Kurahara Kakeru runs through the city streets at night. A single man chases after him on a bicycle. That man’s name is Kiyose Haiji. When Haiji catches up to Kakeru, he asks him a question: "Hey, do you like running?" Led by Haiji, Kakeru arrives at the Chikusei-so student dorm. He meets the strange residents living there. Haiji behaves in a peremptory manner. Kakeru is bewildered by the sudden development. No one at the dorm is aware of Haiji’s ulterior motive. That night, the residents hold a welcoming party for Kakeru. At the party, from Haiji’s mouth comes a grand and reckless plan. How will Kakeru respond…?

"The residents of the Chikusei-so will run in the Hakone Ekiden together." Kakeru responds strongly to Haiji’s rash suggestion. All the residents are amateurs when it comes to long distance running. Nobody takes Haiji’s words seriously. The residents attempt to carry on with their college lives, but Haiji’s shadow approaches. Threatened by Haiji’s mysterious pressure, several tragically fall to Haiji’s hand. Kakeru tries to leave the Chikusei-so, but he runs into Nico-chan in the city. Meanwhile, the Chikusei-so’s bath breaks for unknown reasons, and they decide to go to the "hellish" public bath instead…

"It’s been a while…" Sakaki smirks fearlessly. He and Kakeru are old acquaintances. Kakeru is unable to hide how shaken he is by their unexpected reunion. Swirling inside Kakeru was the loneliness he experienced as a high school student due to his talents. Kakeru runs as though fleeing from shadows, when before him appears "the other Kakeru." It is the desperate man he used to be before he met Haiji. Kakeru glares resentfully at his past. Just as he’s about to lose hope in himself, someone with a kind voice reaches out to him. It’s Prince and his friends…

King rebels against Haiji’s escalating demands. His job search continues to go poorly, causing him to close himself off to even Shindo, who is concerned for him. Eventually King begins acting independently. The other residents are also unable to hide their befuddlement at being told they can’t work. Meanwhile, Kakeru goes to Nico-chan in order to dispel his doubts about Haiji, but he’s unable to find a definitive answer. While this is happening, Shindo has an idea and suggests it to the other residents, but…

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.

A runner from another school trips and falls right in front of Haiji. Fortunately, he’s able to avoid crashing into him, but he puts all his weight on his right leg. The fall causes a commotion at the water station. The cold rain mercilessly pounds down on the runners and the fans watching over them. Eventually the races moves into the city streets, and the runners’ race for survival accelerates.

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!

Sakaki’s fighting spirit verges on tragic. As though dragged along by it, King loses his pace. He thinks back on a conversation he had once with Haiji. The words he can’t say, the reality he can’t escape. Will Haiji’s words free him from the doubts that cling to him? King’s thoughts eventually arrive at the day he arrived at the Chikusei-so. It was the beginning of a lonely but also dream-like time. That small disappointment, that small pride. Carry all of it with you as you run. The men continue to fight to find themselves…!