Jin's powerful serve had only lasted for one point, and getting shut down so quickly deflated Karasuno's momentum. The air grew heavy.
Someone needed to break the pressure fast.
Kageyama's eyes flicked toward Jin. As the team's ace, this was his moment to reset the rhythm.
Jin grinned, raised a single finger. Kageyama nodded back without a word. It was a code they'd built during training index finger up meant the fastest quick attack.
On Nekoma's side, Fukunaga stepped to the line. His jump serve wasn't stable yet, so he aimed conservatively for the corners. The ball clipped the net and floated weakly into Karasuno's court.
"Crap!" Hinata lunged, barely saving it up. But the ball shot too high and too close to the net.
Kuroo was already there. His hand shot over the tape, slamming Hinata's shaky receive straight back down.
"Too easy!" Kuroo said, driving it into open space.
*Thud!*
At the last moment, Daichi dove under it. Karasuno's captain scooped the ball back up, steady and fearless as always.
"Saved!" Daichi called, tossing it high to Kageyama.
Everyone on Nekoma's side tensed. With Jin in the front row, the probability was obvious, give the ball to the silver-haired ace.
"Follow me," Jin said with a sly smirk, crouching low as Kageyama set.
"Don't worry," Kuroo muttered, eyes sharp. "I'll block you."
Kuroo trusted his reads more than raw instinct. He shadowed Jin closely, every muscle coiled to block.
But Kageyama's toss went to an empty spot seemingly to no one at all.
"What? Not Jin?" Kuroo's vision flicked away for half a second.
And that was enough.
By the time he snapped back, Jin had already blurred into position, soaring above the tape with impossible timing.
"I said follow me," Jin said in midair. "Not follow the ball."
He whipped his arm through, snapping his wrist with brutal spin.
"Front!" Yaku gasped, but it's too late.
*BOOM!*
The ball bounced off Yaku's arms and rocketed into the stands.
"Wha-!"
"Was that a… freak quick?"
Voices from Nekoma's bench overlapped in disbelief.
On Karasuno's side, grins spread across every face. Even Coach Ukai let out a short laugh through his cigarette.
"Time out!" Coach Nekomata immediately signaled, unwilling to let the rhythm tilt further.
Nekoma's players filed off, heavy expressions on their faces. Yaku frowned. "That ball… it was insane. The toss looked like a decoy, there was no way to read it."
Kenma spoke softly, eyes still on Jin. "That attack only works with him in the front row. If anyone else it will collapse. But when that silver-haired ace is there…"
"Leave it to me," Kuroo cut in, his usual grin gone. His eyes burned with focus. "When he's in the front, I'll shut him down."
Kenma blinked in surprised, it had been a long time since he'd seen Kuroo this serious.
On Karasuno's side, the mood was the opposite they are relaxed, almost cocky. Jin's spike had done its job, shocking Nekoma and reigniting Karasuno.
Coach Ukai leaned forward, voice hard. "Don't just rely on Jin. Keep showing them what the new Karasuno can do. Use your weapons, make it count!"
"Yeah!" the team roared back.
Jin cracked his knuckles and smirked. "Come on, Nekoma. Let's see how long your shield can hold."