Togashi is a naturally gifted sprinter who has never known defeat, coasting to victory in every 100-meter race he runs as a child. His confidence is rooted in an uncomplicated belief that his talent alone is enough. Everything changes when a transfer student named Komiya joins his class. Komiya is socially isolated, detached from those around him, and views running not as a competition but as an escape from a reality he feels disconnected from. Intrigued by his raw desperation, Togashi takes Komiya under his wing and teaches him how to truly sprint. In doing so, he unknowingly plants the seeds of his own greatest rivalry. Years later, the two meet again on the high school track. The student has surpassed the teacher, and Komiya, now an obsessive and formidable runner, stands opposite Togashi as a rival who knows his every weakness.

The setting begins in the schoolyards of elementary and junior high before moving into the high-stakes world of national high school championships and eventually professional athletic circuits. The conflict is driven by the collision of two opposing philosophies towards sport and life. Togashi represents natural brilliance that is beginning to crack under the weight of pressure and expectation, his performance declining as he grapples with why he runs at all. Komiya, by contrast, is forged from pure will, a slow starter who became a champion through relentless obsession, using running as a lifeline to feel something real. Their relationship evolves from mentor and student to fierce equals, each serving as the only one who can truly challenge the other's sense of self.

The narrative unfolds across several distinct arcs. The childhood arc establishes their first meeting, after-school training sessions, and a pivotal initial race that results in Komiya's injury and sudden departure. The high school revival arc shifts focus to Togashi, who has become a record-holder but struggles with mental blocks. He reluctantly helps resurrect a struggling track club, recruiting a formerly retired runner named Nigami. This arc builds toward the national championship, where a torrential downpour sets the stage for a final between Togashi and Komiya that leaves Togashi shattered by defeat.

The final arc jumps a decade into the future. Togashi is now a professional runner facing the end of his career, plagued by injuries and the threat of contract termination if he fails to perform. After a reflective conversation with a senior runner, he reignites his dormant desire to face Komiya one last time. Despite suffering a muscle strain, he risks everything to compete in the national championship. The story concludes with a final, ambiguous race where Togashi and Komiya run side by side, smiling as they cross the finish line with the victor left unknown, highlighting that the journey and the connection between the two rivals ultimately mattered more than the result.