Fox VS Love || Fem! Reader × R.suna

«✮ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕 ✮»

The State Tournament (Pt. 2)

Y/n Pov (or maybe Author Pov) :

Inarizaki had secured a spot in the top four. Today marked the fourth day of the tournament, and their opponent was Saizawa Academy, renowned for its powerful serves. The team understood that this match would be challenging, but they kept their spirits high and remained confident. The match began with Y/n serving, as Inarizaki had won the toss. Motivated by her teammates, Y/n executed a clean top-spin serve that was received by Saizawa's captain. The ball came back so forcefully that it returned to Inarizaki's side, where Fumiko received it and tossed it to Akiko, who set it for Fumiko again. Fumiko spiked it, earning the first point.

Y/n served again, this time with a jump floater. Saizawa's libero called it out, but the ball was in, giving Inarizaki another point. Y/n continued serving, racking up four more consecutive points until Saizawa finally managed to score by blocking Fumiko's spike. However, thanks to Ikari, their middle blocker, Saizawa struggled to gain more points, and Inarizaki won the first set 25-12. The team couldn't believe their strategy of preventing Saizawa from serving had worked so well.

As the second set began, it was time for Ikari to serve. She executed an underhand serve, which was received by Saizawa's libero. They managed a decent set but couldn't score as Ikari blocked their Ace. The tension in Saizawa's camp was palpable, especially with Ikari, last year's best blocker, on the court. After a quick serve drill, Ikari unleashed a powerful top-spin serve that even the libero couldn't handle, scoring multiple points and creating a nine-point lead for Inarizaki. The second set ended with a score of 25-16, and they advanced to the final round.

The team reached the fifth day with relative ease, but now they faced Magoya High, who had defeated them in the quarterfinals last year. Having worked hard to reach the finals this time, Magoya looked strong, and Inarizaki couldn't afford to lose after coming this far. The match started after the judges settled in. Magoya won the toss and chose to serve. Their captain spiked the ball, but Ikari received it and passed to Akiko, who cleverly opted for a dump instead of a set, catching everyone off guard and earning a point.

Akiko followed with an underhand serve that the opposing middle blocker failed to receive, revealing a weakness in her skills. Noticing this, Akiko targeted their blocker, prompting Magoya's coach to call a timeout with the score at 11-4 in Inarizaki's favor. After the timeout, Akiko served again, this time successfully received by their Ace, giving Magoya a point. Despite this, Inarizaki secured the first set.

The second set began with Fumiko serving her most powerful shots. She quickly earned four points until Magoya's libero finally managed to receive one of her serves. Magoya's #3, their libero, served but only managed to score three points, as Kiyo, their libero, kept her in check. Akiko contributed significantly, but just as they were nearing 20 points, she sustained a minor elbow injury while diving for a save. Mayumi, the substitute setter, stepped in for the remainder of the game, but their inexperience compared to Akiko's led to their loss. However, they couldn't blame her; they were a team.

The score stood at 1-1 in sets. Yet their captain motivated them, reminding the team they were fighting for a spot at nationals, emphasizing the need to prove their worth. The final set of their tournament began with a strong start. The score was 5-8 when Akiko returned after her examination. Fortunately, her injury wasn't severe, and she rejoined the game. With her back on the court, along with their talented libero, a strong Ace, and a brilliant middle blocker, Inarizaki felt revitalized.

Akiko's presence restored the team's confidence, and their point streak resumed. With everyone contributing, they edged closer to their goal of reaching the Spring Tournament. Ultimately, they secured victory, which meant a trip to Tokyo! The team erupted in excitement, celebrating with Ikari, who had single-handedly blocked Magoya's Ace. This was just the beginning of an exhilarating journey for the Inarizaki Girls' team!

End of the Chapter