Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty-Chapter 538: Rotational Cut (Double-Length)

[Author's note: Since the foreign names are getting a bit lengthy, I'll be shortening them to either just the first or last name from here on—whichever's easier to remember. Honestly, I keep forgetting them myself sometimes.]

[T/N: "....."]

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"Hey, little guy, you want to get on the court?" Coach Darlan laughed, turning to Hinata Shōyō.

Hinata's performance during yesterday's 3v3 scrimmage had left a strong impression on the entire São Paulo squad. That was also why Wallace was willing to personally train him, and why Coach Bernardo had added him straight into the main team upon returning.

"I do want to go on," Hinata said, eyes never leaving the court. "But right now—I'm not ready."

"Oh?"

That answer caught Coach Darlan by surprise. He clearly looked like he was raring to go.

Hinata clenched his fists. He was surprised himself to hear such uncharacteristic words come out of his own mouth. But as his technique matured, his perspective on the game had deepened as well.

He now understood something very clearly: the moment he was subbed in, the delicate balance of the match would be immediately disrupted.

"Coach, it's not just my performance that surprised you, right?" Hinata suddenly asked.

"Well, what made it stand out," Coach Darlan chuckled, "was your rather unique height in the world of professional volleyball."

"I definitely picked the right kid," Darlan Zotto thought.

Self-awareness—that too was a crucial part of volleyball intelligence.

-----

Serve switch. São Paulo serve.

Reilly tossed the ball high—jump serve!

SMACK!

Bruno dove laterally for a dig, crashing to the floor.

The ball soared high—Danani chased it beyond the sideline and bump-set it back toward midcourt.

Kaedehara Taichi leapt for the spike!

"Triple block!" Fernand, Lucas, and Leal jumped together.

A textbook serve-to-block transition!

BOOM!!!—

SMACK!!!

Taichi went for a power spike—but Lucas absorbed it!

"Touched!"

Sanhos picked up the rebound easily—perfect pass.

Fernand jumped to set from the front row, sending it high to the right side. Leal jumped in for the spike!

"Loser!"

"Got it!"

"Double block!" Taichi and Loser jumped together.

Leal's vertical was absurd, but San Juan's block held strong.

—BOOM!!

Leal frowned slightly and redirected a diagonal shot, barely clearing the block.

"Cover!" Danani received it cleanly.

Oikawa moved into position and sent a high ball to the right side.

After half a set of probing, Oikawa had figured something out—straightforward back-row attacks wouldn't work against São Paulo's block. So before utilising the back row, he had to first establish the front row as a real threat.

Loser launched into the air, and São Paulo's blockers followed immediately.

BOOM!!!

Smack!!!

The ball deflected off Leal's arm and floated back over San Juan's side.

"Chance ball!"

Bruno stood poised on the end line, eyes locked on the ball.

"Out!" Conte called out confidently.

Bruno flinched and yanked his hands wide apart like a gymnast's starting pose. The ball whizzed past the right side of his head, and he twisted his hips forcefully leftward to dodge just in time.

Thud!

"OUT!"

Conte's judgment was spot on—block out!

Loser scores!

[San Juan 16 – 15 São Paulo]

"Hahaha!"

"Hahahahaha!"

"PFFFFHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Even though San Juan had won the point, Bruno's dramatic dodge had the players on the bench erupting with laughter.

"Ahem—nice wiggle," Conte grinned, barely holding back his chuckle.

Bruno: "…."

Serve switch. San Juan serve.

Loser walked to the service line and—when passing by Bruno—exaggerated the exact same wiggle.

Bruno: "…You bastards!!"

"Tweet!—"

Loser jumped and smashed the serve—

BOOM!!!

Thud!!

"OUT!"

Service error! São Paulo ties it back up.

[San Juan 16 – 16 São Paulo]

"You moron!!!"

Bruno sent a flying kick to "help" Loser off the court, tagging in Santiago with a very…thoughtful substitution.

Serve switch. São Paulo serve.

Fernand tossed the ball high—another jump serve!

BOOM!!!

Smack!!

Bruno barely dug it. The ball bounced back over into São Paulo's court.

This guy…! Oikawa's competitive spirit flared.

If he was to become the world's number one setter, it wasn't just about having the best sets—his serve had to be the best too!

Reilly received the ball easily. Perfect pass.

Fernand jumped to set. São Paulo's front row launched a triple threat attack!

Ramos solo-blocked Lucas on the left, while Taichi guarded centre-right against both Leal and Wallace.

"Too greedy, and you'll end up with nothing."

Fernand glanced sideways at Taichi—and set to the right!

Thump!

Wallace leapt in for the spike!

Taichi reacted instantly and jumped—solo block!

"You're overconfident, kid!"

—BOOM!!!

Over-the-block spike!

The ball sailed just above Taichi's hands—

"No…you're the overconfident one."

SMACK!

The ball struck Danani's arm and popped high into the air.

Oikawa moved to cover—

Fwoosh!—

He sent the ball soaring to the left—Ramos jumped for the spike! ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

"Double block!" Lucas and Leal jumped in tandem.

"Ha!"

Ramos swung wide—but it was a dummy.

The real finisher—Conte from the back row!

"Leal!"

Wallace rushed in from the right. Leal and Lucas jumped again—São Paulo's strongest blocking trio took formation!

It was a terrifying full-power front row wall!

Boom!!!—

"…Huh?"

The moment Leal made contact, he realised—something was wrong.

Too soft!

—Smack!

The ball had been blocked—and bounced straight up over San Juan's court!

Rebound!

"Nice hit."

A smile tugged at the corner of Oikawa's lips. He jumped beneath the rebound—back set!

Taichi leapt high on the right side!

"Damn it!!"

Even Wallace couldn't rotate back in time—

—BOOM!!!

Vertical strike!

The ball slammed down inside the 3-meter line and bounced high off the floor!

Kaedehara Taichi scores!

[San Juan 17 – 16 São Paulo]

Clap, clap, clap…

Coach José applauded from the sidelines, visibly pleased.

Conte and Taichi might be locked in a rivalry for the ace position—but they had a setter capable of connecting the entire team.

"No matter what, winning comes first!"

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Serve switch. San Juan serve.

Taichi tossed the ball up, sprinted, jumped, and smashed it—

BOOM!!!

SMACK!!

The ball ricocheted off Fernand's arm and came flying back toward San Juan's court.

"Watch out—!"

—BOOM!!!

The ball skimmed the top of the double block and landed near the baseline—out of bounds!

Conte scores!

[San Juan 18 – 16 São Paulo]:

For the first time this set, the point gap had widened!

"Such precise coordination…it can only mean one thing," Fernand frowned deeply, "this isn't the first time they've pulled off this play!"

—"Nice serve!"

—"Nice spike!"

San Juan's dual aces complemented each other in perfect sync.

San Juan continued to serve. Kaedehara Taichi sent off his second serve.

BOOM!!!

Reilly tried to screen for Fernand to receive, but the ball hit his arm first, deflecting awkwardly into Fernand's arm and popping up.

Reilly: "..."

In the scramble, São Paulo's middle blocker Lucas rushed back and leapt for a back-row spike while turning in midair!

BOOM!!—

—SMACK!

But the ball was stuffed cleanly by Conte and Ramos!

San Juan scored on the block!

[San Juan 19 – 16 São Paulo]

"Beep! Time-out called by São Paulo."

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When play resumed, São Paulo's serve-receive formation had changed.

Though five players were now in the back row, their setter was still protected in the deep corner—meaning only four were actually receiving.

"Reilly—95, Leal—96, Sanhos—98, Wallace—96…"

Taichi muttered a string of seemingly random numbers under his breath—data that only he understood.

"Tweet!—" The whistle blew.

Taichi launched his third serve.

BOOM!!!

SMACK!

Leal made the pass—only partially accurate!

Fernand quickly filled in, tossing the ball high to the right—Wallace jumped for the spike!

"Double block!" Conte and Ramos jumped together.

—BOOM!!!

Over-the-block spike!

The ball blasted past the block and slammed down in San Juan's court.

Wallace once again demonstrated his absurd vertical reach.

Spike point!

[San Juan 19 – 17 São Paulo]

"So fast!" Hinata Shōyō marvelled on the sidelines. This was the quickest any team had adjusted to Taichi's serve, he thought.

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Serve switch. São Paulo's turn.

Lucas fired off a powerful jump serve!

Danani received the ball cleanly—perfect pass.

Oikawa jumped from the front row, baited the blockers, and then sent the set left to Conte—who went in for the spike!

"Double block!" Leal and Wallace formed a tight central wall.

BOOOM!!!

SMACK!

Wallace managed to absorb it!

Lucas picked up the deflection—Fernand adjusted and tossed a quick set. Middle blocker Darlan Souza jumped to hit!

BOOM!!!

The spike narrowly avoided Ramos's solo block and slammed toward San Juan's back row.

Smack!

Taichi dug it out!

Oikawa, still up front, jumped for the set. Conte and Ramos both launched into attack!

BOOM!!!

The ball slammed into São Paulo's right sideline and bounced high.

"Huh?" Souza looked up in shock.

Oikawa had just scored on a second-touch attack!

[San Juan 20 – 17 São Paulo]

"You didn't think I'd dare try a setter dump, did you?" Oikawa grinned wickedly. "All it'd take is a light jump and a reach—and boom!"

"…Too bad you didn't stop it~" he teased.

Serve switch. San Juan's serve.

"You!" Oikawa pointed across the net at Fernand, now in São Paulo's back row. "Let's see you try and receive my serve!"

Fernand's face darkened. It felt like those two bastards across the net thought he was the weakest link.

São Paulo's receiving line, from left to right: Leal, Sanhos, Fernand, and Reilly.

Oikawa didn't hesitate—his serve targeted the right side!

"Tweet!—" The whistle blew.

He tossed the ball, ran, jumped, and struck!

—BOOM!!!

Fernand's eyes locked on the ball barreling toward him.

Arrogant! Calling your target before serving?!

He bounced on the balls of his feet, knees flexed, body tilted forward—positioned to receive head-on. But at the very last instant, the ball suddenly veered off its path.

"What?!"

Fernand's eyes widened. He instinctively lunged sideways—but it was too late.

WHAM!!!

The ball hit the court. Fernand collapsed, raising a puff of dust.

No touch!

Oikawa aced him!

[San Juan 21 – 17 São Paulo]

"Taichi!" Oikawa lifted his chin in triumph.

"Oh, so amazing, Oikawa-senpai. Truly beautiful serve."

Taichi monotoned sarcastically.

"Hmph!"

Even though he wasn't thrilled with Taichi's tone, Oikawa basked in the praise anyway.

São Paulo hesitated, but eventually adjusted their formation—putting Oikawa and Taichi on equal threat levels.

"Now that's more like it."

Oikawa nodded, launching his second serve—

—BANG!!!

A float serve!

São Paulo's front line now only had Souza.

Still, they didn't panic. Leal and Wallace quickly stepped up. Float serves weren't fast, so they had time to move into position.

The ball dipped sharply as it crossed the net—Wallace was the only one in place to receive.

SMACK!

Wallace touched the ball—

Or tried to. It struck his hand and bounced straight down.

A float serve…with spin?!

Oikawa scored again!

[San Juan 22 – 17 São Paulo]

The point difference was now five!

"Beep! Time-out called by São Paulo."

Coach Bernardo had no choice. That weird float serve needed immediate attention.

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Float serves had never been Oikawa Tōru's strong suit.

He'd always possessed both the jump serve and the float serve in his arsenal, but the latter had a significantly higher error rate. Even when Coach Irihata pushed him to refine it back in his third year of high school, Oikawa's primary weapon remained the jump serve.

Until—

He entered the professional league.

At 19, Oikawa joined the much tougher Argentine league. Back then, his serve wasn't much of a threat. Before his raw power developed, he spent countless nights retraining from scratch—studying the mechanics of float serves.

Eventually, he drew inspiration from the Japanese U20 women's captain, Saori Kimura, who had mastered a float serve with a unique, slicing spin.

That was the birth of Oikawa's rotational cut float serve.

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"That float serve doesn't have strong spin," Wallace analysed, "but the angle is bizarre. It's hard to handle with a forearm pass—better to use an overhead dig to cancel the rotation."

"That means," Reilly added, "we need serve receivers in the front row to have any chance."

"Let's go back to the original receiving formation," Fernand said firmly. "Next ball—I'll get it."

Coach Bernardo nodded.

"Of course. Every one of us—is strong."

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