"Hey, hey, hey, what was that just now?"

"A serve?"

"Are you kidding me? You call that a serve? That thing was like a cannonball!

Everyone's eyes were wide with shock.

If they had a choice, the players from Aoba Johsai watching the match would've preferred not to call what they just saw a "serve."

But the facts couldn't be denied.

No matter how unbelievable it was, once the referee blew the whistle to confirm the point, they had no choice but to accept it.

"Damn first-years… Why didn't you show this kind of form when we faced Shiratorizawa?" Oikawa muttered, pouting.

On the court, Iwaizumi and Kunimi were just as stunned.

They already knew Akashi Asuka's serves were powerful, but that last one was unlike anything before. Well, to be precise, Kunimi felt a faint familiarity.

Because that serve had awakened the memory of the very first time he'd seen Akashi's serve.

Not just a serve aimed at scoring, but a terrifying force that seemed intent on utterly crushing the opponents along with the ball.

────────── ✦ ──────────

"Big bro, you really didn't have to treat the seniors this way, did you? Why now of all times do you get into this zone?" Sanashita was silently suffering inside.

He had a bad feeling that by the end of this match, both he and Akashi might have made all the players from Aoba Johsai angry.

Especially those who were close to Iwaizumi and Kunimi.

Of course, Akashi couldn't hear Sanashita's inner thoughts. Honestly, even if Sanashita yelled out loud, Akashi probably wouldn't notice.

Because Akashi had once again entered his "clear and calm mind" state.

This was the third time he'd gone into this mode.

The first was during Junior High, when he faced Yamarashi Technical Industrial Junior High. That time, it lasted just a few serves.

The second was during the first match of the national Junior High tournament. Back then, everyone from Sendai was rattled by the atmosphere, and Akashi entered this state, single-handedly breaking the opponents in half a set.

And now, it is happening again...

Boom!

Like thunder cracking through a clear sky.

Akashi's second serve came at lightning speed. This time, Iwaizumi and Kunimi focused all their attention and finally tracked the ball's trajectory, but that was all they could do.

The ball slammed into the floor, deformed from the impact, bounced high, and hit the wall.

2–0.

Iwaizumi and Kunimi froze, finally realizing how bad things were.

Since it was a 2v2 match, defense was already stretched thin. It was a stretch to even try to receive Akashi's powerful serves.

And now, with Akashi on fire, it wasn't just about receiving, it was almost impossible even to touch the serve.

Boom!

While the two were still stunned, Akashi launched his third serve without mercy.

The moment Akashi struck the ball, the volleyball seemed to cave in where his palm made contact. It was like he wasn't hitting a hard ball but a soft, springy cotton ball.

A ripple of invisible white energy burst forth as the ball shot from his palm, soaring over the net effortlessly and crashing to the floor again.

3–0.

Three straight points.

Outside the court, silence fell completely.

Even the first-years Kindaichi and Kunimi felt Akashi was a bit too much.

How could you bully your seniors like this?

It was downright disrespectful.

Sensing the gazes of the surrounding players, Sanashita trembled. If the match kept going like this, he felt he and Akashi might soon find themselves unwelcome here.

But there was nothing he could do!

When Akashi was in this state, not only opponents but even teammates were intimidated.

After the first match of the national Junior High tournament, Sanashita was the first to regain his composure. He'd never forget the look in the opponents' eyes.

It wasn't just disappointment from losing, it was fear.

A primal dread felt when faced with a power far beyond oneself.

Boom!

Finally, Akashi sent out his fourth serve.

This one's landing spot was perfect, at least for Kunimi, because it flew directly toward him without any deviation.

Kunimi quickly readied himself to receive, and the ball landed right on his arm.

But almost immediately, Kunimi felt a force far greater than usual coursing through him. The sudden change made his face go pale. He scrambled backward, trying to absorb the power behind the ball.

But even when he crouched all the way down, he couldn't completely negate the force.

Because his center of gravity shifted too far back, he lost balance. And the ball's impact gave him just a little extra push.

Thud.

Kunimi fell hard onto the ground.

At the same time, the volleyball bounced high, flew over the net, and went out of bounds.

At first glance, it looked as if Kunimi had been knocked down by the serve itself.

4–0.

Sitting on the floor, Kunimi stared at Akashi with wide eyes.

"I'm okay! Kunimi, you alright?" Iwaizumi reached out his hand.

"I'm fine... but be careful, Iwaizumi. Akashi's serve… it's different. It's like it's evolved again." Kunimi said as he got up, gripping Iwaizumi's hand and warning him.

Iwaizumi blinked, not immediately understanding what Kunimi meant.

"Evolved again?"

Did that mean it had improved?

If so, there was no need to warn him, Akashi's form was already obvious from the score. Today, his state was clearly far better than before.

But soon, Iwaizumi understood.

The moment Akashi launched his fifth serve, Iwaizumi finally caught the ball's trajectory. He dived and barely managed to receive it.

But just as his arms touched the ball,

His entire arm was thrown back as if hit by a heavy iron ball.

There was no way one arm could absorb that force.

The ball bounced off his arm and flew out of bounds.

Only then did Iwaizumi grasp what Kunimi meant by "evolved."

This wasn't just progress in serving, it was a massive leap in Akashi's overall power.

The ball hit the floor. The whistle blew.

Score: 5–0.

==========

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