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Chapter 174: A Fierce Duel
🕑 Added 2025-01-22 16:01:05 +0000 UTCBoom!
Ushijima Wakatoshi unleashed yet another powerful overhand spike, the reverberating sound echoing across the court as Shiratorizawa became the first to reach 20 points.
[Karasuno 16 – 20 Shiratorizawa]
Hinata Shōyō, faced with Tendō Satori's relentless blocking, had no choice but to rely on his speed to evade him.
By the time Tendō barely caught up to his movements, Hinata was already airborne, slamming the ball into Shiratorizawa's court.
[Karasuno 17 – 20 Shiratorizawa]
"That little guy is amazing!" someone in the audience exclaimed.
"Karasuno is actually this strong? They're keeping up with Shiratorizawa?!"
"I watched their Inter-High qualifiers earlier this year. They beat Date Tech back then, but they were crushed by the champions, Aoba Johsai," another added, recalling Karasuno's earlier matches.
"Still, beating Shiratorizawa seems like a long shot. They can't stop Ushijima!"
"True, but Shiratorizawa isn't exactly shutting down Karasuno's offence, either."
"Yeah, and their setter…he's almost as good as Aoba Johsai's Oikawa!"
The serve rotated back to Karasuno.
Azumane Asahi stepped to the service line, determination flickering in his gaze alongside a faint, almost imperceptible anxiety.
So far, Karasuno had managed to prevent Shiratorizawa from widening the gap largely thanks to the exceptional performance of Tanaka Ryuunosuke and Hinata Shōyō's tireless attacks.
As Karasuno's ace, however, Asahi had struggled to make a breakthrough in this pivotal match.
Sugawara Kōshi had once joked, "Asahi has the heart of a delicate glass sculpture—too fragile!"
But Asahi knew better. On the court, this fragility wasn't delicacy—it was cowardice.
Perhaps the biggest weak spot in Karasuno's lineup…was him, the ace.
Taking a deep breath, Asahi steadied himself, trying to purge all unnecessary thoughts. At this critical moment, it was the third-years who had no way out.
How could he let the burden fall entirely on the younger players?
He tossed the ball into the air, ran forward, jumped, and swung his arm.
Full power!
The ball deformed under Asahi's strike, spinning violently as it shot toward Shiratorizawa's back row.
Boom!
The unexpected power serve left Shiratorizawa unprepared.
The ball landed squarely between Shirabu Kenjirō and Yamagata Hayato, bouncing high into the air.
Asahi scored directly off his serve!
[Karasuno 18 – 20 Shiratorizawa]
"Yesss!!" Asahi clenched his fist and let out a triumphant shout.
"That was so cool!!!" Hinata's eyes sparkled with admiration.
"Nice serve, Asahi-senpai!" cheered Nishinoya Yū and Tanaka in unison.
"Beautifully done, Azumane-senpai," Kageyama Tobio praised, a rare compliment from him.
Sawamura Daichi and Sugawara Kōshi exchanged a glance, pride evident in their eyes. It was as if they were watching their child grow up, and their hearts swelled with relief and joy.
"If that guy could serve like this consistently, Karasuno would be a nightmare to face…" commented Iwaizumi Hajime from the stands, his expression heavy with thought.
Not only was he picturing himself receiving that serve, but he was also wondering if he could match it.
Asahi's next serve was no weaker than the first.
This time, Yamagata Hayato, having braced himself, managed to plant his feet and receive the ball, albeit with difficulty.
The ball soared high, giving Shirabu Kenjirō ample time to reposition and decide.
"Give it to me," Ushijima's calm voice cut through the air.
He interpreted Asahi's serve as a challenge from Karasuno's ace. As Shiratorizawa's ace, it was only right for him to respond.
Shirabu obeyed without hesitation, setting the ball high.
"Three-man block!"
Karasuno's front row jumped in unison to intercept him.
—Boom!
Ushijima's unstoppable overhand spike cut through their defence like a sword, showcasing his undeniable strength.
[Karasuno 18 – 21 Shiratorizawa]
"Does this guy never get tired?" Tanaka grumbled, frustrated.
Despite playing nearly an entire set, Ushijima's jumps showed no signs of weakening.
Shirabu glanced at Karasuno's blockers and smirked. Even if they played all three sets, Ushijima would undoubtedly remain the most physically dominant player on the court.
If Karasuno thought they could wear him down to limit his effectiveness, they were bound to lose even more miserably.
Shiratorizawa reclaimed the serve.
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[Karasuno 19 – 21 Shiratorizawa]
Tanaka Ryūnosuke's sharp line shot stabilized the situation for Karasuno, but Kawanishi Taichi's quick attack immediately helped Shiratorizawa reclaim another point.
[Karasuno 19 – 22 Shiratorizawa]
Ushijima Wakatoshi returned to the service line. With no timeouts left, every single point carried monumental weight for Karasuno.
Ushijima's expression remained calm as he sent the ball flying.
Bam!
The volleyball streaked toward the space between Sawamura Daichi and Nishinoya Yū.
"I've got it!!!"
Nishinoya stepped forward with a shout, perfectly reading the serve's trajectory.
Smack!
For the first time in this critical set, Nishinoya managed to flawlessly receive Ushijima's serve. The ball soared toward the left wing, where Kageyama Tobio leapt into position for the set.
Hinata Shōyō was already airborne at the centre, while Tanaka Ryūnosuke poised himself for an attack on the far-right side.
Who would it go to?!
Kawanishi had no time to overthink. Trusting his teammates to handle Tanaka, he committed himself to blocking Hinata.
Bang!
The volleyball landed in Shiratorizawa's court.
Hinata and Tanaka landed with surprised looks on their faces.
The ball hadn't gone to either of them.
It was a setter dump from Kageyama Tobio, completely fooling everyone on the court!
[Karasuno 20 – 22 Shiratorizawa]
Shirabu Kenjirō gritted his teeth, glaring at Kageyama.
Ever since Shiratorizawa's loss to Aoba Johsai, anything related to Oikawa Tōru irritated him endlessly.
"That timing was flawless," Oikawa remarked, stroking his chin as he watched the game from the stands.
"If it were you back then, you probably would've pulled the same move," Iwaizumi Hajime commented dryly.
"Well, if it were me now…" Oikawa trailed off, glancing at Kaedehara Taichi seated two rows ahead, laser-focused on the game. "...he might just call for the ball, and I doubt I'd resist."
With the score tightening to just two points, Karasuno made a substitution.
"Tweet!—"
The referee signalled the switch—Yamaguchi Tadashi IN, Hinata Shōyō OUT.
Karasuno introduced their pinch server at a critical moment—one whose abilities were still largely unknown to Shiratorizawa.
Shiratorizawa's players immediately sharpened their focus, unwilling to underestimate anyone.
Yamaguchi, visibly nervous, took a deep breath. He had replayed this exact scenario in his head thousands of times.
"Yamaguchi, serve a good one!"
The team cheered him on, though Tsukishima Kei remained nonchalant as usual.
"No pressure. Just like practice."
Thwack!
The serve wasn't particularly fast or powerful, but it floated unpredictably toward Ushijima.
"I got it!"
Ōhira Reon moved in to assist Ushijima, reacting calmly to the seemingly manageable serve.
The next moment, however, the ball suddenly dipped, dropping sharply.
Ushijima tensed and lunged forward, just managing to receive the ball with a quick dive.
Ōhira's positioning inadvertently interfered with Ushijima's movement, complicating their follow-up.
"He can even react to that?!"
Yamaguchi marvelled at Ushijima's capabilities, only to see Kawanishi already leaping for a quick attack.
What now?!
Panic gripped Yamaguchi as his body stiffened.
We're doomed!
Bang!
Smack!
Kawanishi's spike was blocked by Tsukishima Kei, the ball deflecting cleanly back into Shiratorizawa's court.
[Karasuno 21 – 22 Shiratorizawa]
"Karasuno's blocker's improved way too fast," Oikawa muttered, narrowing his eyes.
Ōhira's earlier attempt to assist Ushijima had inadvertently obstructed their offence, reducing Shiratorizawa's attacking options.
With no other decoys in place, Shirabu's likelihood of pulling off a setter dump was slim.
Kawanishi became the sole available hitter at the net.
Shirabu tried to disguise the setup with a coordinated quick attack, but Tsukishima saw through the play.
Karasuno was closing in.
Just one more point to tie the game!
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