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Chapter 11: Rule the Sky
🕑 Added 2024-12-18 09:48:44 +0000 UTC"Wait, isn't this supposed to be volleyball practice?"
Taichi Kaedehara stared, puzzled.
Tenma Udai looked a little embarrassed. He wasn't exactly a natural teacher, and it had been a while since he last played volleyball seriously. He wasn't sure how much he could deliver. Still, after having the boy chat with him about manga all day, it would be unfair not to show him at least something.
"I used to be the ace for my high school team," Tenma began. "But because of my height, it was hard to spike past blockers directly. So, my speciality became off-the-block shots."
"Eh? Off-the-block shots?" Taichi tilted his head in confusion. He had heard the term but didn't quite understand it.
Tenma chuckled. "Instead of explaining, how about you try defending against me?"
"That's the spirit!" Taichi grinned, tossing aside his jacket and grabbing a volleyball. Together, they headed toward the court in the park.
[Ding! Teaching mode activated.]
[When the host trains one-on-one with a senior, and the senior sincerely teaches techniques, 'Teaching Mode' will activate. During training, the senior can temporarily regain their peak physical condition.]
[Ding! Tenma Udai's peak stats are temporarily restored:
Height: 170 cm
Speed: 85
Strength: 80
Stamina: 95
Jump: 90
Special attribute: Spike Power: 98]
"170 cm with Spike Power at 98?!" Taichi's jaw dropped. "I guess they don't call him the legendary Little Giant for nothing."
While the other stats were impressive, they felt almost 'average' compared to the monstrous players Taichi had seen, like Shoyo Hinata or Tobio Kageyama. But that spike power? It was unreal.
Tenma picked up the volleyball. As he held it, a wave of nostalgia surged through him. His body suddenly felt light and free, as though years of rust had vanished.
He stepped onto one side of the net, pointing at Taichi on the other. "To be an ace, you must first dominate the skies."
There was a sharpness in Tenma's gaze now, one that sent a chill down Taichi's spine.
Tenma tossed the ball high into the air and began his approach. His footsteps were rhythmic, measured, and just as he reached the net, he soared into the air.
Taichi readied himself on the other side, timing his jump to block the shot.
In a regular match, blocking a spike one-on-one was nearly impossible. Without knowing where the setter would send the ball, blockers were at a disadvantage. But here, since Tenma was setting the ball for himself, Taichi could easily predict the location.
Or so he thought.
Bam!
The ball shot past him, landing sharply on the left corner of the court.
"A cross-court shot?" Taichi blinked, confused. "But weren't you going to show me off-the-block shots?"
Tenma grinned. "I said I'm good at off-the-block shots. I never said that's all I can do. Rule number one: If the defence is sparse, find an open angle and spike directly."
"Ugh, sneaky!"
Tenma retrieved the ball and lined up for another spike.
This time, Taichi adjusted his block, watching Tenma's eyes carefully.
But at the last moment, Tenma didn't swing. Instead, he tipped the ball gently over the net. The ball landed in the middle of the court, far from where Taichi could reach.
"Rule number two: Exploit gaps in the back row by tipping the ball to weak spots in the defence."
"Again!" Taichi demanded, tossing the ball back to Tenma.
Spike after spike, Taichi tried to keep up. His blocks improved, but Tenma's precision was overwhelming.
Finally, during one spike, Tenma aimed directly for the edge of Taichi's outstretched fingers. The ball deflected sharply off his hand and flew out of bounds.
"Rule number three," Tenma said, landing gracefully. "When you can't score directly, use the blockers to your advantage. That's the essence of an off-the-block shot."
"Use the blockers?"
"Exactly. Either aim for the edges to score directly or deflect the ball to reset the rally on your terms."
Taichi picked up the ball, mulling over the strategies. Many of these techniques he had seen pros use in matches, but experiencing them firsthand was completely different. Tenma's form in mid-air was so steady, his intent unreadable until the very last second.
"Again!"
Tenma smirked. "Sure. I'm just getting warmed up."
An hour later, Taichi collapsed on the ground, utterly spent. His body ached, but it was his mind that felt the most drained. Out of countless spikes, he had managed to block just one—and that was only because Tenma accidentally hit the net with a cross-court shot. Meanwhile, nearly half of his own spikes had been blocked outright.
"No way," Taichi panted, struggling to his feet. "One more time, Udai-sensei! I'm not done yet!"
Tenma raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "You're persistent, I'll give you that, but—"
"No more for today. I've got a Shinkansen to catch back to Tokyo—don't want to miss it." Tenma was already gathering his things.
Taichi looked visibly disappointed. Losing the entire evening stung, and the frustration was hard to shake off.
"But we exchanged emails, didn't we? Next time I'm back, I'll find you again."
Looking at the dejected younger player before him, Tenma couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration. Taichi was different. Well-built, fast, smart, and most importantly, incredibly determined. The progress he'd shown in just an hour of play was remarkable.
Throughout their session, Tenma could clearly feel Taichi's focus sharpening. Each spike he delivered became progressively harder to score. By the end, it was taking everything Tenma had to find openings.
Was it surprising that Taichi only managed to block one spike? Not at all. After all, Tenma was a national-level ace, a player who dominated the skies. In real matches, he was used to being challenged by double or even triple blockers. If a first-year rookie had successfully stopped him outright, it would've been a blow to his pride.
Still, Taichi's potential in attack was undeniable.
Even during their short practice, his spiking motions became more fluid, and he was already attempting some of the techniques Tenma had demonstrated. While most of these attempts ended in errors, the determination to learn was unmistakable.
Given time, Tenma thought, Taichi could grow into something truly special.
But he quickly shook off the thought. Not my concern. He's not my opponent to face, after all.
Seeing Taichi still sulking, Tenma leaned closer and spoke in a low voice. "Let me give you a tip."
Taichi looked up, his curiosity immediately piqued.
"The key to an off-the-block shot lies in the angle. And no, I don't mean the angle of your spike itself—I'm talking about the angle at which you hit the blocker's hands. Whether the ball deflects out of bounds or bounces back into play all comes down to how you judge that split second in mid-air."
"Targeting the blocker's hands…" Taichi murmured, deep in thought.
Tenma smiled, watching the gears in Taichi's mind turn. Without interrupting his junior's contemplation, Tenma quietly hailed a taxi and left.
The meeting had been brief, but it left a strong impression on Tenma. A player who admired him and loved manga as much as he did? This wasn't just another match or practice—it felt like the beginning of a genuine friendship. Somehow, he had a feeling they'd cross paths again.
But for now, there was something more pressing on Tenma's mind: the serialization of his manga.
As the taxi sped toward the station, he silently prayed. Please, please let the rebooted Zombie Swordsman Zobishu succeed in serialization!
