Kakeru asks Prince to quit the team depending on his performance at the next track meet. Though Haiji says Kakeru’s words are ineffective, Prince asks if he’ll be able to achieve an official record. But there’s something else bothering Haiji: there’s one leftover portion of food.

The Kansei University track team accepts Kakeru’s past and begins running once again. Their hellish training camp continues, and once they return to the city, they busily engage in recruiting for the fan club, fundraising, and job hunting. The last traces of their amateurism fade as every one of them swells with the strength of a true athlete. The ten of them sprint through a single fleeting summer. As Hanako watches over their brilliant progress, they begin to see a certain path leading towards their future. A single man’s dream passes from one man to another. Nico-chan and King draw ever closer to achieving official records. Only one man remains…

The entire team achieves offical records. Having earned the right to compete in the qualifier, Haiji reports their progress to Coach Tazaki. Though they still have many challenges to face before they make it through the qualifier, the expections of everyone around them continue to rise. They even receive an interview request from a TV station. While the others are excited, Yuki alone seems unhappy.

The Tokyo-Hakone Round-Trip College Ekiden Race finally begins. Haiji was right, and Section 1 moves at a slow pace while the teams try to feel each other out. Prince, who bears the heavy responsibility of starting the race, takes up his position behind the other runners and conserves his strength. It’s all part of Haiji’s plan to take the top. Haiji also sends a message to Prince through Tazaki in the coach’s vehicle and heads to the Tsurumi Relay Station where Musa waits. The group raises its pace. Prince desperately hangs on. And in the back of his mind, he recalls a conversation he once had with Haiji…

His teammates faced death to pass the sash along. Bearing that weight in his mind, Yuki prepares for the race. Shindo approaches him. Turning his overflowing anxiety and regrets into strength, Yuki waits for the race to start. Meanwhile, in Yokohama, Kakeru and Haiji wait for Sections 9 and 10 to start. However, when Haiji is nowhere to be found, Kakeru grows uneasy. As though confirming his concerns, a sports doctor exits Haiji’s room. Kakeru interrogates Haiji, but Haiji remains the same calm Haiji he’s always been. It’s 8AM. The second half begins!