Haikyuu: Reborn in Karasuno

The string of points not only sent Karasuno's momentum soaring but also marked a turning point for Yamaguchi. All those long nights of practice had finally crystallized into confidence, and scoring continuously against a top-eight team only made him stronger.

On the other side, Wakutani faltered. Their morale sank the moment even their captain failed to handle Yamaguchi's serve. The once-loud cheering section now sat in stunned silence.

"Coach Ukai, from today on, Yamaguchi can finally be called a true pinch server."

Mr. Takeda's voice trembled with joy. Coach Ukai nodded, a rare smile tugging at his lips.

"Yes. Now all four of our first-years can finally stand shoulder-to-shoulder."

In the stands, Karasuno's supporters erupted. Shimada, Yamaguchi's mentor, nearly cried as he remembered his disciple's struggles—the timid boy who had pushed through doubt and failure now shone on the court. Saeko swung her arms wildly, Hitoka shouted his name at the top of her lungs, and the cheer squad waved their pom-poms in unison.

But Yamaguchi heard none of it. His focus never wavered as he returned to the service line.

"Yamaguchi, make it a good one!" Daichi called.

A smile touched Yamaguchi's lips.

On the other side, Nakashima roared, refusing to give in. He flung himself at the ball with reckless determination. His first touch went wide, but Wakutani's libero chased it down, crashing into the billboards to keep it alive. The rally continued, but Karasuno's front line was waiting.

Hayato moved in sync with Asahi, shouting the count. Together, they leapt like an unshakable iron wall. Kawawatari, Wakutani's spiker, had no time to adjust. His shot was slammed back by Asahi's palm, the ball landing clean on their side.

Block point! 23–15.

"Unbelievable! Is Karasuno about to end it right here?"

Iwaizumi gaped from the stands. Even Oikawa, watching with arms crossed, grimaced.

"That number 12… last time we faced him, he was nothing more than a rookie. Now look at him."

Wakutani's bench felt the pressure. Even Nakashima's family grew restless, his father's eye twitching despite his words of reassurance.

Back on the court, Yamaguchi readied his next serve. He briefly considered playing it safe, but Daichi's firm voice cut through his hesitation.

"Relax, Yamaguchi. This is your moment. If you've honed your Jump Float, then trust it. Even if they return it, we've got your back."

One by one, his teammates chimed in—Nishinoya shouting that he'd cover any ball, Asahi gently urging him to believe, even Kageyama muttering a blunt "Go." Hayato flashed a thumbs-up.

With everyone's support behind him, Yamaguchi's doubt vanished.

The whistle blew. He tossed the ball high, eyes sharp.

The serve dipped sharply, wobbling in mid-air before crashing down at the feet of Wakutani's front-row player. The ball ricocheted away before they could react.

24–15. Match point.

The gymnasium exploded. Yamaguchi had racked up four consecutive points—his name echoed in cheers, cementing his new role as Karasuno's secret weapon.

"Are they seriously going to finish this set just off a Jump Float Serve?"

"Look at Wakutani—their faces say it all. They've already lost in spirit."

But Wakutani wasn't finished yet. Nakashima gritted his teeth and, with sheer willpower, finally received Yamaguchi's next serve. Kawawatari followed up, blasting through Karasuno's block with a desperate spike that even Daichi couldn't fully control.

Point to Wakutani.

"YES!!"

Their roar was so loud it drowned out the crowd, as if they'd just struck down a final boss.

Yamaguchi's shoulders tensed. His eyes followed the ball that had slipped past them, regret gnawing at him. If only he'd been stronger, maybe Karasuno could have countered.

"Sorry, I couldn't pick that one up," Daichi said, but before Yamaguchi could apologize, the others spoke up too.

"Our block was read."

"Don't sweat it—you've already done more than enough."

"We'll count on you again next time."

Their hands patted his shoulders, their smiles warm. Yamaguchi blinked fast, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand.

As he left the court, he exchanged tags with Tsukishima.

"Your performance was awesome today," Tsukishima said flatly, though the faint smile on his lips gave him away. "I'll take it from here."

Yamaguchi nodded. For the first time, he truly felt like part of Karasuno's lineup.

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