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

edited on october 23rd, 2021 @ 6:01am

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CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT - THE DESTROYER

THE BALL TURNED OUT TO be an out, making Takashi sigh in relief. "Lucky..." Kobayashi mumbled as Takashi took a glance at the score.

Karasuno

25

Aoba Johsai

23

Karasuno had won the first set against Aoba Johsai. "We won the first set. And we're gonna take the second set, too!" Uyeda cheered.

Both teams then began to switch sides for the second set to begin.

Daichi soon gestured for everyone to huddle up. "Let's stay on the groove and settle the score! We're gonna win the second set, too!" Daichi announced as his team nodded.

"Yeah!"

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Asahi was up to serve. "Asahi-san, get one! Nice serve!" Nishinoya encouraged. Asahi then threw the ball up and did a jump serve.

"Out!"

Takashi blinked as the ball went out and Aoba Johsai got the first point. "Damn it! Sorry!" Asahi apologized.

"So close! You'll get the next one!" Sugawara shouted from the sides.

"Don't mind!" Nishinoya added.

"Your face is scary!" Daichi stated.

"What'd you say?" Asahi questioned in confusion.

Oikawa was now serving. He slams the ball, as Nishinoya was about to receive it but he stopped himself and ducked down.

"Out, out!" He exclaimed as he turned out to be correct, and Karasuno gets the point.

Takashi could hear Oikawa groaning and grumbling in annoyance as he apologized to his teammates. Tsukishima was up to serve next.

"Tsukishima, nice serve!" Tanaka encouraged as the blonde served the ball and sends it over the net, it touched the net and rolled off as Iwaizumi slides down.

"Damn you!" Iwaizumi exclaimed as he saved the ball.

"Nice cover, Iwa-chan!"

"Now, who will Tōru toss to? There are three attackers on the front line..." Takashi thinks to himself as he hummed in thought.

"Mad Dog-chan!" Oikawa called out, making Takashi raise an eyebrow at the obvious nickname, as he tosses it over to Number 16.

"An open toss to the right?" Takashi thinks to himself.

"Huh? He's sprinting parallel to the net?" Nagata commented.

"Three blockers!"

Kyotani makes the point, easily going past Hinata, Tobio, and Tanaka.

"That cut shot was insane!" Kobayashi exclaimed as the crowd went wild from that spike.

"Mad Dog is amazing!" Hinata exclaimed as they get back into position as it was Iwaizumi's turn to serve.

He managed to hit it over the net as Daichi slid down to receive it. "It's coming back! Chance ball!" Oikawa exclaimed.

"Damn it! Sorry!" Daichi apologized.

Takashi was surprised when he saw Kyotani and Kindaichi run forward. "A double quick?" He wondered as he saw how Oikawa tossed to Kyotani who slammed it down. Hinata tried to block him but was unsuccessful.

Iwaizumi was up to serve once more. "Iwa-chan, one more! Nice serve!" Oikawa encouraged his friend. Iwaizumi hits the ball as Daichi saved it as the volleyball heads towards Tobio, who gets under the ball and sends it over to Hinata, who slammed it down, however Iwaizumi slid down and receives it.

"Yeah!"

"Nice receive!"

Takashi saw how Oikawa was going to set the ball, his eyes looking at the potential players. However, he was shocked when Kyotani jumped up and slammed the ball over and got the point, but he also crashed into Hanamaki who fell down.

"Y-You okay?!" Oikawa asked in concern.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. I'm fine." Hanamaki reassured him, holding an 'okay' sign.

"They're getting it in, but those attacks seem pretty violent." Takashi spoke.

"I agree, Kageyama-san. Ever since that #16 came in, their attack rhythm has changed." Uyeda agreed.

Next one to serve was Iwaizumi. His teammates shouted words of encouragement as Iwaizumi slams the ball, but it hits the net and Karasuno gained a point.

"Sorry!" Iwaizumi apologized as Oikawa chuckled sheepishly at him.

Tobio was up to serve next, who did his usual jump serve, however Hanamaki received it and sent the ball back up.

"Nice, Makki!" Oikawa praised. Takashi saw how Kyotani charged forward, as Hinata locked his eyes onto him.

Hinata jumps up to block him, however he ended up being a decoy as Oikawa tossed to Kindaichi instead. "A broad jump from Kindaichi!" Takashi thought as the ball hits the ground and got the point.

"Let's lock this down. That's a Seijoh team that we're not familiar with." Daichi informed.

Kindaichi was the one serving. The ball gets hit over the net and Nishinoya crouched down to save it. "Got it!" He said.

"Left!"

"Center!"

Tobio tossed over to Hinata who slams it down, but Iwaizumi dived down in time to send the ball back up.

"So, their style is to always have one middle blocker glued to Hinata." Takashi thought, narrowing his eyes a little.

"It's up! Cover!"

"Got it! Kyotani, take the last hit!"

Takashi saw how Hanamaki sent the ball over to Kyotani. "Sorry! It's close to the net!" He stated as Daichi, Tanaka, and Hinata jump up to block him. Kyotani spiked the ball down, in which the three of them successfully block it and get the point.

"Nice block!"

"All right!"

"You idiot! You had other options like a soft hit or a tip!" Mizoguchi shouted from the sides.

"An attack doesn't feel good if I don't land a hard hit for the kill!" Kyotani shouted back.

Everyone gave a dumbfounded look at Kyotani, as even Oikawa sighed in tiredness. "Damn yo—" Mizoguchi began but was cut off.

"Now, now, Mizoguchi... What needs to be corrected will be corrected in due time." Irihata said in a calm, yet stern tone.

"Right..." Mizoguchi nodded.

Tanaka turned to Tobio with a grin. "So about him being pretty smart..." He teased in which Tobio tensed up.

"I just thought that he might be!"  Tobio defended his words as Tanaka snickered.

"He doesn't know the bliss of a feint... What a waste." Hinata commented.

Soon they continued on with the game, as the ball goes from Karasuno's side to the opposing side. "Makki!" Oikawa shouted to Hanamaki, who hits the volleyball in which Nishinoya receives it.

"Nice, Nishinoya!" Daichi praised.

Tobio quickly tosses the ball up and over to Asahi who slams it down, but Hanamaki had dived down and saved it.

"Nice, Makki!" Oikawa said as he gets under the ball to toss. "Mad Dog-chan!" He called out, setting the ball over to him.

Takashi noticed how Kyotani was coming from the side again, like he had done with his cut shot. However, he accidently hits the ball in the net, and Karasuno gets a point.

"Whew, we're saved." Kobayashi sighed in relief.

"While that attack is powerful, it's really unreliable..." Nagata commented. "Since he didn't start in this match, #16 just might be a double-edged sword."

"That #16's spike... It's all shwing! Whoosh! It's so cool!" Hinata announced as Daichi sweat dropped next to him.

The game goes on, as the ball gets served, and Oikawa was about to set the ball. He does so as Kyotani jumps in the air, as Takashi saw him hit the ball down and gain a point as the ball bounced off of Nishinoya's arms.

Oikawa was smirking in response.

Kyotani was serving, as he did a jump serve, however it was going to be an out. "Out!" Tanaka announced as the volleyball goes out of the court and Karasuno gets a point. Aoba Johsai was at 9 points with Karasuno only being at 8.

It was Iwaizumi's turn to serve as he hits it over the net and Nishinoya crouched down a little and received it. Tobio ran over and sends a toss to Asahi who slammed it down as the volleyball headed towards Iwaizumi who received it.

"Cover! Cover!"

"Makki, get the last!"

Takashi watched as Oikawa sends the ball to Hanamaki, as him and Hinata jump up to block him, the ball rebounds back. "Got it!" Their libero announced.

Oikawa tosses to Kyotani, in which Takashi saw that his timing was faster. Hinata jumped up to block him, however Kyotani got past him and scored a point.

"That was a nasty angle he spiked from..." Takashi thinks to himself, staring at Kyotani who held a satisfied look on his face.

The game continued as Hinata called for a toss as Tobio does so, however Hinata was a decoy as Tobio sends the toss to Tanaka who hits it down, getting a point.

Both teams got points each time someone spiked.

Takashi glanced over at the score.

Karasuno

11

Aoba Johsai

13

Nishinoya ran off the court and Tsukishima was subbed in, with Hinata serving next. Takashi glanced over at Hinata to see him nod something at Tobio but decided not to question their motives. The whistle blew as Hinata hits the ball, Aoba Johsai's libero receives it, as Oikawa tossed to Hanamaki who slams it past Daichi and Tanaka managed to dive down to the left and send it back up.

"Nice receive!"

Takashi saw how Tobio concentrated on the volleyball and got into position to set. Tsukishima, Asahi, Daichi, and Tanaka all run to do their synchronize attack. Takashi took notice when Tobio did a back-row attack with Hinata.

However, Hinata's attack was blocked and Aoba Johsai gets the point. "Did you think now was your opportunity to use that? I did, too. After all, I was taught by the best." Oikawa looks down at Tobio as the two glare at each other.

"Why does he always have to bring Nii-san into everything?" Tobio thinks to himself as Hinata was growling at the back-row attack debut.

"Huh? They're calling in Sugawara?" Nagata questioned as Takashi looked down to see Sugawara jogging to Ukai.

"Tobio seems to be doing fine." Uyeda commented.

"No, they're not switching out Tobio. More like, they're adding both setters into the game and have them work together." Takashi smirked. "Keishin, you damn genius!"

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The game went on as Tsukishima and Tobio blocked Iwaizumi's attack, getting Karasuno a point. Aoba Johsai was at 16 points with Karasuno at 13. Takashi saw that Oikawa was serving, in a blink of an eye when Oikawa did his jump serve, the ball goes to Karasuno's side of the court and Aoba Johsai gets a point.

Oikawa serves again, but he hits the top of the net. "Front!" Ukai shouted as Nishinoya dived down and saved the ball.

"Nice receive, Nishinoya!" Daichi praised.

"Left!" Tanaka shouted at Tsukishima.

"Tanaka-san!" Tsukishima announced, sending the ball towards him.

"Triple block!" Daichi exclaimed.

Tanaka ran forward and jumped up, hitting the ball down and to the side, getting Karasuno a point.

"Yeah!" Everyone cheered.

TWEEEET!

"Ah, here it comes." Kobayashi commented.

Takashi looked over to see Sugawara subbing in for Tsukishima, as they exchanged number plates and Sugawara walks onto the court. Sugawara goes over and whispers something to Tobio. Soon Sugawara runs back to the court to serve, as Tobio, Hinata, and Tanaka were up front to block.

Takashi watched as Sugawara hits the ball over the net, as it was aimed at Kyotani. He grinned to himself when Kyotani was late to the attack, Oikawa tosses the ball and Kindaichi hits it, however Sugawara crouched down to his knee and set the volleyball back up.

Tobio and Hinata do their quick attack and managed to get a point even though Kindaichi was close to blocking them. Karasuno was now at 15 points with Aoba Johsai at 17.

Sugawara was back to serving, he hits it again, and once more aimed at Kyotani, making him late for the attack once more. The ball gets hit but Daichi was there to save it, as Sugawara followed the ball, swapping places with Tobio.

Sugawara soon tosses to Tobio who did his line shot and got Karasuno a point.

"All right!"

Takashi laughed out loud. "Man, Tobio and Suga really are amazing. I'm so glad I taught Suga my toss as well." He commented.

"Wait... You taught their second setter your toss?" Kobayashi asked.

"Forget Karasuno being dangerous! They're monsters if both their setters know Kageyama-san's famous toss!" Uyeda shrieked.

TWEEEET!

Aoba Johsai called for a timeout, as everyone exited the court.

TWEEEET!

Sugawara was serving. "Suga-san! One more! Nice serve!" Nishinoya shouted out as Sugawara hits the ball, however instead of Kyotani receiving it, Hanamaki switched places and received for him.

Oikawa sets the ball to Kyotani who slams it down and got a point.

TWEEEET!

Sugawara was being swapped back out as Tsukishima subbed in. "Suga-san, nice!" Nishinoya smiled as he runs to get off the court.

"Thanks." Sugawara replied.

The game goes on with Tobio setting to Tanaka who spikes it down and got a point. Tobio was soon up to serve.

"Kageyama, nice serve!"

Tobio does his jump serve, as Iwaizumi received it, Oikawa tossed the ball to Kyotani who spiked it down but Asahi was there to save it, with Tobio following the ball and tossing it to Daichi who did a feint but Oikawa dived down and sent the ball back up.

Watari jumps up and sets the ball in mid-air to Kyotani who jumps up as well, and hits the ball past Tanaka and Hinata, getting the point.

"How do I put this?" Kobayashi spoke up as Takashi, Uyeda, and Nagata all looked towards the white-haired male. "They're forcing #16 to do all their attacks."

"Yeah. Perhaps they're trying to get the attention focused on #16 and then completely hand it off to someone else." Nagata commented.

"That makes sense. That way, Karasuno will be too focused on #16, leaving them room to use another spiker." Uyeda agreed before he had an irked expression. "Kageyama-san, your protégé pisses me off!"

Takashi chuckled sheepishly. "Tōru is quite amazing, isn't he?" He stated.

Kindaichi serves the ball, as it goes forward and over the net. Tanaka was there to receive it as the ball made it's way to Tobio who tosses the ball to Hinata, but Hanamaki saved it.

Oikawa sets the ball back up, calling out to Kyotani who ran forward, his eyes on the volleyball as he spiked it down, getting another point for Aoba Johsai.

TWEEEET!

Takashi sighed in relief when the referee blew that Kyotani touched the net, as both teams huddled together. Once it was done, Kindaichi serves, but the ball hits the net and Karasuno got the point, Tanaka was up to serve as he throws the ball up and spikes it forward.

He saw how Oikawa gets ready to toss once Iwaizumi saved the ball. Takashi noticed how Matsukawa was running behind Kyotani, making the older Kageyama believe he would spike the ball. Hinata must've also realized as he followed him. But to their surprise, Oikawa sends it to Kyotani who slammed it down, Tanaka tried to save it, but failed.

Takashi looked at the score and let out a long sigh.

Karasuno

18

Aoba Johsai

21

"Not good. If Aoba Johsai wins this set, Karasuno will be forced into a third." Takashi stated.

"Hmm? What's so bad about that?" Uyeda asked.

"The last time it happened. Karasuno lost." Nagata explained. "They need to win this set."

Kyotani throws the ball up and hits it forward with a lot of power, making the black haired male blink as the spike happened so quickly. Aoba Johsai gets a point.

TWEEEET!

Karasuno called for a timeout as everyone walked off the court to cool down. Keishin talked with everyone as Daichi called for everyone to gather in a circle.

"Let's bring it in! Karasuno, fight!"

"Yeah!"

TWEEEEET!

Everyone goes back onto the court. Kyotani was serving again. "Let's get this one!" Daichi called out.

"Yeah!"

Takashi hummed as he looked over at Yamaguchi who had a look of determination on his face.

"Things are about to get even more interesting..." Takashi informed as his fellow alumni looked at him with confusion.

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A/N: Another chapter is done! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 2684 words.