"What?! You saw two of the top five spikers in the nation at the Tokyo games?!"

A loud exclamation from Kindaichi echoed through the hallway of Class 1-5 at Aoba Johsai High, drawing curious glances from nearby students.

"Keep your voice down; we're already attracting enough attention as it is…"

Recently, the volleyball team members had indeed become the talk of the school.

Despite Aoba Johsai's reputation as an academic-focused institution, their volleyball team's return to the Nationals after five years delighted the school administration.

A massive banner now hung in the centre of the school building: "Congratulations to Our Boys' Volleyball Team on Advancing to Nationals!"

Even the cafeteria played clips of their games and post-match interviews on repeat, making them the centre of attention both on and off campus.

"Sakusa Kiyoomi and Bokuto Kōtarō—those two senpais are incredible. They're not the same type of players as Ushijima-senpai, though."

"Of course not! They're on the cover of Monthly Volleyball for a reason!"

Kaedehara Taichi and Kindaichi Yūtarō walked side by side down the hallway. Their height made them stand out naturally in the crowd.

Taichi, with his signature black hair and clean-cut features, exuded a charm that was both dashing and approachable—like a protagonist straight out of a manga. Students passing by, especially girls, couldn't help but steal a glance.

Kindaichi, with his unique, towering hairstyle, was equally eye-catching.

"The rest of their teams are strong, too. I'm really looking forward to playing against them!"

Taichi's excitement made Kindaichi stop in his tracks. As expected, Taichi's presence alone was enough to banish any fear of these powerhouse teams.

"By the way, while you were in Tokyo, we also trained with some strong teams."

"Oh? Shiratorizawa?"

"No, it was some alumni from Aoba Johsai who still play in college. Coach Irihata specially arranged it."

"That must've been intense. So, did you guys win?"

"…No."

"See? You need me, after all!" Taichi grinned. "I bet testing my new moves on them would feel soo amazing~"

-----

Bam!

Taichi spiked a sharp line shot.

"Out!"

"Tch. Focusing on power makes the angle harder to control," Taichi muttered, looking at his hand in frustration.

When spiking a line shot, the arm must swing quickly and directly, minimizing wrist movement to keep the ball's trajectory straight.

For cross-court spikes, the key lay in a swift wrist snap and the direction of the arm swing.

At the moment of contact, a sharp inward or outward twist of the wrist altered the ball's flight path.

Both techniques required precise control over power—too much force risked sending the ball out of bounds, while too little made it easy for the opponent to block.

This is hard. Trying to master both techniques at once might be too ambitious for me, Taichi thought.

Understanding these spikes wasn't difficult; it was training his body to execute them consistently that posed the challenge. The two techniques demanded opposite approaches: one minimizing wrist movement, the other maximizing it.

Trying to do both simultaneously could leave him mastering neither.

Am I getting impatient just because Aoba Johsai finally made it to the Nationals?

Finishing his final set of spike drills, Taichi leaned against the court's edge, lost in thought.

He wasn't the type to rely on raw passion to achieve his goals. Whenever he encountered a problem, he needed to think clearly about the next step forward. Right now, it seemed like he could only choose one technique to focus on…

"Taichi, what's bothering you?"

Kunimi Akira's voice suddenly broke his train of thought, startling Taichi slightly. Despite being the other first-year starter on Aoba Johsai's team, Kunimi's presence often felt overshadowed.

Smart but perpetually lazy, Kunimi's attitude had frustrated Taichi in the past.

Taichi had wondered if there was a way to motivate him, believing Kunimi's full potential could take the team to new heights.

Yet reason and reverse psychology alike seemed to have little effect on someone as sharp as Kunimi. Likely, the rest of the team thought the same, which explained why Kindaichi remained the only one particularly close to him.

That Kunimi was now approaching him voluntarily made Taichi feel almost flattered.

"What's with that look on your face?" Kunimi asked irritably.

"Happy" Taichi replied offhandedly. The amusing encounter lifted some of his training frustrations.

Kunimi: "…"

"You were a complete rookie at the start of the year. Now, not only have you secured a starting spot, but after beating Shiratorizawa, everyone's even calling you the ace. So why do you still look so restless?"

Kunimi's words came out in a rush, as though they'd been bottled up for a while.

As a self-proclaimed energy conservationist, Kunimi hated watching Taichi train with such relentless determination. (After all, "effort" was Kunimi's second least favourite word.) Yet seeing Taichi surpass him, leaving him in the dust, sparked a mix of admiration and annoyance.

But today, seeing Taichi looking dissatisfied despite improving further, Kunimi felt genuinely frustrated.

"Because…I'm not the strongest yet."

Taichi's expression changed in an instant. The cheerful smile disappeared, replaced by a seriousness that made Kunimi involuntarily hold his breath.

"Anyway, I've been struggling with line and cross-court spikes…"

Taichi's candid explanation dissolved the momentary tension. Kunimi exhaled unconsciously.

"So, I was thinking of focusing on just one for Nationals. What do you think?" Taichi finished, looking at Kunimi expectantly.

Kunimi thought for a moment before changing the subject. "Didn't you try spiking with your left hand during the Shiratorizawa match? How did that feel? Was it awkward?"

"Left hand?" Taichi recalled the experience. "It felt a bit unfamiliar, but not uncomfortable. My left-hand strength isn't there yet, but the spin sometimes creates surprising effects. It's definitely something I want to master."

The thought of needing to practice even more techniques made Taichi feel even more restless.

"If controlling wrist movements is so tricky, why not use your left hand for line shots and your right hand for cross-court?" Kunimi suggested offhandedly.

Taichi: "???" But…it seemed plausible?

Seeing Taichi's intrigued expression, Kunimi sighed. "You're not seriously considering it, are you? Do you realize how much extra practice that would take? Not to mention the different approach paths and the need for a top-tier setter to keep up."

Kunimi tried to reason with him, pointing out that mastering one skill to perfection would be more efficient.

"But wouldn't ambidextrous spiking look awesome?! Plus, it'd be harder to defend against. Speaking of amazing setters, we already have one on our team!" Taichi's eyes sparkled with excitement.

Kunimi: "…" I'm done. Training's over. Time to go home.

"Thanks, Kunimi! I'll treat you to ramen next time!" Taichi shouted before running off to find Oikawa.

Watching Taichi and Oikawa dive into an animated discussion, Kunimi completely forgot why he'd approached Taichi in the first place.

--------

Two weeks.

For someone completely immersed in training, it felt like an instant had passed.

As expected, Nekoma faced Itachiyama in the second round of the preliminaries.

The inexperienced Lev Haiba couldn't yet serve as the spearhead of Nekoma's offence. The result: 0-2.

The undeniable gap in skill forced Nekoma to bid an early farewell to this year's Inter-High national tournament.

When the agreed-upon date arrived, a group of university players, led by Ichisuke Takahashi and Heiji Morita, returned to Aoba Johsai's third gym—this hallowed ground that carried three years of their memories.

"Good day, senpai!"

The moment he stepped into the gym, Ichisuke Takahashi could sense the atmosphere had changed.@@novelbin@@

Two weeks ago, the Aoba Johsai players had sized them up warily, their eyes guarded. But today, their expressions brimmed with confidence and unshakable determination.

Heiji Morita's gaze swept the gym mischievously, and soon he caught sight of an unfamiliar face among Seijoh's starting lineup.

"Hey, kid," Morita said, addressing Taichi Kaedehara with a teasing smirk. "So, you're Seijoh's rookie ace?"

"Hello, senpai. Yes, I am Seijoh's ace," Taichi replied politely. Then, with a hint of innocence, he added, "Were you Seijoh's ace back in your day?"

"Pfft—" Kazuya Sugimoto couldn't hold back a chuckle. This kid packed quite the punch.

Morita, who had quickly sized up Taichi's height—likely even taller than his own—chose to keep his distance. "I was the team's setter."

The implication was clear: in most cases, the ace was the main spiker.

"Oh, what a coincidence!" Taichi exclaimed, his expression genuinely delighted. "Our captain, Oikawa-senpai, is also a setter—and he's often called an ace too."

The university players, well-acquainted with Tōru Oikawa's prowess, couldn't deny the accuracy of the statement.

Morita: "..."

"Taichi!" Hajime Iwaizumi stepped in, firmly pressing down on Taichi's head. "Morita-senpai, I apologize—our first-year doesn't know any better."

"Hahaha…" Morita's initially tense expression broke into laughter. "Having some personality is a good thing. Just don't let yourselves get scared off by other teams at Nationals."

"Thank you, senpai!" Taichi responded sincerely. A little pre-match banter was normal, and their willingness to take time out of their schedule to help Seijoh train was already something to be grateful for.

"Well, let's get started. I'm curious to see what Aoba Johsai looks like at full power now," Morita said, his anticipation evident.

After a brief warm-up, the match began.

Aoba Johsai's lineup:

Front row—Middle Blocker Taichi Kaedehara, Wing Spiker Hanamaki Takahiro, Outside Hitter Kunimi Akira 

Back row—Middle Blocker Kyōtani Kentarō (Libero: Watari Shinji), Setter Oikawa Tōru and Outside Hitter Iwaizumi Hajime.

University Team lineup:

Front row—Middle Blocker Sugimoto Kazuya, Middle Blocker Matsumoto Kentaro, Outside Hitter Takahashi Ichisuke

Back row— Wing Spiker Sato Ryo, Setter Morita Heiji and Outside Hitter Uchida Subaru (Libero: Kobayashi Yuri).

Opening serve.

Kyōtani served with a powerful jump serve that smashed into Kobayashi's arm, sending the ball rocketing upward.

"Save it!"

Yuri Kobayashi's eyes widened slightly—this fiery guy's serves packed even more power and spin than two weeks ago.

Morita quickly moved to cover, setting the ball toward the net. Matsumoto leapt and spiked it down.

"One touch!"

Taichi instinctively wanted to go for a block-kill, but he restrained himself—taking the safest approach for the opening play.

As Taichi landed, he sprinted toward the opposite side of the court.

"He's fast!"

"What's he doing?" The university's front-row players looked confused as they tracked Taichi's sudden movement.

The ball returned to Oikawa's hands, and he set it high to the right side. Taichi soared into the air, perfectly positioned.

Whoosh!

Before the university team could react, the ball was already in front of Taichi.

"Bang!"

Before any blockers could even jump, the ball slammed down near their feet.

[Aoba Johsai 1 - 0 University Team]

Ichisuke Takahashi: "???"

What just happened? That seemingly meaningless run was for this?

"Hahaha, interesting! So this is Aoba Johsai's ace?" Sugimoto remarked with intrigue.

But Morita's gaze shifted toward Oikawa. That set—he'd already thought Oikawa was incredible, but this brought another layer of surprise.

"Nice spike, Taichi!"

"Let's go! Another point!" Seijoh's players were fired up, the rhythm of their game finally falling into place.

The match resumed.

Kyōtani stepped up to serve again, his jump serve packed with explosive force.

Smack!

This time, Yuri Kobayashi managed to handle it much better. The ball flew cleanly toward Morita.

“I’ve got it!”

Ichisuke Takahashi stepped back a couple of paces, preparing for an attack from the back row.

Seeing this, Taichi adjusted his position and retreated as well, focusing intently on the ball.

With a resounding thud, Takahashi launched into the air and struck the ball with full force.

“Double block!”

Taichi and Hanamaki jumped in unison, forming a wall in front of Takahashi.

“Boom!”

Takahashi’s spike shot through a diagonal angle and landed cleanly on Seijoh’s court.

[Aoba Johsai 1 - 1 University Team]

No wonder they lost last time, Taichi thought, suddenly feeling the challenge ahead.

The libero could handle even Kyotani’s powerful serves, and their spikers possessed strength, technique, and height honed through years of collegiate-level competition. Their physicality and refined skills were the core of their confidence.

This was on par with the intensity of a national-level match.

Taichi’s focus sharpened as his eyes locked on the opponents across the net.

The university team now had the serve.

Kazuya Sugimoto prepared a jump-float serve, and his wrist flicked the ball into an unpredictable trajectory.

Iwaizumi moved forward to receive but only managed to graze the ball, which floated toward the back row.

“Taichi!” Oikawa shouted as he rushed to cover.

“I’ve got it!” Taichi responded, beginning his approach.

Was he really planning to spike in this situation?

Oikawa sent the ball flying toward the net, perfectly positioned.

Taichi followed it, his body twisting mid-air in pursuit of the ball.

“Triple block!”

Takahashi, Sato, and Matsumoto jumped together, forming an impenetrable wall in front of Taichi.

The block was high, with solid defensive stances that left little room for error. A standard spike or soft tip would likely fail.

Taichi’s sharp eyes noticed a narrow gap on Takahashi’s left side. With steady wrist control, he smashed the ball into that sliver of space.

“Bang!”

The referee closely observed and signalled the ball landed just inside the line.

Taichi had scored a perfect straight shot right on the edge.

[Aoba Johsai 2 - 1 University Team]

“You’re a lefty?” Takahashi asked, frowning slightly.

He trusted his block placement—such a tight-angle straight shot was nearly impossible with a right hand. Reflecting on Taichi’s slightly awkward posture mid-air, he quickly deduced the answer.

“What do you think?” Taichi responded with a cheeky grin.

_________

[T/N] - If you guys want to read 50 Chapters in advance of the current story, you can support me on my Patreon. Trust me, it's awesome!

Link - /Iseeblack [Remove the brackets]