March comes in like a lion - Season 2

On the trip back home from their commemorative match in Morioka, Rei and Souya are forced to stay in Sendai for a night because of a typhoon. Rei is relieved once they find lodging, but soon gets a phone call from Jinguuji, who tells him the secret of the genius "Shogi Demon," Souya. When Rei returns to Tokyo, he thinks over their match, while examining Souya's past game records. Meanwhile, Nikaidou is out of the hospital and is making a comeback with the first qualifying round of the King Tournament.

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, the eldest active Class A player. As the shogi game approaches the final stage, Shimada is dominating. Yanagihara reflects on how he has been entrusted with countless metaphorical "relay sashes" from friends who had given up the professional shogi world before him. Despite the immense pressure, Yanagihara continues to play, as if he is making his way through the burning field.

Crescent Moon sets up a food stand at the March Town summer festival, featuring Akari and Hinata's new menu - "chilled rice dumplings with syrup." One of its variations uses the plum syrup made by Chiho, Hinata's friend who moved away after being bullied.
Hinata had visited Chiho at the beginning of her summer break. Chiho was smiling again, but she was also still bearing the emotional scars. Hinata plans to share with her a photo of everyone enjoying the plum syrup, and also to visit her again.

Hinata has been coming up with new ideas for sweets one after another all throughout summer vacation, but struggles to focus on her studies and deciding which high schools to apply to. Rei decides to invite the three Kawamoto sisters to some nagashi somen fun at his school. When Hinata meets the members of Noguchi's Shogi Science Club and Hayashida, she begins considering Komahashi High, Rei's high school.