"The opposing setter looks pretty sneaky, huh?"
"Hm?"
Oikawa Tooru's sudden comment stunned the Aoba Johsai players on the spot.
Sneaky?
They glanced over at Mujinazaka High's setter, Michiru Usuri, whose face was lit up with a bright, sunny smile, it didn't really seem like he was sneaky at all!
Besides, who's sneakier than you, anyway?
The Aoba players found it strange. If someone else had said it, it might be believable. But coming from Oikawa, it just didn't sound convincing.
Akashi Asuka seemed to catch the meaning and asked, "So, you're planning to find a breakthrough by targeting him?"
Oikawa snapped his fingers. "Bingo! Right on the money! So, you and I are thinking the same way, Akashi-chan?"
Akashi replied coolly, "No. I just think someone like you isn't the type to praise the opposing setter without reason."
The rest of the team fell silent.
It was a weird feeling.
Even though they were all on the same team, they didn't understand the conversation between Akashi and Oikawa. How could someone call an opponent sneaky, yet want to exploit that very quality? Also, is 'sneaky' even a compliment?
Oikawa wore a mock-hurt expression and said, "╮(╯﹏╰）╭ Ah! So this is how Akashi-chan sees me? That's honestly a bit hurtful..."
Bang!
"(〝▼皿▼) Speak properly, you jerk, Oikawa!"
Before Oikawa's sly act could disgust Akashi, Hajime Iwaizumi's fist had already landed squarely on Oikawa's forehead.
One solid punch turned Oikawa from a sly fox into a straight shooter on the spot.
"Sigh!"
Life's tough, Oikawa sighed.
"Alright then! I'll be straightforward. You might not have noticed, but Mujinazaka's setter is pretty devious. In the first set, he deliberately baited me several times into setting the ball to the right wing. At those moments, although it looked like there was no block on their right wing, their backcourt defenders always arrived first…"
"I see now."
Iwaizumi rubbed his chin. "That's why, even when there was an open spot, you still purposely set the ball where they had defenders."
"Exactly. Failing to score when attacking an open spot feels very different from failing when attacking a defended spot."
Oikawa explained, "If the spikers keep missing balls in open spaces, not only does their confidence take a hit, but the setter's morale can suffer as well. So, while their setter's technique might seem average, he's actually very cunning inside!"
Oikawa clicked his tongue appreciatively, not hiding his respect for the opponent.
Akashi pondered, then said, "But even so, you figured out their strategy quickly. Looks like you're still the smarter one."
"No, no... the only reason I saw through their tactic so fast is because I've used it myself before. Nothing special."
Oikawa waved his hands and put on a humble face.
Everyone else just: "(_)…"
Wow!
They'd met a real mastermind on the other side!
"So, you're planning to use their trick against them?" Iwaizumi asked.
"Right. But their defense is strong, so I'll need you to help me, Akashi–" Oikawa said quietly, looking at Akashi.
────────── ✦ ──────────
Beep!
Break's over. Both teams returned to the court.
Rotation for the second set's first serve: Mujinazaka up.
────────── ✦ ──────────
Overall, Mujinazaka's serving was stronger than Aoba's. Simply put, except for Akashi and Oikawa, most Aoba players still used basic underhand serves.
Mujinazaka players, meanwhile, almost all mastered jump serves. Not everyone was as lethal as Wakatsu Kiryu, but their serves were overall far more threatening.
Bang!
Soon, Aoba's player in position one sent the first ball flying in this set.
As expected, Mujinazaka employed the same tactic, blocking the center and right wing while leaving the left wing open for Aoba's attack.
Previously, Oikawa avoided this trap, but this time he intentionally sent Akashi to the left wing and passed the ball to him.
"Gotcha! Finally, they fell for it!"
Mujinazaka's setter's eyes flashed sharply.
The moment the ball reached Akashi, Mujinazaka's backcourt hitter and libero shifted position, instantly blocking Akashi's front and right-diagonal attack routes.
Blocking these two routes on the left wing basically sealed off Akashi's attacking options.
Yet, facing such a desperate situation, Akashi swung and sent a massive cross-court spike.
Bang!
Like a meteor streaking across the sky, a powerful diagonal shot cut through nearly the entire Mujinazaka court, right in front of the setter and two defenders.
Thud.
The ball hit the ground, Aoba scored first.
1–0.
Mujinazaka's setter stared blankly as the spike zipped past him. No doubt, it was an almost perfect kill.
"That guy... I might've underestimated you a bit!"
Michiru Usuri's lips curved into a slightly sinister smile. He admitted that maybe, because their own ace had performed so well in the first set, he had overlooked the opponent's first-year ace.
Now it seemed Aoba's victories over Shiratorizawa and Fukurodani weren't just luck.
────────── ✦ ──────────
The next ball began quickly.
Aoba served. Mujinazaka received and immediately sent a powerful attack through Wakatsu Kiryu from the center court, a reckless, brutal spike that tied the score.
1–1.
Serve rotated again, Mujinazaka serving, Aoba regained the attack.
This time, Mujinazaka's setter guarded against Akashi. When Akashi jumped to attack an opening in Mujinazaka's defense, one of the "Twin Towers–" Unnan Keisuke, went up for the block.
But Akashi couldn't reach the ball. Oikawa used a decoy to pass to Unnan on the other side.
Mujinazaka's setter was only wary of Akashi, not the others, so he loosened the front block and deliberately repeated the old trick, leaving an apparent opening.
As expected.
Keisuke didn't hesitate, swinging hard and sending a light hit.
==========
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