Shinzen High left the court in silence and defeat.
In contrast, the victorious players of Aoba Johsai only allowed themselves a brief moment of celebration. As soon as they exited the player tunnel, exhaustion was written all over their faces.
Though their win over Shinzen High might have looked easy, the truth was far from it. Throughout the entire match, Aoba Johsai's players had been under immense pressure, especially mentally.
That pressure came not only from their opponents, but also from the crowd, the national-stage setting, the single-elimination format, and even the cameras constantly hovering overhead. Every moment served as a reminder: this is the national tournament. One mistake, and you wouldn't just embarrass yourself in front of the entire country, you could be eliminated on the spot.
Under such high-stakes pressure, the physical and mental toll of each match was at least three to four times greater than a regular game.
"Everyone, head back to the hotel to rest for now. We'll regroup here later–" said coach Nobuteru Irihata.
"Yes, sir!" The team responded in unison.
Although Aoba Johsai had finished their match for the day, it didn't mean they could afford to relax.
This was the national tournament. In a ruthless single-elimination system like this, even a moment of carelessness could cost you everything. Such upsets were far from uncommon in past tournaments.
And since their next opponent hadn't been decided yet, now was the perfect time to scout the competition.
After a quick change of clothes back at the hotel, the players looked more refreshed.
"Let's go! Time to head back to the arena and see who'll be lucky enough to face us next."
────────── ✦ ──────────
On the way back to the venue, Akashi Asuka, Oikawa Tooru, and the others stopped to buy some snacks. Since they played in the first match of the morning, they were understandably hungry, but it still wasn't quite lunchtime.
Of course, the snack money came from the third-years, after all, it was one of the perks of being a senpai.
Ryunosuke Tanaka plopped down next to Akashi, who casually handed him a tray of takoyaki.
"Ooh, thanks."
"Has the match started yet?"
"Just now. Both teams are still sizing each other up, but…"
SLAM!
Before Akashi could finish his sentence, a sudden shift on the court drew everyone's attention.
The stands erupted.
"Nohebi Academy! Nohebi Academy! Nohebi Academy!"
[Whoa~~ Nohebi Academy blocks another attack!]
[It's another straight spike shut down by Nohebi Academy's ace, player #1, Suguru Daisho, his blocks are like he can read minds! Back-to-back points from his perfectly timed blocks!]
"…That's some seriously precise blocking–" muttered Takahiro Hanamaki as he watched the court, goosebumps forming on his arms. "It's like the other team's spiking right into their hands on purpose…"
As a wing spiker himself, even just imagining facing such a wall made his teeth ache.
Beside him, Yahaba Shigeru pulled out a dossier filled with data that Coach Irihata had prepared in advance. Every team listed had made it to nationals at least once before.
After flipping through for a moment,
"Found it–" Shigeru said, eyes lighting up. "Nohebi Academy High School, Tokyo's third-seed, and a historically strong program. Their volleyball club's motto is 'Fair and Square,' and their traditional style is all about solid, consistent defense."
"A defense-based team, huh… No wonder their blocking's so relentless."
The others nodded in understanding after reading the profile.
Only Oikawa Tooru paused and blinked in surprise. "Fair and square?"
He looked down at the players on Nohebi Academy's side of the court and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Doesn't look like it to me."
Akashi's eyes shifted and landed on Oikawa. He almost said, "You've got a good eye." But after hesitating a moment, he kept the comment to himself.
Instead, he said, "You're right, it doesn't look like it. While Nohebi Academy used to be all about upright, fair play, over the past year they've earned a new nickname in Tokyo…"
"The Vipers."
"The Vipers? What's that supposed to mean?"
"See that guy wearing jersey number 1?" Akashi pointed toward the court. "That's Nohebi Academy's current captain, Suguru Daisho. He's known for exploiting loopholes in the rules to pull off dirty tricks."
"Things like deliberately spiking at defenders to injure them or provoking opponents with subtle taunts to throw off their rhythm…"
"It's like watching a viper hunt. First it injects venom into its prey, lets it run in panic until the poison takes effect, and then it goes in for the kill."
"Eugh…"
Everyone shivered involuntarily.
"What a snake…"
"Well, I wouldn't call it cheating, per se–" Akashi replied. "After all, it's all technically within the rules. And hey, look around. Plenty of fans still cheer for them."
"And if you think Nohebi Academy is just about tricks and underhanded tactics, you're wrong. Their core defensive system remains rock solid. That's the real reason they're nationals."
Then Akashi's tone shifted.
"But the team we're here to observe today isn't Nohebi Academy…"
"It's Fukurodani Academy."
"Compared to Nohebi Academy, Fukurodani is in a whole other league. They've qualified for nationals 27 times in a row over the past seven years. Not only are they a powerhouse in Tokyo, they're also one of the top schools nationwide."
"Their ace is ranked in the Top 5 in the entire country. Just like Ushiwaka."
"Which is why, even though Nohebi Academy is currently leading, Fukurodani is still the more likely team we'll face next."
Gulp,
Multiple players around Akashi audibly swallowed hard.
Twenty-seven national appearances in seven years.
A Top-5 ace in all of Japan.
"We're really playing against a monster like that in the next round?"
"Please say you're joking…"
"I'm not ready for Ushiwaka 2.0…"
You couldn't blame Aoba Johsai's players for wanting to run. Fukurodani's record was terrifying. Any one of those stats was scary enough on its own, but together?
They were downright overwhelming.
Then, just as everyone was nervously murmuring about Fukurodani, Hajime Iwaizumi spoke up in an odd tone.
"Uh… Akashi, is that top-five ace you mentioned the guy whose hair looks like an owl?"
"Yeah, "
Akashi didn't even finish the word before falling completely silent.
Because right then, the very same owl-headed ace of Fukurodani suddenly deflated, as if he'd just been hit by a Pokémon move like 'Will-O-Wisp', completely lifeless on court.
The entire crowd burst into laughter.
"…What the hell, man–" Akashi muttered, stunned.
You owl bastard! You're making me look bad! How am I supposed to hype you up like this?!
"That Fukurodani ace really is… something else–" Coach Irihata said as he walked up. "Among the Top-5 aces nationwide, he's by far the most inconsistent."
"When he's off, his performance crashes, he can even drag the team down with him."
"But when he's on…"
Coach Irihata paused mid-sentence, his gaze shifting toward the center court.
Everyone instinctively followed his line of sight.
And then, they saw it.
A spike like they had never seen before.
A strike so powerful it made their hearts pound.
==========
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