Takumi Fujiwara vs Ichijo

The battle between Takumi Fujiwara and Ichijo is the thirty-eighth battle of Initial D.

Prior to the Battle
Having seen his comrade in the Evo V lose unexpectedly, Ichijo decides to pull a nasty trick up his sleeve. Just before the battle, he reminds Takumi after meeting him that his teammate who lost to Keisuke has called some some gangsters and thugs, so Takumi should focus on the bigger problems instead. When asked by Takumi if he is asking him to lose on purpose, he doesn't answer to him directly, but Takumi realizes that's the case. On the starting line, Matsumoto realized Takumi looks rather too nervous, and when he realizes what the Lan Evo team has planned for them, he just says to Takumi that it's just a trick to lose concentration, and he should just focus on the battle, which Takumi agrees with.

During the Battle
The battle starts with Ichijo's Lancer Evolution on the lead with Takumi chasing him. Ryosuke didn't give Takumi any advice as he knew Takumi was able to manage the race in himself. However he states that the Lan Evo is actually fast on downhill and the driver does have some skills to match up with it. Back on the race Ichijo hopes his conversation with Takumi had affected his concentration so that he can have an advantage. As they approach a tight corner, Ichijo utilizes his ABS to slow down into the corner entry, while Takumi with his expertise brakes more late, but with his braking skills of his Eight-Six without the ABS, he manages to exit the corner in a flawless drift and closing the gap between him and Ichijo, shocking the spectators. As its been stated that his Eight-Six has been tuned for downhill racing, coupled with Takumi's racing skills, it can outperform cars with ABS.

Back at the starting point, Matsumoto reveals to Keisuke and the rest of the Project D members on what Ichijo said to Takumi before his battle. Upon hearing Kenta tries to persuade Keisuke upon calling their own gang members back at Gunma, but Keisuke tells him it will be too late by the time they'll reach here, and they must act cool for now. On the race, Takumi feels that he can actually win this race, and he realizes Ichijo's weak point: his braking skills. His AWD complex was realized as the last time someone had overtaken him in an AWD car was none other than his father himself. Ichijo's braking skills doesn't even come close to Bunta's. At the starting point Matsumoto worries that if Ichijo's words can affect Takumi, but Ryosuke and Keisuke assures them that Fujiwara may seem harmless, but once he begins to race, his mindset switches to a pro-racer mode. Ichijo realizing Takumi is keeping up switches his cornering line to a defense mode, aka blocking the car behind him, which Takumi realizes as he prepares for attacking from the outside. Meanwhile Aikawa and his team gets the message that the Bosozoku gang they have called have almost reached their area. Back at the battle, Ichijo takes the corners from the inside as he plans to go all out once the high speed section arrives and Takumi takes the outside of the corners to wait for chance to attack. As they reach the bridge corner section however, Ichijo's Lan Evo suddenly loses front grip and skids straight forward, as Takumi takes this opportunity and passes Ichijo as he skids sideways. The battle has now turned tide with Takumi leading. It turns out that the remaining oil slick from the oil which has been previously poured by the Lan Evo team themselves on the bridge to trap Keisuke has backfired on them. Ichijo realizes that he still has a chance to get his position back on the upcoming straightaway and aims for it. His Lan Evo with a much more powerful engine tries to come up next to Takumi's Eight-Six, but the corner after this was a slow speed section, which requires a precise braking skills for the corner entry. Ichijo realizing he can't enter the corner at this much speeds brakes away, but was shocked to see Takumi accelerating forward without braking. However Takumi, with his impeccable skills was able to enter the corner in a flawless four-wheel drift followed by another in the next corner, gapping Ichijo and grabbing the victory forward.

After the Battle
Fumihiro informs Project D about the gang members called by the Lan Evo team are heading towards them and will reach any moment. Ryosuke states that time trial is anyways out of the list and their top priority right now is to ensure their team's safety. Keisuke prepares for the upcoming conflict as they order the rest of the team to get in their vehicles. Soon the gang with their cars arrived at the base, with the gang leader emerging at the front. The Lan Evo team are stunned to see them coming and plan to join in the fun of beating up Project D. Keisuke with a metallic rod tool moves towards the gang while they move towards Keisuke. They both move closer and reach an area with a light source and just before any of them can make a move, they suddenly recognized each other. Keisuke recognizes the leader, who used to be his follower back during his reckless days. The gang immediately greet Keisuke respectfully and ask if the Lan Evo team has caused them any trouble. Keisuke states that the only problem he has at present was that gang's cars blocking their way. Keisuke returns to a surprised Project D team and he reveals to them about his past and relations with them. The gang are furious at the Lan Evo team for making them look like fools for asking to attack Keisuke and his team, let alone attack anyone from the Gunma area, as the leader is from Gunma himself.

The time trial called out, Project D walks out unscathed with their victory recorded and their expedition in the Saitama Prefecture being finished. Takumi also got over his AWD complex thanks to his battle there.

Fourth Stage

 * I Just Wanna Call You Now - Norma Sheffield
 * Mission Impossible - Nick Mansell

Battle Stage 2

 * Lonely Night 2006 - Helena