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Kosen Junior Academy urgently called for a timeout.
Clearly, they intended to use the same tactic as Kitagawa Daiichi earlier, which involved interrupting Asuto’s serving rhythm by taking consecutive timeouts.
· · · · ·
“No way! They already called a timeout after the first point?”
“Are timeouts in volleyball that common?”
“Of course not. This is Kosen Junior Academy’s strategy against Sengoku Junior High’s Ace. Kitagawa Daiichi used the same method before. Sengoku’s Ace’s serve is terrifying, so they have to use timeouts to stop him.”
Many spectators were shocked when Kosen Junior Academy called a timeout so early, and even Sengoku Junior High’s cheering squad was completely confused.
However, after hearing the discussions around them, astonishment gradually appeared in their eyes.
‘So our school’s Volleyball Club is actually this strong?’
The cheering squad included students and several teachers who had come to help maintain order.
Among them was Tanno Sae, the homeroom teacher of Akashi Asuto and Omae Masato.
At that moment, she was amazed too.
During the summer training camp, Shimokawa Mitsuto had told her that Asuto’s offensive ability had reached a top level within the prefecture, but she never imagined that Asuto’s strength had become so overwhelming that opponents would intentionally use timeouts just to stop him.
Not long after…
The timeout ended, and the match resumed.
Kosen Junior’s captain stepped back onto the court.
But the moment he looked across the net at Asuto, he suddenly realized that the chilling pressure he had felt earlier still hadn’t disappeared.
Asuto carried the volleyball to Position 1 and bounced it lightly a few times, quietly assessing his condition.
Unexpectedly, his condition today seemed exceptionally good.
Even after the timeout, he remained extremely focused when serving.
Although he hadn’t entered that previous “clear and tranquil mind” state…
From the moment he tossed the ball upward, he had a strong premonition:
This serve would score.
Bang!
Asuto leapt high into the air and swung violently at the descending volleyball.
With an explosive sound, the volleyball screamed past the blockers and crashed toward Kosen’s court.
······
“Damn it, that speed is insane!”
The captain of Kosen Junior’s volleyball team, who played as an ace, watched helplessly as the ball descended towards him.
Yet for some reason, his body felt welded to the floor.
No matter how hard he tried, he simply could not move.
Ultimately, he could only watch as the ball hit the court with a heavy thud.
Tweet!
2:0.
“ROOOAAARRR~~~!”
“Wooooooo~!”
“Go, Sengoku Junior High!”
In an instant, thunderous cheers erupted from both Sengoku Junior High’s players on the court and the supporters in the stands.
The perfectly synchronized music of the school band echoed throughout the arena, building even more momentum for Sengoku Junior High.
Meanwhile, in the rest area… Kosen’s coach’s face had already turned green.
‘Damn it!’
When Kitagawa Daiichi called a timeout, Sengoku Junior High’s Ace’s serving rhythm would cool down immediately.
So why is it useless against us?!
Are they playing favorites now?
Third serve.
With his concentration still sharply focused, Asuto unleashed another monstrously powerful jump serve.
At the exact instant his palm struck the volleyball, he could clearly feel the soft sensation of the ball’s surface compressing inward from the sheer force.
Smack!
The serve flew straight towards the area directly in front of Kosen’s libero.
Kosen’s libero reacted quickly and managed to receive the ball, but he simply couldn’t neutralize the overwhelming power behind it.
The ball rebounded violently upwards and flew all the way to the second floor.
3:0.
The Kosen Junior coach’s face had turned completely green.
With those three serves from Asuto, the atmosphere plummeted in a straight line, whether among the team members themselves or the cheering squad in the stands.
“Uhh… don’t you think we might’ve put a little too much pressure on Asuto yesterday?”
It wasn’t just Kosen Junior Academy who were taken aback by these three serves; even Asuto’s current teammates, including Omae Masato, were a little dumbfounded.
Asuto had scored consecutive points off jump serves before.
But the opponents he had faced back then were on a completely different level to this team.
After all, this was the final of the qualifiers.
Although Kosen Junior Academy hadn’t qualified for the Nationals in recent years, they were undoubtedly a national-level team.
“Isn’t this a good thing?” Kazama Jujirō asked.
“It’s not bad exactly… I just feel a little sorry for Kosen Junior Academy.”
Bang!
While Omae Masato and Kazama Jujirō were chatting, another thunderous explosion suddenly occurred overhead.
The moment they heard that familiar sound…
At exactly the same instant, every Sengoku Junior High player had the same thought flash through their minds:
“He scored again!”
Thud!
The volleyball hit the floor.
The referee blew the whistle.
The score became 4–0.
“Tweet!!!”
At last, the coach could no longer bear it.
He stood up and took his second timeout.
· · · · ·
“No way! They already used up both their timeouts?”
“I thought Kosen Junior Academy was supposed to be a volleyball powerhouse!”
“Terrifying… middle schoolers these days…”
The outcome of this final match had completely exceeded the expectations of all the spectators and reporters present.
Everyone had assumed that this year’s final would be a fierce clash between an established powerhouse and a rising dark horse rival.
No one expected Kosen Junior to be forced to use both timeouts right at the beginning of the match by their opponent.
“Our opponents are in excellent form right now, but don’t lose heart. The match has only just begun. The finals won’t be decided until all five sets are over. Victory doesn’t belong to whichever side takes the lead first; it belongs to the team that can endure until the very end and earns the ticket to Nationals…”
Kosen Junior Coach desperately began pouring motivational speeches into his players in an attempt to restore the team’s morale.
Meanwhile…
On the other side…
Shimokawa Mitsuto from Sengoku Junior High was doing the exact opposite, he is desperately trying to cool his players down.
“You absolutely must stay calm and not get careless. Even though we’re temporarily ahead, Kosen is definitely not an easy opponent to deal with. From here on, our priority is to stabilize the advantage and steadily take the first set. Understood?”
“Yes!”
······
After both coaches comforted and adjusted their teams’ mental states in their own ways, the match resumed.
Using two consecutive timeouts… Kosen Junior Coach finally managed to cool down Asuto’s serving rhythm.
On the fifth serve after the match began, Asuto’s serve went out of bounds, ending his service turn.
The score became 4:1.
This slightly boosted Kosen’s morale.
However…
On the very next rally, Kosen Junior’s serve gave Sengoku Junior High an offensive opportunity.
Asuto leapt from the back row and, facing two opposing blockers each standing 188 centimeters tall, smashed an extreme sideline straight shot that barely clipped the line.
The tiny bit of morale Kosen Junior Academy had just regained… Was instantly shattered again by this crushing blow.
(End of Chapter)
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