Chapter 39:
Looking at the Shiratorizawa players across the net—silent but with unwavering concentration—Ichise Guren decided not to say anything more. Against opponents like these who didn't engage in trash talk and only focused on giving their all through action, continuing to provoke would be disrespectful. After all, their hearts weren't dirty, and their personalities weren't bad either. This wasn't a professional league—what was the point of all that trash talk anyway?
'What an unexpected surprise.'
Observing his surroundings, his teammates hadn't been intimidated by the opposing team's morale at all. Instead, they'd been inspired to focus even more intensely.
'As expected, these "veterans" who made it to the prefectural semifinals are in much better condition than newcomers.'
Remembering how nervous everyone had been when they faced Kitagawa Daiichi, now they were all working hard to display their maximum abilities.
A feeling of satisfaction welled up within him.
'In that case, as a sign of respect for you all, I'll be the one to deliver the killing blow that ends you.'
Hoshino Katsu received the pass after another touch, and Mori, who had been preparing to set the ball behind him to Hinata Shoyo for a surprise quick attack, heard the call from his team's ace.
"Set it to the left!!!"
Without hesitation, he trusted his ace—this was a belief every setter should hold without doubt.
A high ball that cleared the net by a wide margin.
'Go!!!'
Compared to his previous spikes, this attack from Ichise Guren was completely different.
His earlier spikes had carried a feeling of scoring just for the sake of scoring.
But this spike—with Ichise Guren's expression becoming fierce from exertion—clearly carried killing intent.
This time, he wasn't simply a scoring tool of a wing spiker.
He was Yukigaoka's ace attacker.
'As my greatest respect.'
'This ball will be the highest I can jump and the hardest I can hit.'
'Please,'
'Die!'
With such conviction, Ichise Guren used his fastest approach run since the prefectural tournament began, and his most extended jump.
His center of gravity focused in his core, carrying unstoppable momentum as he traced a moving arc through the air.
Not just explosive muscle power—this time, in his hip rotation, Ichise Guren added his entire body weight to the center of gravity transfer.
He was using every ounce of strength he possessed.
His somewhat reddened palm maximized the whip effect, and his perfectly timed arm swing unleashed unprecedented power at this moment.
In just an instant, the moment of contact with the volleyball, layer upon layer of ripples invisible to the naked eye spread from the ball, then with speed that seemed to break the sound barrier—
It slammed toward Shiratorizawa's court.
In the eyes of the Shiratorizawa players, this ball created an illusion where the ball seemed to leave Ichise Guren's hand before the sound of impact reached them.
Such speed was already far beyond what middle school students could react to.
Shiratorizawa's libero, despite giving his all, couldn't move his body even a fraction.
"It's over!"
BANG!
Many spectators were startled enough to stand up from their seats.
Shiratorizawa's Goshiki used the principle that a straight line is the shortest distance between two points, using his side face to desperately receive Ichise Guren's tribute spike.
Ichise Guren's expression showed clear 'Are you trying to get yourself killed?' concern.
He knew exactly how much power his spike carried.
He had indeed spiked this ball with the intention of 'killing' Shiratorizawa in one shot, but that absolutely didn't mean he actually wanted to 'kill' any specific person on the other side.
And Goshiki, who had been knocked senseless by this ball, managed to squeeze out his last moment of clarity before completely losing his balance and falling uncontrollably, roaring: "Score!!!"
Perhaps inspired by Goshiki's life-or-death determination, Shiratorizawa's middle blocker executed an absolutely ridiculous miraculous super-tight cross-court spike.
The attack shot past the three defenders responsible for blocking—Hyakuzawa Yudai, Ichise Guren, and Mori.
It slammed directly into the undefended inner corner near the net.
Successfully scoring.
The score became Yukigaoka 29, Shiratorizawa 29.
This was also the first time Ichise Guren had lost control of the score in the second set against Shiratorizawa.
However, Shiratorizawa's Goshiki had already collapsed limply on the ground, unable to get back up.
The referee immediately stopped the match and called for medical personnel to provide emergency care.
After a quick examination, the doctor found that Goshiki's consciousness was still clear, but he simply couldn't control his body.
After detailed questioning about the spike just now, the area where the volleyball had struck, and careful examination, the doctor breathed a slight sigh of relief.
"It's not a particularly serious injury. The knockout principle—he should have been hit in the chin just now."
"Doctor! How does getting hit in the chin make you unable to control your body?"
"Because this punch—no, this ball—hit the chin, causing brain trauma that resulted in a concussion and disrupted the vagus nerve's normal connection to the brain, while also affecting the cerebellum's balance function."
"Fortunately, the volleyball is soft, equivalent to being KO'd by a fist wearing an incredibly thick glove."
"Preliminary diagnosis is mild concussion."
Though the doctor wasn't as tense anymore, he still spoke with a serious expression.
"He still needs to be taken to the hospital for testing. This ball is no joke—if it were more severe, he might have to say goodbye to his athletic career forever!!!"
"!!!"
Hearing this, Goshiki—who hadn't been afraid at all during two matches of being dominated by Ichise Guren—finally shed tears while unable to control his body.
'I don't want that.'
'I want to play volleyball! Doctor!!!'
"Of course, similar incidents have occurred in professional volleyball, but they're basically never very serious. There have never been cases of being unable to continue athletics due to being knocked out by a volleyball."
'...You couldn't have said that earlier? This is so embarrassing!!!'
"However, I still recommend going for an exami—"
Before the doctor could finish, Goshiki shakily stood up with his teammates' support.
After taking two steps, Goshiki immediately declared to the doctor:
"I'm fine! I want to continue the match!"
"Impossible!"
The doctor immediately refused Goshiki's request. Regardless of severity, this was still a concussion.
This wasn't a concussion from nightclub sound waves—this was a concussion from being struck by a volleyball.
Whether or not he went to the hospital, he had to go to the medical office for examination first before they could determine if he could continue playing.
Looking at the scoreboard, Goshiki knew that if he left now, his team would basically be guaranteed elimination.
This was a result he absolutely could not accept.
Hinata Shoyo stared at Goshiki over there, who didn't want to leave the court but was being persuaded by the coach and doctor to exit.
Only one voice echoed in his mind:
'That looks so painful... If something like this happened to me and I couldn't play, causing the team to lose the match—'
'No no no!!! Absolutely not!!!!'
Seeing Hinata Shoyo's expression of absolutely not wanting this to happen to himself, his Yukigaoka teammates, who had spent so much time with him, could more or less read his thoughts.
'He really does simply love volleyball.' x4
"Hey! You guys better hold on until I get back to the match!"
"Hurry up and go! You're holding us back!"
"Go cry to the doctor about how much it hurts! Bowl-cut wing spiker!"
"Shut up!!!"
Carrying a belly full of resentment, Goshiki followed the staff and manager to the medical office.
After he left, his teammates' expressions all instantly became grave.
"Even though we said that to him..."
"Goshiki really is our team's ace..."
Yura Shota began comforting his teammates' spirits.
"Everyone! Let's give our all to hold on until Goshiki-senpai returns!!!"
"We can't embarrass ourselves in front of him!!!"
"Yeah!!!"
The morale-boosting conversation was effective, but not completely.
Though Ichise Guren, carrying a trace of guilt, didn't spike with as much force, his incredibly high spike trajectory remained an unmatched presence.
Despite Shiratorizawa's players defending and attacking desperately, willing to risk everything to stall until Goshiki returned—
Three minutes after Goshiki left the court, Yukigaoka won the set 34-32. In the Miyagi Prefecture Middle School General Qualifier semifinals, Yukigaoka eliminated Shiratorizawa Middle School with a total score of 2-0.
For the first time since the school's founding, Yukigaoka's boys' volleyball team had advanced to the prefectural finals.
Waiting for Yukigaoka would be whichever team emerged victorious from the match at the far end of the court.
With two players reaching 188cm forming an impenetrable middle school wall, Kosen Academy was also one of Miyagi Prefecture's middle school powerhouses.
Though this year's most talented player was second-year Nagamachi Yumeto who was already 186cm tall, the other three third-years already gave off an overwhelming presence just from their height alone.
After all, when pure height reaches a certain level, it becomes a crushing advantage over ordinary people.
***
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