Both Nekoma and Fukurodani breezed through their respective matches earlier in the day. That afternoon, Taichi decided to watch the matches of Itachiyama and Nohebi Academy.

  Nohebi Academy wasn't bad—they showed solid fuals in defend serving, along with some well-coordinated offensive pys against blockers. However, they cked a true standout pyer who could carry the team in critical moments.

  Adding to their arsenal were their occasional underhaactics—ag in front of referees or using trash talk to provoke oppos. Such behaviours made them a tricky team to face despite their otherwise average strength.

  Taichi's primary focus, however, was on Itachiyama. If his memory served him right, this was the team that woer-high Championship in his inal timeline.

  His uanding of Itachiyama wasensive, but there were a few pyers who had left an unfettable impression on him:

  Sakusa Kiyoomi, a wing spiker whose skill rivalled Wakatoshi Ushijima's as one of the three top offensive pyers iion.

  Motoya Komori, who transitioned from a wing spiker to libero in high school a on to bee Japan's top libero.

  Tsukasa Iizuna, a setter who would ter earle of Best Setter at the Junior Olympic Cup.

  With three pyers ranking among the top in their respective positions natio was no woachiyama had earhe title "The Kings of Tokyo."

  Taichi made his way to Itachiyama's match area. Their oppo was Sengoku erce Academy, a school he wasn't familiar with. Judging by the size of their cheer squad and the enthusiasm of their supporters, they weren't a team to be uimated.

  Sengoku erce started the serve—a powerful jump serve that flew towards Itachiyama's backcourt. The serve was sharp and forceful, the kind that could earn a direct point against an average team.

  Smack!

  Motoya Komori, Itachiyama's libero, stepped forward and received the ball ly.

  'Fast. Tall. This libero is on another level...' Taichi thought.

  [Motoya Komori. Libero. Overall ability score: 86; Height: 180 cm, Strength: 85, Jump: 82, Stamina: 90, Speed: 85. Skills: Serve: 87, Recieve: 90, Spike: 88.]

  'A 180 cm libero….with spiking stats at 88? No wonder he transitioned from a wing spiker. There's so much to unpack, but most importantly—this libero is taller than Iwaizumi!' Taichi thought in disbelief.

  "Cover!" Komori's voice rang out.

  From withihree-meter line, a solidly built figure stepped forward, leaping into the air aing the ball perfectly towards the .

  [Tsukasa Iizuna. Setter. Overall ability score: 88; Height: 181.4 cm, Strength: 90, Jump: 82, Stamina: 88, Speed: 90. Skills: Serve: 86, Recieve: 90, Set: 94.]

  'A powerhouse setter... taller than Iwaizumi-senpai too,' Taichi mused, shaking his head in amazement.

  Sengoku erce was quick to respond. Their blockers, disciplined and synized, formed a formidable three-man wall. As they disrupted Itachiyama's first touch, they kept their eyes fixed on Iizuna, carefully analyzing the setter's movements.

  From the back row, Sakusa Kiyoomi silently gathered momentum, taking two light yet precise strides before ung into the air. His movements were fluid, graceful, and devoid of any wasted energy.

  Kiyoomi was exceptionally tall but had a slender frame, a stark trast to Sengoku erce's blockers. The three-man wall loomed over the heir muscur arms f an imperable barrier, ready to deny any attack.

  The stark visual trast between Kiyoomi's lean silhouette and the imposing wall of blockers was striking. The audience collectively held their breath, anticipation thi the air.

  Smack!

  Sakusa seemed to hover in midair lohan humanly possible. His arm traced a arc through the air, spiking the ball with an ued angle and speed.

  For a brief moment, the audience's hearts nearly stopped as the ball struck the wrist of one of Sengoku erce's blockers, boung out of bounds.

  The ball was out. Point for Itachiyama!

  Sakusa nded gracefully, his expression calm and posed.

  "Sakusa! Sakusa! NICE SHOT!"

  "Keep it up! Sakusa!"

  "Sakusa-senpai, that was incredible!"

  The overwhelming cheers jolted Taichi back to reality, but what truly shook him was the skill behind Sakusa's spike.

  It was another off-the-block shot, yet the differen teique was obvious. Against such a solid wall of blockers, the slightest miscalcution in angle could lead to an ht reje.

  [Sakusa Kiyoomi. Wing Spiker(Ace). Overall ability score: 90; Height: 189 cm, Strength: 84, Jump: 90, Stamina: 88, Speed: 90. Skills: Serve: 99, Recieve: 96, Spike: 99.]

  Two 99s in teical skills?!

  Kaedehara Taichi was stunned by Sakusa's stats. He was airely different type of apared to Wakatoshi Ushijima—a wing spiker with precision and finesse, and one of the three top aces in the try!

  Taichi felt his trip had been more than worth it. Bokuto Kōtarō and Sakusa Kiyoomi—he had just witwo elite wing spikers in a. The experienly deepened his desire to grow stronger!

  Taichi stayed to wat e of Itachiyama's match. Even against a retively strong Sengoku erce team, the Kings of Tokyo pletely dominated.

  [Itachiyama 25 vs 9 Sengoku erce]

  It wasn't just Sengoku erce's offeruggling to scainst Motoya Komori's impeccable defence.

  Sakusa Kiyoomi alone mao rack up eight points with his devastating serves.

  Though satisfied with what he had seen, Taichi couldn't help but feel a bit disappoihat he didn't get to watch Kamomedai from Nagano or Inarizaki from Hyōgo in a. With those lingeris, he returo Nekoma's match venue.

  Siokyo's tour schedule was retively rexed, most schools returo their campuses for post-match reviews ara practice after their games. Seizing the opportunity, Taichi shamelessly tagged along with Nekoma after their match, to help mentor Lev Haiba as an excuse.

  In truth, this was subtly permitted by Coaekomata.

  The coach had a keen i in every pyer's growth, which was why he had facilitated es between Karasuno and the Fukurodani group to allow Karasuno to join the Fukurodani training camp.

  Kaedehara Taichi was also on Coaekomata's radar, especially since Kuroo Tetsurō had personally requested it—or rather, because Kuroo didn't want to be the ouck practising with Lev.

  The afternoon matches ed up quickly, with Tokyo's four seeded teams—Itachiyama, Fukurodani, Nekoma, and Nohebi—all advang to the round with 2-0 victories.

  However, the first match of the following weekend's round would pit Nekoma against Itachiyama.

  Taioted that Nekoma's pyers appeared calm, perhaps because they had already processed their emotions when the draw was announced.

  "Alright, Taichi, spill the real reason you're here~" Kuroo Tetsuro draped his arm over Taichi's shoulder, wearing an expression that screamed, I've got you figured out.

  "Kuroo-senpai, what are you talking about?" Taichi replied, feigning innoce. "I'm here purely to cheer for my close friend, Kenma, since he has a mating up!"

  "Really?"

  "Of course! How could you doubt the boween me and my best friend?" Taichi protested righteously, sneaking a g Kozume Kenma, silently hoping he'd back him up.

  Kenma, clearly ued in the versation, quietly put on his headphones and immersed himself in his game.

  "Then why did you only wate out of our four sets across two matches today?!" Kuroo pressed his forehead against Taichi's, gring at him acgly.

  Taichi: "..."

  He really came prepared for this, huh…

  Taichi's eyes darted as he quickly came up with an excuse. "I was gathering intel on your future oppos, of course! I'll share my observations during trainirust me, my insights will be useful!"

  "If you don't e now, you won't get another ce," Kuroo warned, his tone eerily calm.

  "Fine! I'll fess!" Taichi suddenly grabbed Kuroo's hands, gripping them tightly. His expression turned solemn as he decred, "Kuroo-senpai, I'm actually ygest fan! Please teach me how to hit cross-court spikes!"

  Kuroo: "..."

  That line sounded way too familiar…

  _________

  [T/N] - If you guys want to read 50 Chapters in advance of the current story, you support me on my Patreon. Trust me, it's awesome!

  Link - (P)atreon./Iseebbsp;[Remove the brackets]