Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty-Chapter 327: The Final Rally (D-L)
"Nice block, Tsukki!" Yamaguchi Tadashi exclaimed, more excited than if he'd scored with his own serve.
"Are you okay from that last receive?" Tsukishima Kei asked quietly.
Earlier, he'd been tricked by Kyōtani Kentarō's feint during a block attempt. If not for Yamaguchi's quick reaction from the back, the rally would have ended right there.
"I'm fine. Nishinoya-senpai could have saved it too," Yamaguchi admitted sheepishly. "But since I went for it, he chose to position himself for the setter instead. Haha, well, my setting is still pretty awful, so..." he trailed off, but his eyes grew resolute. "Right now, my only weapon is my serve."
Tsukishima chuckled at those words, his expression relaxing.
"And yet, that serve is strong enough to take points off Aoba Johsai one after another. You're really strong now, Yamaguchi."
On the sidelines, Ukai Keishin clenched his fists.
"Karasuno's arsenal just keeps growing. These guys still have so much untapped potential!"
Disrupting the opponent's first touch with a powerful serve and then capitalizing on a limited offense with a decisive block—this was the second-best way to score, right after acing the serve outright.
From Yamaguchi and Tsukishima's coordination, Ukai could already see the bigger picture. Karasuno's 'spear' and 'shield' might just be the key weapons to change the tide of this match.
And Yamaguchi's service run wasn't over yet.
"That was an amazing serve, Yamaguchi!" Ennoshita Chikara called out from the bench.
"One more!"
"Let's hit double digits!"
"Give us a good one, Yamaguchi." Tsukishima turned back with a small smile.
With the expectations of his team on his shoulders, Yamaguchi stepped onto the service line once more.
What is this feeling...?
A warmth spreading through my body...
My heart is racing, but my mind is clear. I'm not nervous—it's just the sheer thrill of competing.
He tossed the ball up.
Bang!
The ball floated over the net and suddenly dropped—a sharp serve aimed at the front row!
Kyōtani Kentarō didn't flinch. He had been expecting to be targeted by the serve.
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Smack!
His reception wasn't clean.
The ball arced backwards in a high, teasing trajectory. Kunimi Akira swiftly repositioned himself.
"Left wing!"
Kaedehara Taichi couldn't hold back any longer—he launched into an attack from the back row.
Tsukishima and Kita Seio trailed his movement, ready to block.
But—
Whoosh!—
Kunimi set the ball to the right instead.
Kindaichi Yūtarō avoided Kageyama Tobio's block and spiked the ball down.
[Aoba Johsai 7 – 8 Karasuno]
"Damn it, Kunimi! Why won't you set to me?!"
Even though they had scored, Taichi still grumbled under his breath.
"I'm sorry!" Yamaguchi called out.
Kindaichi's spike had gone through the block, angling sharply to land near Yamaguchi. But he hadn't been able to react in time.
"If you want to stay on the court longer, you'll need to focus more on your receiving," Ennoshita advised as they switched out.
"Got it!"
"Tweet!—"
Karasuno substitution—Ennoshita IN, Yamaguchi OUT.
"The lead Yamaguchi earned for us—we have to hold onto it till the end!"
"Yes!!!"
-----
The match remained intense.
After another powerful service ace from Kaedehara Taichi, Aoba Johsai had caught up to Karasuno.
[Aoba Johsai 18 – 18 Karasuno]
Taichi stepped up for his next serve.
Boom!—
Smack!
"Got you this time, Taichi!" Nishinoya Yū declared as he perfectly controlled the reception.
Kageyama set the ball to the right wing. Tsukishima faked an attack, drawing the defence's attention. From the back row, Kita Seio followed up with a sharp spike—Point!
[Aoba Johsai 18 – 19 Karasuno]
"Kageyama's sets are insane. He makes it feel like he can do whatever he wants with the ball," Taichi muttered in awe.
Now that Oikawa Tōru was no longer with Aoba Johsai, seeing this level of setting from another team truly reminded him how terrifying it was. No matter where the spiker was, the ball would arrive at just the right moment.
Service rotation—Karasuno's turn.
Tanaka Ryūnosuke stepped up.
"Be careful!" Yahaba Shigeru warned his teammates. Even Karasuno's buzzcut attacker had been improving his service accuracy lately.
Boom!!
Smack!
Tanaka's powerful jump serve was received by Taichi.
Yahaba quickly stepped in to set the ball toward the left. Kyōtani soared into the air.
"Triple block!"
Bang!!!
The ball ricocheted off Ennoshita's block and landed just inside Karasuno's boundary.
Kyōtani had scored!
[Aoba Johsai 19 – 19 Karasuno]
"Whoa! Kyōtani-senpai is on fire today!"
Tōma Kaoru found himself fascinated—not just by Taichi-senpai's plays, but by all his upperclassmen's attacking styles. As a setter, it was crucial for him to understand each spiker's tendencies.
Coach Irihata Nobuteru smiled and nodded in agreement.
To him, Kyōtani's biggest improvement was how he didn't lose his temper after getting blocked. With Taichi being partially restrained by his orders, Kyōtani had stepped up to take on more offensive responsibility. It was a real testament to his growth.
Kunimi took aim at Kageyama for his next serve.
Smack!
Kageyama received the ball cleanly and set it to Tsukishima.
The middle blocker, however, passed the ball off to the right instead—where Kita Seio was already airborne.
Boom!!!—
The spike rocketed off Kindaichi's forearm, bouncing high into the air.
"I got it!" Taichi chased after the ball, running past the court's boundary lines.
Somehow, despite the tight score, this match feels…fun.
Smack!
He sent the ball back in.
Kunimi leapt into the air, ready to set again.
At the net, Kyōtani, Yahaba, and Kindaichi all prepared for an attack.
"Left or right?"
Ennoshita and Tsukishima gravitated toward Kyōtani's side, while Kita Seio shadowed Kindaichi.
But—
Whoosh!—
"A middle attack?!"
Yahaba, in an unexpected move, went for a setter dump.
Bam!
Smack!
The ball hit Tsukishima's outstretched arms, but his deflection wasn't enough—
Yahaba's bold second-touch attack had scored.
[Aoba Johsai 20 – 19 Karasuno]
Aoba Johsai had taken the lead! They were the first to reach 20 points.
"Nice kill, Yahaba-senpai!"
The team gathered around their setter, momentarily forgetting the lone figure standing off to the side.
Taichi clenched his fists.
"Not even Yahaba-senpai is setting to me anymore...?"
On Karasuno's side, Tsukishima and Nishinoya exchanged looks.
"Sorry. If I hadn't gotten in the way—"
"It's fine," Nishinoya waved him off. "You're really locked in today."
"...I guess," Tsukishima muttered.
Aoba Johsai prepared for their next serve.
Kunimi kept his strategy the same—targeting Kageyama.
Smack!
This time, Kageyama received and sent the ball toward Nishinoya.
And in that instant—
Karasuno's front line exploded forward.
A five-man synchronised attack!
Boom!—
From the back row, Tanaka drove a straight-line spike to the floor.
[Aoba Johsai 20 – 20 Karasuno]
"Nice one—!!" Tanaka Ryūnosuke shouted, raising his fist in triumph.
"They really don't get tired, huh…" Kunimi Akira muttered helplessly. Karasuno's players were all pushing themselves as if every point was their last—none of them slacked off.
The serve rotated, and Ennoshita Chikara stepped up to serve.
Nakamori Daili easily received it, sending a perfect first pass.
Yahaba Shigeru set the ball to the left wing, where Kyōtani Kentarō leapt into the air for the spike.
"Three-man block!" Tsukishima Kei, Kita Seio, and Kageyama Tobio jumped together.
This was Karasuno's strongest blocking formation. The last time, Kyōtani had opted for a tip to evade it.
BOOM!!!
This time, Kyōtani went full force!
Smack!
The ball struck Kita's hands and flew far past the end line. Nishinoya Yū, who had stepped forward to cover, couldn't chase it down in time.
The ball hit the floor—Kyōtani Kentarō had scored.
[Aoba Johsai 21 – 20 Karasuno]
"Kyōtani-senpai is amazing…" Yamabuki Yūjin murmured in awe. Suddenly, it felt like Kyōtani was an opponent he could never hope to replace.
His gaze drifted toward the last remaining Aoba Johsai wing spiker on the court. Kunimi Akira suddenly felt a chill down his spine.
"Kyōtani-senpai is so cool!"
The exclamation didn't come from Seijoh's juniors—it came from Hinata Shōyō on Karasuno's bench.
Faced with a triple block, despite being the shorter player, Kyōtani had chosen to take the hit head-on. Hinata admired that boldness.
Kyōtani silently rotated to the back row.
"I won't lose, not when fried chicken and my hair are on the line. Aoba Johsai's attack isn't just about Kaedehara Taichi."
That's right—besides the fact that everyone on Aoba Johsai had noticed Kyōtani had shaved his head, he had also made a promise to himself. Until he defeated Date Tech again, he wouldn't touch his beloved fried chicken.
The serve rotated. Kindaichi Yūtarō stepped up for a powerful jump serve.
Tanaka barely managed to receive it. Kageyama rushed to cover and set the ball to the center.
Kita Seio powered through Yahaba's block, scoring the point.
[Aoba Johsai 21 – 21 Karasuno]
The serve rotated again. Tsukishima served, and Hinata returned to the court.
"Yūki, keep a close eye on Karasuno's number 10," Kaedehara called from the back row.
"Got it!" Yūki Yōji responded enthusiastically.
Tsukishima targeted the front row with his serve.
"I got it!" Yahaba shouted, stepping forward to set the ball.
A serve like this—did Karasuno underestimate them?
Yūki leaped for a spike.
Boom!
Smack!—
Out of nowhere, a hand appeared beneath the ball, palm open like a tray, catching it.
It wasn't a block. It was a receive.
The difference might seem minor, but it determined how many touches Karasuno had left.
Kageyama immediately realised it—this wasn't the time to gamble on the referee's call. He sprinted toward the ball's trajectory.
Hinata didn't fully understand Kageyama's actions, but he didn't need to. Attackers shouldn't hesitate!
After receiving Yūki's spike, Hinata sprinted to the far right.
"Crap!"
Yūki felt something was off the moment he took his first step.
Karasuno's number 10 was moving way too fast. Against him, Yūki felt like they existed in completely different time flows!
Hinata soared high on the right side. Kyōtani barely managed to follow for the block.
From Karasuno's endline, Kageyama set a seemingly impossible ball.
Bang!
The ball sailed past Kyōtani's outstretched hands, aiming straight for Aoba Johsai's back row.
Smack!
Nakamori Daiki received it.
Taichi smiled. This was why Hinata Shōyō was still only the "strongest decoy"—if he got targeted, scoring wouldn't be so easy.
Kunimi quickly repositioned and set the ball left.
Karasuno's attack had failed, leaving only Kita alone to block.
Boom!
Taichi launched a back-row attack, scoring cleanly.
[Aoba Johsai 22 – 21 Karasuno]
"You wasted your last chance."
The serve rotated again. Aoba Johsai's serve. Taichi moved to the front row.
"The match isn't over yet," Kageyama said calmly.
"Is that so?" Taichi mused. "Yūki, keep marking Hinata."
"Taichi-senpai, I can't keep up with him," Yūki admitted bluntly.
"Did you catch him last time?"
"No."
"Did anyone block him?"
"No."
"Did he score?"
"No…" Yūki glanced at Nakamori in the back row. "I see now."
Taichi grinned. "You're way easier to teach than Kindaichi."
"Tweet!—"
Kyōtani stepped up for a powerful jump serve.
"I got it!" Ennoshita shouted.
The ball curved mid-air, initially heading toward Ennoshita but shifting toward Tanaka.
Thud!
The ball hit the floor.
A direct service ace.
[Aoba Johsai 23 – 21 Karasuno]
"That was some nasty sidespin…"
"Sorry!" Ennoshita apologised. Looking back, Tanaka might've been the better choice to receive it.
"This isn't your fault."
Once they misread the ball's trajectory, they had already lost half the battle.
Tanaka stared at Kyōtani across the net. This guy, so similar to him, was slowly pulling ahead.
Taichi glanced at Kyōtani in surprise. His form today was ridiculously good.
"No need to be so shocked," Yahaba said. "Not everyone is like you, able to perform at full power the moment they step on the court."
"Hmm…I'm more surprised that you two are suddenly getting along…" Taichi thought to himself.
"It's not just you—Aoba Johsai can win without relying on you alone." Kyōtani shot Kaedehara a glare before serving again.
Boom!!!—
"Tch." Kyōtani clicked his tongue as the ball flew toward Karasuno's libero.
"I got it!" Nishinoya lowered his stance and perfectly dug the ball up.
Kageyama jumped for the set.
Thud!
Before Yūki could react, Hinata was already at the highest point of his jump.
Bang!
The ball landed inside Aoba Johsai's three-meter line.
Hinata had scored.
[Aoba Johsai 23 – 22 Karasuno]
Yūki looked at Taichi. This wasn't how things were supposed to go…
"Keep going, Yūki!" Taichi just gave him a thumbs-up.
Yūki: "…"
The serve rotated. Kita Seio took a powerful jump serve.
Boom!
Smack!
Nakamori received it cleanly. Yahaba quickly set the ball to the left.
Here it comes!
Taichi's approach was brimming with excitement. Karasuno's blockers shifted toward the left wing.
BAM!
Taichi soared.
"Three-man block!" Kageyama, Hinata, and Tanaka jumped together.
Boom!!!—
A high shot over their hands—Taichi's overhand spike slammed into the floor behind Kageyama.
A clean score.
[Aoba Johsai 24 – 22 Karasuno]
"Here it is again—that helpless feeling at the end of a set."
Kageyama Tobio's gaze lingered on Kaedehara Taichi, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. If Oikawa Tōru were standing on the sidelines right now, he would instantly recognize that look on Kageyama's face.
Tsukishima Kei clenched his fists at the edge of the court. At this moment, he didn't even have the chance to go up for a block…
The serve rotated. Aoba Johsai to serve.
Yahaba Shigeru sent a floating jump serve over the net. Nishinoya Yū stepped in, setting the ball cleanly with his hands—the perfect first touch.
Kageyama leapt and set the ball.
"Kunimi!"
The moment Kaedehara Taichi called out, Kunimi Akira had already jumped, positioning himself directly in front of Kageyama.
Boom!
Smack!
"One touch!"
Kageyama's impatient second attack was completely read by Aoba Johsai. Nakamori Daiki dug the ball up.
Kunimi jumped again, setting the ball—this time, Kaedehara Taichi launched an attack through the middle.
"Block him!"
Bang!
Kunimi angled his body and spiked the ball down.
The volleyball landed in Karasuno's court.
Kunimi Akira scores with a second attack!
[Aoba Johsai 25 – 22 Karasuno]
Kageyama stood frozen in place. Kunimi had seen through his intentions, yet he had failed to read Kunimi's.
Whenever Kaedehara Taichi was in the front row, everyone's attention naturally fixated on him.
It wasn't a decoy. It was a threat.
"Kun—Kunimi!" Kindaichi Yūtarō ran up to Kunimi, eyes shining with excitement.
Meanwhile, Taichi looked utterly defeated.
"I think Mad Dog-senpai was right. You don't always have to be the one to score the final point," Kunimi said with a rare, genuine smile.
"Mad Dog-senpai never said that!" Taichi groaned in frustration. Not landing the final point himself made his entire body itch with discomfort.
"Tweet—!"
The referee's whistle rang loud and clear.
Set 2 was over.
Winner: Aoba Johsai.
_________
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