When Kazuyoshi Bessho first heard what Hirugami said, he was only half-convinced. Set the ball to an empty spot and have the captain run over to spike it? Could the captain really get there in time? If he actually made it, wouldn't that make him superhuman? Kazuyoshi Bessho didn't buy it.
Hoshiumi and Suwa had already rushed forward to prepare for the block. Hakuba was matched up with Suwa on the other side, Bokuto had already begun his approach, and Haruki Komi was staying close to Bokuto so he could receive the ball.
If this ball didn't score, Bokuto would immediately start setting up the next attack. With Kamomedai's current situation, Hoshiumi might not be able to score against the opposing blockers.
The coach had given Suwa the task of keeping the blockers covered, leaving no openings to spike through.
And the two blockers across the net were no pushovers.
At that moment, Kazuyoshi Bessho had never missed Hirugami more. If only Hirugami were here. Hirugami alone could cover the work of three blockers on the team, giving everyone else time to spike.
Seeing every possible spiking lane sealed off, Kazuyoshi Bessho, with no other choice, thought of what Hirugami had said.
Then he might as well try it. After all, Hirugami had said it himself. To Kazuyoshi Bessho, those words were believable not because Inube could actually spike the ball, but because they had come from Hirugami.
Kazuyoshi Bessho observed the court. There weren't many places left near the net where a spike could get through. Most of them had been blocked off. Only a few narrow gaps remained at the edges, but spiking from those spots would be difficult.
Kazuyoshi Bessho was sure he could set the ball there, but he wasn't sure whether their great captain could actually hit it.
As he thought that, Kazuyoshi Bessho's hands began to move.
He sent the ball toward the far left side of the net and shouted,
"Captain, I'm counting on you!"
The move stunned everyone.
Hoshiumi curled his lip. From where they were, there was no way anyone could make it in time. Even he wouldn't be able to reach it. And that captain who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere was supposed to manage it? Hoshiumi didn't believe it for a second.
"I'm there."
That calm, ordinary sentence exploded beside Hoshiumi's ear like thunder out of a clear sky. Hoshiumi whipped his head around, but all he saw was Inube's back. Inube had shot out like a gust of wind, so fast that Hoshiumi hadn't even seen when he started moving.
Inube was running. The wind sweeping across the court brushed against his face, making the emotions he had finally calmed down surge hotly again.
His eyes locked onto the ball coming in at that difficult angle. Inube couldn't help marveling inwardly. Kazuyoshi Bessho's set really was precise. Even such a troublesome set had been handled with that much detail.
Everyone's eyes went wide.
Before some people had even reacted, Keiichiro Kanbayashi had already left his previous position and sprinted toward the left side. Konoha did the same. The instant he heard Kazuyoshi Bessho call for the captain, he had a bad feeling.
Like Keiichiro Kanbayashi, Konoha also rushed to the left side without needing to be told.
They watched with their own eyes as Inube sprinted toward the hitting point like lightning and jumped straight up. Konoha hadn't even made it to the net yet.
By the time he reached the net, the volleyball had already landed with a bang.
There was no chance to react.
"Beep---------!"
It all happened in an instant. The referee blew the whistle the moment the ball hit the floor.
"Point to Kamomedai! That was Kamomedai's captain. His running speed is incredible. He actually caught up to the ball! Working together with Kamomedai's setter, Bessho, he spiked it into the completely empty backcourt and scored directly!"
Hoshiumi stared wide-eyed in that direction, unable to believe what he had just seen. He had only caught Inube's back when he turned around, then watched Inube sprint at a speed he had never seen before and slam the ball down.
"That's... that's amazing!"
After standing frozen for a moment, Hoshiumi suddenly blurted that out. His initial unwillingness to accept this captain vanished in an instant, replaced by admiration and awe. His attitude changed so fast it was practically a complete about-face.
Inube landed with a grin, then turned and gave Kazuyoshi Bessho a thumbs-up.
"Yo, nice set, Kazuyoshi."
Kazuyoshi Bessho was just as shocked by what Inube had done. That whole sequence had been unbelievably smooth. Approach, jump, spike, all in one motion, and it had taken only a few seconds. Was that really a speed a human could reach?
Faced with Inube's praise, Kazuyoshi Bessho answered dryly,
"Not at all. You were incredible too, Captain."
You were way more incredible. When you ran, all I could see was a blur.
Hoshiumi shoved Kazuyoshi Bessho aside, his eyes practically glued to Inube as his mouth opened and words came pouring out.
"Captain, Captain! That last ball was amazing! How did you do that? You ran so fast! Teach me. Can I train until I'm like that too?!"
If they weren't still in the middle of a match, Hoshiumi would have gone straight up to cling to Inube's arm and beg him. Since they were still playing, he at least held himself back a little.
Inube pressed down on Hoshiumi's shoulder helplessly to stop him from darting all over the place.
His tone was a little exasperated.
"We're still in a match. I'll teach you after it's over. For now, hurry back to your position."
Hoshiumi nodded repeatedly and jogged back. Once he was in place, he even looked back at Inube, patted his own chest, and signaled that he was ready to keep playing at any time.
Hirugami's feelings were a little complicated. It really was rare to see Hoshiumi being this obedient.
Konoha scratched his hair and said to Bokuto,
"I can't keep up with Inube. He's just too fast."
Bokuto tilted his head. If they couldn't keep up with Inube, that meant they couldn't block him. Bokuto racked his brains, but he couldn't come up with anything. Usually, Keiji Akaashi was the one who handled strategy like this.
The moment Bokuto thought of Keiji Akaashi, Keiji Akaashi walked over.
Keiji Akaashi said to Konoha,
"Don't ask Bokuto-senpai. Bokuto-senpai, please return to your position first."
Bokuto obediently nodded and went back to his spot. Coming up with strategies really wasn't something Bokuto could do. The little flashes of cleverness he had from time to time were all spent on figuring out how to make his spikes look cool, or on sudden inspiration during a spike. Bokuto was a great ace, but he wasn't a strategist.
Keiji Akaashi had realized that just now, which was why he came over on his own. If Bokuto-senpai was really left to think about this, he would keep thinking and thinking, running it over in his head again and again, only to eventually realize he still couldn't come up with anything. Then his mood would sink. Keiji Akaashi would absolutely not let that happen.
At that moment, Washio also came over with Onaga.
Keiji Akaashi glanced at the other side of the court and saw that Kamomedai had already taken their positions.
He immediately said to everyone,
"Let's focus on the match first. We'll talk about this later. Keep observing for now."
Konoha also nodded seriously and returned to his position.
"Beep---------!"
The whistle sounded. It was Kamomedai's turn to serve.
Haruki Komi saw Suwa step up to the service line again and let out a silent sigh. Here it came again. Suwa's serve was coming again.
Suwa walked into position and flashed a smile at Haruki Komi in Fukurōdani's backcourt. He didn't know what Haruki Komi was thinking right now, but he guessed Komi was probably pretty irritated.
After all, jump float serves had far too many variations.
Once the whistle for the serve sounded, Suwa looked up and tossed the ball. He followed with his approach, snapped his wrist, and struck the volleyball with his palm.
"Bang!"
The volleyball rang out as it flew into Fukurōdani's court.
Suwa had aimed this serve at Haruki Komi's chest and abdomen. A flat-drive jump float.
Haruki Komi didn't notice anything unusual before the ball crossed the net. Only after it came over did he suddenly realize its arc seemed a little low. Looking more closely, he saw that it was a flat-drive jump float.
He quickly backed up a few steps, bent down, and received it underhand.
Inwardly, he was still cursing Suwa. Suwa was seriously underhanded. A ball like this was far too deceptive.
"Bang!"
The volleyball slammed into Haruki Komi's forearm. Just as it looked like it was about to float out of his reach, Komi lifted his forearms and managed to bump the drifting ball back up.
Keiji Akaashi ran over to the ball and set it.
The players on the other side surged into motion all at once. Some prepared to block, some began their approaches, and the libero crouched in the back, ready to receive. For a moment, the court looked incredibly busy.
Keiji Akaashi set the ball to Bokuto. Bokuto was now facing Inube and Hakuba head-on. If he spiked, he would inevitably have to go through those two. But to Konoha, it felt like Keiji Akaashi had deliberately sent Bokuto straight at Inube and Hakuba.
Bokuto saw the set coming toward him, and the closest hitting point was near position one. Of course he noticed Inube and Hakuba setting up the block. Part of him also wanted to test Inube's strength, so he aimed the ball straight toward Inube's side and slammed it down.
Bokuto took his approach, kicked off the floor with both feet, and sprang up with a sharp whoosh, as if he were about to take flight.
Seeing that, Inube and Hakuba jumped too. Midair, when Inube saw Bokuto's palm so close to him, wide as a palm-leaf fan, only one thought flashed through his mind. Oh no. I'm done for.
If that spike hit his arm, wouldn't his arm break? But that wasn't even the most important thing. Inube's blocking was honestly nothing special. If this ball got through, it was definitely going to score.
And if he failed to block it, wouldn't the steady, reliable captain image everyone had of him completely collapse?
Just as Inube started to panic, Suwa sprinted across nearly half the court.
After Bokuto smashed the ball down with a bang, Suwa leaped out.
Bokuto had hit a straight shot. Suwa jumped, swung both hands upward, and just barely got a touch on the ball.
But the ball still went over. Suwa hadn't been fully set when he came in to block, so his arms weren't firm enough.
The volleyball flew off Suwa's palms and into the backcourt.
"One touch!"
After Inube landed, he looked at Suwa with tearful eyes. Suwa, your timing was perfect. He was so moved he could almost cry.
Suwa let out a light sigh and immediately dropped back on defense.
Then he quickly added,
"Leave the blocking to me and Hakuba. You and Hoshiumi can just focus on attacking."
Suwa knew Inube's weak spots very well. Otherwise, he wouldn't have rushed over the moment Inube went up to block.
After Bokuto landed, he immediately began falling back on defense. The volleyball had gone into Kamomedai's backcourt, and Keiichiro Kanbayashi ran over to receive it.
Even after being touched by the block, Bokuto's spike still carried plenty of power.
Keiichiro Kanbayashi ran over and bumped the ball from below. The volleyball rebounded off his arms and flew high into the air. As he received it, Keiichiro Kanbayashi adjusted the angle of his wrists.
The ball flew toward Kazuyoshi Bessho. Kazuyoshi Bessho took a few quick steps, tilted his head back, and jumped.
The set to Inube just now had been incredibly smooth and had scored right away, so Kazuyoshi Bessho wanted to try it again.
But he saw that Hoshiumi had already reached the net, while Inube was still hovering in the backcourt.
Across the net, Washio and Konoha were preparing to block, watching Hoshiumi like predators.
Kazuyoshi Bessho thought for a moment, then still sent the ball to Hoshiumi.
Even against a double block, Hoshiumi's expression didn't change. The moment he saw Washio, though, irritation flared up inside him. It reminded him of the ball in the previous set where Washio had hit over his head. That was not a pleasant memory.
The feeling only flickered through Hoshiumi's mind. Now wasn't the time to sulk. The match mattered more.
Washio's arms reached very far. Although Hoshiumi could jump high, trying to hit over Washio's hands would still be difficult. So Hoshiumi simply pretended he was going for an over-the-block shot, then changed it into a wipe the moment his form was set.
Washio was caught off guard, and the ball nearly got through.
At the critical moment, Konoha's left hand swished over, blocking the space between Washio and Hoshiumi.
"Bang."
The volleyball bounced back onto Kamomedai's side.
Hoshiumi was annoyed that his spike had been stopped by a hand that suddenly appeared out of nowhere, but he had to hold it in.
The volleyball was about to hit the floor.
Hakuba sprinted over.
He dove right beside Hoshiumi's feet, braced one hand against the floor, and the volleyball dropped onto Hakuba's arm before bouncing back up.
For someone that tall, his dive made barely any sound when he hit the floor. It was obvious he had put serious work into it.
The volleyball rose straight up along the net. Hoshiumi bent his knees and jumped, planning to spike it over just like that. His movements were fast.
But someone was even faster. Konoha had already prepared to jump the moment Hakuba received the ball.
"Bang!"
After jumping, he reached out and pressed the ball straight down.
It brushed right past Hoshiumi's ear as Hoshiumi jumped.
This time, no one was there to receive it. Keiichiro Kanbayashi had been waiting in the backcourt the whole time, and when he saw Hakuba go for the ball, he didn't move forward. He never expected this ball not to score.
Konoha landed on the other side of the net, still smiling at Hoshiumi like a fox with a grin.
"Oh dear, little Hoshiumi. That won't do. You couldn't even get that one over."
Hoshiumi went silent. Did he think he was stupid? Did he really think Hoshiumi couldn't see such an obvious provocation? He was not going to fall for it...
"Hah? Who said I couldn't get it over? You were just being sneaky, okay! What's wrong with my technique? My technique is great!"
Hoshiumi kept telling himself not to get angry, but he just couldn't help it.
Seeing Hoshiumi bristle, and with Hirugami not there, there was no one who could control him. Hakuba hesitated, not daring to step forward and drag Hoshiumi back.
In the end, Inube walked over and patted Hoshiumi on the shoulder.
Hoshiumi was just about to start cursing when he felt someone pat his shoulder. Thinking it was Hakuba, he looked up, ready to snap back.
But when he raised his head, he saw Inube instead. The face that was usually always smiling had no expression at all now, and he was staring down at Hoshiumi with a dark, heavy look.