Risha arranged a meeting after a day with the Iron Bandits at one of their usual hideouts—a rundown bar buried deep within the slums. The establishment was called Iron Heaven, a dim and smoke-choked tavern standing at the edge of Luminous City’s infamous night district. Even from outside, the place looked dangerous. Rusted metal signs creaked above the entrance as cold midnight wind swept through the alleyways, carrying the mixed smells of alcohol, sweat, cheap cigarettes, and sewage from the nearby gutters.
The streets surrounding the bar were crowded with all sorts of suspicious figures. Hooded men leaned against brick walls while exchanging hushed conversations. Drunkards staggered through puddles of muddy rainwater, their laughter rough and unpleasant. Somewhere deeper in the alley, a woman screamed before the sound was abruptly silenced. Muggers, smugglers, fugitives, and mercenaries blended together beneath the dim orange glow of broken street lamps. It was the kind of place where a single wrong glance could get someone stabbed.
Thankfully, Shin had Risha accompanying him. The moment the guards stationed outside Iron Heaven noticed her, their hostile expressions immediately softened. One large brute with scars across his jaw silently stepped aside and opened the door for them. Without Risha’s presence, Shin doubted he would have entered the bar without trouble—or walked out alive afterward.
As soon as Shin stepped inside, a wave of heat and noise slammed into him. Loud drunken laughter echoed across the room while mugs crashed against wooden tables. The air was thick with smoke from cigars and pipes, stinging his nose and making the ceiling nearly impossible to see. The smell of roasted meat mixed with spilled beer soaked into the floorboards. Several rough-looking mercenaries glanced at Shin with wary eyes before returning to their gambling games.
At the far corner of the tavern sat Adzeel, leaning back on his chair with one arm resting over the table. A half-empty bottle stood beside him. His sharp eyes immediately locked onto Shin the moment he approached.
It was still before dawn when the meeting took place. Outside, darkness continued to blanket the city, though faint traces of pale blue light were beginning to creep over the horizon. Most citizens of Luminous City were still asleep, but inside Iron Heaven, the night felt far from over.
Shin wasted no time and explained everything he had learned inside the Abyssal Dungeon, including the information hidden within the Professor’s records. As he spoke about the Halochassis, even the usually composed Adzeel slowly narrowed his eyes in disbelief.
“So, you’re telling me…” Adzeel paused, his fingers tapping against the wooden table as he processed the information. “There are five Halochassis, and one was being used by a dark elf which was destroyed by the Untouchable Windwalker.”
“Precisely,” Shin answered firmly. “Semjaza, Armaros, Mastema, Samael, and Azazel.” As he listed the names, the atmosphere around the table seemed to grow heavier. “Semjaza was the one destroyed, and we currently have Azazel here.”
Shin raised his gloved hand slightly. The metallic surface of the gauntlet reflected the tavern’s dim lantern light, its dark steel carrying an ominous presence that did not belong in this era. Even Adzeel stared at it for a brief moment with visible caution.
“There are still three remaining,” Shin continued.
“And you believe those three are being held by the Empyrean government?” Adzeel asked, his deep voice lowering.
“It’s highly likely.” Shin nodded. “According to the documents we recovered, the power armors were retrieved from the depths of the Abyssal Dungeon during ancient expeditions. Since only Azazel and Semjaza have surfaced, then the remaining three are probably locked away inside some government facility.”
Adzeel leaned back in silence, his chair creaking beneath his weight. He rubbed his chin slowly as memories resurfaced in his mind.
“When we raided the laboratory…” he muttered. “I remember seeing several containment units labeled from zero-one to zero-four.” His brows furrowed. “We only managed to steal the first container because we ran out of time before the soldiers overwhelmed us.”
The moment Shin heard that, realization struck him instantly. He snapped his fingers and pointed directly at Adzeel. “That’s them.”
Several nearby bandits glanced toward their table after hearing Shin’s sudden outburst, but he ignored them completely.
“Those containers definitely held the Halochassis,” Shin continued. “But after the chaos your raid caused, the government must’ve relocated them immediately and transferred them to another facility.”
Shin reached into his coat and pulled out several folded papers copied from the Professor’s records. He spread them across the table between the bottles and mugs.
“According to these reports,” Shin explained while pointing at the documents, “there were highly confidential shipments transported from the Empyrean Laboratory to the Northern Fortress shortly after your attack.”
Adzeel’s eyes sharpened.
“If we’re searching for the remaining Halochassis,” Shin said grimly, “then there’s a very high chance they’re being kept there.”
Adzeel crossed his muscular arms over his chest and leaned back against his chair until it creaked beneath his weight. For a few seconds, he simply stared at Shin before a crooked grin slowly spread across his scarred face.
“Well damn, Shin Rebellium,” Adzeel said with a low whistle. “Your intel is definitely terrific.” He shook his head in amusement. “It’s a fresh breath of air having an educated ally like you around, considering I’m usually surrounded by stupid bums.”
Several Iron Bandits sitting nearby groaned in protest while others laughed loudly over their mugs of alcohol.
“Well, sorry about that, boss,” one of the bandits muttered while scratching the back of his head.
The tavern erupted with rough laughter. Someone slammed a mug against the table hard enough to spill beer onto the floorboards. The atmosphere briefly lightened, though the tension lurking beneath the conversation never truly disappeared.
Then Adzeel chuckled again, though this time the sound carried a sharper edge.
“I’m still amazed you managed to work alongside the Untouchable Windwalker, though.” His golden eyes narrowed slightly. “Makes me wonder if you’re planning to lead us straight into a trap and sell us out to the authorities.”
The laughter around the table slowly died.
Shin’s expression froze for a brief second. He could suddenly feel the weight of several suspicious stares from nearby bandits. Even the clinking of bottles and drunken chatter in the tavern seemed quieter now. The smoky air felt heavier against his lungs.
Then Shin straightened himself and answered with a serious expression.
“Lireina Ashford is part of the Celestial Wardens,” he said firmly. “She belongs to the same organization we both consider an enemy. Our cooperation inside the Abyssal Dungeon was purely coincidental.”
His voice remained calm, but inside, Shin could feel his pulse quickening. He knew that a single wrong answer here could destroy the fragile trust he had built with the Iron Bandits.
Adzeel remained silent for a moment, carefully studying Shin’s face as though searching for even the slightest hint of deceit.
“Well,” Adzeel finally muttered as he pushed himself off the chair. The wooden legs scraped harshly against the tavern floor. “The Iron Bandits are already beaten dogs at this point.” He gave a bitter shrug. “Truth is, we probably would’ve been arrested or killed already if it weren’t for your help last week.”
The bandit leader grabbed the bottle beside him and took one final swig before setting it down with a dull thud.
“So we’ve got nothing left to lose,” Adzeel continued. “This next operation?” A grin slowly returned to his face. “It’s all or nothing.”
“Yes.” Shin nodded without hesitation. “We move at midnight, two days from now.”
The dim lantern light reflected faintly against the metallic glove covering his arm as he clenched his fist.
“I’ll personally serve as the decoy,” Shin added. “That way, you’ll have no reason to doubt my loyalty.”
A few bandits exchanged surprised looks after hearing that. Even Adzeel raised an eyebrow slightly. Offering himself as bait was not something a traitor would casually do.
For several seconds, only the muffled noise of the tavern filled the silence between them. Then Adzeel smirked and gave a satisfied nod.
The meeting of the Iron Bandits finally concluded shortly before sunrise. One by one, the members dispersed into the shadows of the slums like ghosts vanishing into the night. Outside Iron Heaven, the cold early morning air hit Shin’s face the moment he stepped out of the tavern. The smell of smoke, alcohol, and sweat lingering inside the bar was replaced by damp stone streets and the faint scent of morning dew.
Risha accompanied Shin as they walked through the winding alleys of the slums. The district was far quieter now compared to earlier. Most drunkards had either collapsed asleep or stumbled back into their hideouts. A few exhausted workers were beginning to emerge from their homes while merchants prepared their stalls for the coming day.
As they continued walking, the dark sky above gradually shifted into softer shades of blue and orange. Golden sunlight slowly spilled across the rooftops of Luminous City, illuminating the towering buildings of the central business district in the distance. Compared to the filthy slums behind them, the business district looked almost like an entirely different world.
When they finally reached the edge separating the slums from the cleaner streets of the city proper, Shin stopped walking.
“I’ll be fine on my own from here,” Shin said while giving Risha a tired smile. “Thank you, Risha.”
He raised his hand and waved goodbye.
Risha returned the gesture with a cheerful wave of her own before turning around and jogging back toward the slums, her figure gradually disappearing between the narrow alleyways.
Shin let out a long, exhausted sigh once she was gone.
His eyes felt heavy, and every step made his body ache from fatigue. He had barely gotten any sleep after the lengthy meeting in Iron Heaven, which had started well past midnight and stretched until dawn. Even now, his head throbbed faintly from exhaustion.
Unfortunately, rest was still out of reach.
Despite his lack of sleep, he still had work waiting for him at the Librarium.
I’ll probably catch some Z’s while at work when nobody’s watching, Shin thought bitterly.
The exhaustion hanging over him felt unbearable now. His eyes burned from lack of sleep, and every step toward the Librarium felt heavier than the last. The cold morning breeze brushing across the streets of Luminous City helped keep him awake, but only barely. The sunrise had already painted the sky with soft shades of gold and pale blue, and the once-empty streets were beginning to fill with early workers, merchants, and students starting their day.
By the time Shin reached the grand entrance of the Librarium, he was already mentally preparing himself for a long and miserable morning of pretending to stay awake.
Then he saw her.
Standing near the entrance was an elf woman with long golden-blonde hair that shimmered softly beneath the morning sunlight. Her emerald green eyes immediately caught his attention the moment she turned toward him. Even though Shin had already seen her multiple times, his heart still skipped a beat the instant he recognized her.
It was Lireina Ashford.
Unlike her usual combat attire, Lireina wore casual clothes today. A clean white coat rested neatly over a long turtleneck jumper that emphasized her elegant figure while still looking modest and comfortable. A white beret sat gently atop her silky hair, giving her an unexpectedly soft and refined appearance. Combined with the morning sunlight illuminating her face, she looked less like the legendary Untouchable Windwalker and more like a graceful university student waiting for a friend.
The moment their eyes met, Lireina smiled brightly and raised her hand in greeting.
“Good morning, Shin!” Lireina said cheerfully.
Shin immediately felt heat rush to his face. His exhaustion vanished for a split second as panic and happiness crashed into him at the same time.
“G-Good morning, Lady Lireina,” Shin replied, trying his best to sound composed. “I have already compiled all the writings we copied from the dungeon, including the untranslated glyphs.”
“Great!” Lireina clapped her hands together happily.
The simple gesture somehow made Shin’s chest tighten even more. Her excitement looked completely genuine, and seeing the famous heroine react so openly to his work filled him with quiet pride.
“I have everything at my desk,” Shin said while adjusting his glasses nervously. “Follow me.”
The two entered the Librarium together. The massive building was still relatively quiet this early in the morning. Rays of sunlight streamed through the tall stained-glass windows, casting colorful reflections across the marble floors. The faint scent of old parchment, ink, and polished wood filled the air. Librarians quietly organized shelves while the occasional turning of pages echoed softly throughout the vast halls.
Several employees glanced toward Shin and Lireina as they walked together. After all, it was not every day that the legendary Untouchable Windwalker casually visited the Librarium.
Shin tried his best to ignore the curious stares as he quickly guided Lireina toward his desk.
Once they arrived, he crouched down and pulled a thick notebook from one of his drawers. The pages inside were packed with carefully copied symbols, translations, notes, and diagrams gathered from the Abyssal Dungeon.
“Here,” Shin said as he offered the notebook with both hands.
“Thank you!” Lireina smiled warmly as she accepted it.
Then, to Shin’s surprise, she reached into her coat and pulled out a small leather wallet. From it, she produced a pouch filled with coins. The heavy clinking sound immediately revealed that it contained a significant amount of money.
“This is your payment,” Lireina said.
Shin quickly raised both hands in refusal.
“Oh, no.” He shook his head firmly. “You really don’t need to pay me. I did all of this outside my official work hours anyway.”
“Are you sure?” Lireina frowned slightly.
Then she looked up at him with those large emerald eyes, her expression softening into something dangerously adorable. Shin nearly felt his soul leave his body.
“It makes me feel bad,” Lireina admitted quietly, “that you’ve helped me so much, yet I haven’t properly repaid you.”
Shin swallowed hard before answering.
“It’s the least I can do for the Celestial Wardens,” he said. “You all saved this world, after all.”
Lireina visibly blushed at the praise. She awkwardly scratched her cheek and laughed softly.
“Haha… okay then.” She smiled shyly. “Thank you for this!”
She lifted the notebook slightly while partially covering her embarrassed face with it, as though trying to hide her flustered expression. The sight was so unexpectedly cute that Shin momentarily forgot how tired he was.
Then Lireina turned around and began walking toward the exit.
For a brief moment, Shin hesitated.
His heartbeat pounded violently inside his chest. His palms felt sweaty. Every logical part of his brain screamed at him to stay quiet before he embarrassed himself in front of the most famous heroine in the Empire.
But another part of him—the reckless, desperate part—refused to let the opportunity slip away.
Shin clenched his fists tightly.
This was either going to be the best decision of his life… or the most humiliating mistake he would ever make.
“Can I—”
Shin suddenly stopped when Lireina turned back toward him.
Her long blonde hair swayed gently behind her as she tilted her head curiously.
“Can I buy you some overpriced wine sometime?” Shin finally blurted out.
The moment the words left his mouth, Shin internally died.
But instead of rejecting him, Lireina blinked in surprise before her emerald eyes sparkled with amusement. A playful smile slowly spread across her lips.
For about two seconds, Shin felt like time itself had frozen.
Then Lireina answered.
“Would you throw in some cheesy fries too?”
Shin stood completely stunned for a split second before his brain finally restarted.
“Y-Yeah,” he stammered quickly. “Yeah, sure. Sunday?”
“Sunday,” Lireina nodded with a smile bright enough to completely destroy the last remains of Shin’s exhaustion.
“See you!”
She waved one last time before exiting the room, the door softly closing behind her.
Shin remained frozen in place for several long seconds.
Then, very slowly, he covered his face with both hands as a massive grin spread across it.
He was absolutely not sleeping at work anymore.