Boom!!!
The thunderous sound echoed across the court before Karasuno could even finish celebrating. All eyes turned upward as Ushijima Wakatoshi unleashed a devastating spike that tore through Tsukishima Kei's block like paper.
"Tch, "
On the other side of the net, Tsukishima clicked his tongue in frustration.
As Karasuno's "rational mind," he'd taken pride in his calm demeanor and strategic thinking. Yet, from the very first set up until now, he hadn't managed to block Ushijima's spikes even once. That fact was starting to grate on him.
16–16.
The score was tied once again.
It was Shiratorizawa's turn to serve. This time, the server was Kawanishi Taichi. He tossed the ball high and followed with a loud thump, delivering a powerful jump serve.
Whether by design or sheer luck, the ball landed right in the gap between Karasuno's libero Nishinoya Yuu and team captain Daichi Sawamura.
"Damn it…"
Both Nishinoya and Sawamura hesitated for a brief moment, unsure of who should take the receive.
But that single moment of hesitation almost cost them a point, the ball nearly hit the floor before Sawamura barely managed to save it in time. Even so, the resulting first touch was completely off-mark.
"Sorry, Kageyama! You'll have to clean this one up."
"No problem."
Kageyama responded without hesitation, quickly moving into position under the ball. Despite the poor receive, he still managed to find a perfect spot for a set.
This made Oikawa's eyes narrow sharply from the stands.
"Damn, since when did Shiratorizawa's serves get this good?" Nishinoya muttered, still feeling uneasy even after they saved the point.
To be fair, both he and Sawamura had more than enough skill to recover even after that slight hesitation. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't have been a problem.
But Kawanishi's serve had been fast, fast enough to pressure even veterans.
It wasn't quite at the level of Ushijima's monstrous spikes, where predicting the landing spot was half guesswork, but it left no room for the slightest delay. Even a split-second pause could cost you the point.
"Who knows?" Sawamura said. "But don't forget, we spent the summer training against the best in Tokyo. Shiratorizawa was doing the same, scrimmaging against powerhouse teams like Aoba Johsai. We've improved, yes, but so have they. Probably even more."
Everyone nodded. No one could afford to let their guard down, especially not against a team with Ushijima on it.
Because of the bad first touch, Kageyama had no chance to run a quick. He instead opted for a high set further off the net, sending it to Asahi Azumane.
"You're not getting past me!"
This was Asahi's favorite type of attack, and even though he faced a double block from Tendō and Goshiki, he didn't hesitate. He powered through it.
Boom!
A powerful spike ripped through Shiratorizawa's block. In terms of raw force, it could almost rival Ushijima's own.
But just as the ball was about to hit the floor,
A figure in Shiratorizawa's backcourt stepped forward and received it cleanly.
"What!?"
Gasps erupted across the court. It wasn't the fact that the ball was dug up that shocked them, it was who had done it.
Ushijima Wakatoshi.
"Wait, what?! Ushijima received that?"
"Doesn't he… usually not play defense?"
"Has Shiratorizawa already reached that level of desperation?"
"That can't be. They're still leading overall. Even if they lose this set, there's still a third."
For long-time fans of Shiratorizawa, this scene was shocking.
Ushijima was known for one thing, sheer, unrelenting offense. He poured all his energy into spiking. Defense? He'd always left that to his teammates.
There had been times in the past where he joined the defense, like during last season's match against Aoba Johsai when things got tight, but that was only in true emergencies.
And this? This match wasn't even close to an emergency. Or so it seemed.
Even his own teammates looked surprised.
What they didn't know was that Ushijima had already changed that habit over the summer. During special training, he realized something important: if Shiratorizawa wanted to beat Aoba Johsai, they couldn't afford to rely solely on his offense. If he didn't defend, they'd always be down one man, especially against that "little monster" from Aoba Johsai.
So, after summer training, Ushijima went directly to Coach Washijō and requested to be incorporated into the team's defensive system.
He'd even increased his stamina training to ensure he wouldn't tire out during matches.
It had been a strategy reserved for their eventual showdown with Aoba Johsai, but Karasuno's sudden strength had changed things.
They weren't nobodies anymore.
"Shirabu, set me!"
Ushijima didn't offer an explanation, and Kenjiro Shirabu didn't ask for one.
After all, the team's entire strategy had always revolved around Ushijima. If the ace called for the ball, the only job of the setter was to deliver.
"Got it, Ushijima-senpai!"
Shirabu called out, setting the ball high into the air.
As the ball floated above his head, Ushijima's presence grew heavy and oppressive. Though he hadn't even attacked yet, the players from Karasuno could already feel the weight bearing down on them, it was as if even breathing had become difficult.
"Karasuno, Hinata Shoyo, Tobio Kageyama… Let me crush you both right here."
Unlike in the original timeline, Ushijima didn't feel an obsessive competitive urge toward Hinata. His current sights were set on another player entirely, Akasaki Asuka of Aoba Johsai.
Defeating Hinata and Kageyama wasn't about pride anymore. It was about clearing the path to face him.
Ushijima leapt into the air, his tall figure outlined by the gym lights. His white and purple jersey fluttered like the wings of a great white bird as it dove toward its prey.
BOOM!!!
With a terrifying roar, the spike slammed down like a meteor, tearing through the court like a comet.
It was so fast, so overwhelming, that not a single Karasuno player had time to react, let alone stop it.
=============
Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria