The difference between a spiker's jump with a running start and a blocker's stationary leap might seem small, but in volleyball, that gap in height could mean everything.
And right now, Yudai Hyakuzawa, who stood a full ten centimeters taller than the tallest player on the opposing side, Kindaichi, was showing exactly what that meant.
His powerful spike, driven downward with sheer momentum, smashed through the hands of all three blockers. The ball tore through their defense and rocketed straight toward the court of Kitagawa Daiichi.
Then, a blur of motion!
A figure darted in from the back, bracing himself and locking his arms in position just in time to dig the ball.
But,
Boom!
The ball blasted through his defense, knocking his arms backward with a loud crack! The libero managed to get a touch on it, but the sheer force sent the ball flying into the stands, leaving a bright red mark on his forearms.
It soared up into the second-floor seats, where Daichi Sawamura, one of the Karasuno trio watching from the stands, snatched it out of the air.
"Whoa! That was insane, Daichi! It broke through the block and still had that much force left!"
Sugawara Koushi couldn't hide his awe. In all his years of playing volleyball, he'd never seen a spiked ball that traveled that far after being dug.
"Yeah! That was so cool! I wanna hit one like that too!"
Ryunosuke Tanaka nodded furiously like a chick pecking at rice, eyes sparkling.
Daichi chuckled awkwardly. "Ahem! Uh, maybe we should… return the ball before everyone keeps staring?"
Feeling the weight of the crowd's attention, Daichi quickly tossed the ball back down to the court.
From below, Ichinose Guren spotted them and gave a friendly wave.
"Hmm? Hey, isn't the captain of Yukigaoka waving at us?"
Sugawara, ever observant, was the first to notice. After confirming no one else was responding, he smiled and waved back.
Tanaka and Daichi, realizing what was happening, quickly followed suit, waving politely.
It looked just like a group of friendly high school seniors greeting a bunch of junior high players.
Guren smiled faintly, then turned his attention back to the match, his focus sharp once more.
Meanwhile, Daichi turned to Sugawara. "Hey, do you… know that guy? The Yukigaoka captain?"
Sugawara blinked. "No? I thought you knew him."
They both turned to Tanaka, who froze under their stares.
"Wha, ? Me? I don't know him either! I thought maybe he was your acquaintance, senpai!"
Daichi frowned slightly. "That can't be right. We're the only ones up here. Those two junior girls didn't react, either. C'mon, think! One of us must've met him somewhere!"
Sugawara groaned, embarrassed. "Please, we gotta remember before he comes up to greet us after the match! Otherwise this'll be super awkward!"
The three of them wracked their brains in vain, while the match below continued.
===========
The score had gone just as Mori predicted: 7–3, cutting off Kitagawa Daiichi's momentum completely.
But that was when Kitagawa called their second, and final, timeout of the set.
"Whoa, no way! The tournament favorite had to call two timeouts already?"
"Their first match and they're already struggling that bad?"
"Yukigaoka might actually be a dark horse!"
"Yeah, did you see that tall guy? Over 190 centimeters, he's a monster!"
The audience buzzed with excitement.
Over in Kitagawa's bench area, however, the coach didn't look upset. He exhaled slowly and observed his players, still determined, still burning with the will to win.
He smiled faintly. "You've all noticed it too, haven't you?"
Their captain, towel around his neck, took a sip of water and nodded.
"Yeah. They looked strong at first, but that's only because we didn't know their playstyle and got careless. Aside from those two tall players, they don't have any other real attackers."
"Their spikes are powerful, sure, but the rest of their lineup? Their basics, their court sense, their spatial awareness... it's nowhere near our level."
"So as long as we can go even with those two, the rest of us can crush their weaker side."
Kageyama Tobio set down his water bottle, his tone sharp and impatient.
"I've already found their defensive gaps. When I send the toss, whoever's closest just follows my lead."
"My sets will tell you what to do, tip or spike, cross or straight."
"I'll win this match."
He turned and walked straight back to the court, ignoring the silence that followed.
"Kageyama! Don't rush things! Trust your teammates more!"
The coach called after him, voice stern.
"…Got it."
Kageyama's reply was curt. In truth, if he could clone himself six times, he'd probably do it and play every position at once.
His teammates exchanged uneasy glances.
That sense of distance between them, the faint sting of frustration, spread silently.
Their captain sighed. "He just wants to win too badly. Let's not blame him for that."
Kindaichi didn't reply, simply finished his water, wiped his sweat, and walked back to the court without a word.
===========
On the other side, Yukigaoka's bench was practically glowing with energy.
"Wahaha! We're awesome!"
"Two timeouts in the first match against the national favorites, unbelievable!"
Hinata Shoyo was practically bouncing in place. Even though he hadn't gotten many touches, the thrill of being in an official match was more than enough.
"Hey, Mori! Set it to me next time! I wanna score too!"
"C'mon, pleeease?"
Hinata followed Mori around like a persistent puppy, massaging his shoulders, handing him water, and shaking him by the shoulders.
"M-M-Mori-sen-seeeei!"
Mori's voice trembled as he was being shaken.
"Oh! So you agree? You'll set to me?"
Mori smiled nervously. "I'll set it to whoever has the best chance to score. Victory comes first, right?"
"Winning through small, flashy plays might feel good, but real victory comes from the big picture."
"Huh?"
Hinata blinked, confused.
"Ahahaha!"
Ichinose Guren stepped between them, slinging an arm over each of their shoulders.
"Mori, I knew picking you as our setter was the right call. That big-picture view of yours, must be from all that Go you play, huh?"
"Thanks to your trust and guidance, Ichinose-senpai!" Mori said quickly, bowing politely.
"Wait, what?! How come he gets all the respect and I don't?!" Hinata pouted. "That's totally unfair!"
Mori flailed, panicking. "N-No, I respect you too, Hinata-senpai! Really!"
"Alright, alright!" Guren clapped his hands, calling everyone together.
He swept his gaze across the team, his expression confident and commanding.
"Mori, excellent work."
"Choosing you as setter was the right move. You've got real potential. From now on, treat the six of us as parts of the same board. We win together, or not at all."
"Remember, only victory in the grand game counts as true victory."
"You're not just a player. You're the strategist who can even outmatch a 'King.'"
Guren's words hit deep. Mori blushed slightly, standing straighter under the praise.
"Keep it up."
"Yes, sir!" Mori shouted, full of energy.
Then Guren turned to Yudai Hyakuzawa.
"As always, counting on you, Yudai."
"Got it, Guren-bro!"
The cousins exchanged a knowing smile. Between them, words weren't even necessary.
The crowd buzzed, the tension thickened, and as both sides stepped back onto the court, the difference between their atmospheres couldn't have been clearer.
Yukigaoka burned with unity.
Kitagawa burned with pressure.
And the next serve was about to decide which flame would blaze higher.
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