Haikyuu : The Unstoppable Force

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"Now it seems that Hinata is the focal point of the opponent's offense."

"Just focus on defending against him."

As the brain of the entire Nekoma team, Kenma Kozume can maintain a clear mind and demonstrate exceptional court awareness even in the heat of competition.

Although he does not have a strong physique, his calm and strategic thinking is his greatest weapon.

When Nekoma is in trouble, his sharp mind becomes the key to breaking through difficult situations.

"Just limit Hinata's movement and follow his footsteps."

"Even if it seems difficult to stop him at first, as long as you keep trying..."

"You'll get used to it."

Tweet!

As the game resumed, Nekoma quickly adjusted their strategy!

Only the tall No. 7 player, Inouka, was assigned to track and block Hinata.

As Shoyo Hinata and Tobio Kageyama continued to execute their signature quick attacks repeatedly...

Inouka gradually began to make contact with Hinata's freak quick attack!

"Wow! This isn't looking good for Karasuno!"

Mr. Shimada's friend exclaimed.

"Nekoma has already figured out this quick attack! At this rate, it'll be stopped in just a few more plays!"

With a worried expression, he continued:

"Once that happens, Hinata's powerful offensive ability will be significantly weakened!"

"Now Nekoma only needs to dedicate one blocker to track that small No. 10!"

"The other two can focus on marking the remaining front-row attackers!"

"If this continues... Karasuno will struggle to break through Nekoma's defense!"

"Once the game slows down to Nekoma's rhythm... They're in danger!"

Halfway through his explanation, he suddenly noticed Shimada standing calmly beside him.

Annoyed, he blurted out:

"Why aren't you worried at all?"

Shimada simply smiled and responded confidently:

"Anyone watching this quick attack for the first time would be shocked."

"But if you observe carefully and make adjustments, you'll find a way to counter it soon enough."

"I know that too!"

"But… Karasuno's strongest offensive weapon isn't just this quick attack!"

Shimada's smug smile irritated his two companions, who gritted their teeth in frustration.

"You smug idiot! Just spit it out already!"

They playfully lunged at Shimada, pretending to rough him up.

"Haha! Relax, guys. Just watch the court—it's about to happen!"

---

After Karasuno scored another point…

Akira finally rotated into the front row!

The transition from the short and explosive Hinata to the tall and powerful Akira caused a brief moment of hesitation among Nekoma's front-row players.

"This guy... His presence is overwhelming!"

Even while playing in the back row earlier, Akira hadn't wasted a single moment.

He had been meticulously analyzing Nekoma's offensive strategies, defensive patterns, and each player's subtle tendencies.

Like Kenma Kozume, Akira is a player who relies on his intellect and strategy to dominate the game!

Every time Nekoma set up their defensive system—whether they succeeded or failed—Akira had been studying them from the back.

He systematically dissected their defensive weak points.

So, the moment Akira stepped into the front row…

That's when Karasuno's relentless offensive assault began!

Swish!

Hinata's serve was cleanly received by Nekoma.

Immediately, Nekoma transitioned into their offensive formation!

But Akira had his eyes locked on Kenma Kozume, studying his every subtle movement!

!!

Nekoma's attack was executed by Inouka, who had been attacking for several rallies.

But this time, Akira stepped in at the perfect moment and shut him down with a block!

"What incredible footwork!"

A spectator in the audience narrowed his eyes and commented with a serious expression:

"I expected that little No. 10 to have lightning-fast speed…"

"But this No. 7 in the front row… How is he moving so quickly despite being so tall?"

"And... Did he anticipate Kenma Kozume's play in advance?"

"Or am I imagining things?"

"Coach, maybe he's just naturally good at blocking!"

Naoi, sitting beside him, scratched his head and offered a lighthearted guess.

"No."

Veteran Coach Yasufumi Nekomata immediately recognized the situation.

His experienced eyes saw through the deeper strategy at play.

"Naoi, haven't you noticed something?"

He pointed toward Karasuno's current rotation.

"Every single player Karasuno has sent in is an offensive powerhouse."

He gestured toward the court, identifying each player:

"The energetic small player earlier, the powerful heavy-hitter, and the aggressive attacker paired with Yamamoto…"

Then he concluded:

"It's obvious!"

"Karasuno has studied our Nekoma team in advance!"

"They specifically deployed all of their strongest offensive players to counter our elite defensive system!"

"It's a direct challenge!"

"A high-stakes gamble! If it fails, Karasuno will suffer. But if it succeeds…"

Naoi's eyes widened in shock.

"So that's their plan all along?"

Coach Nekomata nodded, his gaze fixed on the game.

"And my instincts tell me that this No. 7 in the front row…"

"He's not just an ordinary player!"

"Look at his eyes!"

"That's the gaze of a predator—a lion surveying its prey!"

"The aura surrounding him… That's the absolute confidence of a dominant player!"

"Moreover, when he rotated into the front row, the entire atmosphere of Karasuno changed!"

"It's like… the wolves just welcomed back their alpha!"

Coach Nekomata, usually calm and composed, now had a tense expression.

"So... just how strong is this mysterious No. 7?"

---

Back on the court, Nekoma felt the full force of Akira's presence.

His first block immediately disrupted their offense, and the players could feel the difference.

Unlike Coach Nekomata, who could assess things from a strategic perspective, Nekoma's players were experiencing Akira's pressure firsthand.

Especially Kenma Kozume.

Throughout the recent rallies, every ball he set had been completely shut down by Akira's block!

"What's going on?"

Sweat formed on Kenma's forehead.

"Is he reading all of my plays?"

"This No. 7... He appears at the exact right spot to block every attack!"

"It's like he can predict the future!"

"No matter how many feints I use, he won't fall for them!"

As the game progressed, Nekoma's psychological pressure increased!

"Could it be that Karasuno's strongest weapon isn't their quick attack…"

"But this No. 7's impenetrable blocking?"

Shimada's friends turned to him in shock.

"Shimada, you knew about this?"

Shimada, looking slightly amused, shrugged.

"To be honest, in the last practice match, his blocking wasn't this dominant!"

"Oh?"

His friend narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

Shimada continued:

"I mean, he was strong… but not at this level."

His friend's expression darkened.

"Shimada… are you saying you don't actually know either?"

"No, no! Of course I know!"

"But blocking isn't even his best skill!"

"It's his spike!"

"His spike?"

The two friends were stunned.

Shimada suddenly shouted:

"Watch out! It's coming!"

On the court, Nekoma finally got the serve back.

Now, Karasuno had to attack.

Could Akira still make an impact?

Nekoma was confident that their elite defense would hold up…

Until—

Boom!

Akira soared through the air, unleashing a devastating spike that left everyone stunned!

Coach Nekomata jumped from his seat.

"That jump… That power… How is this possible?!"

Before Nekoma's libero could even react—

The ball slammed into the floor.

Point for Karasuno!

Tweet! Timeout called!

For the first time, Nekoma's legendary defense had been completely broken!

And now, they had to find a way to stop the unstoppable force—Akira.

Game Suspended! Nekoma Calls a Timeout

Coach Yasufumi Nekomata couldn't hold back any longer—he suddenly called a timeout!

"Coach, we..."

Some of Nekoma's players hesitated, a rare hint of panic creeping into their voices.

They were known for their ironclad defense, but even the best defenses had their limits.

After all, defense in volleyball had two key components:

Blocking at the net and receiving in the back row.

But against Akira's overwhelming spikes, their blocking was practically useless!

Their once flawless defensive system had been split in half!

How do we stop this No. 7 attacker?

If they couldn't block him at the net, they would have to rely on their back row to receive the ball…

But the chances of successfully digging his spikes were terrifyingly low!

Coach Nekomata shook his head, deep in thought.

He had a wider view of the court than his players, and what he saw was troubling.

Akira's attack wasn't just about height.

It carried an immense amount of power.

In fact, his spike power might even rival their own ace, Taketora Yamamoto!

If a normal spike with no blockers had a defensive difficulty of 6, then Akira's spike—

with its height, precision, and sheer force—

—had a difficulty of 9!

A full 30% increase in defensive difficulty, purely because of his raw strength!

How could they possibly limit him?

Coach Nekomata exhaled slowly, his sharp eyes narrowing.

There had to be a way.

And he was going to find it.

The Karasuno bench, on the other hand, had an entirely different energy.

"DID YOU SEE THAT?!"

Tanaka's voice practically shook the gym.

"He DESTROYED them!"

Hinata, bouncing on his feet, grinned wildly.

"That was insane, Akira!!"

Even Kageyama, usually reserved, nodded in approval.

"Hmph… Not bad."

Daichi and Sugawara exchanged glances—Akira's presence was changing everything.

For the first time, Karasuno's offense felt truly unstoppable.

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