Shion Karanomori adds that it would be easy to do with medications, but the ones undergoing it would face considerable physical risks,, too. Tenma Todoroki asks about the hue checks of the drivers and Arata Shindo suspects that the drivers likely didn’t know anything about their cargo. Yayoi Kunizuka reports that there was only one transport company that did not follow their scheduled route on the day of Lee Aki's murder and shows them the data for Animoto Transportation in Myogadani. All of a sudden, Kazumichi Irie interrupts saying that he has got a major lead too.
A little while later, Irie is driving Shindo and Todoroki to an unknown location. Irie informs the pair that Kojo Tsuchiya kept an office in the Akihabara Abandoned Zone under his late daughter’s name. Todoroki questions whether they should follow up on Irie’s lead first, but Shindo insists on researching the professor first. Taking the opportunity, Todoroki asks Shindo about Kei Mikhail Ignatov’s suspension and Shindo teases him about being concerned about Ignatov. At Tsuchiya’s office, the group starts investigating the building when they come across a hidden room.
Inside the room, Shindo turns on the computer and the group are abruptly greeted by Tsuchiya’s A.I. assistant who introduces themself as “Prototype AI.” Just before Prototype AI is about to contact the Public Safety Bureau, Shindo shows him his badge and sadly informs him of Tsuchiya's death. Prototype AI remarks that Tsuchiya had already predicted his death and informed Prototype AI to help them in the event of his death. Prototype AI then explains Tsuchiya’s research into ‘Cognitive Loads’ as Komiya is giving a public speech in another part of the city. He explains that Tsuchiya’s goal was to create an AI hologram version of Komiya called ‘Ma-Karina’ to help Komiya control the voters by lip-syncing to Ma-karina’s speech patterns and vocal tones.
Hearing the explanation, Shindo hypothesizes that Tsuchiya was likely stalking Komiya to reclaim the AI that she stole. Confused, Todoroki asks who killed Tsuchiya then and Shindo suspects that it was someone who wanted Komiya to win the election and to keep Ma-Karina a secret. Later that evening, Komiya is being driven home. Turning to Ma-Karina, Karina thanks her. They start talking simultaneously before Komiya pulls Ma-Karina into phasing over herself.
In Karanomori’s office, Kunizuka contacts Shindo and informs him that a transport company linked to Enomiya is active. Shindo asks if Enomiya's men are en-route to the Giga Arena and if so, what the security situation is over there. Karanomori informs them that Tetsuji Bando and Seo from Division 02 are on the scene with drones. Suddenly, Ignatov interrupts the group and suggests that the targets might have drone countermeasures. Surprised, Shindo asks about his suspension and Ignatov informs him that he there to hear the debate. He adds that he will report anything suspicious before signing off.
After some banter, Shindo tells the group to head to the arena. En-route, Shindo contacts Komiya’s manager, En Owanee, to cancel the debate, but Komiya intervenes and firmly states that she is not quitting before ending the call. Back at the arena, Enomiya’s fighters including Oishi leave the transporter as Shindo and the rest of the Division, including Kunizuka, leave for the arena in a helicopter. On the way, they discuss the case and the election. Todoroki questions the use of an AI speechwriter, but Arata claims that Ma-Karina is a new form of mental control system. Mao Kisaragi muses whether it is even possible for an AI to control humans and Shindo claims that it is because humans are bad making decisions. Kunizuka agrees, calling on her own experiences in Journalism.
At the arena, Ignatov discovers the transport truck empty. As he is about to contact Bando, Ignatov is attacked by one of Enomiya’s men. In the main arena, the debate is getting started with the announcer introducing the candidates as they enter the stage. Backstage, Oishi is instructing his men to lock the unconscious Bando and Seo somewhere as they set up for the attack. In the helicopter, the team theorizes on the identity of the actual murderer and Shindo suggests it is someone who wanted to control the election through the candidates with ties to Enomiya.
Back with Ignatov, Ignatov manages to defeat the man. But he is too late. On stage, the holo-equipment starts malfunctioning including Ma-Karina. Enomiya’s men appear and kidnap Karina Komiya despite Kosuke "Herakles" Yakushiji’s attempt to stop them. Reaching out for Ma-Karina, Komiya is knocked unconscious and carried away. Ma-Karina is then exposed to the entire city as she malfunctions and disappears.
Outside the arena, Shindo is giving orders to the team as Komiya wakes up in a backstage room. Oishi instructs her to apologize and reveal her deceit. Komiya refuses, but then Owanee arrives and tries to save her. Just as Owanee is about to be killed, Ignatov arrives and saves the pair. Komiya escapes during the fight by using the elevator leading to the scaffold above the arena. In the arena, Kisaragi and Sho Hinakawa are evacuating the spectators and Kisaragi comments that the broadcast is still running. In the control room, Kunizuka, Todoroki and Ignatov take down the rest of the men and regain control of the system. As Kunizuka contacts Karanomori, Todoroki introduces Kunizuka to Ignatov while also scolding him about acting while suspended.
Discovering Komiya’s location, Todoroki and Ignatov head into a nearby elevator to the roof. In the elevator, Todoroki asks if the Sibyl System partnered Shindo and him together, but Ignatov denies it since, according to Sibyl, their compatibility was the worst. Todoroki is surprised that they ignored Sibyl’s directive causing Ignatov to insist that the “system isn’t everything.” Impressed, Todoroki gives Ignatov an electric baton. In the roof stairwell, Shindo and Irie clash with Oishi and his men. Irie tells Shindo to go after Komiya while he takes care of Oishi. Using his parkour skills, Shindo arrives in time to save Komiya from one of Enomiya's combat robot men. However, before Shindo can use his Dominator, the cyborg throws Komiya at him, nearly knocking the pair off the scaffolding.
Grabbing onto the falling Komiya, Shindo finds himself in trouble as the robot changes his directive to murdering Komiya. Turning to Komiya, Shindo asks her if she trusts him before throwing the both of them onto a nearby platform. Ignatov and Todoroki arrive and after a long fight, manage to toss the robot off the scaffolding down to the main floor. Meanwhile, Irie manages to knock Oishi out. Back on the main floor, Kunizuka comes up to Shindo on the lowered platform and asks if he is alright. Shindo replies that he’s fine as Owanee comes up and hugs Komiya. Karanomori reports that backup has arrived causing Shindo to collapse in relief, much to Komiya’s amusement.
Outside the arena, Yakushiji is guiding the evacuees. Ignatov and Todoroki come up to him and ask Yakushiji to come with them. Todoroki’s father and brother arrive and start yelling at them for their rudeness. Todoroki informs them that a man named Enomiya planned the attack and threatens to enforce the pair if they don’t behave. Ichido Todoroki tries to strike his brother, but he's stopped and berated about being unable to protect his mother and candidate. Disheartened, Yakushiji agrees to go with them in exchange for an explanation as Todoroki bids farewell to his relatives. Back at the Public Safety Bureau, Irie and Todoroki are going through Yakushiji’s things when they discover Enomiya’s Bifrost card. Noticing the same fox mark, Todoroki insists on taking care of it because he won’t make trouble for Irie.
At Enomiya’s underground casino, Enomiya is trying to make a break for it with his riches. However, he is stopped by Koichi Azusawa who goads him into a fight. Enomiya loses the fight and tries to run away by escaping into a nearby elevator. But just as the doors are about to close, the elevator malfunctions. Azusawa reveals that Bifrost's plan was for Komiya to win the election all along and that Enomiya was a puppet used by the Congressmen to make Yakushiji lose the election. As the elevator falls, Azusawa speculates that the Congressmen cared more about how Komiya would win and tells Haruki to "lament your own stupidity." Enomiya dies cursing Azusawa. The next day, Ignatov and Shindo are called to Mika Shimotsuki’s office. Ignatov asks if this is about his breaking his suspension, but Shimotsuki coyly replies that his suspension was lifted one hour before the debate as a special terrorism measure, then warns him not to do it again.
Outside the office, Shindo remarks he is glad that Shimotsuki is a scheming fox and Ignatov tells him to never say it to her face. The two then attend their welcome party with their team. At the party, Ignatov asks Shindo who he voted for and Shindo replies that it is a secret. Absolutely drunk, Irie remarks how jealous he is of Shindo and demands to know who he voted for when they are suddenly interrupted by an announcement that Komiya has won the election and that Yakushiji will be held by the Public Safety Bureau. Kisaragi explains that because he has a lot of social influence, he will receive isolated counseling and intensive care for a while.
Watching the broadcast, Karanomori criticizes how little people cared about Komiya's use of an AI, causing Ignatov to wonder what makes an ideal human. Outside the party, Shimotsuki is pacing about wondering if she should join the group when a drunk Irie comes up to her and insists she come in. Irie tells Shimotsuki that everyone isn’t nervous around her and that he is actually grateful that she recruited him for the Public Safety Bureau. Shimotsuki replies that it was Akane Tsunemori who did so, not her.
In Bifrost’s headquarters, the Congressmen discuss the results of the election and reveal how their goal was to create a situation that Sibyl couldn’t ignore by exposing Komiya’s AI. Haruki Shirogane remarks that it is unfortunate that Kyoko Saionji curbed Enomiya early on. Saionji utters how shocked she is that Shizuka Homura lost nearly all of his winnings. She sadistically remarks that she’d hate it if Homura had to face enforcement, should his winnings drop low enough.
Later that night, Shindo is waiting in the park when Komiya shows up. On a bench, Shindo informs Komiya that Tsuchiya was stalking Ma-Karina, not her, leading Ma-Karina to ask about AIs having independent personalities. Boarding a Ferris Wheel, the pair starts discuss Tsuchiya’s past and how Ma-Karina hated being treated like his surrogate daughter. Hearing Komiya’s explanation, Shindo remarks that he is glad Komiya didn’t actually wish for Tsuchiya’s death and wanted him to be healed. Komiya asks whether she is a good person or not considering everything she has done. Shindo replies that he likes people who think of themselves as evil and that he is glad he voted for her.
Outside the Ferris Wheel, Shindo asks what she really called him out for and Komiya asks about Ma-Karina’s fate. Shindo replies that Sibyl allowed it so it should be alright before they part on amicable terms. After Komiya leaves, Shindo pulls out Enomiya’s and Azusawa's cards and recalling how Todoroki gave them to him and Ignatov while telling them about the case that led to Tsunemori's arrest. Going into another mental trace, Shindo collapses in the rain. In Chief Harumi Hosorogi’s office, Hosorogi informs Shimotsuki that they are closing Enomiya’s case. Recalling Tsunemori's words, Shimotsuki vows she will catch the foxes through any means necessary.