Watching Shiratorizawa's players, silent but completely focused, Ichinose Guren didn't say anything more. Opponents who worked hard in action rather than trash talk deserved respect.
There's no point in trash talk, these guys aren't dirty-minded, and they aren't bad people. This isn't a professional league, after all.
Unexpectedly impressive.
Looking around, Guren noted that his own teammates weren't intimidated by the opponent's morale at all. Instead, it sharpened their focus.
A veteran who made it to the prefectural semifinals, is so much steadier than our other players.
Recalling their nervous performance against Kitagawa Daiichi, Guren felt a wave of satisfaction as everyone now gave their all.
Then, as a sign of respect… I'll be the one to end you with this point.
Hoshino Katsuri set the ball again, ready to deliver a sneaky quick attack to Hinata Shoyo via Mori behind him, when he heard the call from his team's ace:
"Send it to the left!!!"
Without hesitation, trusting their ace, a principle every setter should hold firmly, he launched the ball high above the net.
Go!!
Compared to his usual spikes, Ichinose's this time was completely different.
Previously, his spikes had carried the air of just wanting to score.
Now, with a grimace etched from sheer force, Ichinose exuded a clear aura of lethal intent.
This was no ordinary scoring tool.
This was Yukigaoka's ace, their ultimate point scorer.
As my greatest respect…
This spike is the highest jump, the hardest hit I can manage.
Please…
Die!
With that resolve, Ichinose launched into the fastest approach since the start of the prefectural tournament and the most expansive jump he had ever executed.
Center of mass shifting with unstoppable momentum, he traced a moving arc through the air.
Not only was it a muscular explosion, he added his entire body into the rotation.
Every vein, every hand, every ounce of strength was unleashed.
In the instant he contacted the volleyball, ripples imperceptible to the eye spread across its surface, and it shot forward at a speed seemingly ready to break the sound barrier.
BOOM!
It slammed onto Shiratorizawa's court.
To the players there, it felt almost as if the ball had left Ichinose's hand before the sound of impact even reached them.
The speed was beyond what junior high-level reflexes could handle.
Shiratorizawa's libero gave every ounce of effort but couldn't move an inch.
It's over!
BAM!
Spectators leapt from their seats in shock.
Goshiki, using the principle of the shortest distance between two points, braced with the side of his face and made a miraculous save.
Ichinose's expression mirrored: Are you crazy?
He knew exactly how powerful this spike was.
He had struck with the intent to "kill" the play, but that didn't mean he wanted to harm anyone.
Yet Goshiki, flustered and disoriented from the blow, barely maintained consciousness. Gathering the last shred of clarity, he shouted:
"Point!!!"
Perhaps inspired by Goshiki's 'fight to the last,' Shiratorizawa's middle blocker performed an almost impossible inside-angle cross-court spike, bypassing the block of Hyakuzawa, Ichinose, and Mori, and landed in the undefended lower corner.
Point.
Score: Yukigaoka 29 – Shiratorizawa 29.
For the first time in this set, Ichinose had lost absolute control of the scoreboard.
But Goshiki was already sprawled on the floor, unable to rise.
The referee immediately stopped the game and called for medical attention.
After a quick check, the doctor confirmed that Goshiki was conscious but couldn't control his body.
Upon careful examination of the impact site, the doctor explained:
"It's not too serious. He was KO'd on the jaw."
"But… why can't he move?"
"The ball hit his jaw with enough force to cause a concussion, disrupting the vagus nerve's normal signals and affecting his cerebellar balance. Volleyball is soft, but this was equivalent to being hit with an incredibly thick boxing glove."
"Preliminary diagnosis: mild concussion."
Though calmer, the doctor remained serious.
"He still needs hospital tests. This was no joke, a stronger impact could end his career!"
Goshiki, usually fearless even after Ichinose's two crushing spikes, now shed tears as his body refused to obey.
I don't want this… I want to play… Doctor!!!
"Similar cases have happened in professional volleyball, but rarely severe. No one has been KO'd by a ball and forced to stop playing permanently."
Then why didn't you say so earlier?!
Before the doctor could finish, Goshiki staggered up with teammates' support.
"I'm fine! I want to keep playing!"
"Impossible!"
The doctor refused firmly. A concussion is a concussion, whether in a nightclub or on a volleyball court. Examination is mandatory before returning.
Goshiki knew that if he left now, their team would almost certainly face elimination.
He couldn't accept that outcome.
Hinata Shoyo watched, sensing Goshiki's inner turmoil, completely unwilling for this to happen to him.
He really just loves volleyball.
"Hey! You guys, hang on until I'm back!"
"Move it! Don't be dead weight!"
"Go cry to the doctor about your pain, rookie middle blocker!"
"Got it!!!"
Seething with frustration, Goshiki followed the staff and manager to the medical room.
Once he left, his teammates' expressions froze.
"Even so…"
"…Goshiki is truly our ace."
Masata Yori tried to soothe their morale.
"Everyone! Let's give it everything until Goshiki returns!!!"
"We can't embarrass ourselves in front of him!!"
"Yeah!!!"
Though morale talk helped, it wasn't enough.
Even Ichinose slightly softened his spikes, yet the sheer height and power of his attacks remained unmatched.
Despite Shiratorizawa's desperate defense and offense, aiming to stall until Goshiki returned,
Within three minutes after Goshiki left, Yukigaoka clinched the set 34:32.
In the Miyagi Prefecture semifinals, Yukigaoka defeated Shiratorizawa Junior High 2:0 overall.
For the first time in school history, Yukigaoka's boys' volleyball reached the prefectural finals.
Awaiting them at the far end of the court would be the eventual winner: a junior high iron wall of two 188 cm players from Kousen Academy, among Miyagi's strongest.
Though the most talented this year was Nagamatsu Yumeto, a first-year standing 189 cm, the three other third-years already exuded dominance simply through height.
Pure height, at a certain level, already crushes ordinary players.
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