The story takes place at Mizusawa High School shortly after the legendary karuta club members Chihaya Ayase, Taichi Mashima, and their friends have graduated. The club that once dominated the national stage is now a shadow of its former self, with only one A-class player remaining. Into this depleted club steps Ritsu Nagara, a first-year student with a fierce determination to win the national championship. Ritsu is a serious and earnest boy who simultaneously manages household responsibilities in place of his deceased mother. Despite his strong will, he struggles to find his footing in a club that has lost its star players and faces an uphill battle to rebuild.

Alongside Ritsu is his eccentric classmate Akino Chihaya, a quiet and intelligent boy with a talent for memorization. Akino comes from a background of poverty and an overbearing mother, which has left him socially isolated. He finds in competitive karuta a way to channel his abilities and break free from his difficult home life. The two boys, along with the remaining upperclassmen including the now senior Sumire Hanano, form the core of a new Mizusawa karuta team.

The narrative follows Ritsu and Akino as they grow as players and as people, learning from the legacy left behind by Chihaya and her generation. Former club members return as mentors and inspirations: Chihaya herself appears as a college student and reigning Queen, Taichi offers logical advice from medical school, and Arata Wataya continues to pursue the title of Master from his base in Fukui. Other alumni such as Nishida and Tsutomu Komano also contribute to the team's development.

The story explores themes of inheriting a tradition, the pressure of living up to a golden-era legacy, and the personal struggles of each new member. Akino faces his mother's interference with his club activities, requiring intervention from the faculty advisor to continue. Ritsu struggles with family obligations and his own inner doubts. The team works toward the national high school tournament, traveling to the Omi Jingu in Kyoto, where they face formidable schools such as Ryusei and Fujisaki. Individual matches showcase the depth of competitive karuta strategy, from memorization of poems to physical speed and psychological resilience. The series interweaves the personal growth of its new characters with the ongoing careers of the original cast, creating a layered narrative about what it means to carry a passion forward into the next generation.