Haikyuu: Zero To Almighty

Chapter 101: The Kings of Tokyo

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 fundamentals in defence and serving, along with some well-coordinated offensive plays against blockers. However, they lacked a true standout player who could carry the team in critical moments.@@@@

Adding to their arsenal were their occasional underhanded tactics—acting in front of referees or using trash talk to provoke opponents. 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 won the Inter-high Championship in his original timeline.

His understanding of Itachiyama wasn't extensive, but there were a few players who had left an unforgettable impression on him:

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

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

Tsukasa Iizuna, a setter who would later earn the title of Best Setter at the Junior Olympic Cup.

With three players ranking among the top in their respective positions nationwide, it was no wonder Itachiyama had earned the title "The Kings of Tokyo."

Taichi made his way to Itachiyama's match area. Their opponent was Sengoku Commerce 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 underestimated.

Sengoku Commerce 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 cleanly.

'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 within the three-meter line, a solidly built figure stepped forward, leaping into the air and setting the ball perfectly towards the net.

[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 Commerce was quick to respond. Their blockers, disciplined and synchronized, 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 launching into the air. His movements were fluid, graceful, and devoid of any wasted energy.

In truth, this was subtly permitted by Coach Nekomata.

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

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

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

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

Taichi noted that Nekoma's players 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 innocence. "I'm here purely to cheer for my close friend, Kenma, since he has a match coming up!"

"Really?"

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

Kenma, clearly uninterested in the conversation, quietly put on his headphones and immersed himself in his game.

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

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 opponents, of course! I'll share my observations during training later. Trust me, my insights will be useful!"

"If you don't come clean now, you won't get another chance," Kuroo warned, his tone eerily calm.

"Fine! I'll confess!" Taichi suddenly grabbed Kuroo's hands, gripping them tightly. His expression turned solemn as he declared, "Kuroo-senpai, I'm actually your biggest 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 can support me on my Patreon. Trust me, it's awesome!

Link - /Iseeblack [Remove the brackets]