[The Bad Ball Specialist – Wakatsu]
That used to be Wakatsu Kiryu's nickname.
In the past, Wakatsu wasn't just armed with raw power and height, he also had the ability to unleash explosive spikes even when the set was poorly placed, no matter how bad the pass.
Back then, though, Wakatsu relied mostly on adjusting his run-up steps to compensate for awkward sets.
But now,
Even without a proper run-up, and even when his form in the air was completely unbalanced, Wakatsu could still smash through a double block with terrifying force.
And more than just reacting to bad sets, Wakatsu had evolved to the point where he could intentionally turn a good ball into a "bad one", and then attack it on his own terms.
It was like pulling his opponent's IQ down to his own level… and then beating them with experience.
In the original storyline, this version of Wakatsu Kiryu hadn't yet mastered such a technique.
"Heh, looks like I'm not the only one who's been leveling up–" Akashi Asuka grinned, the fire of battle in his chest surging even hotter.
The next serve,
Wakatsu launched his serve.
A cannonball-like jump serve tore through the center court. Oikawa Tooru managed to dig it out, but when it came to high-speed jump serves like this, unless the receiver could predict the drop point precisely, it was nearly impossible to absorb all the power cleanly.
The result? A poorly placed first pass.
But that wasn't a major issue for either Akashi Asuka or Ushijima Wakatoshi.
Wakatoshi stepped in as the setter and delivered the ball to Akashi. Sakusa Kiyoomi solo-blocked the diagonal spike, with Wakatsu and Komori Yuu covering both flanks from the backcourt.
On paper, the Blue Team's defense was much stronger.
But Akashi didn't falter. Sakusa had read his intention perfectly, Akashi was clearly going for a cross shot.
Boom!
The sound of impact exploded in the gym.
The ball sliced past Sakusa's fingertips and hammered into the floor just inside the three-meter line on the left side.
"Damn it, again!" Wakatsu shouted.
He had been defending that corner. The moment Akashi went up to spike, Wakatsu dove toward the expected trajectory, but he was still too late.
"What the hell did he do?!"
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"Akashi's finally starting to integrate his new techniques into his attack system–" said Nobuteru Irihata, watching Akashi's moves closely from the sidelines.
"Coach, what just happened?" Hajime Iwaizumi asked, unable to contain his curiosity. "Akashi clearly telegraphed his shot, but Wakatsu and Sakusa still couldn't block him. Why?"
Irihata chuckled. "Hehehe… Why couldn't they block him? Because they simply couldn't."
"Uh… wait, you mean it was a trap? But he didn't change directions at all. From beginning to end, his intention was obvious."
Irihata shook his head, then nodded. "Not quite. Let me ask you, Iwaizumi, do you know the key difference between a national-level ace and an average attacker?"
Iwaizumi paused for a moment before replying, "Is it… strength?"
"Close enough–" Irihata said. "Players like Akashi and Ushijima, true aces, are the kind who can score points even under relentless, focused defense. Their tricks and feints are useful, but what truly makes them 'aces' is their absolute power."
"Right now, you, Wakatsu, and even Sakusa are probably wondering if Akashi used some weird new feint to throw off your timing. But the truth is, your reads were never wrong. They just weren't complete."
"You could tell Akashi was going for a cross shot. But let me ask you: how many types of cross shots do you think he can do now?"
"How many?" Iwaizumi frowned. "Isn't it just the deep cross, mid-cross, short, "
He froze mid-sentence.
Damn.
Once you actually start counting them out, it hits you like a truck.
At this stage, if you consider all the diagonal angles Akashi has access to, splitting the court based on his approach… it means practically the entire half-court is within his attack range!
"Now you get it–" Irihata said as he watched realization dawn on Iwaizumi's face.
"For a true powerhouse, even when the opponent can read your intention, there are still countless ways to land the ball. That's the difference Akashi's evolved toolkit brings."
"And right now, he's deliberately revealing his target, baiting the defenders. And once they fall for it, "
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As if to prove Irihata's words true,
After several more exchanges, Akashi once again got possession of the offense.
Just like before, the moment he jumped, his body position and eye line screamed "straight shot." Wakatsu and Sakusa, veterans of countless matches, instantly sensed something was off.
But in the heat of a fast-paced rally, instinct often moved faster than thought, and their bodies still reacted defensively as usual.
And then,
Midair, Akashi switched his attack angle from straight to diagonal.
BOOM!
The ball slipped past their arms and thundered into the floor.
Another point for the Red Team.
20:18.
With that point, Red reached the 20s first.
Only then did Wakatsu and Sakusa fully understand the unease they had felt before.
But,
"That's still not all–" Irihata said, smiling faintly on the sidelines.
Point 39.
Sakusa slammed a powerful spike to score.
20:19.
Point 40.
Oikawa once again set to Akashi.
Sakusa solo-blocked him.
Wakatsu and Komori locked down both wings defensively.
And then,
A sound like thunder cracked the air.
An unstoppable spike shot out like a missile, tore through Sakusa's arms, and smashed into the floor of the Blue Team's court.
21:19.
Silence fell over the gym.
Maybe it was because Akashi had been experimenting with finesse and technical shots during most of this match, but for a moment, everyone had forgotten,
That this was the true essence of Akashi Asuka's signature spike.
Uncompromising.
Explosive.
Overwhelmingly violent.
And now, in this high-stakes match, Akashi had finally succeeded in integrating his new summer-learned techniques into his established attack system.
He didn't just expand his arsenal with more versatile plays,
He had completed the next stage of his evolution.
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria