EPISODE CONTEXT

Coming off the formal launch of their startup in Episode 2, this episode escalates the stakes by throwing Haru and Gaku into the competitive realities of securing investment and proving their concept has legs. It serves as a crucial bridge between the foundational setup of their partnership and the skills-based gauntlet of Episode 4's 'Security Championship,' where Gaku's hacking abilities will take center stage. Still early in a 26-episode run, Episode 3 is firmly in the series' world-building phase — establishing the rules of the game before the real battles begin.