NUMBER 13

Chapter 10

Now tied with Shiratorizawa, Nishianoya and Tsukishima are both praised by the team for how the block and receive worked and gained the point for Karasuno.

Akihiko delivers his powerful serves and Reon called, "Out!", as the ball went in which earned them a point. Akihiko serves again and Goshiki receives, but gets blown away.

As Reon goes to spike, Tsukishima, Kageyama and Tanaka go to block while following Tsukishima's call on the timing. Reon executes a feint that Daichi is able to save though it heads right back toward the net and Tendou scores with a direct spike, "Victory!", Tendou exclaim as Ushijima pointed out the score board, "We need 2 more points to win."

With Shiratorizawa's change in rotation, Ushijima is now up to serve. Daichi receives the spike that goes to Asahi who then sends it to Tanaka. As Goshiki receives the ball, Shirabu is wary of Tsukishima. Tendō calls for the ball at the same time Ushijima and Reon ready themselves for a possible attack though Kageyama spots Shirabu attemping a setter dump. The Karasuno team notice the attempt as well but are taken back when Tsukishima is able to reach up and get a one touch. Despite the effort, Nishinoya does not reach it in time and Shiratorizawa gains the point.

Tsukishima apologizes to Nishinoya as he believes his one touch altered the balls path and the chance for it to be saved. Nishinoya instead states, "I would not have been able to reach it regardless.", then put his hand on his shoulder, "You shouldn't be upset.

Ushijima serves again. Daichi momentarily believes the ball will go out but realizes it will not and receives. Tsukishima sends the last hit to Tanaka who deflects the ball off Reon's hand and sends it out, bringing the score to a deuce.

As Hinata rotates in, Tsukishima takes the chance to speak with him before his serve. After he serves, Yamagata sends the receive to Shirabu. Tendou attempts to spike but is surprised when Hinata jumps and gets a one touch. Hinata and Tanaka call for the ball but are surprised when Kageyama instead does a successful setter dump, seemingly as payback for Shirabu's setter dump.

Karasuno now has set point but that is taken back when Reon lands a spike. Takeda becomes on edge at seeing how hard it is to score more than one point in a row. Ukai agrees though he explains, "that's how volleyball was designed and when a team is in the last part of a set they become more eager in an attempt to score and win."

As Reon serves, Akihiko receives the ball but it goes directly over the net, leading Kageyama and Goshiki to a joust that Kageyama easily wins but Tendou saves the ball by kicking it into the air. Yamagata gets the ball up for Goshiki to send it back to Karasuno.

As Nishinoya sends the receive to Kageyama, Hinata charges for the net and suddenly heads to the right side. Tendou and Shirabu are caught off guard and believe Hinata will get the ball but Kageyama instead tosses to Tanaka on the left and he gets by Shirabu and Tendou who had jumped too late.

Tanaka praises Kageyama on his toss, Kageyama instead apologizes to Tanaka saying that his set was slightly early. With the rest of the players, Tsukishima sees how frustrated opposing teams become when Hinata is running about the court in front of them and silently encourages Hinata and Kageyama to get as wild as they can.
With Karasuno at set point, Washijo calls for Shiratorizawa's first time-out.

After the time-out, Shiratorizawa scores right away. Semi is then subbed in for Tendou for the next serve. He serves and Asahi receives. Tanaka sends the last hit to Daichi and the ball is bounced off the blockers hands and goes straight above the net.

Shirabu is instructed by Kawanishi to go for the ball at the same time Hinata jumps to block. To his surprise, Shirabu changes forms and sets the ball to Semi who then sets to Goshiki.

Goshiki lands a spike past Daichi and Hinata. Semi serves again. Daichi receives but the ball is short. Despite this, Hinata and Kageyama pull off a successful quick attack to the shock and horror of the Shiratorizawa players. Now tied again, Semi is subbed back out for Tendou.

Tanaka serves next and the rally goes on with both sides returning the ball and attempting to score. Ushijima is again lured into Karasuno's plan of being faced against a triple block and aiming a straight shot right at Nishinoya who saves it despite getting knocked down from the sheer force behind the spike. Asahi attempts to spike the last hit but is blocked by Kawanishi and Shirabu. After a short rally following Shirabu's serve, Daichi is able to score a point when Yamagata fails to receive his spike.

As Hinata serves, Tsukishima declares, "Karasuno cannot allow the opposing setter to feel the pleasure or accomplishment of overcoming their blocks. They must continue to be persistent; adding pressure and building stress."

Tsukishima's one touch on Ushijima's spike heads out but Hinata leaps after it and hits the ball back while crashing through the court barriers. With Ukai shouting to connect, Tanaka sends the last hit to Kageyama. Kageyama spikes but the ball hits the top of the net. Kawanishi manages to save with a single arm receive but the ball goes right back to Karasuno.

Akihiko sends Kageyama the ball as Hinata runs back with great speed. Kageyama sets the ball and Hinata perfectly spikes and scores before any of the Shiratorizawa players can try to receive and while trying to keep himself from crashing into the net. Asahi switched with Akihiko before Hinata's serve.

At Hinata's second serve, Goshiki debates if the ball will go out or not and questions what will happen if he doesn't receive it. He ultimately saves it but the ball is off. Yamagata sends the last hit to Ushijima as Tsukishima, Asahi and Daichi prepare to block. Despite this, Ushijima spikes over them and the ball flies past Kageyama and Tanaka with great force that momentarily stuns the two.

Takeda comments how Ushijima was able to change the flow of the game with that one spike. Daichi advises the team not to get discouraged and they will continue to press forward. Goshiki serves next and Daichi receives. Asahi tries to spike but Kawanishi is able to block and the ball heads toward Karasuno's back side. Tanaka saves with an over-hand receive and they launch a synchronized attack. Kageyama gives the set to Daichi and Karasuno gets the point when Yamagata is unable to save the ball.

Daichi serves and the ball heads toward the front. Reon receives and Shirabu tosses to Ushijima. Tsukishima, Kageyama and Asahi jump to block as they once again lead Ushijima to spike directly at Nishinoya. Tanaka and Daichi are able to get the ball up and back over to Shiratorizwa as Shirabu is becoming more frustrated. As Yamagata sends the ball to him, Shirabu recalls the one touches and receives of Ushijima's spikes that Karasuno has done.

When he gets the ball, Shirabu's frustration causes him to send a low toss close to the net. A moment that Tsukishima had been waiting for. Tsukishima and Asahi jump to block as Ushijima spots a clear path for him to spike through. He spikes the ball only for Tsukishima to move his arms in time to ultimately block Ushijima and score the set winning point for Karasuno. Everyone in the gymnasium, including Ushijima, is utterly surprised that Tsukishima has done what no one thought was possible.

Tsukishima then lets out a cry of accomplishment as everyone shouts in celebration of his block. As Tsukishima is heavily praised by Tanaka and Nishinoya, Kageyama realizes that Shirabu's toss just now was not the normal set he would send to Ushijima and that Tsukishima realized this and took advantage, possibly having even waited for that very moment for a while.

When Daichi and Asahi compliment him on his block, Tsukishima explains, "The block was made possible from the pressure and stress they had been piling on Shirabu from seeing Nishinoya's receives of their spikes from his sets and from Hinata and Kageyama getting through Shiratorizawa's blocks."

Hinata approaches Tsukishima and compliments his block, saying, "It was a block worth one hundred points.", Tsukishima then teases Hinata, silently saying that he should attempt the same since he too is a middle blocker. Hinata gets riled up at the taunt though Tanaka tries to calm him by saying "Tsukishima didn't mean this in a competitive way."

Tsukishima advises the team that the time to celebrate what he has done is over, saying it was just one point, and the game is just getting started. The team agrees as they prepare themselves for the third set.

(A/N): 1,497 words, it's Tendou's birthday yesterday. Happy Birthday to my Favorite red head.