Haikyuu: Zero to Almighty

"That's just insane!" Yaku Morisuke's mouth hung open, unable to close for a long while.

"That bizarre posture! Normally, players rely on the flexibility of their arms to spike down the line, but that guy….it looked like he folded his entire body to pull it off!"

"And that spike angle—hitting into the front court against a triple block! How is anyone supposed to defend that?"

As a libero, Yaku felt his head pounding. Even Bokuto Kōtarō from Fukurodani would find pulling off a spike like that incredibly difficult.

So that's why he used such an unconventional approach run?

When spikers approach the net, their bodies typically face the blockers directly, which makes their spikes more likely to hit the blocking range. But Yaku had noticed that Kyōtani Kentarō angled his body diagonally when spiking against the blockers.

Attacking from the right wing, with a diagonal approach and spiking with his right hand—these three conditions combined to create that extreme trajectory.

No wonder he's a starter despite being so antisocial. Today, we're really witnessing Seijoh's hidden ace in action.

Seijoh served, and Kyōtani Kentarō's explosive spike had already ignited the team's momentum.

"Kunimi! Let's see a good serve!"

"Bring it on!"

Kunimi Akira remained unfazed by the surrounding energy, calmly serving a standard ball.

"Yamamoto, nice receive!"

It wasn't a perfect pass, but Yamamoto Taketora had done his best.

Kuroo Tetsurō charged in as Kenma Kozume set the ball to the left. With precise timing, Kuroo swung and smashed it down.

"Good dig, Watari!"

"Double quick attack!" Oikawa Tōru glanced over his shoulder, and both Hanamaki Takahiro on the left and Kyōtani Kentarō on the right sprinted into position.

Kuroo stood in front of Hanamaki, while Inuoka Sō stepped up to block Kyōtani.

Bam!

Even with a direct spike, Kyōtani's trajectory was unstoppable for just one blocker.

Kyōtani Kentarō scores!

[Aoba Johsai 3 – 1 Nekoma]

"Beautiful spike!"

"Yeah!" Kyōtani roared, exhilarated. This was the kind of match that got his blood pumping. The town gymnasium matches always felt too friendly, lacking both variation and tension.

Seijoh's serve. Kunimi aimed at Yamamoto Taketora again.

This time, Nobuyuki Kai stepped in to assist, perfectly passing the ball to Kenma Kozume.

Kuroo positioned himself just a step in front of Kenma. His right foot shifted slightly forward, his body lowering with a subtle forward lean.

"It's an A quick attack!"

The A quick attack was a fast-paced play executed near the net, close to the setter. The spiker would approach at a 45-degree angle, jumping vertically in front of the setter and preparing to strike mid-air before the ball was even set.

The timing was key—leaping before the setter released the ball and smashing it as soon as it left their fingertips.

Oikawa and Hanamaki jumped to block, only to realize that Kuroo hadn't left the ground yet. His knees were slightly bent, and he was holding his position.

"He's not jumping?!"

"Was that a fake?!"

Oikawa Tōru and Hanamaki Takahiro began their descent, but the ball gently set by Kenma Kozume was still ascending.

At that moment, Kuroo Tetsurō pushed off the ground with explosive force, his movement beginning from his heels and rolling smoothly to his toes. His body shot into the air like an uncoiling spring.

Bam!

Kuroo spiked the ball down with no blockers in sight, earning Nekoma another point.

[Aoba Johsai 3 – 2 Nekoma]

"That was a one-man time difference!" Kaedehara Taichi exclaimed from the sidelines, his excitement evident. Deep down, though, he wished he were on the court, battling Nekoma directly.

"What's with the surprise?" Yahaba Shigeru muttered, unimpressed. "Didn't you play a similar attack with Oikawa-senpai before?"

Taichi blinked, recalling the moment.

Back then, he'd been using Tendō Satori's player card in the simulation training, relying more on 'muscle memory' than strategy. Thinking about it now, it must've been Oikawa's precise set that had made the attack successful.

Yahaba, initially disinterested in explaining, caught sight of Kindaichi's clueless expression. That unmistakable glint of naïve ignorance prompted him to elaborate.

"This kind of attack creates the illusion that the spiker is going for a quick strike. The setter then exploits the time difference to throw off the blockers, making it easier to land a clean shot."

Kindaichi's face lit up with sudden understanding.

Yahaba frowned. "But it's not a commonly used technique. It relies heavily on the spiker's ability to deceive the blockers, plus perfect coordination with the setter. The margin for error is pretty high."

He absentmindedly tapped his teeth with his fingertip, muttering, "For a middle blocker with that kind of size to pull off such a delicate play….it's impressive."

Taichi's focus shifted entirely to Kuroo Tetsurō. His perspective, once on the match as a whole, now zoomed in on Nekoma's captain.

It hit him then—Kuroo Tetsurō was arguably the most versatile middle blocker among all Japanese high school players.

In serving, during their match against Karasuno at the 'Battle of the Garbage Dump', Kuroo scored despite facing Nishinoya Yū, ranking just below serve specialists like Miya Atsumu, Oikawa Tōru, and the left-handed powerhouse, Ushijima Wakatoshi.

In blocking, Kuroo was a national-level core, often referred to as a 'defensive tactician' who guided his team's formation with precision.

While in offence, Kuroo stood out as one of the few middle blockers who could read the game as it unfolded, choosing his attacks wisely. He was equally proficient at front-row and back-row attacks.

In receives, Kuroo was one of the rare middle blockers capable of stepping into the backline and reliably handling jump float serves—serves that even Nishinoya found challenging.

Taichi's eyes stayed glued to Kuroo, filled with admiration and focus. He wanted to absorb every detail of Kuroo's movements, etching them into his memory.

What Kuroo displayed on the court was exactly what Taichi aspired to master.

Nekoma's serve. Nobuyuki Kai's jump serve was received cleanly by Iwaizumi Hajime.

"Nice receive, Iwa-chan!"

Oikawa stood still, waiting for the ball to descend while observing his team's positions.

Then, like a beast unleashed, Kyōtani Kentarō leapt from behind Oikawa, soaring toward the centre.

"Give it to me!" Kyōtani roared, already poised mid-air for a spike.

"An A quick attack in response?"

"Double block!" Yamamoto Taketora and Kuroo Tetsurō jumped together, positioning themselves in front of Kyōtani.

Whoosh!

Oikawa arched his back slightly, his hands gently pushing the ball backward.

Bam!

Hanamaki Takahiro's spike landed cleanly.

[Aoba Johsai 4 – 2 Nekoma]

Kuroo glanced toward Kyōtani, surprised. For someone with such an overwhelming presence, was Kyōtani just a decoy?

But the scowl on Kyōtani's face as he glared at Oikawa told Kuroo otherwise.

In that instant, Kuroo realized this play was orchestrated entirely by the setter.

Oikawa didn't shy away from Kyōtani's intense glare. Instead, he met it head-on with a smirk.

"Mad Dog-chan, I'll sharpen those fangs of yours until they're razor-sharp!"

_________

[T/N] -Enjoy the Extra Chapter.

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