"The next one to serve is Akira!"
"In the previous games of Karasuno, he didn't show any particularly strong serves!"
"So now, in this critical situation, can Akira overcome the interference from Inarizaki's cheer squad and deliver a spectacular serve for us?"
...
The voice of the commentator echoed through the stadium right on cue.
Akira's performance on the court earlier had already caught everyone's attention!
But no one could say for sure whether his serve would be just as impressive.
However, those in the audience who had seen the Karasuno vs. Shiratorizawa match were a bit hesitant to jump to conclusions.
Even though Akira had been outstanding during gameplay, he hadn't showcased any notably powerful serves in previous matches.
Most of the time, he had just used regular serves.
At most, he occasionally hit a float serve!
...
On the other side of the court, Inarizaki's players didn't share that skepticism.
"Stay alert!"
"His jump serve is really powerful!!"
Akagi shouted loudly.
Although Akira hadn't unleashed such a serve in their earlier matches, those who had studied Karasuno's game against Shiratorizawa knew...
His jump serve was terrifying!
Near the end of that match, he had taken down Shiratorizawa with two clean jump serves!
That's how Karasuno had clinched the win!
And now, seeing Akira step several paces back from the court...
They had every reason to believe—this serve wasn't going to be ordinary.
Inside Akagi's chest, an uneasy feeling stirred.
He didn't even know where it came from.
But something just felt wrong.
This far back... is he really going for a jump serve?
Could he be like that guy—Atsumu Miya—someone who's mastered two kinds of serves?
But why haven't I seen him use it before...?
...
Huff!
Akagi took a deep breath, shook his head, and tried to clear his thoughts.
Whatever kind of serve it is—I'll receive it!
...
Meanwhile, on the court—
Creak!
The referee's whistle blew just as Akira took his place behind the service line.
Knock~~ Knock~~ Knock~Knock...
At that exact moment, the thunderous drumbeat of Inarizaki's cheer squad began again!!
The pounding was deafening—nearly drowning out every other sound in the arena.
"Those bastards!"
Saeko Tanaka grit her teeth, forehead veins bulging in anger as she glared across the stands.
"This is ridiculous!"
"Calm down," Udai Tenma said with a wry smile, gently trying to ease her temper.
"Let Akira finish his serve first—then we'll see what happens."
...
On the court, facing the net and Inarizaki's lineup, Akira casually spun the volleyball in his hands.
At that moment, the blaring drums of Inarizaki's cheer squad might as well have existed in a separate world.
They couldn't touch him.
Whirr... whirr...
The ball rotated rapidly in his hands.
Gradually, the spin slowed...
And just as it was about to stop, Akira suddenly tossed it forward!
The shift from stillness to motion felt like it clutched the hearts of everyone watching.
Even the relentless drumbeat seemed to pause for a breath.
That's not a jump float serve!!
Everyone on Inarizaki's side of the net was instantly shocked.
A player serving a jump float must not put spin on the ball when tossing it.
Otherwise, the unpredictable movement of a float serve wouldn't work.
But Akira had thrown the ball with intense rotation!
Which could only mean one thing—
It was a powerful jump serve!
But just as that thought crossed their minds, Akira had already completed his run-up.
Jump!!
"Whoa! That's so high!"
Outside the stadium, the crowd from Komemedai High watched with awe—they had never seen Akira jump this high before!
"How can he even reach that height??"
"He tossed the ball so far forward! What kind of serve is this?!"
...
They weren't the only ones who noticed—
"This is..."
"Did Inarizaki's cheer squad mess up his timing?"
"The ball looks far away... can he even reach it?"
"He should be able to! His jump is crazy high!"
...
Under the collective gaze of a stunned audience, Akira's body kept rising after his jump.
In front of him, the volleyball had reached its apex and had just begun to fall.
And Akira—he was still ascending!!
As the ball fell and he rose, their paths...
Aligned perfectly.
For a second, the world seemed silent.
Time slowed.
Everyone watched as Akira's right hand met the ball—
And the volleyball twisted violently in response—
Then—
In the blink of an eye—
It vanished.
BOOM!!!!
A thunderous crack echoed through the arena, like a landslide shaking the entire stadium.
The crowd's necks turned slowly—almost stiffly—toward Inarizaki's side of the court.
And there—
The volleyball had already slammed into the floor and bounced high into the air!
White mist seemed to rise from the floor where it had struck, like steam from a collision.
In that moment, it felt like the entire crowd had been choked silent.
Even breathing became difficult.