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Chapter 338: You Shouldn't Be This Naïve (Triple-Length)
🕑 Added 2025-03-31 16:05:30 +0000 UTCItachiyama's lineup adjustment wasn't just about staggering the rotation of Sakusa Kiyoomi and Kaedehara Taichi in the front row—it was a direct countermeasure to a crucial factor behind their first-set loss: Kaedehara Taichi's serve.
Serve switch—Aoba Johsai's serve.
Kaedehara Taichi stepped onto the service line. The defensive formation facing him consisted of Sakusa Kiyoomi, Komori Motoya, and Nishimura Hiroyuki in Itachiyama's back row—the most stable receiving trio and the group most familiar with Taichi's serves.
"Well, this is going to be a bit of a hassle."
Taichi tossed the ball into the air, took his approach, leapt up, and struck.
Boom!!!—
The ball spun fiercely with a sharp sidespin, streaking towards the corner—straight at Nishimura Hiroyuki.
Nishimura had anticipated this. Komori had already expanded his defensive coverage, meaning Nishimura only needed to focus on the direct line in front of him.
Smack!
The ball shot high into the air. Though its trajectory was off, the height was sufficient for their setter to handle it.
"Shirakawa! Cover!"
"Got it!"
Shirakawa Kaito sprinted from outside the court, jumped, and set the ball towards the right wing. Takeuchi Eiji soared up for the spike.
"Double block!"
Yahaba Shigeru and Kyōtani Kentarō leapt up.
Takeuchi Eiji adjusted midair, avoiding the block and slamming the ball cross-court.
Boom!—
Smack!
Kaedehara Taichi dove and saved the ball.
Kunimi Akira launched into the air from the back row. Mizushima Yū jumped to block it solo.
Whoosh—!
The ball arced high to the right wing, where Yūki Yōji pounced on it.
Boom!
Smack!
The ball rocketed past Shirakawa Kaito's outstretched hands, slamming into Itachiyama's court—but Sakusa Kiyoomi had read it perfectly.
"I won't let you score so easily again!"
Komori jumped from the back row and set the ball, triggering a synchronised attack from four different positions!
Bang!
With Aoba Johsai's blockers split, Takeuchi Eiji drove a straight-line spike into an open gap, scoring.
[Aoba Johsai 1 – 2 Itachiyama]
"Yes!!!"
"That was perfect!"
Most teams that had faced Kaedehara Taichi before came to the same conclusion—if you couldn't neutralise him directly, you had to isolate him.
Since shutting him down wasn't an option, the next best strategy was to target his teammates.
"Sorry!" Yūki Yōji called out.
Failing to score against a solo blocker—or rather, not even a proper block—felt like a complete waste of Kunimi-senpai's perfect set.
Yūki frowned. Back in middle school, his height alone made his spikes a major threat, but in high school, he could feel opponents reading his attacks far too easily.
"Don't rush. Take your time," Kunimi Akira reassured him. This year's newcomers were perceptive—they quickly recognised their own shortcomings.
"Kunimi, just give me the ball," Kyōtani Kentarō said. "I'll handle the blockers myself."
Rather than faking a spike to create an opening, Kyōtani preferred a clean, powerful hit. As long as he could spike from the ideal position, blockers wouldn't be an issue.
"Oh…got it." Kunimi was slightly surprised but nodded.
Serve switch—Itachiyama's serve.
Sakusa Kiyoomi rotated to the front row.
Takeuchi Eiji delivered a float serve aimed at Nakamori Daiki.
"Damn it!"
Smack!
Nakamori Daiki received the ball, though the unfamiliar hand-feel made him uncomfortable.
Yahaba stepped in, setting the ball to the right wing. Kyōtani Kentarō jumped and struck.
"Triple block!" Sakusa Kiyoomi, Shirakawa Kaito, and Mizushima Yū rose up.
Boom!
"One touch!" Mizushima called out, shifting back.
Takeuchi Eiji picked up the deflected ball, Komori quickly adjusted, and the ball was sent left.
Sakusa took his approach and launched into a spike.
"Triple block!" Yūki Yōji, Yahaba Shigeru, and Kyōtani Kentarō reacted instantly.
Bang!—
Smack!
The ball clipped Yūki Yōji's arm and deflected out of bounds.
Sakusa Kiyoomi had scored.
[Aoba Johsai 1 – 3 Itachiyama]
Aoba Johsai's back row consisted of Kaedehara Taichi, Kunimi Akira, and Nakamori Daiki—three players who had all successfully received Sakusa Kiyoomi's spikes before.
"In that case, I'll just deal with the blockers up front." Sakusa Kiyoomi naturally came to a conclusion that applied only to him.
Itachiyama continued serving.
Takeuchi Eiji served the second ball.
Boom!
"I got it!"
Kunimi Akira moved to the right. With this speed, receiving the ball posed no issue.
Smack!
The volleyball soared toward the front row, where Yahaba Shigeru stepped in to set.
"Left wing!" Kaedehara Taichi called for the ball as he began his approach from the back row.
Sakusa Kiyoomi had no choice but to remain stationed in front of him.
Whoosh—!
Yahaba Shigeru sent the ball to the right instead.
Kyōtani Kentarō faced a double block yet still spiked a clean line shot.
The volleyball struck the right sideline of Itachiyama's court and flew out.
Kyōtani Kentarō scored.
[Aoba Johsai 2 - 3 Itachiyama]
"He really went for another line shot…"
Mizushima Yū couldn't quite understand. Just last rally, that buzz-cut idiot's line shot had been blocked. Yet, he had chosen to hit the exact same shot again.
With Itachiyama's front-row block missing a man and their focus leaning more toward Kyōtani Kentarō's cross-court spikes, they had unconsciously shifted slightly to the left.
And that tiny gap—Kyōtani Kentarō had seized it.
The serve rotated. Aoba Johsai's turn.
Yūki Yōji executed a powerful jump serve, but Komori Motoya easily received it.
Sakusa Kiyoomi once again spiked off the blockers' hands, forcing the ball out of bounds.
[Aoba Johsai 2 - 4 Itachiyama]
Itachiyama regained the serve.
Mizushima Yū's powerful jump serve was smoothly received by Kunimi Akira, sending the ball toward the right wing. Kindaichi Yūtarō leapt for the spike.
Boom!—
—Smack!
The volleyball struck Sakusa Kiyoomi's forearm and deflected back into Aoba Johsai's court.
Itachiyama scored with a block!
[Aoba Johsai 2 - 5 Itachiyama]
Sakusa Kiyoomi's expression remained calm.
Neither Yahaba Shigeru's set nor Kindaichi Yūtarō's quick attack held any element of surprise in his eyes.
Itachiyama established an early three-point lead.
-----
Just as Coach Yamazaki had anticipated—whenever Kaedehara Taichi wasn't in the front row and Sakusa Kiyoomi was, Itachiyama could push their advantage and widen the gap. Half of his goal was already achieved. Now, he had to capitalise on this formation to extend the lead. The real challenge would come later—when Kaedehara Taichi rotated into the front row while Sakusa Kiyoomi moved to the back.
Could Itachiyama hold off Aoba Johsai's offence then?
There was no denying that Itachiyama's strategy was proving successful.
Sakusa Kiyoomi was an immense threat in the front row. Without Kaedehara Taichi marking him, his spikes were practically unstoppable.
Aoba Johsai's best receivers remained in the back row, yet they never got the chance to make a play.
Sakusa Kiyoomi's focus was entirely on the front row. His sharp eyes followed every movement of his opponents. Whether it was Yūki Yōji or Kindaichi Yūtarō, the moment they even hinted at a blocking attempt, he saw right through them.
He exploited every possible angle—off-the-block shots that grazed fingertips, spikes that skimmed past the blockers' hands, or cleverly placed roll shots that dropped between the net and the defenders' outstretched arms.
Yūki Yōji and Kindaichi Yūtarō, once confident in their blocking skills, found themselves exposed, their efforts picked apart effortlessly. They even started questioning their own abilities.
And any points that Kaedehara Taichi clawed back in the front row? Sakusa Kiyoomi simply stretched the lead again in the following rallies.
"Just looking at overall player ability, Itachiyama is stronger," Araki Kōsei remarked.
"Honestly, this is how it should be. If a team had both superior individual talent and a national-level ace, it'd be way too unfair for everyone else," Matsuo Satoshi added. "Didn't Aoba Johsai's huge lead in the first set already shock everyone?"
"I can't tell if they're lucky or unlucky—Aoba Johsai still feels incomplete somehow," he continued. "But even so, they're already incredibly strong."
Boom!—
Sakusa Kiyoomi faced a triple block but still managed to send a sharp cross-court spike flying off Yahaba Shigeru's arm and out of bounds.
"Damn it, that cursed spin!" Yahaba Shigeru muttered under his breath.
Even with full focus, even when he barely managed to touch the ball—he still couldn't receive that kind of spike.
[Aoba Johsai 14 - 18 Itachiyama]
"Nice spike!"
"Go, Sakusa-senpai!"
"Sakusa-san is amazing!!!"
The first-years on Itachiyama's bench erupted in cheers, their faces alight with excitement.
This was the Itachiyama they knew. The ruthless, dominant Itachiyama.
The first set had merely caught them off guard. Plus, Itachiyama had already played two matches earlier that morning, meaning the teams' energy levels weren't even comparable. Looking at it that way, Itachiyama was still the strongest.
A fresh wave of pride swelled in their hearts.
Kaedehara Taichi's gaze flickered toward the group of first-years celebrating on the sidelines before shifting back to the players on the court. A smirk tugged at his lips—playful, teasing, and laced with provocation.
"Isn't it a little early to be celebrating?" he remarked.
Sakusa Kiyoomi frowned. The noisy brats on the bench were indeed getting on his nerves, but they were still Itachiyama students, so he chose to defend them.
"Isn't the current situation obvious?" Sakusa shot back.
Kaedehara Taichi glanced at the scoreboard. Aoba Johsai trailed by four points.
"You're too naïve, Sakusa-senpai," he said, straightening up. His tone was serious. "You guys haven't even reached 20 points yet."
"We'll be there soon," Sakusa Kiyoomi responded without hesitation. "Not just 20—we'll hit 25 in no time."
Itachiyama served again.
Shirakawa Kaito's standard jump serve was received cleanly by Nakamori Daiki, perfectly on target.
Kunimi Akira set the ball high into the air before stepping aside.
"They're that confident? They're really provoking Taichi?" Kunimi thought to himself, glancing pityingly at the still-cheering Itachiyama first-years.
BAM!
Kaedehara Taichi launched into the air from the back row, soaring alongside Kunimi Akira.
"Triple block!!!"
Sakusa Kiyoomi was right in front of him, jumping alongside Nishimura Hiroyuki and Shibata Yōsuke.
Kaedehara Taichi's eyes swept the court, noting Komori Motoya standing alertly in the cross-court direction.
"Unfortunate. If you're targeting blockers, well…so can I!"
BOOM!!!
The sheer force of his spike roared through the gym, drowning out the sideline cheers.
The ball slammed into Shibata Yōsuke's arm, forcing it open upon impact.
Bang!
Shibata Yōsuke's entire body staggered backwards, unable to withstand the power.
The volleyball crashed into Itachiyama's court and rebounded high into the air.
Kaedehara Taichi scored.
[Aoba Johsai 15 - 18 Itachiyama]
It was as if everyone had just heard the sound of something shattering.
The first-years of Itachiyama fell silent, their cheers cut short as they stood frozen, staring at Kaedehara Taichi. A sense of unease surged within them.
"Look, it's only three points now," Kaedehara Taichi said cheerfully.
The serve switched sides—Aoba Johsai to serve. Kaedehara Taichi returned to the front row.
"From now on, you'd better not give me any attacking opportunities," he declared arrogantly. "If I want to score, you won't be able to stop me."
The players of Itachiyama wore grim expressions. Not because of his arrogant words, but because he might actually be right.
Bang!!!—
Kyōtani Kentarō's powerful jump serve!
Smack!
"Save it!" Shirakawa Kaito received the ball, but it bounced straight back toward Aoba Johsai's side.
Sakusa Kiyoomi leapt up, preparing to spike it down—only to see a pair of large hands appear on the other side of the net.
"Tch."
Sakusa had no choice but to redirect the ball with one hand, sending a perfect pass to the left.
Shibata Yōsuke jumped to spike it, and Kindaichi Yūtarō rose to block him.
Boom!
The ball bypassed the block—
"Watch out—!"
Smack!
Kaedehara Taichi, having just blocked Sakusa, took a step to the side and jumped again, perfectly intercepting Shibata's spike.
The ball landed inside Itachiyama's court.
Aoba Johsai scored on a block.
[Aoba Johsai 16 – 18 Itachiyama]
"You—how are you here?!!"
Shibata Yōsuke was stunned. He had clearly seen Kaedehara Taichi blocking Sakusa just moments ago, yet somehow, he had appeared on the other side to block his own spike.
"Your spiking speed is too slow. Not only are you bad at blocking, but it turns out you're bad at attacking too," Kaedehara Taichi remarked mercilessly.
As Shibata stood there, visibly shaken, Taichi silently reassured himself—he was actually a kind-hearted person. He was only saying this to stop Sakusa from bullying Aoba Johsai's front row.
"Well then, just two more points."
Kyōtani Kentarō served again.
Bang!!!—
Furumori Motoya gritted his teeth and received the ball—perfect pass!
Shirakawa Kaito quickly moved into position and set the ball to the right—at this moment, the most reliable choice was, of course, Sakusa-senpai!
Sakusa Kiyoomi sprinted, took off, and soared into the air.
"Double block!" Kindaichi Yūtarō and Kaedehara Taichi jumped to meet him.
Kunimi Akira positioned himself to cover the cross shot, reducing the "target" for the blockers and increasing the number of defenders.
Boom!—
—"Kindaichi, when you block, don't worry about anything else. When Sakusa spikes, just pull your hands back."
Before the play, Kaedehara Taichi had whispered to him.
Sakusa's palm met the ball, and he immediately noticed Kindaichi pulling his hands away from the block.
"I knew it."
His fingers pressed down, sending the ball right over Kindaichi's head.
—"Don't worry, trust our libero."
Smack!
Nakamori Daiki received it!
"You tricked me!" Sakusa Kiyoomi shot Kaedehara Taichi a sharp glare—this was definitely his doing!
Yahaba Shigeru quickly moved into position and set the ball to the right. Kaedehara Taichi jumped up to spike.
"Triple block!"
BOOM!!!—
Nishimura Hiroyuki could practically feel the force of the ball slicing through the air past him.
Smack!
The ball struck Komori Motoya's arm and bounced out of bounds.
A sharp-angled shot!
Even though they predicted it, they still couldn't stop Kaedehara Taichi from scoring.
[Aoba Johsai 17 – 18 Itachiyama]
"Oh my, just one point away now," Kaedehara Taichi turned toward the sideline, grinning. "What a shame—such a beautiful play, and yet no one is cheering."
The first-years of Itachiyama turned red with frustration, desperately wanting to jump in and punch him.
"Th-that was a beautiful spike!"
"Taichi-senpai, one more!" Tōchi Shishin mustered the courage to call out loudly from the sidelines.
Yamabuki Yūjin and Tōma Kaoru immediately joined in, though their voices sounded a little hesitant.
Kaedehara Taichi: "…Alright, alright."
"Save the cheering for after the victory. I don't like celebrating too early either."
"Tweet!—"
The whistle blew—Kyōtani Kentarō served his third ball.
Bang!!!—
The ball spun fiercely as it soared toward the deep corner.
Smack!
Shirakawa Kaito received it!
"Great pass, Shirakawa!"
Komori Motoya praised him while organising the offence.
"Give me the ball!" Sakusa Kiyoomi called out again. "I won't run from this—an ace has to score at moments like these!"
Whoosh!—
Sakusa launched himself into the air on the left side.
"Double block!" Aoba Johsai's defensive setup remained unchanged, but this time, Kindaichi Yūtarō's block was firm and unwavering.
Boom!—
A sharp cross shot aimed for the deep corner. The ball curved in the air—Kyōtani Kentarō backpedalled rapidly, tracking its trajectory.
As the ball dropped toward the backline—
Smack!
Kyōtani Kentarō had read the angle precisely. But when the ball struck his arms, it didn't bounce upward. Instead, it veered diagonally toward the ground.
Thud!
The ball landed—Sakusa Kiyoomi scored!
[Aoba Johsai 17 – 19 Itachiyama]
"That was beautiful, Sakusa!" Komori Motoya clapped him hard on the back, earning a glare in return.
"His ball control is ridiculous…" Matsuo Satoshi muttered, frowning. "The spin and trajectory are insane—how are we supposed to receive that?"
"Well, you could ask Aoba Johsai's libero," Araki Kōsei replied calmly.
------
Aoba Johsai hadn't managed to tie the score, and now, with Sakusa stepping up to serve, Itachiyama had a chance to extend their lead.
The serve switched sides.
Sakusa Kiyoomi's powerful jump serve!
Bang!—
For the first time, Aoba Johsai could hear something different in the sound of his strike.
The ball shot forward, accelerating rapidly toward the back row.
Smack!
Nakamori Daiki barely managed to receive it—he adjusted his touch to compensate for the added power, but the increased spin still made it difficult to control.
The ball shot toward the backline—
"Save it!"
Yahaba Shigeru sprinted toward the ball, stretching his arm as far as he could—
But he was still a bit too far away.
"We can't send it back…!"
Even though Yahaba knew this, he still dove for the final reach.
Smack!
The ball struck the back of his hand and popped up—
But only slightly. The ball was still outside the court.
"Great save, Yahaba-senpai!"
As Yahaba lay on the ground and turned his head, he saw Kaedehara Taichi jumping with his back to the court.
—"I could spike the ball back even with my eyes closed."
Kaedehara Taichi had once said this during practice.
It wasn't arrogance—he had long since memorised every inch of this 9m x 18m court.
In midair, Kaedehara Taichi twisted his body and struck the ball with his left hand.
Boom!—
The ball arced through the air, heading straight for Itachiyama's back row.
"No way…?"
Mizushima Yū retreated frantically, but he couldn't reach it in time.
Thud!
The ball struck the baseline and bounced out.
Kaedehara Taichi scored!
[Aoba Johsai 18 – 19 Itachiyama]
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Comments
Igor Ryan
Obrigada pelo capítulo
Khagendra Neupaney
Nvm
Khagendra Neupaney
Where’s 337?
