Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

"Sorry!" Komori Motoya shouted loudly.

Ushijima Wakatoshi's spikes had clearly evolved since high school, both in power and height—an expected development. But what truly made the difference now was the trickier left-handed spin. Still, no matter how powerful the opponents' attacks were, Akutsu Ao's offence was just as formidable.

First, a poorly handled receive. Then, a direct point loss off the pass.

Komori didn't want to admit it, but the real gap between the two teams was beginning to show on defence.

"Idiot, I'm the one who didn't score. Don't try to make yourself look good," Akutsu said bluntly. Who would've thought that after just a few years in Poland, Japan's new generation of players had become this arrogant?

AD continued to serve.

Tsunotate Kazuki continued targeting Komori Motoya with his serves.

Boom!!—

Smack!

Komori received the ball once again.

"I underestimated them…"

The ball flew along the sideline. Unlike before, Kitō Yūkan leapt straight up for the spike.

This guy—

Even though it was clearly a decoy, Hirugami Fukurō couldn't just leave him unguarded.

Whoosh—!

The ball flew cleanly toward the centre. EJP had only one viable option for this attack!

Akutsu Ao jumped to spike!

A triple block!

Hirugami reacted with lightning speed. He had already been focusing his attention on Akutsu and was able to move toward the block instantly, even with Kitō's attempt at diversion.

Akutsu tensed his arms and aimed mercilessly at Hirugami, who had jumped too hastily.

"Not good!" Tsunotate rushed in for cover.

BOOM!!!

The ball tore through the top of Hirugami's block and landed squarely in the back-right corner of AD's court.

A feint?!

Tsunotate turned his head toward the back—it had landed exactly in his zone.

Akutsu Ao scored.

[EJP 2 - 2 AD]

"This guy is seriously hard to stop…"

Hoshiumi Kōrai hadn't expected it. In his very first official pro match, he was already feeling the same kind of unstoppable pressure—not just from Taichi Kazehara, but from someone else entirely.

"Each one of them is disgusting in their own way!"

But Hoshiumi's eyes lit up, and a wide smile spread across his face.

The serve rotated. EJP now had the serve.

Washio Tatsuki executed a powerful jump serve.

"Oh?"

It was immediately obvious—Washio's serve was on a whole different level from most players.

"Chance ball!"

Matia Bottono's reception floated straight toward the net. Hoshiumi jumped in for the kill.

"—Tch!"

Akutsu leapt to form a solo block.

—Boom!!!

This little brat—

The ball slipped past Akutsu's left side and slammed into the sideline on EJP's court before bouncing out.

Hoshiumi scored.

[EJP 12 - 13 AD]

"Washio," Akutsu said coldly, "You've got three more months. If your serving and receiving aren't up to my standard by then, you're going back to the bench."

"Y-yes."

Washio lowered his head and swapped places with Komori.

AD's turn to serve.

Hirugami Fukurō launched a powerful jump serve.

Since EJP's opposite, Kitō Yūkan, was on par with their setter Sengoku Chisato in terms of ball control, targeting the setter on serve didn't really work.

And Komori's reception wasn't weak either—attacking the diagonal like this wouldn't throw him off.

BOOM!!!

The ball shot toward the far right corner of EJP's court—right at Evan Krauss.

Smack!

The ball sailed upward cleanly. Sengoku stepped in to set, and EJP's front line launched a triple-pronged attack.

There was no time for AD's blockers to think. Tatsuto Sokolov and Hoshiumi Kōrai both moved to the left, forming a double block in front of Akutsu.

Ushijima positioned himself between Kitō and Suna Rintarō, ready to guard against either.

Whoosh—!

The set went to the right wing—Suna Rintarō rose for the spike. Ushijima leapt alone to meet him.

BOOM!!

But with the variety of angles Rintarō could hit, a solo block wasn't enough.

Smack!

The ball struck the 3-meter line in the centre of AD's court and bounced.

Suna scored.

[EJP 13 - 13 AD]

"Whoa! That's amazing!" Bokuto Kōtarō exclaimed. "His hips are more flexible than Omi-chan's wrists—ugh, that's disgusting!"

"Don't look at me." Sakusa Kiyoomi frowned. "It's disgusting just hearing you say that."

"Atsumu, what's with that expression?" Meian Shūgo asked curiously.

"I'm moved!" Atsumu declared. "Rintarō's actually holding his own out there! It's touching!"

"But you clearly look pissed," Bokuto said, tilting his head.

"That bastard Rintarō! He wasn't this good in high school! What the hell happened in just six months?!"

Atsumu clenched his teeth in frustration.

"Heh. Maybe his current setter just understands him better," Sakusa said with a dry chuckle.

"No way! Me and Rintarō—we were—"

Atsumu suddenly wore a deeply hurt expression. "Don't tell me…he's happier with that setter now…"

-----

"The first set has reached its midpoint. Both teams are going all out, point-for-point. The score is tight, and no one is willing to give even an inch!"

The atmosphere in the stadium was tense, like a drawn bowstring—one pull away from snapping.

At that moment, the serve rotated again.

Akutsu Ao stepped back to the service line.

Whoosh—

He tossed the ball, sprinted forward, leapt—and smashed it with everything he had.

BOOM!!!

"What a monster…"

The ball deformed violently in Akutsu's hand before streaking across the court, landing right in front of Heiwajima Toshirō.

BANG!!!

Akutsu scored with a service ace.

[EJP 14 - 13 AD]

"That was close. I almost got murdered."

At the last moment, Heiwajima had tilted his head aside, and the ball slammed down near the backline with terrifying force.

"Yikes." Tsunotate stared silently at Heiwajima.

"What?! You can't expect me to die for one point!"

"You're the libero."

"It flew straight at my face! That's scary, okay?!"

"You're the libero."

"Heartless bastard…Ushijima, back me up here!"

"…I would've received it."

Heiwajima: "….."

"AAAAAARGH! You heartless monsters!" Heiwajima cried out in frustration—but deep down, he knew. If it were Ushijima, he probably would have received it with his face.

"Unbelievable!" the commentator shouted dramatically. "121 km/h! Akutsu's serve just clocked over 120!"

"EJP scores again!"

"A few more of those and the match is over," one spectator laughed.

"Yeah right—didn't he mess up his last serve?" another replied.

"Haha, well…high risk, high reward."

"Tweet!—"

The whistle blew for the next serve.

Akutsu launched his second serve.

BOOM!!!

With another deafening roar, the ball surged toward AD's back row—no weaker than the last.

"I got it!"

Smack!

Heiwajima dropped to his knees from the impact, but despite all his complaints, he didn't hesitate when the ball came his way.

"Saved!"

The ball arced high, falling toward the front line.

Hoshiumi rushed in, jumped, and set.

"Wait—!"

Suna reacted just in time, jumping to meet the ball at the net.

But in midair, Hoshiumi twisted his body and snapped the ball down with a sideline spike.

BOOM!

"Damn it!" Komori Motoya dove to the left and saved the ball.

Akutsu Ao quickly jumped up to assist, and Kitō Yūkan, after a swift glance at him, immediately launched into an attack from the front row.

"It's coming!"

AD's front line shifted to the left. Sokolov Takato and Hoshiumi Kōrai leapt up to block in sync.

Fwoosh—!

"What—!?"

"This guy?!"

The ball flew diagonally across EJP's entire court, from the left corner to the space above the right wing.

BOOM!!!

Evan Krauss avoided Ushijima Wakatoshi's block and smashed the ball down for the point!

[EJP 15 – 13 AD]

—"Evan Krauss scores with a quick attack!"

—"Despite the poor first receive, Akutsu Ao launched a precise and rapid set for a quick attack—his setting technique is on par with that of a regular setter!"

—"This is the first time either side has created a lead! And Akutsu Ao's service round isn't over yet!"

"Beep! Timeout requested by AD."

-----

After both coaches made minor tactical adjustments, the timeout ended and play resumed.

Akutsu Ao served his third ball.

BOOM!!!

The timeout seemed to work—Akutsu's serve had finally lost a bit of its edge.

Smack!

Tsunotate Kazuki received the ball cleanly, and AD's setter, Matia Bottono, jumped from the back row.

"That madman again?!"

Despite the poor receive and his back-row position, Matia Bottono still went for a second attack.

BOOM!!!

"Double block!" Kitō Yūkan and Suna Rintarō jumped to seal the angle—but were clearly a moment too late.

Akutsu Ao anticipated the direction and calmly moved into position.

Whip!

The ball brushed the top of the net and bounced up.

"—!?"

The ball barely skimmed over the net and dropped within EJP's three-meter line.

Matia Bottono scores with a spike.

[EJP 15 – 14 AD]

"You lucky bastard—!" Akutsu Ao glared daggers at the AD setter.

"Hehe!" Matia Bottono grinned smugly.

-----

BOOM!!!—

Ushijima Wakatoshi scored with a razor-sharp straight shot that kissed the sideline.

[EJP 22 – 22 AD]

Finally, in the late stages of the set, AD tied the score once again.

The serve rotated—AD's turn.

When Ushijima first entered the pros last year, there was one thing he found difficult to adapt to—his 'weapons', which had proven so reliable in high school, suddenly lost their effectiveness in pro matches.

His serve, in particular.

It took Ushijima half a year to refine and sharpen those weapons again. From then on, he slowly regained that sense of control over the game.

"Tweet!—"

The whistle for serve blew.

Expressionless on the service line, Ushijima tossed the ball with one hand—then launched himself like a coiled beast unleashed.

Thud!

In mid-air, Ushijima poured all his power into his arm and struck the ball without hesitation.

BOOM!!!—

The ball cut through the air like a missile, landing with pinpoint accuracy in the deep end of EJP's court.

Smack!

Ushijima scored an ace.

[EJP 22 – 23 AD]

—"120.2 km/h! Ushijima's serve is no less terrifying than Akutsu's!!!"

"Th-That's insane…" Iizuna Tsukasa couldn't help but gasp. "No wonder someone like Oikawa, a phenomenal setter, stayed out of the spotlight back in the day."

"So what you're saying is—to get out of Miyagi Prefecture, first you had to beat Ushijima, and then…beat you?" Nitta Tomohiro asked with a weird expression.

"Strictly speaking, after Aoba Johsai won the championship, teams can make it to Nationals even without beating me," Kaedehara Taichi corrected him.

Nitta sighed deeply. No point repeating something everyone already knew.

-----

AD continued to serve.

Ushijima, still brimming with force, sent out his second serve.

BOOM!!!

Smack!

"Cover it!"

The ball bounced off Akutsu Ao's arm and veered out of bounds, but Komori Motoya was already prepared and chased it down.

Smack!

He dove and saved it with one hand.

Akutsu Ao then launched a powerful spike from the back row.

BOOM!!!

"Double block!" Matia Bottono and Tatsuto Sokolov jumped together.

At the professional level, a back-row spike like this usually gets stuffed.

Smack!

The ball hit Sokolov's arm and dropped downward.

"Yūkan!" Akutsu shouted.

He didn't yell out of confidence in himself—he yelled because he believed in his teammates.

Smack!

Kitō Yūkan dove and saved the ball. Chisato Sengoku jumped in quickly to set, and Akutsu Ao once again initiated a back-row attack.

The three moved in perfect sync—no hesitation, no wasted motion.

"That's pretty much flawless…" Taichi murmured. He'd experienced that same kind of connection with Oikawa Tōru, Kunimi Akira, and Nakamori Daiki before—but only in brief flashes of instinct.

But EJP's trio was something else. Their coordination looked like it came from countless hours of practice. From the moment Akutsu jumped for that back-row spike, it was as if the others already knew where to be and what to do…

"Triple block!"

Matia Bottono and Sokolov jumped again, joined by Hoshiumi Kōrai rushing from the right. Together, they barely managed to cover Akutsu's angle.

Because of the hasty timing, their block height wasn't perfect. Matia and Sokolov stretched their arms straight upward to compensate—but doing so left a slight gap in front of them.

—BOOM!!!

Smack!

The ball fell between Matia and the net—off their hands.

A wipe off the block.

Akutsu Ao scores.

[EJP 23 – 23 AD]

Serve rotates—EJP's turn.

Kitō Yūkan targeted the back right corner, jumping for a powerful serve aimed at Ushijima.

BOOM!!

"I got it!"

It wasn't a tough serve to receive. Heiwajima Toshirō hoped Ushijima would stay focused on attacking instead.

Smack!

The ball soared high. AD's front row, Matia Bottono and Sokolov, crossed paths as they moved. Matia jumped to set.

Left side—Sokolov Takato. Right side—Hoshiumi Kōrai. Back row—Ushijima Wakatoshi. And Matia himself might go for another second attack.

A total of four possible attack points locked Suna Rintarō in place.

"Suna, go left!"

Evan Krauss gave Suna a light push toward the left, while he himself confirmed that Matia wouldn't attack and immediately shifted to the right. He was betting on either Hoshiumi or Ushijima to launch the strike.

Whoosh—!

The ball went left. Sokolov leapt and swung.

"Damn it!" Suna jumped to block.

BOOM!!!

The ball soared above his hands.

A wipe shot!

Thud!

It landed behind Suna Rintarō.

Sokolov scores!

[EJP 23 – 24 AD]

Schweiden Adlers were the first to reach set point!

_________

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