Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty-Chapter 426[ZTA]-: Gradual Despair (Triple-Length)

"Tweet!—"

"Team Japan requests a timeout."

The moment Micah Christenson and Matt Anderson stepped onto the court, Coach Hibarida immediately called for a timeout.

Even the spectators could tell—among Team USA's already star-studded lineup, these two stood out the most.

"Can we really win this?"

Doubt and uncertainty began to ripple through the stands.

The entire stadium seemed to be quietly blanketed in gloom. The crowd, once roaring with cheers and excitement, had fallen into a hush. Whispers of concern spread like wildfire, and with every murmured word, their confidence slowly waned.

Coach Hibarida frowned deeply.

Truthfully, the players were performing better than he had expected.

With Taichi at the helm, their offence was efficient and well-executed. Their overall organisation, both in offence and defence, was solid. But when it came to the middle blockers, the gap between Japan and Team USA was simply too great...

As the first set neared its end, Team USA's block had gradually begun to pose a real threat to Japan's attackers, while Japan could only grit their teeth and focus on reception.

Both were forms of denying the opponent a point—but compared to receiving, blocking was essentially a form of counterattack in itself.

The match, inevitably, was beginning to tilt in Team USA's favor.

Hibarida scanned through the roster. For middle blockers, he had Aone Takanobu and Kai Suzuharu on the bench, but neither substitution would change the situation on the court.

In other positions, Miya Atsumu and Komori Motoya were already performing at the top of their game. Subbing in Kageyama Tobio or Nakamori Daiki wouldn't improve things any further...

The current starting lineup really was Japan's ideal formation. Unlike the Americans, they didn't have the luxury of swapping out top-class players without a noticeable drop in quality.

"We'll have to consider the wing spikers," Hibarida muttered, tapping his pen against the tactical board thoughtfully.

Team USA was already adapting to Sakusa Kiyoomi's spikes. If he remained on court, he'd soon become a primary target.

"Hakuba, you're going in after the timeout. Sakusa, take a break."

"—Huh? Yes, sir!"

Hakuba Gao hadn't expected to be subbed in for Sakusa at such a critical time.

"You and Hyakuzawa are going to form a wall against those monsters. I want them to feel our block. Make them respect it."

"Yes, sir!!"

"Atsumu, from now on, we'll stick to double blocks. On defence, fall back and support the first pass."

"Taichi, you'll be carrying most of the offensive burden. Unless absolutely necessary, don't go for digs. Even in the back row, I need you to remain an attacking threat."

"Got it!"

"We're still in the lead. Don't let the atmosphere trick you into thinking otherwise. As long as we keep our rhythm, this set is ours."

"Understood!"

"Now get out there—and make them regret underestimating us!"

"YES!!!"

-----

The timeout ended. Play resumed.

"Beep! Team Japan requests a substitution."

"Sakusa Kiyoomi OUT, Hakuba Gao IN."

With that change, Japan's front row now featured Hakuba Gao and Hyakuzawa Yūdai—two players both standing over two meters tall. Visually, at least, they didn't pale in comparison to Team USA.

However, the American players didn't even flinch.

Perhaps to them, this was simply the expected level of competition.

Service rotation. Team USA to serve.

Jeff Jendryk tossed the ball high and delivered a powerful jump serve straight toward Kaedehara Taichi.

"That obvious?"

The serve wasn't vague—it was aimed directly at Taichi.

Smack!

Taichi received it cleanly and steadily.

Something had clearly changed on the American side.

Miya Atsumu leapt to set in the front row.

Taylor Sander remained ready in front of him.

Fwhoosh!—

A feint—at best, it drew away one blocker.

Atsumu sent the ball far to the right. Hyakuzawa Yūdai jumped for the spike.

"Double block!" Aaron Russell and Max Holt leapt together.

"...Huh?"

Hyakuzawa noticed that their block height seemed a bit off.

Just behind the block, the two fresh American subs had their eyes locked in.

"Too bad the spike isn't mine."

Hyakuzawa swung and whiffed—Hoshiumu Kōrai appeared behind him.

Using the set intended for Hyakuzawa, Hoshiumi spiked effortlessly from behind.

Boom!!!

Smack!

The two blockers landed—but jumped again.

"One touch!" shouted Max Holt.

In the back row, Micah Christenson jumped, cupping his hands in a bowl shape and gently applying spin with his fingertips as he set.

Whoosh!—

The ball arced cleanly back to the front row.

THUD!

A massive figure launched itself from the back row—Matt Anderson—and slammed the ball down in midair.

"Double block!" Hakuba and Hyakuzawa both jumped together.

BOOOOM!!!

A wipe-off spike!

The ball sailed effortlessly past Japan's "two-meter wall."

Hoshiumi had no time to rotate back.

THUD!

The ball struck the floor.

Matt Anderson scores!

[Japan 20 – 19 USA]

"Hey hey, your block's looking a little weak, huh?"

Matt Anderson laughed cheerfully.

The entire stadium fell silent.

Only the echo of that spike still seemed to reverberate through the air.

A spike from the back row—launched over two-meter blockers!

The crowd's expressions were frozen.

This moment would linger in their minds for a long, long time.

"...Damn it...!"

—"Among a team of professionals, these two are the only 18-year-olds holding their own on the world stage."

—"This...this is what it means to be world-class!"

Kaedehara Taichi felt something strange stir within his body—

A numb, electric sensation.

As if an invisible current had pulsed through his entire being in an instant.

[Micah Christenson—Setter:Height: 196 cm

Serve: 90 | Receive: 90 | Dig: 88 | Set: 95 | Spike: 90| Block: 88

Spike Reach: 355 cm /Block Reach: 330 cm.]

[Matt Anderson—Opposite Hitter:Height: 210 cm

Serve: 88 | Receive: 88 | Dig: 80 | Set: 88 | Spike: 96| Block: 95

Spike Reach: 368 cm /Block Reach: 348 cm.]

"Awesome!!!"

Taichi's heartbeat quickened. His blood felt like it was boiling.

Ever since winning Spring High Nationals, he hadn't felt this kind of pressure—not truly.

Even when faced with adversity, it had always come from his team's circumstances, not his own.

What he craved—was that feeling from the past.

Like when he faced Ushijima Wakatoshi, or Bokuto Kōtarō at his peak.

This setter—was the strongest Taichi had ever seen.

This attacker—was the strongest Taichi had ever faced.

A wild, indescribable excitement surged through him.

It washed over his heart like a tidal wave, leaving his body trembling in anticipation.

"Let's go! Keep it coming!"

Taichi's face lit up with exhilaration.

A wide grin stretched across his lips, charged with eager energy.

At that moment, it was as though something had taken hold of him—he was completely swept up in the thrill of it all, unable to hold back his anticipation.

"...Taichi..."

Miya Atsumu had seen this look on him before.

In Taichi's eyes, there was nothing but the shadow of the opponent—no distractions, no hesitation, only the singular goal of bringing them down.

Seeing him like this, Atsumu's gaze sharpened too, igniting with intensity.

"BRING IT ON!!!"

-----

The United States continued serving.

Jeff Jendryk's second serve once again targeted Kaedehara Taichi.

"I got it!"

As Hoshiumi Kōrai moved closer, Kaedehara Taichi stepped forward to receive the serve himself.

Smack!

The reception was off the mark.

The ball veered diagonally forward, but Kaedehara Taichi sprinted ahead without missing a beat. Rather than prioritising a perfect pass, he made sure his attack wouldn't be hindered.

As for that unstable receive—

"Atsumu—!" Kaedehara Taichi shouted loudly.

It was the setter's job to place the ball right in front of the spiker.

"You really don't hold back, bastard!" Miya Atsumu wore a wild grin. "But if you can score, I'll follow your lead all day!"

Whoosh—!

The volleyball soared perfectly into the air above centre court.

Thump!

Kaedehara Taichi leapt up from the back row.

"Double block!" Aaron Russell and Max Holt jumped up in sync.

BOOM!!!

The spike angled slightly upward, narrowly slipping past the blockers' fingertips and tracing a perfect arc in midair before dropping sharply!

It zeroed in on the back line of the American team!

Smack!

The only one who read the ball's trajectory was Micah Christenson, who had already retreated to the baseline.

"As expected…fascinating."

Feeling the power and spin coming off the volleyball, a faint smile curved Micah Christenson's lips. Over the past few days, Kaedehara Taichi's spikes had intrigued him more than anyone else's.

So many offensive patterns, all executed intelligently.

But that alone wasn't enough for Christenson to think Taichi was truly special. On the world stage, there were many players even stronger than him.

Yet, by chance, Christenson had clicked on a video from last year—one of Taichi's matches recommended under a clip from the Inter-High Finals.

And the difference was bizarre.

The Kaedehara Taichi from a year ago looked like a basic beginner—at least from Christenson's perspective, there was nothing remarkable about him. But now? He was standing on this court, challenging Christenson head-on.

Christenson had been labelled a "genius setter" since the age of ten. His growth had been smooth, without any detours or setbacks.

Among American players his age, there had only ever been one top setter—him. And soon, even the words "his age" would be irrelevant.

That's precisely why he found Kaedehara Taichi, who had improved so explosively in such a short time, so fascinating.

Didn't the Japan team declare they'd win the match in straight sets? Perfect. Micah Christenson had no intention of giving up even one.

Originally, Aaron Russell, Micah Christenson, and Matt Anderson weren't supposed to appear in the first set. But now, their presence on court served one purpose only:

To bring despair to Team Japan.

The volleyball soared high into the air.

"Anderson, left wing." Christenson issued his command coolly.

Matt Anderson set the ball high toward the left side without hesitation, and Aaron Russell leapt up for the spike.

"Double block!" Hakuba Gao and Hyakuzawa Yūdai jumped together.

Blocked—!?

BOOM!!!

The ball landed squarely on Japan's right-side waistline.

Aaron Russell scored with a spike.

[Japan 20 – 20 USA]

"Whoa! That was a beautiful hit, Russell!" Matt Anderson cheered. "Did you see how surprised they looked over there?"

"It was just a diagonal spike," Russell replied flatly.

"No, no, what I meant was—they definitely didn't expect me to be this good at setting too!" Anderson wore a smug expression.

Aaron Russell: "…"

"That was a low set."

"What? I didn't catch that!" Anderson shouted across the court. "Jendryk, hurry up and serve! We're about to take the lead!"

"Taichi!" Hoshiumi Kōrai called out with a frown.

"Sorry, I got it." Kaedehara Taichi answered curtly. His wariness toward Micah Christenson had only deepened. Clearly, he had to be even more cautious with his back-row attacks.

There hadn't been cheers from the stands in a while now.

Even a sharply angled spike from Kaedehara Taichi had been received cleanly, and then turned into an effective counterattack.

The tension in the air was thickening.

With the score tied, the U.S. team continued their serve.

Miya Atsumu rotated to the back row, and Team Japan subtly shifted their reception formation to shield Kaedehara Taichi.

Jeff Jendryk served the third ball.

"I got it!"

Smack!

Miya Atsumu received the ball steadily.

Hoshiumi Kōrai sent it high to the left wing. Once again, Kaedehara Taichi leapt from the back row to spike.

"Double block!" Russell and Holt jumped together again.

BOOM!!!—

The spike sliced past the left side of Aaron Russell and landed squarely on the sideline.

Kaedehara Taichi scored with a spike.

[Japan 21 – 20 USA]

"I see. Your shot trajectory is definitely sharp," Russell said calmly. "Still, if Shoji were in the back row, he could've gotten that one."

Kaedehara Taichi didn't reply. He just wanted to return to the front row as soon as possible.

Service change—Team Japan to serve.

Hyakuzawa Yūdai launched a powerful jump serve. Erik Shoji handled it with ease.

Micah Christenson jumped to set, and all three front-row attackers on the U.S. side initiated a synchronised approach!

"Damn it!"

"It was already hard enough defending against solo spikes, and now they're coordinating their attack?!"

Japan's front-row blockers were forced to spread out, and Miya Atsumu had to remain at the net.

Whoosh!—

But Christenson didn't just funnel the ball to Russell again. He chose the middle.

Taylor Sander leapt for the spike—his direct opponent was Miya Atsumu, standing at just 184 cm. Not only was he the shortest blocker at the net, but Christenson used this to limit Atsumu's ability to organise the defence.

BOOM!!!

Hirugami Sachirō didn't make it in time to block. Christenson's set had no flaws to exploit.

Taylor Sander scored with an effortless over-the-block spike.

[Japan 21 – 21 USA]

Service change—USA to serve.

Aaron Russell rotated to the back row. Matt Anderson stepped up to the front.

"No problem. Just give me the ball," Kaedehara Taichi said calmly. That failed point earlier hadn't shaken him one bit.

Focus.

Even more focus.

Aaron Russell tossed the ball, approached, jumped, and struck!

BOOM!!!—

So fast!

Almost as fast as Kaedehara Taichi's usual right-handed serve!

Smack!

Komori Motoya managed to receive the ball—barely.

Without a flicker of distraction, Kaedehara Taichi started sprinting down the left sideline.

Whoosh—!

Miya Atsumu's set was pinpoint accurate.

Thump!

Kaedehara Taichi launched himself from the back row once again.

"Double block!" Taylor Sander and Max Holt jumped together.

BOOM!!!—

Without emotion, Kaedehara Taichi swung his arm down hard.

THWACK!

The ball slammed into the right sideline of the American team and ricocheted out of bounds.

Kaedehara Taichi scored with a spike.

[Japan 22 – 21 USA]

"Whoa, that's terrifying." Matt Anderson shouted exaggeratedly.

"To think someone could hit such a sharply-angled cross shot! There probably aren't many players in the U.S. who can pull that off!"

"Because they don't need to," came Micah Christenson's voice from behind him. "Our country's attackers don't need to rely on such extreme angles to avoid the block."

"Heh, I know," Matt replied with a carefree laugh. "I'll get the next one."

American players had always prioritised height and power, rarely delving into the intricacies of attack trajectories. That was why the paths of the Japanese team's attacks were sharper and trickier than expected—one of the key reasons the U.S. had conceded points early in the set.

When it came to blocking strategies, since American middle blockers tended to cover a wider range and their native attackers didn't use such exaggerated trajectories, the U.S. typically relied on two-man blocks. Unlike the Japanese, they rarely pushed for three-man blocks.

Service rotation—Japan to serve.

Kaedehara Taichi returned to the front row.

"Beep! Substitution requested by Japan."

“Hakuba Gao OUT, Sakusa Kiyoomi IN."

Whether in serving or defence, Sakusa Kiyoomi was far more valuable than Hakuba in the back row.

Sakusa aimed a powerful jump serve at the deep corner, targeting Aaron Russell!

BOOM!!—

Smack!

Still no one had been able to cleanly receive Sakusa's spinning serve on their first try!

The ball flew out of bounds.

"I got it!"

Erik Shoji had expected it. The Japanese team's serves were notoriously difficult to deal with. Only toward the end of the set had the American side gradually started adapting.

Smack!

Erik Shoji dove hard onto the floor, but he managed to send the ball steadily back into the U.S. court.

Saved!

However, they only had one more touch left.

Matt Anderson leapt without hesitation for the spike.

BOOM!!!

Smack!

Hoshiumi Kōrai received the ball. Even though the attack had been casual in trajectory, there was no lack of power behind it.

Miya Atsumu quickly moved in and set the ball high toward the left wing.

Thump!

Kaedehara Taichi launched into the air.

"Two-man block!" Taylor Sander and Max Holt jumped simultaneously.

Aaron Russell guarded the straight shot, Matt Anderson the cross. The gap Taichi had exploited last rally? Covered now.

"—?!"

BOOM!!!

The ball scraped Taylor Sander's fingertips and slammed into the middle of the American court.

A wipe-off!

Kaedehara Taichi scored off a wipe!

[Japan 23 – 21 USA]

"Your defence isn't there yet," Taichi said calmly.

"Sander, switch to a tray-style block. His hitting point is reachable—you can stop the wipe if you adjust," instructed Micah Christenson.

"Yes, sir!"

Taylor Sander, rattled moments ago, had his frustration dissolve the moment he was given a concrete instruction.

Kaedehara Taichi cast a deep glance at Micah Christenson, murmuring under his breath, too softly for anyone else to hear, "Even my spiking…still isn't enough."

Sakusa Kiyoomi served again.

BOOM!!—

Smack!

Aaron Russell still failed to control the first pass. The ball flew out of bounds again.

"I got it!"

This time, it was Micah Christenson who chased it down.

"Right wing—Anderson!"

Whoosh!—

Matt Anderson leapt from the front row, placing absolute trust in Micah Christenson's offensive coordination.

"Double block!" Kaedehara Taichi and Hirugami Sachirō jumped together.

"So tall…but still not enough."

Matt's arm tensed. He swung hard—Kaedehara's hands were still half a palm away from the spike point.

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Wipe shot!

"I got it!" Komori Motoya called loudly.

They'd restricted the angles this much—he should be able to predict the trajectory!

SMACK!

The ball struck Motoya's arm and flew forward—

"What?!"

—it passed under the net and landed on the American side.

No proper receive…

Matt Anderson scored with a spike.

[Japan 23 – 22 USA]

"Saw you guys lurking in the back row hoping to dig. When your block can't stop me, I guess that's your only hope, huh?" Matt Anderson said smugly. "I get it."

"Sorry!" Komori Motoya's bushy brows drew together tightly.

But right now, no one could say "It's okay" so lightly.

If they couldn't dig the Americans' attacks…then Japan truly had no way to fight back.

Service rotation—U.S. to serve.

Taylor Sander's powerful jump serve came flying in. Sakusa received it steadily.

Miya Atsumu leapt in the front row to set.

Kaedehara Taichi and Hirugami Sachirō up front, Hoshiumi Kōrai in the back—all launched into an attack formation.

Boom!!

It seemed like the U.S. side had slipped up. When Atsumu jumped for the set, no blocker followed.

In a moment like this—what better choice than a second touch attack?

"Smart move."

Smack!

Micah Christenson took a big step diagonally backwards, digging the ball one-handed as though he had known exactly where it would go.

Erik Shoji repositioned and set the ball high—Matt Anderson jumped to spike!

"Double block!"

BOOM!!!

Smack!

The ball struck Sakusa's arm and flew out of bounds.

If Aaron Russell's spikes were fast, Matt Anderson's were simply heavy.

Hard to maintain form—harder to absorb the impact.

Ball down.

Matt Anderson scored again.

[Japan 23 – 23 USA]

_________

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