"Send us a good serve!"

Kawanishi Taichi's serve was perfectly received by Watari Shinji, and Oikawa Tōru took the opportunity to spike it down.

Bang!

Oikawa scored with a dump.

[Aoba Johsai 2 VS 2 Shiratorizawa]

"Are you kidding me? A dump right from the start?" Ōhira Reon stared at Oikawa in disbelief as he scored with such ease.

Unlike the straightforward and earnest Ōhira, Oikawa's plays were often unpredictable. However, when it came to setting for his spikers, he was remarkably stable.

This was one of the reasons Ushijima Wakatoshi couldn't get Oikawa out of his mind.

"After a sluggish morning, Oikawa seems to be in even better form than usual," noted team manager Mizoguchi. He could sense Oikawa's excitement.

Coach Irihata nodded, smiling with satisfaction. Oikawa and Iwaizumi Hajime's year had been the most trouble-free team he'd ever coached.

Oikawa stepped up to the service line, and Shiratorizawa's players immediately prepared themselves to receive.

One of the reasons Ushijima Wakatoshi couldn't ignore Oikawa was his national-level serving ability. Ushijima's disdain for the rest of Aoba Johsai stemmed from the fact that Oikawa, a setter, had managed to score nearly one-third of his team's total points in past matches against Shiratorizawa.

The ball was gently tossed into the air, perfectly controlled.

Oikawa began with a slow approach, then suddenly accelerated. As the ball descended, he leapt powerfully, his body arching just right. His arm swung back before smashing forward with precision, and the volleyball seemed to deform slightly under the force of his palm.

It shot across the court like a lightning bolt.

Boom!

The ball compressed against the floor before rebounding high into the air.

Kyōtani Kentarō's pupils contracted as he instinctively tensed. Oikawa's power was even greater than his own...

It was a serve as devastating as a spike, and it scored directly.

[Aoba Johsai 3 VS 2 Shiratorizawa]

"This time, we're going to crush you completely!"

Without wasting words, Oikawa launched his second serve.

Boom!

This time, Shirabu Kenjirō managed to get a touch on the ball, but the impact forced him back a step. The volleyball veered off course and landed out of bounds.

Shirabu lowered his hands in silence—he simply couldn't handle it.

His arms were already tingling from the force.

Aoba Johsai was on a roll.

[Aoba Johsai 4 VS 2 Shiratorizawa]

Usually the one to lift the team's spirits, Oikawa's sudden quiet demeanour created an air of tension.

Shiratorizawa's players couldn't help but notice something different. Oikawa wasn't here as a challenger—he stood on the court as their equal, determined to win.

Boom! The third serve screamed across the court!

"Ah!"

The first to falter under the pressure was Goshiki Tsutomu. Letting out a shout, he threw himself forward and managed to make contact.

With his face.

The ball flew up and hovered above the net.

"Push it over!"

"Push it over!"

Ushijima and Kunimi Akira jumped simultaneously, but Ushijima reached the ball first, slamming it down into Aoba Johsai's court.

Shiratorizawa scored.

[Aoba Johsai 4 VS 3 Shiratorizawa]

"Damn it!" Kunimi muttered, clearly frustrated. Balls like that were usually golden opportunities for their side.

"Don't sweat it, don't sweat it!" Iwaizumi reassured him. Outplaying Ushijima in terms of power and height was no easy feat.

"Goshiki, are you okay?"

"Nice save, Tsutomu!"

"I'm fine!" Goshiki replied loudly. His precise receive had broken Aoba Johsai's serving streak, and he felt like a hero.

"Maybe try using your hands next time," came an unimpressed remark from Aoba Johsai's first-year ace, Kaedehara Taichi. "You looked like you were performing a circus act."

Tch!

Goshiki bristled. That's because Aoba Johsai didn't have an ace like Ushijima-senpai. Right now, his eyes were on only one target—Ushijima Wakatoshi.

As Shiratorizawa steadied themselves, their spirits lifted when Ushijima stepped up to serve.

With his own terrifying serve, Shiratorizawa had no intention of losing their momentum.

Standing at the line, Ushijima began pounding the ball with steady, deliberate force.

"Ushijima-senpai, send us a good serve!"

Bang!

The volleyball shot forward like a cannonball.

Smack!@@novelbin@@

Watari Shinji dropped his stance low and successfully received the first ball! The results of his month-long specialized receive training were finally on display.

Kaedehara Taichi, who didn't freeze in surprise this time, silently praised Watari in his mind as he leapt into the air.

Thwack!

A clean, decisive spike. Point scored.

[Aoba Johsai 5 VS 3 Shiratorizawa]

…

[Aoba Johsai 6 VS 3 Shiratorizawa]

…

[Aoba Johsai 6 VS 4 Shiratorizawa]

…

[Aoba Johsai 6 VS 5 Shiratorizawa]

…

[Aoba Johsai 7 VS 5 Shiratorizawa]

The match started with an intense back-and-forth, but to everyone's surprise, the momentum seemed to be entirely in Aoba Johsai's favour, as if they were suppressing Shiratorizawa completely.

Aoba Johsai was now serving, with Kaedehara Taichi stepping up to the service line.

Shiratorizawa's players still remembered his unimpressive serves from their previous encounter. But this time, something about his preparatory movements struck them as oddly familiar.

Was it…Oikawa Tōru?!

Just moments ago, Oikawa's devastating serves had caused Shiratorizawa significant trouble, directly contributing to the current scoreline.

Both Shiratorizawa and Karasuno had been unsettled by this very same serving form before…

Taichi tossed the ball into the air. One step, two steps, three steps, and then he launched himself upward.

While airborne, his arm swung back and then whipped forward, with his upper arm driving his forearm. At the final moment, the hard underside of his palm struck the lower half of the volleyball with precision.

Here it comes!

The volleyball rocketed toward Ōhira Reon's position.

"Out!"

Ōhira made his call, stepping aside to let the ball fly past.

The ball streaked toward the left boundary but suddenly veered slightly to the right in mid-air, landing squarely inside the court.

"In!" The referee's call confirmed the ball had landed just inside the line.

Kaedehara Taichi scored with his serve.

[Aoba Johsai 8 VS 5 Shiratorizawa]

"A jump float serve?!"

On the sidelines, Semi Eita gritted his teeth. It had only been a month, and Kaedehara was already scoring with a newly learned jump float serve?

Had he been practising it back then but hadn't mastered it yet?

Semi was beginning to understand why Ushijima Wakatoshi took Kaedehara so seriously. For those who intended to continue playing after high school, Kaedehara Taichi's greatest weapon wasn't just raw talent—it was his terrifying ability to constantly learn and adapt.

Unless someone could excel in a particular area or progress at the same pace as him, they would inevitably fall behind.

"Sorry!" Ōhira apologized, frustrated by his misjudgment.

"Don't worry about it! Next ball!"

Jump float serves were among the most difficult to receive.

It was why many clutch servers chose them. Once in motion, even the server couldn't predict the ball's precise movements due to its unpredictable trajectory.

_________

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