The Ryuo’s Work Is Never Done!

At the age of sixteen, Yaichi Kuzuryu has become the youngest person to ever claim the esteemed champion’s title of “Ryuo,” the strongest in the Shogi world. But just when he’s made it to the top, he falls into a devastating slump, losing eleven games in a row. Burdened by expectations and shaken by defeat, Yaichi questions whether it’s time to abandon the “safe” playstyle that brought him this far—when nine-year-old Ai Hinatsuru walks through the door to his home?! She’s here to collect on a promise he barely remembers making, a promise to take her on as his apprentice, and she’s not leaving until he commits. Training a gifted young prodigy is hard enough, but living under the same roof with her proves to be a career-defining challenge. Still, as Ai’s unyielding enthusiasm reignites his passion for the game, Yaichi begins to wonder if this unlikely partnership is exactly what he needs to shake off his losing streak—as long as his new apprentice doesn’t turn his life upside down first!

Earning the top title of “Ryuo” was nothing compared to the struggles of being someone’s teaching master! With a gifted apprentice now looking to him for guidance, Yaichi Kuzuryu wonders if he’s been stifling her growth by not exposing her to the pain of loss. Enter Competitor: Ai Yashajin! A second child prodigy who’s come dressed in black and prepared to cut down the competition! Sparks fly as Yaichi finds himself caught between two extraordinary students whose rivalry pushes them to greater heights—and pushes him to realize that the most meaningful exchanges aren’t always played out on a Shogi board.

Standing at the top of the Shogi world doesn’t numb the sting of defeat. After losing another three games in a row, Yaichi Kuzuryu fears that he’s falling behind in his personal and professional life. Feeling like his habits are being used against him, he seeks out a player of the “enemy” style to be his mentor and challenge his fundamentals. Meanwhile, Keika Kiyotaki finds herself with questions of her own. While the Ryuo may admire her, the sudden rise of his rookie apprentice in Ai Hinatsuru forces Keika to doubt whether she can ever truly realize her dream of being a professional Shogi player. The gap in results between years of hard work and the natural talent of a genius scares even Ai, who begins to fear that even the best players can lose their way in search of the next victory. As new paths threaten to lead them astray, each player must decide what price they’d pay to improve and if the change they seek is really for the better.

Things heat up in the Shogi world as Yaichi and company enter their next battleground: the Mynavi Women’s Open! As the largest Women’s Shogi competition, the tournament is the perfect place for apprentices, players, and masters alike to make a name for themselves. For Ai Hinatsuru, it’s the opportunity to prove she’s a serious competitor on a national stage. For Ai Yashajin, it’s the stage to funnel her pride into a decisive victory against rivals. And for Keika Kiyotaki, it’s the chance at victory that might finally turn her dream into real-life opportunity. But just as they begin to make headway, Yaichi appears live on stream with a new contender at his side...and the next day he’s off to Harajuku with another girl too! The competition is as stiff as the climb up Shogi ranks is steep—and they’ll need every bit of skill and determination they’ve got to make the climb!

Yaichi travels to the island where summer never ends to face the Meijin, a living legend of the Shogi world who’s one victory away from his 100th title season—or one loss away from losing it all. With his own title of Ryuo on the line, Yaichi flounders when his opponent uses his own tactics against him. As one loss turns into three, he lashes out at the people there to support him until he’s forced to face the challenge ahead alone... But those who believe in him won’t give in that easily! Even as the odds stack against them, Yaichi’s Shogi family fights to prove that hard work can break through the tallest of obstacles. In a match that plays with the forbidden, the Dragon King must break the rules he’s always played by to rise above the very game itself!

A new year brings with it new opportunities—and new problems. Dreams of complex issues plague Yaichi’s nights, and the days have their own problems as both of his apprentices debut in the Women’s League to disastrous effect. Still, each apprentice has a gift to lift his spirits, though they come in very different forms. Their Shogi family expands as Ginko Sora—Naniwa’s Snow White and Yaichi’s old childhood friend—sets her sights higher than any of her peers have climbed before. She’s only one win away from promotion to 3-dan...and one loss to an 11-year-old prodigy deep in despair. With the clock ticking down to her next match, she turns to the person she hates most for some tough love: Yaichi himself.