Aoba Johsai had defeated Fukurodani, but they hadn't defeated Kotaro Bokuto.
Because a man who can hold his head high and accept failure is impossible to truly beat.
In fact, quite the opposite.
After the match ended, Akashi Asuka found himself cornered by Bokuto.
"Hehehe~~ Akashi-kun, have you figured out who you're facing in the next match yet?" The familiar laughter and familiar enthusiasm made Akashi know without looking at who it was.
Even someone as composed as Akashi felt a bit helpless dealing with such a naturally outgoing person. He turned around and said, "It's basically settled. Are you guys already getting ready to leave?"
Bokuto put his hands on his hips and shouted, "Of course! We're already prepared for some hellish summer training to beat you next time. When the next match comes, be ready!"
Bokuto's energy was in sharp contrast with Akashi's current look of resigned weariness. If one didn't know the situation, they might assume Bokuto was the real winner.
"Alright then, good luck on your…–"
Akashi was about to wish them a safe trip, but then remembered that these guys lived in Tokyo. The Tokyo Gymnasium was less than half an hour from their homes.
Maybe they'd go home today but still come back tomorrow to watch Aoba Johsai play.
So Akashi changed tack, saying, "Good luck with your summer training!"
"Don't worry about it!" Bokuto patted his chest with a confident grin, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh right, our league's been training together this time, and it seems our coach invited a team from Miyagi Prefecture. Do you know them?"
"If you mean Karasuno, I think I do–" Akashi said, stroking his chin.
"Oh! Do you even know that team? Looks like they really are as interesting as our coach said–" Bokuto's eyes flickered with growing anticipation.
"By the way, do you guys at Aoba Johsai want to join our practice match? If you do, I can ask our coach to invite you!"
"Hm?"
Akashi was momentarily caught off guard, and a thoughtful look crossed his eyes.
To be honest,
This internal practice match, organized mainly by Fukurodani, was quite valuable. If Aoba Johsai joined, it would be a huge advantage for them.
But in the end, Akashi shook his head. "I can't decide that myself. It depends on what our coach arranges in the coming days."
"Is that so? What a shame."
"Bokuto-san, we have to go. The school bus will leave soon–" Keiji Akaashi interrupted, sensing Bokuto was about to keep talking.
Bokuto reluctantly fell silent.
Fukurodani's group brushed past Akashi without much friendliness, after all, not everyone could face an opponent who had just handed them a crushing defeat as calmly as Bokuto had.
But as Akaashi passed by Akashi, he lowered his voice.
"Your next opponent is apparently Mujinazaka, right? Just a heads-up, their playstyle is quite similar to yours, but more mature. In some ways, they might be your biggest challenge in this tournament."
Both are top national teams with national-level 'Aces,' both have reached Nationals dozens of times in recent years.
Fukurodani and Mujinazaka have faced off multiple times in Nationals.
Though Akaashi hadn't played in those matches, he knew their strong opponents well.
Now that Akashi had Bokuto's acknowledgement, Akaashi didn't mind giving Aoba Johsai a little warning. Or maybe he just wanted to see these two rivals clash.
After all, there are plenty of backsetters with a mischievous streak, and there just happened to be one on Aoba Johsai's team.
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Back at the hotel, someone sneezed, "Achoo~ Achoo~~"
Huh? Could it be a cold?
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After Fukurodani left, Akashi returned to the hotel.
Inside, the team was discussing tactics while Nobuteru Irihata stood by the strategy board, giving a detailed briefing on their next opponent.
"Mujinazaka High School, representing Oita Prefecture, has qualified for Nationals for the 29th time in nine consecutive years. Looking at their stats, they're even stronger than Fukurodani, the team you just faced. And in reality, that's true."
"In terms of fundamentals, Mujinazaka is similar to Fukurodani, both are top-tier, established powerhouse schools nationwide. You must have noticed that from Fukurodani's players."
At Irihata's words, the Aoba Johsai players fell silent.
Though they had won the last match, it was largely thanks to Akashi and Oikawa Tooru. The contributions from other players were far less compared to Fukurodani's lineup.
Aoba Johsai was a traditional strong team in Miyagi, and their players trained hard daily. Their fundamentals ranked near the top locally.
But once at Nationals, even teams eliminated early like Morikawa High had fundamentals on par with Aoba Johsai.
It wasn't that Aoba Johsai didn't train seriously, it was that they lacked the advanced equipment and scientific training methods that Fukurodani had.
That gap might seem small, but in matches it can translate into a 3–5 point difference per set.
Think back to the Aoba Johsai vs. Fukurodani match.
Remember,
Aoba Johsai had two powerful servers, Akashi and Oikawa, who alone could build a 2–4 point lead per set.
Even though Bokuto exploded in the second set to score many points for Fukurodani,
He was still only one player. Even if he scored every time they got the attack, it was just one point.
Against the scoring efficiency of Akashi and Oikawa's combination, it was remarkable that Bokuto alone could keep pace. There was no way he could have taken the lead mid-set.
There was only one answer,
The points Fukurodani gained after falling behind weren't won by them, but were handed over by Aoba Johsai's mistakes.
In high school volleyball, point differences don't just come from offense and defense; a team's stability is also a crucial factor.
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