Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

As commentator Watanabe noted, in a best-of-five match, the outcome of the third set often determines the trajectory of the entire game.

Black Jackals and DH were like two ferocious beasts locked in a deadly grip—neither side willing to give an inch!

[DH 24 - 24 Black Jackals]

The third set had entered its boiling point.

"Meian Shūgo blocked DH's quick attack three times in a row, but Kaedehara Taichi immediately retaliated with a brutal spike!" Commentator Daisuke clenched his fist, speaking rapidly.

Black Jackals had adjusted their offensive strategy. Both Sakusa Kiyoomi and Adriah Thomas targeted Iizuna Tsukasa with their serves. With DH's rhythm disrupted, it became increasingly difficult for them to organise an effective scoring play.

BOOM!!!

Adriah Thomas delivered a powerful jump serve.

"I got it!"

Kaedehara Taichi stepped forward to receive the ball.

Iizuna Tsukasa stepped in to cover and sent a quick set to the middle. Tom Wilde launched an attack.

BAM!!!

"Double block!" Bokuto Kōtarō and Meian Shūgo jumped together.

The ball barely slipped past the block and slammed toward the Black Jackals' back row. Sakusa Kiyoomi dove in a desperate lunge, barely managing to bump it up, but the first touch had a very low arc.

"I'll take it!"

Miya Atsumu rushed in to cover and positioned himself beneath the falling ball immediately.

Whoosh!—

Just as Kitajima Kippei and Nitta Asahi started shifting toward Meian Shūgo, Miya flicked his wrist—

"Back set! It's for Oliver Barnes' back-row attack!!"

Oliver Barnes exploded from behind the three-meter line like a bolt of black lightning! Nitta Asahi leapt again to the right to block, but all he saw was the opponent's arm swinging and the ball piercing through toward the far corner in a near-flat trajectory!

BOOM!!

He sacrificed raw power for precision and control—the ball slammed hard into the floor behind Iizuna Tsukasa.

Oliver Barnes scored from the back row.

[DH 24 - 25 Black Jackals]

—"Black Jackals snatches set point once again!"

—"Oliver Barnes has broken through DH's defence! His transition from takeoff to strike was flawless! Not participating in the receive gives him absolute freedom on offence!"

Kitajima Kippei bent forward, hands on his knees.

Perhaps DH had finally become a team worthy of being called Black Jackals' true rival. To him, today's match was even more intense than when the two teams met in last season's playoffs.

"Or maybe…I've just gotten older…" Kitajima panted. He wished he could face these guys at his peak, not while playing a supporting role like this.

Black Jackals continued to serve. Adriah Thomas launched his second serve.

"I got it!"

Kubo Wataru anticipated correctly, diving like a panther to Iizuna Tsukasa's left side.

Smack!

The ball rose smoothly. Iizuna Tsukasa stepped forward, his slender fingers carving an elegant arc in mid-air as he sent a perfect set to Position 4.

Whoosh—!

Thud!

Kaedehara Taichi soared into the air, his entire 195cm frame unfolding like wings in flight.

"Triple block!" Miya Atsumu, Bokuto Kōtarō, and Meian Shūgo all leapt.

—BOOM!!!

The ball exploded off Miya Atsumu's fingertips in a strange arc and slammed onto the sideline in Black Jackals' back court.

Kaedehara Taichi scored with a spike.

[DH 25 - 25 Black Jackals]

"Does this guy never get tired?"

Middle blocker Adriah Thomas rotated out with libero Inunaki Shion. Even though he had been on the court far less than Kaedehara Taichi, by the time they reached the third set of such a high-intensity match, he could already feel exhaustion spreading through his body.

Serve rotation—DH to serve.

Kitajima Kippei went for a powerful jump serve.

Smack!

"…Huh?!"

At such a critical moment, Kitajima Kippei's serve missed the mark.

The ball struck the net and dropped.

Point for the Black Jackals.

[DH 25 - 26 Black Jackals]

—"Ahh! A costly mistake at a crucial moment—veteran Kitajima Kippei fumbles his serve and hands the Black Jackals a free point!"

"Sorry!"

"Kitajima, do you want a sub?" Coach Nick called from the sideline.

Kitajima wiped his face with the hem of his jersey, the "DESEO" logo on the fabric soaked a dark colour with sweat. He shook his head. DH's bench lineup was mediocre at best; subbing someone in now might just throw off their current rhythm.

"Tweet!—" The whistle for the serve blew.

Miya Atsumu tossed the ball up, ran, jumped, and struck.

Not a shred of mercy.

Everyone on the Black Jackals knew all too well—at this point, the near-spent Kitajima Kippei was DH's greatest weakness!

"Kitajima-senpai!" Iizuna Tsukasa called from the left.

Kitajima looked up just as Miya Atsumu's jump serve tore through the air. The spinning ball refracted multiple bright points of light under the overhead lamps—his vision blurred with sweat.

Muscle memory acted faster than thought. Kitajima side-stepped, and the muscles in his left arm instantly tensed like steel cables.

Smack!

The moment the ball struck his forearm, he could almost hear the grinding protest of his shoulder joint.

The ball flew askew toward the three-meter line. Yoshii Hiyu darted out diagonally, seemingly anticipating the trajectory, and managed to dig the ball up with a diving save.

"Nice save!" commentator Daisuke's praise was drowned out by the roar of the crowd.

Nitta Asahi sprang forward, becoming the blade of the attack—launching a quick assault from the middle.

"Double block!"

BOOM!!—

Smack!

The ball deflected off Oliver Barnes' fingertips and changed course—but just as it was about to fall out of bounds, Sakusa Kiyoomi dove and saved it midair.

Kitajima watched that figure tumble and roll back to his feet after the receive, and suddenly remembered—years ago, he had been the same. Tireless, relentless. Back then, as the V2 League's best outside hitter, he had once been called a "perpetual motion machine."

"Kippei!" Kubo Wataru's voice exploded in his ear.

Kitajima jolted. The Black Jackals had already launched a fast counterattack, tearing through their defence.

He practically dragged his body toward the landing spot. A sharp diagonal spike from Bokuto Kōtarō blasted a gust of wind past his head, the volleyball crashing heavily against his arm.

Smack!

"Damn it—am I really so tired that I'm seeing my life flash before my eyes?!"

Kitajima snapped back to reality—another missed receive. With his teammates covering him, the ball limped over the net without any offensive power.

The Black Jackals quickly reformed their offence.

Kitajima's eyes locked on Miya Atsumu, the genius setter. A whirlwind of thoughts spun in his mind—but this time, it only heightened his concentration.

"Right wing! Back-row attack!"

His shout came at the exact moment Nitta leapt to block. Oliver Barnes, charging from the back row, exploded out of nowhere—

—BOOM!!!

The volleyball shrieked under the weight of the strike, brushing past Nitta Asahi's hand and slamming towards the sideline.

"I got it—!"

At the very least, he couldn't be the one to doom the game.

Kitajima hurled himself forward. His muscle memory stirred back to life, his right arm arcing with a precision honed over the years.

Smack!

"Beautiful save!" Iizuna swiftly moved in to set the ball.

The moment his hand made contact with the ball, Kitajima heard the thunderous roar from the stands. He looked up—just in time to see Kaedehara Taichi take off from the three-meter line.

"Amazing—"

—BOOM!!!

Kaedehara Taichi hammered down a spike over the block!

[DH 26 - 26 Black Jackals]

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