The Final Turning Point (PART - 2)
The entire stadium held its breath.
The scoreboard read 24-23—Misaki High was one point away from winning the championship.
But across the net, Seiyo High refused to surrender.
Kenjiro Morita stepped forward, his body tense with anticipation. His eyes flickered toward his setter, and Renji instantly knew what was coming.
"They're giving him the final shot."
Yuuto clenched his fists. "He's gonna go all-out," he muttered.
Renji took a deep breath. "I know."
Their coach's words echoed in his mind.
"This isn't just about stopping spikes. It's about controlling the game."
And right now, the game was in their hands.
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The Final Rally Begins
The whistle blew.
Seiyo's server launched the ball into play—fast, aggressive.
Renji stepped in, absorbing the serve with a solid receive.
The ball sailed to Yuuto, who set up Misaki's ace for a spike—
Blocked!
Seiyo kept the ball alive, sending it back to their setter.
Renji's breath hitched as he saw the play unfold.
Kenjiro was already moving.
He sprinted toward the net, his steps perfectly in sync with the setter's toss.
"Here it comes."
A decisive, full-power spike.
Renji's muscles tensed—he saw the shot, he knew where it was going—
But he couldn't reach it in time.
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The Split-Second Decision
"I can't stop this."
The realization hit him like a thunderclap.
He was too far. The ball was coming down too fast.
If he dove now, he'd be too late.
But then—
His gaze snapped to Yuuto.
"He can reach it."
Renji made his choice.
"YUUTO—RIGHT BLOCK!"
Yuuto's eyes widened, but he reacted instantly.
Jump—hand position—perfect timing.
Kenjiro slammed the ball with everything he had.
Yuuto's block deflected it just enough—the ball flew upward, spinning wildly—
But it was still in play.
It was still alive.
And it was falling fast.
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Renji's Final Save
He moved before he could think.
His legs burned. His lungs screamed.
He dived with everything he had left.
The ball hit his forearms—a miracle deflection.
It wasn't perfect, but it was just enough to send the ball floating toward Yuuto.
Yuuto's eyes sharpened.
The ball was in his hands.
This was it.
His last set.
The last attack.
He launched it toward Misaki's ace—the entire stadium held its breath.
The approach.
The jump.
The swing.
SPIKE!
The ball slammed into Seiyo's side of the court.
SCORE.
GAME OVER.
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Victory and Collapse
For a moment, there was silence.
Then—
The stadium erupted.
Misaki High had won.
The sound of cheers, of teammates shouting in joy—
But Renji…
Renji could only hear his own heartbeat.
His body felt too heavy. His muscles gave out.
He collapsed onto the court, staring up at the bright lights above.
Breathing hard.
Exhausted.
But victorious.
Footsteps rushed toward him.
"Asuka," he mumbled, before even seeing her.
She knelt beside him, eyes shining. "I told you to trust yourself."
Renji let out a breathless laugh. "Guess I finally listened."
Yuuto appeared, shaking his head. "You really had to make it dramatic, huh?"
Renji smirked. "Wouldn't be fun otherwise."
His teammates crowded around, cheering, celebrating.
They had done it.
They were champions.
And for the first time—
Renji truly felt like he belonged.
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End of Chapter 48
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To Be Continue