Miya Atsumu's setting stability was extremely high; he would consider things like the height of the set and whether it would provide the Spiker with a sufficient field of vision in advance.
When the Setter takes over all of that work and delivers impeccable tosses, the only thing Kiryu Ya needs to think about changes from "how to adjust to spike and score" to simply "how to score."
And Kiryu, who could now focus all of his energy solely on the act of "scoring" itself..
Without a doubt, he would possess an even stronger offensive capability than before.
Or rather, this is the kind of state a top-tier super Ace should possess.
Below the court, Akagi sighed with emotion, "It's 2-0. It looks like the Strongest Spear is a bit more formidable."
Oori nodded: "After all, it's Kiryu."
If we are talking about raw strength on both sides, Miya Atsumu's side is indeed the stronger one.
During the brief interval while Miya Atsumu was preparing to serve, Hinata was already looking at Kiryu with eyes full of anticipation: "Kiryu-senpai! Can I take one more look at that approach jump just now!"
The one-step one! It didn't waste any time at all; he could even jump during such a short interval!
Kiryu laughed and replied directly, "You can."
Immediately after, he repeated the way he had handled things during that critical moment.
Hinata had actually seen this many times before; he had only moved forward half a step during the entire process, which could be described as compressing the time taken to the absolute limit.
Kiryu added another sentence: "This is something you can train specifically; when you get back, you can ask the team's Setter."
Judging by Hinata's vertical jump from a standing position, a step-in approach with a half-step run-up would be more than enough for him to perform.
"Yes!" Hinata responded loudly.
He absolutely couldn't stand there dazed like that again; once the set was over, he would go and ask Kumagai how to practice this.
And at this moment, the starting Setter of Inarizaki was preparing to serve his third ball.
Taking two points in a row is definitely a good start, next.. let's use a flexible Quick Attack.
Bōwàng's expression was very serious.
Miya Atsumu's serve failed to break the rally for the longest time; the three-man front row was quite difficult to handle.
I've got it!
Nice receive!
Having already gained proficiency, Tachibana also perfectly received Miya Atsumu's serve this time.
Having received the ball, Fujimaru glanced at the three players in the front row and ultimately chose to pass the ball to Karasuma for a back-row attack.
The offensive level of the three players in the front row was truly limited; since the opponent's blocking strength was relatively low, the back-row attack could handle it with ease.
Despite the fact that the two of them argued every day, their chemistry with each other was still very high.
Karasuma's spike smashed through Rishia's block and landed on the floor in the back row.
Aran reacted extremely quickly, stepping forward two paces to get into position and receive the ball.
Atsumu!
Under the watchful eyes of Bōwàng and the others, Hinata started his run once again. As Rishia and Kiryu shifted to the left, it was clear he was attempting to pull away from Position 4 to Position 2 to execute a Quick Attack.
At this moment, Miya Atsumu's body orientation was quite obvious, his ball-handling posture was basically directed toward Position 4..
Bōwàng no longer hesitated and chased directly after Hinata.
Although Kai felt something was wrong through his intuition, he ultimately chose to trust his senior.
When it came to blocking, Bōwàng's judgment was certainly more accurate due to his greater experience, not to mention.. the current situation had already become clear enough.
The two blockers closed in on Hinata, while on the other side, Suna remained motionless.
The more obvious it is, the more likely it is a trap; this is a tactic Miya Atsumu frequently uses.
Moreover.. given Miya Atsumu's individual ability, there's no reason he would pass a ball with such an obvious purpose.
—It's too fake.
Considering the deformation of the opponent's formation, this ball was most likely intended for Kiryu Ya, who was preparing to perform a strong spike from position 4.
But in the very next second, Miya Atsumu sent the volleyball toward Position 2.5 in that exact posture.
Rishia Heisuke, who had already swapped positions with Kiryu, leaped up from the middle and raised his hand to spike the ball into the empty space over the net.
Tachibana's face was filled with shock as he dove to save the ball.
Not only is the Quick Attack a decoy, but is the Ace himself a decoy as well?
"Nice one, Heisuke!" Hinata cheered.
Although he wasn't the one who won this point.. at this very moment, his mood was just as jubilant.
Rishia replied, "Shoyo's feint was beautiful."
He played with great gusto; the feeling of not being targeted by a blocker was truly exhilarating.
Miya Atsumu let out a low chuckle from the back row, satisfied with the effectiveness of this decoy tactic.
Chapter 25: The Twenty-Fifth Fox
Across the net, Suna frowned slightly, though he did so almost imperceptibly.
It shouldn't be his illusion; the current situation has become a little out of control..
But it was true; given Miya Atsumu's way of thinking, he really wouldn't choose playstyles that could be "distinguished at a glance."
Kai proposed his own idea: "If that kind of Quick Attack is interspersed with high balls and standard tactics, there will inevitably be signals, right?"
While everyone else was discussing, Suna, the only one from Inarizaki, remained silent.
It wasn't until he was rotated out of the game that Suna cast a heavy gaze toward the court from the waiting area.
A code?
Miya Atsumu chuckled.
—He doesn't need those things.
Hinata was no longer a complete novice; every time he ran, he had already judged whether there was an "opportunity."
As for Miya Atsumu, he only needed to give the ball to Hinata whenever he judged that "the opportunity was great enough."
This meant that.. Hinata only needed to trust that a ball would come his way with every single one of his runs.
What truly needs direction is the standard tactic, this was something everyone had already communicated through hand signals at the start of every rally.
The Quick Attack is indeed a sharp blade, but it is only one part of what is called "tactics."
Miya Atsumu directs the others, he will also direct Hinata.
And not giving orders meant he could play freely, which was the signal for Hinata to judge whether or not to perform a Quick Attack.
As for now..
Watching the volleyball sent toward his head by Jujo Kohei, Miya Atsumu calmly set it toward the middle.
This ball wasn't fast; in fact, it could be said that Hinata only started his run after seeing the ball coming.
However.. this ball was very high, higher than any spike Hinata had ever hit before.
—A high ball in the middle.
At the same time, Kai and Yunnan, who were making their judgments, moved from both sides toward the center. The two 1.9-meter-tall blockers stood in front of Hinata, waiting for his jump.
The next second, with a thud, Hinata leaped into the air as if he were taking flight.
Kai stretched out with all his might, yet Hinata still surpassed him by a mere fingertip.
Thud.
The volleyball hit the floor with a heavy thud.
Yunnan's usually expressionless face was momentarily stunned. He hadn't watched the match between Inarizaki and Nekoma previously, having only heard a few things from Usui and the others.
This little guy from Inarizaki.. so he can do more than just a Quick Attack? He can even hit a high ball of this caliber?
Miya Atsumu shook his hands and looked at Hinata's back with considerable satisfaction.
Quick Attack was not the only reason they were training Hinata; it was merely the icing on the cake.
They played a total of two sets in their evening match, ending in a 1:1 tie with no winner or loser.
However, during the second set, Kita was called away by Coach Omimi, which meant no one was there to help Hinata receive the ball, ultimately causing him to be targeted and unable to play smoothly.
Coach Kurosu laughed, "That receiving still needs work."
Coach Kusubashi also nodded in agreement: "Indeed, being able to both attack and defend is the quality an excellent player should possess."
After coming out of the shower, the freshman from Inubushi Higashi, Kai Kiyoharu, leaned in close to Hinata's side. "That was amazing! Hinata! You jump way too high!"
You actually managed to jump right over my block!
Hinata scratched his head somewhat sheepishly. "It's because Miya-senpai sets so well."
"Eeeh—" Kai Kiyoharu drew out the sound, leaning down to close the distance between himself and Hinata.
It wasn't until this moment that Hinata, who had been smiling foolishly, finally noticed the look in his eyes.
How should I describe it?
It felt as if a normally docile canine had instantly transformed into a wild wolf; those eyes were incredibly sharp, carrying a hint of scrutiny and an indescribable ambition.
His voice rang out: "A pity, I'd still rather face you on the official court."
Hinata also withdrew his smile: "Me too."
In order to meet everyone on the final court, he will do his utmost to refine himself.
Just like.. Hoshiumi-senpai and Kiryu-senpai.
Golden Week lasts for a long time, making this one of the most time-abundant training camps before the summer vacation.
However, considering the physical stamina of all the players, the overall schedule of practice matches was not fully booked. Aside from a single match on the morning of the final day, which served as a summary rotation for all the teams, the previous days focused primarily on various collective training sessions.
Coach Kusubashi provided instruction and adjustments for blocking, the Seito coach was responsible for teaching everyone how to receive, Coach Kurosu handled ball setting and spiking.