At the tournament an E-rank Mecha Maiden named Ember, piloted by Kevin, shocks the crowd by using a Blink Shift and defeating a near-A group to claim a top-32 spot. The losing team lashes out after the match, unleashing a forbidden power by burning their Mecha Maiden's Core Essence to force a boost. Referees call it a foul and officials suspect Mecha Ascension Cult involvement. An action team moves in, detains Kevin and his Mecha Maiden on safety-violation charges, and escorts them for a private interrogation, leaving their qualification in doubt.