Hearts on The Court

The gym felt like it was on fire.

Every player on the court was drenched in sweat, their muscles burning from exhaustion. But none of them were slowing down—not now.

The scoreboard read 23-23.

The final set. Two more points.

One team would walk away victorious.

One team would collapse in defeat.

Misaki High's players gathered in a tight huddle. Yuuto's voice was sharp, commanding. "One play at a time. Trust the system. Trust each other."

Renji took a deep breath. His heart was pounding, but his mind was clearer than ever.

Across the net, Kenjiro Morita stood tall, gripping the ball for his next serve. His smirk was gone, replaced by focused determination.

The final battle had begun.

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Seiyo High's Last Offensive Push

Kenjiro tossed the ball high and unleashed a devastating jump serve.

The ball cut through the air like a bullet.

Renji darted to his left, arms steady. He absorbed the impact with a perfect reception, sending the ball cleanly to Yuuto.

The crowd barely had time to react before Yuuto set a quick toss to Asuka.

She leaped, eyes locked on the ball—and spiked it down the line.

24-23, Match Point, Misaki High.

The Misaki bench exploded with cheers.

One more point.

They could taste victory.

But across the net, Kenjiro wasn't panicking. Instead, he laughed. A slow, deliberate chuckle.

"Not bad," he said. "But let's see if you can stop me now."

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Climactic Rally

Seiyo High refused to go down without a fight.

On the next play, they unleashed their most aggressive attack yet.

Their setter faked a toss to the middle before sending a high ball to Kenjiro.

Misaki's blockers rushed into position, but Kenjiro adjusted mid-air, swinging for a sharp cross-court angle.

Renji was already moving.

He barely reached the ball in time, digging it inches from the floor.

But Seiyo High wasn't done.

Their middle blocker tipped the ball over the net.

Yuuto lunged, getting just enough of his fingertips under it.

Asuka sprinted, sending a desperate save toward the back of the court.

The ball was still in play.

Kenjiro smirked. He leaped again, this time fully unleashing his power.

Renji's breath caught in his throat.

This was it.

Kenjiro's strongest spike of the match.

The one designed to end everything.

The crowd held its breath.

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Renji's Defining Moment

Time slowed.

Renji wasn't just reacting anymore. He was predicting.

He saw the slight twist in Kenjiro's shoulders. He knew.

The spike was going straight down the line—the most dangerous angle possible.

Move now.

Renji dived, arms locked.

The ball slammed against his forearms, but instead of ricocheting out of control—

It sailed up perfectly.

A clean dig.

The gym exploded with noise.

The crowd roared, players on both sides froze—Kenjiro himself stared in disbelief.

The best spike of the game… had just been shut down.

Renji landed hard, rolling onto his side, gasping for breath.

Yuuto didn't hesitate. He set the ball.

Asuka took off, jumping high, her eyes burning with determination.

She spiked with everything she had.

The ball slammed into the floor on Seiyo's side.

25-23. Match over. Misaki High wins.

For a second, there was silence.

Then—

Chaos.

The Misaki High bench rushed the court, teammates grabbing Renji and Asuka, shouting, screaming, cheering.

Renji barely registered it. His body ached, but his mind was spinning.

They won.

He had done it.

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Final Moments

Kenjiro stood on the other side of the net, arms crossed, expression unreadable.

Then, he smirked. "Not bad, Misaki High."

He turned to Renji, eyes sharp. "And you… that was a hell of a dig."

Renji exhaled, still catching his breath. "You're not so bad yourself."

Kenjiro let out a laugh, shaking his head. "I'll be back next time."

Renji smiled. "I'll be ready."

Asuka suddenly hugged Renji from behind, nearly knocking him over. "Renji, that was amazing!"

His face burned red.

Yuuto walked up, arms crossed, but a small grin on his lips.

"Guess I should start trusting you more," Yuuto said, offering a fist bump.

Renji blinked. Then he grinned and bumped it back.

The rivalry wasn't over.

But for now—they had won.

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End of Chapter 26

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To Be Continue