Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty-Chapter 288: No Need for Words

Eight players. Even if there had been a playful air to it, the fact remained—not a single one of them had even touched Kaedehara Taichi's spike.

It wasn't until they stood on the same court as him that Aoba Johsai's first and second-year bench players finally understood what it meant to be a national-level ace.

Off to the side, Yahaba Shigeru found himself feeling a mix of emotions. His eyes were locked onto the spot where Taichi's last spike had landed, but his thoughts were tangled.

The height of his set just now had been half a palm higher than what Taichi had requested. In a real match, that would've been a clear mistake. What's more, there would never be a situation in a game where a setter could just send an easy, uncontested set like this—every single set mattered.

Each one could determine the course of the match.

"If it were Oikawa-senpai, he would never make that kind of mistake." Yahaba silently berated himself.

"Again!" Taichi's gaze met Yahaba's—clear, unwavering. "Practice is just getting started."

"…Alright, let's do it." Yahaba shook off his hesitation. After two years as Aoba Johsai's backup setter, he had already thought through everything he needed to.

"You guys too—why don't you add one more player? Make it nine." Taichi glanced at the other side of the net. "Maybe then you'll stand a chance."

"…This guy."

Once again, his teammates gained a deeper understanding of Kaedehara Taichi's sheer arrogance.

A volleyball court was split in half by the net, each side forming a 9m x 9m square. With blockers at the net, most players found it difficult to spike the ball within the three-meter line. Normally, the back row was arranged with three players covering a 6m x 9m area to receive.

But now, Taichi was suggesting they increase the defenders to nine, meaning that even with three blockers up front, there would still be six players in the back row. Each player's defensive area would shrink to just a single square meter, significantly easing the pressure on reception.

"It's not as simple as basic math." Kunimi Akira was starting to find this interesting. As their coordination improves, it will be exponentially harder for Taichi to score.

"Then let's keep going!"

-----

Inside Aoba Johsai's Third Gymnasium, an unusual challenge began.

On one side: the Setter, setter Yahaba Shigeru, and Outside Hitter Kaedehara Taichi.

On the other: Middle Blocker Kindaichi Yūtarō, Outside Hitter Kunimi Akira, Libero Watari Shinji, and six more defenders.

Even Kyōtani Kentarō had voluntarily joined in on this ridiculous drill. Throughout Spring Nationals, he had come to a realization—reception was his biggest weakness.

His blocking in the front row had never been particularly threatening, and he had little hope of changing that. But in the back row, opponents targeted him relentlessly on serve receive. That was something he refused to accept.

If he could receive spikes at Taichi's level, then next time, at Nationals, he wouldn't be a liability.

—

Thirty minutes passed.

By now, Yahaba's sets had become incredibly stable, and Taichi had started spiking from more than just the left-wing.

Kindaichi and Honda Heisuke had improved their blocking coordination, with another second-year backup joining them. Using Kindaichi as the core, the three-man block was finally starting to track Taichi's attacks. Though they still couldn't stop him outright, they managed to limit his options about half the time.

In the back row, Kunimi, Watari, and Kyōtani gradually expanded their defensive coverage. They were slowly getting used to Taichi's spike speed and rotation. More importantly, they had begun reading his body posture and arm swing to predict his shot placement—though with a low success rate.

—

"That should be about enough."

Taichi noticed that Yahaba was making fewer and fewer setting errors. This was his actual level.

"Yahaba-senpai, can you speed up your sets?"

"Faster?" Yahaba was still adjusting to the current tempo, and now he was being asked to go even faster?

"Yeah. Aside from high sets, everything else should be quicker. Otherwise, it's too hard to escape the block," Taichi stated plainly.

"…Alright, I'll try." Yahaba felt the pressure mounting. Was this how Oikawa-senpai always practised with him?

Hearing Yahaba's response, Taichi frowned slightly. Looks like for someone who hasn't played at Nationals, the biggest obstacle isn't technique—it's fearlessness.

But this wasn't something that could be rushed.

He gave a small nod to the setter, then stepped back to the baseline, preparing to spike once more.

As the ball was tossed, Taichi strode forward with effortless footwork. Yahaba recalled their practice so far, adjusting his set accordingly.

"I can't keep starting with setting errors every time!"

Yahaba Shigeru took a deep breath, his eyes sharpening with focus and determination. Right now, there was only one thought in his mind—deliver the perfect set.

The volleyball traced a smooth arc in the air before descending steadily. Yahaba timed it precisely, bending his knees slightly. The moment the ball made contact with his hands, he straightened up forcefully, pushing the ball forward with precision—a fast set, right into Kaedehara Taichi's approach path.

The ball streaked through the air at high speed.

A flash of excitement flickered in Taichi's gaze. He adjusted his footwork swiftly, his body tilting forward. As the ball sailed just past his vision, his final step drove into the floor, launching him high into the air.

"Triple block!"

Kindaichi Yūtarō led the blockers, but they were just a split second too slow. The unexpected tempo shift caught them off guard.

Taichi swung down with full force. His arm whip was sharp and decisive, carrying pure, unfiltered power.

BOOM!!

"Damn it!" Kunimi Akira lunged forward, but he couldn't stop the ball from slamming into the floor.

Because the block had been a fraction too late, Taichi's straight shot had landed cleanly inside the three-meter line.

"Nice set, Yahaba-senpai!"

Landing smoothly, Taichi turned toward Yahaba and gave him a thumbs-up, a satisfied grin spreading across his face.

Hearing Taichi's praise, Yahaba instantly felt the weight on his shoulders lighten. The tension in his expression finally eased.

"Alright…"

Taichi's gaze shifted to the opposite side of the net.

Now, the real training was about to begin.

His proposal to let the other side defend with nine players wasn't just arrogance—it was to refine the final step of his spiking technique: shot placement.

At Spring Nationals, he had witnessed at least three players who surpassed him in shot placement over the entire tournament.

Sakusa Kiyoomi from Itachiyama.

Hoshiumi Kōrai from Kamomedai.

Sanada Shunpēi from Inubushi Higashi.

Taichi had no intention of proving how powerful his spikes were every time—that would be meaningless.

Instead, with the maximum defensive pressure in front of him, he wanted to place the ball exactly where he intended.

There was no denying it—Aoba Johsai had weakened.

But even during Oikawa Tōru's era, they hadn't started out as a team strong enough to win Nationals.

By constantly challenging themselves and refining their technique, Aoba Johsai had grown into a powerhouse.

And now—they would do it again.

—

[Flashback—Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium]

When Aoba Johsai's entire team stepped onto the podium, Oikawa Tōru accepted the championship banner—the proof of their national victory.

Then, he turned, passing Aoba Johsai's "Rule the Court" banner into Kaedehara Taichi's hands.

At that moment, countless thoughts ran through Oikawa's mind.

As a senior, there were so many things he wanted to say to Taichi—the player who now carried Aoba Johsai's future.

But then, he met Taichi's gaze.

And in an instant—he knew there was no need for words.

The fire in those eyes, the hunger, the sheer burning intensity—it was a force that could incinerate every obstacle in its path.

So Oikawa simply smiled, placing a firm hand on Taichi's shoulder.

Winning the championship was not the end.

It was only the beginning of Aoba Johsai's era.

_________

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