Haikyuu : The Unstoppable Force

Ushijima Wakatoshi's spike, although equally powerful...

But who is Ushijima Wakatoshi?

He is the ace and main attacker of Shiratorizawa Academy, rated as one of the top three strongest high school volleyball players in all of Japan!

Leading Shiratorizawa to the top eight of the national competition for two consecutive years, he is a powerhouse that any team must be prepared to face.

Naturally, Date Tech was mentally prepared for him.

Because their expectations were already high, it was not entirely surprising that a player of Ushijima's caliber could break through their famed Iron Wall.

However, Ushijima's spikes did not always get past Date Tech's block. Occasionally, they managed to stop him, their hands meeting the ball with enough force to send it rebounding back to Shiratorizawa's side.

Each time they stopped him, it ignited confidence and motivation within their team.

But this team standing before them now—the crows who once could not fly—

Karasuno.

A team that had previously fallen to Date Tech's defense.

Their ace attacker had been completely blocked before, unable to score a single point against the Iron Wall.

And yet, that match had been only three months ago!

Such a short time had passed…

And now, this same team had taken the first set in an almost overwhelming fashion!

Even Date Tech's greatest strength—their formidable blocking, their Iron Wall—was being shattered!

Not once had they managed to stop Karasuno's ace this time.

Date Tech… was crumbling.

Their formation was breaking, their rhythm disrupted. The once-solid defense was beginning to falter.

Coupled with the psychological impact of Akira's tactics—hope followed by crushing despair—it had resulted in Date Tech playing in a daze by the latter half of the first set.

"Is that why everyone is so down?"

Finally, unable to bear the heavy atmosphere any longer, Moniwa stood up, frustration evident in his voice.

"Just because we lost one set, we're going to give up?"

His voice rang out, filled with determination.

"Everyone's only seeing how our Iron Wall was broken!"

"But what about the spikes we blocked?! Those were even more!"

The members of Date Tech froze at his words, momentarily taken aback.

Moniwa, eyes glistening with unshed tears, continued to shout, his voice hoarse yet firm:

"If we lose heart here, then Date Tech will stop right here!"

"We'll be eliminated in the group stage!"

"But… as long as we don't give up…"

"As long as we keep fighting…"

"We have a chance to win! Even if that chance is slim!"

"We have to hold on and give it our all! We can't give up!"

That's right!

The spikes they had blocked—the points they had gained from shutting down their opponents—those were proof of their strength!

How could they doubt themselves just because of one setback?!

"Come on!"

"Let's get our fighting spirit back!"

"Date Tech does not break!"

"Date Tech does not fall!"

Their voices rose in unison, filling the gym with a renewed energy.

On the other side of the net, the Karasuno team heard the deafening chant.

All eyes turned toward Akira, curious about his reaction.

Meeting their gazes, Akira simply shrugged and said:

"Unless you truly break the backbone of a team, they will always bounce back."

"I just didn't expect them to recover so quickly."

"In the next set, we can only rely on sheer strength to win."

"Well, that's fine," Sugawara said with a smile.

"Our last set wasn't too difficult."

"It didn't even feel like a real match."

"A head-to-head battle will be more exciting."

"Yeah!" Ennoshita agreed.

"And Date Tech is a team known for its resilience."

"I know their captain, Moniwa. He's an optimistic guy who never gives up easily."

"Maybe it's because of him that they've managed to regain their fighting spirit so fast."

"Since they're back in form, we need to focus as well," Daichi said firmly.

"That's right!"

As the captains and seniors, Daichi and Sugawara always knew how to rally their team.

"At the very least, we can't lose in terms of spirit!"

"Karasuno! Let's go!"

"Karasuno! Let's go!"

Chirp!

With the referee's whistle, the second set began.

This time, the shift in Date Tech's energy was unmistakable.

The team that had looked lost and broken in the first set was now brimming with resolve.

Gone was the defeatist look in their eyes. They were back, focused and determined to fight.

Their movements were sharper, their blocks more aggressive. They were no longer simply allowing Karasuno to control the flow of the game.

Mizoguchi, watching from the sidelines, grinned excitedly.

"Now this is more like it! This is the Date Tech we know!"

"Not necessarily," Irihata countered, shaking his head.

"Didn't you see Akira's expression?"

"He expected this."

_____

Oh?"

Mizoguchi said with some surprise.

"Is there any other countermeasure he can't use against a team like Date Tech?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

Irihata said with a solemn expression.

"But he probably won't use it!"

"Why?"

"There are tactics that can guarantee a win, but he won't use them. That's inevitable…"

Mizoguchi asked with a puzzled look.

Irihata glanced at him and chuckled.

"At this point, with Karasuno facing Date Tech, if they want to win…"

"Is there really any need for more tactics?"

"This…"

Mizoguchi was suddenly speechless.

"Just like Shiratorizawa, they can rely on their sheer strength to crush the opponent!"

Irihata shook his head, sounding a little helpless.

"I'm afraid the tactics used in the first game were just a small test for him!"

He looked at Akira's figure on the court, and for a moment, he felt an inexplicable pressure.

Just standing there quietly could bring a wordless intimidation to others.

It was like… an abyss shrouded in gray mist, impossible to gauge.

Like a towering mountain obscured by clouds, pressing down on everyone's hearts!

---

Chirp!

The game resumed!

This time, the determined Date Tech did cause some trouble for Karasuno.

But Akira didn't take on all the responsibility of spiking like he did in the last game.

Instead, he left some of the more difficult plays to his teammates.

He always understood one fundamental truth—

A single person cannot win an entire game.

Against a team like Date Tech, it might not seem like a big deal.

Even against Aoba Johsai, Akira could turn the tide with his individual strength.

But what if the opponent was a powerhouse like Shiratorizawa?

What about even stronger teams at Nationals?

It's like the famous barrel theory—

A team's strength is always limited by its weakest link.

A team that relies solely on one player is like a crippled, underdeveloped entity.

It will never go far!

Whenever Akira noticed weaknesses in the team, he would subconsciously try to compensate for them.

Back at his old middle school, he had realized that his teammates had a lower skill ceiling.

So, he had made sure to unify them through teamwork, covering for their shortcomings.

But Karasuno was the opposite extreme.

Every player on this team had incredible potential!

So now, Akira focused on accelerating their growth and helping them unlock their full potential!

And quickly turning that potential into actual strength!

During training, Akira had intentionally or unintentionally corrected some of their mistakes.

He had also provided new and better training methods.

And now, his silent efforts were finally paying off.

Karasuno was no longer the same team as before!

Compared to Karasuno's strength in this same period in the original story—

With Akira's presence, they had grown exponentially stronger!

Everyone had improved by leaps and bounds!

Even though Akira was playing more passively in this match,

Everyone else was displaying extraordinary strength!

Whether it was Kageyama and Hinata's freak quick attack,

Or the team's long-standing weakness—receiving powerful serves.

Both offense and defense had reached a whole new level!

Seeing this, Akira, who was in the back row, smiled in satisfaction.

Only a team like this could qualify for Nationals!

Only a team like this could dream of winning Nationals!!

---

Chirp!

The final whistle blew, signaling the end of the match.

Despite their unwavering fighting spirit…

Date Tech was still no match for Karasuno!

They had lost their chance at Nationals…

Their only hope now was to fight again at Spring High!

Such is the cruelty of competitive sports!

If Karasuno were to lose like this one day…

They, too, would face a heartbreaking exit!

---

"Sigh…"

"Losing because we weren't as skilled as our opponents… It's really frustrating."

Irihata sighed and spoke to Mizoguchi beside him.

"Let's hope that tomorrow, we don't repeat Date Tech's mistakes!"

Hearing those words, Toru Oikawa, who stood nearby, clenched his fists tightly!

Only he truly understood how strong Akira was!

Tomorrow's match…

It would be a battle to the death!