Everyone at Karasuno watched as the volleyball, hammered down by Tooru Oikawa's serve, bounced twice off the floor before slowly rolling.
A weight called pressure pressed down on every single one of them.
I was planning to ramp up my power after scoring two or three more points…
But you saw right through it. The first-layer trap I set up…
Oikawa's face, which had been tense just five seconds ago, now carried that sly, half-smile, half-smirk, his mischievous eyes revealing everything.
Not only was I fooled by his gaze… I was tricked by his expression too.
This Aoba Johsai setter… he's bad news. Dirty tricks everywhere.
Compared to him, Mori and Kageyama's strategies are child's play.
Even Yudai Hyakuzawa, with his steadfast resolve, felt his mindset wobble under Oikawa's relentless onslaught. Though he forced a smile, the irritation around his eyes betrayed him.
It was a bitter smile.
A smile born from being thoroughly targeted.
So this is the "Great King," huh?
Hinata Shoyo couldn't help murmuring under his breath, completely captivated by Oikawa's consecutive serves. His mind replayed those three serves over and over, dreaming of the day he could deliver such a powerful jump serves himself.
Even the other Karasuno players, Tatsunosuke Tanaka included, fearless as he was, were left speechless, struck silent by Oikawa's flashy and formidable skills.
They were keenly aware that even in a team sport like volleyball, there existed an ultimate offensive weapon, the serve.
One that required no teammate, no perfect pass, just the toss, the run-up, the jump, and the strike, capable of dismantling an entire team.
And they realized just how strong Oikawa was, the captain of Aoba Johsai, the team that had seemed like it was missing something, the same captain that Kageyama had looked up to.
On the other side, Aoba Johsai was cheering wildly for Oikawa's streak.
"Great job, Oikawa!"
"Strong as always, huh?"
"Don't just act cool!"
Beep!
The referee signaled a timeout. On Karasuno's bench, volleyball advisor Takeda Ittetsu had already made the gesture for a pause, and the referee responded promptly.
Even someone new to volleyball could tell: Aoba Johsai, scoring three straight points off serves alone, was unstoppable.
Karasuno still led by one point, but if they allowed one more to slip away, the game could tilt entirely toward Aoba Johsai.
At the high school level, morale, the collective mental state, was a decisive factor in the match.
Even the stronger team could be crushed if their spirits wavered, sometimes losing by just two points.
"Eh… timeout?"
"Looks like he's not the coach, but calling a timeout right on time, huh~"
Oikawa had to stop his spinning volleyball, lightly tossing it to a teammate, and turned toward the bench to discuss tactics with his team.
Karasuno huddled together, Daichi Sawamura rallying them.
It's okay! We're still ahead!
If we can defend the next ball, we can launch our counterattack.
Kageyama said it too: Oikawa is an ultra-offensive setter. His defense isn't as flashy as his serves, so don't be intimidated!
From the last few serves, you can see that their captain is a tactical genius. Psychological warfare is all part of his plan.
Focus! Defend this serve!
Daichi glanced at his teammates, checking if anyone had anything to add. His eyes lingered on Ichinose Guren a little longer.
He had high expectations for this first-year prodigy, but for now, Guren simply nodded silently in agreement. He didn't leap up to take charge and lead everyone out of danger as Daichi might have hoped.
But Daichi didn't dwell on that thought for long, quickly discarding it.
When did I start relying on someone else's initiative?
He's just a recent graduate. Even with excellent skills, he can't solve everything yet.
No need to be disappointed. Focus on what I have to do, fight for every ball, every point. That's what matters now!
As Coach Ukai had said, in the short time interacting with them, Daichi already sensed the immense resilience of these third-year students.
While he might not have the strongest will among the third-years, Daichi would certainly be the last to give up on the court.
We're going up!
The voices of his teammates revived around him, fueling his renewed determination.
With spirit renewed, Daichi continued to lead Karasuno's fledgling team onto the court, the match was far from over!
He noticed Hyakuzawa still bowing his head, deep in thought about how to break the serve. He didn't force Hyakuzawa to follow his instructions, letting him figure it out himself.
He trusted his teammate not to disappoint him.
Hyakuzawa carefully identified a precise spot, preparing for a short approach. For the serves aimed at his shoulders, he would sidestep, even forcing the serve out of bounds, breaking Oikawa's streak.
But the Great King, Tooru Oikawa, wouldn't let Hyakuzawa have his way. On the court, making the opponent uncomfortable was Oikawa's ultimate satisfaction.
He exploited the gaps in Karasuno's still-gelling reception order, using his pinpoint control to place the ball right in the intersection between Hyakuzawa and Daichi's coverage.
As Hyakuzawa instinctively slowed his step to reach the ball, the moment to receive slipped perfectly past him.
Another point for Aoba Johsai.
19–19. The score was tied.
But the momentum had already swung completely toward Aoba Johsai.
Karasuno knew their offense was tough to stop, yet Oikawa had proven his words true:
No matter how strong your attack, if you can't reach the point of striking… it's meaningless.
Just as gloom settled over their side of the court, Ichinose Guren took a deep breath and shouted:
"If you're not giving up, practice receiving three times now! Trust your teammates!"
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Completed version available on Patreon.com/Veltoria