Chapter 25: Another Powerful Serve
"I'm absolutely not letting even one of his spikes get through. His height is just straight-up mocking me!"
Akashi Asuka's face twisted into a grimace, his eyes blazing with a fire that was part frustration, part fierce determination. Right now, he looked just like a yakuza on the edge, shouting defiantly at the world as if daring it to step up to him.
Coach Shimokawa Sando of Senkoku rubbed his chin thoughtfully as he faced his team. His voice was calm but carried weight.
" I managed to get hold of quite a few match videos from friends who'd recorded their games, so we've got some insight into what we're up against."
"The tall one, Hyakuzawa Yudai? His spikes and blocks pack national-level power, making him one of the top middle school talents across the country."
Looking around, Shimokawa caught the mix of expressions on the players' faces—some fearful, some stubborn, others simply tense. He gave a knowing smile and raised the stakes even higher.
"But their captain, Ichise Guren? That guy's a whole other level. He's their most lethal attacker—and our greatest defensive challenge."
Shimokawa's eyes scanned the team, resting on the libero, Kuranoma Neko, and the opposite hitter, Oda Miki.
"His absurd vertical leap, combined with an unpredictable and lightning-fast swing, lets him blow past most defenses from his middle school days already."
"No matter how solid the front-line blocks are, his spike simply doesn't care—they barely even touch him. We have little choice but to rely on floor defense strategies when he's up."
"But the problem is, if you try to block him softly—that 'soft block' tactic to mess with his timing—he has a chance to just pull off these incredibly vertical power spikes that catch defenders off guard."
Looking more serious, Shimokawa turned back to his team.
"So, with Hyakuzawa Yudai, we still have ways to control him. But Ichise Guren..."
He paused significantly, his gaze resting on Kuranoma and Oda.
"Containing him is going to be down to you two."
A cold shiver shot from the soles of Kuranoma's and Oda's feet, crawling all the way up their spines, making their hair stand on end.
"We'll give it everything we've got!"
Clenching their fists, both suppressed the uneasy, foreboding feeling inside. They bowed low to Coach Shimokawa—a quiet gesture affirming their understanding and commitment.
On the surface, their faces held calm and resolve, but inwardly, a dark sense of impending doom loomed—like they knew they might get absolutely crushed out there.
"Fear? What fear?" Akashi Asuka suddenly roared from beside them, breaking the tension. His voice was a blend of challenge and confidence.
"I'm not some weak block who can't back it up! I'm gonna stop that guy!"
Akashi rolled up his sleeves, revealing tense, slightly bulky muscles and flexing his fist as if daring the two to falter. His expression was an intimidating mix of seriousness and warning.
"If I see that 'calm but actually kinda nervous' look on your faces again, I swear I'll deck you both!"
Kuranoma and Oda both jumped in surprise—and yet, this time the sudden shock chased away most of their uneasy feelings.
Because, as bad as the feeling was, if they kept worrying about something that hadn't even happened yet, Akashi Asuka really would punch them.
The top delinquent at Senkoku Middle School definitely had a reputation that wasn't just empty talk.
"Hai!" The two shot back, bowing once again to Akashi, their respect toward him practically eclipsing their respect for the coach. There was a strange mixture of fear, admiration, and—somewhere buried deep—a kind of loyalty in the way they looked at him.
Shimokawa Sando could only shrug helplessly.
He'd noticed this strange dynamic since two years ago and never quite figured out why these particular players held Akashi in such awe.
Their simple explanation cut straight to the point.
"Honestly, Sensei—"
"If we offend you, you might call our parents or send us a warning."
"But if we cross Akashi Asuka? He'll seriously wait by the school gate every day to give us a beating."
Luckily, Akashi's attitude toward the coach was much better than how he treated most teachers. Perhaps it was because he cared far more about volleyball knowledge than the usual classroom stuff.
Shimokawa noticed that Akashi never exploited his status to bully him. Instead, he showed genuine respect and occasionally pesteringly asked for technical volleyball advice. So the coach let the dynamic slide.
At least this situation didn't damage team unity—Akashi, seeing himself as the team's big boss, treated teammates like his own loyal underlings, fiercely protective in a way that was almost yakuza-like.
Thanks to Akashi's commanding presence and his intense verbal warnings, the Senkoku players slowly shed much of the fear and uncertainty that came with facing a nearly two-meter-tall giant.
The atmosphere began to shift back toward the usual rhythm of training and preparation.
"Line up!"
At the referee's whistle, both teams began to form lines beside their coaches and captains.
As expected, Akashi's face wore a blatant look of 'I really don't want to do this bowing,' but he complied nonetheless.
This wasn't some new rule for Akashi—two years ago, he'd been penalized, warned by officials, and even benched for refusing to follow volleyball etiquette during matches.
When he returned to the court, the referees watched him with suspicion—banning him from shouting out loud or celebrating too wildly.
If he shouted "out!" on a ball that was clearly out, the referee sometimes ruled it in; if he stayed silent when the ball was questionable, they'd call it out. His cocky and rebellious attitude had landed him on the referees' blacklist as a "troublemaker" who wasn't serious about playing.
That episode had cost his team a match they should have won—a bitter memory that still haunted him.
Since then, Akashi approached pre-game bows and post-match handshakes with utmost seriousness and respect.
Because for him, volleyball was something sacred—something he was truly serious about and unwilling to let go of.
The Yukigaoka Middle School lineup was announced:
Suzuki, Hyakuzawa Yudai, Mori
Hinata Shoyo, Kawashima (Hoshino Masaru), Ichise Guren
It was still the extremely aggressive starting lineup built around Ichise Guren's opening serve—a serve known for its overwhelming power.
They'd arranged their three tallest players with a one-person gap between each, maximizing Yukigaoka's advantage in height—whether for offense or blocking.
Each moment, their attack and block formations could maintain a dominant vertical presence, constantly threatening their opponents.
*****
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