"Judging from your expressions, I don't think I need to say much more."

Even though San Juan unexpectedly lost the first set, Coach José wasn't as angry as he had been at the start of the match.

"This is the World Championship."

"The side that exposes a weakness—their advantage and disadvantage can switch in an instant. A single mistake or a slight drop in form can wipe out a year's worth of hard work."

"Remember, in your opponent's eyes, you're also prey."

"The price of underestimating your opponent usually has to be paid with defeat."

Taichi closed his eyes, replaying the first set in his mind.

The gap between the two teams wasn't that big. It was only because San Juan had defeated Nizhnev and Trentino in the past two days with such commanding performances that it gave people the illusion that today's match was firmly in their control.

During the match, San Juan didn't make any obvious mistakes. São Paulo's points weren't easily earned.

If anything, there was a saying often heard in basketball—"the team that controls the rebounds wins the game." In volleyball, it might translate to:

"The team that controls the serve-receive wins the match."

San Juan lost the first set largely because their serve-receive was suppressed, and even the final point was lost directly on Wallace's service ace.

"Alright, no need for those gloomy faces."

After Coach José finished his stern words, Assistant Coach Frey stepped forward to help adjust the players' mindset.

"Although we lost the first set, there's absolutely no reason to panic."

"Our offence is still working. From now on, we need to keep scoring every point in our own way. As for defence…"

"Understood!"

-----

"Ahhh, I thought San Juan would easily beat São Paulo today!"

"So, does that make São Paulo a dark horse?"

"Well, thinking carefully, maybe not exactly," one of the spectators who had just sighed said. "When the groups were first announced, there was a big argument—many people believed Brazil and Italy would be the final teams to advance."

"I see. I heard yesterday that San Juan's matches were incredible, so I specially came to watch today," another spectator replied. "It was indeed exciting, but I didn't expect them to lose the first set so flatly."

"Actually, São Paulo's lineup is really star-studded, don't you think? The legendary opposite Wallace, the all-rounder ace Yoandy, and 'Ninja' Shōyō!"

"Ninja? You mean that beach volleyball guy who's really strong online?"

"That little guy! You didn't know?!"

"No wonder he looked familiar…I just never connected the dots. He's really amazing!"

"Right? My kid used to love his videos. But since joining São Paulo, he hasn't updated much."

"Who knows, maybe this little guy will become the male version of Kerri Walsh in volleyball?"

(PS: Kerri Walsh Jennings, American female volleyball player, champion in both beach and indoor volleyball; PPS: Ivan Zaytsev also switched to beach volleyball later and won the Italian Championship.)

"Mm…you never know!"

"São Paulo! São Paulo!"

"Wallace! Wallace…!"

The cheers for São Paulo grew louder and louder. Although many spectators were drawn in by San Juan—or rather, by Kaedehara Taichi—stories of the underdog beating the strong always captured people's hearts.

"São Paulo shows absolutely no sign of surrendering to fate. Today, they want to defeat the strongest team in Group A!" the commentator hyped them up.

"Listen to that roar from the stands!" Bernardo Rezende gathered the players. "This is it—the best timing!"

"Let's go! We can win!!"

"Ooohhh!!!"

-----

Half an hour later.

BOOM!!!

With a heavy crash, the ball hit the ground.

Kaedehara Taichi scored with a spike.

[San Juan 25 - 20 São Paulo]

"Beeep—!"

The set-ending whistle sounded.

San Juan calmly took the second set and evened the match.

"Hiss—"

"They really are strong…"

In the second set, the spectators felt the undeniable strength of San Juan.

"San Juan didn't waver at all. They easily evened it up, making it 1-1!"

-----

After the break, the third set began.

ASAS São Paulo's lineup:

Front row—Middle Blocker Lucas Saatkamp, Setter Fernand Colin, Outside Hitter Yoandy Leal.

Back row—Outside Hitter Hinata Shōyō, Opposite Hitter Wallace Souza and Middle Blocker Darlan Souza (Libero: Sanhos).

CA San Juan's lineup:

Front row—Outside Hitter Kaedehara Taichi, Middle Blocker Martín Ramos, Setter Oikawa Tōru.

Back row—Opposite Hitter Bruno Lima, Middle Blocker Agustín Loser (Libero: Santiago Danani) and Outside Hitter Facundo Conte.

Once again, San Juan served first. Coach José didn't set Taichi in the powerful zone 1 position like he did in the fourth set against Trentino, instead keeping the standard stable rotation.

São Paulo, having won the first set, didn't need to change their lineup either. They hoped to secure another set after returning to their preferred rotation.

"Tweet!—"

As the whistle blew, Conte tossed the ball high and executed a powerful jump serve!

BOOM!!!

The ball slammed towards São Paulo's back row.

Smack!

Hinata Shōyō received it steadily, perfect pass.

"Nice receive!"

Fernand leapt at the net to set. Oikawa positioned himself in front, wary of a setter dump.

—BAM!!!

The ball flew over Oikawa's head.

"He still went for the attack?!"

Santiago dove forward—the ball crashed into the centre of San Juan's court.

Fernand scored on a setter dump!

[San Juan 0 - 1 São Paulo]

"Damn it…interesting move," Oikawa gritted his teeth.

Fernand grinned. Maybe his pure setting skill wasn't as refined as Oikawa's, but as a setter, he would never admit defeat.

Serve switched—São Paulo served.

Lucas executed a powerful jump serve!

BOOM!!!

Bruno received it, a slightly off-target pass.

Oikawa quickly stepped in to set to the left wing. Taichi leapt for the spike!

"Double block!" Yoandy and Souza jumped together.

—BOOM!!!

A super cross spike!

The ball flew over Yoandy's hands, heading straight for São Paulo's end line.

"That direction is—" Hinata's body moved on instinct.

"Lucas!" Wallace shouted loudly.

Hearing was one thing, reacting was another. As the ball thundered toward him, Lucas only had time to raise his hand—

SMACK!!!—

The ball struck his arm, then ricocheted off his shoulder and flew out of bounds.

—"No double contact called!"

—"And the ball that bounced off the middle blocker's shoulder lost speed!"

Hinata appeared underneath the ball!

Whoosh—!

The ball was sent back perfectly to the net. Yoandy leapt for the spike!

"Double block!" Taichi and Ramos jumped together.

BOOM!!!

SMACK!!!

The ball hit Ramos' arm and flew out of bounds.

Off-the-block point.

Yoandy scored!

[San Juan 0 - 2 São Paulo]

"Beautiful spike!"

São Paulo opened the set with two consecutive points, just like they did in the first set!

"Hinata's sets…they've gotten so good!" Bokuto Kōtarō shouted excitedly.

"You should be reflecting on why you haven't improved your own setting at all," Miya Atsumu shot him a glare.

"Eh?"

-----

São Paulo continued serving. Lucas served again!

BOOM!!!

Smack!

Conte received it steadily—perfect pass.

Oikawa leapt in the front row, Fernand guarding against a setter dump.

Same situation: a possible second-touch attack and single block, but Oikawa didn't choose to strike.

Whoosh!—

The ball flew toward the left wing. Taichi leapt high.

Yoandy and Souza jumped together for a double block.

BOOM!!!

The ball cut past the left side of the block and slammed into São Paulo's back row.

The exact same sharp line shot—but this time Lucas had no space to react.

THUD!!!

The ball smashed down on the left sideline and bounced out.

Kaedehara Taichi scored!

[San Juan 1 - 2 São Paulo]

"It's not an illusion. São Paulo really handles Taichi better than both Nizhnev and Trentino!"

Suzaku, the head coach of Ryujin Club, was analysing every play meticulously with the middle blockers and liberos.

"This is probably because they've faced him so many times—their blocks stay right on him, and the receivers know how to position themselves."

"Taichi mainly relies on height and speed to force points. Of course, that in itself is a testament to his ability."

"But…it really eats into his stamina."

After the first two sets, Coach Suzaku's tactical board was already covered in notes.

"In terms of matches against Taichi, we definitely have the most experience among all these teams. But I didn't expect São Paulo to become the team that gives us the most valuable reference."

"Before the spiker can break through the defence, you must become their strongest shield."

"Understood!"

The middle blockers and liberos nodded vigorously. Compared to the outside hitters beside them enjoying the match, their expressions were significantly more serious.

-----

Serve switched—San Juan's turn.

The ball rested quietly in Oikawa Tōru's palm.

"Tweet!—"The whistle sounded.

Oikawa tossed the ball, approached, jumped, and struck!

BOOM!!!

São Paulo's back row formed a four-man receive.

The ball targeted Yoandy, who had rotated to the back row.

Smack!!

Yoandy received it, pass slightly off.

Fernand stepped in to set. Souza jumped on the right as a decoy, but Taichi and Ramos didn't bite.

Wallace soared from the back row for a spike!

"Double block!" Taichi and Ramos jumped together.

BOOM!!!

The ball hit Ramos's arm and flew out.

Off-the-block point.

Wallace scored!

[San Juan 1 - 3 São Paulo]

"Again?"

On the sidelines, Coach José frowned deeply. Rather than avoiding Taichi's block, São Paulo seemed to be deliberately targeting Ramos!

Serve switched—São Paulo serve.

Fernand aimed a jump float serve at Ramos.

"Damn it!"

As the one being targeted, Ramos could clearly sense it. But for the moment, he couldn't think of a better solution.

"I'll take it."

A familiar voice reached Ramos's ears. Instinctively, he stepped aside, allowing Taichi to step up and overhand pass the ball.

"???"

—"Having your ace cover for the middle blocker on serve receive?"

—"That's probably exactly what São Paulo wants—to use this tactic to disrupt Taichi. If that happens, the only remaining threats are Ramos in the front row and Conte in the back row."

Whoosh!—

Oikawa leapt to set. The ball flew toward the left wing.

Taichi took one step across and jumped!

"Is Oikawa crazy? He's really setting to him now?!"

"Triple block!" Yoandy, Souza, and Wallace all jumped together.

Taichi, jumping off one foot, was completely sealed by São Paulo's strongest blocking formation!

"Taichi's overestimating himself this time."

Spectators behind São Paulo couldn't even see Taichi's silhouette behind the wall of blockers.

"If Taichi really had no way out, why would Oikawa set to him?" Kozume Kenma murmured, his focused eyes widening slightly, pupils narrowing and turning slightly vertical.

Kuroo Tetsurō suddenly felt a strange, powerful energy rising beside him. He instinctively glanced at Kenma—

"You really do still want to face him one day, huh?"

-----

In midair, Taichi and São Paulo's block reached their peak. His body stretched like a fully drawn bow—but he didn't swing.

"What is he thinking?"

Wallace stared fixedly at him. The next second, their eyes met.

No! That gaze wasn't directed at him!

As both sides began to descend, the ball arced slightly to the right, seemingly about to fly out.

Yet, Taichi didn't show even the slightest rush or panic. His eyes remained calm. The three blockers were clearly reflected in his eyes, yet it felt as if he wasn't even looking at them.

"It's messed up."

In the instant Souza relaxed his guard, his blocking form loosened.

Taichi's motion suddenly changed. He bent his torso slightly, then stretched again. Using the power from that single jump, he twisted his body in the air.

"That guy—!"

Wallace's arms tensed up sharply. He pressed down rapidly to seal the line toward the antenna.

Taichi had already fully turned his back, unable to see São Paulo's block anymore. His left arm swung behind him—it looked casual, yet it struck the ball with pinpoint precision!

BOOM!!!—

Wallace's pupils shrank sharply; his eyes flew wide open.

The ball slipped through the narrow gap between Souza and Wallace, as if guided by invisible threads, landing sharply in the centre of São Paulo's court!

THUD!!!

The ball bounced high.

The entire arena fell dead silent.

Taichi landed steadily, his back to São Paulo's players. He didn't look back, but he was completely certain of what had just happened.

"Tweet!—" The referee's whistle sounded.

Kaedehara Taichi scored!

[San Juan 2 - 3 São Paulo]

"W-What…was that?!!"

The spectators' eyes were filled with blank confusion. Even Souza, who had been the closest to the play, hadn't recovered yet.

Everyone—including the players on court—turned to the arena's big screen. The replay showed Taichi's spike in slow motion.

During the descent, back to the net, left-handed spike!

When all these pieces came together, it was utterly incomprehensible.

And yet, Taichi quietly returned to his position, as if that earth-shattering point was nothing special at all…

_________