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Chapter 333: Bring Victory Back (Double-Length)
🕑 Added 2025-03-28 16:27:49 +0000 UTCTo be able to score so effortlessly against Itachiyama's triple block, where the average height exceeded 185 cm—this was Kaedehara Taichi, one of the nation's top three aces, rivalling Sakusa Kiyoomi.
"He's just as strong as expected," said Araki Kōsei, the ace of Ichibayashi, his expression tense.
"He delivered an immediate warning shot to Itachiyama on the very first play," setter Matsuo Satoshi remarked as he observed the Itachiyama players. "But they don't seem surprised at all."
"Well, it was the team that defeated them last year. This level of strength is only natural."
"True. Now, let's see how Itachiyama responds."
Kyōtani Kentarō sent out the second serve.
Boom!!!
The powerful sidespin might have been troublesome for most teams, but for Komori Motoya, who had faced Bokuto Kōtarō before, he could read the ball's trajectory at a glance.
Smack!
Komori received the serve once again, though the ball veered slightly off course.
"Cover it!"
Shirakawa Kaito quickly moved into position.
"So fast! And so steady!" Kaedehara Taichi's eyes narrowed. With a setup like this, it was practically the same as a perfect reception.
Standing at the three-meter line, Shirakawa glanced subtly toward his left, where middle blocker Shibata Yōsuke was positioned.
"He's trying to mislead me with his gaze, keeping me focused on the left side," Taichi realised. But he ignored it and shifted toward the right. There was no way Itachiyama wouldn't give the ball to Sakusa Kiyoomi for their second attack.
Whoosh!—
...Wait, is he serious?
The ball flew to the left—Shibata Yōsuke leapt up for the spike.
Boom!
Smack!
"Huh?"
To Itachiyama's surprise, Shibata Yōsuke failed to score, even against an unguarded net!
Kunimi Akira had received the attack. The moment Taichi shifted right, Kunimi had already moved to cover the left front. As for the backcourt—Aoba Johsai's libero was not the same as before.
"Cover it!"
The ball rebounded toward the net, the landing point unfavourable. Yahaba Shigeru quickly positioned himself and jumped at full force.
From the last two Itachiyama attacks, Yahaba could already tell—their first-year setter had more natural talent than he did.
But—
Now wasn't the time to dwell on such things. As Aoba Johsai's setter, the only thing he needed to focus on was keeping his team's offence running!
Whoosh!—
Yahaba barely managed to push the ball upward.
As long as I keep the height steady, our ace will clear the way!
BAM!
Kaedehara Taichi took a lateral approach and leapt.
"One, two, jump!"
"Triple block!"
Itachiyama's front-row blockers completely sealed off the cross-court angle, setting up a one-on-one matchup between Komori Motoya and Taichi.
Bang!—
Smack!—
The ball struck Shibata Yōsuke's fingers and deflected downward.
Thud!
The ball hit the floor—Kaedehara Taichi had scored.
[Aoba Johsai 2 - 0 Itachiyama]
Komori Motoya widened his eyes from the back row. He hadn't expected Kaedehara Taichi to avoid a direct confrontation.
"Don't get the wrong idea," Taichi said with a grin. "I just don't feel like hitting the ball the way you want me to."
Sakusa Kiyoomi frowned.
Kaedehara Taichi's spiking technique had improved drastically.
Targeting the blockers' hands—"tooling the block"—came with risks. Even a slight miscalculation could result in the ball flying out or being stuffed completely.
At the high school level, the two most proficient at this move were Sakusa Kiyoomi and Hoshiumi Kōrai—one specialising in spin control, the other in precision.
As for Kaedehara Taichi, he had previously relied on sheer power when attempting to tool the block (from Sakusa's perspective). In national tournaments, as blockers grew stronger, his use of this move had declined.
Typically, he only tried it when hitting from the sides or when he had no other choice.
But this time—it had been an intentional decision.
With that single play, Kaedehara Taichi had sent Sakusa Kiyoomi a message: He had evolved.
"I'm sorry!"
Shirakawa Kaito immediately entered his rapid-fire apology mode.
"What are you apologising for? That you shouldn't have set the ball to me?" Shibata Yōsuke grumbled.
"N-No, that's not what I meant!" Shirakawa waved his hands in panic.
"Shibata, focus on the game," Sakusa said coldly. "Don't waste another opportunity like that."
"Yes!" Shibata straightened. "My bad."
Aoba Johsai continued their serve—Kyōtani Kentarō sent out the third ball.
Boom!!!
This time, the ball didn't head toward Komori Motoya.
Smack!
Having adapted to the previous serves, Nishimura Hiroyuki handled the reception.
Shirakawa Kaito rushed to the drop point, immediately setting to the right wing—Sakusa Kiyoomi took flight.
Compared to his speed, Shirakawa's set was rather ordinary. This long-distance set was a little too close to the net, limiting Sakusa's adjustment options.
"Triple block!"
Kaedehara Taichi, Yūki Yōji, and Yahaba Shigeru jumped together.
Aoba Johsai had also prepared their best defence against Sakusa Kiyoomi.
Boom!—
Smack!—
The ball struck Yahaba's arm and ricocheted toward the sideline—Sakusa Kiyoomi's signature move, almost as if responding to Taichi's earlier spike.
Smack!
A hand intercepted the ball before it hit the ground—Nakamori Daiki's hand absorbed the impact, sending the ball bouncing up.
"Taichi was right! It really rebounded this way!"
Kyōtani rushed in from the back row, setting the ball to the centre.
Kaedehara Taichi jumped for the spike.
"Double block!"
Shibata Yōsuke and Shirakawa Kaito reacted quickly. Even though they hadn't expected the ball to be saved, they hadn't let their guard down.
Whoosh—
Taichi swung—and missed.
"???"
Itachiyama's blockers began descending.
Boom!
Kunimi Akira smashed the ball from the back row—point scored.
[Aoba Johsai 3 - 0 Itachiyama]
"Tweet!—"
"Itachiyama calls a timeout."
Kaedehara Taichi had voluntarily passed up an attack to give his teammate the opportunity instead.
This was even more shocking than his improved spiking technique.
"Itachiyama actually called a timeout right at the start?"
"Three to zero—Aoba Johsai is leading?!"
If they hadn't seen it with their own eyes, the spectators would never have believed such a one-sided match.
Even though Aoba Johsai had defeated Itachiyama in last year's Spring Nationals, that alone wasn't enough to shake Itachiyama's reputation.
Moreover, both teams had lost their nationally-ranked setters. In terms of foundational strength, Itachiyama should have suffered less of a drop.
Yet, looking at the court—Aoba Johsai was still ridiculously strong!
"Aoba Johsai's #13 has turned into a real menace," said Coach Yamazaki. "And their libero—even if he predicted Sakusa's shot, not just anyone could have received that ball."
"Looks like Aoba Johsai will still be one of our biggest threats this year."
The Itachiyama players said nothing.
Just this morning, they had breezed through four consecutive wins—yet Aoba Johsai had just landed a direct hit.
"Shirakawa, your attempt wasn't bad, but I'm still going to criticise you. Do you know why?"
"Coach, I'm sorry! It's my fault for making the team lose a point!" Shirakawa Kaito apologised sincerely.
Coach Yamazaki sighed. This kid's apologies always felt a bit thoughtless.
"In your first two attempts, your timing was decent. Against an average team, scoring wouldn't be a problem. But your opponent is Aoba Johsai—they know what an elite setter looks like. Both Kaedehara Taichi and Kunimi Akira are keeping a close eye on you."
"So, after failing the first time, trying again the same way was reckless. This is something you need to adjust depending on the team you're facing."
"Yes!" Shirakawa Kaito responded earnestly.
"As a setter, your greatest weapon will always be your team's ace. If you want to show off, first make sure your ace is a real threat on the court!"
"Yes!!!"
"Shibata, did you get careless when you saw no blockers in front of you?" Coach Yamazaki's tone turned sharp. "I believe I've said this before—relaxing is only allowed when victory is certain. As long as you're on the court, never underestimate your opponent!"
"I'm sorry, Coach!" Shibata Yousuke lowered his head. He had finally gotten a chance to start—he couldn't afford to lose it like this…
"After the match, you'll do 500 extra spikes in practice. Show me improvement in the next opportunity you get."
"Yes! Thank you, Coach!"
The timeout was nearing its end. Coach Yamazaki turned his gaze to Sakusa Kiyoomi one last time.
"I've calmed down," Sakusa said calmly.
"Good." Coach Yamazaki nodded.
"I don't want Itachiyama to lose to the same opponent twice in a row. If we want to win the championship, Aoba Johsai is an obstacle we must overcome."
"Champions—"
"Itachiyama!"
"Champions—"
"Itachiyama!!!"
"Now go, and bring back the victory."
-----
The timeout ended, and the match resumed.
Kiyotani Kentarō stepped up to serve for the fourth time.
Boom!!!
The volleyball flew toward Takeuchi Eiji.
"Out!" Komori Motoya shouted loudly.
Takeuchi Eiji stepped aside, allowing the ball to land beyond the baseline.
Kiyotani Kentarō's serve went out, awarding a point to Itachiyama.
[Aoba Johsai 3 - 1 Itachiyama]
Itachiyama's score finally moved.
"Tch." Kiyotani clicked his tongue in annoyance. He had wanted an ace.
With the serve rotating, Itachiyama took their turn.
Shibata Yousuke delivered a powerful jump serve.
Bang!
Nakamori Daiki received it with ease, and Yahaba Shigeru set the ball to the left wing.
Thud!
Kaedehara Taichi leapt and spiked.
"Him again?!! Doesn't he ever get tired?"
"Triple block!" Shirakawa Kaito, Sakusa Kiyoomi, and Mizushima Yū jumped to seal off the straight path.
Boom!—
The volleyball shot past Shirakawa's left side, landing just inside Itachiyama's sideline.
A perfect down-the-line spike!
Kaedehara Taichi scored.
[Aoba Johsai 4 - 1 Itachiyama]
"They only blocked the line because Komori-senpai isn't on the court," Kaedehara Taichi muttered, seeing through Itachiyama's adjustments. "I told you—I'm not going to hit where you expect me to."
Shirakawa Kaito finally understood Coach Yamazaki's point. Fooling Kaedehara Taichi on the court was incredibly difficult. The one time he had succeeded was likely because Taichi hadn't known him well enough and underestimated him…
Aoba Johsai smoothly reclaimed their serve.
Yahaba Shigeru executed a jump float serve.
"Too naïve!" Komori Motoya stepped up, jumping to overhand set the ball. (Typically, a libero is only off the court during the middle blocker's service rotation.)
Sakusa Kiyoomi spiked.
"Double block!" Kaedehara Taichi and Yūki Yōji jumped up.
Bang!—
Sakusa avoided the block and sent the ball toward Aoba Johsai's back row.
Smack!
The ball deflected off Nakamori Daiki's arm and flew out of bounds.
Sakusa Kiyoomi scored.
[Aoba Johsai 4 - 2 Itachiyama]
"So this is that weird spin Taichi mentioned," Nakamori Daiki murmured, intrigued.
The serve rotated back to Itachiyama.
Shirakawa Kaito, a first-year, had only an average serve.
Nakamori Daiki handled his jump serve easily, sending the ball to the left side. Kunimi Akira leapt, preparing to spike.
"You're not going to hit it, are you?" Mizushima Yū called out, yet still jumped to block Kunimi.
"Correct." Kunimi set the ball to the right side.
Kaedehara Taichi jumped.
"Double block!" Sakusa Kiyoomi and Nishimura Hiroyuki rose to meet him.
Whoosh—
Taichi feinted, letting the ball continue toward the right.
Yūki Yōji spiked.
Boom!
Takeuchi Eiji had already started moving, but Yūki had smartly aimed for Itachiyama's three-meter line.
Yūki Yōji scored.
[Aoba Johsai 5 - 2 Itachiyama]
"How about that? Our first-years are not bad, huh?" Kaedehara Taichi teased Sakusa.
"If he were really good, you wouldn't need to be a decoy," Sakusa retorted with a smirk.
"I like being a decoy!" Taichi scanned Itachiyama's back row. "By the way, wasn't someone wide open and still failed to score just now?"
Sakusa: "…"
It had nothing to do with him, yet he still felt slightly insulted.
"Oh, he's on the bench. No wonder I couldn't find him." Taichi waved at Shibata Yousuke.
Shibata immediately shut his eyes, knowing full well that if Kaedehara Taichi took an interest in someone, nothing good would come of it.
Aoba Johsai reclaimed the serve.
Yūki Yōji delivered a powerful jump serve.
Boom!
The serve had plenty of force, but Komori Motoya still received it with ease.
Shirakawa Kaito quickly moved into position, and all three front-row players prepared to attack.
Bang!
With the defence stretched, Mizushima Yū easily scored past Kunimi Akira's single block.
[Aoba Johsai 5 - 3 Itachiyama]
"Here it comes! Itachiyama's chance to counterattack!"
With anticipation building, Sakusa Kiyoomi stepped onto the service line.
He took a calm approach, jumped, and struck the ball.
Boom!—
A smooth arc cut through the air.
Smack!
Nakamori Daiki received it—
The ball flew out of bounds.
Sakusa Kiyoomi scored directly with his serve.
[Aoba Johsai 5 - 4 Itachiyama]
"Whoa—!"
Teams who had already played against Itachiyama that morning recognised this scene. If Aoba Johsai didn't find a way to counter Sakusa's serves, the score would soon shift in Itachiyama's favour.
Nakamori Daiki closed his eyes, trying to recall the moment of impact, focusing on the ball's rotation.
"Come on, one more!" Nakamori opened his eyes, locking onto Sakusa.
Sakusa remained expressionless and served again.
—Boom!
The ball's arc changed—the spin was different!
Nakamori's eyes widened, analysing every detail.
Smack!
The ball hit his arm and flew off at an angle—but this time, it stayed inbounds!
Kunimi Akira crouched, bumping it up.
The spin still hadn't dissipated—the ball bounced off the net!
Kaedehara Taichi lunged left, reaching out with one hand—
The ball shot straight up. Aoba Johsai had used all three touches.
It dropped, clipping the net—
And fell into Aoba Johsai's court.
Luck was on Itachiyama's side.
Sakusa Kiyoomi's serve had tied the score.
[Aoba Johsai 5 - 5 Itachiyama]
Just as expected, Itachiyama had caught up!
-----
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Igor Ryan
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