Oikawa Tooru was also surprised by Akashi Asuka's sudden rebound, but his reaction was not slow. After the volleyball dropped, Oikawa Tooru directly received it and passed the volleyball back to Akashi Asuka's hands.
Akashi Asuka leaped into the air, and his setter dump directly scored, helping Aoba Johsai High School get a point and maintaining the score difference at 3 points.
15:12.
But in the very next rally, Kiryu Hachi's heavy Spike pulled the score back to a 2-point difference.
15:13.
Oikawa Tooru's mouth twitched. Kiryu Hachi's current performance almost involuntarily reminded him of a certain annoying guy.
From Zenkoku Middle School all the way to High School, Oikawa Tooru had almost always been suppressed by Ushijima Wakatoshi. It was only this time in the National Tournament that Oikawa Tooru managed a counterattack.
But even so, some psychological shadows are clearly not that easy to erase.
"This guy gives off a really annoying vibe."
Akashi Asuka glanced at Oikawa Tooru but didn't respond, after all, Oikawa Tooru had many people he found annoying, so where did Kiryu Hachi rank?
The game continued.
Mujinzaka served, Aoba Johsai High Schoolattacked.
Akashi Asuka was already being marked by the opponent. Trying to use him again in a short time posed a considerable risk. However, without Akashi Asuka, the attacking power of Aoba Johsai High School's other players was slightly lacking.
His brain was working at high speed.
Large beads of sweat continuously slid down Oikawa Tooru's cheeks. Faintly, Oikawa Tooru's face showed a subtle, abnormal paleness, but Oikawa Tooru, highly focused, seemed not to notice this.
When the volleyball was received and passed to Oikawa Tooru, Mujinzaka High School's front-court Defense players seemed to make no movement. It wasn't until Oikawa Tooru passed the volleyball that Mujinzaka High School's players suddenly moved, rushing directly towards Kindaichi's position.
However, the next second.
The volleyball landed directly above Akashi Asuka.
Bang!
Rarely facing an open court, Akashi Asukadirectly delivered a powerful Spike, slamming the volleyball within Mujinzaka's court.
Mujinzaka High School's players were instantly startled.
And Oikawa Tooru, who was positioned against Mujinzaka's substitute setter, gradually smirked: "Since our 'Ace' has already been marked, then I definitely won't pass the ball to him... That's what you're thinking, right?"
As Oikawa Tooru's words fell, across the net, Mujinzaka's substitute setter, who had maintained a calm expression, finally showed a slight change in his face.
"You're very bold."
"Heh heh~"
Oikawa Tooru's lips curled into a cold smile: "Isn't that obvious? The game I like to play most is guessing games. Want to bet again?"
....
Mujinzaka's substitute setter couldn't respond, because after this point ended, Mujinzaka had already substituted him out.
Without a doubt.
In this brain-burning duel that belonged solely to the setters, Oikawa Tooru achieved a complete victory, taking on two opponents.
Whether it was Yusuri Mitsuru's trap or the substitute setter's calculations, all were seen through and broken by Oikawa Tooru.
It's a pity that battles between setters aren't like Ace attacks; there isn't as much intense action. Everything ends quietly, so not only the audience but even the two commentators couldn't guarantee what had just happened.
Only setters from top strong schools like Keiji Akaashi vaguely saw some of the content.
16:13.
Oikawa Tooru helped Aoba Johsai High Schoolmaintain the 3-point difference again.
However, as the game progressed to this point, Aoba Johsai High School's point Defense also began to become increasingly difficult, because after Yusuri Mitsuru calmed down during the halftime break, he stopped playing tricks with Aoba Johsai High School and instead began to engage in a straightforward power struggle.
As a result, Aoba Johsai High School's situation instantly became extremely unfavorable.
Because without resorting to petty tricks, Yusuri Mitsuru, though unable to prematurely break Aoba Johsai High School's morale, could steadily secure every point.
....
Kiryu Hachi's heavy Spike, Mujinzaka scored.
16:14.
....
Oikawa Tooru seized the opportunity and launched a setter attack.
17:14.
....
Kiryu Hachi's heavy Spike, Mujinzaka scored.
17:15.
....
Akashi Asuka's Tactical Strike, taking advantage of the empty space behind Mujinzaka's two front-court Defense players, he made a soft touch, barely scoring the point.
18:15.
....
Kiryu Hachi's heavy Spike, Mujinzaka scored.
18:16.
....
Oikawa Tooru and Akashi Asuka cooperated, with Akashi Asuka acting as a decoy, then using Hanamaki Takahiro to launch the attack. However, the ball was received by Mujinzaka's back-court Libero, leading to a change of offense and Defense.
Kiryu Hachi's heavy Spike, Mujinzaka scored.
18:17.
Facing Mujinzaka High School, who had become completely steady, the members of Aoba Johsai High School immediately felt a completely different kind of pressure than before.
If Mujinzaka High School before felt like a suddenly erupting volcano, powerful and difficult to resist, but as long as a suitable shelter was found, there was still a chance to escape.
But now, Mujinzaka High School was like a completely sealed sauna room. It seemed harmless in the short term, but if it continued, the result would be like a frog boiled in warm water.
When the temperature reached a certain critical point, collapse would instantly erupt.
Just like now.
With just one small error, Aoba Johsai High School's advantage instantly shrank from 3 points to one point.
Moreover, every time Mujinzaka High Schoolscored, it was unstoppable, but Aoba Johsai High School's every point was achieved with great difficulty and cunning.
....
In a blink of an eye.
The score reached 23:23.
The difference between the two sides had been completely caught up, and Aoba Johsai High School's only remaining advantage was the right to attack.
Aoba Johsai High School had the right to attack. A sweating Oikawa Tooru barely managed to pass the volleyball to Akashi Asuka's hands, but almost instantly, Mujinzaka High School's middle blocker caught up.
After such a long period of marking, Mujinzaka's 'Mujinzaka Twin Towers' had completely accustomed themselves to Akashi Asuka's attacking rhythm.
Now, once Akashi Asuka received the ball, they had at least a 70% chance of predicting Akashi Asuka's attack position in advance.
A tall block appeared directly in front, like a giant tower, easily sealing Akashi Asuka's straight-line route with just one person. And if Akashi Asuka wanted to hit diagonally, other players were already waiting.
In an instant.
Akashi Asuka was once again in danger.
It had to be admitted that Mujinzaka High School's Defense was indeed astonishing, because since joining Aoba Johsai High Schooland cooperating with Oikawa Tooru, the blocking crises he had encountered before, perhaps combined, were not as many as in this one game today.
The faces of Aoba Johsai High School's members changed.
However, facing such a crisis at this moment, Akashi Asuka found his heart surprisingly calm. That feeling from the last moments of yesterday's match against Fukurodani appeared once again.
So Akashi Asuka, without hurrying, aimed his gaze at Yunnan Keisuke's right fingertip and delivered a Spike, hitting it over....