"This Inarizaki team…"
"They're pretty formidable!"
Watching the situation unfold on the court, Akaashi responded, and Kuroo couldn't help but speak up as well.
He had always been sharp and meticulous when it came to reading the game.
"Yeah."
"If you swapped out Ojiro right now, Inarizaki wouldn't stand a chance at taking this point."
Yaku nodded thoughtfully.
At this stage of the game, everyone could feel Shinsuke Kita's presence on the court.
He wasn't the type of flashy, high-profile player.
But since he'd stepped onto the court—not a single mistake.
Not even the tiniest misstep.
From beginning to end, his composure had been unshakable.
He hadn't missed a single ball within his range.
And for the ones truly out of reach, though the result wasn't ideal, it was clear he gave it everything he had.
But even that much… was more than enough.
In a match of this intensity, maintaining that kind of performance was honestly terrifying.
Many players, when they step into this kind of high-pressure match, forget everything they've practiced.
Forget delivering their full strength—just staying composed on court is a rare feat.
And even those who've fought in countless matches might not reach the level of stability Kita was showing now.
So, from any outsider's perspective—his performance was incredible.
…
Thud!
Just now, Tsukishima scored with a quick strike from Karasuno's flank.
Now, both teams were past the 20-point mark.
Karasuno led Inarizaki by just one point.
It was coming down to the wire.
And Tsukishima's score meant…
Akira had rotated to the front row!
If Inarizaki still couldn't deal with his unpredictable, spinning spikes—
They'd be out of options.
When your opponent scores with every attack, it's hard to even imagine how to win.
At that moment, Inarizaki's head coach, Norimune Kurosu, suddenly called their second timeout.
"Looks like…"
"They're getting anxious."
From the sideline, Karasuno's coach, Keishin Ukai, studied Inarizaki's bench with a hand on his chin.
"When they panic, they'll make mistakes."
"And when they do—we've got to seize that chance!"
"Yes, Coach!"
…
On the other bench, Coach Kurosu looked pleased.
From watching the match between Karasuno and Shiratorizawa, he and Assistant Coach Taro Omi had discovered a potential counter to Akira's spikes.
Though Shiratorizawa hadn't executed it perfectly…
They'd identified the method's flaw.
It placed a heavy burden on the second setter's stamina.
In the footage, Shiratorizawa had to sub out their second setter several times due to exhaustion.
But Inarizaki had a way to overcome that drawback.
Because they had one of the strongest combinations in high school volleyball—the Miya twins.
To most, Atsumu Miya was the star setter.
But what many overlooked was that Osamu Miya's setting skills were also top-tier.
Back in junior high, they even competed for the setter position.
It was only because Osamu lacked the same fire that Atsumu, despite being slightly less technical, became the regular.
Even now, when Atsumu had trouble with a ball or couldn't handle it, it was often Osamu who stepped in to set.
Ahem.
Coach Kurosu coughed twice, unable to hide his excitement.
"Don't worry, everyone."
"Now that Akira is in the front row, Taro and I have a plan to deal with his spikes."
The team quieted down slightly, turning their attention toward him.
Time was short. Kurosu explained quickly:
"We rewatched the footage from Karasuno versus Shiratorizawa."
"When they faced Akira's unpredictable spikes, they used strong, controlled digs to lift the ball high into the air."
"When the ball soars like that, the lateral force doesn't go away…"
"But it gives the rest of the team more time to react."
"Shiratorizawa managed to defend his spikes using that strategy."
His words made the team shiver slightly.
"So that's it…"
"No wonder."
Shinsuke Kita spoke with a calm understanding.
"In those later sets, Shiratorizawa kept rotating their second setter."
"That strategy clearly puts a lot of physical strain on the setter."
Hearing this, several teammates nodded in agreement.
"Exactly."
Ginjima clapped his palm once and turned to Atsumu.
"If we have to dig the ball that high, the spin and force will send it flying laterally!"
"The setter will have to run a lot to chase it down!"
As everyone turned to look at him, Atsumu scratched his head, a bit exasperated.
"Then what can I do?"
"If I'm tired, then I'm tired!"
"No. No way!"
Finally, Taro Omi, who had been silent, spoke up.
"I just discussed this with Coach Kurosu."
"For the next plays, both you and Osamu will alternate as setter!"
"WHAT?!"
The moment he said that, both twins—and the rest of the team—were visibly shaken.
"No! No way!"
Atsumu was the first to object, his face full of panic.
"Don't do this!"
"The score's already over 20!"
"We're almost at the end of the set!"
"I can handle this! Coach, please!"
"Don't make me share the setter spot with him!"
Osamu, standing nearby, frowned.
"I don't want to share setter duties with this annoying guy, either."
"Come on, you two!"
Omi smiled bitterly.
"This isn't the time to be petty!"
"He's right!"
Coach Kurosu added sternly from the sideline.
"Even if we're past 20 points—if we can defend Akira's slams…"
"This match could easily stretch into the 30s."
"And at that point, do you really think you can keep going, Atsumu?"
"With the way things have been going, your stamina just won't hold up."
At that, Atsumu lowered his head, speechless.
"Do you want to drag the whole team this far…"
"Only to lose in the end because of your pride?"