Ep. 15: Onoda races to catch up while Teshima blocks the first years to secure an Inter-High spot.

15

Inspired by Manami, Onoda increases his pace to match Imaizumi and Naruko, aiming to secure an Inter-High qualification despite currently trailing in last place. The captain changes the display to track laps completed, initiating a competition between the second-year students and the three first-years. Teshima and Aoyagi have devised a strategy to easily claim their roster spots. Teshima rides a lap ahead and assists Aoyagi in breaking away while simultaneously acting as a physical barrier against the first-year trio. If Onoda, Imaizumi, and Naruko cannot pass Teshima, they risk being lapped and failing to qualify. The outcome depends on whether the first-years can overcome Teshima’s obstruction before the nightly rule prohibiting overtaking in the dark causes them to drop out, as predicted by Teshima.