The evolution of the "Freak Quick Attack" was, as expected, plete.

  Hinata Shōyō and Kageyama Tobio had mastered their "New Freak Quick Attack" much earlier than in the inal storylihe efforts they must have poured into this were undoubtedly immense.

  Retively speaking, Kageyama Tobio's role was the more challenging one. Yet, for him, pleting this eique seemed as natural as breathing.

  Kaedehara Taichi g Oikawa Tōru beside him. He must have noticed the differen their "Freak Quick Attack" as well.

  "That little guy trol the ball mid-air now...?" Oikawa muttered, a grim realization dawning on him.

  "Oikawa-senpai, I also want to—"

  "No."

  "But I haven't even said anythi…"

  "You were about to say we should try that too, weren't you?" Oikawa shook his head, his tone a mixture nation and frustration. "Unfortunately, I 't pull off Kageyama's precision—the kind that stops the ball exactly where it o be."

  Uhe initial version of the Super Quick Attack, where the ball simply had to reach the hitter's strike zone in a short time, Oikawa realized this New Freak Quick Attack was a step beyond.

  And to be ho, he knew he couldn't trol the ball with that level of pinpoint accuracy yet.

  "Oh, well, fet it then." Kaedehara Taichi turned back calmly.

  Oikawa blinked. "???"

  Wasn't this the same Taichi who had been so insistent when they worked oaichi-Oikawa Quick Attack" st time?

  "I trust Oikawa-senpai's judgment. There are so many things I want to learn right now, but I also know some teiques just aren't within my reach yet."

  Oikawa stared. "Taichi—" This kid….had matured so much!

  "Besides, you admitted yourself that you're not as good at setting as Kageyama. What more I say?" Taichi added nontly.

  "…."

  Oikawa Tōru vowed o set for Taichi again!!

  -----

  The mat the court was heating up. After Hinata Shōyō and Kageyama Tobio's New Freak Quick Attaded successfully, Date Tech's defence was once again thrown off bance.

  Smack!

  Kamizaki Yasushi, Date Tech's third-year middle blocker, answered back with a and powerful spike to oint.

  "If they take a point, we'll snatch it right back!"

  "Well done, Kamizaki!"

  "As expected from Kamizaki-senpai!"

  [Karasuno 6 - 8 Date Tech]

  Azumane Asahi seized an opportunity and scored with a back-row attack.

  [Karasuno 7 - 8 Date Tech]

  Hinata and Kageyama's New Freak Quick Attack broke through Date Tech's blockers once again, sg another point.

  [Karasuno 8 - 8 Date Tech]

  "Damn it, they're like monsters—so fast, and they even trol the ball's trajectory…" The Date Tech pyers grew more frustrated with Karasuno's relentless quick attacks.

  "Don't let them overwhelm you." Moniwa Kaname cpped his hands, drawing his teammates' attention back.

  "Our offense is holding steady too. It's true that Karasuno's attacks have rattled us, but don't be afraid!"

  "We've taken down tless powerful hitters to get here—including Karasuno's ace. We shut them down this time too!"

  "Yeah!!"

  As Date Tech's captain, Moniwa Kaname wasn't the kind of pyer who naturally drew people's attention. He didn't have a fshy personality or ag appearance.

  Even as a third-year, his skills weren't as dazzling as some of the sed-year standouts oeam.

  But that didn't stop Moniwa from leading his team in his own way. Calm yet resilient, he was Date Tech's anchor—their emotional bae.

  Even ie moments, he brought his teammates a sense of reassurance.

  "You're saying 'you guys' like you're not part of this, Captain. It's 'we,' isn't it?" Futakuchi Kenji said, grinning casually.

  "Futakuchi….Sorry, I used to think of you as an arrogant and cocky undercssman…" Moniwa fessed, visibly moved.

  "Huh? That's what you thought of me all this time?" Futakuchi looked indignant. He always thought he behaved perfectly well!

  Hinata rotated to the back row, and Karasuno's offence again faced difficulties. The scores remaiight, with her side able to pull ahead.

  "This isn't going to be easy. Tsukishima, you'll be dealing with their number 7 even more than in the first set."

  Azumane Asahi struggled to break through Date Tech's block, but he still tried to ence the first-years who were simirly struggling.

  Tsukishima Kei waved a hand dismissively and replied with a hint of sarcasm, "Oh, no one's expeg me to win a head-on battle against number 7 anyway."

  "Holy, being fshy is Hinata's job. My role is to keep things stable when Hinata's in the back row. Isn't that how it's always been?"

  "Besides, the blockers oher side are far more focused on you, Asahi-senpai."

  Asahi bliaken aback. It wasn't often that Tsukishima spoke so much at once, let aloh a tinge of bitterness.

  "Double block!" Asahi and Tsukishima leapt up together, positioning themselves firmly in front of the opposing hitter.

  "Touch!" Tsukishima called out as the ball deflected off his hand.

  Nishinoya Yū dove in to receive it ly, and Kageyama Tobio quickly set the ball to the right side.

  "Tanaka-senpai!" Kageyama's voice rang out.

  "Got it!" Tanaka Ryūnosuke shouted as he swung down hard.

  Smack!

  The ball crashed into the floor. Karasuno scored.

  "Tsukishima!" Asahi looked at him seriously. "You said that your job was to stabilize the team when Hinata is in the back rht?"

  Tsukishima met Asahi's gaze, fused by what this usually soft-spoken ace was trying to say.

  "But I think managing that against Date Tech is already impressive!"

  "Our offence right now does rely heavily on Hinata and Kageyama, but when that doesn't work, keeping things stable is just as important."

  "Even if we 't score directly, the other team 't un attack if they 't receive the ball. Maintaining this tight score is tied directly to winning!"

  Tsukishima looked surprised. Asahi-senpai had just spoken so….ace-like.

  Notig Tsukishima's expression, Asahi couldn't help but chuckle slightly.

  As the ball Nishinoya had just saved sailed toward Kageyama, Asahi's voied through the court:

  "I got it!"

  Stepping up to spike under pressure—that was the ace's job. Even against a steel wall, he would break through it!

  Kageyama hesitated for a brief moment but then decided to set the ball.

  "Triple block!" Aoakanobu, Futakuchi Kenji, and Moniwa Kaname leapt up together. The Iron Wall of Date Tech rose in front of Asahi.

  Thud!

  The ball struck Futakuchi's arm with a loud smack but rebounded bato Karasuno's court.

  Tsukishima was ready. He hadn't expected Asahi to pierce through the blo the first try, but he refused to let the py end there.

  Taking a step to the side, Tsukishima reached out with his left hand and scooped the ball up.

  Kageyama adjusted quickly, running to find a new angle for attack.

  "Again!" Asahi's voice rang out, resolute and unwavering.

  Kageyama's eyes flickered, searg for a route around the block. He knew letting a single pyer spike secutively would exhaust them, but…

  "Give it to me!!" Asahi called once more, his tone firm and unshakable.

  Stepping back to the rear court, Asahi ensured he had enough room to take a running start. With full force, he sprioward the , ung himself upward just a step before it.

  In Kageyama's mind, Sugawara Koushi's words echoed from a past training session: "Asahi's speciality is a slightly higher set, a little further off the ."

  The ball arched perfectly toward Asahi's hitting zone.

  "Triple block!"

  —If we 't even stop oppos we've defeated before, how we call ourselves an Iron Wall?

  —If I 't win this decisive point, how I call myself an ace?

  Smack!

  The ball struck Moniwa Kaname's arm and rebounded high into the air.

  "Out!" Sawamura Daichi shouted as he tracked the ball's trajectory.

  The ball had nded outside the court. Block-out.

  Asahi's spike had scored.

  _________

  [T/N] - If you guys want to read 50 Chapters in advance of the current story, you support me on my Patreon. Trust me, it's awesome!

  Link - (P)atreon./Iseebbsp;[Remove the brackets]