Chapter 83: Killer x Mastermind x Blocking
As time progressed, the score quickly reached Upperclassmen 13:17 First Years.
The first years' powerful offensive firepower had once torn the upperclassmen team's defense to shreds. But relying on the upperclassmen's stable receiving abilities as support, they quickly found ways to cope.
Based on each player's above-standard receiving technique, the upperclassmen team's blocking no longer pursued complete shutouts of the opposition, but instead used experience and coordination to deploy concentrated soft blocking.
Precisely because the upperclassmen team had no one over 186cm tall, this meant every one of their blocking players had good mobility.
When facing Karasuno's first-year team's ultra-strong offensive firepower, relying on the convenience of concentrated blocking, the upperclassmen team could ensure two or more blockers on every block attempt.
Each time they only blocked the cross-court shots, leaving the straight-line spiking route open.
In the limited space, the spiking route became exceptionally clear for ground defense players.
And their attention became more concentrated in the narrow field of vision between the net post and the blockers' arms. Once attacking players chose the straight line, in most cases, the upperclassmen team's ground players could deliver relatively high-quality first passes.
And this kind of first pass would increase setter Sugawara Koshi's options, thereby amplifying the upperclassmen team's offensive capabilities.
If attacking players chose to power through the cross-court, then the soft blocking's ball contact would significantly reduce the volleyball's power. Plus, with the cross-court direction, ground players had more time and space to handle receives.
With one person receiving straight-line spikes and the other three receiving cross-court out-of-bounds balls, the upperclassmen team's score stayed closely behind the first-year team.
Like a pack of old wolves extremely skilled at teamwork, through patient ambush, seeking opportunities to strike, then using attrition tactics to wear down these young cubs across from them.
Fortunately, the first years had one attacker who could use his overwhelming individual strength to forcibly solve difficult problems—Ichise Guren.
Multiple times when the first years' offense stalled, Ichise Guren stepped forward, using the high sets from Kageyama Tobio to display his perversely high attack point.
With an even higher attack point than Hyakuzawa Yudai, he completely ignored all blocks, freely rampaging across the upperclassmen team's court.
How to deal with Ichise Guren, this unreasonable outside hitter—this difficult problem left the brains of the upperclassmen team racking their minds.
The final conclusion they reached was only to observe Ichise Guren's spikes a few more times.
But Ichise Guren didn't give the opposition such opportunities. Unlike other teams' aces who serve as their team's cornerstone.
Ichise Guren was more like the killer among Karasuno's first-year team, hidden beneath Hinata Shoyo's dazzling super-quick attack brilliance and Hyakuzawa Yudai's conspicuous two-meter height.
Whenever the team encountered crisis or deadlock situations, he would silently step forward. Using his spikes or defensive support to help the team through difficulties.
And after overcoming difficulties, he would hide again under everyone's aura, coldly continuing to search for weaknesses in the opposition.
"Rather than a killer, I think Ichise is more like a mastermind behind the scenes."
"His attacks don't deliver killing blows—it's more like he's providing a safety net for his team."
"Like he's searching for something."
Sugawara Koshi voiced his thoughts to his teammates. Although these words weren't particularly helpful to the team at the moment, he still said what he wanted to say.
This was his habit—if his words could spark inspiration in teammates and help them find countermeasures, that would be a contribution to the team.
But clearly, these few sentences provided no help whatsoever for his teammates' inspiration.
However, there was no time to consider whether his actions were correct.
Sawamura Daichi's first pass had already come to him, and Sugawara Koshi hurriedly began observing both sides' positioning.
'This ball has to go to Asahi.'
Facing Tsukishima Kei, currently the weakest link in Karasuno's iron wall when dealing with power attacks and the most easily broken through by powerful spikes, Azumane Asahi's strength was the best weapon to break the deadlock.
A high set, straight to the net.
With the thought of helping his teammates keep their regular positions, Azumane Asahi jumped with more force than he had in over a month.
Putting all his strength into it, his sturdy arm brutally slammed the volleyball's center, carrying an unstoppable momentum as it thundered toward the gap beside Tsukishima Kei's block.
"Asahi!"
Before Azumane Asahi's gaze could shift from the volleyball, Sugawara Koshi's shout and the scene he caught in his peripheral vision were already warning him.
This ball wouldn't get through.
Hyakuzawa Yudai and Ichise Guren, with anticipation, had already started running toward Azumane Asahi's direction before the volleyball even left Sugawara Koshi's hands.
With their head start advantage, Karasuno first years' other two iron walls combined with Tsukishima Kei's blocking wall.
Although Tsukishima Kei's body was pushed back somewhat under this ball's powerful force, this block was still a very successful defense, successfully sealing this ball on the other side of the net.
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