A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Enjoy!

edited on november 20th, 2021 @ 2:14am

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CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE - TEAM

ATSUSHI WAS WITH HIS TEAM as they gathered around Ukai. "Just remember, don't let Oikawa do whatever he wants with his serves. I don't care if it's up high! Just dig them up! When you do, someone will connect with it!" Ukai said.

"Right!"

"If an enemy that must be defeated someday is called an arch-nemesis, for Karasuno, Aoba Johsai is precisely that. The stage for the battle has been set. This big match between us and the arch-nemesis... You guys will be the winners!" Takeda spoke up.

"Yeah!"

"The final set... We are going to overtake Aoba Johsai! With this team, we will overtake them!" Daichi said as everyone placed their hands in the middle.

"Karasuno, fight!"

"Yeah!"

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Asahi was up to serve as everyone on the sidelines cheered him on. He did his jump serve as Kyotani saved it. Oikawa tossed to Iwaizumi, who scored the first point in the final set. Oikawa was up to serve next.

"Oikawa-san, nice serve!"

The whistle blew as Oikawa did his jump serve and Asahi received it.

"It's past the net!"

"It's coming directly!"

Kyotani slammed the ball over as Atsushi tried to block him, but was too late as he gained a point for Aoba Johsai. Atsushi looked over at Kyotani with an annoyed expression.

Oikawa was up to serve again. "Oikawa, one more! Nice serve!" One of his teammates shouted out.

Oikawa did his jump serve once more and Daichi was there to receive it. Kageyama tossed to Atsushi but the brunette ended up getting blocked by Kindaichi and Kyotani as the ball went out.

"Yeah!" Atsushi cheered.

"Atsushi, nice kill!"

Atsushi looked over to see Kyotani looking at him with an irked expression as he just smirked.

"Tsukishima, nice serve!"

Tsukishima served the ball as Aoba Johsai's libero saved it.

"Mad Dog-chan!" Oikawa shouted, tossing the ball towards Kyotani. Hinata and Atsushi jumped up to block him as the ball went out.

Atsushi looked over at the score to see where they were at.

Aoba Johsai

07

Karasuno

06

Asahi was up next to serve as the whistle blew. Asahi did his jump serve and scored a point for Karasuno.

"Yeah!" Asahi cheered.

"Nice line!" Ukai and Takeda shouted in unison. The scores were now tied.

"Asahi, one more! Nice serve!"

Asahi did his jump serve once more but Hanamaki was able to receive it. Oikawa tossed to Kindaichi who jumped up to spike the ball and gained a point for Aoba Johsai.

Atsushi looked over to see that Oikawa up to serve again as everyone from his team was on high alert.

Oikawa did his jump serve as it hit the net. Atsushi tossed the ball over to Kageyama who tossed over to Tsukishima. Iwaizumi covered for Oikawa as Kyotani got ready to slam the ball.

"Atsushi." Tsukishima spoke up as the brunette glanced over at him.

Kyotani slammed the ball as Tsukishima and Atsushi jumped up to block him, gaining a point for Karasuno.

"Shut out!" Hinata, Yamaguchi, and Sugawara exclaimed in unison.

Atsushi slapped the Tsukishima's back. "You read that so well, Tsukishima! How'd you come up with that?" He asked.

"It was nothing." Tsukishima mumbled.

Tsukishima served once the whistle blew as Aoba Johsai's libero saved it as Kyotani headed towards the net.

"Number 16 is coming!" Daichi called out.

Kyotani slammed the ball down as Kageyama was late on blocking him.

"Out!" Tsukishima shouted, moving to the side. Atsushi looked over to the scoreboard.

Aoba Johsai

08

Karasuno

09

"We flipped the score back around!" Atsushi thinks to himself, giving an intimidating look back at Kyotani as an image of a crow was behind him.

"We're going to keep pressing on!" Daichi shouted.

"All right!" Everyone shouted back.

TWEEEET!

Atsushi looked over to see that Aoba Johsai was calling a time out.

Once the game resumed, Tsukishima was up to serve again.

"Tsukishima, one more! Nice serve!" Daichi encouraged as the blonde served the ball.

"Got it!" Aoba Johsai's libero shouted, reviving the ball.

"Mad Dog-chan!" Oikawa called out, sending the ball over to Kyotani. Hinata and Atsushi jumped up to block him, successfully doing so.

Atsushi took a look at the score.

Aoba Johsai

08

Karasuno

10

TWEEEET!

Atsushi looked over to see that Aoba Johsai was switching out Kyotani for Kunimi.

The game continued on both teams keeping up and trying to keep the ball in the air.

"Kunimi!" Oikawa shouted, tossing the ball towards Kunimi, who did a feint, but Kageyama was there to receive it.

Nishinoya jumped up over the line. "Atsushi!" He shouted, tossing the ball to Atsushi who scored a point.

"Kageyama, I'm amazed you saw that coming." Daichi stated.

"Thanks!" Kageyama replied.

TWEEEET!

Atsushi was up to serve as he heard words of encouragement from his teammates. He did his jump serve as Iwaizumi received it.

"Mad Dog-chan!" Oikawa shouted, tossing the ball to Kyotani.

Kyotani slammed the ball, getting the point as Aoba Johsai huddled together.

"Sorry! I'll get the next one!" Daichi informed.

"Yeah!"

Atsushi took a look at the score.

Aoba Johsai

11

Karasuno

12

Atsushi clenched his jaw in anger as he watched Oikawa pass the ball over to Kyotani, who was serving next.

"Oikawa-san... You truly are terrifying. If you were on Toshi-nii's team, you could've made Shiratorizawa even more dangerous. I guess I should be glad you didn't go to his school." Atsushi chuckled to himself.

"But there is one thing. What you said about Aoba Johsai, you're wrong. It isn't just Oikawa who's strong. It's the entire team. They aren't the top four in the prefecture for show."

Atsushi remembered what he had said to his older brother back then. "What I said to Tosh-nii... it wasn't a lie. Aoba Johsai is an amazing team with amazing players." He thought.

Kyotani threw the ball up in the air and did his jump serve.

"Atsushi!" Nishinoya called out as Atsushi received the ball.

Kageyama tossed the ball over to Hinata who spiked it but Aoba Johsai's libero saved it.

"Watacchi, nice!" Oikawa complimented.

Atsushi looked over to the scoreboard to see that both teams were tied with 12 points. Kyotani was up to serve again as he did another jump serve and Nishinoya received it.

Kageyama tossed the ball to Hinata once more but Iwaizumi dived over to receive it on time.

"Chance ball!"

"Hit it, Asahi!"

Asahi jumped up and slammed the ball down as Watari tried to receive it, but fell over, making the point go to Karasuno.

TWEEEET!

"Just as I'd expect from you, Asahi-san!" Nishinoya complimented. "You blew them away!"

"Thanks!" Asahi replied.

"So who's the upperclassman here?" Daichi questioned as Hinata looked irritated.

The game resumed as both teams were tied with 15 points. Oikawa was up to serve again.

The whistle blew as Oikawa did his jump serve. "Daichi-san!" Nishinoya shouted as Daichi dived over to save the ball.

"Chance ball!" Watari called out, receiving the ball.

"Damn it!" Daichi cursed.

Oikawa tossed over to Kindaichi who scored a point as Atsushi was late on blocking him. Both Oikawa and Kindaichi cheered.

"A really sharp wipe... Kindaichi's movements have changed since the Inter-High." Atsushi thought as Oikawa was up to serve once more.

Oikawa did his jump serve as Nishinoya received it. "Sorry! Tsukishima, get it!" Nishinoya said.

"Push through, Kindaichi!"

Both Tsukishima and Kindaichi grabbed onto the ball but Tsukishima pushed it over as it landed on the opposite side of the court, making Karasuno get the point.

Nishinoya slapped Tsukishima's back. "All right!" He cheered. "Thank you, Tsukishima!"

Nishinoya switched out as Hinata was subbed in. Hinata stood next to Kageyama.

"The Great King really is amazing." Hinata commented.

"Do you really understand that?" Kageyama asked.

"I can tell that he's some form of amazing!" Hinata replied as Kageyama looked irritated. "But!"

Kageyama jumped at Hinata's loud voice, placing his fist on his jersey. "As long as I'm around, you're the strongest!" He declared.

"You're getting dug up all over the place. What mouth says that?" Kageyama questioned.

"What'd you say?"

"Groundless confidence is good!" Atsushi commented.

"I-I do have grounds to say so!" Hinata stated.

The whistle blew as Tsukishima served the ball and Hanamaki received it. Oikawa tossed over to Kyotsni who jumped up.

Hinata and Atsushi jumped up to block him as they got a one-touch in.

"Got it!" Daichi called out as he saved the ball. Hinata charged forward as Hinata jumped up, but flew too far forward.

Kageyama tossed to Hinata as the ball was too close to the net.

"Up front!"

"Slam it down!"

Oikawa and Kageyama both shouted in unison. Hinata managed to slam the ball down on the ground, getting a point for Karasuno.

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A/N: Another chapter is done! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 1516 words.