In the final matches of the 84th Meijin Championship and C League 1 group ranking tournaments held at the Shogi Hall in Shibuya, Tokyo, Takuma Nishida (34) and Reo Okabe (26) both secured the promotion to B-League 2 with impressive records of 9 wins and 1 loss. The competition, which began in June of the previous year, involved 31 players competing in a league format aiming for the limited promotion spots available in this highly competitive ranking system.

Nishida's victory was particularly significant as he faced Tatsuya Sanmaido (32) in a crucial showdown that had implications for both players' aspirations of promotion. Reflecting on his performance, Nishida expressed his relief and satisfaction, stating, "I feel relieved. This was an important match, and I hoped to play a game that would justify my promotion regardless of the outcome. I am grateful that I was able to play in a way that brought me to this achievement." Nishida, from Kyoto City, turned pro at the age of 25 in 2017 and is recognized as a strong contender, having competed in the Osho League among the top seven players in the shogi world in previous years.

Okabe also celebrated a successful promotion, achieving a consecutive rise after he defeated Daisuke Nakagawa (57) and obtained a position as a sixth dan due to the ranking regulations. Hailing from Tsuruoka City in Yamagata Prefecture, Okabe became a shogi player at the age of 23 in 2022 and garnered attention for his impressive performance last season where he triumphed in three award categories related to matches played and victories. The atmosphere of competition was also highlighted with Ryo Maehara (36) claiming victory in another high-ranking match and achieving promotion, unfortunately marking a missed chance for the established master, Masataka Sugimoto (57), a mentor to reigning Meijin and Ryuo Sota Fujii (23).