The Nekoma bench was quiet, but it wasn't a defeated quiet. It was a simmering, dangerous quiet.
Ryuu sat heavily, toweling off his head. The image of the ball hitting the floor inches from his fingers—the point that lost them Set 1—was burned into his retinas.
But instead of frustration, a strange heat was starting to curl in his gut.
"They're smart," Ryuu muttered, crushing an empty water cup in his hand. "Iizuna used my own speed against me."
"He's the Best Setter for a reason," Kuroo said, splashing water on his face to cool down. "But tricks only work once. Now we know he's willing to abandon his Ace to win a point."
Coach Nekomata walked by, his hands clasped behind his back. His eyes were slits.
"They took the first set with precision," Nekomata rasped. "Now, we take the second set with violence. Don't let them breathe."
Ryuu stood up. He cracked his neck, then his knuckles.
"Violence," Ryuu repeated, a dark smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I like that plan."
Set 2 Start.
Score: 0 - 0.
Nekoma had the first serve.
Ryuu walked to the service line. The crowd was buzzing, still talking about the tactical end of the last set.
Ryuu didn't hear them. The sounds of the stadium felt muffled, like he was underwater.
He looked at the court. It looked different now. The lines seemed sharper, glowing against the wood. The empty spaces seemed wider.
He spun the ball. Whir. Whir.
He looked at Komori. The Number 1 Libero was crouching low, looking tense.
"Hey, Eyebrows," Ryuu whispered, his voice barely audible. "Hope you're ready,"
Ryuu tossed the ball high.
It was a perfect toss. He watched it reach the apex, suspending in the lights.
He took his approach. His steps were heavy, deliberate.
THUD. THUD.
He launched himself into the air. He felt weightless.
He swung.
KABOOM.
The sound was like a gunshot in a library. It wasn't a spin serve; it was a flat, erratic power serve.
The ball screamed over the net, shivering in the air.
The Itachiyama Outside Hitter (Number 4) froze. He thought it was going long.
At the last second, the ball dropped like a stone.
BAM.
It smashed into the back line, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Ace.
Nekoma 1 - 0.
The gymnasium went silent for a beat, then exploded.
Ryuu landed. He didn't celebrate. He just turned around, walked back to the ball boy, and held out his hand.
"One," Ryuu said.
Komori stared at the mark on the floor, eyes wide. "That dropped... way faster than before."
Score: 1 - 0.
Ryuu stood at the line again.
Iizuna shouted instructions, his calm mask slipping. "Back up! He's hitting hard! Komori, take the middle!"
Komori shifted to the center.
Ryuu saw it.
'You think you can cover everything?'
Ryuu tossed.
He jumped. This time, he added a wicked side-spin.
He aimed directly at Komori.
BOOM.
The ball flew at the Libero. Komori was ready. He had his platform set.
"Mine!"
Komori took the impact.
CRACK.
The sound was sickening. The ball hit Komori's forearms, but the heavy spin and raw weight were too much. It didn't pop up; it shot sideways off his arms.
It flew directly into the face of the player standing next to him—Sakusa.
Sakusa dodged just in time, watching the ball fly into the stands.
Ace.
Nekoma 2 - 0.
"YEAHHHHH!" Yamamoto screamed from the court, pumping his fists.
Ryuu stood at the service line. He looked at his hand. It was red. It was stinging.
He flexed his fingers, and a shiver ran up his spine.
"Ahhh~..." Ryuu exhaled, tilting his head back. "This feeling.."
His blood felt like it was carbonated. His skin felt hot. The fatigue from the first set evaporated, replaced by a terrifying, high-octane fuel.
Komori stood up, shaking his arms violently. They were bright red.
"Sakusa-kun," Komori winced. "That felt like catching a bowling ball. Seriously."
Sakusa looked at Ryuu. His expression was one of pure annoyance.
Score: 2 - 0.
Itachiyama called a quick on-court huddle. They looked rattled. Their clean, perfect formation was fracturing.
"Just get it up!" Iizuna snapped. "Don't try to be perfect! Just get it high!"
Ryuu waited. He bounced the ball.
Thud. Thud.
He felt... huge. He felt like he was standing on a mountain, looking down at a miniature court.
'More,' his body screamed. 'Hit it harder.'
He tossed.
He jumped.
He saw Sakusa in the back-left.
'Take this, King.'
Ryuu smashed it. A cross-court bomb.
Sakusa moved. He didn't use proper form; he just threw his body in front of it to save the point.
THUMP.
The ball hit his shoulder and popped high into the air.
It went over the net. Overpass.
"CHANCE!" Kuroo roared.
Kuroo jumped. The Itachiyama middle tried to stop him, but they were scrambling.
Kuroo slammed the ball straight down.
BOOM.
Nekoma 3 - 0.
Ryuu walked back to the line, wiping sweat from his eye. He pointed at Kuroo.
"Nice cleanup, Captain."
"Keep serving, Monster!" Kuroo grinned, his eyes wild. "Break them!"
Ryuu stood at the line for the fourth time.
The crowd was chanting. "GO-JOU! GO-JOU!"
Ryuu took a deep breath. The air tasted metallic. His heart was hammering against his ribs, but his mind was crystal clear.
He looked at the corner. The absolute edge of the court. A risky shot.
'I can hit it. I can hit anything right now.'
He tossed.
He ran. He jumped higher than he had all game.
He swung with everything left in the tank.
KABOOM.
The ball was a blur. It bypassed the receivers entirely.
It slammed into the floor.
The Line Judge flinched.
The flag went up.
OUT.
It missed the line by maybe one inch.
Itachiyama 1 - 3.
The crowd let out a massive, disappointed exhale. "awwww!"
Ryuu landed. He stared at the line.
He didn't look upset. He grinned. A terrifying, adrenaline-fueled grin that didn't reach his eyes.
"Tch," Ryuu muttered, shaking his hand out as he walked back to his position.
He looked at the Itachiyama players. They weren't celebrating the point. They looked relieved. They looked terrified.
Sakusa was staring at Ryuu. He wasn't looking at him like a pest anymore. He was looking at him like a legitimate threat.
Ryuu walked past Kenma.
"I'm awake," Ryuu whispered, his voice vibrating with energy. "I'm really awake now."
Kenma looked at Ryuu's hands, which were shaking slightly from the adrenaline.
"I can tell," Kenma said quietly. "Now let's keep the lead."
Ryuu turned to the net, getting into his receiving stance. His golden eyes were wide, dilated, and hungry.
"Come on, Weasels," Ryuu growled. "Try to stop us now."