Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

Chapter 119: The Demon

"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth."

When put under the same pressure, Mujinazaka's setter, Usuri Michiru, was the first to lose his composure.

Tweet! Mujinazaka called for a timeout.

"Michiru!" Mujinazaka High's coach, Kuzuri Michiko, tapped his head. "Are you all right? Are you overthinking things again?"

"Yeah…" Usuri lowered his head, burdened with guilt.

"You idiot! On the court, all you need to do is focus on making the next play!" Coach Michiko barked.

"Michiru just wanted Coach to scold him," Ezota Naoharu commented with an all-knowing look.

"Exactly~!" Hondo Subaru chimed in with an infuriating smirk on his face.

Usuri glared at them…These heartless jerks…

Kiry? Wakatsu stepped in front of Usuri, his expression solemn. "If the first touch isn't perfect, just set the ball to me. That's all you need to do."

"Like always, let's win this match!"

"Yes!"

Just standing before this dependable presence, Usuri felt his heart steady.

------

The timeout ended, and the match resumed.

"Oh? The setter didn't get subbed out," Oikawa T?ru remarked, shaking his hand with mock nonchalance. His tone was carefree.

Kaedehara Taichi glanced at him. That's still not enough, Oikawa.

"I see it in his eyes—he hasn't given up yet. Let me be the one to send him off the court," Oikawa added with a bright, sunny smile.

Aoba Johsai's serve. Taichi delivered another jump float serve, once again targeting Usuri Michiru.

"I've got it!" Hondo Subaru had already positioned himself near the backline in anticipation. Seeing the serve head toward Usuri's direction, he stepped in to assist with the reception.

Off the court, they might joke and tease one another, but on the court, they were a team.

"Well done! That reception looked effortless, but the serve's trajectory was tricky. Hondo Subaru skillfully alleviated the pressure on his setter," the commentator praised.

The ball was passed to Usuri, who quickly assessed his options as Mujinazaka's attackers began their approach.

—Under normal circumstances, I'd give this ball to Wakatsu-senpai. But Aoba Johsai is undoubtedly prepared for that. So I'll counter their expectations and use their vigilance against them!

Usuri set the ball to the left wing, where Unnan Keisuke launched a quick attack.

Smack!

The ball struck Oikawa's arm and rebounded back into Mujinazaka's court.

Oikawa scored with a block.

[Aoba Johsai 4 - 0 Mujinazaka]

"This… This is incredible! Aoba Johsai successfully blocked the attack and continues their scoring streak! It's as if the ball was drawn directly to Oikawa T?ru!"

"Aoba Johsai's #1 read the quick attack early and positioned himself perfectly. Mujinazaka's set was completely anticipated!"

"Unbelievable! Mujinazaka still hasn't managed to break through Aoba Johsai's serving streak at the start of this second set!"

Oikawa stared at Usuri, his expression blank but his thoughts sharp. "Think. Think as hard as you can. The more you think, the easier it is for me to predict you."

The first set had already proven that trying to crack Kiry? Wakatsu's offence wasn't a viable option for now.

Targeting Usuri Michiru was indeed the best strategy at the moment.

------

As time quietly slipped by, the teams began exchanging points, and the match seemed to return to a normal rhythm.

However, Mujinazaka's players could sense something was off with their setter, Usuri Michiru.

After his set had been blocked by Aoba Johsai's setter, his confidence in his setting had visibly faltered. Any ball he could send to Kiry? Wakatsu, he would send without hesitation.

Kiry?, true to his reputation, converted most of these sets into points. But the amount of sweat dripping from his body far exceeded that of his teammates; his jersey clung tightly to his torso.

"What kind of set was that just now?! Don't just dump everything on Wakatsu-senpai like he can hit any ball you throw!" Ezota Naoharu suddenly snapped at Usuri.

Usuri flinched, startled. He looked down at his trembling hands. Am I really this stiff right now?

"Ezota, you didn't need to say it so harshly…" Hondo Subaru began.

"—We're capable of spiking too!" Ezota interrupted, his eyes fixed on Usuri.

"I…I understand, Naoharu-senpai." Usuri took a deep breath, the icy air clearing his mind. His thoughts began to flow again.

Mujinazaka's serve. Ezota Naoharu delivered a powerful jump float serve over the net.

Watari Shinji received the ball with a perfect pass that landed right in Oikawa T?ru's hands.

Oikawa set it to the right wing, where Kaedehara Taichi unleashed a fierce spike.

"One Touch!"

Despite the aggressive attack, Mujinazaka's twin towers blocked the ball, forcing a rally. Ezota picked up the rebound with a solid first touch.

Usuri deliberated briefly and then set the ball to the middle. Hondo Subaru jumped for the attack.

"Double block!"

"One touch!" Taichi had started adapting to Mujinazaka's plays.

Watari quickly sent the ball back to the net, and Oikawa rose for a set.

"Block him!" Usuri yelled.

Hondo Subaru instinctively leapt, only for Oikawa to deliver a clever setters dump, tipping the ball over the net.

"One Touch!" Hondo Subaru shouted to the back row, signalling for support. Usuri's focus seemed to reignite.

Ezota sent the ball soaring back to Usuri, and the setter immediately acted.

Kiry? Wakatsu, quiet for two rotations, began his approach, while Hondo Subaru simultaneously jumped on the right wing.

Usuri's mind raced. At this moment, he saw countless attacking possibilities flash through his thoughts.

He suddenly jumped, twisting midair, and spiked the ball himself. Using Wakatsu-senpai as bait…how luxurious is that?

Smack!

Two large hands appeared in front of Usuri's face.

"Double block!" Oikawa T?ru and Kaedehara Taichi had completely sealed his path, their hands eclipsing every angle of his attack.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

Usuri landed hard on the ground, seated as the ball dropped next to him.

"How is this possible…?"

My form was flawless. There shouldn't have been any tells. I wasn't even nervous—it was just a normal attack.

Why…did they see through it?

And why…were there two blockers?!

Seated on the ground, Usuri stared up at the two players on the opposite side of the net. Though their faces bore friendly smiles, in his eyes, they looked like demons.

Tweet! Mujinazaka called for a substitution. Fujii Fuku subbed in for Usuri Michiru.

"Fuku, just keep your cool…" Usuri muttered as he left the court, leaving only these words of advice.

Meanwhile, Taichi and Oikawa exchanged a glance and simultaneously said:

"If he hadn't gone for it, the ball would've slipped past us!"

------

"So, he absolutely had to go for it!"

------

The two said nothing more.

They were right.

Usuri had just blocked Oikawa's setters dump. With both wings loaded with attackers, the most satisfying way to respond was to use his own setters dump to score right in Oikawa's face.

"These two are absolutely vile," Iwaizumi Hajime muttered, watching the disheartened Usuri leave the court. "But this means we should wrap up the second set quickly."

The scoreboard now read: [Aoba Johsai 19 - 14 Mujinazaka]

On the court, Fujii Fuku stood in position, replaying Usuri's words in his mind.

"Keep your cool? What does that even mean?"

Tweet! The referee blew the whistle for Aoba Johsai's serve.

In an instant, Fujii felt the weight of two pairs of eyes lock onto him.

"What intense pressure!"

Fear and urgency began to consume him, creeping into every fibre of his being.