Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty
Chapter 562: Well, At Least I’m Not the One Getting Crushed (Double-Length)

BOOM!!!

The ball slipped through the gap in the block and slammed towards Trentino's three-meter line.

Fabio dove and barely dug it up!

Kageyama jumped to set, Alexander soared in from the back row for an attack!

"Double block!" Wallace and Hinata leapt side by side.

BOOM!!!—

The ball pierced through on the right side of the block and landed perfectly on São Paulo's sideline!

Alexander scored from the back row!

[São Paulo 15 - 14 Trentino]

The serve switched—Trentino to serve.

Boro's powerful jump serve!

Sanhos received it steadily, perfect pass.

Fernando jumped to set. Wallace charged in from the middle and spiked!

"Double block!" Yuri and Ryan leapt together.

—BOOM!!!

An overhand spike!

The ball zoomed to Trentino's deep left corner.

Fabio dug it up!

"C'mon, Kageyama!" Alexander shouted from the back row. "Set it to me!"

The ball floated toward the net, Souza jumped to intercept at the front.

Kageyama sprang up and one-handedly redirected the ball to the middle.

"Double block!"

BOOM!!!—

A straight shot from the right was followed immediately by a sharp cross on the left!

Smack!!!

The ball slammed into Yoandy's arm at the back corner and flew out!

Alexander scored again!

[São Paulo 15 - 15 Trentino]

Trentino tied the score!

Boro served a second time.

Yoandy calmly received it, perfect pass.

São Paulo launched a three-point front-row attack, forcing Trentino's block to spread out.

Fernando leapt and set the ball out.

"Right wing!" Kageyama shouted.

Yuri quickly shifted right and jumped together with Ryan for a double block.

Hinata flew into the air, the block cutting off his view completely.

BAM!!!

The ball slipped past the block and smashed into Trentino's three-meter line on the left side!

"You can actually hit a decent cross now!"

Kageyama received it!

Fabio leapt from the back row to set.

Alexander charged for a back-row attack!

"Triple block!" Souza, Wallace, and Hinata all jumped together.

—BOOM!!!

The ball flew over the block.

"Is it going out?!" Fernando glanced up in shock.

Alexander's back-row spike barely cleared the block by a palm's width—he shouldn't have had the angle to get overhands.

THUD!!!

Fernando twisted his body, but the ball slammed right onto São Paulo's end line and bounced out!

Line shot!

Alexander scored with an overhand kill!

[São Paulo 15 - 16 Trentino]

"Beep!—" A technical timeout.

"He's still scoring back-row attacks even with Wallace up front?!" Loser's eyes widened. "That's insane!"

"Nothing insane about it," Taichi replied calmly. "I can do it too."

Ramos: "..."

That's exactly what was insane—Alexander was a few months younger than Taichi, yet there were two monsters like this in the same generation.

"Danani, did you figure out his spike?" Conte asked their libero next to him.

"Yeah, his top-spin is on another level," Santiago replied with a serious face. "The instant it crosses the net, the ball is almost purely horizontal, so Wallace's block didn't leave any gaps."

"But after crossing the three-meter line, the ball plunges down sharply. Unless you see it in person, it's impossible to believe."

"Not just that last overhand, even his cross and straight shots earlier were razor sharp," Santiago said, slumping sideways in his seat. "Sorry, but I don't think we can stop him."

"You're giving up already?!" Bruno laughed in exasperation.

"Already?!" Santiago gestured toward Taichi. "We've been teammates with this guy for over a year, haven't we?"

"It's easy for you to say. I got tortured enough times."

Oikawa next to them tried to hold back his laughter.

"Forget I said anything," Bruno covered his face.

At least…it wasn't him getting crushed. No—what Bruno really meant was: at least it's the opposing team's libero who has to face Kaedehara Taichi.

-----

Timeout over, play resumed.

"Let's finish this off," Alexander said with a leisurely smile.

Trentino continued serving. Boro's jump serve!

Smack!

Sanhos received steadily, perfect pass.

Fernando set a high ball to the middle. Wallace jumped and spiked!

—BOOM!!!

The ball soared over the double block and slammed dead centre into Trentino's court.

"372 cm!!!"

—"Terrifying spike height! From Brazil's São Paulo legend—Wallace!"

A seamless overhand line attack.

Wallace scored!

[São Paulo 16 - 16 Trentino]

Serve switch—São Paulo to serve.

Souza's powerful jump serve!

BOOM!!!

Smack!

The ball smashed into Fabio's arm and flew out!

Souza scored directly off the serve!

[São Paulo 17 - 16 Trentino]

"118 km/h!"

"Beautiful serve!"

"Souza, another one!"

—"Amazing jump serve! Souza scored directly off the libero—he's clearly in great form this match!"

São Paulo continued serving.

Souza tossed the ball high and sent a second serve!

Smack!

The ball hit the net and dropped down.

Announcer: "..."

Souza's service error.

[São Paulo 17 - 17 Trentino]

Serve switch—Trentino to serve.

Ryan's powerful jump serve!

Smack!!!

Sanhos was knocked down by the serve, the pass flew wild.

Fernando moved quickly and set a high ball to the right wing. Souza jumped to spike!

BOOM!!!—

—Smack!!!

The ball was stuffed directly by the double block and slammed onto São Paulo's side!

Zaytsev scored with a block!

[São Paulo 17 - 18 Trentino]

The announcer remained silent.

Trentino continued serving. Ryan's powerful jump serve!

BOOM!!!

The ball streaked like a phantom and slammed into Fernando's arm, flying out!

"Nice serve!"

Ryan scored directly from the serve!

[São Paulo 17 - 19 Trentino]

"114 km/h side-spin serve!" the announcer shouted during the replay.

"Two perfect serves in a row by Ryan—from toss to swing, his form is flawless!"

Trentino continued serving.

Ryan's third serve!

BOOM!!!

Smack!!!

The ball struck Sanhos's arm, ricocheted high into Trentino's court!

"Great serve!"

Kageyama jumped at the front, quick set!

Whoosh!—

The ball soared to the left wing.

Zaytsev dodged Wallace's solo block and hammered it down.

BOOM!!!

The ball slammed into São Paulo's court and bounced high!

Zaytsev scored!

[São Paulo 17 - 20 Trentino]

—"Another scoring run for Trentino! With this surge, they're the first to hit 20 points, and the score gap is starting to widen!"

"Hinata, don't block from now on," Wallace said bluntly. "Against Zaytsev, your height isn't enough, and your peak reach is too slow."

"Yes!" Hinata responded seriously.

He understood Wallace was stating the truth. In fact, that was already a very polite way of putting it.

Trentino continued serving.

Smack!!!

Another heavy serve. This time Sanhos finally got it under control.

Fernando set. Wallace jumped and spiked!

BOOM!!!

"Double block!" Zaytsev and Yuri jumped together.

Smack!!!

The ball flew past Yuri's block, hit Fabio's arm, and flew out!

Wallace scored!

[São Paulo 18 - 20 Trentino]

—"Wallace's attack was so steady—he finally helped São Paulo break the opponent's serve!"

Serve switch—São Paulo to serve.

Wallace tossed the ball high, swung with full force, and smashed it!

BOOOM!!!

Smack!

A serve exceeding 120 km/h was directly received by Fabio!

The pass wasn't ideal.

Yet Kageyama's expression remained calm as he still managed to set the ball perfectly.

Yuri sprinted along the right sideline and leapt.

São Paulo's front line at that moment consisted of Hinata as outside hitter, Lucas as middle blocker, and Fernando as setter—arguably their weakest blocking lineup.

"Double block!" Lucas and Fernando jumped together.

BOOM!!!

The ball pierced through the right side of the block.

Smack!

Yoandy calmly received it, perfect pass.

Thud!

Hinata had already soared to the net.

"Huh?"

"Block him!"

Kageyama instinctively jumped right in front of Hinata, Zaytsev also moved diagonally to cover.

Their block completely sealed Hinata's direct line of attack.

SWISH!

As the ball came over, Hinata and Trentino's blockers all landed at the same time.

From the back row, Wallace jumped and hammered it down!

—BOOM!!!

A layered attack!

Hinata was the decoy!

The ball flew right over Kageyama's block, crashing heavily behind him.

Inside the three-meter line.

Wallace's overhand kill scored!

[São Paulo 19 - 20 Trentino]

São Paulo continued to serve—Wallace's second serve!

BOOOM!!!

Smack!!

Alexander barely managed to receive it, pass only half on target.

"This old man is insane!"

The ball floated high, Kageyama set it to the left wing. Zaytsev jumped and spiked!

"Double block!" Lucas and Fernando went up together.

—BOOM!!!

An overhand spike!

Smack!

Sanhos dug it up!

"Cover!"

Hinata jumped up to set, and both Wallace and Yoandy simultaneously launched a back-row attack!

"Damn it! That Hinata…"

Trentino couldn't read where Hinata would set, and they were forced to split their block.

Swoosh!—

Hinata sent the ball to the side away from Zaytsev—Yoandy leapt from the back row to spike!

"Double block!" Kageyama was forced to shift and jumped together with Yuri.

BOOM!!!

Smack!!!

Yoandy deliberately targeted Kageyama's arms, and the ball dropped right in front of him.

Off-the-block kill!

Yoandy scored!

[São Paulo 20 - 20 Trentino]

"They actually…tied it!"

The first set between São Paulo and Trentino was exceptionally fierce; every point could sway the match.

The spectators were fired up—this second match of Group A was proving even more exciting than expected.

São Paulo continued to serve.

Wallace's third serve!

BOOOM!!!

Each serve from Wallace was more vicious than the last.

"124 km/h!!!"

Smack!!!

The ball smashed into Fabio's arm and flew far out of bounds.

WHOOSH—

A figure sprinted past the baseline.

Kageyama, recalling everyone's positions, chased it down just before the ball crossed the advertising boards and, with his back turned, sent it back into play!

"Beautiful!"

"Incredible!"

Yuri jumped on the right wing and spiked!

"Double block!" Lucas and Fernando went up together.

Yuri adjusted midair, barely avoiding the block, and managed to spike!

BOOM!!!—

—SMACK!

Hinata had rotated back to block coverage! The ball hit his hand and dropped back into Trentino's court!

Smack!

Fabio dived and barely kept it alive.

Kageyama hadn't made it back to the court yet—

Alexander set the ball to the left wing, Zaytsev jumped to spike!

"It really is easy to get used to luxury…hard to go back once you're spoiled," Zaytsev muttered. Even Alexander's set now felt a bit off to him.

"Double block!"

—BOOM!!!

Despite what he said, the ball still thundered over the block!

Overhand kill!

Smack!!!

"They got it up!"

"Wait—" Fernando's emotions shifted in an instant.

The ball bounced off Wallace's arm and flew high back into Trentino's court!

It dropped toward Trentino's baseline corner.

Smack!

Kageyama calmly dug it up!

"So close! There was no one there—almost lost the point!"

Fabio moved to set. Alexander rose from the back row and spiked!

BOOM!!!—

SMACK!!!

Blocked!

"One touch!"

The ball was pressed up by the double block.

Sanhos calmly received it, perfect pass.

Hinata jumped up to set; São Paulo's four front attackers (excluding the libero) all launched!

Zaytsev and Yuri were forced to spread to both sides, Kageyama quickly returned to the front.

—BAM!!!

"——?!"

Hinata twisted in the air and directly spiked the ball down himself!

Setter dump!

The ball dropped right beside Kageyama.

SMACK!

At the moment Kageyama turned around, he threw his arm back to scoop it.

The ball bounced off his arm and fell.

"Chibi-chan actually—" Oikawa on the sidelines, widened his eyes, having been fooled too.

The ball hit the floor.

Hinata scored!

[São Paulo 21 - 20 Trentino]

São Paulo went on a four-point streak to take the lead!

"Beep! Trentino calls for a timeout."

Before Alexander and Zaytsev's attacks could even be shut down, the first crack was Trentino's reception!

However—

"I guess…you can only say Wallace's serve is just too powerful…" Santiago forced the words out through clenched teeth. If it had been San Juan, they might've lost on aces alone.

-----

Timeout over, play resumed.

São Paulo continued serving.

Trentino shifted from a four-man to a five-man reception, but their front row now included setter Kageyama.

"They actually let the middle blocker help with reception…The importance of their setter in the offense must be huge!"

"But the key point is—that middle blocker has to actually be able to receive…"

"Tweet!—" The serve whistle blew.

Wallace's fourth serve!

BOOOM!!!

The ball shot straight at Zaytsev.

Smack!!!

The ball flew high, only half on target!

Kageyama adjusted, jumped in the front row to set. He glanced quickly across Trentino's side, but his hands didn't hesitate at all.

Quick attack through the middle!

Alexander jumped from the back row.

"Double block!"

In just a split-second decision, Lucas and Fernando were a step too late.

—BOOM!!!

The ball slammed into São Paulo's court and bounced high.

Alexander scored with an overhand kill!

[São Paulo 21 - 21 Trentino]

_________

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