Chapter 143: Rally!
In a volleyball game, a service specialist always had two tasks. First, it was to score a point from the service line. There was no explanation needed about this. However, if the first task couldn't be done, he had to ensure the second task was done, and that was to create chaos on the opponent's side. By doing that, it would scatter their formation and make their attack predictable.
'Listen, Hirano.' Akira said in the past. 'This is the cooperation that often happens between a service specialist like Yuki and a middle blocker like you. When Yuki was able to scatter the opponent's formation, you have to lock down their best player, because only the best player would be able to bring their team out of the chaos.'
Hirano remembered this instruction pretty vividly. That was why, whenever Yuki was on the service line, he was always ready for the opponent's best player. And that was why he was there, jumping to block Lucas's spike when the opponent was in chaos.
"What?!"
Seeing Hirano was ready to block him, Lucas widened his eyes in surprise. However, he was still calm, adjusting his posture quickly. Instead of spiking the ball straight as he intended to be before, now he went for a cross spike to the right side to avoid Hirano's block.
Unfortunately, that was the spot guarded by Tsunemori's best defender.
*BAM!*
"Oh! Nice save, Kai!"
"Move! Move! Jimmy, Koji, don't stand up in your spot stupidly like that!" Riku shouted.
Ogawa and Koji were taken aback by the sudden instruction. However, they regained their consciousness immediately and moved forward. Yuki also moved, sneaking from behind and getting ready to receive the ball. With his teammates moving in three different areas, Riku had so many options to choose from, and as usual, the blonde boy went for the flashiest one.
"Don't think the team is just Yuki alone!"
Riku extended one of his hands in the air before tapping it gently on the other side of the court. However, Sawada read his movement like an open book and rushed forward to block his dump attempt.
"What?!" Riku widened his eyes in surprise.
"Oh! Nice cover, Sawada!"
"Nice kill!"
Sawada managed to send the ball back to Tsunemori's area before it could cross the net. Fortunately, Yuki was on the way to go forward and saw this. Instead of going forward to attack, he kneeled while leaning his body forward to save the ball.
*Thud!*
"Shit!"
"Damn, nice save, Yuki!"
"Riku! Cover!"
Riku shook his head quickly and got ready for the second chance. He decided to put Sawada's surprise movement aside and recover his position quickly. Unfortunately, by now, all the Konan players had already recovered and went back to their original spot, closing down all the holes left by Yuki's serve before.
'Damn, I am too late! I shouldn't take a risk and go for a dump before.' Riku gritted his teeth. Unfortunately, it was useless to regret his decision as he couldn't turn back time. Now, he had to make sure the attack would be able to get through Konan's defense.
"RIKU! HERE!" Koji shouted.
Although Riku was skeptical that his senpai could break through Akihiro's wall, he had no choice right now. His other teammates weren't ready for this, so he could only send it to Koji on the right side.
"Oh! Nice pass!"
"Don't think you can get through my wall, you Bastard!"
Akihiro rushed immediately to shut Koji down. He was accompanied by Arizawa who also jumped, forming a two-man wall to block the attack. However, Koji suddenly remembered the trick he saw Riku do a lot and decided to try it this time.
'Take it, Bastard!'
*Thud!*
Instead of spiking the ball hard, Koji swiped the ball gently to surprise the blockers. Akihiro widened his eyes in surprise, and even though he had a crazy long arm span, the ball still flew passed him, only a few inches above his hand.
'SHI – !'
"I GOT THIS!"
Suddenly, Shimada rushed out of nowhere to get the ball. Even though it was quite tricky, since Koji didn't give too much power to the ball, it was easy for Shimada to pick it up.
"Damn! It is saved again!"
"How long has this sequence been running for?"
"One minute!"
"Goddamnit, even I got tired from watching this!"
"Come on, Konan! Kill your opponent!"
The rally went over for another minute without anyone able to get a point from their opponent. Spikes met the blockers, attacks rebounded to get a second chance to attack, a wild ball, almost all the possible scenarios happened on the court. Don't underestimate a one-minute rally, since normally, it only takes 10 seconds with three touches to end a sequence in a volleyball game.
So, for it to happen for this long, there was no way the players wouldn't feel exhausted.
To everyone's surprise, it was Konan who felt frustrated first. It was understandable since Tsunemori had gotten used to this kind of situation already. They spent a full week at Tsukumi University to practice their endurance and basic defensive skills through hell so they could do this all day long. But Konan wasn't used to this situation.
Usually, Matsumoto or Lucas would be able to pierce through the opponent's defense or Akihiro would be able to kill the opponent's attack first before their opponent could drag them into a long rally contest like this.
However, when the ball was back at Konan's side and all the Tsunemori players were ready to defend their area again, something unexpected happened. While their eyes locked on all the players who were possible to receive the attack like Lucas, Matsumoto, or even Akihiro, they forgot one crucial presence who was the brain of all the Konan's operation.
Sawada, bless his tiny body, took advantage of Tsunemori's distracted state and launched the offense by himself. It was the exact same thing that Riku did before. However, the difference was, this time, no one from Tsunemori's side was able to react to his dump.
'FUC – !'
*Thud!*
Yeah, amidst the chaotic situation on the court, Sawada suddenly stepped forward and sent a dump that no one had ever expected. For a moment, no sound could be heard inside the building, as everyone stared at him in awe. As for Sawada himself, he didn't smile or show any exaggerated reaction.
He just stared at Riku on the other side of the net who was dumbfounded at his play before, sending a signal silently at the blonde boy.
'This is how you do a dump, Bastard!'