After a few moments of silent calculation, the referee AI finally spoke. {The current situation is indeed unique. Given that you acquire ownership of everything belonging to the individuals you defeat, the mecha and its pilot are now legally considered your property. Thus, as long as they fit the weapon criteria, they should be eligible for participation. However, despite being your property, they are still classified as individual fighters, as they previously acted as one entity. Allowing them to fight alongside you would constitute an unfair two-versus-one scenario, which is against the rules, and therefore, cannot be permitted.}
She continued, her tone as steady as ever, {It would have been possible for the mecha to fight on your behalf had it been registered as the Empire’s official contender. However, since the registration window closed before the matches began, updating the registration now is not an option.}