Quarterfinals: Nekoma vs. Shiraishi High
Quarterfinals: Nekoma vs. Shiraishi High
The quarterfinals of the Tokyo Inter-High Qualifiers were underway, and Nekoma stood on the brink of a new chapter. Their opponents, Shiraishi High, were a formidable team known for their balanced offense and tight defense. Their ace, Akihiko Mori, was a well-rounded player with a powerful jump serve and excellent timing at the net. With a strong setter in Ryuuji Yamamoto and dependable wings, Shiraishi was no pushover.
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Pre-Match Atmosphere
The gymnasium was buzzing with anticipation. Coaches and spectators alike knew that this match would be the most challenging Nekoma had faced so far. As the teams lined up for the opening, Shiraishi's captain, Mori, locked eyes with Wakasa, sizing up the young first-year. Wakasa, however, remained unfazed, his confidence quiet but unshakable.
Shiraishi was good, but they hadn't faced anyone like Wakasa yet.
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First Set: Wakasa Unleashed
The whistle blew, and the match began.
Shiraishi came out strong with aggressive serves from Mori, but Kuroo quickly directed the ball to Kenma, who set up Wakasa. The first spike was explosive—Wakasa launched himself into the air with an unexpected leap that seemed to defy gravity. His jump, reminiscent of Hinata's "boom jump," caught Shiraishi's blockers completely off-guard. The ball slammed into the floor with a satisfying thud.
"Nice kill, Wakasa!" Kuroo called out, already sensing that this match was going to be something special.
Shiraishi's defense scrambled to adjust, but Wakasa's instincts—honed by his ability to copy Hinata's explosive jump and reflexes—allowed him to read their movements with near-perfect precision. As Shiraishi's setter Yamamoto tried to surprise Nekoma with a quick set to Mori, Wakasa leapt again, his speed and timing so precise that it was as if he had known the ball would come his way. With an effortless dive, he blocked Mori's spike, sending it straight back into Shiraishi's court.
The crowd gasped. The sheer speed and power of Wakasa's movements left everyone stunned.
"Not bad, huh?" Wakasa grinned, turning to Inuoka, who had also been a force at the net with his improved blocking. Inuoka smiled, nodding, but there was no time for words.
Shiraishi responded with a solid defense, managing to send the ball back over after several long rallies. But Nekoma's wall-like defense was relentless. Kuroo and Inuoka shut down Shiraishi's attacks, and Lev's unpredictable presence on the court kept Shiraishi guessing. When Lev was served to, he blasted the ball back with a thundering spike, leaving Shiraishi's libero scrambling to recover.
But it was Wakasa who led the charge.
On the next play, Shiraishi's setter, Yamamoto, tried to find an opening with a perfectly placed set to Mori. However, Wakasa had already anticipated the play. His instincts, sharpened from copying Hinata's ability to read the flow of the game, took over. In a split second, Wakasa launched into the air, slamming the ball at an impossible angle, one that neither the blockers nor the libero could reach.
"Wakasa is on fire!" Yaku shouted, watching as his first-year ace dominated the court.
The set quickly reached its climax, with Wakasa delivering two more unstoppable spikes. The power of his shots mimicked Bokuto's signature cross and line shots—crisp and deadly accurate, sending the ball rocketing past the defenders before they could even react.
Final Score of Set One: Nekoma 25-18
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Second Set: Wakasa's Full Strength on Display
Shiraishi's coach called for a timeout after losing the first set, and the team regrouped, hoping to find a strategy to neutralize Wakasa. But the young first-year was unstoppable.
As the second set began, Wakasa's dominance reached its peak.
Shiraishi started off strong, managing to secure a few points by targeting Lev, whose wildcard nature made him occasionally unpredictable. However, the second Shiraishi tried to focus on Wakasa, they quickly realized it was a lost cause.
"Wakasa, now!" Kuroo called, and once again, the ball was fed to the ace.
Shiraishi's blockers set up, trying to anticipate his attack. But Wakasa's skill set was now a nightmare for anyone trying to stop him. His "boom jump" came into play, rocketing him higher than any blocker could reach. As he soared through the air, his instincts guided him, allowing him to place the ball perfectly between two defenders who had misread his trajectory.
Point to Nekoma.
The next rally saw Wakasa deliver one of Bokuto's cross-court shots, a move so fast and precise that Shiraishi's blockers didn't even have time to react. The ball sailed past them, and the crowd erupted in cheers.
"Wakasa's playing like a pro already," Lev whispered to Inuoka. "He's just too good."
Inuoka smirked. "We haven't even seen the best of him yet."
With his confidence now fully unleashed, Wakasa continued his assault. He mixed up his shots, using Bokuto's deadly line shot one moment, and then following it up with a jump float serve that had Shiraishi's receivers scrambling. He had become a complete powerhouse—a player whose every movement seemed to anticipate his opponent's next move.
As Shiraishi's defenses cracked under the pressure, it became clear that there was no stopping Wakasa. Each of his attacks was a calculated strike—combining the explosive speed of Hinata's jump with the deadly precision of Bokuto's spiking angles. Every point was his, and he was unstoppable.
On match point, Wakasa took the ball from Kenma and, with a single powerful leap, blasted a cross-court shot at an insane speed. The ball landed just inside the line, too fast for anyone to react to.
Final Score of Set Two: Nekoma 25-16
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Post-Match: Reactions
As the match ended and the players gathered for the handshake, Shiraishi's team looked at Wakasa with a mixture of awe and disbelief. Mori, their ace, had been overwhelmed by the sheer power and speed of Wakasa's attacks. His first-year status no longer mattered.
"He's a monster…" Mori murmured to Yamamoto.
Yamamoto, still recovering from the barrage of Wakasa's attacks, simply nodded. "No one could stop him. We just couldn't keep up."
Back on Nekoma's side, Kuroo slapped Wakasa on the back, a wide grin on his face.
"You were unreal out there. They couldn't do anything against you," Kuroo said, chuckling.
Wakasa wiped his forehead, a rare smile on his face. "Just another day at the office."
Lev was bouncing with excitement. "Wakasa, you're insane! We made it to the semifinals because of you!"
Kenma gave a rare smile, his eyes reflecting pride. "We all played our part, but Wakasa… yeah, you're something else."
Inuoka added, "I'm just happy I could block a few shots. But Wakasa's the one who really carried us."
As the team celebrated their victory, the atmosphere in the gym was charged with excitement. Nekoma had just demolished their toughest opponent yet, and the name Wakasa Kiyoshi was beginning to circulate among the other powerhouse teams.
With his explosive strength, uncanny instincts, and unmatched versatility, Wakasa had not only carried Nekoma to the semifinals—he had made a statement: Nekoma was a team to be reckoned with.
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Final Thoughts
Nekoma had reached the semifinals of the Tokyo Inter-High Qualifier. With Wakasa's rise as a powerhouse ace, their confidence was at an all-time high. But the journey wasn't over yet. Stronger teams awaited them—teams like Itachiyama, Fukurodani, and others who had been watching Wakasa's domination with wary eyes.
But Nekoma was ready. They had found their ace, and with him, their path to victory was clearer than ever.