Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty-Chapter 591: Deadlock? (Double-Length)

"We can see that Ryujin's offence is mainly focused on the wings, especially the right side."

"This is because they're at a height disadvantage when facing the block, so they can only score through sharper angles or by tooling the block out of bounds."

"At present, they've found an offensive rhythm that suits them, but it's still not enough to truly overcome San Juan's blocking."

"Even if San Juan's block doesn't always jump at full timing, they're still able to restrict Ryujin's attack routes, which is a truly terrifying thing."

-----

Smack!

Kunimi's perfect receive. Iizuna set the ball to the right side.

BOOM!!!

"Double block!"

THUD!

The ball landed on San Juan's right sideline and bounced out.

Sakusa scored!

[San Juan 22 - 20 Ryujin]

"Thankfully, Ryujin didn't let the score gap widen further, and they finally broke through the 20-point mark."

"Sakusa's technique is incredibly delicate. We could see that in order to avoid the block, he actually jumped slightly angled outward."

"He adjusted his body midair, yet still maintained control to precisely place the spike. At that angle, whether aiming for the line or going off the block becomes much easier."

Service change, Ryujin serving.

Iizuna tossed the ball, took a running approach, leapt, and hit.

BANG!!!

A jump float serve!

The ball dropped between Ramos and Oikawa in the front row.

"I got it!"

Ramos actively stepped up for the receive, believing that even if his pass wasn't perfect, Oikawa could still adjust.

Smack!

The ball flew toward the right front, Oikawa jumped and set it high to the left wing. Conte jumped for a spike!

"Double block!" Meian and Sakusa jumped together.

"Oh?" Conte looked slightly surprised. Ryujin's block was steadily becoming more oppressive.

But…it still wasn't enough.

—BOOM!!!

The ball soared over the block and slammed towards the centre of Ryujin's court.

SMACK!

Aran dove to save it!

The ball flew out of bounds, but Komori chased it down, leaping to send it back in front of the net.

Sakusa jumped for a spike!

"Double block!" Conte and Ramos reacted swiftly, fully sealing the space above Sakusa!

BANG!!!

Sakusa twisted his wrist at the last second, aiming at Conte's palm to tool it off.

"Naïve."

Conte forcefully pressed down with his hands, and the ball smashed off his arm straight toward Ryujin's court!

"Sakusa seemed to want to deflect the ball off the block, but it was read perfectly!"

Smack!

Aran lunged forward to save it!

"Aran again!"

Kunimi immediately moved in and set the ball high to the left wing. Meian leapt for the spike!

BOOM!!!

Conte jumped a third time and kept the ball up!

"One touch!"

Bruno calmly received it, perfect pass.

Oikawa jumped to set, sending the ball high to the right wing. Taichi charged from the back row!

"Double block!"

Sakusa and Meian quickly moved to the right side, Kunimi dropped back to cover, and Iizuna moved up to guard the left side three-meter line.

In that instant, all of Ryujin's players were rotating in a counterclockwise flow, covering each other without a hint of panic.

BOOM!!!

The ball slammed into Ryujin's left back corner, bouncing off Aran's arm and out of bounds.

Kaedehara Taichi scored!

[San Juan 23 - 20 Ryujin]

"He actually predicted the landing spot!"

"Was Aran always this good at defence?" Taichi's eyes glimmered. "Looks like everyone's grown a lot over the past year…"

[Ojiro Aran—Outside Hitter:Height: 188 cm

Serve: 92 | Receive: 95 | Dig: 92 | Set: 85 | Spike: 95| Block: 88

Spike Reach: 351 cm /Block Reach: 327 cm.]

Taichi furrowed his brows. Compared to a year ago, Aran's main growth had focused on reception and defence. His offence hadn't changed much.

"Ah…so that's it."

After glancing at Meian's data, Taichi finally understood.

Because he was always surrounded by those "monsters," he'd overlooked something—human growth had limits.

Meian's stats had barely changed from a year ago, with only a slight improvement in his serving.

"So, after failing to improve his offence, Aran devoted all his time to defence instead?"

"It seems to be working really well."

Service change, San Juan serving.

Oikawa unleashed a powerful jump serve!

BOOM!!!

The ball struck Komori's arm, bouncing high toward the net.

Iizuna jumped in the front row and, with one hand, pushed the ball toward the middle.

Sakusa jumped for a spike!

"Double block!" Conte and Ramos jumped together!

BANG!!!

The ball hit Conte's hand and flew out to the left sideline.

"Save it!" Conte shouted.

Against Sakusa's spike, there wasn't a single moment they could relax—if they reacted a beat too slow, the ball would fly all over the place.

Bruno leapt and kept the ball in play.

Santiago took the set, and Taichi charged from the back row!

"Double block!"

—BOOM!!!

A monstrous back-row spike—Ryujin's block still couldn't stop it.

Smack!

Komori received it!

"Kunimi!" Iizuna shouted, sending the ball to the right side.

"Oh?"

Bruno, Conte, and Ramos all moved toward the right. In their eyes, such an obvious attack route was basically throwing themselves into the net.

Kunimi lowered his eyes, running along the right sideline while hiding a glint of sharpness in his gaze.

The ball soared perfectly toward the net as Kunimi suddenly accelerated.

"Triple block!"

"A time-differential?!"

The blockers jumped before Kunimi, but it didn't matter. With the ball's speed and his jump height, there was no way he could avoid the block.

"Block him!"

Kunimi swung his arm straight at the block.

San Juan's front-row trio tensed their arms, pressing down diagonally forward.

BOOM!!!

"The ball path changed again?!"

At the last instant before releasing the ball, Kunimi subtly flicked his wrist.

The spike hit Ramos's arm and got blocked back quickly.

However—the ball landed outside Ryujin's right sideline.

Out off the block! Kunimi scored!

[San Juan 23 - 21 Ryujin]

"Two timing shifts in one play!"

"Facing a triple block, Kunimi Akira managed to score!"

"Faster, then slower—he first accelerated during his approach to mess up the block timing, then slightly delayed the spike at his peak to force a time gap."

"On the surface, it looks like he swung faster, but his actual contact point was later than normal. By the time he hit, the blockers could no longer adjust."

"His control over timing is nearly perfect!"

"He really doesn't leave himself any safety net," Kenma murmured, resting his chin on his hand. "Are all those guys from Aoba Johsai like this?"

"Their old negative-tempo quicks were the same—so risky, yet they did it anyway."

"It's probably like a high-difficulty combo in a video game," Kuroo said. "It must've taken endless practice to master."

"Yeah." Kenma nodded slightly.

-----

"That guy's sets can 'stop' right in front of the hitter." Oikawa locked his eyes on Iizuna, surprised that there was someone besides Kageyama who could do that.

"Maybe Iizuna-senpai is actually the best setter for Kunimi," Taichi commented. "His sets give Kunimi plenty of time to adjust…"

Oikawa turned his head sharply toward Taichi.

"Why are you looking at me?" Taichi asked, exasperated.

"Damn it!" Oikawa thought silently. "In the end, only Iwa-chan is Aoba Johsai's best spiker!"

-----

Service change, Ryujin serving.

Meian launched a powerful jump serve!

BOOM!!!

The ball flew high off Taichi's arm.

Oikawa stepped in and set, Conte jumped from the middle!

"Double block!" Sakusa and Hondō jumped up together!

—BOOM!!!

The ball soared over the block, smashing hard into Ryujin's back row.

Smack!

Aran kept it up!

"It feels like Ryujin's receives have changed since just now!"

The ball flew high, falling right above Iizuna!

Ryujin's three front-row attackers all charged in. Iizuna jumped to set.

Whoosh!—

BOOM!!!

A quick attack from the right side!

The ball evaded Ramos's solo block and slammed onto San Juan's sideline.

Hondō scored!

[San Juan 23 - 22 Ryujin]

"Ryujin is catching up point by point!"

"This is a textbook example of classic Japanese-style defence-to-counterattack. I think they've finally figured out how to deal with San Juan's offence."

Ryujin continued to serve.

Meian sent out his second serve!

BOOM!!!

Smack!

Taichi calmly received it, perfect pass.

Oikawa jumped to set, and San Juan's three front-row attackers launched forward together!

"San Juan's offence is still as fierce as ever!"

—BOOM!!!

Conte smashed the ball past Kunimi's block.

The ball slammed down inside Ryujin's three-meter line, bouncing high.

"It's Conte again! It's as if he's mocking Ryujin's defence as nothing but futile resistance!"

Conte scored!

[San Juan 24 - 22 Ryujin]

San Juan was the first to reach 24 points, earning set point!

"I wasn't mocking them…" Conte mumbled to himself.

Service change, San Juan to serve.

Ramos unleashed a powerful jump serve!

The ball struck Komori's arm and popped high.

Iizuna moved in for a supplementary set, Sakusa jumped from the left side to spike!

The classic Inarizaki trio connected perfectly!

"Double block!" Loser and Bruno jumped together.

BANG!!!

Sakusa noticed Taichi guarding the left side and aimed the spike at Bruno's arm.

SMACK!

The ball deflected sharply downward.

"What an angle?!"

Bruno tried to save it with his foot, but failed.

The ball fell by his side.

Sakusa scored!

[San Juan 24 - 23 Ryujin]

"Ryujin held firm under immense pressure and closed the gap to one point again!"

"Now it's another test of their defence…"

Service change, Ryujin serving.

Sakusa tossed the ball, sprinted forward, stopped abruptly, and leapt to strike!

San Juan's four back-row players stood fully prepared.

Smack!!

Oikawa received it, the pass flying diagonally forward.

Conte stepped in as a secondary setter; Loser and Bruno in the front row and Taichi in the back row all launched attacks!

"Left side!" Iizuna shouted loudly.

Conte's set trajectory was read immediately, and Ryujin's front row quickly shifted to the left.

Loser jumped to spike!

"Triple block!" Kunimi, Hondō, and Aran jumped together!

On one side, the cross-court angle was sealed; on the other, Kunimi's block was the lowest.

Without the slightest hesitation, Loser swung hard!

—BOOM!!!

The ball soared over Kunimi's block and slammed toward Ryujin's back line.

Smack!

"Oh—Unbelievable defence!"

"Sakusa's receive was so solid!"

The ball flew steadily to the net. Iizuna jumped from the back row and spiked!

BOOM!!!

"Ryujin's setter has become bolder. At the start of the second set, you would never have imagined him going for a back-row quick attack like this!"

SMACK!

Conte single-handedly blocked the ball and kept it up.

Under normal circumstances, when the hitters were held back, the setter should slow the pace and wait for adjustments.

But Iizuna went against convention—this quick second attack was both a surprise and a move born of necessity.

"Now it's San Juan's chance to counterattack. They could end the set right here!"

Santiago easily received, perfect pass.

Oikawa jumped to set, and Taichi charged from the back row!

"Triple block!"

Ryujin's defence showed fierce determination at the last moment.

BOOOM!!!

The ball pierced straight through Kunimi's block—Taichi showed no mercy!

SMACK!

"But San Juan didn't claim this point!"

Sakusa received it!

Komori scrambled from the baseline to toss the ball back to the front. Aran jumped to spike!

"Double block!" Loser and Conte moved into position.

BOOM!!!

The ball struck Loser's arm and flew high.

"OUT!"

The ball landed outside Ryujin's sideline.

Out off the block! Aran scored!

[San Juan 24 - 24 Ryujin]

"Score tied—!"

"Ryujin clawed their way back with relentless defence and powerful offence!"

"It's been a gruelling comeback run, but they've finally brought the match back to even footing."

"Beep! San Juan calls for a timeout."

"Looks like Coach Jose can't sit still anymore."

"Sakusa made two miraculous defensive plays. Looking back at the first set score, none of us could have imagined it would become this tight!"

-----

"Tight? You call this tight? Hahaha…"

In the stands, Wallace burst into laughter, drawing glances from those nearby.

Hinata Shōyō looked grim. He wasn't the naive rookie from before—he wouldn't think Ryujin had the match in their hands just because they caught up.

At this point in the game, he knew better than anyone: this was only the beginning.

-----

Timeout over, match resumed.

Sakusa launched a powerful jump serve!

BOOM!!!

The ball flew straight toward Taichi.

"Don't think you can disrupt us at this last moment. You'll stay grounded until the end!"

Smack!

Taichi calmly received it, the pass gliding forward at an angle.

"Nice serve!"

"Heh~"

Without any delay, Taichi began his approach toward the net.

Oikawa moved in and set the ball high.

Thud!

"Hey hey hey! Taichi doesn't seem affected by having just received the ball at all!"

"He's soaring from the back row!"

"Triple block!" Kunimi, Hondō, and Aran all jumped up together, their arms tensed and ready.

BOOOM!!!

SMACK!!!

The ball glanced off Hondō's fingertips and soared deep into the spectator stands…

Off the block and out.

Kaedehara Taichi scored!

[San Juan 25 - 24 Ryujin]

"Taichi isn't just about height. When it comes to ball control precision, he's one of the top players on the world stage!"

Service change, San Juan to serve, Taichi returned to the front row.

"Tweet!—"Whistle for the serve.

Conte launched a powerful jump serve!

—BOOM!!!

The ball curved gracefully, heading straight for Ryujin's back line.

Smack!!

Komori received it, but it was only a half-decent pass.

Iizuna stepped in to set, and all three Ryujin front-row attackers prepared to strike.

Would it go to Kunimi on the left? Or avoid Taichi and go to Aran on the far right?

Whoosh!—

The ball flew toward the left wing. Kunimi leapt to spike!

BOOM!!!—

—SMACK!

A clean block.

The ball bounced up right along Ryujin's sideline.

Taichi scored with the block!

[San Juan 26 - 24 Ryujin]

"Beeeeep—!"

Second set over.

Winner: CA San Juan.

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