Haikyuu : The Unstoppable Force

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At this moment, even Arai was a little unsure.

He knew this superb serving technique, a way to serve the ball into the mid-zone between the front and back rows.

In this way, since the front and back rows aren't in an ideal position to receive the ball, it becomes extremely difficult to return, often resulting in easy points.

Previously, players from smaller volleyball nations had mastered such serving techniques.

However, what made Arai feel incredible was that the high school player in front of him had just executed a serve even more outrageous than any he had encountered before!

The serve landed straight on the three-meter attack line!

Normally, when facing a powerful jump serve, players preparing to receive in the front row would take a few steps back and get into position.

This is because such serves generally don't land too close to the net or attack line.

But Akira's serve completely defied expectations, landing sharply inside the three-meter line!

This left the front-row players, who had already retreated, completely out of reach to receive the ball!

Moreover, Akira's serve wasn't a soft, floating ball.

Such a slow ball allows enough time to react, giving the front-row players a chance to move forward and receive the serve.

But Akira's serve was a high-speed jump serve, fired with an incredibly terrifying velocity!

The distance from Akira's spiking position to where the ball landed was less than 10 meters.

Within these 10 meters, attempting to receive a fastball traveling over 100 kilometers per hour left a reaction time of only about 0.3 seconds!

Under normal circumstances, relying solely on reaction speed, it would be nearly impossible for anyone to receive this kind of serve.

To make a proper receive, players would need to depend on both intuition and sheer luck.

Arai stared at the slender figure standing on the opposite side of the court.

Although Akira appeared calm and composed, there was an aura of immense power emanating from him.

At this moment, the score had been completely reversed—24-23.

In other words, it was now match point for Akira's team.

"If we can't handle this next serve, we'll lose the first set!" Arai thought, a cold sweat rolling down his forehead.

It had been far too long since he had felt such immense pressure.

His teammates felt it too, their eyes locked onto Akira, determined to predict his next move.

The slender figure, the youthful appearance, and a face that seemed harmless at first glance...

Yet the power and precision in Akira's serves were like that of a fierce, unrelenting dragon!

A sense of suffocating oppression, like facing a mountain, weighed on them.

"This serve must be received!"

Everyone stood poised, their eyes fixed on Akira.

They were desperate to predict his serving strategy, hoping to anticipate where the ball would land.

Only then would they have a chance to intercept it!

Faced with the intense focus of his opponents, Akira remained unfazed, his confidence unshaken.

Chirp!

The referee's whistle blew, signaling the next serve.

Akira approached the serve with ease, taking a strong, confident leap—another powerful jump serve!

"Over here!"

Arai's sharp instincts and veteran experience kicked in.

At the moment Akira swung his arm, Arai identified the ball's trajectory.

Years of dealing with difficult serves gave him an edge, even in such a critical moment.

Stretching out his arm, Arai felt the volleyball make contact.

"I've got it!"

But something was wrong.

Arai's confidence shattered in an instant.

The ball wasn't behaving as expected.

It spun fiercely, with an unpredictable trajectory.

The audience gasped in surprise as the volleyball deflected wildly and soared into the crowd!

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Crowd Reactions:

"What just happened?"

"Why couldn't Mr. Arai control that serve?"

"Was it a receiving error?"

"No way! A player of his caliber wouldn't make such a basic mistake!"

"Then... was it the spin?"

"That's right! It's the spin Akira put on the ball!"

All eyes turned to Akira, standing confidently in his position.

Arai, still holding his arm in place, looked up at Akira with a mix of astonishment and admiration.

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Arai's Realization:

He slowly smiled and said, "I haven't seen such an interesting player in a long time."

His fiery competitive spirit ignited, burning brightly as he faced his formidable opponent.

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"I can't think of it! Arai actually loses in this kind of competition."

"That's a former national team player!"

"Could it be that Arai's level has regressed?"

"What are you talking about? Why did you start to suspect Arai now?"

"Isn't this just the first set?"

" Arai will definitely turn the game around in the next two sets!"

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At halftime, the debate continued.

And through the last set, Akira also had his own gains.

The first is the growth of ball control and touch.

After a series of previous matches and this game, Akira's ball feel had risen to 9.8!

Now, Akira was only 0.2 away from reaching a perfect 10 in ball feel!

He could already feel that barrier very clearly!

As long as he kept playing, he could break through further!

Moreover, the quality of this game was exceptionally high!

Especially during his confrontations with Arai, Akira learned a lot.

As an experienced middle blocker and seasoned player, Arai displayed a seemingly endless arsenal of techniques, from spiking to blocking at the net.

Observing Arai, Akira naturally started learning these advanced skills.

He gradually adapted and even began to incorporate these techniques into his spiking strategies.

The final serve in the first set was his initial attempt to test a new idea.

The ball spun rapidly during its flight, yet its trajectory remained unchanged.

If the opponent attempted to receive such a serve, the ball's high-speed rotation would cause it to bounce unpredictably off the arm.

This made returning it nearly impossible.

That last serve was just a prototype.

Akira knew he could refine and perfect it further.

However, achieving this required even better ball control and feel.

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Chirp!

The referee's whistle blew, signaling the start of the second set.

Akira's keen observation and insight came into play again.

By the second set, Akira had already found gaps in Arai's tight defense.

Not only that, but the defense of the rest of Arai's team became increasingly ineffective against Akira.

His spikes consistently landed in the least desirable positions for the opposing team!

"What's going on?"

Gradually, Arai realized something was wrong.

The power and height of Akira's spikes hadn't noticeably changed, yet they were becoming harder to block and receive.

"Wait!"

Arai furrowed his brows, as if a thought struck him.

"It can't be... that kind of extraordinary talent!"

His pupils widened as memories of a tall figure from his past surfaced.

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In the world of volleyball, everyone possesses unique talents and abilities.

People born with longer Achilles tendons naturally jump higher, while others might have an intuitive grasp of the game.

Some players excel at speed, while others have a natural flair for strategy.

Similarly, there are those rare individuals with innate volleyball talent.

Such people are few and far between, and many may never even realize their potential.

Arai once encountered such a player who had maximized their natural talent, becoming nearly invincible.

Such players only get stronger with each match, making them formidable opponents.

If you end up on the opposite side of the net against them, you'll feel...

A growing sense of despair.

It's as if every move you make is instantly analyzed and countered.

Your weaknesses are immediately exposed and exploited.

In the course of a match, they feel like a constricting python, gradually tightening their hold until their opponent can no longer breathe.

Arai once believed that such extraordinary talent was a one-in-a-million phenomenon.

Yet now, in his home prefecture of Miyagi...

Another player with that same overwhelming presence had emerged!

That familiar sensation would be etched in Arai's memory forever.

Arai's gaze shifted back to Akira on the opposite side of the net.

He shook off his momentary distraction and refocused on the game.

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Chirp!

The whistle signaled the end of the second set, which was even more intense than the first!

Both sides pushed the score past 30 points.

Ultimately, Akira's devastating spike secured the set, bringing his team the win!

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Crowd Reactions:

"Even though I expected this outcome, it's still unbelievable to see it happen!"

" Arai, losing a match? I can't wrap my head around it!"

"It's incredible to think that such talented high school players are emerging here in Miyagi Prefecture!"

"That's right. Don't forget Ushijima Wakatoshi, who's been dominating the court recently!"

"The upcoming high school league is going to be a battle of giants!"

"I can't miss it for the world!"

As the crowd discussed excitedly, someone unexpected approached Akira, surprising him.

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