Futakuchi Kenji's second serve came with even greater power, a whistling shot aimed towards Iwaizumi Hajime's direction.

Smack!

The crisp sound of the ball meeting hand signalled the beginning of Aoba Johsai's counterattack.

Iwaizumi handled the serve with ease, a clean and steady reception that set the tone for the rally.

Oikawa Tōru's gaze briefly passed over Kaedehara Taichi.

The glimmer in the 'Monster's' eyes was even brighter than before—a pure focus, a thirst for greater heights.

It was as though nothing else existed in his vision besides the blockers before him.

"Go for it…" Oikawa murmured under his breath, his voice soft but brimming with trust in his teammate.

With precise movements, he adjusted his position like a finely-tuned cog in a machine, sending the ball soaring high into the air—a bridge leading Taichi straight to the pinnacle.

Kaedehara Taichi launched from the back row, his approach brimming with explosive energy like a predator about to strike.

Thud!

With that resounding sound, he leapt into the air, his body carving a graceful arc as he ascended. Every muscle in his arm tensed, primed to unleash a devastating strike.

At that moment, time seemed to slow. Everyone held their breath, eyes fixed on the airborne figure, awaiting the inevitable.

"Double block!" Aone Takanobu and Koganegawa Kanji jumped to meet him.

For the first time, Date Tech's coach found himself doubting his defensive strategy.

Perhaps, when Kaedehara Taichi was in the front row, it was necessary to always deploy a triple block...

From Taichi's perspective, Koganegawa's blocking posture was slightly off, a gap forming in the Golden Iron Wall.

But—

What he wanted was not to exploit the gap.

He wanted to crush the wall head-on!

—BO—OOOM!!!—

The volleyball deformed against Taichi's palm as it tore through the air with overwhelming force, hurtling toward Date Tech's blockers.

—Smack!

Despite extending his arms as high as possible, Aone could only manage to graze the ball with the top of his hand.

"One touch!"

The ball rebounded upward, and Aone believed the play wasn't over yet.

But when he glanced at his teammates and saw no movement, he turned around—only to realize the ball was nowhere in sight.

A sudden realization struck him, and he looked up. The volleyball was now resting in the hands of a third-year senior seated in the back rows of the stands.

[Aoba Johsai 1 – 1 Date Tech]

"It's not enough..."

Taichi's eyes glimmered like two deep lakes. His focus had narrowed, zeroing in entirely on the confines of the 18m × 9m court.

The serve rotated, and Oikawa Tōru stepped up to the service line.

Date Tech formed their most cautious reception formation. Every player felt an unprecedented pressure weighing down on them.

Yet, the source of this pressure wasn't the server standing at the baseline—it was the unusually calm presence of Kaedehara Taichi in the front row.

Oikawa tossed the ball.

Boom!

In the blink of an eye, the serve reached Date Tech's baseline.

Smack!

Sakunami Kōsuke dove to save the ball, deflecting it out of bounds. Obara Yutaka reacted sharply, chasing the ball down and sending it back into play.

Under such immense pressure, it wasn't only Aoba Johsai evolving; Date Tech was adapting as well.

Onagawa Tarō sprinted into his approach and leapt, knowing he couldn't contribute to blocking in the front row. His responsibility was to deliver on offense.

On the other side of the net, Hanamaki Takahiro jumped to block.

Onagawa's last attempt at tooling the blockers remained vivid in Hanamaki's mind, so this time, he held back slightly, prepared to adjust mid-air.

Onagawa noticed Hanamaki's hesitance. Sometimes, it was precisely the intelligence of a defender that could be their undoing.

With a slight wrist snap to compensate for his lack of raw power, Onagawa aimed his shot toward the midline at the back of the court.

Just as he executed the strike, he caught a glimpse of a shadow out of the corner of his eye.

The figure moved as if from a standstill to full speed in an instant.

The transition from absolute stillness to explosive action was so sudden that it made everyone else's movements appear sluggish.

Just as Onagawa's hand connected with the ball, a pair of large hands emerged, covering the path he thought was open.

Smack!

Thump!

Kaedehara Taichi had leapt, colliding slightly with Hanamaki mid-air but maintaining his balance. His hands stretched out diagonally, forming an unexpected wall.

Onagawa's spike slammed directly into the wall and was sent crashing back into Date Tech's court.

[Aoba Johsai 2 – 1 Date Tech]

"What incredible focus! Such rapid reflexes!!" Kunimi Akira stared in astonishment at the scene before him.

Rotating to the front row, Kunimi had also noticed Onagawa Tarō's change in spike trajectory. However, in that split second, he found himself unable to do anything.

The direction of the spike was toward the opposite side. Even if he had shouted a warning, it would have been too late for his teammates to react.

The only thing Kunimi could do was to shift slightly to his right, just in case a teammate managed to barely save the ball—he would be in position to back them up.

"No, now's not the time to think about that."

Kunimi glanced beside him to see Hanamaki Takahiro crouched on the ground, clutching his waist.@@novelbin@@

Kaedehara Taichi paused for a moment before kneeling to check on him.

Hanamaki's eyelids twitched slightly. You're just as fast at checking on your senpai as you are at blocking, huh?

"Taichi, be more careful next time..."

"Hanamaki-senpai, are you okay?" Taichi asked, a bit embarrassed.

Hanamaki rolled his eyes. "If I weren't okay, why would I bother telling you to be careful?! If this keeps up, you'll shatter my bones into pieces!"

"Tehe~" Taichi scratched his head with a sheepish grin.

"That wasn't a compliment, Taichi!"

Hanamaki stood up and stretched a little. Fortunately, it was nothing more than a minor ache and didn't cause any serious injury.

Oikawa Tōru served again.

Obara Yutaka once again anticipated the trajectory and received the ball. The volleyball soared high, hovering near the net.

At that height, the ball would normally be sent back to Aoba Johsai's side, but Date Tech's setter, Koganegawa Kanji, had other plans.

Leaping near the net, Koganegawa cast a quick glance at Aoba Johsai's formation before suddenly spiking the ball one-handed.

Smack!

Oikawa received it with precision. As a professional setter, he wasn't easily deceived by basic moves—though it seemed like Koganegawa wasn't even trying to fake him out.

The ball was sent back toward the net. Kunimi set it high, the trajectory clean and stable.

Yet, he couldn't ignore the palpable hunger for a spike radiating from the player beside him.

"It's coming!"

Kaedehara Taichi's eyes lit up as he locked onto the two blockers in Date Tech's front row.

Aone Takanobu and Koganegawa Kanji both noticed his gaze. It was a clear challenge.

Taichi's energy shifted, becoming more subdued. His awareness honed in on the pivotal moment approaching.

As he looked up, the volleyball reached the perfect height. His muscles tensed, a reservoir of power ready to be unleashed as he began his run-up.

—Boom!

Taichi's foot struck the floor with a heavy thud, his legs propelling his entire body upward.

Across the net, his keen vision captured everything—Aone's intent, Koganegawa's movements, and the positioning of every player on Date Tech's side of the court.

"Double block!"

Date Tech's Iron Wall, forged through countless battles, was as formidable as ever.

Taichi swung his arm mid-air, the sensation of the ball already vivid in his mind even before contact.

At the exact moment of impact, his palm pressed firmly against the upper half of the ball. With a sharp wrist snap, he delivered a powerful strike infused with speed and spin.

—Boom!!!—

The volleyball tore through Aone's block and slammed into Date Tech's court with an echoing crash.

[Aoba Johsai 3 – 1 Date Tech]

"Phew—"

Taichi landed smoothly, his breathing steady yet deep. Sweat dripped from his forehead, splashing onto the hardwood floor.

The relentless jumping and spiking took a significant toll on his body. Yet—

"This feels amazing!"

Whether it was the instant his hand struck the ball mid-air or the moment he broke through Date Tech's wall, it was exhilarating.

Kaedehara Taichi couldn't help but anticipate the next phase. He knew Date Tech's blocks would only continue to grow stronger—and the thought filled him with excitement.

"Taichi! ACE!! Taichi! ACE!!"

"Aoba Johsai! Victorious!! Aoba Johsai! Victorious!!"

Banners emblazoned with "Rule the Court" waved amidst the sea of blue cheers.

Aoba Johsai's momentum was unstoppable!

_________

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Link - /Iseeblack [Remove the brackets]