The evolution of the "Freak Quick Attack" was, as expected, complete.

Hinata Shōyō and Kageyama Tobio had mastered their "New Freak Quick Attack" much earlier than in the original storyline. The efforts they must have poured into this were undoubtedly immense.

Relatively speaking, Kageyama Tobio's role was the more challenging one. Yet, for him, completing this new technique seemed as natural as breathing.

Kaedehara Taichi glanced at Oikawa Tōru beside him. He must have noticed the difference in their "Freak Quick Attack" as well.

"That little guy can control the ball mid-air now...?" Oikawa muttered, a grim realization dawning on him.

"Oikawa-senpai, I also want to—"

"No."

"But I haven't even said anything yet…"

"You were about to say we should try that too, weren't you?" Oikawa shook his head, his tone a mixture of resignation and frustration. "Unfortunately, I can't pull off Kageyama's precision—the kind that stops the ball exactly where it needs to be."

Unlike the initial version of the Super Quick Attack, where the ball simply had to reach the hitter's strike zone in a short time, Oikawa realized this New Freak Quick Attack was a step beyond.

And to be honest, he knew he couldn't control the ball with that level of pinpoint accuracy yet.

"Oh, well, forget it then." Kaedehara Taichi turned back calmly.

Oikawa blinked. "???"

Wasn't this the same Taichi who had been so insistent when they worked on the "Taichi-Oikawa Quick Attack" last time?

"I trust Oikawa-senpai's judgment. There are so many things I want to learn right now, but I also know some techniques just aren't within my reach yet."

Oikawa stared. "Taichi—" This kid….had matured so much!

"Besides, you admitted yourself that you're not as good at setting as Kageyama. What more can I say?" Taichi added nonchalantly.

"…."

Oikawa Tōru vowed never to set for Taichi again!!

-----

The match on the court was heating up. After Hinata Shōyō and Kageyama Tobio's New Freak Quick Attack

landed successfully, Date Tech's defence was once again thrown off balance.

Smack!

Kamizaki Yasushi, Date Tech's third-year middle blocker, answered back with a clean and powerful spike to win a point.

"If they take a point, we'll snatch it right back!"

"Well done, Kamizaki!"

"As expected from Kamizaki-senpai!"

[Karasuno 6 - 8 Date Tech]

Azumane Asahi seized an opportunity and scored with a back-row attack.

[Karasuno 7 - 8 Date Tech]

Hinata and Kageyama's New Freak Quick Attack broke through Date Tech's blockers once again, scoring another point.

[Karasuno 8 - 8 Date Tech]

"Damn it, they're like monsters—so fast, and they can even control the ball's trajectory…" The Date Tech players grew more frustrated with Karasuno's relentless quick attacks.

"Don't let them overwhelm you." Moniwa Kaname clapped his hands, drawing his teammates' attention back.

"Our offense is holding steady too. It's true that Karasuno's attacks have rattled us, but don't be afraid!"

"We've taken down countless powerful hitters to get here—including Karasuno's ace. We can shut them down this time too!"

"Yeah!!"

As Date Tech's captain, Moniwa Kaname wasn't the kind of player who naturally drew people's attention. He didn't have a flashy personality or an eye-catching appearance.

Even as a third-year, his skills weren't as dazzling as some of the second-year standouts on the team.

But that didn't stop Moniwa from leading his team in his own way. Calm yet resilient, he was Date Tech's anchor—their emotional backbone.

Even in the tensest moments, he brought his teammates a sense of reassurance.

"You're saying 'you guys' like you're not part of this, Captain. It's 'we,' isn't it?" Futakuchi Kenji said, grinning casually.

"Futakuchi….Sorry, I used to think of you as an arrogant and cocky underclassman…" Moniwa confessed, visibly moved.

"Huh? That's what you thought of me all this time?" Futakuchi looked indignant. He always thought he behaved perfectly well!

Hinata rotated to the back row, and Karasuno's offence once again faced difficulties. The scores remained tight, with neither side able to pull ahead.

"This isn't going to be easy. Tsukishima, you'll be dealing with their number 7 even more than in the first set."

Azumane Asahi struggled to break through Date Tech's block, but he still tried to encourage the first-years who were similarly struggling.

Tsukishima Kei waved a hand dismissively and replied with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh, no one's expecting me to win a head-on battle against number 7 anyway."

"Honestly, being flashy is Hinata's job. My role is to keep things stable when Hinata's in the back row. Isn't that how it's always been?"

"Besides, the blockers on the other side are far more focused on you, Asahi-senpai."

Asahi blinked, taken aback. It wasn't often that Tsukishima spoke so much at once, let alone with a tinge of bitterness.

"Double block!" Asahi and Tsukishima leapt up together, positioning themselves firmly in front of the opposing hitter.

"Touch!" Tsukishima called out as the ball deflected off his hand.@@novelbin@@

Nishinoya Yū dove in to receive it cleanly, and Kageyama Tobio quickly set the ball to the right side.

"Tanaka-senpai!" Kageyama's voice rang out.

"Got it!" Tanaka Ryūnosuke shouted as he swung down hard.

Smack!

The ball crashed into the floor. Karasuno scored.

"Tsukishima!" Asahi looked at him seriously. "You said that your job was to stabilize the team when Hinata is in the back row, right?"

Tsukishima met Asahi's gaze, confused by what this usually soft-spoken ace was trying to say.

"But I think managing that against Date Tech is already impressive!"

"Our offence right now does rely heavily on Hinata and Kageyama, but when that doesn't work, keeping things stable is just as important."

"Even if we can't score directly, the other team can't launch an attack if they can't receive the ball. Maintaining this tight score is tied directly to winning!"

Tsukishima looked surprised. Asahi-senpai had just spoken so….ace-like.

Noticing Tsukishima's expression, Asahi couldn't help but chuckle slightly.

As the ball Nishinoya had just saved sailed toward Kageyama, Asahi's voice boomed through the court:

"I got it!"

Stepping up to spike under pressure—that was the ace's job. Even against a steel wall, he would break through it!

Kageyama hesitated for a brief moment but then decided to set the ball.

"Triple block!" Aone Takanobu, Futakuchi Kenji, and Moniwa Kaname leapt up together. The Iron Wall of Date Tech

rose in front of Asahi.

Thud!

The ball struck Futakuchi's arm with a loud smack but rebounded back into Karasuno's court.

Tsukishima was ready. He hadn't expected Asahi to pierce through the block on the first try, but he refused to let the play end there.

Taking a step to the side, Tsukishima reached out with his left hand and scooped the ball up.

Kageyama adjusted quickly, running to find a new angle for attack.

"Again!" Asahi's voice rang out, resolute and unwavering.

Kageyama's eyes flickered, searching for a route around the block. He knew letting a single player spike consecutively would exhaust them, but…

"Give it to me!!" Asahi called once more, his tone firm and unshakable.

Stepping back to the rear court, Asahi ensured he had enough room to take a running start. With full force, he sprinted toward the net, launching himself upward just a step before it.

In Kageyama's mind, Sugawara Koushi's words echoed from a past training session: "Asahi's speciality is a slightly higher set, a little further off the net."

The ball arched perfectly toward Asahi's hitting zone.

"Triple block!"

—If we can't even stop opponents we've defeated before, how can we call ourselves an Iron Wall?

—If I can't win this decisive point, how can I call myself an ace?

Smack!

The ball struck Moniwa Kaname's arm and rebounded high into the air.

"Out!" Sawamura Daichi shouted as he tracked the ball's trajectory.

The ball had landed outside the court. Block-out.

Asahi's spike had scored.

_________

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