Kyotani's expression was so dark it looked stormy. He had thought today's match would mark the beginning of his journey, but instead he had been completely crushed in the very first game.
Ryosuke stood at the net with a raised eyebrow, watching him. Kyotani glared back with those sharp eyes.
Both Shiratorizawa and Aobajosai could feel the tension between the two of them, like two blades clashing.
Oikawa glanced over in surprise, then secretly smiled. He waved Matsukawa over and muttered something in his ear—clearly plotting something again.
"Beep—"
The match resumed.
Shirabu took the ball and served a slow, drifting net serve. Watari had already anticipated it. The moment Shirabu moved, he rushed forward and dove to receive the ball.
"Bang!"
The ball floated above the net. Goshiki and Ryosuke, along with the two opposing players at the net, stared at it without blinking.
Which side would it fall on?
The ball looked like it was about to cross the net.
Ryosuke and Goshiki widened their eyes.
Then suddenly it began to drop.
"Ha!"
Oikawa laughed.
Luck was on their side.
Standing under the net, he smoothly set the ball.
Again—to Matsukawa.
Ryosuke raised an eyebrow.
The same setup. The same play.
Sure enough, Kyotani burst out from behind again and stole the ball—almost exactly the same as before.
"Smack!"
Ryosuke jumped again and blocked it.
Kyotani was furious once more and immediately began thinking of a counter.
Oikawa curled his lips slightly.
Ryosuke and Mad Dog were now locked onto each other.
If this blocking monster focused on Kyotani, he wouldn't have time to watch anyone else.
Ryosuke's blocking was strong, but he could only concentrate on one person. That meant the rest of Shiratorizawa's blocking would fall to Reon or Goshiki.
And those two…
weren't nearly as threatening.
That meant Kunimi and Iwaizumi could focus fully on offense.
There was a weak point.
Goshiki.
Oikawa's mischievous gaze locked onto him.
...
Goshiki launched a powerful jump serve, but Watari read the position perfectly and received it.
Oikawa set the ball to Iwaizumi, who was pacing along the right sideline, ready to attack.
Oikawa glanced toward Ryosuke.
Ryosuke was still watching Kyotani and didn't move.
Meanwhile, Reon and Goshiki jumped to block in front of Iwaizumi.
Exactly as Oikawa expected.
Iwaizumi smashed the ball through Reon's block with a sharp cross shot.
Reon didn't have Ryosuke's reaction speed or Tendō's instincts. His blocking had always been average.
There was no way he could stop that shot.
"Bang!"
"Beep—!"
Point for Aobajosai.
...
Next rally.
Oikawa set to Kyotani.
Kyotani's arm muscles tensed as he swung fiercely.
"Bang!"
"Smack!"
Ryosuke blocked it again.
Then Oikawa began alternating between sets to Iwaizumi and Kunimi, scoring points again and again.
The cycle repeated.
Gradually, Aobajosai overtook Shiratorizawa.
15:16.
Reon frowned as he looked at the scoreboard.
Without Ryosuke's blocking support, Shiratorizawa's first line of defense was easily broken.
But he also couldn't allow Ryosuke to stop focusing on number sixteen.
Reon had watched those earlier rallies carefully.
If they ignored Kyotani, he could break through immediately.
But if they focused on him, then Shiratorizawa's blocking would be stuck dealing with him alone—and the rest of Aobajosai's attackers would run free.
Oikawa really was ruthless.
It was a transparent strategy, but there was nothing Shiratorizawa could do about it.
The point gap slowly widened.
...
"Iwa!"
Iwaizumi suddenly appeared near the sideline again and slammed down a powerful spike.
Goshiki gritted his teeth and jumped to block.
"Bang!"
The ball struck the front of Goshiki's palm.
"One touch!"
After so many failed blocks, Goshiki had finally begun to understand Iwaizumi's spiking habits—thanks to Ryosuke's quiet advice earlier.
He liked staying near the sideline.
If he could hit straight, he would never choose a cross shot.
No tricks.
A pure power hitter.
Goshiki was slowly getting used to him.
19:17.
But Shiratorizawa was still behind.
Oikawa's strategy was an open trap—completely transparent, yet impossible to argue against.
...
Meanwhile, Tendō had quietly returned to the sidelines wearing a mask and a long-sleeved jacket.
Standing next to Coach Washijō, he watched the scoreboard and felt an unusual impatience.
"Well, well, Coach Washijō. I'm going in for the final set."
His voice still sounded slightly nasal.
Washijō glanced sideways at him and carefully examined his complexion.
The boy no longer looked so pale.
Since he had just been sick, Washijō didn't scold him.
"You know your own body."
"If something happens, that's your responsibility."
"For now, watch Ryosuke's blocking carefully."
"Look at the blocking you personally helped train."
Tendō blinked in confusion.
Why isn't he yelling at me?
Washijō's attention had already returned to the court.
His eyes shone brighter and brighter.
That was the player he had personally trained.
He had Washijō's persistence and discipline.
But also his own mentality and talent.
Someone like that—
was born for the court.
...
"Bang!"
Ryosuke blocked Mad Dog again.
Kyotani grew fiercer with every failure.
From scoring nothing at the beginning, he had now reached a near-even battle with Ryosuke.
Even Oikawa clicked his tongue in amazement.
What terrifying talent.
His learning ability and adaptability were off the charts.
Ryosuke was improving too.
During the match he had started learning how to handle multiple threats at once.
While blocking Mad Dog, his eyes caught Iwaizumi and Kunimi running across the court.
He understood something.
If you're fast enough—
you can break anything.
...
Next serve.
Reon stepped up.
He smashed a powerful jump serve toward position one.
Kunimi stepped aside.
Watari rushed forward and received the ball cleanly.
Oikawa set it to Iwaizumi.
This time, Ryosuke didn't follow Kyotani.
He focused entirely on reading the play.
The moment he confirmed the set was going to Iwaizumi—
he sprinted.
Ryosuke's explosive speed was frightening.
In a flash he arrived in front of Iwaizumi.
Iwaizumi had already jumped.
Ryosuke jumped too.
That tiny delay created a perfect timing trap.
"Bang!"
Ryosuke lowered his left arm slightly and sealed the straight path with his right.
He had already studied Iwaizumi.
If the straight shot was blocked—
then the next option would be cross.
"Smack!"
Exactly.
Iwaizumi went for the cross.
Ryosuke's moving left hand caught it perfectly.
Block.
Point.
Iwaizumi landed with a sigh.
He hated admitting it.
But Ryosuke might actually be stronger than him.
18:19.
One point difference.
Ryosuke bent over with his hands on his knees, breathing heavily.
After four sets, even Goshiki was tired.
For Ryosuke—constantly running and blocking—it was exhausting.
...
Reon stepped up to serve again.
One point.
Just one point to tie.
He tossed the ball.
Six steps.
Jump.
"Bang!"
He put all his power into it.
Watari clenched his teeth.
No.
He absolutely couldn't let that score.
He dove.
The ball was about to hit the floor—
then suddenly curved.
Watari slammed his hands against the floor, spun his body, and stretched his arms forward.
"Bang!"
He saved it.
The ball shot high into the air.
"Oikawa!"
"I'm here!"
Oikawa looked up helplessly.
Were all Shiratorizawa players brute force monsters?
Why did every hit have to be so strong?!
...
From the stands—
Nishinoya chewed on a banana.
"Why is the pace so fast this set?"
"Did Oikawa speed things up?"
Kageyama had somehow moved closer to the front row.
He answered calmly.
"Oikawa-senpai is doing it intentionally."
"A setter controls the rhythm of the game."
"If he hasn't slowed it down, that means he wants it like this."
"Once number sixteen joined, the situation changed."
"His attacks are unpredictable."
"Ryosuke has to spend a lot of energy blocking him."
"That drains Shiratorizawa's blocking stamina."
"After that, Shiratorizawa only has floor defense and offense left."
Hinata and Nishinoya stared with identical expressions.
"Ooooh!"
Nishinoya slapped Kageyama's back.
"You're pretty smart, Kageyama!"
Kageyama's face twisted.
Nishinoya-senpai hits really hard…
Hinata burst out laughing.
Kageyama turned red.
"What are you laughing at, idiot?!"
...
Back on the court, Reon's serve failed to tie the score.
He jogged back looking slightly disappointed.
"It's fine, Reon."
Yamagata turned and comforted him.
Reon smiled warmly.
Nice.
The kid even knows how to comfort me now.
"Anyway, it's not the first time you failed to score on a serve."
Reon's smile disappeared instantly.
He glared at Yamagata.
I'll deal with you after the match.
...
Aobajosai still had possession.
Oikawa moved to position five.
Watari quickly cleared space.
The ball was far from the net and the attackers.
Only a long set would work.
Kyotani stood next to Matsukawa.
His eyes occasionally glanced toward Kunimi.
Iwaizumi stayed in the middle court, ready to cover mistakes.
That position clearly showed he had given up this attack.
Oikawa, stuck in the backcourt, couldn't do anything fancy.
He sent a long set toward position one.
Matsukawa watched the ball calmly.
He even stepped aside slightly.
Kyotani looked confused.
Then he began his approach.
Ryosuke rushed over to block.
But Oikawa narrowed his eyes toward Kunimi at position two.
This ball was meant for position one.
But position two could also attack it.
To guarantee Kunimi's surprise attack—
Oikawa used two decoys.
Matsukawa.
And Kyotani.
Kunimi looked up.
Then glanced at Oikawa.
Oikawa smiled like a fox.
Kunimi twitched his lips.
So that's the plan.
Kunimi crouched.
Jumped.
The aerial battle exploded instantly.
Ryosuke jumped to block.
Kyotani swung.
But Kunimi reached out with one hand—
and redirected the ball diagonally.
It brushed Ryosuke's arm.
A sharp cross shot.
"Bang!"
"Beep—!"
Kyotani landed staring at his palm.
He was furious.
That play looked very familiar.
Just like when he stole Matsukawa's ball earlier.
So he had been used as bait.
Damn it.
...
Ryosuke stood still for a moment.
Outplayed again.
Goshiki nervously approached him.
"Ryosuke… do your best next time!"
He awkwardly copied what the seniors usually said.
Reon came over too.
"Next one."
Ushijima simply nodded.
Ryosuke laughed.
"I'm fine."
"Did you see that play?"
Goshiki nodded enthusiastically.
"That was amazing!"
"You can even steal your teammate's ball!"
"So that means maybe I could—"
In Goshiki's imagination—
He stole Ushijima's ball.
Smashed a huge spike.
Shirabu praised him.
Ushijima admired him.
Hehe…
Sounds wonderful.
Ryosuke's eye twitched.
You completely misunderstood the point.
He grabbed Goshiki's head and ruffled his hair.
"Promise me something."
"Don't ever get ideas like that."
"Why?!" Goshiki protested.
"If you steal a ball, Shirabu will absolutely destroy you."
Goshiki imagined Shirabu's expressionless face.
Cold sweat instantly covered his back.
Thank goodness that was just imagination.
Ryosuke laughed and returned to his position.
Meanwhile Goshiki repeated to himself internally:
Never steal the ball.
Never steal the ball.
Otherwise…
I'm dead.
...
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