[Aoba Johsai 25 – 22 Nohebi]

"What an impeccably precise line shot!"

"Aoba Johsai's ace, Kaedehara Taichi, did not disappoint his teammates, clinching this set with a decisive and clean spike!"

"Throughout the first set, #10, Kaedehara Taichi primarily relied on diagonal shots, but at the crucial moment, he surprised everyone with a spectacular straight shot to finish things off. Such a well-planned strategy…"

"Let's take a short break before the second set begins."

------

Meanwhile

As the match had entered its final tug-of-war, two familiar figures to Taichi arrived in the stands.

"...The first set's almost over…"

Kuroo Tetsurō found two adjacent seats and pulled Kozume Kenma along to sit. "Not surprising, considering you woke up at 2 a.m. to play games and ended up oversleeping this morning…"

"Well, it was the final boss. I didn't expect it to take five hours to beat." Kenma reminisced with lingering excitement. "Taichi would definitely understand."

Kuroo didn't respond, instead turning his attention to Nohebi's captain, Suguru Daishō, whom he had known for years. Every time they met, it would inevitably lead to some bickering.

"In some ways, Nohebi is similar to our Nekoma—both teams are stable and consistent." Kuroo watched as Nohebi repeatedly neutralized Aoba Johsai's attacks. "Solid defence, unyielding spirit, forcing the opponent to unravel themselves."

Kenma curled into his seat, noting that it had been years since Nekoma last faced Nohebi. Judging by the match so far, Kuroo wasn't wrong.

"But the atmosphere of this game feels completely different…" Kenma muttered, relying on instinct. The Aoba Johsai bench seemed charged with an undercurrent of tension and anger.

Smash!

On the court, Taichi ended the set with his decisive straight shot.@@novelbin@@

"Oh wow—Taichi's straight shots are already this refined." Kuroo clicked his tongue in amazement. "If I told people that a month ago, he couldn't even pull off this move, no one would believe me."

"Kuroo, that was a left-handed spike." Kenma sat upright, his cat-like eyes narrowing as he fixed his gaze on Kaedehara Taichi. Every time they didn't see him for a while, Taichi seemed to evolve in astonishing ways.

He was like a relentless monster, devouring every opponent and turning them into sustenance for his growth.

"Beating Taichi is only going to get harder." Kuroo quickly grasped Kenma's meaning.

"Yeah, so we need to study him thoroughly and defeat him soon!" Kenma thought to himself—it was like defeating a boss before it fully powered up.

Aoba Johsai's Bench

"Oikawa-senpai, I have something to say to everyone."

Kunimi Akira, who had worn a scowl during the match, finally spoke up. Oikawa Tōru had intended to console him but was caught off guard by Kunimi's serious tone.

The team gathered around to listen.

"Nohebi picks their targets for provocation carefully. It's obvious they prefer going after straightforward personalities and first-years." Kunimi kept his head down as he spoke. "Previously, they focused on Kyōtani-senpai. Now that he's on the bench, I'd guess their next targets will be—"

"The first-years, Kunimi and Taichi." Iwaizumi Hajime completed the thought.

"Seems like this set isn't ideal for Kindaichi to play. With Matsukawa-senpai on the court, we can relax." Kaedehara Taichi grinned cheekily.

"???" Kindaichi looked baffled.

Unluckily for Nohebi, most of Aoba Johsai's players were analytical thinkers. In some ways, Aoba Johsai was the team best equipped to counter Nohebi's strategies.

Second Set Begins

Aoba Johsai's lineup:

Aoba Johsai's lineup:

Front row—Setter Oikawa Tōru, Middle Blocker Kaedehara Taichi, Wing Spiker Kunimi Akira

Back row—Wing Spiker Hanmaki Takahiro, Middle Blocker Matsukawa Issei(Libero: Watari Shinji) and Outside Hitter Iwaizumi Hajime.

Nohebi's lineup:

Front row—Middle Blocker Hiroo Kōji, Setter Sakishima Isumi, Wing Spiker Suguru Daishō

Back row—Middle Blocker Seguro Akihiko (libero Akama Sō), Wing Spiker Numai Kazuma and Outside Hitter Naoyasu Kuguri.

Aoba Johsai served. Iwaizumi's powerful serve was expertly received by Akama. Sakishima set the ball to the right wing, where Nohebi's ace, Numai Kazuma, leapt to attack.

"Double block!" Kaedehara Taichi and Kunimi Akira rose together.

Smash!

Numai Kazuma's spike soared over Kunimi Akira's reach and landed cleanly inside Aoba Johsai's court.

[Aoba Johsai 0 – 1 Nohebi]

"Sorry, that's on me!" Kunimi called out.

"Don't worry about it. Focus on the next ball!"

"Hey, kid, your blocking is pathetic." Numai Kazuma shot Kunimi a contemptuous look. "With skills like that, you're actually playing at Nationals? Your teammates must have it tough."

Kunimi clenched his teeth, lowered his head, and stayed silent.

"Wow, no fight in you at all." Numai smirked and walked back to his position.

Nohebi's trash talk wasn't random—it was calculated, designed to hit players where it hurt the most.

The sting didn't come from their devilish whispers alone but from the unsettling truth they forced players to confront: the flaws within themselves exposed on the court.

By planting seeds of self-doubt, Nohebi ensured that the more serious a player, the more devastating their collapse.

But this tactic didn't work on someone like Kunimi Akira, who understood his limitations better than anyone else.

The reason he held a starting spot despite lacking standout skills was simple: he had mastered the ability to maximize his potential.

Nohebi served. Hiroo Kōji sent the ball deep into the corner, but Iwaizumi Hajime received it with ease.

Taichi sprinted to the middle of the net and leapt. Nohebi's blockers didn't react, leaving only Suguru Daishō in the back row watching Taichi's every move.

"Damn, they didn't fall for it…" Oikawa Tōru quickly set the ball, sending it past Taichi toward the right wing. Kunimi Akira ran up, gathered momentum, and jumped.

"Double block!" Sakishima Isumi and Numai Kazuma positioned themselves firmly in front of Kunimi.

This was their moment to crush Aoba Johsai's first-year player. From Nohebi's perspective, Kunimi's hunched shoulders and downcast expression indicated he was already teetering on the edge of a breakdown.

But...

"Finally," Kunimi thought, observing the libero's absence in Nohebi's back row. "A gap in their defence."

With a feathery touch, Kunimi tipped the ball over the blockers, aiming it just behind Numai Kazuma. The ball floated gracefully above Numai's fingertips before dropping sharply into the empty space.

"Damn it!" Naoyasu Kuguri sprinted forward, diving for the ball. His usual lethargic expression gave way to shock as he missed the save by a split second.

How is he still so calm under this kind of pressure?

The ball hit the court, and Kunimi finally let out a chuckle. Maintaining a façade of dejection was exhausting, even for him.

"I get it—you guys think you're so clever, right? Honestly, it's just a bit too simplistic." Kunimi returned to his usual composed demeanour, his confidence unshaken.

[Aoba Johsai 1 – 1 Nohebi]

"You little punk…"

"Let's build on this momentum and pull ahead!"

"Yes!"

"Feels like the match is already over…" Kozume Kenma suddenly sighed.

Kuroo Tetsurō glanced at the scoreboard. It was only 1-1 in the second set. "Already over? What are you talking about?"

"The Aoba Johsai players are too relaxed—especially Taichi. It's like Nohebi can't stop their offence anymore." Kenma murmured. "Besides Taichi, both Oikawa and that wing spiker just now are extremely intelligent players."

"Nohebi's been completely figured out."

Kuroo thought back to Nekoma's practice matches with Aoba Johsai. It had always been the same—the longer the match went on, the harder Aoba Johsai became to deal with.

The commentary reflected the same:

"#10, Kaedehara Taichi, fakes a middle attack—Oikawa sends the ball to the left wing! #4, Iwaizumi Hajime, scores!"

"Aoba Johsai's offensive variety is incredible!"

"And here it is again! With a perfect first touch, third-year setter Oikawa Tōru delivers a precise toss. #10, Kaedehara Taichi, leaps for a diagonal quick attack—what a powerful and synchronized play!"

"Nohebi's blockers had already formed a double wall at the wing, but they were just a fraction too slow!"

"This is a completely different game compared to the first set. Aoba Johsai has taken full control of the tempo, and Nohebi can't keep up with their offence!"