With only three minutes left in the Inter-High preliminaries finals, Karasuno needed just three more points to claim victory. The stands thundered with chants of "Karasuno! Karasuno!" as the players tightened their focus for the endgame.
Daichi took his place at the service line. His serve sliced through the air, steady and controlled, landing cleanly on Aoba Johsai's side. Their libero received it calmly, turning the play into a chance ball.
"Block formation!" Tsukishima barked.
Hayato trusted Asahi's presence and leapt into the front row to bolster the defense. Together, he and Tsukishima jumped high, forming a solid wall. The ball was set toward Hanamaki, but instead of swinging, he disguised the shot into a feint.
"How many times do you think that'll work?!"
Kageyama read it instantly. He darted forward, throwing himself into a low receive. But the sight of Karasuno's setter digging disrupted their rhythm. Without Kageyama's fast hands to guide the next attack, their offensive momentum stuttered.
Landing from his block, Hayato couldn't help but marvel at Hinata's speed again. Even with his own power and reach, his body simply couldn't transition from a block to another explosive jump as quickly as Hinata. Agility was Hinata's domain.
"The setter's out of the play!"
"Don't let them organize!"
Aoba Johsai roared as they scrambled to press their advantage. But Karasuno wasn't just Kageyama—they still had a libero to anchor the backcourt.
"Asahi!"
The ball was tossed up hastily, but Asahi surged from the three-meter line. His arm whipped down, unleashing a booming back-row spike.
"Block!"
"Cover it!"
Because Hayato hadn't recovered to join the offense, Aoba Johsai read the setup and braced for the back attack. Hanamaki's fingertips barely touched the ball, but the sheer force behind Asahi's swing knocked it off course. The ball caromed wildly toward the sideline.
"I'll get it!"
Iwaizumi lunged out of bounds, diving low and somehow scooping the ball back into play.
"Oikawa!"
"Mad Dog-chan!" Oikawa barked, and Kyotani came sprinting. He launched himself into a back-row assault, smashing through the chaos for the point.
"Damn, that was close!"
"They even turned that into a counter!"
In the stands, Saeko shouted in frustration while Hitoka clutched her head. The Asahi–Nishinoya combo had felt unshakable, but even that wall had been cracked.
"Don't mind it, Noya."
"Asahi-senpai, we'll take it back next ball."
On court, however, Karasuno stayed composed. Everyone had long accepted this was a battle of inches. Each rally was a war. Lamenting one point was meaningless—their eyes were fixed forward.
Aoba Johsai rotated, sending their libero to the front row. A substitution was called—second-year setter Yahaba entered as a pinch server.
"A second setter?!" Saeko blinked.
"No… not for a double setter tactic," Shimada countered. "They want a heavy serve and extra defense. Same role as Yamaguchi."
Yahaba spun the ball in his hands, then hurled himself into a jump serve. The ball hissed across the net, slamming toward Asahi. He reached out, but the pass wobbled. Kageyama scrambled and barely redirected it toward Hayato.
"If I swing straight, they'll stuff me… then I'll rebound it!"
In midair, Hayato adjusted his strike. His palm twisted, forcing the ball to glance off the blockers' hands and float back toward Karasuno's side.
"Hayato!"
"Nice judgment!"
The bench erupted as Karasuno reorganized. This time, Kageyama spread the offense wide. Hayato pulled blockers with a fake, freeing Asahi for a clean strike from the back row. His spike thundered—but Oikawa flung himself across the floor, keeping it alive with a desperate dig.
"Yahaba!"
The substitute setter sent the ball to Kyotani, but his set fell short. Kyotani, relying on raw instincts, twisted in midair and swung left-handed. The ball clipped the tape, but still dropped onto Karasuno's side.
"Consecutive points!"
"Kyotani!"
The Seijoh bench roared, their momentum surging.
Karasuno, however, only reset their stances. Their focus was absolute.
"Cross this wall, and you'll be even stronger…" Ukai thought from the sidelines, clenching his fist.
The next serve was cleanly dug by Nishinoya.
"Tobio!" Hayato shouted, already sprinting.
Kageyama's eyes flashed. He set perfectly, placing the ball like a crown in front of Hayato's hand.
"Don't underestimate Karasuno's 'Fierce Bird'!"
Hayato launched. His legs coiled, muscles trembling as he forced his body to linger in the air. Gravity dragged his blockers down—but Hayato still soared, wings unfurled.
"He's still in the air?!" Hanamaki gaped.
Too late. Hayato hammered the ball half a hand above their block.
But Aoba Johsai had their own Ace. Iwaizumi slid under the spike, his arms firm as he absorbed the full force of the strike.
"Unbelievable!"
"That's Iwaizumi again!"
The ball popped up, and as it returned over the net, Iwaizumi locked eyes with Hayato. Both grinned, predator to predator.
Spiking isn't the only thrill… stopping the unstoppable feels just as good, Iwaizumi thought.
"Bring it on!"
"One more point!"
Hayato attacked again. Iwaizumi stopped him again. And again. The duel escalated, until on Hayato's third assault—after relentless persistence—his spike finally slipped past.
The ball slammed out of Iwaizumi's reach, touching down just inside the line.
"YES!" Hayato roared, throwing his arms skyward.
"Damn it!" Iwaizumi cursed, pounding the floor with his fist.
The two Aces had pushed each other to the edge, and this time, Karasuno claimed the point.
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