On his first day with Special Fire Force Company 8, Shinra Kusakabe, a third-generation pyrokinetic who is able to produce flames from his feet, meets his fellow company members and begins to fulfil his wish of becoming a hero.

Shinra and Arthur compete in the Rookie Fire Soldier Games, a contest to test the abilities of each year's newest recruits. However, they are interrupted at the goal by the mysterious man who created explosions at their last fire scene.

While jogging, Shinra inadvertently disturbs Iris' purification rite, and sees that she is troubled. When Iris later turns up missing, the other members of Company 8 rally to Company 5's compound, to which Iris had secretly slipped away.

Shinra confronts Hibana in an attempt to rescue Iris, and must once again deal with her ability to make his body shut down. The story of Hibana and Iris's youth as orphans, as well as Hibana's rise to prominence, is revealed.

Obi goes over Hibana's research, and learns that the artificially-created Infernals she dissected all had traces of insect DNA in them. Shinra and Arthur's investigation at the 1st continues, and they finally get their first lead on a culprit.

A captain's conference is convened to allow the Special Fire Force to discuss the situation with the Evangelist and the White-Clad. Shinra once again has an encounter with Joker, in which startling information about Shinra's brother is revealed.