Kurai steps up to serve. His breath labored as he exhaled. He grits his teeth and tosses the ball.
"Good serve" He bolts forward and jumps into the air, slamming the ball over the net. Zane jumps forward and receives the serve despite its speed. Kurai was shocked as his eyes widened.'He received my serve on the first try!?' Kurai lands and in a split second the ball hits the court. Kurai speechless.
"A quick set and a spike aimed right towards me as soon as I landed after my serve…" Kurai furrows his brow. 'They're targeting me!'
"What anm insane quick attack by Riley Brooks! It zoomed right passed the Emperor of the Court, Kurai Vlast!"
"That Was insane! What should we expect in the coming rallies!?"
Jordan tosses the ball and serves it over the net. Carlos diving forward to bring it up.
"Kurai!" Kurai steps forward and jumps.
"On it!" Kurai locks eyes with Jazz. Jazz rushing forward and jumping as Kurai sets the ball. Jazz swinging his hand and slightly missing the ball as it bounces into the block and onto the court. Carlos diving but not making it. Jazz landing.
"Everything okay, Kurai?" Kurai turns away.
"Yes, I'll adjust a bit if you'll let me" Jazz shrugs and walks to the back of the court. Jaden watched from the side, concerned.
"Oh, It seems something might be up with Kurai Vlast? What's going on down there?"
Jordan tosses the ball and jumps forward. Carlos exhales. 'Jump serve to the back left' the ball flies over the net and Carlos appears under it in the back left corner. Bringing the ball up high.
"Chance ball!" Zane steps forward and receives the ball. Owen focuses on Alex. Alex steps forward and peacefully underhand setting the ball to Riley. Owen runs over and jumps to block. Kurai 2 steps behind. Riley swings his hand to spike at an angle, Owen shifting his hands mid-air and slamming the ball onto the court. OPU 1-2 WCC. Owen was confused. 'He set the ball high so his spikers could see the block and its flaws easier, making it easier to get passed… but why underhand… nonetheless…' Alex smiles at his team and prepares for the next rally. 'Why're his arms so skinny?'
Jaden takes a deep breath and tosses the ball. Running forward and slamming it over the net. Zane diving forward and falling on his knees to bring it up. Owen focuses as Jason, Miya, and Riley run up to the net. 'He scored a point in the last rally by sending it to their number 10, so he'll send it there again!' Owen jumps to the right and prepares to block. Suddenly the ball flies from the middle of the net. 'Their setter sent it down the middle!?' Carlos dives but the ball loses all its momentum and hits the court. OPU 1-3 WCC. the court goes quiet. Kurai gritted his teeth. 'Setter dump!'
Jason overhand serves the ball as Carlos steps forward and brings it up.
"Kurai! It's low!" Kurai bends down on his knee and sets the ball into the air as Jaden jumps to spike. 'The ball's too close to the net!' He reaches forward and barely tips it past the block. OPU 2-3 WCC. Kurai exhales. Jaden turned to Kurai.
"What's wrong with you, Man!? Your sets are off today!" Kurai steps back a bit. Looking at his hands.
"I-I'm not sure… but i'll try and fix it-" Jaden exhales.
"Look… we get it, even the emperor of the court has his day off… but i've played volleyball with you for a while now and I know you can overcome this obstacle, so do exactly that" Kurai gulps and nods. Looking at his hand. 'I feel off… today' He walks to the back of the court and takes a deep breath.
"Kurai Vlast steps up for his first serve since the start of the game… will Kurai step it up, or will WCC counter the monster serve!?"
"Good serve" he tosses the ball and jumps forward, swinging his palm into the ball. 'A little too far right!' The ball flies across the court as Zane barely manages to bring the ball up before rolling on the court.
"Zane from WCC manages to bring it up"
"That's a feat not many have been able to pull off this season"
Alex quickly stepped up. Time slows down as he processes everything. How everyone was moving and reacting. Memories of hundreds of prior hospital visits and his thin, skinny arms. Smiling as he underhand sets the ball backwards to Jason. Owen quickly runs up to block.
Kurai watches as the ball bounces off the court after a successful quick attack. OPU 2-4 WCC. Kurai exhales. 'What is it that makes their setter so difficult to read!?'
Jason tosses the ball and serves it over the net. Kurai inhales, 'Is it speed they have on their side? What's making them so unpredictable!?' Kurai quickly sets it down the middle to Owen who jumps up. The ball is a bit too high and he barely taps it with his fingers, but it hits the block and then the court. OPU 2-5 WCC. Kurai clenches his fist. Owen takes a deep breath 'Kurai's slower this game then last game, imma have to step it up'
Jason serves the ball once again, Carlos falling to the side and bringing it up.
"It's high! Kurai!" Kurai steps forward and at the last second underhand sets the ball.
Haruki's eyes widened. 'He underhand set the ball!? Is it because he realized his overhand sets aren't working?' Jazz jumps forward as a block appears. 'At least I can hit his underhand sets!' Jazz spikes the ball past the block, scoring a point. OPU 3-5 WCC.
"What was that? Kurai made a last second decision to underhand set the ball?"
"Maybe because he recognizes his overhand sets haven't been working?"
"Maybe, now, Kurai steps up for his next serve"