Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty-Chapter 298: Gratitude

Before the semifinals began in the afternoon, a stranger blocked the Seijoh players' path to the court.

"Hey, you're their leader, right?"

Towada Yoshiki swept his gaze over Seijoh's group of second-years before finally locking onto Kyōtani Kentarō—this guy had the aura of a strong player.

Yahaba Shigeru frowned. Is my presence as captain really that weak?

He glanced up and down at the stranger. The boy was wearing Ohgiminami High's uniform, which meant he was their opponent for the afternoon match. But with that fierce expression, he certainly didn't look like he had friendly intentions.

Just as Yahaba was about to step forward, Kyōtani moved first, planting himself in front of Seijoh's players and glaring back without an ounce of hesitation.

"What the hell do you want, punk?"

"Ah—sorry, sorry!"

A boy with an odd tuft of hair, who looked more like a middle schooler, came rushing over in a panic.

"He doesn't mean any harm! He just wanted to thank you guys!"

Akimiya Noboru tugged on Towada's sleeve.

"Don't make that scary face—it's freaking people out!"

"Thank us?"

The Seijoh players exchanged confused looks.

This was the first time they had ever encountered Ohgiminami. They barely even had any impression of the school, let alone a reason for gratitude.

"Aki-senpai, go back. I'll handle this properly," Towada said, pushing Akimiyama aside.

"Just don't start any fights," Akimiyama warned before walking past Seijoh's players.

"Yoshiki's a good kid—please go easy on him."

"Tch."

Towada took a deep breath, and the tense atmosphere eased slightly.

"So? What do you want?" Yahaba stepped forward. If possible, he wanted to wrap up this ridiculous scene as soon as possible.

Towada only now realized that Yahaba was Seijoh's captain, but that didn't matter.

"I used to think that no team in Miyagi could ever defeat Shiratorizawa."

"Most matches felt meaningless to me. No matter what, the same teams were always left standing at the end…"

"The points we fought tooth and nail for barely made a difference. They couldn't change anything."

Towada lifted his head, eyes blazing with determination.

"But then I saw you guys beat Shiratorizawa."

"From that moment on, I watched every single one of your matches—right up to your victory at Spring Nationals."

"I realized Shiratorizawa could be defeated. I realized hard work actually meant something."

"Fueled by that frustration, we pushed forward with everything we had—and that's the only reason we're standing here now!"

"I know you guys are strong, but we're going to give everything we've got to take you down!"

The Seijoh players stood quietly, waiting for Towada to finish.

"I see…" Yahaba exhaled softly.

If Oikawa-senpai were here to hear this, he'd probably be really happy, he thought.

Unconsciously, everyone turned toward Kaedehara Taichi.

After all, aside from Oikawa Tōru, Taichi had played the biggest role in both defeating Shiratorizawa and winning Spring Nationals.

But Taichi didn't seem particularly moved. Even after listening to Towada's speech, his expression remained completely indifferent.

"In that case," Taichi finally said, "I assume you're also prepared to be crushed by us."

Every team that made it this far carried the same determination.

No one had fought their way to this point just to lose.

Towada wasn't angered by Taichi's words.

He knew that the Aoba Johsai standing before him now was probably even more terrifying than Shiratorizawa had been in the past.

But this time, Ohgiminami wouldn't back down.

They would fight until the very last moment.

Even if they couldn't reach their goal in one leap, they could get just a little bit closer.

Right now, reaching the Final Four was already the greatest achievement in Ohgiminami's history.

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[Aoba Johsai 25 – 16 Ohgiminami]

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[Aoba Johsai 25 – 13 Ohgiminami]

As expected, Aoba Johsai secured an easy 2-0 victory over Ohgiminami and advanced to the finals.

"Even though you didn't hold back with your words, you still gave them plenty of respect during the match," Yahaba Shigeru said, glancing meaningfully at Kaedehara Taichi.

Throughout the entire semifinal, Taichi had barely attacked at all, devoting himself almost entirely to setting and receiving.

"That's because Coach Irihata wanted you guys to get more experience with offensive coordination in an actual match," Taichi replied calmly.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Yahaba-senpai, when I set that ball to you just now, the net was completely open. So why didn't you score?" Taichi asked, expression unreadable.

"Ah?"

Yahaba recalled the moment Taichi was referring to.

He hadn't expected Taichi to send a backset his way at all. Although he had managed to react in time and get the ball over the net without making an error, Ohgiminami's libero had picked it up with ease, leading to a counterattack.

"Don't tell me you didn't even consider the possibility?" Taichi continued. "You are a setter, you know. Shouldn't you be thinking about how to manipulate the blockers?"

"Uh…Well, that…" Yahaba coughed awkwardly and made a quick retreat. "I, uh, don't quite remember…I'll go review the footage later!"

The best defence is a good offence, Taichi thought, flashing that all-too-familiar mischievous grin.

Still, there had been some sincerity in his question. As Yahaba disappeared, Taichi's expression shifted into something more thoughtful.

Ohgiminami wasn't exactly a powerhouse. Given the matchup, Yahaba should have been able to dominate his opposite number.

But that hadn't happened.

Despite having both the technical skill and strategic awareness to outplay Ohgiminami's setter, Yahaba had performed no better in comparison.

In fact, considering the relative strength of each team's players, Ohgiminami's setter had arguably put on a better performance.

It was clear now that Yahaba's two years as a backup had been a double-edged sword.

On one hand, he had learned a great deal by observing Oikawa Tōru. His technique had undoubtedly improved.

But on the other hand, it had eroded his confidence. His lack of actual playing experience had left him hesitant, overly cautious—afraid of making mistakes.

Not everyone was like Kita Shinsuke, able to step onto the court at a moment's notice and perform at their absolute best.

Yahaba's conservatism, his fear of failure, was holding him back.

"There's not much time left for him to adjust…"

Unlike Honda Heisuke, who was simply filling a middle blocker position, a setter not only touched the ball more than anyone else but also served as the guiding force of the entire team.

"Could this be the turning point Yahaba Shigeru needs?"

Taichi shifted his gaze to the match report he had just received from Chiba Kaho.

[Date Tech 25 – 18 Kakugawa]

[Date Tech 25 – 16 Kakugawa]

Even Kakugawa's "Two-Meter Giant" had failed to break through Date Tech's ironclad blocking.

It was clear now—Aoba Johsai's final test before the championship would be against the Iron Wall of Date Tech.

And for Yahaba Shigeru, this would be his most difficult challenge yet.

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