[71] Grade 11: Spring National High School Competition
The next ball was a typical jump serve.
It's so ordinary that it could even be described as unremarkable.
Without any tricky angles or explosive power, the volleyball's trajectory through the air is simple and unadorned, and even its speed is only moderate.
If this ball were in the hands of another school or another player, even a non-starting substitute or a member of the Inarizaki second team, they would probably be able to receive it smoothly and steadily without any pressure, and then organize a smooth counterattack.
But this ball was served by Imadegawa.
It is the Hemingguan "Miracle Serve" that further upgraded the already unpredictable float serve into a jump float serve with faster speed, more unpredictable trajectory, and more bizarre landing point.
Chu Chuan's serve has long been imprinted in everyone's mind as "unpredictable and elusive". Every serve from him can make the opponent's nerves tense and make people subconsciously think about the most complex and tricky possibilities.
So who could have predicted that he would suddenly deliver a ball that was simple and unpretentious at this moment?
Akagi and Inarisaki's team had anticipated all the complex variables, and their center of gravity was slightly tilted to deal with the possible rapid drop or strange side spin, but they were not prepared to face this sudden "ordinary jump serve".
Perhaps some people, relying on their remaining rationality and intuition, briefly caught the subtle difference between this ball and the previous jump serve—its trajectory seemed straighter, more "normal," and more like a regular topspin jump serve.
But no one dares to gamble on that possibility.
Having just been thoroughly ravaged by that jump serve and deceived multiple times by Imadegawa's various spin serves, the Inarisaki players dared not gamble on the possibility that this serve was a normal jump serve.
Any seemingly "ordinary" sign is more like a more sinister trap meticulously designed by Imadegawa.
Doubt has taken root before reason, devouring the courage to act decisively.
It was precisely this hesitation and internal conflict of judgment by Inarizaki that caused the best opportunity to receive the ball to slip away completely.
The volleyball, like an arrow shot from Imadegawa's bow, grazed past Akagi, who was trying to sidestep and instinctively reached out at the last moment, and shot into Inarizaki's baseline.
"Beep—!"
The referee blew his whistle again, and the scoreboard flipped.
Faced with that stunning jump floater from the previous point, a shot that would have made any coach immediately call a timeout, Coach Blackbeard unusually remained silent on the sidelines. He accepted the point without calling a timeout or making any personnel adjustments.
But after that ball—
This seemingly "ordinary" jump serve turned out to be the last straw that broke the camel's back.
He suddenly moved!
After the referee signaled that the goal was valid, Coach Blackbeard did not hesitate to submit a substitution request.
This seemingly ordinary goal from Kawakami solidified his resolve.
This ball proved that even if Imadegawa doesn't serve the unique spin ball that Tsurumeikan has, or even a jump float ball that's more advanced than a float ball, he can still easily score by simply relying on the most basic, honed "ordinary" jump serve, taking advantage of the hesitation that the Inarizaki players are experiencing at this moment.
Although this was just the beginning, or even the first game in a best-of-five series where both sides should have been testing each other out.
However, the rhythm of the game and the confidence of the players have been gradually eroded by the invisible pressure exerted by the Heming Hall in this short period of time.
Using a substitution during the opening phase of the game to stabilize morale seems like a high-risk and rare gamble.
"But the supervisor!" The team leader, seeing him raise his hand to request a substitution, glanced at the scoreboard instinctively, his tone incredulous, "This...this is just the beginning!"
And this is only the sixth point??
Isn't Imadekawa's serve always guaranteed to score at least five consecutive points on his serve?
Even at the national stage of the Spring High School, his highest score was eight consecutive points, and his highest score in a single set was more than ten points from his serve alone.
Most of Heming Hall's points come from their serve and counter-attacks.
Inarizaki has only lost six points to Imadegawa so far, not even eight or nine.
The coach, who had only a superficial understanding of volleyball, overlooked a problem.
The number of points lost is not the key factor; the way points are lost and the resulting chain reaction are the fatal factors.
Coach Blackbeard's gaze never left the players on the field, whose eyes were beginning to waver and show doubt: "That's not how you calculate things."
He quickly and clearly interrupted the team leader: "We didn't just lose 'six points,' we lost six consecutive service points, six complete aces!"
"This means that our serve reception system is completely ineffective against the Heming Hall, and that the pressure on our players doubles every time they step into the receiver position!"
He pointed onto the court: "Look at Akagi's eyes! Look at Daer's movements! They're no longer thinking about how to receive the ball, but rather fearing how the next ball will fly over!"
"The seeds of doubt have already been sown. If we don't stop this momentum, what we'll get is the eighth and ninth points from Heming Hall, which will also lead to the collapse of our entire serve reception system and a crushing defeat in one set!"
"The score is 6-0, but the psychological score is probably already 60-0."
Coach Blackbeard stated unequivocally, "We must make a substitution immediately, not to adjust techniques, but to disrupt the rhythm of the game and reset our minds! This substitution must be made before the collapse occurs, not after!"
It was this insight into the situation, rather than the cold, hard numbers, that drove Coach Blackbeard to make this decision.
He wasn't betting on a tactical adjustment, but rather on inserting a "stabilizing force" to calm the waning morale before it crumbled in Inarizaki.
After the referee gave him an inquiring look, Coach Kurosu looked around the Inarizaki bench.
Without the slightest hesitation, he decisively said, "Let... Kita Shinsuke play! Replace..."
After the name was called out, all the substitute players, including Inarisaki who had been anxious just moments before, couldn't help but turn their gaze to the figure sitting quietly in the corner.
"north……"
A substitute player instinctively murmured, his voice filled with obvious hesitation and confusion.
...Why would the coach call for Kita Shinsuke to enter the game at this crucial moment?
Some of the substitute players were confused.
North's strength is not among the top in the starting lineup full of talents, and even among the substitutes, they are not known for their outstanding skills or physical qualities.
His selection for the national competition roster is largely due to his daily hard work, his incredibly consistent training attitude, and his impeccable team spirit; he is the team's silent and reliable "cornerstone."
However, right now, Inarisaki is gradually collapsing under the continuous onslaught of his opponent's serve, and what he urgently needs is to stop the bleeding and counter the serve of Imadegawa.
Sending in a substitute with a wide defensive range seems to be a more reasonable choice.
How could the coach choose to substitute Nobusuke Kita—a player known for his "stability" and "effort" rather than his "explosiveness" and "strong defense"—in such an important round?
This completely defied normal logic and surprised almost everyone.
Under Coach Kurosu's approving gaze and his teammates' doubtful eyes, Kita Shinsuke calmly stood up, his face expressionless, neither flattered nor nervous, as if this was just an ordinary rotation in countless training sessions.
"yes."
He didn't ask any further questions, but simply accepted Director Blackbeard's assignment with the most concise response.
Then, Kita Shinsuke meticulously took off his coat, carefully folded it, and placed it on the bench, every movement extremely steady.
During the substitution, Coach Blackbeard took the opportunity to tell Kita: "You only have one task: to regain your rhythm and judgment in your own way. You don't need to do anything amazing to salvage the situation; just do what you're supposed to do."
“I understand.” Kita Shinsuke nodded gently.
The boy with black and white hair had calm, serene eyes, as if he were about to step into a national semi-final captured by numerous cameras, or simply practicing in his own backyard.
When that figure in the Inarisaki team uniform with an inconspicuous number stood in the substitution zone, a barely perceptible ripple flashed in the depths of Imadegawa's eyes behind the Tsurumeikan service line, disappearing as quickly as if it had never existed.
Nobusuke Kita.
Imadegawa gently stroked the rough skin of the volleyball with his index finger.
In fact, from a purely technical perspective, Kita Shinsuke's stats are not outstanding. He is not the kind of player who can directly break Imadegawa's serve by relying on talent or skill.
As early as the practice match stage, Imadegawa had already meticulously analyzed Kita's technical composition on the spot: his receiving and spiking movements were standard enough, and his defensive and attacking ranges were very stable, but he lacked explosive power.
But what Beixin Jie truly possesses is a quality that is far more difficult to quantify and target than technology—a near-absolute stability, an incorruptible composure, and a calm aura that can unite the entire team.
What Izukawa truly regrets now is the timing of Kita Nobusuke's appearance at this moment.
The Inarizaki players, the core lineup whose outstanding talent makes them more prone to emotional fluctuations, have just had their mental defenses pushed to the brink by six consecutive aces.
Perhaps just one more ball, whether it's a jump serve with a run-up and a random hit, or a serve with controlled trajectory and landing point, could greatly break through Inarizaki's crumbling defense, thus giving Tsurumeikan a psychological advantage for the entire game and even the whole match.
That is the priceless "momentum".
But Kita Shinsuke's arrival will be like a bucket of ice water, cooling the flames of chaos that are about to ignite.
His value lies not in his ability to directly defend difficult balls, but in his almost inhuman composure, which can quickly soothe his teammates' anxiety, dispel the shadow of doubt, and forcibly pull the team back from the brink of emotional collapse.
A perfect response.
I will evaluate Chuan in my heart now.
Coach Blackbeard's substitution hit the nail on the head, interrupting his most effective tactic of "psychological pressure."
He missed the opportunity to completely defeat his opponent at the best time and with minimal cost.
Imaichi took a slow breath, completely suppressing the slight regret.
The plan needs to be adjusted.
The dominant serve-scoring round may be coming to an end, but the game is far from over.
Imaichi Kawa gently tossed the volleyball in his hand, caught it, and his golden eyes once again looked towards the opponent's half of the court.
Trying to destroy this "stability" requires a different strategy, and perhaps... it will take more time.
But the final result will still not change.
————————!!————————
(Gently patting the little ones' paws) Although it's Sunday, I've been so busy this week and slept in too long today, so I'm still not fully recovered and can only post this before midnight.
Hehe—finally, we've gotten to the important part of this spring's college entrance exams—
As for why I played Inarisaki in both IH and Spring High—it was actually to give our adorable Kita-Fox a boost, so that Kita-Fox could fully participate in Inarisaki's national tour in his first year of high school, and also to hope that Kita-Fox would have fewer regrets in this world. (Showing some love to our sister school's future captain)
The fact that Xiaohe didn't refute my inspirational idea suggests that this is how the world is headed.
As for why Inarizaki played so aggressively at the start of the match—it's because Tsurugi put too much pressure on the Fox Cubs. In the past few Spring High matches, regardless of the opponent, Tsurugi had consistently exerted pressure. The Fox Cubs, who had watched the Spring High replays, were already somewhat affected, let alone those who had played a full match against IH and Tsurumeikan. Facing Tsurumeikan again in Spring High, they felt Tsurugi's terrifying and somewhat eerie improvement even more acutely. Therefore, Inarizaki, who had already been defeated by Tsurugi's record-breaking serve, felt even more pressured during Tsurugi's serve compared to other schools they hadn't previously faced.
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