"You've never seen a technique like that before, have you?"
"No matter how strong you are, as long as we seize an opening and break through the block, we can score too!"
"Let's keep this momentum going and win it in one push!"
Coach Nekomata watched Yamamoto score with a smile, his heart full of delight. As long as they kept seizing their chances, they could ride the momentum and take the first set, even against this Aoba Johsai squad that was currently being praised as the strongest generation yet.
But as long as his side could grab the rhythm of the match, victory and defeat on a volleyball court could change in an instant.
In the blink of an eye, it could directly decide the final result.
"Watch me!"
After Nekoma High scored, Yamamoto, now standing on the service line, impatiently sent the ball over. Amid the crowd's shouts, the volleyball landed squarely in Aoba Johsai's libero's hands.
With a crisp sound, the pass quickly reached Oikawa's hands.
In almost that same instant, Hank had already begun to move. After a simple bend of the knees, Oikawa's set arrived in front of him in a flash. Looking at the completely open court on Nekoma's side, Hank swung his arm and hammered a slam spike straight into the empty space.
A sharp tearing sound split the air as Hank's spike slammed directly into the floor. The force was so terrifying that the ball shot high back into the air, and the spectators in the stands behind them cried out in shock. They had never seen someone's spike rebound off the court with enough force to fly all the way into the stands.
That kind of arm strength required far more than ordinary spiking ability. Without a doubt, Hank, standing on Aoba Johsai's court right now, could be called a true heavy hitter.
He scored through pure overwhelming power.
"Aoba! Aoba! Aoba!"
"Unrivaled!"
Right after Hank scored, a banner dropped from Aoba Johsai's section of the stands. Four bold words were written clearly across it:
"Conquer the Court."
"What is up with that guy? How is he so strong!?"
"Could you get that last ball up, Kuroo!?"
After seeing Hank's spike blast all the way into the stands, Yamamoto finally got a rough idea of just how powerful his hits were. If nothing unexpected happened, then among players of the same generation, very few would be able to receive a spike like that head-on.
Could this pretty boy actually be the real deal?
But how could that be!
There was no way he was going to let this pretty boy stand over him.
"It'd be a little tough, but I could get it up."
Kuroo looked at Hank with lingering fear. For some reason, he had the distinct feeling that Hank had not even used his full strength just now. It was simply absurd. Just what kind of background did this guy have!?
Why had no one in Miyagi Prefecture heard of his name over the last few years?
...
Bang!
A crisp sound rang out as Hank tossed the ball high into the air. Right after that, his whole body bent backward like a longbow drawn to the full.
With an incredibly heavy thud, Hank's right hand drove hard into the volleyball. The moment he felt the contact against his palm, the ball shot toward Nekoma's court like an arrow released from the string. Looking at that cannonball-like serve, many of Nekoma's players immediately started cursing inwardly.
How was this guy's serve so powerful too!?
"The ball's drifting left and right in midair—a monster serve!?"
Yamamoto was completely dumbfounded. The ball was not spinning at all, and yet it was swaying through the air. How was that even possible!?
But this was not the time to think about that.
They had to find a way to deal with his serve first.
"I've got it!"
Kuroo shouted. After Yamamoto moved aside, he shifted to the right like a black cat about to spring, then brought both hands forward and received Hank's serve.
The instant he got it up, Kageyama and Hinata, who were watching the match, both had shock written all over their faces.
What was going on!?
Someone had actually managed to receive Hank's jump float serve. It was hard to imagine.
"Then let's begin the counterattack."
Kenma glanced at the ball that had been passed to him, then tossed it overhead. At that very moment, Yamamoto, who had been preparing the whole time, went straight for the spike. After Kunimi got a touch on the ball at the net, Oikawa made a slight hop, and in that instant Hank arrived in a flash, leaping high from the back row.
Without the slightest hesitation, he blasted the ball straight forward. The speed was so extreme that the ball did not spin at all. It smashed directly into Nekoma's receiver's arms, and just as expected—
the ball ricocheted straight off.
(End of Chapter)
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