The match between Aoba Johsai and Oomisaki had ended quickly. By the time they rushed to another court, Karasuno and Date Tech were still finishing their first set, with the second set about to begin.

"Go, Go, let's go, let's go, Date Tech!"@@novelbin@@

"Go, Go, let's go, let's go, Date Tech!!"

"Date Tech, fight!"

"Ohh, Date Tech's cheer squad is pretty impressive too, huh?" Oikawa Tōru said as he looked around, scanning Date Tech's enthusiastic supporters.

"Focus on the match, would you?" Iwaizumi Hajime retorted, delivering a firm kick to Oikawa's back.

"So, Date Tech lost the first set to Karasuno, huh?" Matsukawa Issei said quietly, his eyes fixed on the scoreboard. "Once Karasuno gets their rhythm, they can be terrifying to face."

Hanamaki Takahiro casually plopped down onto a seat and commented, "Think they'll just take the second set in one go?"

"It probably won't be the same as the first set," Coach Irihata interjected suddenly. "Date Tech specializes in blocking. It all comes down to how they limit Karasuno's offence."

"Yes, sir!"

[Karasuno vs. Date Tech. The second set began.]

Karasuno High's lineup:

Front row—Wing Spiker Ryūnosuke Tanaka, Middle Blocker Hinata Shōyō, Wing Spiker Daichi Sawamura.

Back row—Setter Tobio Kageyama, Middle Blocker Kei Tsukishima (Libero: Nishinoya Yū), Wing Spiker Asahi Azumane.

Date Tech High's lineup:

Front row—

Outside Hitter Takehito Sasaya, Outside Hitter Kenji Futakuchi, Middle Blocker Takanobu Aone.

Back row—Outside Hitter Yutaka Obara, Middle Blocker Yasushi Kamasaki and Setter Kaname Moniwa.(Libero: Kōsuke Sakunami).

"Oh? Karasuno's formation looks a little different from the first set," Sadayuki Mizoguchi remarked, referencing the opening lineup he'd asked other players to note down earlier.

"Compared to the first set, Karasuno's rotation has shifted back two positions," Coach Irihata observed thoughtfully. "It's likely because Date Tech's blocking has started interfering with Karasuno's 'freak quick' attacks."

"In the first set, Karasuno seemed to prioritize their strongest receiving lineup for the opening. That way, even if their spikers were blocked, they could still recover the ball and attempt a second attack."

"But Date Tech's front line probably managed to disrupt Karasuno's quick attacks, forcing them to adapt and position their shorter player—Hinata—away from their strongest blockers."

That adjustment, however, meant the pressure would now shift to Karasuno's 'new face'—the tall middle blocker…

Karasuno's Ryūnosuke Tanaka served the ball, sending it cleanly over the net. Date Tech's libero, Kosuke Sakunami, received it effortlessly.

"Nice receive, Sakunami!" Moniwa Kaname called out, directing the ball toward the right side of the net.

Takehito Sasaya swung into action, spiking the ball past two Karasuno blockers.

Smack!

Yū Nishinoya perfectly received the ball, keeping it in play.

Shōyō Hinata immediately began to run, and for a split second, Date Tech's blockers seemed caught off guard.

Tobio Kageyama leapt into the air, poised to set the ball. His form was flawless—so perfect that no one could predict which spiker he would pass to.

Whoosh!

The ball shot toward Shōyō Hinata.

At the same time, Takanobu Aone and Kenji Futakuchi stepped forward, leaping swiftly to block.

Smack!

Hinata Shōyō's spike was mercilessly blocked and sent back by Date Tech.

Date Tech scores with a block!

[Karasuno 0 - 1 Date Tech]

"Huh? I thought Hinata had already shaken off the blockers," Kindaichi muttered, recalling some unpleasant memories.

"So that's a 'read-and-react block'? The blockers jump only after seeing the setter's toss," Taichi Kaedehara said, watching in disbelief. It was his first time witnessing such a technique, and it was remarkable that it could effectively shut down such a fast attack.

"That's right," Coach Irihata praised Taichi, sensing that his theoretical understanding of volleyball had improved.

"The opponents we've faced before usually rely on what's called 'guess blocking.' They jump based on where they predict the toss will go."

"But Date Tech uses a pure 'read-and-react' block. Their blockers only jump once they see the direction of the set. That means they're much less likely to fall for decoys or fakes."

"Coach, can I learn that?" Kindaichi asked, still bitter about how Karasuno's "freak quick" had outplayed him in the past. This blocking method seemed like something worth trying.

Coach Irihata paused for a moment before replying, "I'm afraid not. This kind of blocking is slower to initiate than guess blocking. To catch up to the spiker's attack, it demands even more from the blockers—height, speed, and reaction time."

Noticing that Kaedehara seemed equally intrigued, Coach Irihata added, "Height, speed, vertical jump—none of those can be lacking. Neither of you currently has the physical attributes to pull it off."

Kindaichi sighed in defeat. But Taichi nodded to himself, as if making a silent promise: I'll wait until I'm stronger.

The match continued. After Hinata Shōyō rotated to the back row, Karasuno's offence struggled even more. Asahi Azumane was unable to break through Date Tech's formidable defense.

The score reached [Karasuno 4 - 7 Date Tech].

"Karasuno hasn't had a single opportunity for a clean attack….It's like they're just barely escaping Date Tech's blocks," said team manager Sadayuki Mizoguchi, his expression grim as he analyzed the match.

"At this rate, Date Tech should have no problem taking the second set," someone murmured.

Coach Irihata leaned forward, his eyes locked on the court.

"Turning a point that should have belonged to the opponent into one of your own—that shatters the enemy's confidence and boosts your team's morale."

"The strongest defence is also the fastest offence. This is 'The Iron Wall of Date Tech.'"

Coach Irihata had long considered Date Tech one of Aoba Johsai's biggest obstacles, so he had studied their strategies in detail. However, something about the current game felt….odd. Karasuno might be falling behind, but there was no trace of panic on their faces.

Date Tech served.

With Nishinoya Yū in the back row, Karasuno's serve reception remained solid, giving Kageyama Tobio ample time to consider his next move.

And yet, Kageyama chose the most direct option.

Hinata Shōyō sprinted to the far right side of the court, with Aone Takanobu hot on his heels.

"It's a decoy, right? Didn't they just block his quick attack?"

Whoosh!

Amid the murmurs and doubts from the crowd, Kageyama still set the ball toward Hinata Shōyō.

"They've got him!"

Date Tech's Kenji Futakuchi recognized the toss direction and quickly moved to support Aone, forming a double block.

Their combined height made it easy to match Hinata's jump.

But in their rush, a flaw appeared in their positioning: a small gap had opened between their blocking hands, just wide enough for a volleyball to pass through.

In midair, Hinata Shōyō's sharp eyes locked onto that gap.

The ball reached him precisely where he needed it, as if guided by an invisible thread.

Smack!

The volleyball blasted through Date Tech's double block, hitting the court behind them—an undefended spot.

Hinata Shōyō scores!

_________

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