hotmtlnovel Chapter 206: The Strongest, Of Course—(D-L)
Chapter 206: The Strongest, Of Course—(D-L)
The Youth National Team's Keisuke Unnan served. It was a jump serve of moderate power, targeting the back row's Hoshiumi Kōrai.
Hoshiumi received it cleanly, sending the ball directly to Miya Atsumu, who immediately set to the left wing.
Sakusa Kiyoomi approached, took off, and swung for the spike.
"Double block!"
Bokuto Kōtarō and Kiryū Wakatsu jumped, sealing off both the straight and cross-court angles.
Keisuke had already positioned himself along the left sideline, while Ushijima Wakatoshi retreated to the baseline.
Since Sakusa's height wasn't enough to spike over the block, nor was his power sufficient to blast through it, the Youth National Team focused their defence on covering for a potential touch-out play.
Bang!
Sakusa adjusted his swing and aimed for a waist-high shot to avoid the blockers. However, stationed at the sideline was Oikawa Tōru.
Smack!
The ball ricocheted high into the air.
But with Oikawa forced to take the first touch, the Youth National Team lacked a setter in this rotation.
Ushijima stepped in and sent the ball back up.
Kiryū Wakatsu took flight at the centre.
"Double block!"
Chigaya Eikichi and Kaedehara Taichi sprang up in front of him.
Boom!!!
The ball slammed into Taichi's arms.
"One touch!"
Hoshiumi quickly reacted, passing the ball cleanly.
The moment Taichi landed, he sprinted to the right side, with Washio Tatsuki sticking close behind him. But—
He's getting faster!
Washio suddenly realized that he couldn't keep up with Taichi's acceleration!
Taichi planted his foot just inside the right sideline and soared. Washio, scrambling to react, mistimed his jump, leaving a half-body gap between them!
—"Oikawa!"
—"Atsumu!"
Both setters shouted at the same time. Oikawa had already positioned himself in the back row to guard against Taichi's attack.
Atsumu narrowed his eyes and grinned.
"Here it comes! Enjoy~"
The ball flew toward the left wing. Facing a solo block from Bokuto Kōtarō, Sakusa fired a straight shot.
The ball struck Keisuke Unnan's arm and deflected out of bounds.
[Reserve Team 25 – 24 Youth National Team]
"That was awesome!!!"
Atsumu revelled in the moment of tearing open the opposing defence.
He finally understood why his quick attack with Osamu never quite had the same devastating impact as the Oikawa-Taichi combination.
Because very few players possessed the overwhelming presence of Kaedehara Taichi!
Even if one wasn't paying attention, Taichi's sheer presence pulled in the setter's instincts.
And on the opposing side, leaving a weapon like that unguarded was simply not an option!
"Nice set, Mi-ya-se-npai!" Taichi gritted his teeth.
Not because he was frustrated at being used as a decoy—but because he realized Atsumu hadn't even aimed for a decisive score.
He just wanted to test if the play in his mind could be executed in reality.
"Right back at ya." Atsumu smirked in satisfaction.
This was his response to the last time their quick attack had been countered. The setter was the one who dictated the game.
As possession switched, Taichi stepped onto the service line.
Closing his eyes, he exhaled. When he opened them again, his mind was completely clear.
The Youth National Team's back row consisted of Tatsuki Washio, Ushijima, and Oikawa. A regular serve wouldn't faze them at all.
Then—
Taichi tossed the ball, took three quick steps, and leapt.
Right hand!
The Youth National Team locked onto his movement, making their first read.
Boom!
A powerful jump serve!
They made their second read and took a step back, preparing to receive.
—Wait!
"Tatsuki! Front!" Oikawa shouted.
The ball arced through the air, but instead of carrying deep, it curved sharply—
A short serve!
Washio, initially preparing to retreat, suddenly realized his mistake. But in that brief instant, his brain stalled.
His body, however, obeyed Oikawa's command and instinctively dove forward. His mind snapped back into action.@@@@
Smack!
Washio barely managed to pop the ball up.
Oikawa rushed in and prioritized height over precision, setting it toward the middle.
Kiryū Wakatsu took two steps and launched himself skyward.
The Reserve Team's front-row blockers were the most uncoordinated pair—Sakusa lacked raw power, and Chigaya lacked technical skill.
Boom!!!
Kiryū ruthlessly targeted Sakusa's hands!
Smack!
The ball shot through his block as if punching through paper!
"Mine!"
Hoshiumi lunged forward, keeping the ball alive with a one-handed save just before it hit the floor.
Sakusa and Hoshiumi tumbled to the ground.
With that one spike, Kiryū had simultaneously taken out two of the Reserve Team's attackers!
Atsumu immediately shifted right to cover.
"Left / Right Wing!"
Kageyama Tobio and Kaedehara Taichi both charged from the back row.
—Whoosh!
The ball soared toward the right wing, Taichi beginning his approach from the very backline.
Thud!
Taichi exploded into the air.
"Triple block!"
With the ball set high, the Youth National Team had time to form their most formidable wall.
Bokuto Kōtarō, Kiryū Wakatsu, and Washio Tatsuki aligned, sealing Taichi's path.
"Wrist rotation..."
Taichi targeted the edge of Bokuto's palm and snapped his shot.
Smack!
The ball struck Bokuto's arm, rebounded off the net, and tumbled toward the Youth National Team's court.
"Not over yet!!"
Iizuna Tsukasa dashed in from the back and kicked the ball upward before it could touch the ground!
Hoshiumi didn't spike.
The ball continued its trajectory toward the far left—where Kaedehara Taichi had already taken flight.
"Not a chance!"
Oikawa Tooru sprang up to block him.
Now, the two Aoba Johsai setters stood on opposite sides of the net.
Boom!!
Kaedehara Taichi unleashed a devastating diagonal shot, avoiding the block entirely.
[Reserve Team 29 – 28 Youth National Team]
"Oikawa-senpai~" Kaedehara Taichi called down lightly, a grin spreading across his face. "I thought you knew one blocker wouldn't be enough to stop me?"
Oikawa Tōru: "..."
Miya Atsumu prepared his second serve—Once again, he targeted Bokuto Kōtarō.
"I got it!"
Before Bokuto could move, Kiryū Wakatsu stepped in front of him and received the serve.
Oikawa quickly repositioned, sending a high set to the middle.
Ushijima Wakatoshi accelerated into his approach—his left arm tensed, muscles coiling—before he unleashed a monstrous spike!
BOOM!!
Smack!
"One touch!"
Kaedehara Taichi and Hoshiumi Korai both pressed down on the ball at the net—
One was the player most familiar with Ushijima's spikes.
The other was the player with the strongest blocking skills from Kamomedai Academy.
Together, they perfectly read Ushijima's attack trajectory.
Miya Atsumu sprinted backwards, resetting the play.
From the back row, Sakusa Kiyoomi launched into the air—Oikawa and Keisuke Unnan immediately jumped to block!
"Naïve."
Sakusa didn't go for a power hit—he redirected it.
The ball curved sharply toward Bokuto Kōtarō in the back corner!
Bokuto had no time to retreat. He closed his eyes and—
Smack!
Used his head to bounce the ball back up.
"HAH?! That actually worked?!"
"Bokuto-senpai, do you just not like using your hands?!"
Iizuna Tsukasa covered for him and kept the play alive.
Ushijima and Kiryū charged toward the net—
Obvious tandem attack!
The Reserve Team locked in on the two of them—
Whoosh—
Back set!
The ball sailed toward Bokuto Kōtarō on the left wing!
Even after using his head to receive the ball, Bokuto had immediately repositioned for an attack—
And Iizuna had read his movements perfectly!
Sometimes, he also wanted to set up something cool.
For the first time, a rare smile appeared on Iizuna Tsukasa's usually rigid face.
Bokuto rose from the back row—
Only two blockers could possibly reach him:
Kaedehara Taichi and Hoshiumi Korai.
"Block the diagonal!"
Kaedehara leapt up, angling his body to force Bokuto toward the open left side—
Where Komori Motoya was already waiting.
"A single libero thinks he can stop a straight shot?!"
Bokuto reared his arm back—his palm enveloping the back of the ball—before he hammered it down.
Inside the three-meter line! Let's see you stop this!!
Smack!
A pair of hands slammed down on the ball from the right side—
The ball ricocheted off Kaedehara Taichi's arms and landed back on the Youth National Team's court.
"Leaving an open lane for you doesn't mean we're giving you a free spike, Bokuto-senpai!"
Smack!
Oikawa Tōru dove, barely keeping the ball in play.
"Too soon to celebrate, Taichi!" he called out, locking eyes with Kaedehara from the floor.
Both understood each other's personalities far too well.
Taichi immediately refocused on the game—
Iizuna set the ball high—Ushijima Wakatoshi launched—
"Double block!"
Kaedehara and Hoshiumi once again jumped.
"One touch!"
Hoshiumi shouted.
Taichi landed and nearly lost his footing—but he steadied himself and sprinted toward the right.
Just a little more! One more block!
Komori dug the ball—Kageyama adjusted—
Kaedehara Taichi was already airborne.
"Kageyama!!!"
Before he could finish speaking, the ball was in his hands.
The opposing blockers reacted instantly—Washio had already jumped, and even Ushijima rushed in—
Kaedehara Taichi smiled.
"Thanks for the lesson, Bokuto-senpai."
He swung—adding a precise wrist flick—
BOOM!!
A perfect replica of Bokuto's previous shot—slamming into the corner of the court.
Kiryu Wakatsu was prepared—yet all he could do was watch the ball hit the ground.
Kaedehara Taichi scores!
[Reserve Team 30 – 28 Youth National Team]
"Tweet—!!"
The final whistle blew.
After a long, gruelling battle—
Victory: Reserve Team.
_________
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