Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

Chapter 123: The National Quarterfinals

[Ding! Kiry? Wakatsu's burst mode deactivated]

[Ding! The host's burst mode deactivated]

The continuous system notifications didn't stir Kaedehara Taichi in the slightest. His entire focus was on the next play.

Just one more point and Aoba Johsai would secure the victory and advance to the quarterfinals.

The tension was palpable on Mujinazaka's side. After all, Oikawa T?ru was still on the service line.

Boom!

"The second serve is another cannonball!"

"Right wing!" Kiry? Wakatsu shouted.

Move! Bishin Haruma screamed internally, willing his body to react. His shaky hands barely positioned themselves as the serve zipped toward him, bouncing awkwardly off his chest and deflecting into the air.

"It's a free ball!" The ball arced back into Aoba Johsai's court.

"Not so fast!" Unnan Keisuke leapt high, intercepting the ball with a one-handed spike.

Smack!

Oikawa smoothly received the ball, passing it to Watari Shinji, who jumped to make a set.

Without hesitation, Oikawa dashed forward to initiate a synchronized attack.

"Block him!"

Unnan Keisuke blocked Kindaichi's path in the centre, but Watari's set went to the left, where Hanamaki Takahiro launched a powerful attack.

Bang!

"Save it!" Bishin Haruma, having barely recovered from the serve, threw himself forward and kept the ball in play.

Usuri Michiru skillfully positioned himself and sent a precise set flying across the court.

"Wakatsu-senpai!!!"

Kiry? charged from the back row, Aoba Johsai's front line forming a solid double block in his path.

Boom!

"Kiry? Wakatsu delivers a stunning cross-court spike! The score is tied again!"

[Aoba Johsai 24 – 24 Mujinazaka]

"Wakatsu-senpai...?" While the commentators and audience were buzzing with excitement, no one knew Kiry? better than his setter, Usuri Michiru.

That last spike…It wasn't a full-power attack.

Kiry? admitted it with a quiet nod.

The decision not to go all out stemmed from a simple truth: he couldn't guarantee his strength would break through their block. In this crucial moment, he refused to gamble on a mere possibility.

Usuri's eyes brimmed with guilt.

He realized that his over-reliance on Kiry? during the second set had pushed his ace past the limits.

After all, Kiry?'s spike count had far exceeded his usual workload.

Though Kiry? had managed to persevere, the exhaustion weighed heavily on him. Usuri clenched his fists, blaming himself for putting the team at risk.

Kiry? placed a steady hand on Usuri's head, locking eyes with him.

"I used to fear everyone's expectations, but today's match reminded me: it's because you trust me with the ball that I've made it this far."

The serve returned to Mujinazaka, with Kiry? Wakatsu now rotating back to the front row.

"Could this be the moment Mujinazaka turns the tide?" the commentator speculated.

The match had reached a tipping point. The first team to gain a two-point lead would win, and both sides were locked in a gruelling battle.

------

[Aoba Johsai 25 – 24 Mujinazaka]

[Aoba Johsai 25 – 25 Mujinazaka]

[Aoba Johsai 26 – 25 Mujinazaka]

[Aoba Johsai 26 – 26 Mujinazaka]

[Aoba Johsai 27 – 26 Mujinazaka]

[Aoba Johsai 27 – 27 Mujinazaka]

It was Kiry? Wakatsu's turn to serve.

The stadium fell silent, the tension mounting to an unbearable peak. The entire audience held its breath, sensing the pivotal moment was at hand.

Would Kiry? play it safe and maintain the defensive rhythm? Or would he risk everything with a powerful jump serve?

The players of Aoba Johsai watched him closely. The moment they saw him lift his gaze, they already knew his choice.

As Mujinazaka's ace, there was no room for retreat.

Kiry?'s serve ripped through the air like a bullet, spinning and whistling as it honed in on the far corner of Aoba Johsai's court.

Smack!

The line judge raised their flag.

"Out!"

[Aoba Johsai 28 – 27 Mujinazaka]

Cheers erupted from Aoba Johsai's side as the players gathered in celebration.

"Shake it off! Shake it off!" Mujinazaka's players shouted in unison.

Kiry? looked at his teammates and saw their unshaken resolve reflected in their faces.

"Alright!" he shouted, determination burning in his eyes. "We'll take the next point!"

Aoba Johsai's Iwaizumi Hajime stepped up for his serve. As expected, it was a powerful jump serve, refusing to give Mujinazaka any easy chances.

Bishin Haruma managed the first touch, sending the ball toward Usuri, who set it to the right. Hondo Subaru smashed a sharp line shot.

Hanamaki intercepted, and Oikawa set the ball to the left. Ky?tani Kentar? unleashed a fierce diagonal spike.

Ezota Naoharu dove for the save and Usuri reset the play.

"Wakatsu-senpai!!"

Kiry? approached with a two-step run-up, aiming for a back-row attack.

"Double block!" Kaedehara Taichi and Oikawa rose to meet him.

Bang!

Kiry? adjusted mid-air, sending a cross-court spike to avoid the block. But Iwaizumi was already in position, the first touch launching the ball perfectly toward the net.

"I've got this!" Taichi's eyes locked onto the ball as he raced to the left side, leaping high.

"Triple block!" Mujinazaka's front row converged to form an iron wall.

Oikawa, trusting his instincts, jumped near the net just as Taichi's set arrived.

Boom!

With Mujinazaka's blockers entirely focused on Taichi, Oikawa spiked the ball into an empty gap on the court, scoring the crucial point.

[Aoba Johsai 29 – 27 Mujinazaka]

In the first set of the match, Kaedehara Taichi had already attempted a daring move like this, but it was ruled as a "held ball violation" by the referee.

No one expected that on the very last point of the game, when everyone thought he was going for a quick attack, he would pull off the same move again.

"Doesn't he ever get scared?" murmured Kiry? Wakatsu. Compared to Kaedehara Taichi's spur-of-the-moment play, his own risky serve seemed tame.

"Tweet—!"

"Game over."

"Winner: Aoba Johsai."

------

"We won!!" Aoba Johsai's players embraced each other tightly.

"Yesssss!!!" The players on the bench rushed onto the court, cheering loudly.

Coach Irihata finally let out a deep breath, relieved. Next to him, Sadayuki Mizoguchi thought that such nerves were unnecessary—after all, the coach had experience at the national level.

However, the slight tremble in Coach Irihata's hands betrayed the excitement in his heart.

Final score:

[Aoba Johsai 23 – 25 Mujinazaka]

[Aoba Johsai 25 – 20 Mujinazaka]

[Aoba Johsai 29 – 27 Mujinazaka]

Aoba Johsai made an incredible comeback, winning the match 2-1 and advancing to the national quarterfinals.

"Thank you for the match!!" Both teams bowed to each other.

"Kiryu-senpai," Taichi called out suddenly during the handshake. "Your ability to handle any set is truly admirable, but it's also important to give your setter clear requirements. Growth is never a solo journey."

Oikawa T?ru and Usuri Michiru, standing nearby, were both stunned into silence.

Oikawa was reminded of how Taichi had once demanded higher accuracy from his own sets, while Usuri wondered if he himself had been relying too much on his senpai.

Kiry? Wakatsu gazed at Kaedehara Taichi with deep respect. No wonder he was already the team's ace as a first-year.

"It was an honour to play against you. I hope we can have another match at Spring High."

-----

"Put on your jackets quickly. We'll grab some food now," instructed Team Manager Mizoguchi as he checked on each player. "Don't eat too much; rest up and recover your energy. We have another match this afternoon."

"Got it!"

As they left the arena, Oikawa took one last look back—their journey at nationals was not yet over.

When he turned around, he saw Iwaizumi Hajime waiting for him up ahead. Oikawa smiled and jogged over.

"Idiot, what are you daydreaming about now?" Iwaizumi teased, hands in his pockets, refraining from smacking Oikawa because it was inconvenient in the crowded space.

"Playing matches every day, I can't believe we've made it to the national quarterfinals," Oikawa replied, his smile genuine. "Sometimes it feels fast—just three days; other times, it feels slow—like it's taken us five years."

"You're such a sap, Oikawa," Iwaizumi scolded, laughing. "We're not done winning yet."

"Oikawa-senpai, are you trying to sound poetic to prepare for college essays?" Kaedehara Taichi's voice cut in at an inappropriate moment.

"Taichi!" Oikawa yelled, clearly irritated. This brat had made it to nationals as a first-year and would never understand his feelings!

"Your setting skills need work. That last ball only went in because a genius like me spiked it," Oikawa teased, smirking at Taichi.

Taichi rolled his eyes. "I'm not even a setter."

"Still, it was a great set," Oikawa said as he ruffled Taichi's hair forcefully.

Flustered by the unexpected praise from a top-tier setter, Taichi sprinted ahead to escape.

Aoba Johsai's match had been one of the earlier ones that day. After a quick meal and some rest, Mizoguchi Sadayuki arrived with the information they were all eager to hear.

The national quarterfinal matchups were as follows:

[Aoba Johsai vs. Inarizaki]

[Shunjidai vs. Inubushi East]

[Itachiyama vs. Kamomedai]

[Ichirin vs. Fukur?dani]

"Ah, Kamomedai and Fukur?dani made it too!" Taichi exclaimed excitedly.

"You know them?" Oikawa asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I ran into some Kamomedai players while buying T-shirts with Kenma yesterday. One of their seniors even tried to provoke me."

"Provoke you? More like the other way around," Iwaizumi glanced at him sceptically.

"Iwaizumi-senpai, do I look like someone who would do that?" Taichi protested, only to find that Iwaizumi was entirely unconvinced.

"Really, ask Kenma if you don't believe me!"

"Alright, alright," Mizoguchi cut in. "Let's focus on our next opponent, Inarizaki."

"Last night, we mainly reviewed Mujinazaka's footage. Now, we'll turn our full attention to Inarizaki."

Coach Irihata picked up a stack of notes and spoke calmly. "Inarizaki may very well be the toughest team we'll face in this tournament."

"Outsiders are predicting that this year's national champion will likely be either Inarizaki or Itachiyama. Not only are they incredibly strong, but their playstyle is also a poor matchup for us."

"In simple terms, their paper strength far surpasses ours."

Coach Irihata wrote a few names on the board and continued, "First, there's their setter, Miya Atsumu. While he's already being touted as the best high school setter, I believe Oikawa is no less skilled, right, Oikawa?"

Oikawa nodded hastily, smiling at Coach Irihata's encouragement. Although, truthfully, apart from Kageyama Tobio, he hadn't encountered another setter whose talent intrigued him as much as this second-year Miya Atsumu.

"Next is #4, Ojiro Aran. He's one of the top five spikers in the country, combining height and power. When he's on fire, he can rival Ushijima Wakatoshi or even Kiry? Wakatsu from today."

Coach Irihata turned to Taichi. "I'll need you to keep up with him in offence."

Taichi nodded. Having already faced two of the top three spikers, he couldn't back down now.

Not that fear would help, anyway.

"And then there's #10, Suna Rintar?. Based on the footage, his arm flexibility is exceptional, and his attacking techniques are highly refined. Moreover, his defensive instincts are sharp."

Hearing Coach Irihata's detailed breakdown, the players began to grasp just how formidable their opponent was.

"I'll do my best," Kyotani Kentar? stepped forward. Competing on the national stage, he finally understood how many players were better than him. His once-hot temper now seemed laughable.

"Then there's Miya Atsumu's twin brother, Miya Osamu, and their third-year libero, Akagi Michinari. Inarizaki is a well-rounded team, much like ours, but in every aspect, they're just as good—or better."

The players' chatter died down. The joy of defeating Mujinazaka faded, replaced by the sobering realization of the gap between themselves and a championship team.

"Hahahaha…" Coach Irihata chuckled. "You're all scared, aren't you?"

"A month ago, no one thought you could beat Shiratorizawa. Yesterday, no one expected you to take down last year's top-eight team, Hoshijiro. And today, you defeated Mujinazaka, who had one of the nation's top three spikers. If matches were decided on paper, we wouldn't need to play; they'd just hand out trophies."

Coach Irihata always wore a kind smile, and even now, his composure was reassuring.

"The beauty of volleyball lies in its unpredictability."

"Don't forget: Volleyball is round."

"Let's create another Aoba Johsai miracle and astonish the crowd once more!"

_________

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