This wasn't how it was supposed to go! Wasn't the plan to sub in Satori Tendō after Eita Semi to activate the other players?

Instead, Ushijima Wakatoshi opened with two consecutive spikes, showing no intention of conserving energy.

Team Manager Akira Saitō stole a glance at Coach Washijō.

Noticing the team manager's gaze, Coach Washijō sighed and explained, "With a player like Ushijima, you use him to score whenever you can! Tendō's role is to leverage Ushijima's presence as a threat to bring out the best in the others."

Saitō nodded and shifted his focus back to the court.

On the third serve, Goshiki Tsutomu accidentally hit the ball into the net.

A serve error—Aoba Johsai snatched a point.

[Aoba Johsai 1 - 2 Shiratorizawa]

"Goshiki, do you think this is a practice match?!" Coach Washijō barked from the sidelines.

"One more serve error and you're off the court!"

"Yes, sir!"

Goshiki, who feared nothing more than being benched, instantly snapped to attention.

"Do you know why Coach Washijō scolds you the most right now?" Semi Eita said suddenly, addressing Goshiki.

"Because I'm the worst on the team," Goshiki replied.

"No. It's because he has the highest expectations for you."

That single sentence ignited a fire in Goshiki.

"That's right! I'm going to challenge Ushijima-senpai for the ace title!"

Aoba Johsai's Oikawa Tōru switched to a float jump serve for his first attempt, catching Shiratorizawa off guard.

[Aoba Johsai 2 - 2 Shiratorizawa]

For the second serve, Oikawa's ball soared over, forcing Shiratorizawa's Hayato Yamagata into an overhead pass. Semi Eita set it up for Taichi Kawanishi with a precise back attack.

"One Touch!" Although Kaedehara Taichi hadn't anticipated the quick set, his agility allowed him to disrupt the spike slightly.

Watari Shinji raised the ball again, and Oikawa immediately set it back to Taichi.

Kaedehara Taichi leapt high for the spike, only to find Kawanishi already positioned to block.

Smack!

A moment's lapse, and a block out was inevitable. Kaedehara's spike grazed Kawanishi's hand and went out of bounds.

[Aoba Johsai 3 - 2 Shiratorizawa]

Shiratorizawa's Ōhira Reon found an opening and scored from the right flank.

[Aoba Johsai 3 - 3 Shiratorizawa]

Tendō Satori pulled off a clever one-man delay attack, scoring another point.

[Aoba Johsai 3 - 4 Shiratorizawa]

Taichi answered with a blazing quick attack on the far right.

[Aoba Johsai 4 - 4 Shiratorizawa]

"I think I'm starting to feel it…" Tendō muttered to himself while standing still.

"Is that so?" Semi glanced at him, but Tendō was already too absorbed to respond.

Aoba Johsai served again, with Hanamaki Takahiro targeting Ushijima to disrupt his approach. Ushijima still managed a solid reception, and Yamagata quickly covered. Ōhira spiked the ball over, but Watari's perfect dig reset the rally.

Oikawa and Taichi moved simultaneously, the latter racing to the far right. Just as Taichi reached position, the ball was set exactly as expected.

But in that instant, Tendō leapt diagonally, blocking Kaedehara's line of attack.

Blocked Route!

Taichi's instincts screamed at him. He adjusted, gently tipping the ball toward the far side of the net instead.

Tendō, however, wasn't finished. He landed, spun, and launched himself back into the air. Leaning slightly backwards, he reached for the ball and miraculously scooped it up just as it started to drop past his side.

The volleyball arced back toward Aoba Johsai's court, landing a step inside the sideline.

[Aoba Johsai 4 - 5 Shiratorizawa]@@novelbin@@

"What was that weird move?"

"Did he just jump again right after landing?!"

"No way..."

"Ohhhh...Tendō!!"

Tendō Satori basked in the cheers from the crowd before suddenly turning to face Kaedehara Taichi.

"If you want to defeat Ushijima Wakatoshi, you'll have to step over my dead body first."

Taichi replayed the previous play in his mind. He was confident his judgment wasn't wrong—if he had spiked directly, the ball would have been blocked cleanly.

"This is going to be a real headache..."

But the real headache was yet to come—Ushijima Wakatoshi had stepped up to the service line.

Boom!

As always, his serve was calm, powerful, and relentless. No one could guarantee a clean reception every time. Ushijima's serve earned a direct point.

[Aoba Johsai 4 - 6 Shiratorizawa]

The momentum of the match seemed to shift.

Ushijima's second serve came flying in, forcing Watari Shinji into a desperate reception.

"Cover!"

There was no time for a quick attack, so Oikawa Tōru opted for a high set toward Kaedehara Taichi.

Taichi dashed, leapt, and aimed his spike at Tendō Satori, who was ready to block. With precision, Taichi targeted Tendō's fingertips and drove the ball hard.

But Tendō suddenly pulled his hands back. The volleyball, completely unobstructed, sailed out of bounds.

Shiratorizawa scored another point.

[Aoba Johsai 4 - 7 Shiratorizawa]

"Tendō, you're the best! Tendō, you're the best!"

"Wakatoshi, I think I'm more popular than you today!" Tendō called out with a smirk.

"Hmm, seems that way," Ushijima replied, entirely unbothered.

Kaedehara Taichi's two most effective offensive strategies had just been countered in two consecutive plays.

Whether it was spiking or blocking, once they were read, there was always a way to counter them. That's why players needed to constantly expand their arsenal and refine their techniques.

Tendō Satori wasn't just predicting Taichi's moves—his body reacted accordingly, too.

When facing Karasuno, it had taken two or three players to contain Kaedehara Taichi. But Tendō, in top form, was shutting him down single-handedly.

At the national level, there were bound to be more monsters like him.

Oddly enough, the tougher the challenge, the more exhilarated Taichi felt. New ideas kept springing to his mind, but he also felt an unusual sense of calm.

"Taichi, are you okay?" Oikawa Tōru called out a few times before Kaedehara snapped out of his thoughts.

"I'm fine." Kaedehara noticed even Kyōtani Kentarō was nervously watching him, which made him feel both touched and slightly amused.

"Let's focus on getting the next point first and then look for opportunities later," Oikawa advised.

"Got it!"

Ushijima unleashed another fierce serve, which Oikawa barely managed to receive.

Watari moved in to set the ball, but an overeager Kyōtani Kentarō's spike was blocked by three defenders.

[Aoba Johsai 4 - 8 Shiratorizawa]

In a critical moment, Iwaizumi Hajime's spike stabilized the situation, giving Aoba Johsai a much-needed point.

[Aoba Johsai 5 - 8 Shiratorizawa]

Semi Eita surprised everyone with a setter dump, catching the blockers off guard and earning Shiratorizawa another point.

[Aoba Johsai 5 - 9 Shiratorizawa]

Kyōtani scored with a sharp diagonal shot.

[Aoba Johsai 6 - 9 Shiratorizawa]

Finally, Goshiki Goshiki's signature straight spike broke through Kyōtani's block, earning Shiratorizawa a point.

"Ushijima-senpai! I'll become an ace who surpasses you!" Goshiki declared confidently.

"Mm, good luck," Ushijima replied simply.

[Aoba Johsai 6 - 10 Shiratorizawa]

Shiratorizawa served, and Kaedehara Taichi received the ball cleanly, setting up Oikawa under the ball.

A multi-position attack began. As Oikawa observed his teammates in motion, he noticed Taichi's eagerness to strike. At the last moment, Oikawa set the ball high for Taichi.

Kaedehara Taichi leapt from the back row, stretching his body fully. With his teammates drawing away the blockers, he faced an open court ahead.

Boom!

His spike landed awkwardly near Shiratorizawa's baseline and bounced out.

"Phew—close one." Taichi let out a sigh of relief when the ball was confirmed in.

"What was that?" Iwaizumi wondered aloud. He suspected Taichi was either off his game or possibly injured. That spike had seemed like a standard attack, yet it had nearly gone out of bounds.

Oikawa suddenly stopped Iwaizumi, shaking his head. If his observation was correct, Kaedehara Taichi's spike just now...had been with his left hand.

_________

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