Haikyuu : The Unstoppable Force

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Chirping!

At the beginning of the second set, Aoba Johsai's style of play changed again!

No longer being dragged along by Karasuno's rhythm, they were gradually rediscovering their own.

However, as they continued with their previous strategy...

A flaw gradually emerged!

And that flaw was—

The play of their captain—Toru Oikawa!

Since the second half of the first set, Oikawa had started making uncharacteristic mistakes.

At times, his sets were so off-target that the ball would float over to the opponent's side of the net.

Now that Aoba Johsai had returned to their usual rhythm, their team instinctively moved in sync with Oikawa's guidance.

This was the result of countless hours of practice.

But this time—

Oikawa himself was off-rhythm.

Not only was he making various mistakes, but even his command of the team felt weak!

The calm and calculating Oikawa, who had always dictated the pace of the game, seemed to have vanished.

And in this state—

This Aoba Johsai could not hope to compete with the current Karasuno!

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Chirping!

The referee's whistle blew as Karasuno launched their final attack!

And in the end—

Akira's spike sealed the game!

Karasuno 2-0 Aoba Johsai!!

One step closer to the top 8!

They were now the only team advancing from Group A!

And later that afternoon—

They would face the team that had qualified from Group H!

The winner of that match would move on to the top four in the prefecture—

And qualify for the semi-finals!

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The Spectators' Discussion

"Today's game was pretty solid!"

"The level of high school volleyball in Miyagi Prefecture is even higher than I expected this year!"

"Even though Aoba Johsai lost, they still put up a good fight! And Karasuno—wow! They're tough!"

"Hmph! What did you expect? Look at the teams playing here!"

"One is a consistent semifinalist, and they often make it to the finals!"

"The other? They're probably the future champions! Only Shiratorizawa can compete with them at this point!"

In the stands, the older spectators left in pairs, excitedly discussing the matches.

"Man, now that you say that, I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's final!"

"That's right! Miyagi Prefecture is really strong this year! Maybe we can actually win the championship at Interhigh in Tokyo!"

"You're thinking too far ahead! Tokyo is full of powerhouse schools! Even making it to the final four would be impressive!"

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Karasuno's Team

Back on the court, Karasuno's players were packing up their things.

Today's victory over a powerhouse like Aoba Johsai had skyrocketed their confidence!

Suddenly, Tsukishima seemed to remember something and casually asked:

"By the way, has the Group H qualifying match been decided yet?"

"Who are we playing against in the next round?"

Hearing his question, Takeda-sensei quickly checked the match schedule in his hands.

"The battle for Group H's spot is between Izumitate High and Araigawa High."

"But from what I heard, these two teams are pretty evenly matched. Their game is happening right now in the venue next door—"

"We can go watch it!"

The moment those words left his mouth, the entire team's eyes lit up.

Getting a chance to observe their next opponent firsthand?

No way they were missing this!

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Scouting the Next Opponent

Stepping into the neighboring venue, Karasuno's players were immediately hit by the deafening cheers from both sides' supporters.

At this point, the match was in a heated battle.

The scoreboard showed a 1-1 tie!

And the decisive third set had just begun!

This was the peak of competition.

Both teams treated every single rally like it was the most crucial point of the game.

Neither side was willing to back down!

Karasuno's players settled into their seats, eyes fixed on the court.

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Sugawara observed the match for a moment before commenting,

"Seems like Araigawa has the upper hand."

"Yeah! Their No. 4 middle blocker is a beast!" Tanaka added.

"The way he just linked up with their setter on that fast back attack? That was insane!"

The player in question was a tall, muscular middle blocker with a broad frame.

Typically, players with his physical attributes were either the team's main ace or backup setter.

But in his case—

He was playing as a middle blocker.

Even more unusual—his entire team's strategy revolved around him.

They had clearly designed a system that maximized his scoring potential.

And sure enough—

In just a few quick rallies, he had led Araigawa to score three consecutive points, pushing their lead to 4-1!

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Doubt & Analysis

Daichi frowned slightly as he watched the match unfold.

"…But Izumitate's playstyle feels a little… off."

After a moment of thought, he turned to Akira.

"What do you think, Akira?"

Hearing Daichi's question, Akira chuckled softly and shook his head.

"I don't know how the match will unfold from here."

"But if the game continues at this pace…"

He paused for a moment before calmly saying:

"Araigawa is definitely going to lose."

"What?!"

Everyone immediately turned to him in shock.

It was clear that Araigawa was dominating right now.

But Akira had just declared their defeat?!

"Hold on—why do you think that?" Tanaka asked, frowning.

Akira simply smiled, leaning back in his seat.

"…Just watch."

Hearing that his teammates looked at him strangely because anyone with eyes could see that Araigawa has Clear Advantage in this set and thier victory is guaranteed.

And with that—

The game continued.

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Bonus Chapter - 300 Power Stones