Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty-Chapter 432: The Comeback
Team Japan continued their serve.
Aone Takanobu sent the second ball flying, and Aaron Russell received it cleanly.
Micah Christenson quickly moved in for the set, triggering a synchronised three-point attack from Team USA.
Japan's blockers were spread out; until the ball left Christenson's fingertips, they couldn't predict where the final strike would go.
Whoosh—!
Micah Christenson glanced toward Japan's back row and pushed the ball to the right wing.
The last time, Japan had only managed to save the ball because Kaedehara Taichi, upon recognising it was a back-row attack from Torey DeFalco, immediately switched defensive zones with Aone.
This time, Christenson directly avoided Taichi's side. As for the blockers, they weren't even worth considering.
Thud!
Taylor Averill soared into the air and spiked the ball.
"Right wing!" Kai Suzuharu shouted as he quickly leapt in to intercept.
Sakusa Kiyoomi barely made it in time from the centre, jumping diagonally to form a partial block.
But it was all in vain.
BOOM!!!
The ball easily cleared the blockers and slammed toward the backcourt.
Smack!
Kaedehara Taichi hurled himself through the air and dug it up!
"Kageyama! Ball's still up!"
"He's so fast! He's practically a libero!" came the stunned exclamations from the bench.
Taichi crashed hard to the floor.
With a middle blocker serving this rotation, Japan's libero was off the court. That left the back row in the hands of Aone Takanobu and Kageyama Tobio—two notorious "black holes" in receive.
Previously, Taichi would have focused more on offence, as Coach Hibarida had instructed.
But after watching Sakusa Kiyoomi's last spike, Taichi was convinced—he wasn't the only one who could break through Team USA's block head-on.
"Let me show you what it means to be a true all-around ace!"
Taylor Averill's spike had serious force behind it, and the ball ricocheted toward the back boundary of Japan's court. Fortunately, it soared high enough to give Kageyama plenty of time to adjust.
Japan's front line—Hoshiumi Kōrai, Sakusa Kiyoomi, and Kai Suzuharu—launched into a simultaneous attack.
Kai knew no one expected much from his hit. But even a slight disruption could help—as long as the blockers hesitated for even a second, his run-up and jump would have served their purpose.
"These guys don't get tired or what…?" Taylor Averill muttered under his breath.
Micah Christenson glanced at Kai and decisively abandoned coverage on the right.
Team USA concentrated their block at the centre. Compared to Japan's triple threat, Christenson was more concerned with how Kageyama would set the ball.
Whoosh—!
The ball cut through the air like a bullet, arcing toward the far left. Kageyama had chosen the longest possible set.
Thud!
Hoshiumi Kōrai leapt into the air.
"Triple block!" Team USA's middle blockers rushed to cover. Taylor Sander, Taylor Averill, and Micah Christenson all sprang up at once.
In mid-air, the 170cm Hoshiumi and the 196cm Taylor Sander were eye to eye.
"So high!" The audience gasped, overwhelmed by the visual impact.
But it still wasn't enough...
Hoshiumi locked eyes on Sander's fingertips, tensed his arm, and swung hard.
"Well, little guys like him don't have much choice but to get creative in spots like this…" Sander smirked with a trace of pity.
Whoosh!
Just as the ball was about to leave Hoshiumi's hand, Sander abruptly pulled his arm back in mid-air. "That one's going out~"
"Idiot," Hirugami Sachirō chuckled from the sidelines. "Nobody knows his weak points better than Kōrai-kun…"
BOOM!!—
Hoshiumi snapped his wrist downward, unleashing a sudden burst of power.
The ball blasted cleanly past Sander's block, shooting like a meteor and slamming into the back line of Team USA.
A no-touch kill. A perfect line shot.
Hoshiumi Kōrai scores!
[Japan 25 – 24 USA]
Team Japan Has Taken the Lead!
"Ahahaha…" Hirugami Sachirō let out a hearty laugh on the sidelines, grinning from ear to ear.
Hibarida Fuki froze for a moment, then broke into laughter and joined in the applause. For this group of hungry monsters, the American team's players were, without a doubt, the most delicious prey.
Perhaps not crushing them right from the start…was the biggest mistake the U.S. team made.
Team Japan reached set point and continued serving.
Aone Takanobu launched his third serve!
BOOM!!!
The later the stage, the less room there was for hesitation in serving.
Smack!
"Damn! That one was even heavier!"
Eric Shoji received the ball, and Micah Christenson immediately moved in to cover.
It was precisely because of Aone Takanobu's relentless barrage of powerful serves that Micah Christenson's usual threat of a second-touch attack had been kept in check.
But this time—
"Give me the ball."
Aaron Russell sprinted along the left sideline and leapt up from the back row.
Whoosh!—
The ball reached him with pinpoint precision.
"Triple block!" Hoshiumi Kōrai, Sakusa Kiyoomi, and Kai Suzuharu all jumped at once.
There weren't many offensive variations from the American side in this attack, so Team Japan's blockers didn't need to make any complicated reads.
BOOM!!!—
The ball punched straight through Kai Suzuharu's block, not losing a shred of momentum, and slammed hard into the Japanese court just inside the three-meter line.
Aaron Russell scored with a thunderous spike.
[Japan 25 – 25 USA]
"He could've aimed higher over the hands…but nope—he's not even giving us a chance to touch it." Taichi looked at his opponents with a faint smile tugging on his lips. "The Americans sure know how to answer back."
The serve rotated—U.S. regained service. Micah Christenson stepped up to the line.
"All that constant subbing mid-game…feels like they wasted a lot of time trying to build cohesion."
"Still, looks like they're not going to walk away in disgrace with a straight 0–2 loss."
Micah Christenson tossed the ball up, stepped forward, jumped, and struck.
BOOM!!!—
The powerful side-spin serve flew toward the back corner of the Japanese court.
Kageyama Tobio took a step forward, moving to receive it.
Smack!
Just as the ball was about to hit Kageyama's arms, it veered sharply to the right—slamming down right on Japan's sideline.
A line shot.
Micah Christenson scored directly off the serve!
[Japan 25 – 26 USA]
The momentum swung in an instant—Team Japan was once again pushed to the edge of defeat.
"I'm sorry!" Kageyama Tobio shouted, regret heavy in his voice. He hadn't expected to become a target himself one day.
The U.S. team continued serving.
Sakusa Kiyoomi dropped back, and Team Japan arranged themselves into a four-man receive formation.
Micah Christenson, still composed, launched his second serve.
BOOM!!!
Like a cannonball, the ball rocketed straight at Kageyama Tobio. This time, it didn't curve sideways, but the vertical drop was even more brutal.
Smack!
Kageyama dove forward, managing to dig the ball.
"Cover him!"
Sakusa Kiyoomi exchanged a quick glance with Kaedehara Taichi—they both dashed to the front.
Taichi moved into position and set the ball. All three front-row attackers on Team Japan jumped into motion simultaneously!
Whoosh!—
The ball flew precisely above centre court. Sakusa Kiyoomi rose to spike.
"Triple block!" Torey DeFalco, Taylor Sander, and Taylor Averill all jumped.
BOOM!!
The ball sliced past Torey DeFalco's left side, heading for the back corner of the American court.
Smack!
Eric Shoji received it cleanly.
"Just like that…"
The American front row was just landing from their block, but Aaron Russell had already launched himself forward from the back row.
Whoosh!—
The ball, sent from the back, met him in perfect sync—accurate to the centimetre!
BOOM!!!
The spike blasted down dead centre in Team Japan's court.
Aaron Russell scored off an empty net.
[Japan 25 – 27 USA]
"Wait—was that…?"
"Micah Christenson and Aaron Russell just recreated Team Japan's ultra-fast attack combo!!"
New teammates, running a quick attack for the first time. And they managed to digest and execute it in just two sets…
"…I'll admit, that was entertaining," Micah Christenson said calmly.
"Beeeeep—!"
A long whistle echoed through the arena.
Set two was over. frёewebηovel.cѳm
Winner: Team USA.
_________
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