The moment Jin called him 'Mad Dog', Mad Dog eyes went wide, a wild look flashing across his face.
One of the older players on his side patted him on the shoulder. "Hey, don't let him get to you. He's trying to provoke you. Still… that serve of his was fast. I could barely see it."
Mad Dog shrugged him off without a word, striding straight to the back line to take his turn at serve. His expression was pure hostility. (Turn to serve?)
On the other side, Jin quickly whispered to his two teammates, motioning them to push up near the net so that he could cover the back court alone.
'If Mad Dog's riled up, he'll definitely target me next.'
---
Mad Dog's serve style was as ferocious as his spikes built on raw explosive power. Where Jin focused on spin and rotation, Mad Dog poured everything into sheer speed and force.
He tossed the ball, leaned back, and snapped forward violently. The ball tore through the air like a bullet.
Jin had already read his motion. He lunged right and managed to receive it up cleanly.
"Che." Mad Dog clicked his tongue when he saw it got receive.
"Sorry, cover me!" Jin called, his pass not perfect but still passable.
One of his teammates get into position to toss. At first, he angled for the wing spiker but then Jin's rapid footsteps heard in front.
"Here! Toss to me!"
---
In three-on-three, there were no position restrictions, anyone could swing from front or back, as long as they kept the rotation. Jin was already sprinting up.
"Eye of Insight… activate."
The setter, flustered but trusting, flicked the ball his way. The set floated farther from the net than ideal.
"Don't bother, silver-haired kid!" One of the older men on opposite team leapt, arms sealing the straight shot. His partner jumped diagonally to cut off cross.
A solid double block. Against a shaky set. From this distance, most would've had no chance.
But Jin's vision sharpened, every detail slowed in his mind. The height of the toss, the spin, the angle of the blockers' arms, the tiny shift of their fingers… all crystal clear.
'No defense is perfect.'
He swung with full power.
The ball threaded cleanly through the sliver of space between their arms, grazing past with a whistle before slamming down in front of Mad Dog.
Caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the ball through the block, Mad Dog reacted too late. His arms flailed upward, but his balance was off. The ball land before him, and he stumbled hard to the floor.
"Dammit!" Mad Dog snarled, pounding the ground in frustration.
For a second the entire court fell silent. Then, slowly, eyes turned toward Jin with shock and disbelief written all over the faces of both players and onlookers.
Jin smirked, pointing straight at Mad Dog.
"Second point. That's how you hit a spike, 'Mad Dog'."
The veins in Mad Dog's forehead bulged. He shot back to his feet, fire burning in his eyes.
"Again! One more time!" he shouted, moving to the front row.
Jin only grinned wider. 'Just like in the anime… provoke him, and he'll always bite back.'