Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

Chapter 163: The New King

"Go, Niiyama! Go, Niiyama!"

"Wait, what? Why is everyone cheering for Niiyama Tech? Are they that strong?" Kindaichi Yūtarō asked naively, tilting his head in confusion at the uproar in the stands.

"That's for the Queen," Yahaba Shigeru replied, his gaze already fixed on the opposite side of the gym.

"The Queen?"

"You don't know? Niiyama Girls' High School has been representing Miyagi in the nationals for years," Yahaba explained enthusiastically. "In girls' volleyball, they're scarier than Shiratorizawa. They're practically unstoppable."

Hearing this, Taichi couldn't help but glance toward the Niiyama Girls' High section.

The players stood tall and confident, their well-toned physiques exuding both strength and elegance.

Their aura as a perennial champion was palpable, commanding attention even from afar.@@@@

"They do look strong," Taichi murmured, scanning the group when a familiar figure caught his eye.

Kanoka Amanai?

Wasn't she Ryūnosuke Tanaka's childhood friend?

No wonder the name Niiyama High sounded familiar. Taichi smirked, thinking about Tanaka's extraordinary luck—not only having a stunning childhood friend but also eventually marrying the equally dazzling Kiyoko Shimizu.

Taichi chuckled darkly to himself. If we face Karasuno in the finals, I'll target that buzz-cut bastard specifically.

A sharp whistle snapped him out of his thoughts—it was time for Aoba Johsai to begin their warmup.

"Aoba Johsai! Aoba Johsai! We are invincible!"

"Aoba Johsai! The strongest and the best!"

"Let's go, let's go, let's go, Seijoh! Victory, victory, victory, Seijoh!"

The spectators in the stands roared, a sea of teal and white cheering fervently. With Coach Irihata's guarantee of championship contention, the school administration had sent students en masse to cheer for the volleyball team at every match.

A massive banner reading "Rule the Court" fluttered proudly from the railings, capturing the spirit of the crowd.

Taichi felt a familiar surge of adrenaline course through him.

"Nothing beats the thrill of a match where losing means game over," he muttered with a grin.

The crowd was almost double the size of their Interhigh preliminaries, with cheers pouring in like an unrelenting wave, filling the gym and driving the players' energy to its peak.

-----

After a thirty-minute warmup, Coach Irihata gathered the team for final instructions.

"Today marks the debut of our blocking strategy in an official match. Don't let your guard down."

"Yes, Coach!"

"Don't underestimate any opponent. Secure the win!"

"Yes!!"

"Get out there, Miyagi's new kings."

"Yes!!!"

Aoba Johsai's starting lineup:

Front row—Outside Hitter Kaedehara Taichi, Middle Blocker Kindaichi Yūtarō, and Wing Spiker Hanamaki Takahiro

Back row—Setter Oikawa Tōru, Middle Blocker Matsukawa Issei (Libero Watari Shinji) and Opposite Hitter Iwaizumi Hajime.

Niiyama Tech's starting lineup:

Smack!

This time, Kanazawa finally managed to receive the serve. The ball rebounded high into the air—fortunately, it didn't cross the net.

"Mine!" Fumi Koike, the setter, darted into position beneath the ball.

Niyama Tech's wing spiker Takeo Izumi and outside hitter Saijō Naoya readied themselves to attack.

Whoosh!

The ball sailed to the left wing. Koike misjudged the pass slightly, and the ball ended up too close to the net.

"That's enough," muttered Izumi.

As his team's ace, he had no trouble dealing with imperfect sets. Despite the two first-years standing tall in Aoba Johsai's front row, he trusted his own 188cm height.

With a well-timed approach, Izumi leapt into the air and hammered the ball down with all his might.

"Double block!" Kaedehara Taichi and Kindaichi Yūtarō rose together.

In an instant, Izumi sensed danger.

So high. So fast.

The two sets of arms extended above the net, casting a formidable shadow that covered nearly all his attacking angles.

There was no way through...

A split-second of hesitation seized Izumi as he swung. His spike collided with Kindaichi's arm and ricocheted straight back into Niyama Tech's court.

Aoba Johsai scored with a block.

[Aoba Johsai 3 - 0 Niyama Tech]

Kindaichi's blocking had improved significantly over the summer, but even he couldn't ignore the immense pressure that Taichi's block exerted.

Taichi's hands had stretched over the net, parallel to one another, his arms taut with unrelenting force. He hadn't even tried to stuff the ball—he simply positioned his block as an impenetrable wall.

Kindaichi felt a chill. If the spike had gone in Taichi's direction, there would have been no escape.

"Nice block, Kindaichi!" Taichi grinned, his eyes gleaming.

Kindaichi scratched his head sheepishly. There was still so much to learn.

The serving rotation wasn't over. Iwaizumi returned to the service line.

A collective tension gripped Niyama Tech's players as he prepared for his fourth serve—an inexplicable sense of suffocating pressure.

Thud!

The ball landed just outside the backline.

[Aoba Johsai 3 - 1 Niyama Tech]

The missed serve was a clear sign that Iwaizumi had been rattled by Kanazawa's earlier reception.

The more he tried to control the ball, the harder it was to find the right touch.

"Don't worry about it! Next one!" his teammates called out calmly.

Iwaizumi took a deep breath and returned to his position. The real battle was only beginning.

_________

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