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

edited on october 30th, 2021 @ 5:18am

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CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE - THE FORMER COWARD'S FIGHT

Takashi was sitting with Keishin when Yamaguchi came up to him. "Ukai-san..." Yamaguchi spoke up as Keishin and Takashi looked up.

"I'm sorry for wasting my chance." Yamaguchi said as he bowed. "How effectively you serve will determine if you can win or not. I heard your direction during the Fukurōdani match and understood it... and I understood my role. And then I thought I wanted to be able to fight, too... But... I ran away at the last minute."

Yamaguchi stood back up. "Please... Give me one more chance."

TAKASHI SAW THAT KYOTANI WAS next to serve. Kyotani throws the volleyball high in the air as he did a jump serve. Takashi winced when he saw how he slammed the ball over the net as Daichi managed to receive it, but he fell over from the impact of the powerful serve.

"Sorry! It's long!"

"Mattsun!"

Takashi's eyes followed the ball as it goes towards Aoba Johsai, as Matsukawa scores a point when he spiked the ball down. Takashi took a look at the scores.

Aoba Johsai

23

Karasuno

18

"Damn it... This isn't good." Kobayashi sighed.

"Seijoh's #16 is finally finding his groove." Uyeda agreed. "They're ahead by five..."

Takashi saw Asahi telling the others to scoot back a bit, making them do so, as the ball gets served once more. Kyotani does his jump serve as Tanaka was quick on his feet as he crouched down and saved the ball.

"Tanaka!"

"Yeah!"

The volleyball goes to Tobio who jumps and sets to Hinata who quickly hits it down, getting Karasuno a point, making Takashi sigh in relief.

Hinata was serving next. "Shoyo, nice serve!" Nishinoya encouraged.

Takashi smirked when he saw how Yamaguchi was taking Hinata's place as pinch server.

"Pardon me. We're switching players." Takeda informed as Takashi saw Yamaguchi walk onto the court with confidence. He watched as Hinata jogged over to grab the number plate from Yamaguchi.

"Oh, there he is. The scaredy cat pinch server."

"Right. The guy who was in the match with WakaNan, too. Though I totally understand getting freaked out. I would hate having to serve during a pinch."

"Yamaguchi, get 10 points!" Hinata exclaimed, making Yamaguchi stare at him.

"That'd end the match..."

Hinata then offered the ball to Yamaguchi. "I'd forgive you." Hinata told him as Yamaguchi smiled and nodded. Tanaka and Asahi looked at Yamaguchi with nerves.

"G-Go give 'em one, Yamaguchi!" Tanaka stuttered as Asahi was stiff.

"Y-You gotta k-keep your cool!" Asahi added on.

"Nice serve!" Tobio spoke bluntly to Yamaguchi.

"Nice serve." Tsukishima sighed out, but at least he was providing some encouragement.

Suddenly Sugawara, Hinata, Nishinoya, Ennoshita, Narita, and Kinoshita moved in unison.

"One, and..."

As they pose and point at Yamaguchi.

"Yamaguchi, one more! Nice serve!"

Takashi watched as Yamaguchi calmly breathed in, noticing that he wasn't as tense whenever he was up to serve, making him smile.

"He can do this if he believes in himself." Takashi thought.

The whistle blew as Yamaguchi took in a deep breath. It was silent as everyone focused on what would happen. Yamaguchi eventually throws the ball up in the air as he jogged forward and jumped up, as Takashi smirked when he performed a perfect jump floater.

"Out!"

"I wouldn't be so sure."

Takashi grinned as the ball landed in the court, as the referee held up the flag, signaling that Yamaguchi scored them a point, making Karasuno go to 20 points. Takashi saw how Yamaguchi was happy as him and the others cheered.

"All right!"

Sugawara and Ennoshita held back Hinata and Nishinoya from running over to Yamaguchi and engulfing him into a hug.

"All..."

"...right!"

"He did it!" Nagata exclaimed.

"Yahoo!" Kobayashi cheered, as him and Uyeda high five each other.

"Everyone here might be thinking that one point was no big deal." Takashi spoke as Kobayashi and Uyeda both looked at him. A flashback of Yamaguchi missing the serve in the Inter-High flashed in his mind.

"But for Yamaguchi, that one point meant everything to him."

"I agree." Nagata added.

Tanaka started to ruffle Yamaguchi's hair, as everyone praised him.

Takashi saw that Tsukishima must've said something to him since Yamaguchi looked like he was about to cry tears of joy, which resulted in Tanaka to lightly punch Tsukishima in the chest a few times, smirking at him.

"Yamaguchi, one more!" Hinata exclaimed.

Takashi looks back towards the game to watch Yamaguchi serve again. The referee blows the whistle making Yamaguchi do another jump float, Kyotani went to receive the ball, but he was too close, making the volleyball bounce off his arm and out of bounds, making Karasuno get another point.

"A s-second service ace!"

"Yes!"

"All right!"

Takashi watched as Karasuno all ruffle and pat Yamaguchi, excluding Tobio and Tsukishima.

"Yamaguchi!" Hinata called out as everyone on the sides all yelled out in unison.

"One more!"

The referee blows the whistle once more for Yamaguchi to serve again. Except this time, the jump floater was dug up with an overhand receive. Takashi watched as Oikawa sets the ball to the back row as Iwaizumi jumps up and spikes through the blocks, Yamaguchi was able to receive it with his body.

"Cover!"

Everyone shouted, as they wanted to win the match. Tobio ran over and slid down to save the ball, sending it back up, soon Tsukishima jumped up and Daichi sets to him, as Tsukishima did a feint cross shot, getting Karasuno another point.

Takashi took a look at the score and smiled.

Aoba Johsai

23

Karasuno

22

Tsukishima picks up the volleyball and bounces it over to Yamaguchi who caught it easily.

TWEEEET!

Takashi turned to see that Aoba Johsai had took a time out, making him chuckle.

"They made Seijoh take a time out." Nagata commented. "That's really impressive."

"All right! We're gonna win this no matter what!" Uyeda cheered.

The whistle blew as everyone got back onto the court. "Yamaguchi!" Nishinoya shouted out.

"One more!"

Everyone on the sides called out to encourage their teammate. Yamaguchi bounces the ball as he breathed in. The whistle blew and he did another jump float serve, the ball hits the net but it rolled off and landed on the court, making Karasuno get a point as they were tied with Aoba Johsai.

The crowd watching their game cheered for them. "It's in!" Everyone announced.

Takashi smiled, happy that they were tied with Aoba Johsai as the ball bounced back over to Yamaguchi.

"Yamaguchi, one more!" Tanaka called out.

"Yamaguchi, nice serve!" Hinata also shouted out.

"Right!"

Takashi blinked as he looked over and saw Oikawa smiling at his teammates as he extended his arms. "Let's calm down, now." He informed, smirking. Takashi fought back a laugh as everyone on his team just gave their captain a deadpan look.

"We're calm."

"Well, that one was unavoidable."

"We'll get the next one."

Oikawa sweats at how calm his teammates were. "That's it, you guys! You guys are too great. It makes your captain sad." He announced, as he seemed a little dejected that his teammates didn't appear to be annoyed.

The whistle blew as Takashi turned his focus back to the game as Yamaguchi took another deep breath as he threw the ball up and did another jump floating serve. However, it wasn't changing direction as Iwaizumi received it.

"Got it!" Iwaizumi called out, as he sends the ball back up, as Oikawa gets ready to set it.

Oikawa tosses the volleyball to his teammate on the far-right side of the net, Tsukishima also saw this as he ran over and jumped up, getting a one touch in.

"One touch!" He shouted.

"Nice one-touch!" Yamaguchi complimented.

He watched as Tanaka dived down and received the ball, sending it back up. Tobio also runs over and sends the ball to Asahi.

"Azumane-san!" Tobio announced as Asahi turned his focus on the ball.

"Nice, Kageyama!"

"Triple block!"

Takashi watched as Asahi jumps up, getting ready to spike the ball, he hits the ball, but Oikawa's hand managed to have the ball rebound back to Karasuno.

"Back!" Hinata shouted, Tanaka follows the ball, but quickly realized it was going to be an out.

"Out!" Tanaka exclaimed as the volleyball goes out of the court, making Karasuno ahead of Aoba Johsai.

"All right!" Asahi cheered as Oikawa grumbled in annoyance.

Takashi turned to look at the scores and smiled when he saw Karasuno was at match point, letting out a breath and clenching his hands together.

"One more! Nice serve!" Daichi encouraged, Takashi looked back at Yamaguchi, as the whistle blew for him.

"Yamaguchi! Just one more!"

Sugawara and Ennoshita covered their ears at Hinata and Nishinoya's yell. "Get it in there!" Hinata shouted as Takashi sighed anxiously.

"Come on Yamaguchi... You've got this." Takashi thought as he watched Yamaguchi throw the ball up as he hits it over the net.

"I'll get it!" Aoba Johsai's libero reassured as he managed to saved the ball.

Oikawa sets the ball to Iwaizumi who spikes it down past Karasuno's blockers, it bounced off of Yamaguchi's arms as it swerves out of the court making Takashi's eyebrow twitch in irriation, as both teams were now at a tie.

TWEEEET!

Hinata was swapped in for Yamaguchi as Hinata walked onto the court. Nishinoya was coming onto the court, as him and Hinata had to swap out.

"Concentrate on the one!" Hinata called out. The whistle blew as it was Aoba Johsai's turn to serve.

"This is the chance Yamaguchi gave to you..." Takashi noted as he narrowed his eyes. The ball gets served and Daichi receives it, sending it back up.

"...don't let it get away!"

Tobio sets the ball to Asahi who spiked it down past the blockers, getting Karasuno a point. "All right!" Karasuno cheered as the huddled together. They were at match point once more. The game continued with Aoba Johsai getting a point as well, making it a tie once again.

"Every time we get closer to match point, Aoba Johsai scores another point. It's like they want this game to drag on forever." Takashi thinks to himself.

The game went on as Tobio sets the ball as Tsukishima ran over and spiked it down, getting a point for Karasuno.

"All right!" Karasuno cheered.

Asahi was now serving this time, as he bounced the ball. "Asahi, get this!" Sugawara encouraged.

"Nice serve!" Kinoshita shouted out towards the ace. The whistle blew for Asahi to serve the ball. Asahi did his jump serve but Hanamaki managed to save it.

"It's long! Get this!"

Oikawa runs over as Tsukishima jumped up to block in case Oikawa was doing a dump, but Oikawa instead just gave a one handed toss to his teammate, Kindaichi slammed it down and the ball bounces off of Asahi, making Aoba Johsai get the point.

Takashi gulped when he realized who's turn it was to serve for Aoba Johsai. "His damn serves..." Takashi mumbled.

"Kageyama-san, weren't you the one who taught him?"

"That's besides the point, Uyeda! He's a damn monster!"

"You turned him into one though."

"Shut up!"

Takashi stared at Oikawa who had the ball in his hands. Karasuno all narrowed their eyes and focused onto Oikawa.

The referee blew the whistle as Oikawa throws the ball up. Oikawa hits the ball and Nishinoya dived down to try and save it, however it bounced off his shoulder and goes towards the audience, hitting the rail as Aoba Johsai gained a point.

Takashi glanced at the scores and huffed in irritation.

Aoba Johsai

27

Karasuno

26

"They turned the points so it would be match point for them. How annoying."

"Damn it!" Nishinoya exclaimed.

"This isn't possible with just the two of us." He stated as he gestured for Asahi to come over.

"Asahi, please. We're counting on you." Daichi informed.

"Yeah." Asahi responded.

Takashi turned his gaze over towards Oikawa who gets ready to serve again. The whistle blew for Oikawa to do his serve.

"Bring it!"

"Nice serve!"

Oikawa throws the volleyball up into the air as he runs forwards to do his jump serve, the ball comes at them.

"Daichi-san!" Nishinoya shouted for their captain who dived down and received the volleyball, however the volleyball was close to the net as Kindaichi slammed it down.

However, Tanaka extended his arm out and received it.

"Tanaka, nice!" Daichi praised.

"Kageyama!" Tanaka yelled as Tobio jumped up and sets the ball.

"Asahi-san!" Tobio announced as the ball goes towards the ace who slammed it over the net.

But Hanamaki was there to save the ball and sent it back up. Takashi saw how Kyotani charged forward, but he had a feeling Oikawa wasn't going to set the ball to him, as he saw how Iwaizumi jumped up from the back row.

Iwaizumi hits the ball and gets the point.

TWEEEET!

Karasuno had lost the second set, as they were now on the third and final set.

"We had them cornered, too!" Uyeda exclaimed in frustration.

"Damn! And that third set is going to be tough." Nagata sighed.

"No need to worry." Takashi spoke up, making the three turn to him.

"I have a feeling... that this time will have a different outcome."

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

Word Count: 2261 words.