Inori is in the Junior class, and Hikaru’s a Novice—and the only competition they’ll be able to face each other this year is the All-Japan Junior Championships. Having lost to Hikaru back at the All-Japan Novices, Inori’s tackling this event with an unwavering determination to win…while Hikaru, fully aware of Inori’s relentless pursuit, trains under Olympic gold winner Riley Fox to reach even greater heights. But then, on the day of the All-Japan Juniors, Iruka—a trusted veteran skater to Inori—sustains a freak injury during practice. Doing her best to hide her distress, Inori heads into the rink…
Inori, who vowed to win at the All Japan Junior Championships, was instead shaken by the injury of Iruka early on. Her goal was to catch up with her lifelong rival Hikaru, but after crashing out of her short program, she fails to even qualify for the free skate session. She attempts to put on a brave face, but breaks down crying once Hikaru confronts her about it. Seeing Inori’s spirit nearly crushed, Hikaru goes on to give the performance of her life. Recalling why she entered skating in the first place, Inori attempts to regain her original passion, but her disappointment in herself makes every practice—and every day of life—seem packed with pressure. A frank discussion with Tsukasa gives her new insight, though, and soon they’re setting their sights on gold once more. Their next stop: China, and the final event of the Junior Grand Prix, open only to the top six performers in her class!