It's not just thunderous music that can put pressure on an opponent, silence can be just as suffocating.
As Inarizaki's performance came to a sudden halt, the entire arena seemed to fall still. The players of Aoba Johsai instinctively held their breath.
And in that exact moment,
Whap!
With a sharp but controlled sound, Miya Atsumu launched his first serve.
"It's a jump float! Everyone move forward!"
Hajime Iwaizumi reacted instantly and shouted out the warning. But before his words had even finished echoing, the ball danced unpredictably through the air, slipping past the players and crashing onto the baseline behind them.
Tweet!
Point, Inarizaki.
2:3.
["What a beauty!"]
["An absolutely exquisite serve."]
["Miya Atsumu of Inarizaki High scores with a jump float serve as sharp as a scalpel, slicing straight through Aoba Johsai's formation and taking a clean point."]
The commentator's voice soared, drawing thunderous applause from the crowd.
Aoba Johsai's players stared at the ball lying behind them, mouths slightly open, momentarily at a loss for words.
"That was… fast." Iwaizumi wiped the sweat forming on his brow, visibly unsettled by Atsumu's serve.
Compared to the jump float serves they had faced against Karasuno's key server, Atsumu's was something else entirely. Not only was the trajectory bizarre, but the speed was deceptively high.
Most jump floats serve at least give the receiver a moment to hesitate. But against Atsumu's, there wasn't a second to spare. Even the slightest hesitation meant the ball was already gone.
As Atsumu scored, the Inarizaki side of the stands erupted once more with raucous celebration.
But just as quickly, when Atsumu stepped up for his second serve, the arena fell into silence again, eerily quiet.
Thud!
He tossed the ball, took six precise steps, leapt high into the air, and smashed his palm into the ball's back with explosive force.
With a loud crack, the ball rocketed toward Aoba Johsai's side like a bullet.
"Damn it, it's a power jump serve this time?!"
This was the strength of Atsumu's dual-style serving. Jump float and jump power serves require completely different stances to receive. But in the split second that a volleyball serve allows, a single misjudgment could spell disaster.
Boom!
Another point. Atsumu nailed it.
2:4.
Tweet!
Right after that, Aoba Johsai called their first timeout of the set.
────────── ✦ ──────────
"Looks like our earlier prediction was spot on. Atsumu uses different approaches for each type of serve."
"Four steps for the jump float. Six steps for the jump serve."
It had been Akashi Asuka who first pointed out the distinction between Atsumu's serves, though even without his input, Oikawa Tooru would've picked up on it soon enough.
But no matter how accurate the theory, it could only be proven through actual match experience.
Even Akashi hadn't been completely sure until he saw it with his own eyes.
Once the answer was confirmed, Aoba Johsai returned to the court with noticeably more confidence.
Reentering play, the energy shift in Aoba Johsai was subtle but real. Seeing this, Miya Osamu raised an eyebrow.
"Ohhh~? They already figured out Atsumu's serve patterns? But even if they did… does that really mean they can stop him?"
As if responding to Osamu's mutter,
The moment play resumed, Atsumu unleashed another jump float serve. This time, Aoba Johsai correctly predicted it, but even so, they failed to receive the ball.
Boom!
Another point. Ball down.
2:5.
"Wha–?"
The players stood frozen, stunned. Even with the right read, they couldn't trace the serve's movement.
"Incredible…"
Despite identifying the type of serve, Atsumu's ball control was so refined that its path remained unreadable.
"Everyone, calm down!" Iwaizumi barked, noticing their growing unease. "Don't panic. Let's focus on receiving just one, once we take back the serve, the momentum will shift."
"Remember, Atsumu isn't the only one who's mastered the dual-style."
That last line sparked something in the team. As they turned toward the tall figure now standing at position 2, their spirits reignited.
That's right,
We've got someone who can serve both styles, too.
"Heh? They haven't broken down yet?" Osamu muttered in surprise. "Aoba Johsai's mental toughness is better than I expected."
Just then, Atsumu served for the fourth time.
Bang!
Another jump serve, fired off like a cannonball.
But this time, Watari Shinji read the trajectory like lightning. In a single swift move, he slid across the backline and made the receive.
"Nice one, Watari-chan!"
The successful reception jolted Aoba Johsai back to life. Oikawa praised him loudly, before tossing a high ball to Akashi Asuka.
With perfect timing, Akashi soared, unleashing a powerful spike at the peak of his jump, slamming the ball down and bringing Atsumu's serve streak to an end.
3:5.
"Tch… Only three points?" Atsumu clicked his tongue, clearly displeased, and returned to the court.
With the rotation complete, it was finally Akashi Asuka's turn to serve.
Doo-doo-doo… doo-doo… doo-doo-doo…
Just as Akashi stepped up to the service line, Inarizaki's cheering section launched into their signature cacophonous melody again. The raucous, jarring noise instantly filled the entire gym.
"Ugh, what a dirty tactic! Can Akashi really serve properly under this noise?" Iwaizumi muttered, feeling irritated even from the sideline. Standing in the service zone, could Akashi Asuka really stay focused?
For the first time, Iwaizumi felt worried for him.
But just then, Oikawa let out a chuckle.
"Iwa-chan, do you know what the biggest difference is between us and Akashi?"
Iwaizumi blinked. "Huh? Probably talent and effort?"
Oikawa shook his head. "Wrong. The real difference is, we're not as ruthless as he is."
He gave a mischievous smile.
"Say you ran into a bunch of delinquents on the street. What would you do?"
"I guess… call the cops?"
"Exactly," Oikawa laughed. "That's the difference. Someone like Akashi? He'd lure those delinquents into an alley, beat the crap out of them, and leave them wondering what hit them."
He glanced toward the court, his eyes gleaming.
"People forget, sure, Akashi's got the grades and the looks, but inside? He's got a violent streak."
=============
Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria