Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

"Is it...still not over...?"

Kitajima Kippei growled through gritted teeth, his breathing ragged and thunderous. The piercing red glow of the electronic scoreboard stung his retinas—

32–32 blinked relentlessly in his vision.

BOOM!!—

The moment the whistle blew, Sakusa Kiyoomi launched a powerful jump serve. The ball hurtled toward the gap between Kaedehara Taichi and Nitta Asahiro's positions.

"Taichi!"

Yoshii Hiyu's roar tore through the tension-choked air.

Just as Nitta pushed off the floor, Kaedehara Taichi was already slicing in at an angle like a silver blade drawn from its sheath.

Smack!

With a subtle twist of his wrist, Taichi neutralised the spin as gently as a spring breeze and sent the first touch perfectly in place!

Iizuna Tsukasa leapt at the front row for the set. Both Tom Wilde and Kitajima Kippei surged forward to attack.

Whoosh—!

The ball was set to the far right—to Kitajima Kippei.

"Double block!" Adriah Thomas and Bokuto Kōtarō leapt in unison.

"God, these youngsters are way too full of energy..."

Kitajima's arm, poised for a spike, suddenly slowed mid-motion. With a gentle push of his fingertips, the ball floated over Adriah Thomas's hands.

"A tip shot! Inunaki!"

Before Miya Atsumu could finish yelling, Inunaki Shion was already diving across the 3-meter line.

Smack!

Off-balance and nearly horizontal, Inunaki managed to bump the ball up with the back of his hand. As Miya Atsumu sprang into position and caught the ball mid-air, he signalled behind his back with his left hand—

Oliver Barnes, all 207 centimetres of him, was already coiled in the air on the left side like a drawn bow.

"That was fast!!"

The sudden quick attack caught the entire DH off guard.

But Tom Wilde remained laser-focused and followed it tightly.

"Double block!" Iizuna was a step late, but he caught up just in time. The two stretched their arms taut, forming a wall before Oliver Barnes.

DH shifted into a forward-defence formation.

No—something's off—

"Taichi, it's a feint!"

Just as Kitajima Kippei shouted hoarsely, Oliver Barnes, who had been about to unleash a cannon shot, pulled back at the last second. The ball drifted gently toward DH's unguarded backcourt.

In such a crucial moment, Oliver Barnes had gone for a tip shot in return!

Veins popped along Kaedehara Taichi's left calf as he pushed off. His right arm reached diagonally behind him in a near-backwards lean as he managed to hook the ball with one hand.

"He saved it!"

Gasps erupted from the stands.

Yoshii Hiyu rushed in to cover and sent the ball high to the middle. Nitta Asahiro leapt from the back row for a spike.

"Block him!"

Adriah Thomas and Bokuto Kōtarō's double block rose with a thunderous lift.

BOOM!!!—

A muffled thud echoed as leather met palm. The ball turned into a streak of white light and slammed down right on the sideline.

Smack!

Inunaki Shion dove to save it. Miya Atsumu followed up immediately, his backset ghostlike as it sent the ball toward the left net post. Adriah Thomas dashed into the 3-meter zone like a black panther and exploded upward.

"Double block!" Iizuna and Tom Wilde jumped together.

But the true finisher came from the back row—Sakusa Kiyoomi soared above them. If not for Kaedehara Taichi, the 18-year-old would have been the youngest star on court.

BOOM!!—

The ball spun with a strange twist. Yoshii barely managed to dig it, but it soared straight into the stands.

Point for Sakusa Kiyoomi.

[DH 32 – 33 Black Jackals]

"Beep! DH requests a substitution."

"Nishikawa Tadahisa IN, Kitajima Kippei OUT."

"Hah—guess I couldn't make it to the end after all…"

Kitajima's legs were trembling slightly, a clear sign of exhaustion.

To be fair, the fact that he had lasted this long was impressive in itself.

"Kitajima-senpai!"

"Senpai!"

"Kippei!"

His teammates rushed over.

"No need to make it so dramatic."

Kitajima gave a wry smile. He hesitated, then looked straight at Kaedehara Taichi.

"Don't worry—we'll win this."

Taichi's voice was calm, but filled with conviction.

"I'm counting on you."

Kitajima spoke seriously.

[Nishikawa Tadahisa—Outside Hitter:Height: 192 cm

Serve: 86 | Receive: 85 | Dig: 80 | Set: 82 | Spike: 90| Block: 85

Spike Reach: 346 cm /Block Reach: 320 cm.]

His offence was passable, but in terms of defence, the gap between him and Kitajima was far too wide.

Against a powerhouse like the Black Jackals, bringing Nishikawa in wouldn't make much difference.

The Black Jackals continued serving.

Sakusa Kiyoomi served again.

"I got it!"

Yoshii Hiyu received the ball and sent it to the front right.

"God, this kid's serve is so damn annoying…"

Nishikawa Tadahisa managed the pass. Tom Wilde jumped for the spike.

BOOM!!!

Smack!

"First touch!"

Bokuto shouted.

"Chance ball!"

Inunaki made a perfect first touch. Miya Atsumu set it cleanly to the left wing.

Adriah Thomas jumped for the spike.

"Triple block!" Iizuna, Tom, and Nishikawa jumped together.

BOOM!!!—

The ball slammed into Nishikawa's arms, the force of it making him feel like a sledgehammer had struck his forearm.

SMACK!!

"First touch!"

His arms were knocked wide, but luckily the ball shot straight up, still hovering over DH's side.

Yoshii covered and set the ball toward the left.

Thud!

Kaedehara Taichi leapt from the back row.

"Triple block!" Adriah Thomas, Bokuto Kōtarō, and Oliver Barnes all jumped.

"Got him now."

Meian Shugō's eyes lit up. Surely this guy had to be worn out by now.

BOOM!!!—

Smack!—

The ball ricocheted off Adriah Thomas's arm, grazed the net, and dropped just outside DH's sideline.

Block out!

Kaedehara Taichi scored.

[DH 33 – 33 Black Jackals]

"Whew, that one was cutting it close," commentator Daisuke remarked.

"As we saw just now, the Black Jackals' triple block nearly smothered Taichi's back-row attack completely."

"Though Taichi reacted swiftly and aimed for the block, it didn't land quite as cleanly as he hoped."

"When the ball dropped, it was just 2.4 centimetres outside the DH sideline. Just a little more—and this third set would've been over."

A collective sigh of relief echoed from the stands—like survivors who had just made it through a disaster. This set had dragged on for so long, everyone's nerves had been stretched taut to the breaking point.

Serve rotation. DH now had the serve, and Kaedehara Taichi returned to the front row.

Nishikawa Tadahisa aimed a powerful jump serve at Oliver Barnes.

"I got it!"

Smack!

Oliver Barnes received the ball himself. Not every serve needed cover from teammates—this one posed little threat. After receiving it cleanly, he had plenty of time to retreat and prepare for a full approach.

Miya Atsumu jumped in to cover and set. All three of Black Jackals' front-row attackers launched into motion at once.

"Which side is he going to—?"

"He gave it to him again?!"

The ball soared above the middle, where Oliver Barnes jumped to spike.

A powerful opposite hitter executing a self-receive and follow-up spike—only Miya Atsumu would make such a bold play!

Launching off one leg, Oliver's bronzed arm bulged with veins as he swung down like a hammer toward the ball.

BOOM!!!—

The violent tearing of air split through the silence—

—SMACK!!!

And then, it stopped abruptly.

At the very top edge of the net, Kaedehara Taichi's arms appeared like venomous snakes striking—deadly and precise. The ball smashed into that "iron wall" without moving it an inch.

THUD!

The ball slammed hard onto Black Jackals' side of the court.

Sakusa Kiyoomi's diving fingertips were still tens of centimetres away.

Point, Kaedehara Taichi—Block!

[DH 34 - 33 Black Jackals]

The tides had turned. DH snatched the set point.

As the scoreboard changed, DH's bench erupted instantly. Their fans, too, were ignited by the sudden reversal—shouts and applause roared like crashing waves, one after another, loud enough to shake the entire stadium.

Amidst the raucous celebration, the players of Black Jackals stood grim-faced and silent.

"…It's this feeling again," muttered Sakusa Kiyoomi, his expression dark.

That overwhelming déjà vu sent a chill crawling up the back of his neck—Kaedehara Taichi was always right there, and every single set wrestled from him felt like a war.

DH continued serving.

Nishikawa Tadahisa delivered the next serve, and Inunaki Shion stepped forward for a stable reception.

While Miya Atsumu moved to set, his fingertips flashed a hidden hand signal behind his back. Bokuto Kōtarō retreated from the right attack zone, crossing with Sakusa Kiyoomi charging up from the left back row.

All four attack points—Black Jackals' front and back—surged forward in a coordinated offensive, a crushing wave of momentum.

DH's front row blockers didn't want to sit idle, but they had no better options. They were forced to spread out and cover each attack lane.

Whoosh—!

At the last moment, Miya's set avoided Kaedehara Taichi completely, sending the ball toward the far right.

He knew full well how devastating Itachiyama's ace could be when catching an opponent off-guard.

Thud!

Sakusa Kiyoomi leapt from the back row.

DH's left-side block was already out of position. Tom Wilde jumped alone to intercept. The two players hovered opposite each other above the net.

---

"That new Black Jackals rookie's spikes are weird—the ball goes all over the place after contact."

"Tom, you can't stop his hits clean. Try to bait him into hitting into your block, then pull away—"

---

Tom Wilde recalled what Kitajima Kippei and Nitta Asahiro had told him.

"…This is tough for me, Kippei-ossan."

But—

Tom Wilde knew DH's back row defence was currently being handled by Nishikawa Tadahisa, who'd just come on. That made him the likeliest target. Tom tightened his arms, sealing off the down-the-line shot.

"So he is aiming this side, huh…?"

Tom saw Sakusa's arm angle—it looked like he wasn't even considering the block.

BOOM!!

Sakusa's hand cracked like a whip.

"Something's off!" A strange feeling surged in Kaedehara Taichi's chest. "Tom, block it!"

But it was too late.

Predicting Sakusa would spike into his block, Tom swung his arm downward—

And then Sakusa smiled.

His true target had been DH's back-row defender Nishikawa Tadahisa all along.

Twisting his wrist midair, he cut the ball down hard. What had been a flat trajectory suddenly dropped straight down into DH's back court—completely exposed.

Nishikawa leaned forward slightly, visibly tense. Of course, he wouldn't underestimate a starting player for Black Jackals, especially one who debuted straight out of high school. From the expressions on his teammates' faces alone, he could tell Sakusa's spikes were no joke.

"Move! I got it!"

A shout came suddenly from beside him—Yoshii Hiyu. Nishikawa instinctively stepped aside.

Smack!

"Down, boy!"

The moment he made contact, Yoshii sank his shoulder to soften the impact. The ball glided neatly forward toward DH's centre.

"Cover!"

"Nice receive!"

Izuna Tsukasa understood—being able to handle Sakusa's spike like that even once in a game was a massive win.

Kaedehara Taichi moved to approach. Even though Sakusa's spike hadn't scored, it had thrown DH's formation into chaos. Only Taichi remained available to attack in the front.

Adriah Thomas, Oliver Barnes, and Bokuto Kōtarō all converged toward the left.

Thump!

Kaedehara Taichi rose into the air on the left side.

At that instant, Oliver Barnes sensed something off—DH's true weapon was launching from the back row.

Nitta Asahiro.

"Double block!" Adriah and Bokuto leapt at once.

As Oliver screeched to a halt, his gaze was drawn to the right by Nitta's approach.

Taichi glanced in Oliver's direction.

Whoosh!—

Izuna Tsukasa's set flew perfectly into his hands.

"You were just the decoy?" Oliver stared in disbelief at the innocently smiling Nitta Asahiro.

"You guys are really something," Kaedehara said, the corner of his mouth curling, "still finding time to get distracted while facing me."

BOOOM!!!

The spike cut through Black Jackals' formation like a scalpel, spinning with a speed almost impossible to track. It crashed down right at Inunaki Shion's feet.

BANG!!!

A faint white mark was left on the floor as the ball shot back up into the air.

Kaedehara Taichi scored with a monstrous spike.

[DH 35 - 33 Black Jackals]

The stadium fell deathly silent, like someone had hit the mute button. Then, exactly 0.8 seconds later, it exploded.

"I have a feeling this might be the longest set of the entire season!"

"After an extreme tug-of-war, DH finally takes the set!!!"

The net swayed slightly in the electric air.

Kaedehara Taichi bent over, gasping for breath. His jersey clung to him, soaked in sweat—the #10 on his back now a dark blot on a map.

Across the net, Meian Shūgo stared intently at him from the sidelines. Just one more point and he would've reentered the match—but reality had denied him that chance. Tapping his index finger silently against his thigh, he was already mentally reviewing the set.

Inunaki Shion sat back on his knees, twin crescents of sweat left by his pads glistening on the floor.

"Tweet—!" The familiar whistle finally blew.

After nearly 40 minutes;

The third set of the 2014–2015 Division 1 Men's Preseason Exhibition Match ended.

Winner: DESEO Hornets.

-----

Almost no one expected this.

After Black Jackals had taken the opening set, DH fought back and claimed two straight.

In this clash of dark horse versus juggernaut, the scales of victory had tilted.

But—

In the fourth set, Kitajima Kippei's stamina hadn't recovered, and Black Jackals' offence turned even fiercer. DH looked like a shadow of its earlier self, suffering a steady, one-sided defeat.

[DH 18 - 25 Black Jackals]

The longest set of the day was immediately followed by the shortest.

Just like in the morning, the two teams had dragged the match into a decisive fifth set.

_________

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