After a shocking talent swap boosts an F-rank student to S-rank status, Crane—once the only S-rank in Cinderhale—is now reduced to F-rank. The local community is outraged, revealing that the Federation created an energy field to swap talents between new awakeners, weakening both in the process. While Crane has long supported and funded poorer students, he is now scorned as someone else's pawn. Tensions escalate when an antagonist declares Crane his family's 'dog' and commands Flame Gryphon to attack, leaving Crane and his allies under immediate threat and the talent conflict unresolved.