Ba middle school, Shirabu Kenjirō had oched a volleyball match between Shiratorizawa Middle School and Kitagawa Daiichi.

  At the time, Shiratorizawa's ace was her than Ushijima Wakatoshi, who single-handedly crushed Kitagawa Daiichi, led by Oikawa Tōru and Iwaizumi Hajime.

  From that moment, a thought began to take root in Shirabu's mind: To py the most thrilling volleyball, you he strength a to make every py and attack bow down before you.

  "Shirabu, do you know why, even though Semi has greater power, jump height, and speed than you, I still chose you as the startier for the team?" Coach Washijō asked, standing beside the focused Shirabu Kenjirō, who was ily watg the game.

  "Because Shiratorizawa doesn't need a setter with an overinfted ego," Shirabu replied calmly.

  Coach Washijō appreciated this quality in Shirabu—intellige uious.

  "Then, is your job just to set up balls for Ushijima? To let him face triple blocks and bae defences every time he spikes?"

  "No," Shirabu answered instinctively. He khat such high sets would only give oppos more time to react. Instead, he crified, "My job is to help the best a the natioe kills in the most optimal way."

  Coach Washijō nodded approvingly. "It seems you've figured it out."

  On the coshiki Tsutomu had just received Kindaichi Yūtarō's serve. Satori Tendō leaped into the air, setting the ball mid-flight.

  A quick A-attack followed, with Kawanishi Taichi spiking the ball down hard.

  Smack!

  A nimble figure appeared in front of Kawanishi in an instant, rge hands stretg out to block.

  The ball ricocheted off Kaedehara Taichi's arms and fell bato Shiratorizawa's court.

  Kaedehara Taichi scored on the block.

  [Aoba Johsai 21 - 22 Shiratorizawa]

  "Heh, trying to run a quick atta front of me?"

  Tweet! Shiratorizawa called for a substitution—#10, Shirabu Kenjirō, subbed in for #3, Eita Semi.

  "Make sure to time your sets with Ushijima's pys," Semi reminded Shirabu as he stepped off the court.

  "Yes, I uand." Shirabu gave a slight bow but didn't slow his pace, heading straight to the court.

  Semi muttered to himself, "Seriously, not cute at all."

  Kindaichi served again.

  Yamagata Hayato received it with ease, delivering a fwless pass. Shirabu's eyes sed the court, settling on Ushijima Wakatoshi, who oised at the sideline, ready to unto his approach.

  This was it—the perfect opportunity.

  Swish!

  With no unnecessary fir, Shirabu set the ball to a spot slightly away from the , at a height just above the rest of Shiratorizayers.

  A figure leaped into pce, body arg back, with a slight bow-like curve to his spine. His left arm cocked behind him, and at the apex of his jump, his arm swung forward in a powerful, fluid motion.

  All of his strength flowed through his arm and wrist as he struck the ball with precision and force.

  "Three-man block!"

  Kaedehara Taichi, Hanamaki Takahiro, and Oikawa Tōru formed a solid wall—the three tallest pyers on the court for Aoba Johsai, aside from Kindaichi.

  Boom!

  But before Ushijima Wakatoshi, their blockade was nothing. His spike soared over their outstretched hands—a cross-court kill.

  The ball smmed into the floor and ricocheted into the sed-floor seating.

  The previously boisterous crowd fell silent.

  Ushijima scored.

  [Aoba Johsai 21 - 23 Shiratorizawa]

  Shirabu stared at Ushijima's t figure, filled with awe and admiration.

  "Maybe…I'll bee the most inspicuous setter in the world."

  "Is…is he really a high schooler?" Disbelieving murmurs began rippling through the audience.

  "Receiving a ball like that would take pure ce…"

  No one iands looked more animated than st year's Shiratorizawa victims—Date Tech. Their 'Iron Wall' had been utterly demolished by Ushijima. Third-year Kamasaki Yasushi had spent aire season building his strength to seek revenge, only for their team to lose to Karasuno on the first day of the tour.

  Kaedehara Taichi couldn't help but feel relieved that he hadn't gotten to Ushijima's spike earlier. Missing it only cost them a point; attempting to receive it might have cost him the rest of the game.

  Kunimi Akira, sitting on the bench, shifted unfortably further back. He resolved that he would avoid pying against Shiratorizawa until Ushijima graduated.

  "It's just one poihe one!" Iwaizumi Hajime shouted, his voice cutting through the tension as he rallied his teammates, trying to stop the dip in their morale.

  "Yes!" Kyōtaarō and Kindaichi Yūtarō responded in unison.

  Hearing Kyōtani's reply, Kaedehara Taichi couldn't help but gnce back at him.

  "Taichi! What about you?"

  "Yes—!" Iwaizumi Hajime, ever the captain-like figure, wouldn't let anyone off the hook.

  Shiratorizawa's serve. Kawanishi Taichi sent over a floating serve.

  From Kaedehara Taichi's observation, the spin on the ball wasn't as sharp as his own serves, and he smugly felt that he'd won the "Battle of the Taichis." From now ohought, he could call himself Taichi Pro.

  Watari Shinji received the ball ly with an overhead pass, and Oikawa Tōru set it high to Taichi's left side.

  "Double block!" ōhira Reon and Tendō Satori rose in front of Kaedehara Taichi.

  Smack!

  The volleyball grazed the sideline and bounced out.

  Kaedehara Taichi scored with his spike.

  [Aoba Johsai 22 - 23 Shiratorizawa]

  "Was that a straight shot?"

  ōhira Reon: "???"

  Tendō Satori: "???"

  They had never seen Kaedehara Taichi execute such a shot before. Based on their positioning, they should have pletely shut down his regur attack routes. The only threat they'd anticipated was a tool shot off their hands.

  What they hadn't ated for was someone suddenly switg hands mid-game to spike with their non-dominant hand.

  On the sidelines, Oikawa Tōru chuckled. He'd once sidered trying a simir move during a match but ultimately decided it wasn't worth the risk.

  However, given Taichi's exceptional ball se seemed like a gamble that paid off.

  ventional methods were proving less effective in this bad-forth battle.

  Aowledging this, even Oikawa had to admit that Ushijima Wakatoshi's overwhelming presence forced Aoba Johsai to stantly adapt.

  Aoba Johsai's serve. Oikawa Tōru stepped up to the service line.

  His powerful jump serve disrupted Shiratorizawa's reception. However, Shiratorizawa, being the formidable team they were, adjusted quickly.

  Direct aces became increasingly rare after the initial adjustment to the serve's speed and spin.

  Shirabu Kenjirō moved into positioing the ball close to the .

  ōhira Reo for a powerful spike, only for Hanamaki Takahiro to block it at the .

  "Oouch!"

  Watari Shinji dove to save the ball, and Oikawa Tōru sent a high set to the left side, where Kyōtaarō was waiting.

  Kyōtani charged forward, his approach fast and explosive. He leaped high, spiking the ball with all his might toward the . However, waiting oher side were a pair of strong, brooned arms.

  "Break through him!"

  Kyōtani didn't hesitate.

  Smack!

  The volleyball smmed bato Aoba Johsai's court at an eveer speed.

  Ushijima Wakatoshi scored with a block. Shiratorizawa reached match point.

  [Aoba Johsai 22 - 24 Shiratorizawa]

  A one-man Iron Wall!

  For the first time, Kyōtaarō felt a deep sense of frustration. Ushijima was superior to him in every ceivable way.

  plete defeat.

  In middle school, Kyōtani had been the ace of his team, leading the unremarkable Minami Daisan Middle School into the quarterfinals.

  Even in high school, he only sidered Iwaizumi Hajime slightly better than himself (Oikawa Tōru pyed a different position, after all). At the town gymnasium, none of the older pyers posed much of a challeo him either.

  But today, he realized that someone of his pystyle could reach such extraordinary heights.

  "The higher you climb, the strohe oppos you'll face," Iwaizumi said, as if reading Kyōtani's thoughts.

  "Yes!" Kyōtani responded with uncharacteristic patience, resolved to face the challenge head-on.

  "Guard the ball. Don't let Ushijima score so easily!"

  "Yes!"

  The match remained close. If possible, Iwaizumi wished it could have e this very moment.

  Boom!

  [Aoba Johsai 22 - 25 Shiratorizawa]

  A powerful serve nded right on the bae of Aoba Johsai's court, sealing the end of the sed set.

  _________

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