Chapter 218 - 216

Words : 1102 Updated : Oct 14th, 2025

Not only had Haruki's feed account exploded with messages, but even the official Echo shroud publishing site was flooded by fans venting their frustration some dramatically declaring they were "dropping" the series. At this point, though, Echo shroud's staff wasn't surprised. Fans of Mizushiro had said the same thing many times before. Yet every time, by the release day, they'd forget last week's pain, buy the magazine again, swear it off and end up repeating the cycle all over. "I'm done" would turn to "Okay, but this chapter was amazing," and back again. But really... in the manga world, how many creators were bold enough to toy with their readers' emotions like this? Mizushiro didn't care about protecting fan expectations. He told the story he wanted and still somehow made people come back for more. This latest wave of backlash came after the release of the newest Initial D chapter, which wrapped up a two-and-a-half-month arc involving the match between Mako and Takumi. Their battle, became a prolonged standoff. No matter how much Mako pushed the gas, she couldn't shake the AE86 trailing her. The pressure mounted. Her navigator, Sayuki, sitting beside her in the passenger seat, noticed it too. Mako was driving harder more aggressively but that came with risks. On the final corner of a treacherous pass, Mako pushed the limits to try and win... The car slipped. She lost control right as Takumi's AE86 was closing in behind. Takumi, a veteran behind the wheel, reacted instantly. He didn't slam the brakes in panic. Instead, he floored the accelerator and tapped Mako's rear bumper at just the right angle, allowing him to slide past safely and avoid a full collision. It was a breathtaking moment pure driving brilliance. But Mako's mistake meant the loss was hers. Many readers especially long-time Initial D fans were gripped not just by the intense race but by the romance subplot between Mako and Iketani. That part had seemed to finally progress: despite Iketani's hesitation and insecurities, Mako confessed her feelings again during a scene at the pool. She asked him to meet her that evening at eight, at the place where they first met. In any other manga, that setup would signal a heartfelt reunion. But Mizushiro wasn't known for making things easy. Before that planned meeting, Iketani happened to notice a photo of Ryosuke Takahashi in Mako's bag. When he asked her about it, she admitted she'd admired Ryosuke from afar for years. She'd never even spoken to him, but it was his racing that inspired her to become a driver. "I don't know if it's love... or if it's just the way he drove," she said. That line shattered Iketani. And last week's chapter ended right there with fans already anxious. Readers of Voices of the Stars and 5 Centimeters per Second were used to Mizushiro's emotional gut punches, but Initial D fans had felt safe. "At least here," they laughed online, "he's giving us fire, not heartbreak." That illusion didn't last. At the end of last week's chapter, Iketani returned to Mt. Akina. He told the gas station manager that he'd given up on Mako he couldn't compete with someone like Ryosuke. The manager didn't hold back. "Just because she admired someone once doesn't mean she doesn't care about you now," he snapped. "She told you all that because she trusted you. She chose you and you ran away?" It hit Iketani. Harder than he expected. Spurred by the outburst, he jumped into his car and rushed to the meeting spot. Meanwhile, Mako had already been waiting... nearly an hour had passed. Fans knew she was still there, waiting. If Iketani drove fast, he might still make it in time. People were sure this was just classic suspense: Mizushiro raising the tension before delivering a satisfying payoff. As Iketani sped through the night, memories of Mako filled his mind the quiet moments they shared, her awkward smiles, the passion in her eyes when she talked about racing. Fans, even the bitter single ones, were rooting for him. But Mizushiro's cruel twists always came just when hope peaked. Ten o'clock. Two hours had passed. Mako sat alone. A girl who'd gathered the courage to ask someone out... stood up. She crouched down, hugging her ankles, her voice soft. "My feet hurt... I hate heels." That single line broke something in readers. Sharp-eyed fans realized she'd always worn sneakers as a racer, it was practical. But today, for this date, she'd made the effort. She wore heels. Even then, people thought, Okay, it's painful now, but he'll show up just in time. He has to. Then cut to Iketani. His car stuck in traffic. An accident up ahead. A jam. Gridlock. That was the moment fans realized Mizushiro wasn't going to let them off the hook. Some held out hope. Maybe Mako would wait. Maybe she'd stay just a bit longer. Just like... that scene in 5 Centimeters per Second. But the screen turned again. Mako sat back in her Sileighty. Her high heels were gone. She'd changed back into sneakers. Tears welled up. "I'm never wearing heels again." Then her car's tires screamed. A 720-degree drift, perfect and precise, leaving a clean circular skid mark on the pavement. A full stop. It was the end of her story with Iketani. And he arrived too late only to see that empty tire print on the road. Many readers admitted the drift was beautiful. But their hearts were heavy. For the first time, fans cursed the pre-smartphone era. If only she could've texted him. If only he could've called. But in the 1990s... this kind of heartbreak was real. As the chapter ended, readers didn't know if they wanted to cry or scream. "This guy just started dating Ryuko ," one fan ranted. "What the hell is wrong with him? Who comes up with this kind of pain while in a relationship?" Another half-joked: "Did Ryuko beat him up or something? Is this his trauma bleeding into the story?" By the next day, Haruki's feed and Echo shroud pages were flooded with complaints. Some fans even ran to Ryuko's account, begging her to make Mizushiro "go easy on them." (TL:- if you want even more content, check out p-atreon.com/Alioth23 for 60+ advanced chapters)

Chapter 218 - 216

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