Popular television hero Steel Samurai is arrested for murder, and it's down to Naruhodo (Phoenix) and Mayoi (Maya) to defend him.

Gumshoe gives his testimony, explaining that Grey was first stabbed before being shot by his own pistol. He presents Maya's ceremonial robes, which are covered in blood and have a hole in the sleeve. While Franziska claims that bullet hole is irrelevant, Phoenix notices the hole is missing a gunpowder burn that would appear if it was shot at close range. Lotta is then brought to the stand, presenting the photo she had taken of "Maya" when entering the crime scene. Phoenix notices that the person in the photo is missing the head ornament Maya was wearing, believing that another person was impersonating Maya. As Phoenix struggles to prove how this additional person entered the locked room, Pearl manages to channel Mia, who reminds Phoenix of the room key Pearl gave him, which proves the possibility of another person.

Revealing that he hid the camera as insurance against de Killer, Engarde reminds Phoenix about what will happen to Maya if he fails to secure a "not guilty" verdict. As Edgeworth asks Phoenix to think about what the right thing to do is, they hear the sound of Engarde's pet cat over de Killer's radio, leading them to Engarde's mansion. Although Maya is nowhere to be found by the time they get there, they discover a photo of Adrian's sister, Celeste, and a message from Maya telling Phoenix to find Engarde guilty no matter the cost. The next day, as Edgeworth brings in Adrian to testify about a teddy bear that was removed from the crime scene, Pearl manages to use Mia to inform Gumshoe about Maya's current whereabouts. Adrian explains that the bear was a gift to Corrida from Celeste, who hung herself after being dumped by Corrida after he learned about her relationship with Engarde. She further reveals that Corrida was planning to reveal Celeste's suicide note to the public during the conference, leading Adrian to tamper with the crime scene in order to implicate Engarde. As the note is revealed to be inside the bear that was taken from the scene, Phoenix calls for the note to be analyzed to buy some time. Gumshoe manages to find some evidence left behind by Maya, but ends up getting into a traffic accident en route to the courtroom, where de Killer decides to testify over a transceiver.

When the Kurain Village's sacred urn is stolen from an exhibit at the Lordly Tailor by the mysterious thief Mask DeMasque, Phoenix, Maya, and Pearl investigate the scene and meet self-proclaimed ace detective Luke Atmey.

Phoenix thinks back to his middle school days, three years after Edgeworth lost his father and began living with von Karma and Franziska.

Five years ago, Phoenix is accused for the murder of Doug Swallow, who was electrocuted to death. Mia, who had previously been traumatized by her first trial a year ago, defends Phoenix in court, where Payne suggests Phoenix had bad blood with Swallow over his then girlfriend Dahlia Hawthorne and pushed him into a severed electrical cable.

After Dahlia's attempt to feign ignorance only incriminates her further, Mia has Fawles testify about the incident from five years ago.

Dahlia reveals she had plotted with Morgan to murder Maya and make Pearl head of the Kurain family so she could get revenge against Mia.