Was the blocking gesture off?

No, it didn't seem so.

Was the timing of the jump wrong?

No, that wasn't it either.

Then, there was only one explanation—he had jumped higher than he did at the start.

The saying that "a run-up is like artificial wings" couldn't have been more accurate.

Technically, Taichi Kaedehara and Reon Ōhira shouldn't have differed much in height.

However, thanks to his approach, Taichi managed to execute a super spike right over Reon Ōhira.

Just like Wakatoshi Ushijima, who always started his attacks with a precise run-up from the back row, as long as the run-up was perfect, even a three-man block couldn't stop him!

"Taichi really levels up every time he plays against strong teams," Tōru Oikawa said, his eyes practically glowing. "He's the kind of character who gets stronger the tougher the battle!"

"Is he some kind of Super Saiyan?" Hajime Iwaizumi muttered under his breath.

Aoba Johsai served. Kindaichi served but made an error—point to Shiratorizawa.

[Aoba Johsai 4 vs. 4 Shiratorizawa]

Reon Ōhira served for Shiratorizawa. Iwaizumi received the ball, and Oikawa set it once more, sending it high above Taichi Kaedehara.

"Three-man block!" Shiratorizawa's Kenjirō Shirabu, Satori Tendō, and Kōtarō Goshiki leapt up simultaneously.

Taichi spiked toward the lowest blocker—Kenjirō Shirabu.

Smack!

Hayato Yamagata in the back row caught the ball.

Reon Ōhira stepped in to cover and, hesitating for a moment, heard Ushijima's calm yet commanding voice.

"Give me the ball."

Without overthinking, Reon raised the ball in a simple set. Though the set barely met the passing standard for a setter, Ushijima nodded approvingly.

As long as the ball was high enough, it was good.

Ushijima leapt and slammed the ball down with incredible force. The volleyball ricocheted off Takahiro Hanamaki's arm, flying far out of bounds.

This…This is true power…

Point to Shiratorizawa.

[Aoba Johsai 4 vs. 5 Shiratorizawa]

----------

[Aoba Johsai 8 vs. 9 Shiratorizawa]

The match entered its first timeout.

The score remained tight, the game a fierce tug-of-war. It was already challenging for either team to score consecutively, let alone pull ahead by three points.

From the surface, Ushijima, who had been spiking consistently, seemed like the player consuming the most stamina. But Aoba Johsai's blockers, trying to keep up with his relentless attacks, were equally drained.

This was where Ushijima's monstrous stamina became apparent.

Though Aoba Johsai had always known his strength was exceptional, they hadn't anticipated the final set becoming a showdown of Ushijima vs. Aoba Johsai.

Ding! The system's voice rang out.

[Ushijima Wakatoshi (Burst Mode): Overall Ability Rating: 96

Height: 189.5 cm | Power: 100 | Jump: 92 | Stamina: 100 | Speed: 92

Technique: Serve: 98 | Receive: 94 | Set: 90 | Spike: 100]

Taichi froze. Can this monster enter burst mode at will? How is that even fair?!

He glanced at Oikawa. Why haven't you gone into your explosive state yet?!

Last time, Oikawa had triggered his surge right before Ushijima followed suit.

Ding! The system added:

[The higher a player's overall ability, the more likely they are to enter an explosive state.]

Taichi lowered his head. He had already guessed as much.

Seeing Taichi's downcast expression, Oikawa patted him on the shoulder and asked, "What's wrong, Taichi?"

Looking at Oikawa's grinning face, Taichi felt a surge of Iwaizumi-like impulses—he wanted to smack him with a volleyball right then and there.

"Nothing," Taichi replied curtly.

What else could they do? At this point, they had no choice but to go all out.

The timeout ended, and the match resumed with Shiratorizawa serving.

Iwaizumi received the ball cleanly. Oikawa quickly set up a fast attack, and Taichi leapt from the left side to spike.

Goshiki completely failed to keep up with the rhythm.

Point to Aoba Johsai.

[Aoba Johsai 9 vs. 9 Shiratorizawa]

Ushijima countered with a devastating spike that tore through Kindaichi's block, earning another point for Shiratorizawa.

[Aoba Johsai 9 vs. 10 Shiratorizawa]

Iwaizumi's middle attack was received by Ushijima, followed by a high set from Kenjirō Shirabu. Ushijima then executed a diagonal spike, scoring again.

[Aoba Johsai 9 vs. 11 Shiratorizawa]

Kentarō Kyōtani returned a sharp cross-court spike, bringing one back for Aoba Johsai.

[Aoba Johsai 10 vs. 11 Shiratorizawa]

Ushijima responded with yet another unstoppable super spike.

[Aoba Johsai 10 vs. 12 Shiratorizawa]

This wasn't sustainable. The difficulty disparity between scoring for both teams was simply too great. Dragging it out would only lead to Aoba Johsai's inevitable defeat.

Though the score hadn't yet reached the halfway mark, Ushijima's absolute dominance was already suffocating Aoba Johsai.

There was no other choice—they had to try something new.

Taichi signalled to Oikawa with the predetermined gesture.

Shiratorizawa served again. Hanamaki received it cleanly, and Oikawa set the ball to the far left.

Taichi followed closely, leaping for a spike.

Tendō reacted swiftly, leaping diagonally and extending his arms to block Taichi's path.

Boom!

Taichi slammed the ball, and it slipped past Tendō's outstretched hands once more.

But Yamagata was waiting at the back. Shiratorizawa had pulled out all the stops to defend against Taichi.

"Chance ball!" Yamagata shouted. The spike looked weak and seemingly lacked power, but somehow it managed to deceive Tendō's block.

Smack!

Tap, tap, tap…

The moment the volleyball struck Hayato Yamagata's arm, it unexpectedly bounced out of bounds. Stunned, Hayato stared blankly at the ball as it landed outside the court.

Taichi Kaedehara scored with a spike!

[Aoba Johsai 11 VS 12 Shiratorizawa]

"Hayato?" Reon Ōhira's voice carried a hint of confusion. "How could you miss that?"

Hayato froze for a moment before realization dawned on him.

"That spin—it was from the left hand!"

As the player who received most of Wakatoshi Ushijima's spikes for Shiratorizawa, Hayato was certain.

A ball flying at such an angle could only have been hit with the left hand.

But wasn't Aoba Johsai's Number 10 a right-handed spiker? Why had he used his left hand? From his stance earlier, it was clear he had planned to use his left hand from the start.

"Wait, are you saying he used his left hand to avoid my block?" Satori Tendō tilted his head, his curiosity piqued, as he looked at Hayato.

Hayato nodded. "That seems to be the case."

After analyzing the spikes from the previous set, it was no longer possible to dismiss this as a coincidence. They had to assume that Number 10 was an ambidextrous spiker—a rare breed.

More troublesome than a typical left-handed player, they would have to first determine which hand he used for each spike before deciding how to receive it.

----

Had they figured it out? Well, it didn't matter.

Using his left hand came with risks—less power and a higher chance of error. All Taichi needed was for Shiratorizawa to acknowledge its existence as a threat.

Aoba Johsai served. Goshiki Tsutomu received it, and Kenjirō Shirabu, noticing that Ushijima had already spiked five consecutive balls, glanced at Satori Tendō.

Understanding the signal, Tendō took two quick steps toward the net, preparing to jump for a spike.

Taichi Kaedehara followed him closely. Kenjirō Shirabu set the ball lightly in Tendō's direction.

"A one-man time lag attack!"

Tendō paused for a fraction of a second before leaping to spike the ball.

Thwack!

Taichi, timing his jump perfectly, blocked the ball, sending it back into Shiratorizawa's court.

Tendō froze. "?!?!"

"I've been watching the little exchanges between you and your setter," Taichi said with a grin.

Kaedehara Taichi scored with a block.

[Aoba Johsai 12 VS 12 Shiratorizawa]

"Damn it! What a troublesome guy…" Tendō groaned, clutching his head in frustration.

"Stay calm, Tendō," Ushijima's steady voice came from beside him. "Just give me the ball."

Aoba Johsai served again.

Shirabu received it flawlessly, setting the ball directly toward the centre of the net. Without hesitation, Tendō jumped for a spike.

"A centre attack?"

Both Taichi Kaedehara and Hajime Iwaizumi jumped, blocking Tendō's path.

Swish!

Mid-air, Tendō leaned back, redirecting the ball with both hands to the backcourt. Ushijima was already in position, leaping at the perfect moment.

Aoba Johsai's blockers were still descending. Ushijima slammed the ball with ferocious power toward Aoba Johsai's court.

Shinji Watari stepped forward to receive it, but before he could take a second step, the ball smashed into the ground near his feet, bouncing high into the air.

A back-row set from Tendō?!

Toru Oikawa clenched his jaw in frustration as he watched.

Ushijima scored with a spike.

[Aoba Johsai 12 VS 13 Shiratorizawa]

"Hahaha! That was a perfect set!" Tendō raised his hands in triumph.

"Ushijima, you never seem to tire," Reon said, wiping sweat from her brow. "And to pull off such a powerful spike…You really are incredible!"

Kenjirō Shirabu was still marvelling at Ushijima's perfect form mid-air. "It was… beautiful."

"Ushijima-senpai! That was an amazing spike!" Goshiki exclaimed, his eyes shining with determination. "But I'll surpass you someday!"

"...." Ushijima replied with his usual calm.

He hadn't expected such an overwhelming reaction from his team for just one point. A small smile crossed his face.

"As Tendō would say—my rhythm is back."

Tendō froze. "!!!"

"Hahaha! Wakatoshi, you're amazing!" Tendō burst out laughing. "Let's go! Next point!"

------

Ushijima Wakatoshi's explosive performance revitalized Shiratorizawa's morale. Although the point difference was only one or two, just like in the first set, the leading team maintained an absolute advantage.

Even when Ushijima's explosive rhythm eventually faded, Aoba Johsai still couldn't find an opportunity to overtake the score.

[Aoba Johsai 22 VS 23 Shiratorizawa]

Ushijima walked up to the service line and the players from Aoba Johsai fell completely silent.

Boom!

Without a word, Ushijima unleashed yet another incredibly powerful serve, maintaining his relentless pressure right until the end of the set.

Ushijima's serve scored directly.

[Aoba Johsai 22 VS 24 Shiratorizawa]

Shiratorizawa reached set point.

Tōru Oikawa exhaled deeply.

Despite leading by one set, they had now been pushed to the brink. His shirt, forehead, back, and thighs were drenched in sweat—even his palms were slippery.

Am I…nervous?

Oikawa wiped his hand on his shorts. I must defend this next ball—no matter what!

Boom!

The ball slammed into the ground. Aoba Johsai's players turned their heads in disbelief.

"Out!"

The referee's judgment rang out. Aoba Johsai's collective sigh of relief was almost audible.

[Aoba Johsai 23 VS 24 Shiratorizawa]

Iwaizumi Hajime felt his hands trembling slightly. He pounded his thigh, trying to calm himself down. Ushijima's serve had scored one point but lost another.

Though it seemed insignificant, Aoba Johsai was still teetering on the edge of the abyss.

Aoba Johsai's turn to serve.

Yūtarō Kindaichi stepped up to the service line, looking dazed. He knew that if he missed the serve, the match would end right there.

"Kindaichi, serve a good one!" Taichi Kaedehara's voice suddenly broke the tense silence, a beam of light shining onto Aoba Johsai's court.

"Don't make it too easy to return, or Ushijima-senpai will spike it right back!" Taichi added with a grin.

"Hey, Taichi!" Iwaizumi finally spoke up. "Don't scare Kindaichi."

I'm encouraging him, okay?

Taichi smirked, choosing not to retort. The tense atmosphere lightened slightly.

Kindaichi steeled himself and launched the serve. Goshiki Tsutomu received it, and Shirabu Kenjirō quickly set the ball high.

It was coming!

Ushijima's spike! The ball slammed into Kindaichi's arm and bounced out of bounds.

"It's over," Kindaichi murmured, frozen in place.

Whoosh!

A figure darted past him at lightning speed.

It can't end here!I refuse to end it here!!

Oikawa sprinted out of bounds to save the ball.

From the back row, Taichi began his approach run, stepping hard on the three-meter line.

Boom!

He soared into the air.

"I knew it—you'd come!" Even in this life-or-death moment, Oikawa didn't hesitate. This was the essence of a setter's instincts.

From beyond the court, Oikawa delivered an incredibly fast and precise long-distance set.

"Triple block!" Reon Ōhira, Satori Tendō, and Kenjirō Shirabu all jumped together, forming a formidable wall.

Bang!

Taichi stretched his body to its limit and executed an over-the-block spike, a move Shiratorizawa knew all too well, but was similarly helpless to stop.

The score was tied.

[Aoba Johsai 24 VS 24 Shiratorizawa]

The audience erupted into cheers. At the very last moment, Aoba Johsai had equalized, bringing the teams back to the same starting line.

Immediately afterwards, Goshiki landed a sharp cross-court spike to take the lead once more.

[Aoba Johsai 24 VS 25 Shiratorizawa]

Oikawa's setter dump reclaimed a point in a risky move.

[Aoba Johsai 25 VS 25 Shiratorizawa]

Ushijima scored once again with a spike.

[Aoba Johsai 25 VS 26 Shiratorizawa]

Taichi countered with a one-man time lag attack.

[Aoba Johsai 26 VS 26 Shiratorizawa]

Iwaizumi's back-row attack secured a point.

[Aoba Johsai 27 VS 26 Shiratorizawa]

Ushijima's spike deflected off the blockers and out of bounds for another point.

[Aoba Johsai 27 VS 27 Shiratorizawa]

Kentarō Kyōtani's diagonal spike put Aoba Johsai ahead.

[Aoba Johsai 28 VS 27 Shiratorizawa]

Aoba Johsai's serve. Iwaizumi unleashed a powerful jump serve. In these final moments, retreat was not an option.

Goshiki barely managed to receive it. Shirabu moved to cover and set the ball toward the net.

"Double block!" Even with their last ounce of strength, the blockers were determined to stop this ball.

Tendō's instincts screamed that spiking now would result in a block. He aimed for the top corner of the blockers' reach and hit the ball forcefully.

"Again!"

The ball deflected off the block and bounced high into Shiratorizawa's court. Goshiki steadied the pass, and Shirabu set the ball high to his most trusted target.

Ushijima ran in from the back row, launching into the air with tremendous force.

Even at this final stage of the match, his form in mid-air was impeccable, as though suspended in time. Exhaustion and pressure seemed to have no effect on him.

"Triple block!!" Aoba Johsai's front row leapt with everything they had.

The light cast Ushijima's shadow across them.

Boom!

An over-the-block spike! The ball rocketed toward Aoba Johsai's court.

But a figure had been waiting for this moment.

Iwaizumi stood firmly, legs apart, knees bent, hands forming a solid platform.

Bang!

The ball struck his arms, and Iwaizumi absorbed the impact, perfectly passing it up.

"How's that?!" Iwaizumi shouted at Ushijima.

Once obsessed with spiking during his youth, Iwaizumi now cherished the rare satisfaction of receiving a perfect hit from an opponent.

Taichi rushed to the far left of the net as soon as he landed. He knew Iwaizumi had been waiting for this moment.

Boom!@@novelbin@@

Taichi leapt from the far left, fully trusting Iwaizumi.

Oikawa had already moved into position, trusting Iwaizumi just as much.

The ball appeared perfectly in front of Taichi.

Bang!

In Taichi's eyes, Shiratorizawa's players were chasing desperately, but they couldn't reach the ball destined to hit the ground.

Taichi's spike scored.

[Aoba Johsai 29 VS 27 Shiratorizawa]

"Beep—!"

The whistle echoed through the arena. The match was over. Fate was sealed.

Winner: Aoba Johsai!

__________

[T/N] - Absolute Cinema.

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