Knight of the Ice Vol. 9 (Kodansha, 2022)

THIS ONE COUNTS At long last, the time has come for the Japanese National Figure Skating Championships. As Kokoro gets ready to take the ice, he finally starts to realize what it is he's skating for as he agonizes over his relationships with Chitose and his father. But resolve alone may not be enough to win against the stiff competition that awaits him-such as Fuuta, who makes winning seem easy, or Taiga and Raito, who each have something important riding on their own victories. Will Kokoro be able to make the podium at Nationals and secure his spot in the Olympics? Meanwhile, Chitose may not be able to hide her heart condition from him much longer...