Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

Chapter 216: Master of All Trades

"This fired-up version of Kenma is a rare sight," Kuroo Tetsurō remarked, a rare, genuine smile appearing on his face.

Under the command of its 'brain', Nekoma's 'blood' was beginning to boil!

"I'm really looking forward to his performance today—just as long as he doesn't suddenly fall apart halfway through the match."

Kuroo turned to look at Kenma.

His usually indifferent eyes now seemed infused with a peculiar energy—their edges sharpened while the depths grew darker. That gaze gave off a feeling both dangerous and captivating.

"...Looks like that won't happen," Kuroo chuckled. "Guess I'll have to step up my game too."

-----

Nekoma's serve—Nobuyuki Kai sent a powerful jump serve across the net.

Kyōtani Kentarō received it, and Oikawa Tōru set the ball high to the left wing. Kaedehara Taichi sprinted in and leapt for the spike.

"Wait for it—" Kuroo locked onto Taichi's movement. "Jump!"

"Double block!"

Kuroo and Fukunaga Shōhei leapt together, forming a solid wall in front of Taichi.

With Kenma typically staying out of blocking formations, Nekoma's front line was effectively down a player. This would normally create an exploitable gap in their defence, but under Kuroo's leadership, their wall against spikers had only grown more efficient.

The opening left deliberately in the straight-line angle was no accident. It was bait—because standing directly in Taichi's path was Nekoma's libero, Yaku Morisuke!

How bold...

Mid-air, Taichi tightened his right arm. At the moment of impact, his palm wrapped around the ball slightly, adjusting his wrist angle with precise control—

A downward wrist snap—

BOOM!

The ball slammed down inside the three-meter line—a nearly vertical spike!

Smack!

Kenma had just raised his arms for the receive when a tremendous force knocked them apart.

The impact sent him stumbling backwards, falling onto the court as the ball ricocheted out of bounds.

[Aoba Johsai 6 - 3 Nekoma]

"Kenma, I just picked up this move during the Youth National Camp. You haven't seen it in the match footage yet, have you?" Taichi grinned mischievously, his golden eyes glinting with amusement.

Kenma got up from the floor, his gaze flickering with intrigue.

"...Well, I have now."@@@@

"But we're just getting started!" Taichi jogged toward the service line. "I've got a few more tricks to show you!"

—

Rotation change—Aoba Johsai's serve.

Kaedehara Taichi stepped up to the service line.

"Watch his footwork!" Kuroo called out.

Taichi's rare 'Quad-Threat' serve had already stunned them in video analysis. But even an unpredictable technique followed some kind of pattern.

If they could determine whether he would use his right or left hand, they'd already be halfway to solving the puzzle.

Of course, that was just Nekoma's assumption.

Taichi tossed the ball into the air—

One step, two steps, three steps—his right foot leading into the jump.

"Left hand!"

The Nekoma players subtly adjusted their receiving stances.

Boom!

A powerful jump serve!

Fast! Almost on par with Oikawa's.

Yamamoto Taketora barely managed to bring his arms together, predicting the ball's trajectory—

Smack!

The ball struck his forearms, ricocheted off his shoulder, and flew out of bounds.

It wasn't just the spin—it was the sheer power that made it nearly impossible to control!

Service ace!

[Aoba Johsai 7 - 3 Nekoma]

Aoba Johsai's first service ace of the match.

Taichi's gaze swept across the Nekoma lineup, searching for his next target.

"You."

Back when he was still Aoba Johsai's middle blocker, the player he most wanted to learn from was Nekoma's Kuroo Tetsurō.

As a middle blocker, Kuroo was exceptional in every aspect—serving, attacking, blocking, even receiving—he handled it all with ease.

Kaedehara Taichi had once dreamed of reaching that level, of becoming a solid and reliable force his teammates could always count on.

But now—he wanted to surpass him.

He wanted to defeat Kuroo Tetsurō head-on.

"Bring it on!"

Kaedehara Taichi called out, issuing his challenge with a fearless grin.

Kuroo blinked in surprise. This guy...

But if someone had the guts to challenge him—

Kuroo Tetsurō would never back down.

Boom!

Kuroo launched his second serve—this time, aimed straight at Kaedehara Taichi!

Taichi rocked onto his toes.

From the previous serve, he had already grasped Kuroo's serving tendencies—the ball followed a deep, looping trajectory, arcing before suddenly plunging downward.

Which meant—he couldn't just wait for it to drop.

He had to intercept it mid-flight!

For a split second, his mind flashed back to the sunlit beaches of Hawaii—

To those days when no one else was around to bail him out—

When he had to receive every single serve, no matter what.

The ball soared outside the boundary line—but Taichi knew it would curve back in.

Gambling on it going out? Not a chance.

Kaedehara Taichi lunged right, stepping over the sideline, arms locked together as he braced for impact.

Smack!

The ball struck his forearms and shot high into the air.

"Cover!"

Oikawa Tōru had already moved into position, stepping precisely under the ball.

Kaedehara Taichi didn't stop.

Adjusting his stance in a flash, he sprinted forward—then leapt from the back row.

—Whoosh!

Oikawa's set soared to the right—

Kaedehara Taichi's back-row attack!

"This angle—watch for a wipe-off shot!" Yamamoto Taketora yelled, retreating deeper.

After his failed dig earlier, he had adjusted his positioning.

"Double block!" Nekoma's front line—Fukunaga Shōhei and Lev Haiba—jumped up together.

Nekoma's defence was formidable not just because of their technical skills but because they adapted.

The moment they figured out an attacker's habits, scoring against them became nearly impossible.

But Kaedehara Taichi—

Wasn't someone they could categorize just yet.

The moment he swung his arm, Lev braced himself.

But the expected impact—never came.

Instead—

Kaedehara Taichi lightly tipped the ball, just grazing it over Lev's outstretched fingers.

The ball floated past him, dropping softly behind.

Yamamoto Taketora dove forward with everything he had—

But all he could do was watch the ball hit the floor.

Tap, tap, tap...

Kaedehara Taichi scored off a tip shot!

[Aoba Johsai 8 – 5 Nekoma]

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