"Did he not react in time!? He still hasn't jumped!"
As Kageyama leaped and sent the ball behind him to Tsukishima, the corner of his eye flicked toward Hank, who was standing to his left at the net. Seeing that Hank was still in his blocking stance and had not made a move yet, Kageyama immediately felt pleased with himself.
If the other guy still hadn't jumped by now... then there was only one outcome left—he would be completely overwhelmed.
After all, these past few days, Kageyama hadn't only been practicing his coordination with Hinata. He and the rest of the team had also worked out ways to deal with opponents like this.
If one person alone couldn't break through your block, then they would organize a three-man attack... and seize victory in the chaos!
Judging from the result in front of him, it had worked extremely well. Hank hadn't reacted at all. In that case... this point was theirs!
Just as Kageyama's body began to descend and the ball had already been sent through the air to the still-hovering Tsukishima, Hank—who had been standing motionless at the net—suddenly exploded into motion. His feet moved at incredible speed, and in an instant, he had gone from his original position to directly in front of Tsukishima.
And in that same split second, Hank rose up fast, both hands thrusting forward... completely sealing off Tsukishima's attack from one side!
The moment he saw that scene, Tsukishima's expression instantly changed, and he could not help blurting out in shock,
"Where the hell did this guy come from!? Why did he suddenly appear right in front of me!?"
Staring at Hank, who had appeared in front of him so abruptly, Tsukishima's face changed dramatically. Even the arm he had already swung forward instinctively wanted to pull back. He had been completely stunned by the talent Hank had just displayed. How was that possible!?
A second ago, Hank clearly hadn't reacted at all, and he had even jumped later than Tsukishima... so how could he still meet him at the net and block him!?
That kind of talent...
How could a player like that exist in Miyagi Prefecture of all places? It was completely absurd.
Bang!
With that crisp sound of the ball hitting the floor, Tsukishima stared at the volleyball Hank had just blocked down, and his expression changed completely. How had it ended like this? He had never even heard of something like this happening before!
He had never imagined that he would actually be blocked by Hank in the end.
At that moment, a single thought suddenly surfaced in Tsukishima's mind... there was always someone stronger out there, and Hank was the best possible example of it.
Maybe on Karasuno's team, he could count as a starter... but only after meeting someone even stronger like Hank could he truly feel just how small he really was.
Why was the gap between them this huge!?
They were clearly in the same year, and they were even exactly the same height, yet when it came to attacking... he was completely unable to keep up with Hank's rhythm.
"How is that possible!? How could Tsukishima's attack get blocked like that!?"
"He jumped later, yet he reached the net before the guy who jumped first!? That Hank doesn't just have terrifying jumping talent—his physical ability is monstrous too!"
Sugawara could no longer remain seated on the sidelines. If Hank had blocked Karasuno's individual attacks before, that would have been one thing... but now even a team attack organized by three or four players at once had still been shut down by him.
That kind of thing had already completely overturned everything Sugawara thought he knew. Could it be that Hank really was capable of crushing Karasuno... through his own power alone!?
"He's incredibly strong—possibly the most naturally gifted athlete I've ever seen!"
Beside him, Kiyoko stared fixedly at Hank's position. The suffocating pressure she felt from him had not faded at all. Now, she had completely been drawn into his rhythm. Even though she was only the team manager, she could still feel it all as if she were right there on the court herself.
The feeling of being utterly overwhelmed by Hank... she could sense it clearly. Hank was unquestionably a powerhouse.
But no matter how special Kiyoko's impression of Hank was, she still had to acknowledge the sheer momentum he carried. The kind of presence that made everyone believe, the moment he stepped on the court, that victory already belonged to him.
That was the most essential soul of an Ace!
"He's unbelievably strong... I never imagined there would be a player this talented in Miyagi Prefecture."
Takeda likewise felt completely at a loss. It seemed as though every path Karasuno could take had already been thoroughly seen through by Hank. From this point on, it felt like they had no way at all to contain him.
That result filled him with shame. After all, he had not been able to give Karasuno any more detailed judgment or guidance... because when it came to volleyball, he was still just an outsider.
It looked like they absolutely had to find a proper coach to help them next. Otherwise... Karasuno might not be able to get anywhere in Miyagi as things stood now.
(End of Chapter)
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