The second set of the practice match ended predictably, with Karasuno experiencing a slow but inevitable defeat due to the difference in skill levels.
[Aoba Johsai 25 – 18 Karasuno]
Although they managed to score two more points than in the first set, there wasn't m...
2025-01-14 16:01:06 +0000 UTC
View Post
As the match progressed, Nishinoya Yū gradually adapted to Kaedehara Taichi's serving rhythm. However, Aoba Johsai had already widened the score gap, relying solely on the serving power of Kaedehara Taichi and Oikawa Tōru.
The disparity in skill between the two teams became increasingly a...
2025-01-14 16:00:17 +0000 UTC
View Post
Kaedehara Taichi had never underestimated Karasuno. In fact, he might have been the player in Miyagi Prefecture who paid the most attention to them.
Karasuno's offence revolved around the lightning-quick attacks of Kageyama Tobio and Hinata Shōyō. With Kageyama's godlike setting adjustmen...
2025-01-13 16:11:15 +0000 UTC
View Post
Challenging Karasuno's libero, the best receiver on their team, head-on?
He had only mastered a powerful jump serve, which was surprising enough, but this level of provocation was on another level.
Tanaka Ryūnosuke glared fiercely at Taichi.
"Kid, you'...
2025-01-13 16:01:01 +0000 UTC
View Post
Practice matches weren't something Taichi could decide on his own, but when he shared the idea with his teammates, they were immediately intrigued.
After reaching out, Coach Irihata arranged a friendly match with Karasuno.
Unsurprisingly, Karasuno's faculty advisor, Mr. Takeda, accept...
2025-01-13 16:00:12 +0000 UTC
View Post
Late July brought the height of summer.
The scorching sun blazed overhead, and the air was filled with a lazy, carefree vibe.
Two weeks into the summer break, Udai Tenma had confined himself to his room, working tirelessly on his manga. His workspace was a chaotic mess—diso...
2025-01-12 16:01:08 +0000 UTC
View Post
With all ten practice matches completed, Team Irihata had only managed to secure that one victory in the end.
Futakuchi Kenji, who had hoped to sound the horn of a counterattack, was left bitterly disappointed. He dreaded returning to his school, where Kaneme Moniwa would undoubtedly make f...
2025-01-12 16:00:09 +0000 UTC
View Post
Facing Ushijima Wakatoshi's serve at the most critical moments of a match had become something Kaedehara Taichi was thoroughly used to—like a cruel joke that fate kept repeating.
In this instant, the tension on the court felt palpable. The air thickened, and every breath seemed c...
2025-01-11 16:01:01 +0000 UTC
View Post
The scoreboard displayed: [Team Irihata 14 – 12 Team Washijō].
For the first time, Team Irihata held the lead past the halfway point of a match. The advantage they had built early on gave them control over the game's tempo.
Tendō Satori stepped up to serve.
...
2025-01-11 16:00:09 +0000 UTC
View Post
The serve returned to Team Irihata, and Kaedehara Taichi stepped up to the service line.
Since the second day of the training camp, Team Irihata had lost seven consecutive sets.
No one seemed particularly surprised—that was precisely the biggest issue.
Perhaps the coach only w...
2025-01-10 18:39:59 +0000 UTC
View Post
With just one play, they reclaimed the serve from Oikawa Tōru—this was already the best start Irihata had achieved in all their practice matches so far.
"Iwa-chan...and Taichi too..." Oikawa smiled in resignation.
Aone Takanobu stepped up to the service line for Irihata.
2025-01-10 16:01:01 +0000 UTC
View Post
Smack!
Kunimi Akira received Futakuchi Kenji's spike, and Terushima Yūji rotated into position, setting the ball toward the right side.
"I got it." Ushijima Wakatoshi called out calmly.
Terushima's set lacked precision, placing the ball too close to the net. If Kindaic...
2025-01-10 16:00:15 +0000 UTC
View Post
"Shirabu-senpai!"
As soon as the match ended, Kaedehara Taichi hurried after Shirabu Kenjirō, who was walking toward the rest area.
"Can we talk about offensive coordination for a moment?"
Shirabu's brows furrowed slightly. This first-year from Aoba Johsai...He's the reason...
2025-01-09 16:01:05 +0000 UTC
View Post
[Team Irihata 19 – 25 Team Washijō]
Taichi's team lost the second set as well, and they still failed to block even a single spike from Ushijima Wakatoshi.
The reason? Oikawa Tōru had begun to exert his influence fully.
When he realized that Irihata's team wa...
2025-01-09 16:00:11 +0000 UTC
View Post
This match had clearly been carefully orchestrated. Through the recent exchanges and rallies, subtle truths about both teams' performances swirled in Taichi’s mind. Bit by bit, the fragments aligned like pieces of a puzzle, revealing a clear picture before his eyes.
If volleyball could be...
2025-01-08 16:02:00 +0000 UTC
View Post
[July 9th, early morning]
The sky was just beginning to brighten.
The teams gathered outside Shiratorizawa’s gymnasium for the day’s training.
The players from Kadokawa Academy had assumed the early start was due to the training camp, but seeing the other sc...
2025-01-08 16:01:02 +0000 UTC
View Post
The first day of the training camp was filled with continuous matches, with each team playing two sets against every other team.
Shiratorizawa—7 wins, 1 loss (dropped a set to Aoba Johsai)
Aoba Johsai—7 wins, 1 loss (dropped a set to Shiratorizawa)
Date Tec...
2025-01-08 16:00:14 +0000 UTC
View Post
As the match between Aoba Johsai and Kakugawa reached its halfway point, Washijō Tanji shifted his focus from Hyakuzawa Yūdai to Kaedehara Taichi.
Even with forty years of coaching experience, Washijō had never encountered a player quite like him. It had only been a month since Aoba Johs...
2025-01-07 16:01:01 +0000 UTC
View Post
The match began with Aoba Johsai serving.
For this practice match, Coach Irihata set up Aoba Johsai's defensive lineup right from the start. The back row consisted of Hanamaki Takahiro, Shinji Watari, and Iwaizumi Hajime—a defensive wall designed specifically to counter Hyakuzawa Yūdai's...
2025-01-07 16:00:12 +0000 UTC
View Post
The ability of strong schools to maintain their leading positions isn't merely a matter of luck or coincidence; it's the result of various factors working together. The quality of their coaches and the skill level of their players are just some of the many components of a strong school.
Win...
2025-01-06 16:07:15 +0000 UTC
View Post
The weather on this Friday was sunny, yet not a single student was gazing out the window. The classroom was silent, save for the faint scratch of mechanical pencils on paper, the occasional cough, and the sporadic thud of an eraser falling to the floor.
The end-of-term exams were underway...
2025-01-06 16:03:47 +0000 UTC
View Post
[Aoba Johsai High School, Class 1-5]
On the podium, the math teacher wiped the board with slightly teary eyes—Kaedehara Taichi, perhaps the laziest student in his class(as far as anything except volleyball was concerned), was finally not sleeping today and was actually pa...
2025-01-06 16:02:31 +0000 UTC
View Post
[July 4th—the day of the National IH Tournament Finals]
Kaedehara Taichi's eyelids trembled slightly before he slowly opened his eyes. He lay in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling for a few seconds, but he made no move to get up. Instead, he closed his eyes agai...
2025-01-05 16:01:01 +0000 UTC
View Post
—BOOM
"That's a shot aimed directly at the sideline! Miya Osamu moved early to position himself, but he failed to dig it!"
"Aoba Johsai's Kaedehara Taichi has suddenly become a force to be reckoned with in the latter half of the second set. His left-handed ...
2025-01-05 16:00:08 +0000 UTC
View Post
"Are you okay, Watari?" The Aoba Johsai team was more concerned about Watari Shinji, who had just taken a ball to the face, than about losing the point.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Watari replied, rubbing his face. Thankfully, it wasn't a powerful jump serve; otherwise, he might have ended up with a ...
2025-01-04 16:01:01 +0000 UTC
View Post
Beep—!
The first set ended, with Aoba Johsai taking the victory.
"Ahhh—we lost the first set!!" The audience erupted in groans of disbelief. This result was more unexpected than anyone anticipated.
"Well, it's not that surprising," an older spectator comment...
2025-01-04 16:00:11 +0000 UTC
View Post
"Inarizaki has always impressed fans with their innovative and daring playing style, consistently delivering surprises time and again."
"But this time, their tactics don't seem to be working as well. Aoba Johsai appears to be far more familiar with their own strengths…"
"That's anot...
2025-01-03 16:01:01 +0000 UTC
View Post
"Osamu, Osamu, that was amazing!"
"Osamu, Osamu, you jump so high!"
"What a precisely timed set! Miya Osamu's spike was flawless."
"The synchronization between the twins is on a whole other level!"
Aran Ojiro looked more thrilled than the Miya twins thems...
2025-01-03 16:00:10 +0000 UTC
View Post
It wasn't some hidden skill—Aoba Johsai's players were equally stunned as they watched Kentarō Kyōtani.
That was the first time any of them had seen him use a tip shot in a match.
"An attack isn't satisfying unless it's at full force!"
During their practice game wit...
2025-01-02 16:01:01 +0000 UTC
View Post
"Out of bounds!"
"Oooouuuuut!"
Inarizaki's cheering squad erupted with boos and jeers, their voices loud and relentless. They refused to believe Aoba Johsai's players could maintain their composure under such auditory pressure.
Kaedehara Taichi nonchalantly use...
2025-01-02 16:00:07 +0000 UTC
View Post