Score: Nekoma 23 - 21 Shiratorizawa.
Ryuu stood at the service line. The ball felt heavy, slick with sweat. The noise in the gym was deafening—the Shiratorizawa cheer squad was chanting desperately, trying to will their team to a comeback.
Ryuu bounced the ball once. Thud.
He looked across the net. Ushijima Wakatoshi was in the back row, knees bent, ready to receive.
"Two points," Ryuu muttered, spinning the ball. "Just two more and I can go sit in the AC."
He tossed the ball high.
He ran. He jumped.
BOOM.
He unleashed a jump serve with everything he had left. It screamed across the net, aiming right for Ushijima.
Ushijima reacted. He stepped in and took it on his forearms.
CRACK.
The impact was heavy, but Ushijima was solid. He popped the ball up, though it drifted slightly off the net.
"Cover!" Shirabu shouted.
Shirabu ran to the 3-meter line. He couldn't set the middle. He had to go to the wings.
"Goshiki!"
He set high to the left. To the first-year ace, Goshiki Tsutomu.
Goshiki approached. He knew Ryuu was in the back row, which meant the blocking height was lower (Kuroo and Kai).
'I have to score!'
Goshiki jumped. He hit a razor-sharp Super Straight.
Kuroo tried to seal it, but Goshiki's shot hugged the antenna perfectly.
BOOM.
The ball slammed into the corner, just out of Yaku's reach.
Shiratorizawa 22 - 23.
Goshiki roared, pumping his fist. "I'M STILL HERE!"
Ryuu watched the ball land. He clicked his tongue.
"The bowl cut is persistent," Ryuu muttered.
____________
Goshiki served. It was a good serve, but Kai received it calmly.
"Kenma!"
Kenma set to Ryuu in the front-left.
Tendou and Ushijima jumped to block.
Ryuu didn't try to be fancy. He saw the gap above Tendou's head.
He swung.
BOOM.
He powered the ball over the block. It landed deep in the court, right on the baseline.
Nekoma 24 - 22. Match Point.
Ryuu landed. He pointed at the line judge. "In."
The flag went up.
"One point," Ryuu whispered.
___
Kuroo rotated to serve.
"Close the gate!" Kuroo shouted.
He served. A nasty jump serve that clipped the net tape.
Yamagata (Libero) dove forward. "Up!"
It was a scramble. The ball popped high into the air, but it was off the net.
"Shirabu! Cover!"
Shirabu ran to the 3-meter line. He had only one option. The entire gym knew it. The crowd knew it. Ryuu knew it.
"Ushijima-san!"
It was a high, desperate set to the right.
Ushijima Wakatoshi backed up. He took his approach run. His face was a mask of absolute focus.
Ryuu was waiting at the net. He was alone for a split second before Kuroo joined him.
'He's coming,' Ryuu thought.
Ushijima jumped.
From Ushijima's perspective, the world usually slowed down. He would see the block, see the "path" of light where he could hit, and then execute. He was the Cannon. Blocks were just obstacles to be broken.
He cocked his left arm. He looked for the path.
He looked for the straight. Blocked by Ryuu.
He looked for the cross. Blocked by Kuroo.
He looked for a wipe. Ryuu's hand was too high.
For the first time in his high school career, Ushijima didn't see a path.
He saw a shadow.
Ryuu Gojou wasn't just blocking. He was looming. His massive frame seemed to expand, blotting out the stadium lights. His hands weren't just searching for the ball; they were swallowing the space.
'A Wall,' Ushijima thought. 'A wall that does not break.'
Ushijima swung anyway. He put every ounce of his remaining strength into breaking the wall.
BLAM.
The ball impacted Ryuu's hands.
Usually, the spin would rip it away. Usually, the force would push the hands back.
But Ryuu leaned forward. He pressed his entire body weight into the block, his core locked like iron. He didn't give a millimeter.
CRUNCH.
The sound was absolute. It wasn't a deflection. It was a dead stop.
The ball hit Ryuu's palms and was instantly rejected. It fell straight down—fast and heavy.
It landed on Ushijima's side of the court, right between his feet as he landed.
Game Set Match.
Nekoma Wins: 25 - 22.
Set Count: 2 - 1.
The whistle blew.
The gym went silent. The impact of the block echoed for a second before the Nekoma bench exploded.
"RYUUUUUU!" Yamamoto screamed.
Ryuu landed. He didn't roar. He didn't run.
He stood there at the net, staring down at Ushijima through the mesh.
Ushijima stood frozen. He looked at the ball at his feet, then slowly looked up at the red giant towering over him.
The "Cannon" had fired its strongest shot. And the "Wall" hadn't even scratched.
Ryuu tilted his head, sweat dripping from his chin.
"Is that it?" Ryuu whispered before turning his back.
_______________
The teams lined up at the net. The Shiratorizawa players looked hollowed out. They were the Eagles, the undisputed kings, and for the first time in years, they had been grounded.
Ryuu stood opposite Ushijima. Ushijima extended his hand. He looked Ryuu directly in the eyes. There was no anger, only the cold, heavy realization of the result.
"You blocked me," Ushijima said. It wasn't a question. It was a statement of fact.
"I did," Ryuu replied, gripping the hand. His own hand was throbbing, but he didn't let it show.
"I saw no path," Ushijima admitted, his voice low. "For a split second... the court disappeared."
Ryuu grinned. It wasn't a mocking grin. It was the satisfied look of a hunter who had just taken down the biggest game in the forest. "I told you, Lefty," Ryuu said, leaning in slightly. "You can break walls. But you can't break me."
Ushijima tightened his grip for a second, acknowledging the strength, then let go. "Go," Ushijima said, turning away to gather his team. "Do not lose to the Seagulls."
Ryuu watched him go, his expression sobering. He gave a sharp nod before turning back to his own side.
____
Nekoma walked off the court. They were battered. Kuroo leaned heavily on Ryuu's shoulder, using him as a crutch. "You... you actually stuffed him. A kill block on Ushijima Wakatoshi. That is going bold on my resume."
"He was tired," Ryuu shrugged, though he was secretly flexing his swollen fingers to get the feeling back. "His jump height dropped by three centimeters in the last rotation. I just waited for gravity to do the rest."
"You're terrifying," Yaku said, shaking his head as he guzzled water. "You analyze them like a computer and then crush them like a monster."
They walked into the hallway. The whispers followed them. The other teams stared. Nekoma wasn't just the "defensive team" anymore. They were the team with the Red Giant who stopped Ushijima.
As they turned the corner, a familiar voice boomed off the concrete walls. "HEY! HEY! HEY!"
Bokuto Koutarou was there, practically vibrating with energy. "I SAW IT! THE ROOF!" Bokuto mimed a massive block, slamming his hands together. "BAAM! The sound was crazy! Even I got scared, and I don't get scared!"
Ryuu sighed, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Hello, Owl. Did you win?"
"Of course! We're in the Semis!" Bokuto pointed aggressively at the bracket pinned to the wall. "We play Inarizaki! Wait... no, the foxes lost. We play... uh..."
"Itachiyama," Akaashi supplied, appearing from behind Bokuto like a exhausted ghost. "We play Sakusa in the other semifinal."
"RIGHT! SAKUSA!" Bokuto yelled, pumping a fist. "I'M GONNA CRUSH HIM! NO MORE BENT WRISTS!"
Ryuu's eyes drifted to the bracket.
Semifinals:Match 1: Nekoma vs. Kamomedai.Match 2: Fukurodani vs. Itachiyama.
Ryuu's eyes locked onto his next opponent. Kamomedai High School. A team that didn't rely on a single ace, but on a suffocating system. Read Blocking. And a small player with white hair who jumped as if gravity was just a suggestion.
Hoshiumi Kourai. The Little Giant.
Ryuu groaned, letting his head fall back against the cool wall. "Another gimmick?" Ryuu complained, rubbing his neck. "First a lefty cannon, now... seagulls? Can't I just fight normal people who jump a normal height?"
"Normal people went home yesterday," Kuroo grinned, slapping Ryuu's arm. "Welcome to the deep end, Ace."
Ryuu cracked his neck, his golden eyes narrowing as he looked at the name Kamomedai.
"Fine," Ryuu muttered. "I broke the Wall of Miyagi. I guess I can clip some bird wings next."