The national championship has begun. Mizusawa High School's first opponent is a tam of foreigners from the Chiba International School of Information Studies. Chihaya is elated that karuta has become an international sport, but the other members are thrown off by the unfamiliar situation. Will Mizusawa High School be able to secure their first victory on their way to becoming number one in Japan? At the same time, Arata arrives at Omi Jingu alone.

In the second round of the playoffs, Mizusawa faces off against Akashi Girls First, led by Ousaka Megumu, the West representative in the previous Queen match qualifier. Chihaya falls behind off the bat as Megumu displays speed that she didn't have before. Will Chihaya be able to use all of her hard work to change the momentum?

Chihaya appears to have recovered from her bad start, but Megumu will not let her take consecutive cards. As the players spur on their aces, both sides begin to pull together as teams. Which team will prove to be stronger?

Mizusawa and Akashi's match has reached the tipping point and each side starts winning games; the pressure between Chihaya and Megumu have captivated the crowd.

A new found passion has brought Misuzawa back into the fight, as Chihaya herself tries to fight through the pain of her injury.

The Mizusawa karuta club has won the team championship, becoming the number one team in Japan. The players reflect upon the path they took to the championship. After Chihaya remembers the pain in her finger, she is taken to the hospital.

Arata wonders why he feels so relieved to learn that Taichi lost his match, even as dark memories of a similar feeling at the Yoshino Tournament come back to him, leaving him unable to concentrate fully on his match in the finals. His opponent, Murao, realizes that Arata isn't himself and sees an opportunity, but then...

It's the day of the Master and Queen challenger finals. Dr. Harada and Arata are competing for the chance to challenge the master, while Inokuma and Megumu battle it out to challenge the Queen. Harada confides in Arata that he once played against his grandfather, Eternal Master Wataya Hajime, and expresses his joy at being able to play karuta with Arata. A passionate battle spanning multiple generations begins at last!

The veteran players Dr. Harada and Inokuma were the winners in the first round, but Dr. Harada chose to yield the second round to preserve his strength for the third. Arata starts to feel sucked into Dr. Harada's pace, but after receiving some advice from Chihaya, he remembers how his grandpa, the Eternal Master, used to play. Both of them enter the third round with one win and one loss as the battle to determine who will challenge the Master begins!