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“Damn it! Asuto’s gone crazy!”
This was the second match of the preliminary finals: [Sengoku Junior High School vs. Kosen Junior Academy].
After Akashi Asuto scored five consecutive points at the start of the first set, completely shattering Kosen Junior Academy’s morale, they were unable to make a comeback before the end of the set, allowing Sengoku Junior High to win the first set.
However, Asuto no longer had the same serving touch that he had displayed at the beginning of the first set.
But…
His performance in this set was even more terrifying for the Kosen players.
It wasn’t just the Kosen players either. Even his own teammates at Sengoku Junior High were beginning to feel unnerved by Asuto’s display, wondering if the pressure had finally driven him over the edge today.
The way he was playing…
Honestly, it was bordering on inhuman.
Bang!
Bang!
Thirteen minutes into the second set.
Mishita Ryuhei set up a high toss for Asuto. Instantly, Kosen Junior Academy formed a triple block in front of him. With two middle blockers standing at 188 cm and an outside hitter over 185 cm tall, the block looked more like a towering mountain standing in his path.
Even with Asuto’s maximum contact point of 340 cm, it would be difficult to hit over such a barrier directly.
However, in the very next second…
The three Kosen Junior Academy blockers only saw a blur flash before their eyes. A cross-court spike grazed the right blocker’s wrist, and by the time they had recovered, the volleyball had smashed onto the floor behind them.
Their libero lunged desperately to receive it, but, like the blockers, he was always just a tiny bit too late.
Without question.
Even from the opponent’s perspective, this was another almost perfect cross-court spike.
This was already the fifth perfect cross-court shot that the Number 1 on the other side had unleashed since the start of the second set.
On top of that, there had also been three spikes hit straight down the sideline.
In other words, Sengoku’s ace alone had scored eight points against them in the second set.
And that didn’t even include his service points.
This could no longer be explained by him playing beyond his limits.
“That guy… he’s practically a monster.”
The Kosen Junior players gasped for breath and cursed inwardly.
The numbers on the scoreboard changed once again.
16:12.
Below the court… Kosen Junior’s coach’s brows were twisted into a knot.
Before the match began, he never expected their luck to be so terrible this year that they would come up against a player giving a “superhuman performance” at the worst possible moment.
Having once competed in a V3-level league himself when he was younger, Kosen Junior’s coach knew very well just how terrifying an Ace in peak condition could be.
At that point, tactics and strategies became meaningless.
The only way to deal with such a player was to draw out the match and wait for their extraordinary condition to fade.
Fortunately, the finals were played in a best-of-five format. Otherwise, against a monster like this, Kosen Junior would truly have had no hope at all this year.
The coach’s strategy was actually not wrong.
There was only one problem.
Asuto wasn’t entirely “overperforming” in the second set.
His current performance was simply the result of a small breakthrough he had achieved after finishing yesterday afternoon’s extra training session.
—
Host: Asuto
Strength: 80.2 [Core Strength 80; Arm Strength 80.4]
Speed: 75.9 [Burst Speed 76; Reaction Speed 75.9]
Stamina: 76.7 [Endurance 76.4; Cardiopulmonary Fitness 77]
Jump: 77.8 [Vertical Jump 79.5; Hang Time 76.1]
Basic Techniques: 73.3 [Serve 74.3; Receive 72.1; Pass 65.8; Spike 80; Block 76; Defense 72.1]
Advanced Skills:
[Cross-Court Spike 75]
[Straight Spike 75]
[Power Jump Serve 75.5]
—
During periods without matches, Asuto typically designed his training plans based on the principle of ‘strengthening his strengths while developing comprehensively.’
However, during tournaments, he rarely engaged in broad foundational training.
Instead, he focused entirely on specialized training for a single technique or physical attribute.
During the month-long preliminary tournament, Asuto focused primarily on improving his spiking techniques.
Hard work paid off.
Just yesterday, after a long conversation with the volleyball club members about their dreams, he went home secretly to do extra training.
Asuto’s [Cross-Court Spike] and [Straight Spike] skills had finally both broken through the level 75 barrier.
At the same time, his base Spike stat had also reached the major milestone of 80.
This breakthrough meant that Asuto’s offensive ability had reached a whole new level.
This is precisely why he was able to alternate between the two types of spike repeatedly, crushing Kosen Junior Academy’s powerful blocks.
· · · · ·
“Oda, make this serve count!”
Oda Miki’s serve crossed the net. After the captain of Kosen Junior Academy received the ball, they immediately began organizing an attack.
Kosen Junior Academy’s greatest strength lay in their blocking, but their offense was equally formidable. Although the original series constantly emphasized that shorter players could play volleyball too, the height advantage in volleyball was enormous.
The offensive techniques of Kosen Junior Academy’s outside hitter/ace spiker and their two middle blockers were obviously nowhere near Asuto’s level.
However, as long as Kosen Junior’s setter could deliver the ball to the hitters’ highest contact point, Sengoku Junior High had no block capable of stopping their attacks.
There was no need to mention Omae Masato and Kazama Jūjirō.
Facing opponents like this, their height and jumping ability would simply get them blown away by an overhand spike.
Asuto could block them, but unfortunately he was alone. Moreover, height was the primary requirement for blocking; jumping ability was secondary.
After all, it still took time to rise into the air and reach one’s highest point.
So, against Kosen Junior High’s offense, Sengoku Junior High basically gave up on blocking defense and shifted more of their focus towards receiving.
Smack!
Asuto completely sealed off Kosen Junior Academy’s cross-court attack, forcing their ace spiker to switch to a straight-line shot aimed towards midcourt.
Although Kosen Junior’s ace’s straight-line spike couldn’t compare to Asuto’s, it was still impressive. There weren’t many people on Sengoku Junior High’s team who could receive such a ball.
But this time… Kurata Mao unexpectedly caught the spike’s trajectory and barely managed to pop the volleyball back into the air.
“Nice receive, Kurata!”
Mishita Ryuhei shouted, decisively organizing the counterattack.
The ball was set towards the front of the net. Instantly, Kosen Junior’s three front-row blockers moved directly in front of Asuto.
Asuto leapt high against the three-man block, then swung his arm violently—
Whoosh!
A light breeze passed by…
The ball was gone.
“Not good!”
The three blockers on Kosen Junior’s side reacted instantly.
This time, Asuto’s attack had merely been a ruse.
But it was already too late.
Boom!
Before the three blockers had landed from their jump, Omae Masato was facing a completely open court on the other side of the block and smashed the ball down for a direct score.
(End of Chapter)
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