Chapter Summaries

Senba Gari fought his way into a Shocker facility so Kuryu Tenkeiji could rescue his family, while Takai Geki faced the powerful fighter Giant Pincer in the underground arena. Senba Gari transformed into Divine and prepared to slaughter the Shocker Combatmen surrounding him as Takai Geki and Giant Pincer began their match.

• Takai Geki knocked down an opponent with one punch, and Senba Gari urged Kuryu Tenkeiji to trust him before leaving the arena together.
• Kuryu Tenkeiji spotted the man with a lobster tattoo who had beaten him the previous night, while Senba Gari planned to draw the guards away from the facility entrance.
• Senba Gari defeated the guard and held off the black-clad men as Kuryu Tenkeiji crawled into a ventilation shaft to rescue his family.
• The Shocker Combatmen surrounded Senba Gari, who transformed into Divine, tore off one combatman's head, and vowed to begin a slaughter.
• The lobster-tattooed fighter, known as Giant Pincer, challenged Takai Geki, and the two exchanged their first blows when the bell rang.

Takai Geki fought Giant Pincer at the underground arena while Senba Gari and Kuryu Tenkeiji infiltrated the experimental site, where Divine slaughtered Shocker Combatmen. Hagoromo Gitsune revealed why she had given the director the item, and the chapter ended with Spirit Black Tortoise confronting Giant Pincer while Divine continued through the bloodied facility.

• Takai Geki and Giant Pincer tested each other’s fighting skills until a messenger revealed that two of Takai Geki’s companions had broken into the experimental site.
• Giant Pincer transformed into a lobster-like monster, while the director met Hagoromo Gitsune and learned that she wanted to see whether the seed in a boy’s heart would make him resemble someone from her memories.
• Divine crushed a Shocker Combatman’s head after slaughtering guards, while Kuryu Tenkeiji crawled through a ventilation duct and followed fragments of his memories through the facility.
• Takai Geki transformed into Spirit Black Tortoise and slammed Giant Pincer into a wall, then grabbed his claws and said he knew the monster’s weakness.
• Divine walked down a path of blood as Spirit faced Giant Pincer in the arena.

Divine and Spirit fought modified humans in the hidden laboratory, while Senba Gari uncovered records revealing that Kuryu Tenkeiji had been turned into the cyborg Blade. The chapter left Kuryu Tenkeiji berserk and tormented by the belief that his family was dead, after Polar Bear pressed a red button.

• Divine found a hidden computer and ordered Silver Phantom to copy its data, discovering a video about the Biochemical Cyborg Project and Kuryu Tenkeiji's transformation into Blade.
• Spirit used his Shield Armor and its finishing attack to defeat Giant Pincer, then worried about Gari and the others after an explosion shook the underground area.
• Senba Gari completed the data transfer as Polar Bear transformed and charged at him.
• Divine used the Frost Dragon Staff to exploit Polar Bear's weakness and fight him off.
• Kuryu Tenkeiji burst through a wall in his mantis form and attacked Divine, while the injured Polar Bear pressed a red button.
• Divine tried to rouse Kuryu Tenkeiji by mentioning his family, but Kuryu Tenkeiji answered that they were all dead.

Divine stopped Kuryu Tenkeiji’s rampage, but a planted self-destruct device destroyed the bar, leaving Senba Gari and the others barely alive. Three days later, Senba Gari helped save Wind Fragrance Orphanage, while μ's celebrated reaching nineteenth place in the LoveLive! rankings.

• Divine reminded Kuryu Tenkeiji of the children at the orphanage, calming him before the bar’s self-destruct alarm began counting down.
• Divine used his armored form to shield Kuryu Tenkeiji and survived the explosion with him, while Takai Geki also escaped the rubble.
• Shin Kazamatsuri killed Polar Bear, then watched Silver Phantom and Golden Firmament carry the unconscious Senba Gari and Kuryu Tenkeiji away.
• Senba Gari gave Kuryu Tenkeiji millions in recovered assets to rescue Wind Fragrance Orphanage, and Kuryu introduced him to the children as their boss.
• Philip discovered that Shocker was secretly conducting human experiments and researching the fusion of modified humans with Mlortha.
• Honoka Kosaka told Minami Kotori and Umi Sonoda that μ's had risen to nineteenth place and qualified for LoveLive!.

Honoka Kosaka’s classmates began calling Senba Gari by his first name after she revealed how close μ's was to him, while Minami Kotori quietly struggled with an overseas letter. At the clubroom, μ's saw the LoveLive! venue and learned that A-RISE was holding seven consecutive days of concerts as the race for the top twenty intensified.

• Honoka Kosaka told Fumika, Hideko, and Mika that she and the other μ's members called Senba Gari by his name and had visited his house, then signed Fumika’s board in oversized writing.
• Minami Kotori hid by the stairwell with an unopened overseas letter and avoided explaining her distress to Senba Gari.
• Honoka’s classmates greeted Senba Gari by his first name in class, prompting him to remind them that they had to call him teacher at school.
• At the clubroom, μ's admired the LoveLive! stage design, and Yazawa Nico became emotional about the chance to perform there.
• μ's watched a preview of A-RISE’s seven-day concert run and learned that school idols had two weeks to reach the top twenty for LoveLive! participation.

The Idol Research Club lost the lottery for a school festival performance slot in the auditorium, leaving μ's scrambling to find another venue. On the eve of the festival, they had not yet settled on a place to perform.

• Eli Ayase explained that the group should focus on preparing for the school festival, and Yazawa Nico volunteered for a task.
• The Idol Research Club drew a white ball and lost its chance to use the auditorium.
• The club members despaired over the loss while Senba Gari reminded them that other venues might be available.
• On the eve of the festival, Eli Ayase said the gym and field were already occupied, and Honoka Kosaka rejected Nico's suggestion to perform in their cramped clubroom.

μ's decided to hold its concert on a stage built on the school rooftop, and Senba Gari agreed to help arrange it. As the group prepared for the performance and LoveLive, Minami Kotori struggled with a decision about an opportunity overseas.

• Honoka Kosaka suggested building a stage on the rooftop, and μ's agreed to hold its concert there and sing loudly to attract an audience.
• After practice, Minami Kotori hesitated to tell Honoka about an overseas opportunity, then asked her mother whether she should go; Kotori Minami told her to decide for herself.
• At the next club meeting, Honoka Kosaka praised Maki Nishikino's new song as a possible opening number, while Eli Ayase worried about having enough time to learn it.
• Honoka Kosaka urged μ's to do everything possible to prepare for LoveLive, and the members supported her goal.
• Senba Gari told Honoka Kosaka to go for it boldly, and Honoka thanked the group.

Honoka Kosaka pushed herself through extra training and urged μ's to practice a new dance move for their school festival concert, while Minami Kotori quietly struggled with something she could not bring herself to tell Honoka. The chapter ended with Umi Sonoda asking Honoka about Kotori over the phone.

• Honoka Kosaka promised Eli Ayase she would meet the stricter demands for the lead singer and later went out at night to practice running shrine stairs.
• Honoka Kosaka promoted Minami Kotori's hand-drawn concert poster, while Yukiho Kosaka studied the National Otonokizaka Academy admissions guide.
• Honoka Kosaka proposed an energetic new dance move, and Minami Kotori agreed to try it despite Umi Sonoda's concern about changing the choreography.
• Senba Gari complained as Teacher Yamazaki made him carry school festival props backstage.
• Honoka Kosaka pushed μ's through repeated practice of the new steps, and Minami Kotori backed her when Umi Sonoda urged her to rest.
• Umi Sonoda called Honoka Kosaka that night to ask whether Minami Kotori seemed different, and Honoka said Kotori seemed normal.

Honoka Kosaka pushed herself through illness to prepare for μ's culture festival performance, while Minami Kotori privately struggled with news she planned to reveal afterward. Despite the heavy rain and Honoka losing her voice, μ's prepared to perform on the rooftop as the audience gathered.

• Umi Sonoda told Honoka Kosaka that Kotori seemed troubled, while Honoka dismissed it as excitement about the approaching concert and went out to practice in the rain.
• Minami Kotori called Umi Sonoda and later explained that she would tell everyone, including Honoka, about her decision after the performance.
• Honoka woke with worsening symptoms, collapsed, and discovered she had lost her voice before arriving at the culture festival clubroom feeling weak and hoarse.
• As heavy rain threatened the rooftop Live, Honoka urged μ's not to give up, and the other members rallied around her resolve to perform.
• Yukiho Kosaka and Alisa Ayase arrived for the rooftop performance, and Alisa held an umbrella over the rain-soaked Senba Gari as he arrived.

Senba Gari rushed Honoka Kosaka to the hospital after she collapsed with a high fever during μ's rainy performance. Several days later, he visited her family and learned her fever had passed, while Honoka's parents discussed her habit of pushing herself too hard.

• Alisa Ayase and Yukiho Kosaka spoke with Senba Gari as μ's began performing in the rain.
• Honoka Kosaka collapsed after the performance, and Senba Gari carried her offstage and rushed her to the hospital.
• Honoka Kosaka insisted that μ's continue with the next song before losing consciousness in Senba Gari's arms.
• Senba Gari visited the Kousaka family with μ's and apologized to Honoka Kosaka's parents for what happened.
• Kousaka Yukiho said Honoka's fever had gone down and explained that Honoka often took too much on herself.

Senba Gari visited Honoka Kosaka’s family while μ's gathered to see Honoka recovering from her cold and sprained ankle. Honoka learned that μ's had withdrawn from Love Live! and disappeared from the rankings, while Minami Kotori prepared to leave in two weeks and Senba Gari learned she had not yet arranged a place to stay.

• Senba Gari gave Honoka Kosaka’s parents homemade snacks as an apology and chose not to visit Honoka.
• Umi Sonoda, Minami Kotori, and the other members of μ's visited Honoka, who thanked Maki Nishikino for a disc of piano music and suggested holding another concert.
• Eli Ayase told Honoka that μ's had decided not to apply for Love Live! after the chairwoman warned them about pushing themselves too hard, and Honoka learned that μ's had vanished from the rankings.
• Yukiho found Honoka crying over the rankings on her laptop after the others had left.
• Minami Kotori prepared to leave after accepting an invitation, and Senba Gari learned she planned to depart in two weeks and expected to stay in a school dormitory.

Senba Gari reminded Minami Kotori to choose whether to study abroad without regret, drawing on his own childhood departure. After Love Live! ended with A-Rise in first place and μ's out of the spotlight, Honoka Kosaka began recovering from her disappointment and prepared to return to practice.

• Senba Gari recalled leaving Minami Kotori as a child and urged her to think carefully about whether to go abroad or stay.
• Senba Gari told Kotori Minami that Minami Kotori had to make her own choice, and Kotori Minami admitted she would not blame her either way.
• A-Rise won Love Live!, while μ's faded from attention after not participating.
• Honoka Kosaka regretted that μ's had withdrawn from Love Live!, and Minami Kotori struggled to tell her something.
• Nozomi Tojo startled Honoka Kosaka, and Eli Ayase and Yazawa Nico encouraged her to stop dwelling on the loss and return to practice.
• Honoka Kosaka regained some resolve to continue working toward saving Otonokizaka, and Mika called to her from the top of the stairs.

Honoka Kosaka and the others learned that Otonokizaka Academy would continue operating after more middle schoolers expressed interest in enrolling. Minami Kotori remained troubled about a decision to leave, and Umi Sonoda met her in the park to urge her to stop delaying.

• Nozomi Tojo noticed that Honoka Kosaka seemed better, while Minami Kotori continued to hesitate over a secret she had not confessed.
• Eli Ayase told the others that the chairwoman would allow their activities to continue, and Honoka Kosaka and Umi Sonoda discussed their next concert.
• Maki Nishikino, Hanayo Koizumi, Rin Hoshizora, and Senba Gari brought news that enrollment interest had risen, meaning Otonokizaka Academy would stay open for now.
• Honoka Kosaka and the others celebrated the school's future with Minami Kotori and Alisa Ayase, while Kotori quietly left to buy something.
• Senba Gari asked Umi Sonoda to speak with Minami Kotori, explaining that Kotori could not decide because she could not bear to leave Umi.
• Umi Sonoda met Minami Kotori in a park near the school and told her that delaying her decision would only make it harder.

At a celebration for the school staying open, Umi revealed that Kotori would leave Japan in two weeks to study fashion design, and Honoka was devastated that Kotori had not told her. Kotori fled after their argument, leaving Honoka alone with regret as Kotori prepared to leave.

• μ's celebrated the school staying open while Kotori and Umi sat apart from the others.
• Umi announced that Kotori would study abroad in two weeks and likely remain away until she graduated.
• Honoka confronted Kotori about keeping the decision from her, and Kotori explained that she had waited for the concert to end before talking to Honoka.
• Kotori broke down, pushed Honoka away, and ran from the clubroom despite Gari trying to stop her.
• Umi explained that Kotori had hesitated to leave and had wanted to discuss it with Honoka, while Kotori packed her first-performance dress and read a message.
• Honoka sat alone in her dark room and drafted an email admitting that she had been too caught up in herself to notice how everyone felt.

Honoka Kosaka blamed herself for μ's failure to reach Love Live! and rejected the others' plan for a farewell concert before Minami Kotori left to study abroad. After Honoka quit being a school idol, Umi Sonoda slapped her, and Senba Gari warned the others that μ's might as well disband; a day or two later, Mika invited Honoka to spend time with her friends, easing her expression slightly.

• Honoka Kosaka watched A-RISE perform and, the next day, learned from Eli Ayase that μ's planned a concert before Minami Kotori left to study abroad.
• Honoka Kosaka said the concert was meaningless, insisted μ's could never catch up to A-RISE, and announced that she was quitting as a school idol.
• Umi Sonoda slapped Honoka Kosaka and called her the worst before Honoka ran off in tears.
• Senba Gari caught Umi Sonoda, rebuked the group for falling apart, and warned that μ's might as well disband.
• A day or two later, Umi Sonoda and Honoka Kosaka left class without speaking, and Mika invited Honoka to go home with her and the others.
• Mika reminded Honoka Kosaka that μ's had already fulfilled its goal of protecting the school, and Honoka's expression relaxed slightly.

μ's struggled with whether to continue after Honoka Kosaka quit and Minami Kotori prepared to leave Japan. While Honoka spent the day shopping and playing games with her friends, a song triggered memories that began to bring her back to μ's.

• Umi Sonoda focused on archery, while Nozomi Tojo and Eli Ayase discussed whether μ's could continue without all its members; Senba Gari regretted how harshly he had treated them.
• Eli Ayase called the available members together and proposed suspending activities and repositioning μ's, while Maki Nishikino said the group was not the same without Honoka Kosaka.
• Yazawa Nico asked Rin Hoshizora and Hanayo Koizumi to continue being idols with her, while Maki Nishikino returned to the piano and remembered Honoka.
• Umi Sonoda visited Minami Kotori, admitted she had refused Nico's invitation to continue, and learned that Kotori was still planning to study abroad.
• While playing a dance game with her friends, Honoka Kosaka heard the music and began recalling a past performance, then joined in with practiced dance steps.

Honoka Kosaka reflected on μ's past and questioned what kind of activity could make people smile without making anyone sad. After Nico, Rin, and Hanayo invited her to their next concert and Eli apologized and encouraged her, Honoka put on her old practice outfit, but still felt that something was missing.

• Honoka Kosaka earned an AAA dance score, watched A-RISE perform at UTX, and wondered whether she could find a fun pursuit that would make more people smile.
• Honoka met Rin Hoshizora, Hanayo Koizumi, and Yazawa Nico training at the shrine, where Nico explained that she continued as a school idol because she loved idols.
• Hanayo, Rin, and Nico invited Honoka to attend their next concert, and Honoka accepted their invitation in spirit before leaving.
• Eli Ayase visited Honoka and apologized for suspending μ's activities, then confessed her insecurities and thanked Honoka for giving her courage to move forward.
• Honoka checked the Love Live! rankings, took out her old practice outfit, and put it on, but felt that something was missing.

Honoka Kosaka realized she still wanted to sing and, encouraged by Umi Sonoda, raced to the airport to stop Minami Kotori from leaving. She reached Kotori just as she was about to go, but the chapter ended before Kotori answered her.

• Minami Kotori left for the airport while Honoka Kosaka prepared to speak with Umi Sonoda at school.
• Honoka Kosaka told Umi Sonoda she loved singing and wanted to continue being a school idol, and Umi encouraged her to lead them forward again.
• Umi Sonoda told Honoka Kosaka that Minami Kotori wanted her to come and ask her to stay, so Honoka ran from the auditorium.
• Senba Gari took Honoka Kosaka toward the airport on Silver Phantom and launched the motorcycle over a broken bridge.
• Honoka Kosaka reached Minami Kotori in the airport waiting hall and grabbed her arm.

Honoka Kosaka reunited with Minami Kotori at the airport, and they returned in time to join μ's for their concert. The nine girls performed before a cheering audience, while Senba Gari watched proudly from backstage.

• Honoka Kosaka apologized to Minami Kotori and embraced her, persuading her to return to the school idol group.
• Senba Gari and Kotori Minami watched the girls reconcile before Honoka and Minami Kotori hurried back to the auditorium.
• Honoka Kosaka and Minami Kotori arrived backstage just before μ's was due to perform, and Senba Gari encouraged the nine girls to take the stage together.
• μ's performed START:DASH!! before a packed, cheering audience, with A-Rise watching their performance.
• Kousaka Yukiho and Kyosuke Kousaka watched Honoka perform, while Senba Gari wiped away tears backstage.

After μ's celebrated Kotori’s return, Nozomi’s tarot reading gave Gari the Death card just as Takai called him to fight a powerful Mlortha attack. Gari arrived at a burning city, where Cerberus attacked and blasted Silver Phantom and Golden Firmament backward.

• Honoka led μ's in celebrating their successful performance, and the girls later gathered with Gari to celebrate Kotori’s return.
• Nozomi read Gari’s tarot card as Death, and Takai called to report that a powerful Mlortha had appeared.
• Gari left the restaurant to join Takai, while Nozomi worried over the Death card she had drawn for him.
• Cerberus devastated the city with flames, and Gari and Takai arrived amid the burning ruins.
• Cerberus attacked Gari and Takai, and Silver Phantom and Golden Firmament transformed to shield them but were blasted backward.