"Hm? The match over there is already finished?"
As the full Aoba Johsai team arrived at the spectator stands, players from Fukurodani and Kamomedai High School, currently facing off on the opposite court in the Tokyo Gymnasium, turned with surprised expressions.
There hadn't been enough time to finish all three sets, which meant the match had ended in just two. The winner had been decided in straight sets.
"They actually beat Itachiyama in only two sets? Looks like this year's Aoba Johsai is seriously something else!"
Both teams, Kamomedai and Fukurodani, were veteran powerhouses who frequently appeared at nationals. Even without seeing the match firsthand, just by observing the expressions and demeanor of the players, they could easily tell who had won.
Fukurodani had at least played against Aoba Johsai before, so while they were shocked Aoba Johsai had taken down Itachiyama in straight sets, it wasn't completely unexpected.
But for the players of Kamomedai High School, it came as a total surprise.
After all, compared to Aoba Johsai, Itachiyama, last year's national champion, naturally drew more attention and expectations.
By the time Aoba Johsai arrived, the match between Fukurodani and Kamomedai was nearing the end of the second set.
Kamomedai High School had taken the first set.
From the current pace, Fukurodani seemed likely to win the second, meaning the match would almost certainly go to a deciding third set.
"Kamomedai may not have Itachiyama's Sakusa Kiyoomi or Motoya Komori, nor a star like Kotaro Bokuto from Fukurodani, but as a long-standing national-level team, they've got two players this year who really stand out…"
Aoba Johsai hadn't rushed over just to spectate.
They'd already studied Fukurodani from their previous matchups, but Kamomedai was a mystery to them. None of the players were familiar.
"First, there's Kamomedai's No. 10!"
Everyone followed Nobuteru Irihata's gaze, and soon spotted the player towering like a crane among chickens. Even at a glance, he stood out clearly from the rest of Kamomedai's team.
"Whoa~~ he's huge!"
"That guy's gotta be over two meters tall!"
The moment they laid eyes on Kamomedai's No. 10, many Aoba Johsai players were stunned. His sheer height was astonishing.
"To be exact, he's 203 cm tall," Irihata explained. "His name is Gao Hakuba. He plays as an opposite. But unlike Iwaizumi, he's what we call a power opposite, like Ushijima Wakatoshi."
"The difference is, Ushijima rarely participates in blocking, but Gao Hakuba does, and quite frequently. In fact, he scores more points from blocks than from spikes."
"So, to be precise, he's a rare hybrid, combining traits of both a defensive and a power opposite. He's what you'd call a complete-type opposite hitter."
"As for how troublesome he is to deal with… I think you can imagine it yourselves."
Irihata didn't need to elaborate further. He didn't have to.
Volleyball isn't a sport decided by height alone.
But it's undeniable that height brings a massive advantage.
A player like Gao Hakuba, even if his technique was average or rough, would still be a massive threat purely because of his physical presence.
And this was no random school, they were a national-level powerhouse. There was no way their players lacked fundamentals.
Almost like affirming Irihata's words, a dramatic play suddenly unfolded on the court.
As Kotaro Bokuto launched a spike, it was blocked cleanly by Gao Hakuba, right at the net.
Even more shocking was that the ball didn't hit his forearm or palm, it bounced off a spot near his elbow.
"What the?!" Hanamaki Takahiro blurted out in disbelief.
The rest of Aoba Johsai was equally stunned. That block alone made one thing clear: Kamomedai's No. 10 wasn't just tall.
His reaction speed and vertical leap, while maybe not national top tier, were definitely well above the norm.
Add that to his 203 cm frame...
This wasn't just a wall.
It was a freaking Mt. Fuji on the court!
Even Oikawa Tooru's expression turned grim. "Seriously… can't we just once have an opponent with an obvious weakness?"
He had been hoping their next opponent would be Kamomedai High.
Not for any strategic reason.
He just thought Fukurodani was too damn hard to deal with, so maybe they'd get lucky and draw a weaker team.
But now?
It didn't matter who they faced tomorrow, either way, it was going to be a brutal match.
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"Next, there's No. 5, Korai Hoshiumi ."
Irihata continued, "He's Kamomedai's ace. Although he's the shortest player on their team, he's got explosive jumping ability and athleticism that rivals even the tallest spikers. And his technique is incredibly refined, he's dangerous in offense, defense, and can even fill in as a setter if needed."
Hearing this, the Aoba Johsai players turned their attention again.
And once more, they were stunned.
If Gao Hakuba had shocked them with his towering height...
Then Korai Hoshiumi stunned them for the exact opposite reason, his short stature.
Korai Hoshiumi .
Height:169.2 cm.
The shortest on Kamomedai High's roster, shorter even than their libero.
Yet it was this very player, alongside the 203 cm Gao Hakuba, who formed the twin pillars of Kamomedai's lineup.
"Ahhh~~~ this guy feels so familiar!"
"Yeah, I totally agree!"
"He really reminds me of that annoying little crow…"
Unlike Gao Hakuba, the team wasn't too shocked by Hoshiumi.
After all, they'd already met someone similar, a short but equally terrifying player.
"Feels like this guy jumps even higher than Karasuno's No. 10," Hajime Iwaizumi muttered, rubbing his chin. From the sidelines, it was hard to be sure, but his gut told him Hoshiumi's vertical leap might even outmatch Hinata Shoyo's.
"You're not wrong," Irihata nodded. "In a sense, Kamomedai's No. 5 might be the complete version of Hinata Shoyo."