After a brief intermission, the sed set began swiftly.

  With Karasun first, Ennoshita's serve targeted the tre court but was successfully received by Kindaichi. Setter Yahaba quickly set the ball for Kunimi, who spiked it from the left. Tsukishima barely mao dig the ball.

  "Kageyama, get the ball!"

  Daichi's sharp call echoed across the court. Kindaiodded slightly to himself; the first pass hadn't been ideal. From the st set, it was clear that Karasuno rarely ran quick attacks. Most likely, they would opt for a long attack from either the left (Tanaka Ryuunosuke) or the right (Sawamura Daichi).

  Suddenly, Hinata Shoyo shot out from behind Kageyama.A quick attao, they hadn't run a single quick atta the first set—it must be a decoy!

  Kindaichi made a snap judgment, his gaze locked firmly on Tanaka and Daichi on the wings.

  BAM!

  Hinata's spike nded ly.

  [Karasuno 1–0 Aoba Johsa

  "What? A quick attack?!"

  Kindaichi stared in disbelief.

  "They're attag from the tre? Karasuno's little guy seems back to normal."

  Whispers filled the stands.

  "Another point!" Karasuno's pyers cheered.

  As Karasuno served again, Aoba Johsai mao return the ball.

  "ce ball!"

  Ennoshita smoothly passed the ball to Kageyama, who set it perfectly. Hinata was already airborne, and before Kindaichi could react to block, the ball hit the ground on Aoba Johsai's side.

  [Karasuno 2–0 Aoba Johsa

  "Ah?"

  "Huh?"

  "What was that just now? So fast!"

  "That's the 'Freak Quick Attack,' right?" On the sideliakahara Taichi couldn't tain his excitement. No matter how many times he saw it in the anime, witnessing it firsthand was incredible.

  Cheers erupted from Karasuno's side as the frustration from the first set seemed to dissipate instantly. The pyers' spirits visibly lifted.

  "Number 5 is pletely different from the first set," Kunimi remarked to Kindaichi.

  "Two quick attacks in a row. I won't let them succeed again," Kindaichi muttered, gring at Hinata.

  Sensing the attention from the other side of the , Kageyama smirked. "Good. They're fog on Hinata. Our terattack starts now."

  The match tinued, both teams trading blows. Finally, Kageyama received a det first pass. He g Hinata, who darted to the right.

  "Mine!"

  "Another quick attack?" Kindaichi, who had been shadowing Hinata, jumped with him."If I know it's ing, there's nothing to fear."

  Whoosh! BAM!

  But instead of spiking, Kageyama delivered a perfect back set to Tanaka on the left. Tanaka leapt and smashed the ball down.

  "Finally! I've been waiting for this!" Tanaka's triumphant roar echoed through the gym.

  [Karasuno 3–0 Aoba Johsa

  "Dammit, another decoy?" Kindaichi spped his fa frustration.

  "Don't lose your cool, Kindaichi. Don't let them mess with your head," Iwaizumi advised, though everuggled to e up with a solid ter.

  "Uood," Kindaichi replied, nodding.

  But their defence couldn't keep up with Karasuno's relentless offehe score quickly climbed to [Karasuno 7–3 Aoba Johsa.

  "Even a novice like me tell their blockers are being spread too thin. They 't stop Karasuno's attacks," murmured a spectator.

  "Has Karasuno always been this strong?"

  "Not really. It's mainly because that first-year keeps running all over the pce, and their setter—his accuracy is ridiculous, almost like Oikawa-senpai."

  Beep. Aoba Johsai called for a timeout.

  "Hey, Kindaichi, this Kageyama isn't anything like what you described," Yahaba, the other setter, pined.

  "I—I've never seen this before, either," Kindaichi admitted helplessly. "Who would've thought there'd be a spiker who could keep up with Kageyama's is?"

  "No, Kindaichi," Coach Irihata interrupted. "It's the other way around. Kageyama is adapting to his spikers, especially that number 5. That little guy's fuals are rough—simir to Taichi—but Kageyama is turning his speed into a on."

  Taichi, who had been quietly listening, suddenly felt attacked. Couldn't they have left me out of it?

  "Kageyama has the advanced setting skills Oikawa mentioned, pg the ball precisely for each spiker. But their individual attacks aren't uable. So, Taichi," Coach Irihata's gaze sharpened. "Stick to that little guy like glue."

  A monster first-year? Aoba Johsai had ooo.

  Aoba Johsai made a substitution: Kaedehara Taichi in, Kindaichi out.

  Karasuno served, and Aoba Johsai's libero, Watari, smoothly received the ball. Yahaba set it up for Kunimi, who delivered a strong spike. Daichi received it with ease, and at the same moment, Hinata began his approach.

  "He's ing!"

  If anyone on the court uood the Freak Quick Attack, it was Kaedehara Taichi. After all, apart from Kageyama himself, few k better. At this stage, Hinata Shoyo's approach was straightforward—jump and spike. However, what set him apart was the absolute trust that Kageyama's set would reach him perfectly, allowing him to hit the ball mid-air without hesitation. That alone was beyond what most pyers could do.

  Taichi tracked Hinata closely. Their movements mirrored each other on opposite sides of the . Although he was slightly slower and his jump wasn't as high, Taichi's height advantage pensated for the gap. He didn't o pletely shut Hinata down—just disrupting his attack would suffice.

  Smack!

  Taichi's hand grazed Hinata's spike.

  "Touch!" Taichi shouted.

  Watari scrambled and made a perfect dig. Caught off guard, Karasunled to reset their defence. Kunimi capitalized on the opportunity, spiking the ball into an open spot.

  "ouice spike!" Aoba Johsai's pyers rallied around Taichi as the atmosphere shifted.

  [Karasuno 7–4 Aoba Johsa

  "Was that just luck?" Kageyama frowned, visibly frustrated. The Freak Quick Attack had been blocked on its sed attempt—something he hadn't anticipated.

  "Don't worry! Let's keep pushing!" Daichi reassured Hinata, patting his shoulder as the younger pyer stood stunned.

  On the sidelines, Coach Irihata chuckled while tapping his clipboard. "Sharp observation and disciplined blog. Taichi's pying smart—he's n to win it all in one block. Instead, he's fog on trol. A siouch pletely disrupt Karasuno's rhythm."

  "If their little guy 't score," the coach added with a knowing grin, "what use is he as a decoy?"

  Karasuno's pyers grew visibly tense. Being blocked by a newer was ued. Kageyama wo more attacks to firm it—this wasn't a fluke.

  Sure enough, Taichi kept pace with Hinata. Though his jumping ability wasn't as explosive, his 20-timeter height advantage was undeniable. Hinata couldn't shake off his defence.

  Aoba Johsai adapted quickly. Instead of w about whether Hinata would receive the ball, Taichi marked him relentlessly. Without Hinata's presence as a decoy, Tanaka and Daichi's spikes lost their edge, and their o kills became rare. The momentum shifted.

  [Karasuno 7–6 Aoba Johsa

  "Damn it! If only we had a true ace to break through!" Kageyama muttered under his breath, frustration bubbling to the surface.

  _________

  [T/N] - If you guys want to read 50 Chapters in advance of the current story, you support me on my Patreon. Trust me, it's awesome!

  Link - (P)atreon./Iseebbsp;[Remove the brackets]