Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

"The same as Itachiyama's offence, Aoba Johsai's play just now was an open scheme," Miya Atsumu said grimly. "When Taichi suddenly leaps to the net, there's no way anyone can ignore him."

"I think Itachiyama's back row made a mistake," Kita Shinsuke said. "It wasn't an easy ball to spike—there weren't many attack angles available. If they had anticipated Oikawa Tōru going for a setter dump, they could have picked that up."

"That's easy to say, but not everyone on the court stays as calm as you do," Suna Rintarō remarked with a grin.

"Hmm, I know."

Miya Osamu glanced at the court. Kaedehara Taichi was walking toward the service line.

"Looks like Itachiyama's lead won't last much longer."

-----

Aoba Johsai had gained the serve.

Itachiyama's back row was once again set to receive Kaedehara Taichi's serve—Komori Motoya, Iizuna Tsukasa, and Sakusa Kiyoomi.

Judging from the match so far, Taichi's serves were even harder to handle than Oikawa's for most players. After a brief moment of consideration, Coach Yamazaki still decided that neutralizing Taichi was the top priority.

Bang!

Smack!

Iizuna Tsukasa received the ball, sending it forward and slightly to the right.

"Damn!"

Mizushima Yū barely managed to set it to the center. Nishimura Hiroyuki jumped for the spike.

"Triple block!"

Iwaizumi Hajime, Matsukawa Issei, and Kyōtani Kentarō leaped up.

Aoba Johsai's blocking lineup relied almost entirely on Matsukawa's height, but fortunately, Itachiyama didn't have a strong attacker in the front row at this moment. Especially now—without a clean set, Nishimura couldn't find a good angle to attack against a triple block.

Bang!

Nishimura tapped the ball over gently, dropping it behind the blockers.

"I got it!"

Oikawa had been waiting—he rushed forward to receive, while Kaedehara Taichi sprinted ahead for an approach.

Whoosh!—

Perhaps influenced by Itachiyama, Oikawa had started turning more of his first touches into offensive opportunities. Taichi had also gradually adapted to spiking from all sorts of angles—and in most cases, Oikawa's sets were reliable.

"Double block!"

Takeshita Yūshin and Mizushima Yū jumped to block Taichi.

Taichi glanced at the right side—Kyōtani, who had just landed from blocking, hadn't gotten into his approach yet.

Boom!—

The ball shot down the left sideline toward Itachiyama's back row.

Smack!

"Cover!"

Komori Motoya stepped on the left sideline, digging the ball up.

Iizuna quickly repositioned and set the ball to the right wing—Sakusa Kiyoomi was in the air, ready to spike.

"Double block!"

Matsukawa and Kyōtani jumped together.

Bang!—

The ball grazed Kyōtani's fingertips and shot toward Aoba Johsai's back row.

"Damn it!" Kyōtani gritted his teeth in frustration. But—he had just seen it with his own eyes. A player shorter than him had fought just as fiercely at the net.

Smack!

Oikawa dug the ball. No way they'd let Aoba Johsai lose a point on the same straight shot!

The receive was off target, but still within the court—Oikawa had caught Sakusa's spin.

"Mad Dog-senpai!"

Taichi jumped for the set, sending the ball across Aoba Johsai's court toward the right wing.

A brief flicker of surprise passed through Kyōtani's eyes—this was Taichi's set, a cross-court long ball!

They had to take this point!

Kyōtani sprinted in and jumped. Itachiyama's front line was right there, waiting to block.

The ball was suddenly dropping lower than expected—too short!

Kaedehara Taichi: "Ah—huh?"

Kyōtani Kentarō: "???"

The ball and the blockers were falling at the same time.

Smack!

Kyōtani scooped it up with his left hand, flicking the ball over the net.

"What?!"

Now it was Itachiyama's turn to be stunned—Sakusa couldn't reach it in time. The ball hit the floor.

Kyōtani Kentarō—left-handed spike!

[Aoba Johsai 20 – 20 Itachiyama]

"He actually switched to his left hand mid-air to spike...?"

"His core strength is insane—he can control his entire body at will?"

While the rest of the audience marvelled at Kyōtani's play, Oikawa saw a prime opportunity to 'educate' Kaedehara Taichi.

"Taichi, your setting needs work," Oikawa said with a heavy sigh.

Taichi, who had been trying to minimize his presence, suddenly felt every pair of eyes on him.

Iwaizumi: "He's not wrong."

Matsukawa: "If he hadn't called out, Kyōtani probably wouldn't have realized it was for him."

A rare blush crept onto Taichi's face. What was with these guys? They always encouraged the golden retriever but went full force against him.

"Kyōtani-senpai didn't even complain!" Taichi argued.

"Hmph. That set was garbage," Kyōtani snorted. Now he wanted to act polite? Too late!

Kaedehara Taichi: "…"

Still reeling from his teammates' 'encouragement', Taichi trudged toward the service line again.

Too bad Oikawa wasn't in the front row—otherwise, he would have smacked the ball right at his head.

BOOM!!

Taichi launched his second serve.

Smack!

Iizuna received it, but the ball veered toward the front left.

"Cover!"

They could predict the set's trajectory, but Taichi's power and left-handed spin made it difficult to control.

Iizuna was tied up by the receive, so Sakusa stepped in to set. On the right wing, Mizushima Yū went for a quick attack.

Aoba Johsai's defensive pressure had suddenly lightened.

Bang!

Smack!

"Touch!" Matsukawa called out.

"Chance ball!" Watari Shinji received the ball cleanly.

Oikawa set it perfectly to the right wing—Kyōtani was already sprinting in from the sideline.

"Triple block!"

Itachiyama's blockers were far more cautious this time.

Kyōtani, mid-air—a brutal cross-court spike!

Boom!!—

Smack!

Komori rushed up from the back row, digging the ball with one hand. The ball popped high.

Iizuna followed up with a set, sending the ball to the right again—Sakusa was launching into a back-row attack.

"Double block!"

Bang!—

Smack!

The ball ricocheted off Kyōtani's arm and shot toward Aoba Johsai's side.

Smack!

Oikawa dove, sending it back into play.

Watari leapt from the back row, setting it to the left—Taichi was already airborne for the spike!

"Triple block!"

Itachiyama's blockers raced to the left. When it came to endurance, they never backed down!

Boom!

Smack!

"Touch!" Takeshita Yūshin called out.

Komori scrambled back under the net and dug the ball.

"Sakusa!"

Iizuna set the ball back to the right.

Sakusa spiked. Aoba Johsai's defence was already in motion.

Bang!—

Smack!

The ball struck Matsukawa's arm and dropped between him and the net.

A block touch-out!

Sakusa Kiyoomi scored.

[Aoba Johsai 20 – 21 Itachiyama]

"Damn...His technique is more refined than mine."

Hoshiumi Kōrai muttered in frustration.

In a corner of the stands, the players from Kamomedai High School were, of course, also watching the finals.

"Oh? So there's actually someone whose skills you acknowledge?" Hirugami Sachirō remarked. "I thought anyone taller than you was a total rookie in your mind."

Hoshiumi shot him a glare. "Most of them are rookies."

Hirugami grinned. "Well, fair enough."

"But hearing you say that," he continued, "I do kind of regret not checking out the Youth National Training Camp." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "Kaedehara Taichi, Sakusa Kiyoomi…and that first-year setter you said had accuracy on par with Oikawa-senpai—Kageyama Tobio, right? They all seem like interesting players."

Hoshiumi suddenly stood up and looked down at Hirugami.

"Exactly! If you had gone to the camp back then, maybe you wouldn't have lost to Taichi!" His tone was filled with frustration, as if reprimanding him for missing an opportunity. "And maybe, just maybe, we would be the ones playing on that court right now!"

Hirugami pondered for a moment before responding, "Or…maybe Taichi would've just gotten used to my playstyle faster, and we would've lost even worse?"

Hoshiumi fell silent.

"…We already lost 0-2. How much worse could it get?" he grumbled, plopping back into his seat.

Hirugami just laughed and turned his attention back to the match.

"Itachiyama still looks like they're in control, but if they can't close out this second set…this game could go either way."

-----

Bang!

Sakano Sawaji nailed a down-the-line shot, landing just inside the sideline.

[Aoba Johsai 20 – 22 Itachiyama]

Boom!

Kyōtani Kentarō responded with a straight shot of his own, hammering the ball past the block.

[Aoba Johsai 21 – 22 Itachiyama]

Boom!—

—Smack!

After an intense rally, Takeshita Yūshin's spike was stuffed by Matsukawa Issei and Oikawa Tōru's double block.

Aoba Johsai scored on the block.

[Aoba Johsai 22 – 22 Itachiyama]

Iwaizumi Hajime stepped up to serve. Komori Motoya received it perfectly.

Boom!

Iizuna Tsukasa feinted a set before slamming a straight shot down the left wing.

[Aoba Johsai 22 – 23 Itachiyama]

Bang!

Kaedehara Taichi took off from behind Kyōtani.

A quick attack from the middle—point scored.

[Aoba Johsai 23 – 23 Itachiyama]

Smash!

Thud!

The ball deflected off Kindaichi Yūtarō's arms and flew out of bounds.

Sakusa Kiyoomi had scored off the block touch.

[Aoba Johsai 23 – 24 Itachiyama]

"Itachiyama reaches set point first, but they need one more point to secure this set!"

"Will they ride the momentum and take it, or will they hit the dreaded 'just one more point' wall?!"

The serve rotated back to Itachiyama. Sakusa Kiyoomi moved ahead of Kaedehara Taichi in the front row.

"Oh, this is interesting," Oikawa suddenly commented.

"What now?" Iwaizumi asked dryly.

"Iwa-chan!" Oikawa clutched his chest dramatically. "Haven't you noticed? No one's nervous anymore!"

"Of course not," Iwaizumi scoffed. "We've played too many matches to waste time on fear now."

"We have to settle this quickly."

"Ohhh!"

Takeshita Yūshin leapt into a powerful jump serve.

Itachiyama had been relying on float serves for most of the match, but now, at set point, they changed their serving style.

Aoba Johsai's back row was momentarily caught off guard, but for them, jump serves were far more familiar than floaters.

More importantly, one person in the back row was already fully locked in—ready for any scenario.

Smack!

Iwaizumi absorbed the serve cleanly.

Oikawa adjusted his position, took a single lateral step, and leapt. Kaedehara Taichi launched his attack from the right side.

But at that moment, Itachiyama's blocking formation shifted.

Only Sakano Sawaji moved early to block on the right. Sakusa Kiyoomi and Iizuna Tsukasa stayed in their positions, waiting for Oikawa's decision.

"They switched to read blocking?!" Hoshiumi exclaimed.

Kamomedai's entire team played with that approach, but it required incredibly high focus—constantly analyzing the opponent and moving in perfect sync.

Itachiyama, one of the best teams in Japan, had chosen to implement it at this critical moment.

Oikawa had initially planned for Taichi to draw the blockers before setting the ball to Kyōtani on the left.

But since the block hadn't shifted, keeping the ball with Taichi was the safer option.

"Give it to me!!!"

Kyōtani, seeing Oikawa's hesitation, raised his hand and shouted.

"…Ahh, fine."

Oikawa sent the ball to the left.

Whoosh!—

Kyōtani's expression turned feral as he charged forward, leapt, and spiked.

"Double block!"

Sakusa and Iizuna jumped together to intercept.

"Raaaaah—!!!"

Boom!!!—

Kyōtani roared as he slammed the ball forward.

Sakusa and Iizuna pressed their hands down, but the ball rocketed past them before they could touch it.

Thud!

Takeshita had already positioned himself at the three-meter line for the dig.

…!!!

The ball struck his arms harder than expected, spinning violently off his platform.

It flew out of bounds.

Kyōtani Kentarō had scored!

[Aoba Johsai 24 – 24 Itachiyama]

"YEEAAAAAAHHH!!!" Kyōtani shouted, unable to contain himself.

Aoba Johsai had tied the score once again!

"That guy's insane! That angle was ridiculous!"

"How was someone that strong just a substitute in the first set?!"

"Wait, his player profile says he's only 178.8 cm…Isn't he the shortest wing spiker on the court?"

"He's amazing…"

Kyōtani Kentarō's performance had ignited the crowd at Spring Nationals.

"Told you he was good!"

A familiar voice chimed in from the stands.

At the edge of the crowd, an older man in a tracksuit stood proudly with two younger boys.

"Our town gym produces top-tier players too, y'know!"

"You're right, Shimizu-san!" One of the kids' eyes sparkled. "I thought you were just bragging again!"

"Ahem." Shimizu coughed into his fist. "It's all part of the coach's strategy! Volleyball is a deep sport, after all."

"So when Kyōtani-senpai trained at the gym, did you coach him too?"

"Of course! Back then, he was like a wild lone wolf—just like I was in my day! Only I could handle training him."

"Whoa, a lone wolf! That's so cool!" The boy's eyes shone with admiration. "I didn't know you were that amazing back then, Shimizu-san!"

"Hahaha! Well, I'm still amazing!" Shimizu beamed as he watched Kyōtani get mobbed by his teammates.

-----

"Hell yeah, Mad Dog-chan! That was insane!"

"Kyōtani, serve us another bomb!"

The serve rotated back to Aoba Johsai.

Kyōtani walked to the service line, feeling an inexplicable rush—just like at the start of the set.

He could take a few more points.

It was time.

Kyōtani tossed the ball, took three strides, and sprang into the air.

Like a coiled spring, his entire body tensed—then released all at once.

BOOM!!!

Smash!

The ball blasted between Takeshita and Sakano, landing just inside Itachiyama's baseline.

Kyōtani Kentarō had just aced Itachiyama.

[Aoba Johsai 25 – 24 Itachiyama]

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?! It had even more power?!"

"His serve is insane!"

It's basically a spike at this point..."

"Aoba Johsai actually has three such servers?!"

For the first time, the Itachiyama cheering squad felt powerless when facing other teams.

Kyōtani Kentarō scored two points in a row, helping Aoba Johsai reach the set point before Itachiyama!!!

_________

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