Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

. Once again, the stands were packed with spectators eager to watch Kaedehara Taichi in action.
Facing Tenzan South, who had also won their first two matches and carried strong momentum, Kaedehara Taichi struck first—his serves earning Aoba Johsai an immediate five-point lead at the start.
With thorough preparation, Kindaichi Yūtarō and Kunimi Akira focused their defence on Tenzan South's second-year ace, limiting him to just five points in the first set.
Despite having an extra win over Jisuikan, Tenzan South's performance was not much better. On the contrary, as Yahaba Shigeru gradually settled into the match's rhythm, his coordination with Kyōtani Kentarō led to a six-point scoring streak in the second set.
Aoba Johsai once again crushed their opponents with ease, securing their spot in the next round as Group A's first seed.
The audience enjoyed an exciting match, though some were disappointed that—aside from his strong serving at the start—Kaedehara Taichi did not put on another dazzling display.
As the second day of the Prefectural Tournament concluded, the official Top 8 teams were decided. Based on the upcoming quarterfinal matchups:
"Once again, Kaedehara Taichi didn't go all out today. But if we look at yesterday's match, his ball control is already terrifying."
In the stands, Date Tech's Obara Yutaka stood up, talking on the phone with his captain, Futakuchi Kenji.
"The other attackers have improved, but it's still within expectations. Kyōtani Kentarō's attacks have become a bit more flexible, which might be troublesome. The rest—including their new starting wing spiker—were fairly
."
"Yeah, exactly. We still have no answer for Kaedehara Taichi, but this version of Aoba Johsai…definitely has weaknesses we can exploit."
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"Who would've thought? Without Nakashima-senpai, Wakunan didn't even make the Top 8 this year."
After the match, the Aoba Johsai players gathered around Chiba Kaho, who had just brought them the updated tournament bracket. Yahaba Shigeru sighed at the news.
With third-years retiring, every team had undergone changes. Only a select few powerhouses—those with solid foundations and well-developed training systems—remained largely unaffected.
For most, new members needed time to integrate. Tactics had to be reworked.
As team captain, Yahaba Shigeru often found himself feeling inadequate. Among the second-years, only Kyōtani Kentarō had the individual ability to stand out. The rest—himself included—were nowhere near the level of Kaedehara Taichi and the first-years.
At the very least, he didn't want to hold the team back. With that mindset, Yahaba Shigeru was always among the last to leave after extra individual training sessions.
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"Ohgiminami?"
Kaedehara Taichi's gaze landed on a familiar name.
They had lost to Shiratorizawa in the Interhigh qualifiers last year. Then they were eliminated by Karasuno in the Spring High preliminaries.
But if they had managed to break through the group stage this time, then luck alone wouldn't be enough. They must have grown
since then.
"Something wrong?" Kunimi Akira asked, noticing the unfamiliar name.
"Nothing," Kaedehara Taichi shook his head. "I just saw one of their matches before, that's all."
"I see," Kunimi replied indifferently. "If they keep winning, we'll be facing them soon."
"Yeah, but it doesn't really matter who we play," Kaedehara Taichi said nonchalantly. "As long as we're strong enough, things like matchups and luck are just problems for others to worry about."
"Taichi!"
Hearing someone call his name, Kaedehara Taichi turned around, surprised to see Karasuno's players standing at the entrance of the venue.
Hinata Shōyō ran over excitedly. "Congratulations on your group stage victory!"
"Idiot, as if Aoba Johsai could possibly lose here," Kageyama Tobio muttered, following behind him.
"Congratulations on making it out of your group as well," Taichi replied with a smile. Running into Karasuno was a pleasant surprise. If he wanted to face them in a match, it wouldn't be happening as soon as he initially thought.
Both teams would have to keep winning all the way to the final to meet.
,
,
,
,
;
,
.
,
,
,
These two were still as terrifying as ever. Hinata's skills had improved at an incredible pace, and Kageyama seemed to have gotten even stronger. More importantly, their combination was still
than the
.
"Taichi, as long as I'm here, this idiot won't lose to you!" Kageyama declared, his gaze sharp.
"Oh? That confident?" Taichi stepped forward until he was right in front of Kageyama. "Is that the courage you gained from not having Oikawa-senpai around?"
"!!!"
Hinata instinctively leapt backwards as if sensing danger—only to crash directly into Tsukishima Kei, who had been approaching leisurely from behind.
"You really are just a monkey acting on instinct, huh?" Tsukishima pressed a hand against Hinata's head in exasperation.
"Whether Oikawa-senpai is here or not, I would still say the same thing," Kageyama retorted without hesitation. "Karasuno is strong. We fear no opponent!"
A group clad in jet-black uniforms stood in front of Taichi, the tension in the air thick enough to cut with a knife.
Taichi quietly observed Karasuno's lineup—Nishinoya Yū, Tanaka Ryūnosuke, Ennoshita Chikara, Tsukishima Kei, Yamaguchi Tadashi...
Even though Karasuno had lost their third-years, their remaining players had grown stronger. Compared to last year, there was no doubt—they were even more formidable now.
"Pfft—" Taichi suddenly let out a chuckle. "So, who's your
now? Tanaka-senpai? Ennoshita-senpai? Don't tell me it's Yamaguchi?"
"You brat!" Tanaka's expression darkened.
"Tanaka!" Karasuno's new captain, Ennoshita, immediately clamped a hand over his face before he could charge forward.
"Volleyball has never been a one-man sport. Karasuno doesn't win matches because of just one person!"
A calm voice cut in.
Kunimi Akira had stepped beside Taichi, his gaze shifting to Kageyama. "That's something Aoba Johsai understood long before Karasuno ever did."
For a brief second, Kageyama hesitated, shifting his eyes away.
Tsukishima looked thoroughly unimpressed. "You guys are completely useless at crucial moments, huh…"
"As long as the ball doesn't hit the ground, the game isn't over!"
Nishinoya took a step forward, his posture unwavering. Despite the nearly 30 cm height difference between him and Taichi, his intensity never faltered.
As he approached his third year, Nishinoya had clearly continued developing. He had even improved his setting ability.
"Then let's see if you're still saying the same thing when we meet in the finals."
Taichi smiled warmly.
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