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Chapter 227: The Last Chance (Double-Length)
🕑 Added 2025-02-13 16:00:11 +0000 UTCMiya Osamu had a gut feeling—the kid standing across from him, Kunimi Akira was gunning for him.
Just like how most teams facing Inarizaki focused their attention on Ojiro Aran and Miya Atsumu, it was only natural that Inarizaki, when up against Aoba Johsai, would see Kaedehara Taichi and Oikawa Tōru as their biggest threats.
However, in this set, beyond individual performances, it was evident that Aoba Johsai's overall team tactics were running much more smoothly.
Not good…
The pressure that had been accumulating since the start of the match seemed to have finally begun affecting his thoughts and actions.
"Osamu, what are you afraid of?" Atsumu's calm voice came from the front. "We agreed beforehand, didn't we? Until we graduate, you're not allowed to hold me back!"
"Since when did Inarizaki have to rely on exploiting an opponent's weak rotations to catch up? Haven't we always aimed to challenge the strongest?!"
[Ding! Miya Atsumu has entered Burst Mode]
[Miya Atsumu (Burst Mode)—Setter: Overall Ability Rating: 93.4
Height: 183.6 cm | Power: 90 | Jump: 92 | Stamina: 95 | Speed: 90
Technique: Serve: 100 | Set: 100]
[Ding! Miya Osamu has entered Burst Mode]
[Miya Osamu (Burst Mode)—Outside Hitter: Overall Ability Rating: 90
Height: 183.6 cm | Power: 90 | Jump: 90 | Stamina: 90 | Speed: 90
Technique: Recieve: 90 | Set: 90 | Spike: 90]
From Aoba Johsai's back row, Kaedehara Taichi suddenly looked up. This was the first time he had ever seen Miya Atsumu in such a state.
...Was this because of Osamu?
Looks like there really was something to the strange, almost mystical connection between twins.
Taichi's expression remained calm, his lips even curling into a faint smile.
A chance for revenge had finally come his way—naturally, the more interesting it was, the better.
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Aoba Johsai's serve.
Iwaizumi Hajime steps up for a powerful jump serve.
Boom!
"So heavy!" Miya Osamu grunted as he received the serve. "These monsters!"
"Osamu, move!" Atsumu swiftly adjusted his position, leaping into the air.
Inarizaki launched a multi-angle offensive at the same time!
Boom!
Ojiro Aran, from the far-left position, slammed the ball down. But this time, Aoba Johsai had switched their blockers—Oikawa Tōru and Matsukawa Issei were waiting for him!
Smack!
The ball slipped through their hands, but Kaedehara Taichi was already in position, digging it up with precision. The ball arced diagonally toward the net.
"I got it!" Kunimi Akira rushed in and set it high.
Oikawa Tōru jumped for the spike.
Smack!
Akagi Michinari received it. How frustrating—why was a setter this good at spiking?!
Meanwhile, Osamu had already leapt from the back row, trusting Atsumu to set the ball perfectly in front of him.
"Watch the back attack, Matsukawa-senpai!" Taichi shouted.
Miya twins' Back-Quick Attack was a variant of their Super Quick!
Atsumu's set was pinpoint accurate, meeting Osamu at the ideal height.
Matsukawa had already reacted, jumping in an attempt to block him.
Boom!
Osamu forcefully avoided Matsukawa's block and spiked the ball.
Smack!
Kaedehara Taichi received it, though the impact momentarily stunned him.
"Damn, I'm getting too into receiving…"
With Watari Shinji and Iwaizumi in the back row, he should be focusing on attacking.
Oikawa quickly set the ball to the right wing, where Kunimi was already airborne.
"Double block!" Atsumu and Ginjima Hitoshi moved in to seal him off.
Bang!
Smack!
Kunimi had originally aimed for a cross-court shot to avoid the block, but Atsumu seemed to have read his intentions—his hands pressed downward at an angle, intercepting the ball.
The volleyball deflected off Atsumu's arms and dropped straight down.
[Aoba Johsai 21 – 17 Inarizaki]
"YESSS!!!" Atsumu clenched his fist and roared in excitement.
"OOOOHHHHH!!"
"Atsumu, Atsumu jumps so high!"
"Atsumu, Atsumu blocks so well!"
Atsumu turned to the back row and pointed at Taichi.
"Taichi! The real battle starts now!"
Taichi straightened from his defensive stance, meeting Atsumu's gaze.
"Is that so, Miya-senpai?"
Although Aoba Johsai still held the lead, the momentum of the match seemed to be shifting—tilting slightly in Inarizaki's favour.
Serve change.
Ojiro Aran stepped up to the service line.
As one of the top five aces in the nation, Aran's strength was undeniable. However, in the heat of intense matches—especially when his team was struggling—he often lacked the overwhelming presence to single-handedly shift the game.
Because of this, his impact often felt overshadowed by the others.
But if anyone underestimated him because of that, they were about to make a serious mistake.
Boom!
Aran unleashed a powerful jump serve!
The ball carved a long arc through the air, heading straight for Kaedehara Taichi in the corner.
The speed was insane—too fast for Watari to assist in receiving. Taichi had no choice but to take it himself.
Smack!
"Cover it!"
The receive wasn't ideal—Kunimi had to scramble to set it up. Matsukawa Issei leaped for the attack.
"Triple block!"
Ōmimi Ren, Atsumu, and Ginjima formed a solid wall in front of him.
A forced attack off an unstable set—this was exactly what Inarizaki had been waiting for!
Bang!
Smack!
Matsukawa's spike lacked power, and the ball bounced weakly off Ōmimi's arms, landing right back into Aoba Johsai's court.
[Aoba Johsai 21 – 18 Inarizaki]
"Inarizaki scores off their blocking!"
"A flawless execution of serve-to-block scoring strategy!"
"Man, this really is the Nationals," Taichi muttered, exhaling. "Only in this kind of environment can you truly feel the gaps in your game."
Boom!
Aran's second serve.
Even if he toned down the power, his precision remained lethal—the ball was once again targeting Taichi.
Smack!
Taichi lifted the ball high.
"Oikawa-senpai! Set it high!"
The pass was far from perfect—the ball soared too high, making the setup much more difficult.
However, this also gave Taichi extra time to adjust.
And their setter was none other than THE Oikawa Tōru.
"You sure know how to order people around," Oikawa clicked his tongue but quickly moved into position, eyes locked onto the descending ball.
His stance widened, arms forming a bowl, hands steady as he tracked the ball's landing point.
Whoosh—
The moment the ball made contact, Oikawa slightly bent his knees, using his wrists and fingers to absorb the impact before swiftly flicking the ball forward. A delicate fingertip spin ensured stability mid-air.
Swoosh!
The ball arced toward the left wing.
"Perfect!"
The exclamation came from across the net—Atsumu, the only one who truly understood the brilliance behind Oikawa's technique.
Taichi sprinted along the sideline.
Thud!
The ace of Aoba Johsai soared once again.
"Triple block!"
This time, Inarizaki wasn't aiming to shut him down completely—they just wanted to restrict his shot angles.
Boom!
Taichi twisted his wrist, targeting Ōmimi's hand.
Smack!
The ball clipped the block and dropped sharply.
Thud!
Inside Inarizaki's court.
Kaedehara Taichi—point scored!
[Aoba Johsai 22 – 18 Inarizaki]
Aoba Johsai Halts Inarizaki's Momentum and Kaedehara Taichi Returns to the Front Row!
Inarizaki's head coach, Kurosu Norimune, frowned. The hidden dangers from the start of the set had compounded.
Trying to score consecutive points against this Aoba Johsai team was proving to be an almost insurmountable challenge.
With the serve rotating, Kunimi Akira stepped up to the service line.
"There's still a chance!" Akagi Michinari locked his gaze on Kunimi. If Aoba Johsai had a weakness in their serve lineup, it was likely him.
At last year's Nationals, Kunimi's serve had only caused minor disruptions to Inarizaki's reception. As long as he could get a perfect first pass, this would be a golden opportunity to counterattack!
However, just as Akagi's eyes widened in surprise, Kunimi took a few extra steps backwards behind the service line.
He tossed the ball gently into the air, took two quick strides forward, and leapt.
Bang!
—A jump float serve!
Akagi's eyes widened in shock. What the hell happened to Aoba Johsai in the past six months?!
The volleyball wobbled as it travelled forward before suddenly dropping—
—and hit the net.
Service error. Inarizaki clawed back a point.
[Aoba Johsai 22 – 19 Inarizaki]
"Pfft—"
Kaedehara Taichi swore he definitely hadn't laughed out loud.
Smack!
Oikawa Tōru's head snapped forward as Iwaizumi Hajime delivered a firm slap to the back of it.
"Iwa-chan!" Oikawa turned around in outrage.
"Drop the act. It was absolutely you." Iwaizumi said calmly.
Kaedehara Taichi, who had been staring ahead without expression, remained silent.
"Kunimi, don't mind it!" Iwaizumi reassured him from the back row. "It was a good attempt."
"Yeah." Kunimi responded flatly, unfazed.
Against Inarizaki, using his first-ever jump float serve as a test subject had been extravagant, to say the least.
As if reading his mind, Suna Rintarō stepped onto the court, his sharp gaze sweeping across the net.
"Aoba Johsai's first-year…will pay for that point."
The serve rotated back to Inarizaki.
"Tweet!—"
Inarizaki requests a substitution—Riseki Heisuke IN, Ōmimi Ren OUT.
"A first-year pinch server?"
They had no information on this player, making it impossible to predict his serve.
Aoba Johsai remained on high alert.
Just because the opponent looked nervous didn't mean they would let their guard down. If Inarizaki had chosen to send him in at this moment, then he had to be dangerous.
Riseki Heisuke walked to the service line. His heart pounded as he replayed what he had just witnessed—Aoba Johsai's first-year missing his serve.
He couldn't calm down.
"Heisuke!"
Inarizaki's pillar—Kita Shinsuke—called out from the sideline.
"Challenge today with courage!"
"If you only hold onto yesterday's achievements, then what will tomorrow become?"
"As an Inarizaki player, there's no need to dwell on the past."
Riseki inhaled deeply and exhaled forcefully.
"A good serve!"
He tossed the ball, feeling the control in his fingertips—
Stepping forward with power, he launched himself into the air.
"Bravely—challenge today!"
He struck the ball with all his might.
Boom!!
The volleyball exploded past Aoba Johsai's formation—straight to the backline!
Watari Shinji and Iwaizumi barely had time to react before the ball ricocheted off the floor.
Service ace!
[Aoba Johsai 22 – 20 Inarizaki]
"Just two points behind!"
"Heisuke! Heisuke! That was incredible!"
"Heisuke! Crush them! One more!!"
"A rare first-year cannonball server—Aoba Johsai was completely caught off guard!"
"YEAHHHH!!!" Riseki roared, his first appearance on the court an overwhelming success!
Inarizaki's morale surged as Riseki stepped up for his second serve.
Boom!!
Watari barely managed to receive the ball, but it deflected awkwardly—back into Inarizaki's court.
"Chance ball!"
Riseki instinctively caught the rebounding ball. His heart pounded as he glanced up.
Inarizaki's back-row attackers, Ojiro Aran and Miya Osamu, moved into position.
At the same time, front-row hitters Ginjima Hitoshi and Suna Rintarō rushed toward the net.
Aoba Johsai's front line—Kaedehara Taichi, Oikawa Tōru, and Matsukawa Issei—stood firm, bracing for impact.
BOOM!!
Ojiro Aran's back-row attack smashed into Kunimi's forearm and deflected out of bounds!
[Aoba Johsai 22 – 21 Inarizaki]
"Just one point away!!!"
"First-year designated server Riseki Heisuke has led Inarizaki's comeback against Aoba Johsai!!!"
"And his service turn isn't over yet!"
"So this is what it feels like to stand on the court!"
With just two serves, Riseki felt like his blood had been set ablaze.
His condition—perfect!
He launched his third serve.
Boom!!
Smack!
"Don't get carried away, brat!!"
Iwaizumi absorbed the impact, delivering a rock-solid pass.
Oikawa adjusted swiftly, setting the ball high toward the left wing—
Kaedehara Taichi took flight.
"Triple block!"
Miya Atsumu, Ginjima Hitoshi, and Suna Rintarō all jumped in unison.
Atsumu completely sealed off the straight-line shot, while Suna ensured that the crosscourt angle was nonexistent.
Smack!
Taichi's spike ricocheted off Ginshima's hands—bouncing high into Aoba Johsai's side!
Taichi landed and immediately sprinted to the right flank.
"Rintarō! Block him!"
Suna was the only blocker quick enough to follow him.
All he needed to do was seal off one angle—their back-row defence would cover the rest!
Taichi leapt on the right side—
Oikawa followed, setting the ball perfectly.
Even though Taichi was marked, Oikawa showed no hesitation in delivering the set.
It was pinpoint perfect.
Here it comes.
Kaedehara Taichi and Suna Rintarō squared off at the net.
BOOM!
The ball curved over the block and landed just inside the line behind Riseki Heisuke.
A line shot!
Even with such rapid movement, Taichi had managed to spike at an impossible angle!
Kaedehara Taichi scores!
[Aoba Johsai 23 – 21 Inarizaki]
"Did you really think a single blocker could stop me?"
Taichi tilted his head, smirking as he taunted Suna.
Aoba Johsai reclaimed control of the match.
"Tweet!—"
Inarizaki requests a substitution—Ōmimi Ren IN, Riseki Heisuke OUT.
Riseki walked off the court reluctantly. Just one more point…and I could've tied the score.
Taichi's spike had been so fast that he hadn't even registered its trajectory.
"Next time, I'll be stronger!"
The serve rotated back to Aoba Johsai.
Matsukawa Issei stepped up to serve.
Boom!
Akagi received it effortlessly.
Miya Atsumu set it high—Ojiro Aran leapt from the back row.
"Triple block!"
Kindaichi, Taichi, and Oikawa formed Aoba Johsai's strongest wall!
Smack!
Aran tipped the ball off Kindaichi's arm, sending it rebounding into the air.
Miya Osamu charged in from the right flank.
Just as Aoba Johsai's defence locked onto Osamu—
Miya Atsumu scored on the setter dump!
[Aoba Johsai 23 – 22 Inarizaki]
"Damn it…"
Aoba Johsai tensed up.
Miya Atsumu walked slowly to the service line.
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