While they were talking, the game on the court gradually began.
Mujinazaka a team which one of the three national level aces, naturally centers their strategy around him!
But unlike Shiratorizawa, the rest of Mujinazaka's team often send Wakatsu Kiryu extremely difficult balls.
There are even many sets directed at him that would be considered impossible to score by most observers!
Yet as a top-tier ace, Kiryu can still convert awkward passes from all sorts of angles into clean points when no one expects him to!
"This..."
"Can he really score off such a low set?"
"What a powerful spike!"
"No way—that last ball was clearly a setting error! And Kiryu still scored!!"
"That super low ball from behind—why would Mujinazaka even send a pass like that?"
———
Spectators outside the court let out constant exclamations.
"This is just bizarre!"
"Is this the strength of a national top-three ace?"
It was the first time the Karasuno players had seen a trump card like this in action.
Even Ushijima had never hit smashes this unorthodox or demanding during matches!
A smile appeared on Tetsurō Kuroo's face.
"If it's a ball, I'll hit it!"
"That used to be his motto."
"This is Mujinazaka's ace! The Bad Ball Killer—Wakatsu Kiryu!"
"Because he's the ace, whenever there's a poorly positioned pass, Mujinazaka instinctively sends it to him!"
"The ace is the symbol of scoring."
"Their desire to score makes them unconsciously rely on him."
"And after doing that for a while, it became a habit."
"Anytime the pass is bad, his teammates automatically set it to Kiryu!"
"After long-term training, Kiryu gradually adapted to handling these kinds of terrible sets."
"He developed an incredibly clever way to spike—maintaining power, keeping accuracy, and finishing the attack!"
Keiji Akaashi, standing nearby, also sighed.
"Exactly."
"To many setters, the idea of intentionally sending those kinds of sets to the ace is just criminal!"
"But Kiryu keeps scoring off them!"
"That's what makes him terrifying!"
———
Creak!
While they chatted, Mujinazaka's game gradually drew to a close.
Tsutate High, who had managed a win over Ubugawa High yesterday, looked like helpless children today facing Mujinazaka!
They had no room to fight back!
After all, this is the team that made it to the Spring High Final Four last year!
Mujinazaka High School!
And in the afternoon match, Nohebi Academy also defeated their opponent, Achisu High School, after a tough battle!
They successfully advanced to the third round!
This means they'll be Karasuno's opponents tomorrow morning!
Afterward, everyone continued watching other school matches.
Strong teams from all over the country pushed forward, fueled by their sweat and determination, chasing the ultimate glory!!
At the end of the second day of nationals, only 16 teams remained!!
Every single one of them is the cream of the crop!
And in tomorrow morning's matches, even fiercer clashes will unfold between these powerhouses!
The winners will immediately qualify as part of the top 8 teams in the nation!!
———
That night, at the hotel where Karasuno was staying.
It was a bit of free time before the evening meeting.
Ukai and Ittetsu Takeda had gone off to attend an official competition meeting.
The rest of the team stayed behind, watching footage of their upcoming opponent's matches.
"All those seeded teams… they're so strong!"
Reflecting on the day's games, Shōyō Hinata couldn't help but sigh:
"It's a shame we haven't faced any of them yet!"
"We will eventually!"
Kōshi Sugawara said while glancing at the schedule in his hand.
"There are still four teams in Group C."
"Besides us and Nohebi, the other two are seeded teams in this tournament."
"If we win tomorrow morning, we'll face the other winner in the afternoon!"
"Man, I hope we can keep winning tomorrow!"
———
While everyone chatted, the conference room door suddenly opened.
"How did the match footage look?"
Ukai and Takeda entered the room.
"To make sure everyone gets enough rest for tomorrow's high-intensity match,"
"I'll keep it brief!"
"About our first opponent tomorrow morning—Nohebi Academy!"
"Based on my research and consistent evaluations from Tokyo high schools…"
"This is a team that will do anything to win."
Hearing this, Daichi Sawamura and the others nodded in agreement.
"Also, according to Kuroo, Nohebi is known for their mental resilience and stubborn defense!"
"Right," Ukai nodded.
"Over the past two days, I'm sure you've all watched their two games."
"During matches, they constantly interfere with their opponents' focus by talking trash."
"They even pull minor stunts to confuse the referee's judgment, just to gain a small edge!"
"So I hope everyone can try not to let them shake your mentality tomorrow."
"Yes!!"
Seeing everyone's response, Ukai leaned forward with both hands on the table.
"I believe we hold the upper hand in terms of strength."
"As long as we keep our composure—"
"Those small psychological tricks they cling to won't determine the outcome of the match."
"So! Let's give it everything!"
"Yeah!!"
"Alright, now go get some rest!"
"Be at your best! Face tomorrow's battle head-on!"
"Yes!!"
———
Watching everyone leave, Ukai sighed quietly.
Noticing this, Takeda asked with slight concern:
"Is there something worrying you about tomorrow's match?"
"Even though everyone says they won't be shaken, once you step on the court, that might change."
"They're all fired-up kids—I'm worried someone's mentality might break."
"Then... what should we do?"
Takeda asked anxiously.
"Are we just going to let it happen?"
"Honestly, with Akira on our side, I'm not worried about the result at all."
"It's just… the process might get messy."
Ukai scratched his head and continued:
"And to be real with you..."
"If we had no preparation and no understanding of opponents like these,"
"We'd probably fall for their dirty tricks."
"But we've done our homework."
"Everyone's seen their two matches, and they've mentally prepared for Nohebi's sneaky tactics."
"Even if they get rattled a bit, it won't be a huge problem."
"On the contrary, if Nohebi realizes their usual mental warfare isn't working at all…"
"Maybe they will be the ones who lose their cool."