Chapter 27: Opponents Confirmed
No miracles. No unexpected comebacks.
Yukigaoka's overwhelming strength left Senkoku no chance to fight back. Even Ichise Guren, their captain, spent most of the game "fishing"—mostly holding back outside of his serves, giving his teammates opportunities to grow.
Still, the morale boost from Ichise's insanely powerful jump serves and the vast 9-0 lead at the start was undeniable.
Led by Akashi Asuka, Senkoku's players fought desperately, pouring all their effort into every rally, but the scoreboard wouldn't budge much.
Their attacking attempts were tightly controlled by Ichise's blocking, expertly reading and containing their spike angles. And when Hyakuzawa Yudai stepped up to block, points were outright denied again and again.
Even when those two rotated to the back row, the combined effects of three first years applying soft blocks and Hinata Shoyo's increasingly competent blocking kept the gap wide.
Occasionally, the Senkoku hitters managed to crack open dazzling attack lines, but when Yukigaoka's libero, Hoshino Masaru, was on the court, the vast majority of these spikes would be saved.
Hoshino's mastery of reading the hitter's body language and attack tendencies had sharpened throughout the match.
His ability to anticipate even high floats and tricky tips gradually improved round by round.
Meanwhile, Senkoku's defense was relentlessly worn down by Yukigaoka's offense—a seamless combination led by Hyakuzawa's power spikes, Hinata's support, and Ichise's calculated "fishing" moves.
The Yukigaoka setter Mori even managed, for the first time in this match, to break away for a self-initiated second attack.
That daring move not only scored a point but also sucked some of the blockers' attention away—a glimpse into Yukigaoka's evolving dynamic offense.
After months of intense 3v3 and 2v2 training sessions, along with two official matches, Yukigaoka's team was finally forging a solid system.
Built on a firm defensive foundation and fluid individual attacks orchestrated by Ichise's precise adjustments, they had established the skeletal framework of a formidable squad.
When the final score settled at a decisive 2:0 in favor of Yukigaoka, the outcome felt less like a surprise and more like the natural result of skill and chemistry.
The morning match over, Yukigaoka's players visibly showed signs of exhaustion.
One by one, they unpacked their carefully prepared lunch boxes and nutritional supplements.
Prepared to the highest level, Hoshino Masaru even pulled out his sleeping bag, intending to change into pajamas and rest up after eating.
But Ichise Guren abruptly waved his hand, halting everyone's motions.
He took out his phone and called someone.
"Ayazaki-san, sorry to bother you. Is everything arranged as planned?"
"Yes, you can come in now. Thanks for your hard work."
The Yukigaoka players listened, puzzled by those brief, mysterious exchanges.
What exactly was their captain up to?
Ichise's younger cousin, Hyakuzawa Yudai, though, was well familiar with those types of moves, and he had a half-formed, immature guess about the situation brewing in his head.
Their thoughts were soon confirmed when the family butler, Ayazaki Hayate, appeared.
Dressed impeccably in simple yet elegant clothes, Hayate arrived flanked by three burly, muscular men.
Upon seeing Ichise, he gave a subtle bow and then nodded lightly at the rest of the Yukigaoka team.
The players quickly returned the polite greeting, their curiosity piqued by the imposing middle-aged man.
But Hayate, knowledgeable and unbothered, paid no mind to their stares.
He immediately directed the three tough men to carry the players' luggage from the resting area beside the court.
"Wait, wait! Guren! Are we leaving? What about the afternoon match?"
Hinata dashed forward and grabbed his bag, confusion plastered across his face as he turned to the captain for answers.
Ichise didn't bother with cryptic teasing.
"There's a hotel next to the gym owned by my family. We'll be eating lunch there. Afterward, I've arranged rooms for each of you to rest in. You can take baths or even get massages—just charge it to the room."
Then his sharp eyes met Hyakuzawa's.
"Yudai, I've booked you the extra-large room with a bed fit for anyone over two meters tall."
Looking over at the other Yukigaoka players, Ichise added dryly in a tone dripping with disdain toward their "damn rich, successful" reputation:
"For lunch, it's a buffet with seafood. But I'll be keeping an eye on you guys. Eat too much and I'll make sure you throw up—without it affecting your afternoon performance."
The first half of the announcement caused Hinata, who had just been about to cheer out loud, to instantly deflate like a frostbitten eggplant.
Ichise continued:
"There'll be staff on-site streaming the afternoon matches live. If you're interested, just turn on the TV in your rooms."
"When it's time, I'll have the waiters knock on your doors, so no need to worry. If anyone wants to sleep, you can get some real rest."
Despite his disappointment at not indulging in unlimited food, Hinata couldn't help but shout with excitement.
"Captain! You're way too thoughtful. After you graduate, how are these first-years ever gonna survive without you?"
"I believe in them."
That simple, sincere answer filled the younger players with a newfound strength.
"Don't worry, Captain! We'll train even harder!"
Following Ayazaki Hayate's arrangements, the seven Yukigaoka players walked a quick three minutes to the Ichise family hotel before heading straight to the dining room.
Three burly men lugged their luggage up to their rooms, allowing the players to relax and focus on the meal without concern.
Though food intake was limited to prevent any effects on performance, the six players—excluding Ichise—still indulged heartily in choices normally out of reach.
Sashimi was outlawed, due to concerns over possible stomach issues.
Still, the buffet offered premium food like grilled meat, steak, king crab, lobster, and more—high-protein favorites that the six eagerly picked at.
After sufficient feeding and hydration, each player returned to their room to enjoy a hot bath.
Some lounged down for naps, some submitted to massages, others simply closed their eyes to rest.
Meanwhile, Ichise lay comfortably on his massive six-star hotel bed, eyes glued to his custom live sports broadcast feed.
Switching between wide, medium, close, and slow-motion replays of selected angles, he studied the game from start to finish with sharp focus.
On the screen, a player clad in a purple-and-white uniform took an S-shaped approach then twisted midair at the last second to convert an expected diagonal spike into a straight line shot.
The tricky trajectory violently tore through the blocks, landing cleanly inside the sideline.
"Such a crafty sharp line. That feint was incredibly convincing."
"This player's spike technique is so skillful, so smart."
He knew the upcoming opponent would be one of the two teams still battling on that court.
Though the match hadn't ended yet, Ichise already had a clear idea of who would advance.
Shiratorizawa Junior High!
As expected, Shiratorizawa junior high's clean 2-0 victory owed much to third-year ace Goshiki Tsutomu's exquisite and intuitive spiking technique combined with the well-grounded, attack-organizing setter Shita Ryou.
In a swift, decisive fashion, Shiratorizawa had booked their place in the next round—officially confirming themselves as Yukigaoka's next adversary.
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