"Be sure you make yourself heard!" Daichi told them.

"OSU!!"

"I'm kinda excited and nervous right now" Ayame thought as she assisted on the serve-receive warm-ups. She took a deep breath and exhaled "Osu!"

"Hitoka-chan, pick up the balls for the players and give it back to them, okay?" Shimizu asked the younger girl.

"Hai!"

"Shoyo-kun, you're too tense for the receive! Relax your body but stay on guard!" the violet eyed girl told him.

"Osu!"

She glanced at Aoba Johsai and she flinched when she saw Kageyama and Oikawa glaring electricity to each other while tugging the volleyball back and forth, like children.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Tobio-chan, who was miserably defeated last time"

"We've come to win this time"

"I depressed the hell out of you last time. All that's left is that bastard, Ushiwaka!" Oikawa smirked at the younger setter condescendingly "I'm gonna have you get out of the way again, Tobio!"

Kageyama fell backwards while the third year was laughing his ass off. Hanamaki wondered if their setter was really a third year after watching that.

"Uwaaah... isn't it a bit early for them to rile each other up?" Ayame sweat dropped.

"It's way too early to let Oikawa get to him..." Sugawara worriedly said "Should we ignore them and continue warming-up?"

"Let's do that"

They all resumed their warm-ups. As the players were doing serve-receives, the violet eyed girl glanced at the Seijoh team. She recalled the goosebumps she felt when the one they called "Mad Dog" passed by her side. She was uneasy about him but she shook it off to focus on her team when she saw Yahaba and Kindaichi glare at them. She looked away while stealing glances at them.

"Did I make them mad by watching them for a bit?" she wondered.

"What's wrong?" Yamaguchi asked her.

She looked at him "No, it's just... Ano... are they really glaring at us? Seijoh's #6 and #12, I mean"

He turned his head and he quickly looked away after he saw their looks "Y-Yeah... it's kinda scary..."

Little did they know that the two were glaring because Karasuno has another girl. It already pissed them that they have a third year manager beauty and a violet eyed girl who is also Karasuno's sharp observer and strategist. When they saw the blonde manager, their envy only intensifies upon seeing another girl in the Karasuno team.

Yahaba threw the ball to Karasuno's side purposely just as Yachi was passing by.

An obvious ploy to get to close to at least one girl of Karasuno.

Just as he was about to approach the girl, a stray volleyball went to her direction after a failed receive of Hanamaki.

"Crap! Look out!"

Ayame was about to rush in when Shimizu intervened and stopped the ball with her bare hands, much to the younger blonde's shock.

"Hitoka-chan, are you okay?" the violet eyed girl approached her worriedly "Uwaaah... Shimizu-san's amazing..."

"Y-Yeah..."

"That was frightening... something like that also happened back then...when Ayame and Takeda-sensei were nearly hit during the first Seijoh practice match..." Yamaguchi thought.

"Sorry about that!" Hanamaki called out.

Tanaka gave the ball to the shocked Yahaba with a warning look on his face "Here"

"Thanks..."

***

"The crow's broken wing has healed, and now it is stronger than ever" Mr. Takeda started "The bodies and techniques you've trained for this day... Please make sure you go all out, and fly into the huge sky. If you're able to do that everything needs to be done, results will follow. That's what I believe"

"OSU!!"

"Ayame, Ukai-kun" the teacher glanced at the coach and his assistant coach, who stepped forward.

"To be honest, Seijoh's a bad match-up for you" the man stated, which hit a gloomy atmosphere to the team.

Ayame quickly added "As well as any team that's calm and collected"

"But overcoming them is our only option" he told them "So go overcome that defeat!"

"YEAH!!"

"Everyone, I believe in your strength individually and as a team. We believe in you so please believe in yourselves" she told them "That's all"

"OSU!"

The players lined up and bowed to each other.

"LET US PLAY A GOOD GAME!!"

The violet eyed girl clenched her pencil and looked proudly to the Karasuno team "We're going to get our revenge!"

The first serve was from Seijoh and it was Oikawa's jump serve. Daichi picked it up but it was a long one. Kindaichi pushed it past Hinata's block but it was saved by Kageyama.

"It doesn't matter if Kageyama-kun took the first touch" she thought as she watched the game "He's not the only one who can properly set from our first six"

Nishinoya surprised the opposing team with his libero toss and he gave it to their ace from the back row, who spiked it to Seijoh's court. The bench players cheered (minus the ever stoic Tsukishima) but Asahi and Nishinoya just stared at each other as their arms trembled from shock and joy of achieving their attack.

"The ones who just did that are the most surprised about it?!"

"Wataru-san of Seijoh, you're not the only who knows how to pull of the libero toss" she thought as she saw the reaction of the other team "Our own Guardian Deity learned it as well"

Coach Ukai grinned when she saw her lips curled into a smile "All right, let's go, all-new Karasuno!"

It was now Kageyama's serve. Ayame saw him practicing his jump serves before and she noticed he began to add more control to the ball but not losing its force. He asked her help once and she told him that it's all in his wrists. After explaining the technicalities to him, she managed to convince her mother to help him in his jump serves as well. Imagine the joy the setter felt when Kazumi helped him in his serve.

"Remember what she told you, Kageyama-kun. Control your wrist and use imagery" she mentally relayed it to him.

He did his jump served and aimed it at a good line. Sadly, it was an out, much to his dismay.

"His wrist was a bit stiff" she noted "If he mellowed it slightly, it would've end up as a good line ball. It'll be fine. He can still do it"

"Y-Yeah..." Coach Ukai sweat dropped "Leave it to her sharp eyes to observe the slightest detail. It's still scary, even though I already know her ability..."

Iwaizume served and Asahi received it but it was long.

"Sorry, Kageyama!"

The setter sets it with one hand to Tanaka, who followed up for the spike and took their point. She heard Saeko cheering from the bleachers for her brother but she didn't look, since she was still observing Seijoh. She noticed how Hinata looked a little agitated and antsy.

As Oikawa was preparing his toss, both Iwaizume and Hanamaki started their running approach. Tsukishima was in front preparing for the block.

"It will be given to Hanamaki-san, Seijoh's #3" she said.

The megane blocked Hanamaki's spike, proving her deduction. She grinned when he figured out where the toss will go.

"It's scary how your predictions are true, Ayame..." Mr. Takeda noted.

The game progressed and Daichi made a perfect receive. Kageyama prepared his toss and Hinata went for the quick, but Kindaichi blocked him and it shocked the teen, recalling their last point against Seijoh.

Tsukishima was quick to save the ball and it went back to the opposing team's side.

"Bwah?! N-Naith, Thoogithima!" Tanaka said. What he was trying to say was "Nice, Tsukishima" but he tripped over his own tongue, and Ennoshita and Sugawara sweat dropped from his mistake.

"He was too hyped up to notice the block!" she bit her thumb's nail anxiously.

Kageyama made the shorter teen return to his senses when he kicked his butt, much to their surprise.

"F-Focus! C-Calm up-no, down! Calm down and sink-I mean, think!" he screamed at him.

"Is that Japanese?" Tsukishima thought.

"That goes for you, too, Kageyama" Tanaka looked at the distressed setter.

"Please calm down, Kageyama-kun. Shoyo-kun, too..." Ayame silently prayed.

After Hinata and Kageyama's one-touch, Asahi received it and sent it back to the setter. The shorter teen started his running approach. But this time, he was watching the ball and the blocker's hand.

"Break through it!!"

He did their new quick using the setter's falling toss, avoiding the blocker and scoring them a point.

"ALL RIGHT!!"

"Nice kill, Shoyo-kun!" Ayame cheered "With this, we're stepping up our game!"

So far, Seijoh hasn't received any of the oddball duo's new quick but the girl could not afford to relax and be complacent. This is Seijoh they are talking about. Sooner or later, one of their players is bound to make a strategy to counter them.

"As usual, Aoba Johsai is playing skillfully" Mr. Takeda said "All of their cogs are working together wonderfully"

"Yeah" the man agreed.

The points weren't that far apart and on the lead was Karasuno. When it was Seijoh's serve, she recalled their previous practices and the things they need to remember.

"Those who don't use jump serves usually aim at the place where the back line setter comes out" Ayame told them "You recalled that time against Seijoh, right?"

They nodded.

"We're going to practice the timing for the receivers to receive and for the setter to come out" she said "And mom will do the serves, you guys practice the timing for it"

"Even though I won't be using a jump serve or jump floater, stay sharp and be prepared" the woman warned them.

And the Karasuno players suffered two hours of practicing the timing and receiving Mizuki Kazumi's normal but still crazy strong serves, and they did that for a couple of days until they got the timing.

Tanaka grinned after receiving Kindaichi's serve and the setter quickly came out from the back line. He mentally recalled their practices with the lady "Hell, these guys' serves are nothing compared to Kazumi-san's "normal serves". She whipped our asses to shape with those serves until we got the timing even if the serve is strong!"

"Nice receive!"

Hinata went for another slide hit when he saw Matsukawa follow him up for a block. The shorter teen was forced to spike it straight to the receiver.

"I see. They are trying to narrow down the course of the spike. This is bad. They managed to counter the quick this fast" she bit her nail anxiously "As expected of Seijoh"

Seijoh countered them and took the point.

"But we can't back down"

The chibi middle blocker in front was preparing for the block. He patiently waited for a little before jumping up to block Kindaichi, earning them a point.

"Yosh, he's learned from his previous experience" Coach Ukai grinned, impressed at the teen's growth.

Score: Karasuno–23, Aoba Johsai–22

Ayame suddenly felt uneasy "The rotation has gone fully around. It's Oikawa-san's serve"

This shouldn't scare or make her uneasy, since the players have practiced receiving against strong servers. But the air around Oikawa was different from his previous serves.

"Bring it!!" Nishinoya and Daichi yelled.

The squeaking sound from Oikawa's shoes when he did the jump serve was different from the usual ones from Ayame's ears. Her eyes suddenly widened when the ball soared with such speed and monster strength right between their two strong receivers.

But lucky for them, it was an out.

"Damn, it was an out!! Sorry!" Oikawa messed his hair in frustration.

"Don't mind! Nice offensive serve!" Hanamaki told him.

"Next, next!" Iwaizume said.

Her arms went slack. Even by watching Seijoh's practice match once, she didn't see any slight change in his serve or aura "He increased the ball's speed and strength by 120%. It was even stronger and faster compared to his previous serves. If he managed to control his serve as the game continues..."

"It will be bad news for us" Coach Ukai said.

Daichi clapped his hand to catch his team's attention "Lucky, lucky! Let's get another one!"

Though the captain was mentally frustrated after seeing his serve "Huh?! What the hell was that?! He can hit the ball even harder?! That was basically a spike!"

Nishinoya was the only one excited to receive that serve "That was an insane serve! I wanna try and get it!"

"Well, Yuu-senpai is a libero so I guess it's normal for him wanting to receive that serve" she thought "Still, that sound was scary..."

Though that error placed the Karasuno team in a set point. Seijoh countered and there was suddenly a substitution call from them.

The blonde haired player she had been curious of was switched to Kunimi's place.

"I've never seen that player before" Coach Ukai said.

"Yes" Mr. Takeda agreed "He's not a pinch server and yet they are bring him out for the first time when their opponent is at set point"

"Ayame, what's up? You're being quiet" the man asked the girl next to him.

She bit her nail nervously "I saw him once when I was at Seijoh, though I never saw his skills as a player. Iwaizume-san said that he usually practices alone but..." she recalled he goosebumps on her arms when he passed by "There is this something in him that's...wild and uneasy. I don't know. But, I could more or less guess that they decided to put him in to increase their offense"

Iwaizume served and Daichi received but it was short. Kageyama sets it to Tanaka and the blockers made a one-touch. The libero receives it to the setter and Kindaichi prepares for a quick when all of a sudden, Seijoh's newly switched player pushed him out of the way and spiked it past the blocker's arm.

Ayame finally realized the reason for the goosebumps she felt from him.

"That one spike...that one spike he did just now is enough for me to know he is dangerous player of Seijoh...but..."

The referee whistled.

"It was an out! Talk about scary!"

Karasuno won the first set. She noticed that #16 will be starting the second set and she began to worry on how the set will go. But, she placed her faith on her teammates.

"Everyone, you can do it" she whispered.

The second set started with Asahi's serve but it ended up as an out.

"Damn it! Sorry!"

"So close! You'll get the next one!"

"Don't mind!"

"You're face is scary!"

"What'd you say?!"

Oikawa served but it also ended up as an out.

"Argh! Sorry!"

"Don't mind. We'll get the next one"

"It may look like he's messing up his serves but Oikawa-san's actually trying to control his new serve. If he managed to control it in the middle of this set, it will become a problem for us" she thought when she saw the frustrated look on the setter's face.

As the games progressed, Kyotani has been racking up points and at the same time, racking up a lot of errors as well. He's a doubled-edged sword, and she can't believe Seijoh did a sink-or-swim bet on him. It is definitely different from the Seijoh they used to know.

"He's a strong jumper, and his abdominal and dorsal muscles are unbelievable. He's a an open hitter but his attacks are more like quick attacks" Ayame noted "If I have to rate his skills, his power, jump and stamina, it will be five out of five, speed is three out of five and his game sense and technique might be two out of five. His reaction time and body coordination is also impressive, switching quickly using his left hand when the toss was short"

"Yeah..." the man sweat dropped from her observations.

"As expected from Karasuno's sharpest observer..." Mr. Takeda thought.

"I think it's about time we put Suga-san in" she said. Shimizu called the third year setter and he sat next to their coach and Ayame.

"#16 is still an unknown element, and dealing with Seijoh has gotten even more difficult" Coach Ukai told him.

"But, we're not just letting them take the game" she added.

"Hai. But before, that..." the setter trailed off.

"Oikawa-san's serves..." she thought as she watched Oikawa do his serve toss. He did his jump serve and it was like a slap to everyone's face when the ball was a no-touch ace "He managed to get the control, but...barely"

In Oikawa's next serve, it hit the top part of the net, destroying the ball's momentum.

"Front!" the man yelled.

Nishinoya received it and he cursed his self for holding back. Tsukishima followed and gave it to Tanaka, who spiked it past the three blockers, just right past Kyotani's block.

"All right!"

Sugawara and Ayame discussed for a bit before he stood and held the sign for #11. She looked at her senpai with her faith in him "I think it's time to use it, right, Suga-san?"

He grinned and ruffled her hair "Yeah. Leave it to your senpai"

He switched with Tsukishima and whispered to Kageyama before going to the end line for his serve.

In your serve, please aim at #16.