Standing in the substitution zone, exchanging places with Yamaguchi, Hinata tightly gripped his hand. His eyes burned with both frustration and expectation—unwilling to leave the court at such a crucial moment, yet trusting Yamaguchi to end the game with his Jump Float Serve.
"I'm counting on you!"
Feeling the strength in Hinata's grip, Yamaguchi understood. He gave a firm nod, said nothing more, and handed over the number plate before stepping onto the court.
The moment his shoes hit the hardwood, the atmosphere hit him like a wave. The noise, the tension, the heat of battle—none of it could be felt from the bench. Here, every movement had weight, every mistake could swallow him whole. Yamaguchi inhaled sharply, forcing himself to stay steady as he high-fived his teammates.
"Yamaguchi, relax."
"Serve a good one."
Their encouragement was casual, almost light, as if this wasn't the most nerve-wracking moment of the match.
"Y-yes!" Yamaguchi's reply cracked slightly, betraying his nerves. Some players seemed born for the spotlight—he was not one of them.
Then Hayato stepped in. Placing both hands firmly on Yamaguchi's shoulders, he locked eyes with him.
"Tadashi. Your effort hasn't been wasted. The match against Wakutani already proved that. Don't be nervous. Use your strongest weapon. Attack Aoba Johsai with all your might—show them the power of Karasuno's pinch server."
His voice wasn't loud, but each word struck like a hammer, steadying Yamaguchi's trembling heart.
Memories of Wakutani flashed before his eyes. Then he saw Aoba Johsai's players across the net. The fear that clouded him just moments ago melted away. In its place, a fierce, burning determination took hold.
"Yes!!" Yamaguchi shouted, voice echoing with conviction.
From the stands, chatter spread quickly.
"That's the Jump Float Serve player from the Wakutani game!"
"The pinch server who scored four in a row!?"
"So Karasuno's pulling out their trump card…"
The cheering section erupted. Hitoka clenched her fists tightly. Saeko waved her arms, shouting Yamaguchi's name. Even Shimada, his mentor, leaned forward nervously.
"This is even harder than against Wakutani," Shimada muttered. "If he gets too nervous, he won't pull it off…"
But as Yamaguchi waved to the stands, his figure looked steady, unshaken. Shimada blinked in surprise. Was this really the same timid boy he knew? Could Hayato's words have changed him this much?
The whistle blew. Yamaguchi tossed the ball and struck. His Jump Float Serve floated over the net like a leaf carried by the wind. At the last second, it dropped like a stone.
Hanamaki lunged, barely scraping it with one hand, but the ball ricocheted into the net. Too late to save. Point to Karasuno.
"Alright!"
"Nice, Yamaguchi!"
The court erupted. Teammates mobbed him, slapping his back and shoulders as he clenched his fists and roared. Even Tsukishima, from the bench, muttered a rare, louder-than-usual, "Good ball."
On Aoba Johsai's side, frustration simmered.
"My bad."
"Don't worry. Float serves are tough."
"We'll get it back."
Oikawa pulled them in. "Kindaichi, relax."
"But, Oikawa-senpai, if we lose this set—"
"You're overthinking it. Focus only on this one ball."
Iwaizumi added, firm as always, "That's enough."
Kindaichi exhaled, nodding. "Yes!"
Oikawa's gaze swept over his team. "I believe in you."
Their rallying cry shook the court.
The whistle blew again. Yamaguchi tossed. Another float serve. The ball hung eerily in the air before plummeting, unpredictable as ever.
"Leave it to me!" Hanamaki shouted, already adjusting. This time, he managed a cleaner receive. The ball shot straight to Oikawa.
Oikawa's hands snapped into motion, sending a quick, precise toss to Kyotani storming in from the back.
Kyotani's swing was brutal, his spike a cannon blast aimed directly at Yamaguchi.
The ball slammed into Yamaguchi's shoulder with a thud, knocking him backward onto the floor. The ball deflected wildly beyond Nishinoya's reach.
Point to Aoba Johsai. The score was tied once again.
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