The break before the fifth set was suffocatingly short. There was no time to fully recover. There was only time to stand up, shake the lead out of your legs, and decide if you were ready to die on the court.
Nekoma Bench.
Ryuu sat on the bench, staring at his hands. He wasn't panting frantically anymore. His breathing was deep, rhythmic, controlled.
Coach Nekomata stood in front of them. He didn't look like a coach in the middle of a war. He looked like a craftsman admiring a nearly finished blade.
"Do you remember when you first joined, Ryuu?" Nekomata asked softly.
Ryuu looked up, blinking. "Hah? Why are you getting sentimental now, old man?"
"You told me you wanted to hit the ball harder than anyone else," Nekomata smiled, his eyes disappearing into wrinkles. "You thought volleyball was just about being a cannon. You thought technique was for weaklings."
Ryuu wiped his face with a towel, a smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"I am a first-year," Ryuu shrugged. "I am loud and dumb."
"And now?" Nekomata asked.
Ryuu looked at the court. He watched Sakusa, who was vibrating with dark energy.
Ryuu stood up, tossing the towel aside. He cracked his neck.
He clenched his fist, looking at his palm. "I've seen their attack patterns for four sets. I know their habits. I'm not just going to hit harder, Coach. I'm going to shut them down."
Nekomata's smile widened.
"Good," the coach whispered as the team walked onto the court. "The monster has evolved."
Itachiyama Bench.
On the other side, the atmosphere was grim. They were the favorites, but they had been pushed to the brink.
Sakusa Kiyoomi was drinking water, his brows furrowed so hard it looked painful.
"He's annoying," Sakusa muttered. "He learns too fast. He stopped trying to overpower everything in Set 4."
Komori slapped his own cheeks. Smack. Smack.
"He's running on adrenaline," Komori said. "But his tank is empty. We just have to outlast him."
Iizuna Tsukasa, the captain, looked at his team.
"Forget the long game," Iizuna said sharply. "This is 15 points. It's a sprint. If we hesitate, he'll run us over. Sakusa, don't hold back the spin. Break his arms if you have to."
Sakusa crushed his paper cup.
"With pleasure."
_______________
Set 5 Start. 15 Points to Win.
The referee blew the whistle. Itachiyama had the first serve.
Score: 0 - 0.
Sakusa Kiyoomi stood at the service line. He didn't look tired. He looked angry.
He tossed the ball. He jumped. Snap.
He hit a jump serve with wicked left-handed spin. It curved away from Kai at the last second.
Ace.
Itachiyama 1 - 0.
Sakusa walked back silently. No celebration. Just focus.
Sakusa served again. Same toss. Same jump.
This time, he aimed for the seam between Yaku and Yamamoto.
Yaku dove. "Got it!"
He popped it up, but the spin carried it over the net. Overpass.
Iizuna jumped and dunked the ball back down.
Itachiyama 2 - 0.
"Don't mind! Cut the run!" Kuroo yelled, clapping his hands.
Sakusa was in rhythm. He served a third time. Aiming straight for Ryuu.
Ryuu stepped in. He didn't tense up. He lowered his hips and absorbed the spin with his platform.
"Center!"
Ryuu passed it high.
"Kenma!"
Ryuu transitioned instantly. He took three massive steps.
"Give it to me!" Ryuu roared.
Kenma set to Ryuu.
Ryuu jumped. The block was waiting.
Ryuu didn't care. He swung his arm like a whip, blasting the ball through the seam of the block before they could fully close it.
BOOM.
The ball hit the floor.
Nekoma 1 - 2.
Ryuu landed, staring at Sakusa.
"Nice serve," Ryuu grinned, rolling his shoulder. "But I've seen the curve now."
______
Score: Nekoma 3 - 3.
Ryuu was in the front row. And something had changed.
Throughout the match, Ryuu had been reacting. Now, he is also predicting.
Itachiyama attacked. Iizuna set to the Middle.
The Middle Hitter went for a Quick A.
Usually, Ryuu would jump late to seal the cross.
But this time, Ryuu jumped early.
He was already in the air before the hitter swung.
'Iizuna's elbow dropped. He's forcing the middle.'
STUFF.
Ryuu's hands were a roof over the ball. The Middle spiked directly into Ryuu's palms.
The ball fell straight down onto the Itachiyama side.
Nekoma 4 - 3.
"Too slow," Ryuu muttered as he landed. "I've seen that set five times already."
_____________
Score: Nekoma 7 - 5.
Nekoma was pulling ahead. Ryuu was becoming a nightmare at the net. It wasn't just his height; it was his reaction speed. He was reading the setter's intentions before the ball left his hands.
Iizuna set to Sakusa on the left.
Ryuu shifted. He didn't chase the ball. He moved to where Sakusa liked to hit when he was tired: the sharp cross.
Sakusa swung. He put everything into a cross-court shot.
Ryuu was waiting there.
BAM.
A one-handed kill block. Ryuu reached out and snatched the space away.
The ball ricocheted off his hand and slammed into the floor.
Nekoma 8 - 5.
The whistle blew. Court Change.
Ryuu walked under the net. He passed Sakusa. They were shoulder to shoulder.
"You're jumping early," Sakusa whispered, sweat dripping from his chin. "You're guessing."
Ryuu didn't stop. He chuckled.
"I'm not guessing, King," Ryuu retorted, his voice low. "I'm reading the book you've been writing all game. Spoiler alert: the ending sucks for you."
_____________
The second half of the set was a dominance.
Sakusa tried a feint. Ryuu didn't jump; he just waited and swatted it down. (9-5).
Iizuna tried to dump the ball. Ryuu saw the wrist turn and shoved it back. (10-6).
Itachiyama scored two points on scramble plays, but the momentum was entirely Red.
Rally at 10 - 8.
Itachiyama served. Kai received.
"Kenma!"
Kenma set to Yamamoto.
Yamamoto spiked. Komori dug it.
"Counter!"
Iizuna set to Sakusa.
Ryuu and Kuroo blocked.
Sakusa hit a sharp cross. Ryuu got a hand on it—soft block.
"One touch!"
Yaku saved it. "Ryuu!"
Ryuu was in the back row. He had to hit a high ball from behind the 3-meter line.
'Legs... fly!'
Ryuu took off. He didn't look tired. He looked terrifying. He jumped, his form perfect, his back arching like a drawn bow.
'I am the Cannon!'
He smashed the ball.
CRACK.
It clipped the net tape, tumbled over, and accelerated down onto the Itachiyama line. A lucky net-in? No. Pure force forcing its way through.
Nekoma 11 - 8.
Ryuu landed. The impact shook his knees, but he didn't fall. He stumbled forward one step, caught his balance, and stood tall.
He breathed out—a long, hot exhale.
He looked at Coach Nekomata. The old coach nodded.
Ryuu clenched his fist.
"Four points," Ryuu said to the air. "Four points to the crown."
He turned to Sakusa, his golden eyes burning with absolute certainty.
"Hey, Weasel!" Ryuu shouted, pointing across the net.
Sakusa looked at him, chest heaving, his perfect composure finally shattered.
"Let's finish this," Ryuu grinned—a wide, arrogant, winning grin. "Winner takes it all. Loser goes home and cries."