Pfft!
The pass sailed straight over the block and flew out of bounds, landing on the second-floor stands.
From afar, it looked like a careless mistake. But only after the referee's whistle did the crowd erupted into cheers.
"Ohhh~~~"
"Well done! That was some incredible luck!"
"Aoba Johsai, Aoba Johsai, so lucky! Aoba Johsai, Aoba Johsai, good fortune!"
The cheers from the Aoba side rang loud and clear. They all thought it was just a lucky error, but the players on Mujinazaka's court wore serious expressions.
"Ahachi, that last ball..."
"Yeah! No doubt about it, he deliberately aimed for Unnan's fingertips." Wakatsu Kiryu said in a low voice.
"Can't believe this guy can pull off a shot like that?"
After confirming, Mujinazaka's players felt a bit uneasy. Tactical shots might seem simple, but in actual matches they're extremely refined skills.
For many spikers with less physical advantage, this kind of shot is often their main offensive weapon, and without long, specialized training, it's hard to use effectively in games.
Akashi Asuka had only mastered this technique after some targeted study to fill his gaps, which is why he could pull it off in good form now.
Still, the failure rate was quite high.
"No big deal. Just a cheap trick–" Wakatsu Kiryu said.
Before the match, he had studied Akashi carefully, partly because they were opponents, and partly because Aoba had beaten Shiratorizawa.
He was confident Akashi hadn't formally trained in tactical shots.
What he was seeing now was desperation.
24–23.
Aoba took the first set point.
But their pressure did not ease.
As expected,
In the next rally Wakatsu Kiryu easily evened the score.
24–24.
At this point, even though Aoba still had the advantage of the next attack, no one was celebrating, instead, the tension doubled.
Because if they fell behind by two points now, their national tournament would be over.
Both physical and psychological pressure weighed heavily on Aoba's already exhausted players, making their breathing heavier.
Yet among them, Akashi's calm and composed expression stood out oddly.
He felt the same calm as in the last moments against Fukurodani, his mind still like water.
At this moment,
Akashi felt like he was on the verge of stepping through the door of "Clear Mirror, Still Water", yet no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't unlock it.
It was as if Akashi still lacked a key.
Whistle blows.
The referee signaled for play to continue.
Aoba received Mujinazaka's serve and quickly launched their attack. Sweat soaked Oikawa's shirt, but his passing accuracy improved further.
Mujinazaka once again read Akashi's attack direction and set up their block.
But as Akashi swung, he suddenly delivered a soft dink.
The shot was subtle, light yet weighty.
Before the hit, neither Aoba nor Mujinazaka players noticed anything unusual.
By the time they realized, the ball had already fallen to the floor.
["Unexpected shot!"]
[Aoba's ace, Akashi Asuka, at the crucial final moment, pulled off a daring dink.
Aoba scored again, reclaiming the lead.]
"That guy's really on fire today!"
Not just Mujinazaka's players, but even Aoba's own team marveled at the move. It looked simple but was a perfect blend of mind, skill, and strategy, executed flawlessly by a single player who toyed with everyone else.
25–24.
Aoba took the lead once more.
This point was critical because the next serve belonged to Oikawa.
Oikawa was mentally fired up, just one more point and they'd take the set.
Yet his focus sharpened even more as the match neared its end.
The ball was gently tossed.
"Feels good!" Oikawa thought.
In serving, the toss often reveals the quality of the serve itself, and this toss felt smooth and natural.
He began his approach, then jumped,
Suddenly, his knee buckled.
He failed to launch immediately, breaking the flow of the entire serve.
Barely getting airborne, Oikawa managed to hit the ball, but both its angle and speed were wildly off.
"No good!"
His heart jumped, but it was too late.
The ball traced an awkward arc and pfft hit the top of the net.
The unexpected mishap startled both teams.
All eyes snapped to the ball resting atop the net.
It grazed the net but just barely fell into Mujinazaka's court.
"Damn it..."
Now it was Mujinazaka's turn to curse.
Such an error is a test of nerves for both serving and receiving sides, no one knows where the ball might bounce.
After the ball crossed, Mujinazaka's opposite hitter nearly dived desperately to keep it alive, but the poor reception inevitably affected their first pass.
When Michiru Usuri got the ball, he had to use an underhand pass, further lowering the quality.
But Wakatsu Kiryu barely reacted.
If it's a ball, he can handle it.
Judging the ball's height, Wakatsu took one step and leapt.
He smashed down a ferocious spike.
Bam!
Smack!
At the same moment,
The ball Wakatsu hit shot back into Mujinazaka's court at the same speed and crashed onto the floor with a heavy thud...
==========
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