Aone, who returned to the court, wasn't as overwhelmingly forceful as before, but his calm aura and sharp eyes were enough to chill the air around him.
After a Date Tech player sent a serve wide, the ball returned to Karasuno's side.
At this moment, Hinata was subbed out, and Tsukishima stepped in.
"Our trump card has already gotten into rhythm. There's no way we're letting the flow slip away so easily!" Date Tech's blockers launched up in the backcourt.
The violent spin of the set went toward Daichi behind Kageyama. But because of the rotation change, Daichi was a beat late.
"Sorry! Tsukishima, cover it!" Daichi called, sending the ball toward Tsukishima rather than Kageyama.
Despite the disrupted play, Tsukishima forced the ball to Jin's side on the left wing. In moments where rhythm collapsed, teams often entrusted their ace or core to steady the play. This pass was a gesture of trust.
Jin leapt on the imperfect set.
He'd already shown his firepower earlier, and yet Aone still stepped forward alone to stop him. Jin couldn't help but respect that persistence.
His skill "Flexibility MAX" had less than a minute left. Jin shifted his elbow outward, driving his wrist under and spiking sharply toward the outer corner.
A faint light flickered in Aone's eyes. His arms snapped straight, shifting direction at the last instant, his block intercepted Jin's spike head-on.
In the blink of an eye, Jin's attack was stopped for the first time.
Nishinoya dove desperately to recover, but the ball still dropped on ground.
"Awesome!"
"They finally stopped him!"
Date Tech roared in celebration. That one block proved Karasuno's new weapon wasn't unstoppable.
"Sorry, the set was too far," Tsukishima muttered, frustrated.
Jin patted his back. "It's not on you. I was really stopped. Can't let up for even a second."
Tsukishima kept his head low, adjusting for defense. He knew, if Kageyama had been the one to toss it, the ball would've been perfect for Jin.
"He actually stopped that silver-haired guy's attack… could Date Tech be turning it around?" Iwaizumi muttered on the Seijoh bench, watching intently.
Oikawa wagged a finger. "No chance. It's just wave after wave. Jin isn't Karasuno's only scoring option."
And right then, the monster quick they'd been hiding erupted. Drawn by Jin's pressure, Date Tech's defense relaxed on Hinata for just an instant.
After Coach Ukai's relentless training, Hinata's jump and spike speed had skyrocketed. His quick set with Kageyama was faster and sharper than before.
Oikawa's eyes glinted. "See? Against this monster quick, only Aone can even hope to stop him. No one else can block shorty alone. If not… Date Tech's in for trouble."
Sure enough, Karasuno surged forward. They crushed the first set 25–16, nearly a ten-point gap.
---
On Karasuno's bench, Coach Ukai spoke firmly.
"Tanaka will start in Jin's place next set. After fifteen points, Jin, you'll rotate back in."
Jin blinked. Even with Aone's block, he hadn't faltered.
"Coach, why pull me out now? Date Tech's shaken. We could push harder."
Coach Ukai exhaled through his nose. "If this were the finals or Nationals, I'd keep you in. But we've got another match tomorrow. If my ace gets hurt here, we're finished."
Ukai's eyes sharpened. "You've been straining your shoulders, elbows, wrists, all to force unpredictable spikes past Aone. That kind of stress piles up. You might not feel it now, but I won't risk it."
Jin clenched his teeth. As a system user, he knew his body could endure the overload. He wanted to shout 'I'm systematic person! My body won't break!'
But on the surface, he just nodded and sat quietly, playing the role of a normal high schooler.
As the second set whistle blew, Hinata pumped his fist. "Don't worry, Jin! While you're out, I'll be the ace!"
Asahi grimaced. "Oi, don't forget about me. Toss it to me too, and I'll tear them apart."
Kageyama muttered dryly, "Deadweight shorty talks loud, doesn't he."
"Ha! As if I could ever be the ace!" Tanaka laughed, slapping Kageyama's back.
Watching them, Jin's irritation eased. With teammates like these, Karasuno would hold strong.
"Psst!" Two familiar figures sat beside him.
"Don't worry, Jin. You'll be back in soon," Kiyoko said.
"Yeah! Coach just wants you rested," Hitoka added.
Jin's chest warmed. Even benched, it doesn't feel bad anymore.