Our serve. Riku clutched the ball, his fingers tightening around it as he stepped up to the line. He was nervous—anyone could see it—but to his credit, he managed to get the ball over the net decently. It wasn't powerful, but it landed in a good spot among their backline.
Their libero moved quickly. His movements were sharp and decisive, and with a perfect receive, he sent the ball straight to their setter. I focused, my mind automatically analyzing the situation. From the setter's posture and the way their players shifted, it was clear he was aiming for number 3 on the left.
Shigeo saw it too. He moved immediately, Hinata following close behind. But Hinata was just a step too short; the spike flew over his head, powerful and precise. Still, I had anticipated the trajectory and positioned myself in the open spot, getting the ball up with a clean receive.
"Sorry!" Hinata's voice was loud, filled with regret as he scrambled back to his feet.
I waved it off. "Don't worry. Get ready."
He nodded, determination replacing the hesitation in his eyes. Shigeo had already positioned himself for the set, and Hinata took several steps back for his run-up. Daiki and I mirrored his movements, Daiki on the left and me on the right.
Shigeo moved fluidly, his hands steady as he set the ball. Daiki jumped, the perfect decoy, drawing two blockers toward him. Surprise flashed across their faces as the ball flew past him, straight to Hinata, who leapt into the air with explosive power. The spike was unstoppable, slamming into the court with a satisfying thud.
"Point to Yukigaoka! 2-0!" the referee called.
Our team erupted in cheers. Hinata's grin was infectious, and even Daiki couldn't help but smile, though he muttered, "I thought that was for me."
I smirked. In my mind, I replayed the conversation I had with Hinata before the match. I'd told him to always run for the spike, no matter what. With his stamina and physical abilities, it wouldn't be a problem. Plus, it gave Shigeo more options to work with. The plan had worked perfectly.
Riku stepped up to serve again, but this time, his nerves got the better of him. The ball flew out of bounds, earning a point for Seiryuu. He clutched his head in frustration as the referee called the score: 2-1.
"Shake it off, Riku!" I called, my voice steady. Mistakes were part of the game, and I wasn't about to let one serve rattle the team.
The next few points were a battle of back-and-forth exchanges. Both teams played well, and the scoreboard reflected it: 6-6. The tie came after Minato's misstep, a slight miscalculation that let the ball slip past his block.
They've caught up, I thought, glancing at the scoreboard.
Shigeo's eyes met mine, his expression calm but questioning. It was as if he were asking, Is it time?
I nodded.
It was their serve now, and they'd adjusted their strategy. I could see it in the way their server eyed Hinata, aiming for him deliberately. They wanted to disrupt his run-ups, knowing how crucial he was to our attack.
The ball flew over the net, sharp and precise. Hinata's movements were quick, but the serve was faster. It glanced off his arms awkwardly, veering toward the edge of the court. Minato sprinted after it, sliding just in time to keep it in play. The ball went high, giving Shigeo enough time to set.
"Time for Twin Eclipse," I called out, signaling the tactic we'd been preparing. The name had been Riku's idea, and Shigeo had rolled his eyes when we first introduced it to the team. "That's so cringe," he'd said, but now, even he couldn't deny the effect it had on morale.
Shigeo feinted a set toward Hinata, who launched into his run-up with explosive energy. As expected, Seiryuu's blockers doubled up on him, leaping to meet the presumed spike. But at the last second, Shigeo redirected the ball to me.
I stepped into the perfect position, my body coiled like a spring. The blockers were still in mid-air as I unleashed a powerful spike, sending the ball careening to an open corner of the court.
"Point to Yukigaoka! 7-6!" the referee called.
The sparse crowd in the gym cheered, a mix of excited claps and muffled shouts from our bench.
We kept up the momentum. The next serve came from Daiki, who sent the ball low and fast toward their libero. Though they managed a decent receive, our defense read their attack perfectly. Minato and I worked in tandem to keep the ball alive, leading to another flawless set by Shigeo. This time, the ball sailed to Hinata, who smashed it down the center line. "Point to Yukigaoka! 8-6!" the referee called.
Our team erupted again, and the energy was palpable. On the next rally, Riku surprised everyone with a sharp receive, setting up another quick attack. Shigeo's feint to me left the blockers scrambling, and Daiki capitalized with a powerful spike. The ball bounced off their libero's arms and out of bounds. "Point to Yukigaoka! 9-6!"
The rhythm was ours now. Shigeo executed another calculated set, this time directly to me. I aimed for the far corner, and the ball grazed off a desperate blocker's hand. "Point to Yukigaoka! 10-6!"
Seiryuu called a timeout. Their players huddled together, their coach gesturing wildly as he laid out adjustments. We regrouped as well, taking the moment to catch our breaths. The energy was high, but I could sense the shift coming—Seiryuu wasn't going to stay down for long.
When play resumed, they had adapted. Their blockers hesitated just enough to read Shigeo's sets more carefully. On the next attack, Hinata's spike was met with a perfectly timed block, the ball deflecting back onto our side.
"Point to Seiryuu! 10-7!"
Their momentum built quickly. A few minor missteps on our part—a mistimed receive by Riku, a serve into the net from Minato—gave them easy points. The scoreboard tightened as they caught up, the pressure mounting. By the time the score reached 13-12 in our favor, the gym was alive with tension, every movement on the court scrutinized.