has entered Burst Mode]

[Bokuto Kōtarō (Burst Mode)—Outside Hitter: Overall Ability Rating: 97

Height: 185.3 cm | Power: 98 | Jump: 95 | Stamina: 99 | Speed: 95

Technique: Serve: 96 | Receive: 96 | Spike: 100]

Kaedehara Taichi's eyes widened as he finally understood the unsettling feeling gnawing at him.

Unlike the Miya twins, who seemed to enter this state by exploiting some kind of glitch, Bokuto Kōtarō himself was a glitch!

This was the second time he had entered his 'Burst Mode', and he was even stronger than before!

Aoba Johsai was just one point away from securing the first set.

They had to take this set—no matter what!

Taichi tossed the ball high, took a powerful approach, and launched into the air.

Boom!—

A thunderous left-handed jump serve!

"I got it!" Bokuto lunged to receive.

Smack!

The ball slammed against his arms, but his stance remained unshaken.

"Akaashi! Give it to me!"

Akaashi, already in position, set the ball high to the left side.

Bokuto sprinted forward the moment his receive was complete, planting his foot behind the three-meter line before taking off.

"Triple block!"

Oikawa Tōru, Kyōtani Kentarō, and Hanamaki Takahiro all jumped to meet him.

Aoba Johsai could clearly see the intensity in Bokuto's approach—their determination to block him was even stronger!

BOOM!!

The ball streaked past Oikawa's left side, zipped past Iwaizumi Hajime's outstretched arms in the back row, and crashed into the far corner of Aoba Johsai's court!

Bokuto Kōtarō scores!

[Aoba Johsai 24 - 23 Fukurōdani]

Taichi stood near the three-meter line. Just now, he had expected Bokuto to go for a sharp cross-court angle.

The serve rotated to Fukurōdani.

Washio Tatsuki took the ball, stepping up to serve.

A powerful jump serve—Taichi dug it out.

"Damn it!"

Oikawa scrambled into position, setting to the far right. Kyōtani came sprinting in from the outside.

This point—

They had to—

End it right here!

Kyōtani contorted his body mid-air, whipping his right arm forward like a whip.

BOOM!

"Triple block!"

Konoha, Sarukui, and Onaga shot up to meet him.

Smack!

"Cover!!" Akaashi lunged to dig.

If anyone knew how to handle tricky sharp-angled spikes, it was Fukurōdani!

Konoha landed and instantly transitioned, stepping onto the three-meter line.

Whoosh—!

It was just a high ball, but in his heart, Konoha knew—

This was the best set he had ever delivered.

BAM!

Bokuto soared behind him, his ascent relentless.

"Triple block!"

Aoba Johsai's front line jumped again—Kyōtani, still recovering from his last attack, even collided with Hanamaki in his desperation.

Hanamaki gritted his teeth and held his ground.

But—

Bokuto Kōtarō's attack point was above their block!

BOOM!!!

The ball shot straight down into Aoba Johsai's court!

[Ding!]

[The Host has entered Burst Mode]

[Kaedehara Taichi (Burst Mode)—Outside Hitter: 

Height: 188 cm | Power: 99 | Jump: 93 | Stamina: 95 | Speed: 99

Technique: Serve: 98 | Receive: 92 | Set: 88 | Spike: 96]

Taichi ignored the flashing stats in his mind—His senses sharpened and his body felt lighter.

SMACK!

He dived and made a breathtaking save!

"Cover!"

Watari Shinji leapt from the back row, setting the ball forward. Oikawa jumped into position—

BOOM!

And smashed the ball down!

Smack!

Washio received it.

At that moment, Akaashi felt as if the entire court disappeared.

It was just him and one other figure—

The one waiting in the back row.

Whoosh—!

The most familiar right-side high set left Akaashi's fingertips.

"Bokuto-san!!!"

A single figure launched from the back row.

His form—so perfect that Akaashi remembered why he had joined Fukurōdani on that fateful afternoon.

BOOM!!!—

Against Aoba Johsai's triple block—Bokuto Kōtarō unleashed the move he knew best—

A Super Cross-Court Spike!

CRASH!

The ball skimmed past the net and slammed against the farthest left boundary.

Line shot!

Bokuto Kōtarō scores!

[Aoba Johsai 24 - 24 Fukurōdani]

"They—They tied it!!!"

"Aoba Johsai's defence has thrown everything they have into this, and yet—Bokuto Kōtarō's attacks remain unstoppable!!"

Bokuto landed at the centre of the court, raising both arms triumphantly. Before he could even shout, the crowd roared in unison—

"Hey! Hey! Hey!!!"

Bokuto turned, gazing at the banner draped over Fukurōdani's cheering section.

'POUR ALL YOUR SOUL INTO EACH BALL'

His figure was burned into the minds of every spectator.

Just as he had declared before the match—

At this moment—

He was the One True Ace.

_________

[T/N] - Extra, Extra Chapter!!! Cuz I felt like it!

And, since you're getting two extra chapters today—that means there won't be an extra chapter on Wednesday. 

And, If you guys want to read 50 Chapters in advance of the current story, you can support me on my Patreon. Trust me, it's awesome!

Link - /Iseeblack [Remove the brackets]