But Nekoma, the school known for its formidable defense, didn't disappoint!
Their blocking and court coverage were perfectly coordinated every time!
They saved ball after ball that seemed certain to land!
As long as the ball hasn't hit the ground, there's still a chance!
This is Nekoma! That tenacious unity is what defines them!
"Uh-oh!"
"The situation is playing out exactly the way Nekoma wants it to!"
Spectators around the court kept their eyes locked on the action.
Relentless defense, patient build-up—this was Nekoma's rhythm!
"Could it be that Karasuno's ace is only really effective at blocking?"
Daiki Ogano frowned slightly from the sidelines.
"Take notes, guys. When we go up against Karasuno, we need to avoid his blocks. If we can go around him, their strength drops significantly!"
"Yes, Captain!"
But just as he finished speaking, the situation on the court changed!
Kenma set the ball to Yamamoto for an attack. The spike hit Akira's arm but didn't bounce back toward Nekoma's side!
A soft block!
Instead of pressing down, Akira angled his arms back!
Nekoma's defensive formation was left wide open!
The ball flew into Karasuno's back row!
"One touch!!"
After several failed blocks, Akira redirected the ball right back onto Karasuno's side!
Suddenly, the roles of offense and defense were reversed!
Now it was Karasuno's turn to attack!
"I got it!"
THWACK!
Tanaka, waiting in the back row, easily picked up the chance ball!
Kageyama was in position—Time to strike!
WHOOSH!
The ball spun sharply and flew straight toward Akira on the left!
Here it comes!
The entire Nekoma team tensed in unison!
THUMP!
From the bench, Daiki Ogano saw the sudden shift in Nekoma's defense and leapt up, nearly knocking over his chair!
Not only him, but the entire Shinzen team stared wide-eyed at the court.
"Wh-what?! Why isn't Nekoma going for the block?!"
In the face of Akira's spike, no one in Nekoma moved to the front row for a block!
They all fell back, eyes focused on the figure already airborne.
The pressure hit like a wave!
BAM!
Just as Akira delivered his spike, Kuroo in the back row reacted!
The spot Akira chose was close to the line, but within Kuroo's reach!
Despite how close it was to the boundary, Kuroo knew Akira's precision—there was no way it would go out of bounds.
That out-of-bounds feeling? A trap!
Fall for it, and you're done!
THUD!
Kuroo dove to receive the spike, and the ball made contact with his arm—but immediately rebounded!
"Huh?"
The moment the ball touched him, Kuroo's expression shifted.
"Something's wrong with that hit...!"
SMACK!
The ball veered off course and flew toward the sideline—far out of reach.
It landed far from any of his teammates.
Point for Karasuno!
"What... was that?"
Daiki scratched his head, frowning.
"Did Kuroo just mess up?"
Frankly, Nekoma's reaction to Karasuno's ace was bizarre.
First, they didn't even try to block.
Then Kuroo—normally rock solid—missed the reception completely!
And Daiki had practiced with Nekoma enough to know exactly how good Kuroo was.
That ball shouldn't have gotten past him.
Kuroo himself looked at his arm, stunned.
"That touch..."
"What is it, Kuroo-senpai?"
Everyone in Nekoma noticed his strange expression. Lev, always blunt, spoke up.
"That spike just now—it was something else," Kuroo muttered.
"Be careful when receiving his attacks."
"Something else?"
"Yeah... think back to that guy's spike in the match against Itachiyama."
"Itachiyama?"
Everyone exchanged confused glances.
But now wasn't the time for explanations. Wordlessly, the team reset.
No one doubted Kuroo's words. If he made a mistake, he owned it—always.
So if he said Akira's spike was different, then it was.
With the formation adjusted, the game pressed on.
----
1st Bonus Chapter - 500 Power Stones
2nd Bonus Chapter -800 Power Stones
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