Rei returns to his apartment after recovering for three days at the Kawamoto home. Although his health is restored, he feels the pangs of loneliness after going from the lively New Year’s mood at their house to his empty place. Rei tries to get over this by focusing on the Lion King Tournament. It’s a hard struggle for Rei against his first opponent, Takeshi Tsujii, a player with a strong offensive game and a penchant for bad puns.