"Unexpectedly, a strong team like Inarizaki actually lost in the first set!!"
"Yeah! Everyone thought they were favorites to win the championship! And they still lost to Karasuno in the first match of the semifinals!"
"And in such a shocking way..."
"It's not that they're weak! It's just that Karasuno is too strong!"
...
As the referee's whistle blew, the crowd gradually quieted, and the sounds of discussion rippled through the audience.
If it had been a regular close match that ended in a loss, no one would have been surprised.
But in this game, nearly half of the points Inarizaki lost were from Akira's serves!!
Something like this—let alone in the semifinals of Nationals—is extremely rare, even in regular matches!
How could anyone not be excited seeing something so thrilling unfold right before their eyes?
Right now, the topic on everyone's mind was Akira's serve!
"That serve just now was amazing!!"
As everyone returned to the bench, Coach Ukai opened his arms and laughed heartily.
"Hahaha! That got my blood pumping!!"
"Serving to score wasn't the main goal."
Akira replied with a grin:
"Shutting up those Inarizaki cheer squads was the real objective!"
"Exactly!"
Kageyama chimed in with equal irritation:
"When I was serving earlier, their drumming was so annoying!"
"Hmph! That's just because you're an idiot."
Hinata pouted beside him, clearly unimpressed.
"Why am I fine, then?"
"You little—!"
"Alright, alright!"
Seeing the two about to start bickering again, Ukai waved his hand helplessly and cut them off.
He then turned to Akira:
"How about it?"
"Are you good for the next one?"
"No problem!"
Akira answered with a smile.
In the last set, although he participated heavily in the offense, he only had to receive in the back row.
So naturally, he had recovered by now.
"Great!!"
Ukai beamed.
"Let's keep it up, everyone!!"
"Let's win the next set too!!"
"Yes!!"
...
On the other side of the court, Inarizaki's atmosphere was heavy and tense.
"If anyone has questions, speak up now!"
Taro Omi looked at his players, trying to keep his voice calm and steady.
"How are we supposed to deal with... that kind of serve from Akira??"
Akagi finally voiced what everyone was thinking.
That serve from Akira was a weapon!
How were they supposed to stop it?
If they let him score ten or more points again with just his serve like last time, was there even a point in continuing the semifinal?
"Ahem!"
Hearing the question, Taro Omi clenched his fist and coughed lightly into his hand before saying:
"You all don't need to worry too much about that!"
"Based on my observation, the reason Akira stopped serving just now might be because…"
"He's running low on stamina!!"
"Huh?"
Everyone was stunned.
"Could it be…"
They looked at each other in confusion.
"He stopped serving like that because he's trying to conserve energy!"
Seeing their reactions, Taro Omi finally let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"So don't panic just yet!"
"In the second set, Akira probably won't use that serve again!"
Hearing this, it was as if a huge weight was lifted off Inarizaki's shoulders.
Finally… no more of those devastating serves!
"Plus, after that high-intensity performance, his condition in the next set definitely won't be as sharp!"
Taro Omi continued:
"This is our chance to take the second set!!"
"Yes!"
...
While both sides were deep in their tactical discussions, the short break came to an end.
Karasuno vs. Inarizaki—Set Two begins!!
"Huh??"
"Inarizaki made a change!!"
"Their captain, number 1… I haven't seen him before!"
"Yeah!! He didn't appear in any of the group matches!"
"Could Inarizaki have been hiding their strength this whole time??"
...
As soon as the new lineup was revealed, a buzz spread through the stands.
"How should we handle their captain?"
Watching the calm man wearing Inarizaki's number 1 jersey, Takeda couldn't help but turn to ask.
"Don't panic yet."
Ukai kept his expression composed.
"Let's see how he plays first."
In fact, even Inarizaki's own players on the court could already feel the subtle pressure coming from Shinsuke Kita.
"Don't be nervous."
Kita said evenly to the others:
"If he serves like that again, being nervous won't help you stop it."
"In that case, don't waste your energy on fear."
"Yes!"
The rest of Inarizaki stood tall and answered in unison.
Watching from the sidelines, Taro Omi chuckled quietly.
"Once Shinsuke comes in, the whole team tightens up."
"Even after such a brutal first set, the atmosphere completely shifts!"
"Yeah! Shinsuke… He really has that kind of power!!"
...
Tweet!
With both teams in position, the referee's whistle echoed across the court.
The game begins!!