The score was tied again when Seijoh suddenly called for a timeout. Karasuno wasn't sure why their opponent paused at this moment, but they welcomed the chance to rest.
On the bench, Coach Ukai reminded them not to let their guard down. "You're doing great out there. Hinata, especially—you took that hit but still managed to keep the ball alive. Good work."
Hinata beamed at the praise, but Hayato's attention shifted across the court. His eyes narrowed. If he wasn't mistaken, Seijoh was about to increase their tempo—and bring in their wild card.
On Seijoh's side, Oikawa laid out the plan.
"Next, Kunimi, you'll swap with Kyotani. Karasuno's momentum is dangerous. If we can't get into rhythm, it'll be a problem. Let's see what happens when Kyotani comes in."
Kunimi, a first-year and former teammate of Kageyama, simply nodded. "Yes, sir." No complaints, no resentment.
"Yo, Mad Dog-chan~" Oikawa teased as Kyotani approached. The nickname came from how "Kyotani Kentarō" sounded, but also from his ferocious playstyle.
Kyotani, however, hated it. His sharp glare was all the reply Oikawa got.
"Kyotani, it's up to you next. Play well," Iwaizumi said firmly.
"Yes." Kyotani bowed with surprising respect. Having lost countless one-on-one battles to Iwaizumi, he had come to recognize him as his leader—like a wolf following its alpha.
The timeout ended, and Karasuno quickly spotted the substitution.
"That guy again…" Hinata muttered.
"A player brought in at this timing must be special," Kageyama said seriously. "Don't underestimate him."
Daichi kept a steady head. "They're trying to change their rhythm. Defense against defense wasn't working, so they're throwing in a heavy hitter."
The whistle blew. Seijoh's serve came from the back row—Iwaizumi's powerful jump serve ripped across the court.
Daichi received it, but the ball floated awkwardly. Kageyama adjusted instantly, sending a back set to Tanaka on the right.
"Here it comes!"
Tanaka leapt, but Seijoh's double block shut him down. The ball ricocheted backward, recovered quickly by their libero, and passed to Oikawa.
He looked toward Kindaichi at the net—but before the ball even reached him, Kyotani stormed forward. With reckless momentum, he shoved Kindaichi aside mid-jump and hammered the ball down himself.
Bang!
The spike roared out of bounds.
"Whoa! Did you see that? Number 16 just stole his teammate's ball!"
"So violent!"
In the stands, Saeko gasped. "What the hell was that?! He's terrifying!"
Beside her, Hitoka squeaked and clutched Koyuki, trembling.
"H-he's scary…"
"Y-yeah…" Koyuki admitted, shivering as well. She had seen powerful spikes before—but never a player who treated his teammates like obstacles.
On court, Oikawa's face twisted. "You—"
Before he could speak, Iwaizumi landed a sharp punch on Kyotani's head.
"That was dangerous, you idiot!"
"Well done," Hanamaki muttered approvingly.
Kindaichi, the one shoved aside, waved his hands nervously. "I-I'm fine!"
Kyotani rubbed his head. "Sitting on the bench too long made me irritable."
"That's no excuse!" Oikawa barked.
But Kyotani didn't react. When Iwaizumi scolded him, though, he immediately nodded. Oikawa ground his teeth.
"Unbelievable. He respects Iwa-chan, but ignores me…"
Karasuno earned the point thanks to the out-of-bounds spike, but Kyotani's raw power had everyone uneasy.
"That attack was insane…" Tanaka muttered.
"If it had landed, we'd be in big trouble," Daichi agreed.
Hinata's eyes sparkled with excitement. "So strong!" He looked ready to leap at the challenge, but Hayato steadied him with a pat on the shoulder.
"Don't get carried away. He's dangerous, but not invincible. Stay sharp."
Daichi quickly analyzed. "He's clearly a pure attacker—aggressive, unpredictable. We'll need to adapt fast."
Sure enough, Oikawa's next set went to Kyotani. This time, the spiker dashed in from the very edge of the court.
Kageyama frowned. "A set from that angle?!"
Kyotani exploded upward like a coiled spring. His right arm whipped through, slicing the ball at an impossibly sharp cross-court angle—bypassing Karasuno's triple block.
But Hayato had read it. Bracing low, arms steady, he absorbed the full force of the spike.
Thud!
The ball rebounded cleanly upward.
"Hayato-senpai!"
"Great receive!"
The bench erupted—Sugawara, Ennoshita, and Yamaguchi all cheered at once.
On court, Hinata wasted no time. Even before he landed, he was sprinting toward the net. Kageyama was already there, setting perfectly into his path.
"Quick!"
Seijoh had no time to react. Hinata's lightning-fast attack ripped through, scoring clean.
"Yes! One more!"
"23–21! Match point for Karasuno!"
Oikawa slammed his palm against his thigh in frustration. "Damn it! That should've been our point!"
"Don't dwell on it. Next ball!" Iwaizumi barked.
Seijoh regrouped with a shout of their motto, but the mood in the stands had shifted.
The neighborhood association explained to Saeko just how dangerous Kyotani's spike was—how his angle from the extension line made blocking nearly impossible.
"If Hayato hadn't been in perfect position, that was a guaranteed point."
Saeko's eyes widened. "Then that was amazing!"
Hitoka and Koyuki shouted with the rest of the girls' cheering squad. "Hayato-senpai!"
The momentum was on Karasuno's side. But even Hayato couldn't stop every ball—Kyotani's ferocity remained a looming threat.
Karasuno had to close this set, and fast.
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