The momentum on the court had shifted in Aoba Johsai's favour. The substitutions had proven highly effective.

  However, Taichi, tasked with defending against Hinata Shōyō, was reag his limit. Hinata's relentless energy was on full dispy—his stamina, rated a near-perfect 99, made him an unstoppable force.

  Taichi had been chasing Hinata across the court, left tht, jumpiedly to block him. Both his body and mind were exhausted. All he could hope for was that Hinata, who still hadn't mao score, might pause to catch his breath.

  Stealing a g Hinata, Taioticed the fiery determination in his oppo's eyes. Hinata seemed to seaiichi's gaze and turo meet it. For a fleeting moment, Taichi felt his heart jolt as though caught in the sight of a predator.

  In that brief pse of focus, Hinata had already sprio the other side of the court a into the air. Taiichi scrambled to react, ung himself upward. But he was just a fra too te—Hinata was already out of reach.

  At that exaent, Kageyama Tobio's set found Hinata's hand with pinpoint precision.

  Hinata Shōyō spiked the ball—point for Karasuno!

  Hinata wasn't just a decoy anymore. Drawing only Kaedehara Taichi's attention wasn't enough. If he kept evading frontation, he'd lose the very purpose of standing on the court.

  What a quick attack! What a fasating pyer! Taiichi couldn't help but smile. He hadn't realized it, but his face was now alight with exhiration. This is how it should be. How could someone like him be stopped so easily?

  Determiaiichi discreetly used a stamina potion. Feeling the rejuvenating energy c through his body, he locked his gaze onto Hinata once more, refusing to let up even for a sed.

  The score remaiight. Daichi Sawamura and Ryuunosuke Tanaka were formidable pyers in their ht, and bined with the genius setting of Kageyama Tobio, Karasuno's offence was flowing effortlessly.

  Oher side, Aoba Johsai was handicapped by the fact that Oikawa Tōru hadered the match yet. The team's attack cked its usual explosiveness and had to rely on banced, methodical py to earn points o a time.

  [Karasuno 16 - Aoba Johsai 15]

  "Ah, my, my. The score's this close?" A nguid voice drifted through the air.

  From the sed-floor audience, a wave of cheers erupted—mainly from the girls.

  "Ah! It's Oikawa-senpai!"

  "We specifically requested their team to put Kageyama on the court, but we don't even field our maier? How do we expin that?" Coach Irihata frowned, direg his dissatisfa at Oikawa.

  "Haha... Sorry about that, Coach," Oikawa Tōru replied with an apologetic smile.

  "Still, Karasuno is quite an iing team." As Oikawa warmed up, Coach Irihata spoke from the sidelines.

  "Kageyama's sets bined with that strange quick attack from the short kid are quite threatening. Beyond that, there's Ryuunosuke Tanaka, whose raw poresence make up for his ck of posure; Tsukishima Kei, a blocker who pensates for his less imposing aura with clever pys; and Daichi Sawamura, their captain, who's versatile enough to cover multiple defensive gaps. It's a team with urengths but remarkable flexibility in offence."

  Coach Irihata paused before tinuing, "Luckily, we've got some great rookies on our side too. If Taichi hadn't mao keep up with that short kid and limit his impact, we might've lost the sed set already."

  "Is that so?" Oikawa's tone carried a hint of curiosity. To receive such praise from the coach suggested that the intriguing first-years weren't limited to Kageyama alone.

  "An offeeam, huh?" Oikawa muttered as he finished his warm-up routine. "No matter how strong an attack is, if it 't be sustained, it's meaningless."

  The referee's whistle blew. Substitution: Oikawa Tōru in, Kunimi Akira out.

  [Karasuno 24 - Aoba Johsai 23]

  Aoba Johsai's serve.

  Oikawa's sharp gaze nded on Tsukishima Kei and Hinata Shōyō. "Even with limited viewing, it's obvious—the tall guy with gsses and chibi-, her of yood at receiving serves, right?"

  With unwavering focus, Oikawa tossed the ball lightly into the air, took a deep breath, and then unched into a powerful three-step approach. Jumping high, he struck the ball with precision and spin, targeting Tsukishima.

  Smack!

  The ball ricocheted off Tsukishima's arm, flying out of bounds. Oikawa scored.

  [Karasuno 24 - Aoba Johsai 24]

  "We have to hold the line!" Daichi Sawamura's voice rang out, rallying his team.

  "Sed serve!" Oikawa wasted no time, delivering aargeted serve to Tsukishima. Forced to retreat, Tsukishima managed an awkward receive, the ball flying straight into Aoba Johsai's court.

  "That won't do," Oikawa remarked, gng toward his eager middle blocker.

  Taichi, anticipating Tsukishima's shaky receive, had already calcuted the trajectory. With a well-timed leap, he spiked the ball back down.

  [Karasuno 24 - Aoba Johsai 25]

  Just one point away—Karasuno had been so close to vioments ago, but the tide had turned. Daichi looked across the Kaedehara Taichi and Oikawa Tōru—one had effectively ralized Hinata, while the other bolstered Aoba Johsai's attack.

  This serve couldn't be lost!

  "Tsukishima, move back! Closer to the right sideline," Daichi instructed, expanding his own defensive ce. Oikawa immediately picked up on the adjustment.

  "Oh? The captain's widening his range. Let's test his receive, then." With that, Oikawa delivered a powerful serve straight at Daichi.

  Daichi sank into a low stance, abs some of the ball's force upon tact, sending it high into the air.

  "Well done! Nice receive, Daichi!" Sugawara Koushi shouted in encement.

  Kageyama Tobio's sharp eyes took in the py. Fully aware of the difficulty behind Daichi's receive, his resolve solidified: We end Oikawa's service run here. No other option but to take this risk.

  "Hinata!" Kageyama set the ball toward ay spot on the court.

  A mistake? No—it wasn't!

  Hinata Shōyō's instincts kicked in like a beast sensing prey. He sprioward the ball, leapt into position, and prepared to strike. But oher side of the , someone was ready and waiting to block him.

  Oikawa watched, uanding what Coach Irihata had meant earlier. Without Taichi restraining Hinata, they might've already lost this set. Hinata's speed—c half the court for an aerial attack—was unmatched.

  Midair, Hinata's eyes sed the court. Simply spiking wouldn't guarantee a point. Spotting the defensive formation, he swung his arm decisively.

  Thud.

  The ball hit the ground—Hinata had swung and missed.

  [Karasuno 24 - Aoba Johsai 26]

  The referee's whistle blew. Victory: Aoba Johsai.

  "Lost?" The scoreboard's unyielding numbers decred Karasuno's defeat. Kageyama Tobio stood in the middle of the court, staring bnkly at the score. His lips parted as if to speak, but no words came.

  "Let's do it again!" Hinata's voice cut through the silence, brimming with stubbornness. Taichi turned back to see Hinata's unwaveriermination.

  "Let's py another match," Hinata demanded, his calm toraying a fiery resolve.

  "Hinata, stop it. We o head back to school." Daichi pced a firm hand on Hinata's head, trying to rein him in.

  "Chibi-, there's always ime." Oikawa waved at the Karasuno pyers with a grin. "It's just a practice match, after all."

  Even as Hinata stood motionless, Taichi walked over, meeting his gaze directly.

  "Shōyō, get stronger. I'll be waiting for our battle."

  Hinata's eyes burned with hunger. "I will."

  'Ding!' The system's voice chimed in.

  [gratutions, Host! You have successfully altered Hinata Shōyō's career trajectory. Reward: Hinata Shōyō (Current State) Star Card acquired.]

  _________

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