Haikyuu: Zero to Almighty

After a brief intermission, the second set began swiftly.

With Karasuno serving first, Ennoshita's serve targeted the centre court but was successfully received by Kindaichi. Setter Yahaba quickly set the ball for Kunimi, who spiked it from the left. Tsukishima barely managed to dig the ball.

"Kageyama, get the ball!"

Daichi's sharp call echoed across the court. Kindaichi nodded slightly to himself; the first pass hadn't been ideal. From the last set, it was clear that Karasuno rarely ran quick attacks. Most likely, they would opt for a long attack from either the left (Tanaka Ryuunosuke) or the right (Sawamura Daichi).

Suddenly, Hinata Shoyo shot out from behind Kageyama.

A quick attack? No, they hadn't run a single quick attack in the first set—it must be a decoy!

Kindaichi made a snap judgment, his gaze locked firmly on Tanaka and Daichi on the wings.

BAM!

Hinata's spike landed cleanly.

[Karasuno 1–0 Aoba Johsai]

"What? A quick attack?!"

Kindaichi stared in disbelief.

"They're attacking from the centre? Karasuno's little guy seems back to normal."

Whispers filled the stands.

"Another point!" Karasuno's players cheered.

As Karasuno served again, Aoba Johsai managed to return the ball.

"Chance ball!"

Ennoshita smoothly passed the ball to Kageyama, who set it perfectly. Hinata was already airborne, and before Kindaichi could react to block, the ball hit the ground on Aoba Johsai's side.

[Karasuno 2–0 Aoba Johsai]

"Ah?"

"Huh?"

"What was that just now? So fast!"

"That's the 'Freak Quick Attack,' right?" On the sidelines, Takahara Taichi couldn't contain his excitement. No matter how many times he saw it in the anime, witnessing it firsthand was incredible.

Cheers erupted from Karasuno's side as the frustration from the first set seemed to dissipate instantly. The players' spirits visibly lifted.

"Number 5 is completely different from the first set," Kunimi remarked to Kindaichi.

"Two quick attacks in a row. I won't let them succeed again," Kindaichi muttered, glaring at Hinata.

Sensing the attention from the other side of the net, Kageyama smirked. "Good. They're focusing on Hinata. Our counterattack starts now."

The match continued, both teams trading blows. Finally, Kageyama received a decent first pass. He glanced at Hinata, who darted to the right.

"Mine!"

"Another quick attack?" Kindaichi, who had been shadowing Hinata, jumped with him.

"If I know it's coming, there's nothing to fear."

Whoosh! BAM!

But instead of spiking, Kageyama delivered a perfect back set to Tanaka on the left. Tanaka leapt and smashed the ball down.

"Finally! I've been waiting for this!" Tanaka's triumphant roar echoed through the gym.

[Karasuno 3–0 Aoba Johsai]

"Dammit, another decoy?" Kindaichi slapped his face in frustration.

"Don't lose your cool, Kindaichi. Don't let them mess with your head," Iwaizumi advised, though even he struggled to come up with a solid counter.

"Understood," Kindaichi replied, nodding.

But their defence couldn't keep up with Karasuno's relentless offence. The score quickly climbed to [Karasuno 7–3 Aoba Johsai].

"Even a novice like me can tell their blockers are being spread too thin. They can't stop Karasuno's attacks," murmured a spectator.

"Has Karasuno always been this strong?"

"Not really. It's mainly because that first-year keeps running all over the place, and their setter—his accuracy is ridiculous, almost like Oikawa-senpai."

Beep. Aoba Johsai called for a timeout.

"Hey, Kindaichi, this Kageyama isn't anything like what you described," Yahaba, the other setter, complained.

"I—I've never seen this before, either," Kindaichi admitted helplessly. "Who would've thought there'd be a spiker who could keep up with Kageyama's insane sets?"

"No, Kindaichi," Coach Irihata interrupted. "It's the other way around. Kageyama is adapting to his spikers, especially that number 5. That little guy's fundamentals are rough—similar to Taichi—but Kageyama is turning his speed into a weapon."

Taichi, who had been quietly listening, suddenly felt attacked. Couldn't they have left me out of it?

"Kageyama has the advanced setting skills Oikawa mentioned, placing the ball precisely for each spiker. But their individual attacks aren't unbeatable. So, Taichi," Coach Irihata's gaze sharpened. "Stick to that little guy like glue."

A monster first-year? Aoba Johsai had one, too.

Aoba Johsai made a substitution: Takahara Taichi in, Kindaichi out.

Karasuno served, and Aoba Johsai's libero, Watari, smoothly received the ball. Yahaba set it up for Kunimi, who delivered a strong spike. Daichi received it with ease, and at the same moment, Hinata began his approach.

"He's coming!"

If anyone on the court understood the Freak Quick Attack, it was Kaedehara Taichi. After all, apart from Kageyama himself, few knew it better. At this stage, Hinata Shoyo's approach was straightforward—jump and spike. However, what set him apart was the absolute trust that Kageyama's set would reach him perfectly, allowing him to hit the ball mid-air without hesitation. That alone was beyond what most players could do.

Taichi tracked Hinata closely. Their movements mirrored each other on opposite sides of the net. Although he was slightly slower and his jump wasn't as high, Taichi's height advantage compensated for the gap. He didn't need to completely shut Hinata down—just disrupting his attack would suffice.

Smack!

Taichi's hand grazed Hinata's spike.

"Touch!" Taichi shouted.

Watari scrambled and made a perfect dig. Caught off guard, Karasuno struggled to reset their defence. Kunimi capitalized on the opportunity, spiking the ball into an open spot.

"Nice touch! Nice spike!" Aoba Johsai's players rallied around Taichi as the atmosphere shifted.

[Karasuno 7–4 Aoba Johsai]

"Was that just luck?" Kageyama frowned, visibly frustrated. The Freak Quick Attack had been blocked on its second attempt—something he hadn't anticipated.

"Don't worry! Let's keep pushing!" Daichi reassured Hinata, patting his shoulder as the younger player stood stunned.

On the sidelines, Coach Irihata chuckled while tapping his clipboard. "Sharp observation and disciplined blocking. Taichi's playing smart—he's not trying to win it all in one block. Instead, he's focusing on control. A single touch can completely disrupt Karasuno's rhythm."

"If their little guy can't score," the coach added with a knowing grin, "what use is he as a decoy?"

Karasuno's players grew visibly tense. Being blocked by a newcomer was unexpected. Kageyama needed two more attacks to confirm it—this wasn't a fluke.

Sure enough, Taichi kept pace with Hinata. Though his jumping ability wasn't as explosive, his 20-centimeter height advantage was undeniable. Hinata couldn't shake off his defence.

Aoba Johsai adapted quickly. Instead of worrying about whether Hinata would receive the ball, Taichi marked him relentlessly. Without Hinata's presence as a decoy, Tanaka and Daichi's spikes lost their edge, and their one-hit kills became rare. The momentum shifted.

[Karasuno 7–6 Aoba Johsai]

"Damn it! If only we had a true ace to break through!" Kageyama muttered under his breath, frustration bubbling to the surface.