A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Enjoy!

edited on january 15th, 2022 @ 3:20am

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CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT - THE CHEMICAL CHANGE OF ENCOUNTERS

TSUKISHIMA WAS UP TO SERVE. The whistle blew as Tsukishima hits the ball. Leon spiked past Hinata and Tadahiro. The game resumed as both teams were tied with 20 points. Asahi jumped up to spike but was blocked.

"Chance ball!" Leon shouted, receiving the ball.

"Damn it!" Izuki commented.

"Guard that desparately stolen half-step lead with everything you've got!" Hyuga stated.

"Goshiki!" Shirabu shouted, tossing the ball towards Goshiki.

Hinata went up to block as Kageyama dived down to save the ball. Nishinoya jumped up. "Leave it to me!" He reassured, tossing the ball in which Asahi jumped up to spike it and got a point for Karasuno.

"Nice kill, Asahi!" Daichi complimented.

"I can't lose to Hinata or Tadahiro." Asahi claimed.

"Kageyama, you got a great receive, too." Daichi told him.

"Thanks." Kageyama replied.

The game resumed as Kawanishi jumped up to spike the ball, gaining a point for Shiratorizawa and making them tied with Karasuno once more.

The buzzer sounded as Semi had switched in with Shirabu. "Their serve is strong! We're gonna cut it off at one!" Daichi announced.

"Right!" Nishinoya and Asahi replied in unison.

TWEEEET!

Semi threw the ball up in the air as he did his jump serve. "Nishinoya!" Daichi called out as Nishinoya received the ball.

"Sorry! It's long!" Nishinoya apologized.

Kageyama jumped up to get the ball as he sent a one handed toss to Hinata, who spiked it down and gained a point for Karasuno.

"All right!"

"Man... That move's gotta be hard to repeat." Koganei commented.

"We're counting on you!" Nishinoya told Tsukishima, slapping his hand as he was switched out with him.

"Tsukki! Don't lose to Hinata!" Tadahiro heard Yamaguchi call out.

"Huh?!" Tsukishima commented, turning around as Yamaguchi flinched at his look.

"It's not like we're competing." Tsukishima said to himself. The buzzer went off as Tsukishima turned to Kageyama. "Hey."

"Huh?"

"We're counting on you!" Hinata informs Yamaguchi before taking the number plate.

"Right!" Yamaguchi replied.

"I can do it, but can you?" Kageyama challenged.

"Well... I practiced with Akaashi-san, so..." Tsukishima responded bluntly, making Kageyama be taken aback.

"This guy's practicing with Fukurodani's setter?" He thought in irritation. "I'm super jealous!"

Yamaguchi caught the ball that was tossed to him. "Huh? Looks like he's going to hit really close to the edge this time." Izuki pointed out.

TWEEEET!

Yamaguchi did his jump floater serve, aiming it right at Ushijima, but Leon received it on time.

"Goshiki!" Ushijima shouted.

"Right!" Goshiki replied.

"Three blockers!"

Daichi, Tsukishima, and Asahi jumped up to block. "One touch!" Tsukishima and Daichi shouted in unison.

"Why, you..." Tadahiro commented, diving down to receive the ball.

"Nice cover!"

Tsukishima then ran forward as Kawanishi jumped up to block, but Tsuskishima didn't spike right away. Once Kawanishi's block was low, Tsukishima jumped up to spike, earning a point for Karasuno.

"All right!"

Tadahiro glanced over at the scoreboard.

Karasuno

23

Shiratorizawa

21

The game resumed once the time out was over. "Yama-chan, one more!" Tadahiro encouraged as Yamaguchi bounced the ball.

The whistle blew as Yamaguchi did his jump floater serve as it ended up hitting the net. "It's in! Towards the front!" Shirabu called out.

"Got it!" Yamagata reassured as he saved the ball.

Shirabu then tossed the ball as Ushijima jumped up to spike. He spiked past Tsukishima and Daichi, scoring a point for Shiratorizawa.

"Damn it..." Yamaguchi mumbled.

"Ushiwaka's hits aren't easing up." Koganei commented from the stands.

"But since he hits so much, he must be feeling it in his legs by now." Hyuga pointed out. "Kinda like with you, Kagami."

"Yeah. If Ushiwaka keeps going like this, he'll eventually reach the end of his stamina." Taiga agreed before placing his hand on his chin. "Come to think of it, I think that's what my Nii-san is waiting for."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" Izuki questioned.

"I don't know if you noticed, but Hiro-nii hasn't been in the Zone throughout the whole game." Taiga replied.

"Huh?!" His basketball teammates exclaimed in unison.

"Ushiwaka may be one of the top three aces in the country, and Shiratorizawa may be known as the champions, but Karasuno has a player who can access the Zone. Hiro-nii understands the Zone better than anyone. He's like... Aomine's level of skill. No... perhaps even better." Taiga scoffed at the mention of the dark-blue haired male. "And once he opens that second door, Karasuno will be unstoppable."

Karasuno was at 23 points while Shiratorizawa was at 22. "Go, Asahi-san!" Hinata cheered from his spot next to Ukai as Asahi jumped up to spike in which Ushijima and Kawanishi jumped up to block him.

"Got it!" Nishinoya reassured, tossing the ball up in the air.

Kageyama gets into setting position as Tsukishima jumps up to spike. However, it didn't line up. But Tsukishima extended his hand out and saved the ball before it touched the court. It goes over Shiratorizawa's side of the court and lands as Yamagata was late on receiving it.

"All right! Lucky!" Hyuga said. "They're at set point!"

"Sorry." Kageyama apologized.

"You apologizing is creepy, so please don't." Tsukishima told him.

"What?!" Kageyama said in irritation as he glanced at the tall middle blocker.

"See? You're fine." Tsukishima said.

TWEEEET!

"Dai-chan, nice serve!" Tadahiro encouraged his boyfriend as Daichi served the ball in which Leon received it.

"Ushijima-san!" Shirabu shouted, tossing the ball towards Ushijima.

Ushijima jumped up as Tsukishima and Asahi tried to block him. Shiratorizawa gains a point as Nishinoya was late on receiving it.

"Damn it!" Nishinoya cursed.

The buzzer sounded as Kawanishi was switched out with Yunohama. "Hm? Could they have a second pinch server?" Furihata questioned.

"Since it's Shiratorizawa, I'm sure they've got a deep team. Please just don't bring this into a deuce..." Taiga replied.

The whistle blew as Yunohama performed a jump float serve.

Nishinoya dived over to receive it but it was off. "Sorry!" He apologized.

"Azumane-san!" Kageyama called out, sending the ball over to Asahi.

Asahi hits the ball in which he got blocked. Yamagata dived down to save the ball on time. "Wakatoshi!" Leon called out, receiving the ball over to Ushijima.

"Here we go. Ready, and..." Tsukishima trailed off as him, Kageyama, and Asahi jumped up to block Ushijima.

Ushijima swung his arm. However, he does a feint instead. "Damn!" Tadahiro commented. The ball fell onto the court as Nishinoya, Tadahiro, and Daichi tried to dive down to save it.

TWEEEEET!

"Nice kill, Ushijima!"

Both teams were now tied with 24 points. "They were totally aiming for the open space..." Izuki commented.

"But I thought their setter would've been able to get that..." Hyuga pointed out. "It must be exhaustion."

"Is the exhausted setter going to have the face the deuce of despair?" Tadahiro heard Tendou ask Kageyama.

"The only time I will ever feel despair is when I won't be able to play volleyball anymore." Kageyama replied.

"All of you guys are monsters." Tendou commented.

Karasuno was currently sitting on the benches, trying to relax their bodies. "The position of defense is fine as it is right now, you were able to follow up with a one touch." Ukai spoke.

"Right!"

"Can you go on, Kageyama?" Ukai then asked.

"Of course." Kageyama responded.

"If you're exhausted, I can switch with you at any time." Sugawara spoke up, jumping up and down as he did so.

"I won't get exhausted!" Kageyama exclaimed.

The buzzer concluded the time out as both teams headed back onto the court. Yunohama performed another jump float serve.

"Daichi-san!" Nishinoya called out.

Daichi saved the ball on time as Kageyama tossed the ball over to Asahi, who jumped up and spiked the ball, earning a point for Karasuno and making them at set point.

Tendou sent the ball over to Karasuno's side of the court as Tsukishima tried to block him, making Shiratorizawa get another point. Ushijima was up to serve as he bounced the ball as the whistle blew.

"Bring it!" Daichi, Asahi, and Nishinoya shouted in unison.

Ushijima threw the ball up in the air as he did his jump serve. It hits the net as everyone looks in nerves. The ball slowly falls to the ground, but lands on the court.

"Miracle boy, Wakatoshi!" Tendou exclaimed.

"A net in at a time like this?" Taiga questioned in disbelief.

"Now they've got the match point..." Izuki mumbled.

"If they get another point, it's all over!" Hyuga informed. Taiga then suddenly stood up. "Huh? Kagami, where are you going?"

"Knocking some damn sense into that older brother of mine!"

"W-Wait!"

Ushijima bounced the ball as he readied another jump serve as Ushijima had another look of determination as Karasuno looked back with the same look.

TWEEEET!

Ushijima threw the ball up in the air as he slammed the ball against his palm. "Nishinoya!" Daichi shouted as Nishinoya quickly raced over to save the ball on time.

"Chance ball!"

Yamagata received the ball as Shirabu tossed the ball as Leon jumped up to spike it. Kageyama and Tsukishima jumped up to block him as the ball bounced off of Shirabu's arms and out of the court, making Karasuno get a point as the crowd cheered.

"Hey, could you not just run into me?" Tsukishima told Kageyama as he held an irritated aura. "You're not Hinata. Jump up. Up."

"What?! This wouldn't be considered bumping into you!" Kageyama defended. "You just lack training!"

"You two!" Tadahiro exclaimed, grabbing his juniors heads in irritation.

"I'm counting on you, Karasuno!"

The sudden shout shocked both Karasuno and Shiratorizawa's cheering squad. Until another shout came.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Tadahiro flinched as he glanced over to see his younger brother fuming. "The way you're playing right now? It's pathetic!" He shouted.

"Huh?!"

"The whole, 'I'm going to beat Ushiwaka' crap was all talk, Nii-san! I don't see you doing shit!" Taiga exclaimed in anger as Hyuga and Izuki were trying to calm the younger Kagami down. Taiga then pointed over to Shiratorizawa, making them flinch.

"Stop fooling around and kick Shiratorizawa's ass already! You're seriously pissing me off!"

"Why that little shit...!" Tadahiro exclaimed in anger.

"I wish he worded it differently, but he's right!" Hyuga's voice ran out. "We may be a bunch of basketball fools, but Seirin's with you, Karasuno! Go out there and win!"

Asahi and Daichi had a look of determination on their faces. "Huh? Who are you?" Yachi asked, looking over at Taiga.

"Hm?" Taiga realized Akiteru, Yachi, Saeko, Shimada, and Takinoue were looking at him. "Oh, I'm Kagami Tadahiro's younger brother. Pleasure to meet you."

"Kagami-san's... younger brother?" Yachi thinks to herself as Hinata was switched back in. Taiga, Hyuga, and Izuki went back to sit with the rest of their team.

"Go, go, Karasuno! Push it, push it, Karasuno!"

"Hey, Tiredyama-kun." Hinata said as Kageyama looked at him. Hinata gave him a thumbs up. "I can hit any kind of toss, no matter how sucky!"

Kageyama lifted Hinata in the air. "I never suck!" He claimed.

"Right!" Hinata saluted to him.

The buzzer sounded as Sugawara was switched in for Tsukishima, who grabbed his name plate.

TWEEEET!

"Suga! Get a nice serve in!" Daichi shouted at him as Sugawara bounced the ball. He serves the ball up in the air as Leon receives it. Shirabu tossed the ball towards Tendou as Hinata jumped up to block him.

Sugawara easily received the ball. "Nice receive!" Kageyama complimented as he got into setting position. He tosses the ball towards Hinata as Goshiki and Tendou jumped up to block him.

"Out!" Sugawara called out as the ball turned out to be an out.

Karasuno now had 27 points with Shiratorizawa having 26 points. Kageyama was up to serve as he spun the ball in his hands.

"Bring it!"

The whistle blew as Kageyama threw the ball up in the air, doing his jump serve. "Front!" Yamagata shouted as he received the ball.

"Chance ball!" Nishinoya called out as he received the ball.

Hinata then raced up towards the net and jumped up. Kageyama sent the volleyball towards him, however it was short.

He ended up getting the ball past Tendou and Goshiki, who jumped up to block, making the ball fall to the ground.

TWEEEEET!

Karasuno had won the fourth set with 29 points. "Nice, Hina-chan! Good reaction." Tadahiro complimented, ruffling his juniors hair.

"Thanks!"

Hinata was walking around Kageyama when he was suddenly grabbed by the collar. "Nice cover." Kageyama said with a dark and intense look.

"Then at least say it with a nice face!" Hinata told him. "More importantly, Kageyama..."

Kageyama then released him. "We get to play one more set!" Hinata finished.

"Yeah!" Kageyama nodded.

Tadahiro exhaled, thinking back to his younger brother's words.

"The way you're playing right now? It's pathetic!"

"Tch!" Tadahiro thought, his bangs covering his eyes. "I hate it when that little brat is right. I've been going easy on that bastard Ushiwaka."

Tadahiro looked up as red electricity flashed in front of his eyes.

"The real battle... begins now!"

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A/N: Another chapter is done! Also, I'm thinking of a joust between Ushijima and Tadahiro perhaps? Thanks for reading!