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Chapter 132: A Miraculous Play (Double Length)
🕑 Added 2025-01-05 16:00:08 +0000 UTC—BOOM
"That's a shot aimed directly at the sideline! Miya Osamu moved early to position himself, but he failed to dig it!"
"Aoba Johsai's Kaedehara Taichi has suddenly become a force to be reckoned with in the latter half of the second set. His left-handed attacks are particularly striking. Once again, he's a standout from Miyagi Prefecture. Ōtomo-san, doesn't he remind you of someone?"
"You're thinking of Ushijima Wakatoshi, aren't you? And it's not just you—many viewers following the Nationals probably recall that same figure right now."
"Indeed, Ushijima Wakatoshi, also hailing from Miyagi, is one of the top three spikers in the country. His most notable weapon is his devastating left-handed attacks!"
"However, Kedehara Taichi gave a completely different impression before. Throughout Aoba Johsai's matches, he relied heavily on speed and precision with his technique, rarely adopting such a direct and power-oriented style."
[Aoba Johsai 16 – 20 Inarizaki]
Miya Osamu rubbed his forearm, his gaze fixed on the first-year across the court.
Comparing Taichi to Ushijima Wakatoshi was absurd—there was simply no competition.
Ushijima's spikes were far more powerful than even Inarizaki's ace, Aran. His left-handed spin was on another level altogether.
But this kid…His spike power had noticeably increased and was almost catching up to Aran's.
"It's seriously annoying…"
Osamu muttered under his breath. They had just adapted to Taichi's left-handed attacks when, less than half a set later, his playstyle had changed again.
"Serve us a good one!"
Taichi tossed the ball into the air, his figure already springing into motion. The very next second—
"It's not a jump float!" Inarizaki's libero, Akagi Michinari, shouted.
Boom!
The ball landed.
"Out!" The line judge signalled.
[Aoba Johsai 16 – 21 Inarizaki]
Akagi broke out into a cold sweat. That trajectory was strange. Did he just try a left-handed serve with the mechanics of a right-handed one?
He wasn't able to react in time.
"…Idiot! Have you ever practised jump serves? Have you ever used your left hand to serve? You—!" Oikawa was fuming. He had told Taichi to play freely, but this was ridiculous.
Taichi remained silent. He had gotten so accustomed to using his left hand that he forgot the mechanics of serving properly. No wonder the toss and swing had felt off earlier.
On the other side of the court, Miya Atsumu's face was dark. This guy was playing even wilder than them.
Inarizaki served again. The whistle barely finished when Osamu launched his serve.
The placement was precise, forcing Oikawa into an awkward first touch. The ball soared toward the net.
"Cover it!"
"I've got it!"
Hanamaki Takahiro scrambled to position under the ball, but before he could set it, Taichi charged in, leaving Hanamaki no choice but to push the ball upward in a panic.
Taichi leapt from the back row.
"Double block!" Atsumu and Suna Rintarō formed an impenetrable wall.
"Taichi!" Oikawa shouted, fearing he would lose control and force the play.
Taichi hesitated—there was no way to break through.
"Pop!"
The ball ricocheted off Suna's hands and rebounded high above Aoba Johsai's side of the court.
"Again!" Taichi roared, retreating to the back row to create space for a proper approach.
"Is he intentionally setting up a rebound attack?" Atsumu positioned closest to the net, stared in disbelief at Taichi's manoeuvre. "What…What even is that?"
"Atsumu!" Akagi called out, as Taichi launched himself into the air once more from the back row.
Atsumu was caught off guard and jumped into position for another block. Was he trying to convert a rebound into a quick attack?
Did he even know how absurd it was?!
Boom!
"On the line! It's in! That was a beautiful waist-high crosscourt shot!"
[Aoba Johsai 17 – 21 Inarizaki]
"What was that? Did he just hit a crosscourt spike from the right side with his left hand?"
"Is this guy insane? That didn't go out? It had to be luck! He's treating the Nationals like a practice match!"
Despite the absurdity of it all, Atsumu somehow understood Taichi's thought process.
He was merely amplifying moves he had practised countless times and applying them with more force. Theoretically, it worked, so he gave it a shot.
Atsumu glanced at Oikawa, certain the setter had said something to their unpredictable #10.
But now, it wasn't just Inarizaki feeling the pressure.
"Taichi! You're out of control!" Oikawa yelled.
He had only meant for Taichi to play with his full force like he did against Mujinazaka—not to go off the rails! This couldn't continue. It looked like they were scoring, but these lucky plays wouldn't work every time.
Oikawa glanced toward Coach Irihata on the sidelines, who was also frowning deeply.
Oikawa prepared to call Taichi off, thinking this kind of experimentation could wait until after the match—
"Oikawa, let him keep going," Iwaizumi Hajime interrupted. As a spiker himself, he could sense Taichi's flow.
This wasn't just impulsiveness—it was driven by the unique challenge and stakes of this match.
Iwaizumi spoke with conviction. "Sometimes, we have to do something for our juniors too."
-----
Thud!
"A quick attack from the middle! Inarizaki's #2, Ren Ōmimi, scores with an overhand spike!"
[Aoba Johsai 17 – 22 Inarizaki]
"Another A-quick from the same position! Iwaizumi Hajime scores with a middle attack!"
"What incredible coordination! Despite Iwaizumi's height not being an advantage among spikers, his attacks rival the power of Inarizaki's 1.9-meter Ōmimi!"
"I heard Iwaizumi and Oikawa have been on the same team since junior high."
"Is that so?"
[Aoba Johsai 18 – 22 Inarizaki]
"Suna Rintarō's spike is received by Kunimi Akira! Was that a coincidence?"
"Kyōtani Kentarō follows up from the right with a sharp diagonal shot! What a strike! It's the kind of trajectory that leaves you in awe every time!"
[Aoba Johsai 19 – 22 Inarizaki]
"Miya Atsumu scores with a setters dump! A brief lapse and Atsumu seizes the moment with a decisive strike!"
[Aoba Johsai 19 – 23 Inarizaki]
"Not to be outdone, Oikawa Tōru immediately responds with his own setters dump! It seems like Atsumu anticipated it, but Oikawa still managed to secure the point right over his head."
"It's clear the duel between the nation's top two setters isn't over yet!"
[Aoba Johsai 20 – 23 Inarizaki]
"Kaedehara Taichi's left-handed spike—a relentless cannonball—proves too much for Inarizaki to handle!"
"Even though Inarizaki must have prepared for his power, the left-handed spin is still something that takes time to adjust to. That's talent at work!"
[Aoba Johsai 21 – 23 Inarizaki]
Without realizing it, the gap between the two teams had shrunk to just two points.
Tweet!
Inarizaki makes a substitution—Kita Shinsuke IN, Suna Rintarō OUT.
This was Kita's first appearance in the match, but none of Inarizaki's players seemed concerned about him being nervous. With a lead, this set was theirs to secure.
"Don't worry. Even if we can't block #10, all we need is to reach 25 points first." Kita's mere presence on the court was enough to calm his team's restless energy.
Aoba Johsai served. Kyōtani Kentarō unleashed a powerful jump serve. As the set reached its climax, he seemed to relax rather than tense up with his precision improving drastically.
Smack!
Miya Osamu received the serve, but the ball flew dangerously close to the sideline. Kita was already on the move, easily recovering it. Atsumu bumped the ball high, sending it to the opposite court.
"Free ball!" Hanamaki Takahiro bumped it back up.
Oikawa delivered a set to the left wing. "Jump as high as you can!"
Kaedehara Taichi leaped into the air.
Miya Atsumu, the lone blocker, rose to meet him, while three players in the back prepared for the defence.
"Reducing the blockers to focus on the reception, huh?"
Since you're staying back...
Taichi swung his right arm from behind his head, spiking the ball sharply into Inarizaki's three-meter line.
A right-handed spike down the short diagonal!
Kita, having just returned from the sideline, dove to save the ball as it was about to hit the ground.
Thud!
The ball glanced off Kita's hand and went out of bounds.
[Aoba Johsai 22 – 23 Inarizaki]
"That was heavy!"
Kita felt the weight of the spike reverberate through his arm.
He did it! Taichi's instincts were spot on. His awareness of the ball, his body control—everything felt unusually sharp.
Just one more point!
Kyōtani served again. This time, Osamu barely managed the receive, and Atsumu positioned himself to set.
Aran Ojiro soared from the back row, delivering a thunderous spike that reminded the audience why he was still the most dangerous attacker on the court.
[Aoba Johsai 22 – 24 Inarizaki]
"Don't panic, don't panic..."
Taichi's heartbeat raced as his body felt both hot and electrified with excitement, trembling slightly from exhilaration.
Ginjima Hitoshi served, and the ball hit the net, tumbling toward Aoba Johsai's side.
Before Taichi's mind could react, his body moved instinctively. He scooped the ball into the air with one hand, sending it toward Oikawa. Without hesitation, he retreated for a running start.
"Set it high!!!
Oikawa, momentarily stunned by Taichi's seamless reaction, realized he had no choice but to trust his junior. With a swift motion, he delivered a high toss.
Taichi rushed from the back row, accelerating with every step before taking off into the air.
"Inarizaki sets up a triple block!" Atsumu, Kita, and Osamu lined up in front of him, a wall of defence.
Taichi's eyes scanned the court as if time had slowed. He had options: an off-the-block, touch-and-go, or a soft tip.
But he didn't hesitate. He summoned all his strength and aimed directly at Kita's block, determined to overpower him.
—BANG!
The ball smashed into Kita's arms, sending them flying apart as the ball thudded into Inarizaki's court.
[Aoba Johsai 23 – 24 Inarizaki]
"Still staying calm, Captain Kita?" Taichi muttered, his face expressionless but his eyes full of challenge.
Kita, shaken but smiling wryly, responded, "I've always known I'm just an ordinary person in a banquet of monsters. But your real opponent isn't me."
Behind Kita stood Atsumu, Osamu, and Aran—a fortress of talent ready for the final battle.
Kyōtani's serve grew fiercer as the set neared its climax. Akagi Michinari struggled to keep the ball in play, realizing that Aoba Johsai's serves were becoming increasingly aggressive.
"It's that guy…" Akagi murmured. "He's completely changed the atmosphere of Aoba Johsai."
Even with a wayward receive, Atsumu bent low, steadying himself to deliver a precise set.
The ball floated to the right, where Osamu was already airborne.
"Minus-tempo, back-attack!"
Smack!
"Touch!" Oikawa's sharp voice cut through the air. Trusting that the ball would be kept alive, the players sprang into action.
Hanamaki saved the ball from the backline and sent it to Oikawa, who wasn't in position to set.
"Kunimi!" Taichi yelled, racing to the left side.
Kunimi, who received the pass from Oikawa, immediately understood and bumped the ball in Taichi's direction.
"Too close to the net!" someone from the crowd exclaimed.
Taichi didn't falter. Charging forward, he launched himself into the air.
—Whoosh!
"Inarizaki's triple block is up!" Atsumu, Kita, and Osamu once again formed an impenetrable wall.
Taichi's right arm swung with precision, delivering another steep diagonal shot.
The ball grazed past the block, slamming into the floor.
"Court IN?!"
"No!" the referee signalled.
"Net touch!"
The whistle echoed in the arena.
"Inarizaki scores! Net touch violation on Kaedehara Taichi!"
[Aoba Johsai 23 – 25 Inarizaki]
The second set was over.
The winner: Inarizaki.
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