As the Umezono shamisen club continues to wait, Yui tells Shuri that she intends to quit playing the shamisen after the competition. Meanwhile, the team from Fukuoka led by Ushio Arakawa performs, and despite the unorthodox nature of the performance, the crowd is wowed by the energy channeled into the performance. Shuri's nervousness reaches its peak and turns to Yui for support, while Yui tries to keep the club focused by acting tough. Mai's team then goes on stage and performs flawlessly with their modernized style, performing as if they were responding to a challenge...