Finally, Kaedehara Taichi made an error on his eighth serve, the volleyball bouncing out past the baseline of Kamomedai's court.
The players from Kamomedai let out a collective sigh of relief, as every second Taichi stood behind the service line had been pure torture for them.
-----
A tandem attack.
Hakuba Gao leapt from the back row and spiked the ball down for a point.
The serve switched overâ
.
Tokura Liam sent a floating jump serve over. Kaedehara Taichi received it cleanly.
TÅma Kaoru stepped in to set the ball to the right wing, and Kunimi Akira jumped up for the spike.
"Triple block!" Hoshiumi KÅrai, Bessho Kazuyoshi, and Ogawa RyÅ«hei all sprang up together.
The ball whizzed past Ogawa Ryūhei's left side and flew toward the back row of Kamomedai.
Hakuba Gao barely managed to dig it up, and Tokura Liam moved in to set the ball.
Hoshiumi KÅrai leapt up from the left side for the attack.
"Double block!" YÅ«ki YÅji and KyÅtani KentarÅ went up together.
The ball slammed into the baseline of Aoba Johsai's court and bounced out.
Hoshiumi KÅrai scored with his spike.
Tokura Liam served his second ball.
Smack! Nakamori Dai made the receptionâperfect first touch.
TÅma Kaoru jumped to set. All three of Aoba Johsai's front-row attackers charged at once.
One of the most difficult parts about facing Kamomedai's blocking was their exceptional discipline.
Every player followed the blocking signals to the letter, while also thinking independently.
As long as it was even remotely possible to put up a triple block, Kamomedai's players
got into position.
For Aoba Johsai, this was a major headache.
After all,
who could force his way through even a three-man wall.
For most hitters, a triple block was enough to completely shut down their angles.
As a result, when Taichi rotated to the back row, Aoba Johsai's remaining attackers had less than a 50% chance of scoring against Kamomedai's block and defence.
Of course, it was just as hard for Kamomedai to score. Aside from Hakuba Gao, Hoshiumi KÅrai, and Hirugami SachirÅ, Kamomedai barely had a fourth reliable scoring option.
The ball was set wide to the left. KyÅtani KentarÅ sprinted up and launched into his spike.
"Double block!" Hoshiumi KÅrai and Bessho Kazuyoshi went up together.
Even with multiple attack points launching simultaneously, Kamomedai was able to rapidly assemble a tight two-man block.
The ball blasted past the two blockers, slamming into the far three-meter line on Kamomedai's court.
KyÅtani KentarÅ scored with his spike.
"Hey, next time I'm definitely going to shut you down," Hoshiumi KÅrai said, fixing his eyes seriously on KyÅtani.
"Hah?!" A vein popped on KyÅtani's forehead.
"Shorty, if you think you can, then just try it!"
"You're not even that tall yourself!" Hoshiumi shouted back indignantlyâbut KyÅtani simply ignored him.
The serve switched againâ
.
YÅ«ki YÅji grabbed the ball tightly in both hands, squeezing it until it slightly deformed.
It was a technique Taichi-senpai had taught him: a way to shake off nerves and find his serve rhythm.
As the whistle sounded, the volleyball was tossed into the air.
YÅ«ki YÅji took a running start, leapt up, and struck the ball with everything he had!
"Damn, what a monster!" Wakabayashi Hikaru cursed as he received the ball, stumbling backwards.
The volleyball was about to fly back into Aoba Johsai's courtâ
Hoshiumi KÅrai sprinted sideways and jumped, managing to send the ball to the right wing with one hand.
KyÅtani KentarÅ clenched his teeth as he watched that figure soaring in midair. He had to admit, at that height, there was no one who could perform better than Hoshiumi KÅrai...
Even among all outside hitters, there were few who could be as all-rounded as him!
Hakuba Gao sprang up from the back row.
Ever since he had mastered the correct form for back-row attacks,
there was barely any difference in his performance between front-row and back-row spikes.
"Triple block!"
Kindaichi YÅ«tarÅ, KyÅtani KentarÅ, and Kunimi Akira jumped together to form a wall.
Even attacking from the back row, Hakuba Gao still managed to complete an over-the-block spike right above Kunimi Akira's head.
The ball deflected off YÅ«ki YÅji's hand and flew out of bounds.
Hakuba Gao scored with a spike.
"Beautiful spike, Gao!" Hoshiumi KÅrai raised his eyebrows and shouted loudly in praise.
"Nice set..." Hakuba Gao muttered under his breath, sounding somewhat frustrated. Even though he was two meters tall,
That last play alone was enough proof.
The serve switched againâ
.
Hoshiumi KÅrai walked to the service line, spread his arms wide, and shouted loudly:
"Watch me end this match with my serve!"
"Huh?"
KyÅtani KentarÅ tilted his head up, checking the electronic scoreboard as if to double-check
"What the hell's wrong with his brain, talking about ending the match with a serve now?" he muttered.
The referee blew the whistle.
Hoshiumi KÅrai tossed the ball up, sprinted forward, leapt, and spiked the serve!
The ball zipped over the net just barely above net height and plummeted sharply toward Aoba Johsai's back court.
"What a nasty serve..."
Kaedehara Taichi dove forward and barely managed to receive it.
TÅma Kaoru moved in to set the ball up, and KyÅtani KentarÅ attacked from the right.
"Triple block!" Bessho Kazuyoshi, Ogawa Ryūhei, and Hakuba Gao all jumped to block.
With two meters of blocking height looming in front of him, it was practically impossible for KyÅtani KentarÅ to break through directlyâbut that wasn't his style anyway.
The volleyball shot past the block, slamming down along the three-meter line on Kamomedai's left side.
Hoshiumi KÅrai managed to dig it up!
"Hey-ya!" He even threw a provocative glance at KyÅtani KentarÅ.
Tokura Liam quickly set the ball to the rightâHakuba Gao launched a spike!
"Triple block!"
Now that Hakuba Gao was in the front row, Aoba Johsai's block couldn't hold him back at all.
He soared up once more for another over-the-block spike.
But this timeâ
Nakamori Daiki received it cleanly!
TÅma Kaoru shifted in and set the ball to the leftâKindaichi YÅ«tarÅ sprang up for the attack.
Ogawa Ryūhei and Hakuba Gao rushed to the left to block,
Bessho Kazuyoshi, who was originally lined up against Kindaichi, didn't jump.
"Did they read me? Or Kaoru?"
Kindaichi YūtarŠfurrowed his brow.
From the back row, Kaedehara Taichi leapt into the air
This was Aoba Johsai's
finishing move.
"Triple block!"
Even with a layered attack strategy, they still couldn't shake Kamomedai's blocking.
Butâ
The excitement in Taichi's eyes only deepened.
The ball flew over Ogawa Ryūhei's block, heading toward the seam between Tokura Liam and Wakabayashi Hikaru.
"I got it!"
Wakabayashi Hikaru dove forward without hesitation
The ball hit the floor.
Kaedehara Taichi scored with a spike!