The After School Science Club merged with a proposed shogi club to become “the Shogi Science Club.” Club activities include Rei teaching the members how to play shogi and Rei being taught various science experiments. Rei realizes that he’s delighted to have a warm place where he belongs at school. With ramune in hand, he heads for the Kawamoto home.

Rei is at the Shogi Hall with Nikaidou and other players to watch the live broadcast of the final game for the Meijin Championship between Souya and Kumakura. Meanwhile, veteran player Yanagihara describes the game as “chaos,” but what does that portend for the Meijin Championship?

Hinata is so enraged by her classmates and homeroom teacher. When Rei arrives for a visit at the Kawamoto home, he treats Hinata with kindness in his own way. On the other hand, the semi-finals of the Newcomer Tournament are here. Rei’s opponent is Subaru Hachiya, the “Irritated Prince of the East.” How will Rei fare against this strong, irritable yet irritating player?

Just when Rei thought he found a happy place within school, that place begins to disappear. Meanwhile, Shimada has a match against Gakuto Sakurai 7th-Dan, as they vie for the right to challenge Yanagihara, the venerable reigning Kishou champion.

Chairman Jinguuji focuses more on attracting customers to the commemorative match between Souya and Rei, though Shimada warns him that neither Souya nor Rei are comfortable being the center of attention. On the eve of their match in Morioka, Rei and Souya attend a reception in honor of it, even though Rei is extremely nervous about playing against the Meijin for the first time.

Rei and Nikaidou are to be the board commentators for the final Kishou Championship match between Yanagihara and Shimada. All of the reporters and staff members that attend the pre-game reception turn out to be old friends of Yanagihara, who has been the reigning Kishou champion for years. Despite the immense pressure of an “away game” for the challenger, Shimada, he is determined more than ever to win his very first title.

It’s the final match of the Kishou Championship and the honorary title of “Eternal Kishou” is on the line for Yanagihara. As the shogi game approaches the final stage, Shimada is dominating. Yanagihara reflects on how he’s been entrusted with metaphorical relay race-like “sashes” from friends who have given up or retired from the professional shogi world. Even while feeling bound by this pressure, Yanagihara continues to play.