Albert Volandel/Story

Albert meets Haruka Nanase at a special training camp for swimmers preparing to compete at the All-Japan Invitational. Haruka doesn't realize who he is but when he sees Albert having difficulty ordering food from a Japanese cafeteria menu, he steps in to assist. They establish a friendly rapport while having lunch together with Haru surprised to learn that Albert enjoys eating mackerel, like himself. During a recreational swim, they race one another and Haru quickly realizes that Albert is special. Albert admires Haru's swimming style and power telling him, "the water favors you. I can tell." However, it's not until a friendly competition that Haru learns of Albert's actual identity with said swimmer easily winning and Haru coming in a distant second place. It is at that point that he begins to understand that this is the caliber of swimmer he will be competing against at the global level.

Rin Matsuoka is equally warned against swimming with Albert without being fully prepared by his coach, Mikhail Makarovich Nitori, who says Albert's swimming is "out of this world."