Level 4 (Japanese: レベル4 Reberu 4) is the thirty-fifth chapter of the Medalist manga.
Characters[]
Story[]
Inori gets up from her fall and does her best to recover, surprising Tsukasa with a bright smile as she brings herself back up to pace. After a Layback Spin and a successful Triple Flip, her Step Sequence comes up. Koichi finds a Step Sequence more relaxing to watch than jumps, believing that the skaters can feel free and not worry about falling. However, Yudai corrects him, pointing out that judges meticulously assess every movement and determine the sequence's technical level, ranging from B to 4.
Yudai notes that neither Hikaru nor Suzu achieved Level 4 in their Step Sequences. Yet, Tsukasa had previously assured him that he prepared Inori specifically to secure a Level 4, setting her apart from others. Elsewhere in the audience, Leonid Sorokin is very pleased with her Step Sequence, impressed with how different she is from the typical Novice skater, putting love into every line she traces and truly embodying the artistry of figure skating. As expected, Inori's Step Sequence scores a Level 4.
Inori's final two jumps are expected to be a 3Lo3Lo followed by a 2A2A + 3T3T + 2Lo2Lo, but Tsukasa is shocked when she spontaneously upgrades the 3Lo3Lo into a 3Lo3Lo + 1Eu1Eu + 3S3S combo. With this, Tsukasa comes to the realization that she is going to try for a 3A3A, her only opportunity to surpass Hikaru's base score after her earlier fall.
On the ice, Inori is determined to beat Hikaru, because it has become clear to her that she was the one who ended Coach Tsukasa's own dream the day he became her coach. Desperation briefly overtakes her as she focuses intensely on landing the jump, but she recalls Tsukasa's advice not to force outcomes through sheer will. Steadying herself, she successfully lands the Triple Axel, and concludes her program with a Change-of-Foot Combination Spin.
| Order | Element | Base Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4S4S + 2T2T | 11.00 |
| 2 | 4S4S | 9.70 |
| 3 | 3Lz3Lz (Fall) | 5.90 |
| 4 | LSp4LSp4 | 2.70 |
| 5 | 3F3F | 5.30 |
| 6 | ? | ? |
| 7 | StSq4StSq4 | 3.90 |
| 8 | 3Lo3Lo + 1Eu1Eu + 3S3S | 9.70 |
| 9 | 3A<<3A<< | 3.30 |
| 10 | CCoSp4CCoSp4 | 3.50 |
With this, Inori has successfully surpassed Hikaru's base score. Upon returning rinkside, she and Tsukasa share an emotional moment. The award ceremony is held, but Inori is not on the podium — the top three are Hikaru, Suzu, and Ako.