Sixth grade was when Ayase Chihaya met Wataya Arata, the transfer student from Fukui. The shy and quiet Arata was hiding a surprising talent. He knew how to play the competitive karuta version of Ogura's Hundred Poets. Chihaya is stunned by the intensity Arata displays when playing karuta.

Chihaya's proclamation leads to a showdown between Mashima Taichi and the transfer student Arata, who is being shunned by their class. The stubborn Taichi, who's upset by how close Chihaya and Arata have gotten, steals Arata's glasses in the middle of the tournament. Arata, good as he may be, is unable to take cards without his glasses. That is when Chihaya steps in to take his place.

Kanade has joined the karuta club as the third member, while Chihaya continues to recruit members. First, she scouts the second-smartest student in their grade, Komano Tsutomu, who happens to be in her class. Chihaya calls him Desktomu-kun. However, he tells her that karuta is just a game and he would rather spend that time studying. Chihaya insists that Desktomu-kun play a game first and she drags him to the clubroom.

The karuta club has become an official club. Chihaya announces that the five of them will make it to the national tournament. The beginners, Kana-chan and Desktomu-kun, are worried, but Chihaya shows no mercy. Chihaya is set on making a strong karuta team and aiming for the top. And so, they decided to hold a camp.

Chihaya has recovered in time for the individual tournament. Players are grouped by their rank, and the youngest Queen in history, Wakamiya Shinobu, is in the Class A bracket, and Chihaya's second round opponent. Chihaya is overwhelmed by the Queen's ability and unable to take a single card. As she's about to give up, she remembers her first match against Arata back in grade school—

The Mizusawa High School karuta club is gaining experience by participating in tournaments. However, Chihaya's grades are so bad that she is no longer allowed to participate, leaving Taichi to attend the next tournament by himself. There, he runs into Arata, who's returned to karuta. When Taichi and Chihaya see Arata playing karuta...

Chihaya's next opponent is the previous Queen, Yamamoto Yumi. Chihaya recalls the previous Queen being a very tenacious player. While Chihaya is fired up for her match against her opponent, Yumi is clearly not as interested in the match, which only serves to enflame Chihaya.