[87] Grade 11: Spring National High School Competition
In fact, not every point that Imadegawa scored with his serve was an irrecoverable ace.
Despite being relentlessly pressured by the opponent, Xiao Gu's backbone wasn't so weak as to break—a few balls still managed to slip through the net, which were desperately held back by Xiao Jian and the other senior attackers in the back row.
However……
They failed to spike the ball.
Imadegawa's serves have always made it difficult for opponents to get a proper first pass, so once the first pass becomes unstable, the pressure falls on the setter and attackers.
Every hasty adjustment attack relies solely on the attacker's on-the-spot reaction in those extremely brief few seconds, searching for that tiny breakthrough in the imbalance.
The rotation of positions at the Heming Hall is cleverly designed. Whenever Kōdekichi rotates to serve from position one, the players standing in the front row to block are always the intuitive Aoyagi and the accurate Koizumi, among other excellent blockers.
They were like eerily burning flames, quietly waiting for the moths to be forced to launch a counterattack.
The senior setter from Xiaogu had done his best, trying to organize a three-dimensional attack and multiple attacks under their tight surveillance, attempting to deceive their eyes with complex tactics.
But every time, it failed.
The attackers' powerful swings were always ruthlessly blocked at the last moment by a higher and more accurate hand.
Aoyagi's timing for jumping was terrifyingly precise, as if he could anticipate all of the attacker's intentions; while Koizumi's blocking hand shape was so tight that it left almost no gaps.
The volleyball was blocked hard and hit the floor with a dull thud...
"Bang," "Bang," "Bang"...
The sound wasn't loud, but it was like a series of heavy hammer blows, repeatedly striking the already tense nerves of the Xiaogu players.
This was a nightmare for the attackers in the Ooku Valley.
Watching his teammates repeatedly dive and roll from the back row, using all their strength to save the ball that seemed almost impossible to catch—
Those sweat-soaked backs,
Those arms, red from the effort of making saves,
Those clear marks left on the wooden floor...
All their selfless efforts ultimately failed to translate into points for Owl Valley.
...not even a single cent.
This feeling of powerlessness is more agonizing than mere failure.
Every failed attack felt like a precious opportunity that teammates had earned with their physical and mental strength.
Every time we were stopped and killed, it was like a message to our comrades fighting in the back:
—Your efforts have been in vain.
......
After the pause ended, the brief hope that had been soothed by the undercover surveillance vanished like a spark extinguished by cold water.
In two carefully orchestrated attacks, Owl Valley passed the ball to Wood Rabbit and then to the third-year vice-captain.
Whether it was a first-year aces or a seasoned third-year attacker, they were all easily shut down by Tsurumeikan's blocking net.
During the brief lull in the game, the owls huddled together to comfort each other.
Washio Tatsuo swallowed a mouthful of dry air with difficulty, as if swallowing all his resentment and humiliation.
……perhaps,
There's absolutely no chance of winning anymore.
but……
But really...
—I just can't believe I lost this badly!!!
That burning resentment churned in his chest, almost bursting out of his throat.
"senior!!!"
Washio suddenly turned to Shiratorizawa, the setter, his gaze meeting hers.
He spoke as if shouting, heavily, earnestly, and urgently.
"—Give me the ball!!!"
But the voice was low and deep, carrying a restrained rationality.
Setter Xiaogu stared at the unusually bright eyes in front of him.
There was no confusion, no retreat, only a resolute determination to burn one's bridges.
His gaze swept past the boy's taut jawline and landed on the blurry yet glaring scoreboard behind him.
"Whale tail?"
Konoha Akiki, who was comforting Bokuto, turned around upon hearing the sound.
Xiao Jian looked at them hesitantly.
A brief silence hung in the air.
The gaze of the second master, Furutani, slowly returned to Washio.
"……good."
He nodded slowly.
Beside Konoha, the hunched-over Wood Rabbit quietly watched them.
......
On the other side of the net, Imadegawa narrowed his pale golden eyes slightly.
As the team's strategist, he never overlooks any subtle changes in the opponent.
Even from a distance that was neither too long nor too short, he keenly sensed the change in the hawk's aura.
It's not a reckless act of giving up, but a determined resolve that has been cultivated over time.
Imaichi Kawa subtly turned his head and exchanged a glance with Koizumi.
Koizumi nodded slightly, then made a subtle hand gesture behind his back to his teammates—a secret signal that Tsurumeikan had practiced extensively before the match, targeting another point of attack that Ootori needed to be wary of besides Bokuto.
......
"right!"
Washio heard his teammates' urgent shouts behind him, their voices cracking with urgency.
Then came the familiar scraping sound—Haruki Omi made a perfect diving save, his arm lifting the ball at the last moment.
The sound was different from the others. Compared to the clumsy attackers, Koji's save was lighter and crisper, like a leaf skimming the water.
After all, Xiao Jian's physique is the thinnest in the team.
As a free man, he lacked a tall stature but possessed a spring-like reaction speed.
So every time he saves the ball, his movements are light and desperate, as if he might leap at any moment, yet he always manages to miraculously save the ball.
After that sound, Washio caught a fleeting glimpse of Fubuki Nisen.
After that sound, Washio saw a fleeting glance from Ootori.
His gaze was swift and silent, yet it conveyed a heavy sense of entrustment. It was as if he were saying, "I'm leaving it to you."
The volleyball was flying towards setter Shinobu, its trajectory not perfect, with a rapid spin, but it was a precious opportunity earned by libero Komi's valiant save.
Washio Tatsuo took a deep breath, feeling the slight tremor from his fingertips.
That wasn't fear, but rather the pent-up power surging through my veins, the long-suppressed fighting spirit burning brightly.
He recalled what Coach Anji had said to him a month earlier, after Furutani had fought hard to finally secure the second representative school spot in Tokyo:
"Chensheng, your height and wingspan give you a natural advantage in blocking, and your spiking instinct is also very sharp."
"But none of these are what I value most."
The undercover supervisor's gaze was piercing. "Your most valuable quality is your talent for remaining calm even in dire situations. This is an innate gift, something many people can't acquire even through arduous training."
The undercover officer slammed his hand down on his shoulder, the force so strong that he staggered slightly.
"Remember the feeling of that final point against Jingtashan! Remember that moment when everyone was holding their breath, even Mutu was trembling, yet you could clearly hear your own heartbeat!"
"So, when Wood Rabbit and the others are overwhelmed by emotions, when everyone is in a state of panic, I want you to be the one who can still think."
"What Owl Valley needs is not only passion and talent, but also a clear head in the eye of the storm."
...Remember that feeling.
The hawk-tailed creature murmured softly, as if reciting some kind of incantation to calm itself down.
Remember that feeling of being able to calm down.
Remember that strange state where, amidst the deafening cheers, the world seemed to be muted.
He recalled the resolute words of the undercover supervisor during the pause: "Don't let them lead you by their rhythm! The trap of the Crane Cry Pavilion is to make you follow their pace without realizing it!"
"Play our own volleyball!"
Don't get taken away...
Think about what you would do if you faced such an impenetrable defense in the most ordinary circumstances.
Just then, a long-absent cheer erupted from the support area for Okabe Valley in the stands.
The flags that had been silent for so long were waved vigorously again, though the momentum was not as great as at the beginning, but it carried a do-or-die determination.
"Owl Valley—Fight—!"
"Owl Valley—Fight—!"
This shout was like a stimulant, injected directly into Washio's heart.
Washio's gaze finally swept over Aoyagi and Koizumi, who were waiting in full battle array on the other side of the net.
They were watching him like hunters, their eyes focused, as if they had seen through all his attack routes.
But they can't possibly see through everything right now; they're just waiting for him to make a mistake.
Washio took another deep breath and began his running start.
His pace was slightly slower than usual, and his eyes seemed fixed on Koizumi's knees, as if searching for an opportunity to break through in a straight line.
Just as he was about to jump, his right foot paused slightly, making an extremely realistic feint—
Sure enough, Koizumi was fooled by this subtle feint and his body began to rise prematurely!
Now!
Washio really put his strength into the jump, and his whole body soared into the air like an arrow released from a bow.
The ball from setter Fukutani was perfectly placed, waiting at his highest point.
Aoyagi, who was standing next to Koizumi, reacted very quickly, immediately twisting his body to try to adjust his hand shape to block the diagonal line, but Washio had already slightly turned his body in the air.
He wasn't aiming for a straight shot, nor a diagonal shot; he was targeting Tsurumeikan's number 12 front-row attacker, who only belatedly jumped after seeing Washio's turn—
That weak point that was exposed due to hesitation in judgment!
"Bang--!"
The volleyball collided with the hastily extended fingers of another blocker from Tsurumeikan, in addition to Aoyagi and Koizumi.
With a strong spin, it slammed heavily onto the outside of the sideline.
"Bang--!!"
The referee's gesture indicating a point cut through the air.
—The thug is out of bounds!!!
The score by Xiaogu is valid!
The deathly silence of the first half of the match was broken.
"Washio—!!!"
"So tight!!!"
The long-awaited cheers erupted from the support area for Okabe Valley.
"nice shot!!"
"That was amazing!"
"Finally, they scored!!!"
Fukutani's supporters nearly jumped out of their seats.
————————!!————————
(Patting paws—) The next chapter will end here, but it will be a little late, probably around midnight. There's still a little bit left; I'll revise it after I finish writing it.
After much hesitation, Fukutani decided to focus his efforts on Washio. The taciturn but witty Washio is more suited than Kotaro to break Tsuru's serve here.
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