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Chapter 143: The Perfect Spike (Double-Length)
🕑 Added 2025-01-09 16:01:05 +0000 UTC"Shirabu-senpai!"
As soon as the match ended, Kaedehara Taichi hurried after Shirabu Kenjirō, who was walking toward the rest area.
"Can we talk about offensive coordination for a moment?"
Shirabu's brows furrowed slightly. This first-year from Aoba Johsai...He's the reason Ushijima-senpai didn't make it past the prefectural finals.
"Shirabu-senpai! I want you to toss for me too!" Goshiki Tsutomu came running, his voice booming as always.
Goshiki stared intently at Taichi. No way I'm letting you one-up me. You're my rival!
"Ugh..." Shirabu clicked his tongue audibly, his scowl deepening. First-years are such a pain. I was going to ask Ushijima-senpai if he needed a toss, but I guess these requests make sense during training camp.
With an air of resignation, he replied coldly, "I'll practice with you after I rest for a bit."
"Thank you, Shirabu-senpai!" Taichi bowed in gratitude before turning and sprinting toward the Washijō team's side of the court.
Goshiki immediately gave chase. Today's mission: observe Taichi's every training move!
"Well, at least he's polite," Shirabu mused, his impression of Taichi improving slightly. But then he noticed Goshiki trailing behind, and his expression twisted into disdain again. "That idiot."
-----
Elsewhere in the gym, Oikawa Tōru and Ushijima Wakatoshi stood talking—an uncommon sight despite their frequent encounters in matches.
Usually, it was Ushijima who initiated the rare exchanges, always with a blunt attempt to recruit Oikawa. Since Oikawa had always left those interactions as the loser, he preferred to avoid the conversation altogether.
But things were different now. Oikawa had defeated Ushijima and led his team to the national top eight.
"Hey, Ushijima-chan! How smooth is it to spike from my sets, huh?" Oikawa grinned mischievously.
"They're very precise," Ushijima replied calmly. "Also, stop calling me that."
He had corrected Oikawa many times, but the setter never seemed to change. Ushijima sighed internally, realizing he might eventually get used to it—perhaps three more corrections would do the trick.
Oikawa, meanwhile, revelled in the praise. Why didn't I realize before how satisfying it is when this guy compliments people? Straightforward talk is the best. He ignored the latter half of Ushijima's remark entirely.
Just as he opened his mouth to continue the conversation, he caught sight of Kaedehara Taichi approaching out of the corner of his eye.
Heh. Couldn't stay away, could you? For two days, both Iwaizumi and Taichi had been avoiding him. It seemed his adorable underclassman was finally warming up.
In his mind, Oikawa bumped Iwaizumi's spot down a notch, placing Taichi higher on his internal ranking. He feigned nonchalance and began moving in Taichi's direction.
"Ah-hem! Taichi, do you need something—"
Without a glance, Taichi sped right past him.
"Ushijima-senpai, may I ask you something?"
Ushijima remained silent, simply staring at him.
That's a yes! Definitely!
Taichi wasted no time. "When you spike with your left hand, how do you put your full power into it?"
Goshiki's jaw dropped.
He went straight for Ushijima-senpai's signature move?! Should I try using my left hand too?!
Unfazed, Ushijima answered in his usual monotone. "First, adjust your approach steps to account for your dominant side. Use your right foot as a pivot during takeoff. Then, focus on your arm movement—swing both arms for lift and stretch your right arm slightly outward before the spike to stabilize your balance and increase your jump height…"
"What?! He explained it just like that?" Goshiki stared in disbelief.
"Maybe ask questions next time instead of sulking," Tendō Satori quipped from behind, grinning like a cat toying with a mouse. "At this rate, you'll never surpass Aoba Johsai's little monster, Goshiki-kun."
"Ushijima-senpai!" Goshiki shouted, flustered. But he hadn't thought of a specific question yet.
Ushijima watched him, unblinking, until Goshiki's face turned red with frustration. Then, turning back to Taichi, he decided a demonstration would be quicker.
"Oikawa, can you toss for me?"
Finally, Oikawa was acknowledged. Though annoyed, he knew this was a rare learning opportunity. Inwardly, he wrestled between pride and duty—his grudge against Taichi versus his responsibility to Aoba Johsai.
This is for Seijoh. Not for that brat. Hmph!
"What are you staring at me for? Get a move on, Oikawa-senpai!" Taichi called impatiently.
Oikawa shot him a murderous glare.
What's his problem now? Taichi wondered.
-----
The gym buzzed as Oikawa and Ushijima took positions on the court. Players gathered quickly—watching these two legends perform up close was a rare treat.
Shirabu stood among them, keenly observing every nuance of Oikawa's toss to Ushijima.
Taichi tossed the ball high into the air. Oikawa launched himself forward in a graceful leap, body perfectly balanced, hands poised above his head.
Is jumping really necessary here? Oh, you just want to show off, don't you? Taichi thought. Still, even he had to admit—Shirabu and Koganegawa were both transfixed.
"Ushijima!" Oikawa's voice acted like a trigger.
Ushijima sprinted along the sideline, body leaning forward, his steps perfectly aligned with his centre of gravity. His eyes locked on the ball.
Oikawa's hands cupped the ball, wrists absorbing its impact while his fingers added a subtle spin for extra stability.
Just as Ushijima took his final step, his arms swung from behind, power generated from his thighs and core. His jump was vertical, perfectly aligned.
"Perfect…" Shirabu muttered, captivated. His eyes darted between the setter and spiker, mesmerized by the flawless synergy.
The ball floated precisely to Ushijima's highest point of reach.
He stretched his left arm fully behind him, elbow loose but controlled, wrist snapping downward with incredible force.
—BOOM!—
The air seemed to explode on contact.
Kaedehara Taichi, standing closest, swore he saw the volleyball distort from the sheer force before it shot downward like a bullet.
—BOOM!!—
The sound of impact resonated throughout the gym, shaking the floor. Players gasped. For a moment, the entire gym felt as if it had been struck by thunder.
The volleyball soared high into the air and landed in the stands on the second floor of the gymnasium.
"If anyone had tried to receive that, they'd have broken a bone for sure," Kunimi Akira muttered with a hint of dread.
The players around him shared similar thoughts. A heavy silence filled the gym.
Nearby, Irihata Nobuteru and Washijō Tanji had already been watching the commotion on the court. They hadn't expected such a reaction from what was supposed to be a simple spiking drill.
"That spike was flawless. Neither of them could've done it without the other," Washijō muttered with a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes. This was the kind of volleyball he most wanted to see.
Once the initial shock subsided, Washijō spoke with unexpected seriousness, "Both of those boys have reached a level on par with professional players. Ushijima is already a member of the national youth team, and after graduation, he'll likely head straight into the V-League."
"Is that so?" Coach Irihata's expression stiffened slightly. "I always thought Oikawa still had a slight gap between him and the monsters of the U19 division. Since no one from the youth team's scouting department contacted Seijoh, I figured it was still a bit too far off."
He cast a sidelong glare at Washijō. "But that's mainly because Shiratorizawa blocked his path. A player who's never been to Nationals won't attract much attention, will they?"
Washijō didn't flinch. His stubborn pride in Shiratorizawa aside, he always spoke plainly and acknowledged reality—and it was undeniable that Seijoh had beaten them.
Coach Irihata continued, a thoughtful glint in his eyes. "But this year's Oikawa is different. His transformation came suddenly—not just in terms of technique, but in mindset too." He reflected with a trace of pride. "Now, I think he's as good as anyone on the national youth team."
Washijō nodded without argument. "Hmm."
Irihata sighed, a flicker of nostalgia softening his voice. "Oikawa once mentioned wanting to study in Argentina. I wonder if he'll change his mind if he gets an offer from the youth team later this year." He paused, then smiled faintly. "I used to think supporting that decision was best—this sport will be his whole life, just like it's been ours. But...now, maybe staying here wouldn't be so bad after all."
-----
Back on the court, practice resumed. Shirabu Kenjirō finally learned why Taichi had been so insistent about talking.
"Shirabu-senpai, for the next practice matches, I'll be spiking exclusively with my left hand. Just toss to me as you would to Ushijima-senpai."
Left-hand spikes? Shirabu frowned.
He was aware Taichi could use both hands in play, but his dominant hand was clearly his right. Was this decision about optimizing his position since Shirabu wasn't as accustomed to adjusting his tosses as Oikawa? Fixing a spiking angle might simplify things.
"Why your left hand, though?" he asked.
Taichi paused, then broke into a cheerful grin. "Maybe it's because you look most confident when you toss to that side."
Shirabu blinked before chuckling softly. "There's probably more to it than that...but I like that reason best." After all, it was when tossing to the left that he could fully admire that perfect, airborne form.
"Shirabu-senpai, I want to—" Goshiki Tsutomu began.
"No." Shirabu's expression turned icy.
"But—"
"You haven't even mastered your right-hand spikes. You're running in circles after your opponents instead of learning from them. Why don't you spend more time practising your cross shots instead of relying on straight-line attacks? It's all you're good at, you watermelon-head."
This brutal monologue never left Shirabu's lips, but his sharp glare conveyed every thought.
"Uh...I'll work on my cross shots," Goshiki mumbled, stepping back in defeat.
-----
Shirabu led Taichi and Goshiki through a new drill. After seeing Oikawa and Ushijima's flawless spike earlier, the entire gym buzzed with renewed energy. Everyone felt inspired—that spike had been magnificent.
Well, almost everyone.
One player sat quietly at the sidelines, eyes closed.
Ōhira Reon noticed and approached out of curiosity.
Is he meditating? It didn't seem like it. And why is he so quiet? Tendō Satori, known for his endless chatter, had even stopped talking.
"Tendō?" Ōhira ventured cautiously. "What are you doing?"
Tendō's eyes snapped open—large and round, almost supernatural in size. Some even went as far as to say that his gaze resembled a yokai's.
"I'm visualizing my ultimate technique!" he declared gleefully.
"Ah...okay." Ōhira lost interest immediately.
Everyone on Shiratorizawa knew Tendō was a peculiar character.
Ōhira, after three years of observation, had concluded that Tendō thrived on the joy of defeating opponents.
He became sharper and more focused, the more he relished their reactions.
Washijō allowed Tendō free rein because his instincts and unconventional style made him a nightmare on the court.
"Hey, Reon," Tendō whispered conspiratorially. "Guess what I'm imagining?"
"What?"
"Oikawa's face when I block his setters dump!" Tendō's grin stretched wide.
Ohira didn't bat an eye. Instead, he nodded placidly. Years of exposure to Tendō's eccentricities had dulled his capacity for shock.
Tendō basked in his own daydream. "I can already see it! His eyes full of frustration...nothing is sweeter than watching someone like him lose!"
"That's...pretty extreme," Ōhira muttered, stepping back.
"Right?" Tendō was practically vibrating with excitement.
"Tendō!" Washijō's bellow cut across the gym. "How much longer are you going to laze around?"
"Ah, gotta run!" Tendō leapt up. "I'll tell you the rest later!"
And so, the third day of training camp continued.
By evening, the teams began their fourth round of practice matches…
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