Haikyuu!!: Can a reclusive genius fall in love?

The fervor following the stunning comeback in the second set had barely subsided when the whistle blew for the third set. The air inside the arena remained intensely hot, but its flow subtly shifted. The oppressive atmosphere at the sidelines of Aoba City West was no longer one of low pressure, but rather one of taut, pent-up energy surging forth.

Oikawa Tetsu stood on the court, slightly stretching his ankles and shoulders. The strain from the seven consecutive powerful serves was clearly considerable, but there was no sign of fatigue on his face, only a sharp, almost pleasurable focus. He had returned to his most familiar and strongest position—the team's commander.

"Alright, alright, the party's over~" He clapped his hands, his voice clear and cheerful, with his usual lighthearted tone, yet strangely, it instantly focused all the team members' attention. "From now on, Oikawa-sama is going to take over the game, okay? Everyone, perk up, don't waste my awesome performance just now!"

"Don't be so smug, you stinky guy!" Iwaizumi retorted habitually, but his stance unconsciously shifted closer to the net, ready to attack at any moment.

Oikawa Tetsu laughed heartily, his gaze sweeping over the Karasuno team members who were on high alert, and finally landing on Yukimura Tsukishiro beside him.

"Yuki-chan," he turned his head, lowering his voice with a hint of slyness, "did you see that serve just now?"

Yuebai nodded gently, a lingering shock still present in his icy green eyes. That absolute power and control was a realm he had never encountered before.

"Very good~" Oikawa Tetsu's smile deepened. "Then, now, enjoy the feeling of being lifted up by Oikawa-sama's pass."

His words were full of confidence, even a bit arrogant, yet strangely, no one could doubt them.

Game start.

With Oikawa Tetsu's serve over, Karasuno gained a valuable respite and served first. Their attack remained sharp, while Kageyama Tobio's organization was calm and efficient, attempting to regain the rhythm.

However, Qingcheng is completely different now.

In a fierce back-and-forth battle, Karasuno's spike was bravely saved by Aoki, and the ball flew towards the backcourt with a high and swaying arc, about to go out of bounds.

"I'll take it!" Oikawa Tetsu's voice rang out clearly. He quickly retreated to judge the landing point. His footwork was slightly conservative due to his previous foot injury, but his sense of position was still terrifyingly accurate. He did not choose to force a shot, but instead steadily passed the ball to Yakinibu Hide, who was in a better position.

"Yashiki!" he shouted.

Yajin Hide paused for a moment, then immediately realized that this was his senior giving him a chance to rebuild his confidence. He took a deep breath and passed the ball to Iwaizumi, who was waiting for an opportunity at the net.

Iwazumi roared and smashed the ball with all his might! The ball was blocked by Karasuno's block, and Aoki saved it again.

The ball flew towards Oikawa Tetsu once again. This time, he didn't pass it to anyone else.

"Chance ball!" he shouted, his hands already reaching for the ball. His jump wasn't high, and it even seemed like he was conserving some energy, but his body stability and wrist movements were incredibly refined.

The volleyball seemed to come alive, obediently leaving his fingertips and transforming into a swift and steady white light, flying with unparalleled precision towards an open area—where, as if sensing something, Yukimura Tsukishiro had just started his run-up!

Timing, altitude, speed—everything was perfect! It was a spot where you didn't need to think, just unleash your power!

Yuebai's mind was now free of distractions; his eyes were fixed solely on the ball that seemed to have been created just for him. He pushed off the ground with all his might, his body soaring into the air, his white hair flying, his arms arching back—all his power coalesced in that instant, and then unleashed fiercely through his palms!

boom! ! !

The volleyball tore through the air, slamming heavily onto the Karasuno court floor with a speed and force far more ferocious than ever before! The sound was deep and resounding, as if echoing.

Swift and decisive! A single, fatal blow!

The entire movement was fluid and seamless, from passing and running to spiking, so fast it was dazzling.

There was a moment of silence on the sidelines, followed by a huge cheer.

As the moonlight fell, he breathed slightly, watching the ball still spinning on the opposite floor, the exhilarating sensation of striking it lingering on his fingertips. This feeling... was completely different from before.

"Nice kill! Yuki-chan!" Oikawa Tetsu ran over with a smile, giving him a high five, the pressure just right. "See? Isn't it super—comfortable?"

Looking into his bright eyes, Yuebai nodded gently again: "...Mm."

The feeling was as if he were no longer a lone boat struggling in the mire, but rather as if he had been lifted high into the sky by a pair of strong and reliable hands. At the moment of takeoff, the other side of the net was completely visible, and he could clearly see the ferocious expression on his opponent's face.

Oikawa Tetsu's return is not just about providing a powerful serve; he has also rewoven Aoki's offensive network. His mind is racing, and his eyes are like sophisticated radar, constantly scanning for weaknesses in the opponent's defense and the positions of his teammates.

He no longer relied solely on the single point of "Moonlight White," but truly achieved success in multiple areas.

At 3-7, he used eye contact and extremely subtle hand gestures to simultaneously orchestrate Iwaizumi's frontal attacks and Matsukawa's quick attacks from the middle, completely disrupting Karasuno's blocking decisions, and finally Matsukawa easily scored.

At 8:14, he saw Kindaichi had a great opportunity on the right side. He used a back pass feint to deceive the opposing middle blocker, and then quickly sent the ball to Kindaichi's most comfortable position, helping him to hit a beautiful diagonal spike.

At 13:20, he didn't even forget to comfort the somewhat disappointed Kunimi Hide. During a break in the dead ball, he put his arm around his junior's neck and whispered a few words quickly, pointing to a certain area of ​​the other's body. Kunimi Hide was surprised at first, but then his eyes lit up again.

Aoki's attack became fluid and varied, no longer a disorganized mess or brute force relying on individual skill. Every pass was purposeful, and every run was full of deception and coordination. Oikawa Tetsu, like a master conductor, effortlessly controlled the situation on the field with his fingers and eyes.

Under this exquisite command, Yukimura Tsukishiro repeatedly took off and smashed, gradually understanding the true meaning of "teamwork." He remained silent, but he began to follow Oikawa Tetsu's guidance with his eyes and to observe his teammates' positioning to adjust his own movements.

In the third game, under the artistic direction of Oikawa Toru, Aoba Josai gave Karasuno no further chances. Leading throughout, they ultimately secured the victory.

When the final whistle blew, the Qingcheng team members embraced each other again, but this time, their cheers were tinged with a sense of confidence and determination.

Surrounded by everyone, Oikawa Tetsu looked a little tired, but mostly satisfied and proud. He ruffled Yukimura Tsukishiro's white hair: "How was it, Yuki-chan? Oikawa-sama's passing is the best in the world, isn't it?"

Xuecun Yuebai didn't look away, but simply raised his eyes to look at him. His emerald eyes were clear and deep, and he answered very seriously, word by word:

"...Yes. Oikawa-senpai's ball control is the best in the world."

Oikawa Tetsuya was stunned for a moment, then a smile bloomed on his face like fireworks, incredibly bright.

"Oh dear~ Really, Yuki-chan is so honest, I'll get too proud!"

Iwaizumi, unable to stand it any longer, slapped him on the back: "Stop being so smug! Get in line!"

"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Iwa-chan is so rough!"

Amidst laughter and commotion, Qingcheng's team marched towards the net.