Durante la cena de celebración por el partido victorioso contra Seikyo High, aparece un partido de fútbol en la televisión en el restaurante BBQ, que muestra a Kuribayashi haciendo su debut en J1. Cuando Kuribayashi termina su entrevista por su increíble juego, Mibu recibe una llamada de Date, diciéndole que habrá algún cambio de miembro entre el equipo A y el equipo B, ya que Yoshitsune se lesionó. Ashito hace grandes jugadas en el juego de promoción. ¿Podrá Ashito ascender al equipo A?

Fukuda le dice a Ashito que cambie de posición a defensor, algo que Ashito no puede soportar. Sus compañeros de equipo, preguntándose por qué Ashito no se presentó al anuncio de la promoción del equipo A, se enteran de la verdad y se sienten conmocionados. Tachibana, Ohtomo, Togashi, Kuroda y Asari van a buscar a Ashito, pero no lo encuentran por ninguna parte. Es Hana, quien se acerca a Ashito, sentada sola en una parada de autobús.

Advised by Takeshima and Anri that he should study Kuribayashi's movements, Ashito pours over the broadcast of the J1 match to see Kuribayashi's play. Combing over the past footage of Kuribayashi's play, Ashito realizes that what set Kuribayashi apart is how he turns his head. Ashito tries to incorporate it in his practice right away, but it only confuses him. In his teammates eyes, that confusion looks like being unmotivated for having to play a full-back.

The B team ends the match with Tama Sports U. Next match is against Musashino, currently the first place of the League and also Tachibana's old team. However, Tachibana doesn't feel confident enough to play since he hasn't had notable achievements in the League so far, and asks Date not to play him in the match against Musashino. Ashito and others bring Tachibana along to observe Musashino's game. Team Musashino, which includes Kaneda and Nakano, who played alongside Ashito at the tryouts, displays an incredible play.

Esperion B team starts to show some signs of improvement as they face undefeated Musashino in the next match. When the team needs to be united more than ever, Takeshima and Togashi, who are the key defenders of the team, have a huge fight. Tachibana, with a strong resolution that he will do anything he can to win the next match, goes to Yuma to ask him what happened between Togashi and the promoted players in the past.

The game against Tokyo Musashino is the climax of the Tokyo Metropolis League for Esperion B team. Although the team has worked on countermeasures against Musashino, the air is still tense within the team and there's a clear sign of anxiety on the faces of many of them during the warmup. But right before the game starts, Takeshima disappears from the locker room with his girlfriend, Tae.

Esperion B team bitterly allows the first goal to Muto, the playmaker of Musashino. With Musashino one step ahead, second-year Sugawara suggests that they go back to their original play style that relies on short passes. But Tachibana, Togashi, and Takeshima insist on continuing with the direct approach they've been practicing. To the disconcerted players, Date starts giving concrete instructions for a change.