Lireina's body slowly began to glow with a vivid green radiance, the light pulsing beneath her skin like streams of living emerald fire. The grass beneath her boots bent outward as spiraling winds gathered around her figure, whipping her golden hair wildly into the air. Leaves, pebbles, and dust rose from the ground and circled her like a miniature storm. She closed her eyes in complete concentration, her expression calm and deadly, while the surrounding forest answered her call. The trees creaked. Branches swayed violently. Even the air itself seemed to tremble as nature energy flooded into her body.
"Shit..." Shin muttered under his breath.
Cold sweat crawled down the side of his cheek beneath the helmet of the Halochassis. Warning signs flashed red across his visor one after another, accompanied by the sharp, irritating beeping of the armor's failing core. Sparks occasionally burst from the damaged plating around his shoulder and waist. The Hybrid Armor system had already fallen into critical condition. Every movement now felt heavier than before, as if invisible chains were dragging his body down.
His breathing became rough and uneven inside the helmet. The pain from the earlier hits still lingered through his entire body despite the armor cushioning most of the impact. His muscles screamed from exhaustion. The metallic taste of blood lingered faintly in his mouth.
And then reality struck him harder than any blade. No matter how advanced Emmanuel's inventions were... no matter how powerful the Halochassis looked... it still was not enough to defeat even a single member of the Celestial Wardens.
Not even one.
The realization sent a chill through Shin's spine.
If I keep fighting her... I'll die for sure! Shin thought desperately.
Lireina's growing aura only made that fact clearer. The pressure coming from her was overwhelming, suffocating even. It felt like standing before a natural disaster wearing nothing but scrap metal.
At that moment, Shin understood that pride would only get him killed. A strategic retreat was the only option left.
Without wasting another second, Shin pushed the Halochassis to move. The heavy armor hissed loudly as boosters fired from behind his legs. He jumped backwards several meters, the ground cracking beneath the force of the leap. Dirt and shattered stones scattered through the air as he landed.
Immediately, he accessed one of the remaining utility systems of the Halochassis.
"Deploy rollerblades!"
Mechanical clicks echoed from beneath his armored boots. Thick metallic wheels extended outward with a hydraulic hiss before locking into place. The moment they activated, blue sparks burst against the ground.
Shin leaned backward and accelerated. The rollerblades screeched loudly against the rocky terrain as he rapidly skated away from the battlefield. Wind slammed against his armored body while warning alarms continued blaring inside his helmet. Trees flashed past his vision one after another.
Sensing her enemy retreating, Lireina suddenly opened her eyes. The violent winds around her weakened.
Her transformation halted midway as she immediately cancelled the gathering nature energy. The green glow surrounding her faded little by little, though traces of wind still danced around her body. Dust and smoke stirred heavily around the battlefield from Shin's sudden escape, partially obscuring her sight.
"Wait!" Lireina shouted.
Her voice cut sharply through the chaos.
Without hesitation, she withdrew her twin pistols once more and aimed toward Shin's retreating figure. But the thick cloud of dust blown by the winds and the Halochassis boosters forced her to shield her face with one arm.
"Kuh...! Damn it!" Lireina groaned in frustration.
Fine grains of dirt stung her eyes and cheeks. Her golden hair whipped wildly across her face as visibility continued to worsen. By the time the smoke began clearing, Shin had already created a significant distance between them.
On the other side of the battlefield, the bandit leader Adzeel had also made his decision.
The moment he saw Lireina preparing her transformation earlier, survival instincts immediately screamed at him. There was no winning against one of the Celestial Wardens. Especially not against the infamous Untouchable Windwalker herself.
Adzeel cursed under his breath before turning around and sprinting after Shin. His boots pounded heavily against the dirt road while his tattered cloak flapped violently behind him. Every few seconds, he glanced back nervously at Lireina, terrified that a bullet or a blade of compressed wind would suddenly pierce through his skull.
"Hey! Don't leave me behind, armored freak!" Adzeel shouted while running.
Despite the danger, Shin almost laughed bitterly inside the helmet. Moments ago, they had been complete strangers forced into battle together. Now they were running for their lives side by side beneath the same storm of death.
"Hey, mister!" Adzeel shouted over the roaring wind.
Shin turned just in time to see the bandit leader throw a small round object toward him. Instinctively, Shin raised one armored hand and caught it midair with a metallic clang. The object was cold and rough against his palm.
"It's a smoke grenade!" Adzeel yelled.
At that exact moment, Lireina pulled both triggers.
Bang! Bang!
Two enchanted bullets tore through the air like streaks of silver light and slammed into the back of Shin's helmet. The impacts rang loudly inside the Halochassis, making Shin's vision shake violently for a split second. Sparks exploded from the rear plating as the bullets flattened and bounced away harmlessly into the dirt.
But the armor's condition worsened immediately.
[WARNING: HYBRID ARMOR AT 1%]
The red letters flashed across Shin's visor while shrill warning alarms screamed in his ears. Tiny cracks spread across portions of the energy barrier protecting the armor. One more direct magical attack and the defensive system would completely collapse.
"Tch...!" Shin gritted his teeth.
Lireina narrowed her eyes from a distance. Her expression hardened once she realized ordinary shots were no longer enough to stop the armored fugitive.
Green wind energy began swirling around one of her pistols, but soon fiery orange light mixed into the spell. The air around the barrel distorted from the intense heat. Embers floated around her hand while magical flames spiraled tighter and tighter, forming the shape of a blazing bird.
"Phoenix Dive!"
The fiery projectile exploded from her pistol with a deafening blast.
A massive phoenix-shaped bullet screamed through the battlefield, leaving a trail of burning orange flames in its wake. The surrounding air heated instantly. Grass blackened. Nearby adventurers shielded their faces from the sudden wave of heat as the attack rushed toward Shin and Adzeel at terrifying speed.
"Now!" Adzeel shouted.
He quickly pulled another smoke grenade from his belt pouch and yanked the pin out using his teeth. Metal scraped against his fangs before he spat the pin aside.
Without hesitation, both men hurled their smoke grenades behind them.
BOOM!
The grenades detonated almost simultaneously, unleashing a violent burst of thick gray smoke. Clouds rapidly expanded across the battlefield, swallowing the trees, rocks, and road beneath a suffocating haze. Visibility vanished within seconds.
The smell of sulfur and burning chemicals filled the air.
"Down!" Adzeel barked.
The experienced bandit immediately lunged toward Shin and tackled him hard across the ground. The heavy Halochassis crashed into the dirt with a loud metallic thud as both of them went prone.
A fraction of a second later—
FWOOOOOSH!
The flaming phoenix projectile tore straight through the smoke cloud above them. The heat was overwhelming.
Even while pressed against the ground, Shin could feel scorching air pass over his back armor. Burning wind whipped through the smoke like a storm furnace, making leaves and dirt ignite around them. The deafening roar of the attack echoed through the forest edge before finally exploding somewhere in the distance.
BOOOOM!
The shockwave rattled the earth beneath them. Chunks of burning debris rained from the sky while nearby trees groaned from the impact.
"Damn...!" Shin muttered breathlessly.
If Adzeel had reacted even one second slower, both of them would have been incinerated.
"Let's go to the woods!" Adzeel shouted as he quickly stood back up.
Without waiting for a reply, the bandit leader immediately took the lead and sprinted toward the dense forest ahead. His boots crushed dead leaves and snapped twigs beneath each step. Shin quickly followed behind, the Halochassis producing heavy mechanical thumps while the rollerblades retracted back into his boots.
Branches whipped against Shin's armor as they forced their way deeper into the wilderness.
The farther they ran, the darker the surroundings became.
Tall trees blocked much of the moonlight, covering the forest floor in layers of shadow. Moist earth squished beneath their feet. The scent of moss, wet bark, and fresh leaves filled the cold evening air. Distant birds screeched and scattered from the commotion while insects buzzed loudly from hidden corners of the undergrowth.
Soon, both men completely vanished from the battlefield, escaping deeper into the vast forests surrounding the outskirts of Luminous City.
Meanwhile, Lireina and the remaining adventurers stayed behind amidst the battlefield's destruction.
The thick smoke still lingered heavily in the air, slowly drifting with the weakened winds. Burn marks scarred the ground where the Phoenix Dive had passed. Some adventurers coughed while others nervously scanned the forest line, weapons raised in case the fugitives suddenly returned.
Lireina lowered her pistol slightly and stared toward the woods with narrowed eyes.
The smoke finally began to clear. But Shin and Adzeel were already gone.
Lireina stood silently amidst the battlefield, her sharp eyes fixed on the dark forest where Shin and Adzeel had disappeared. The evening wind gently blew through her golden hair and cloak, carrying with it the fading scent of smoke, burned soil, and scorched grass left behind by the battle.
For a moment, green wind energy flickered faintly around her feet.
She could still chase them.
As the Untouchable Windwalker, tracking fugitives through forests was not difficult for her. The winds themselves could guide her toward their scent, their footsteps, even the disturbance of leaves and branches they left behind. If she truly wanted to, she could hunt down the mysterious demonic knight and the Iron Bandits before sunrise.
But then—
"Medic! Over here!"
"Someone help him!"
Lireina turned her head.
Several adventurers were lying injured across the battlefield. Some groaned in pain while others struggled to stand. One man clutched his bleeding shoulder where debris had pierced through his armor. Another adventurer sat against a rock, breathing shakily while burn marks covered half of his body from the aftermath of the Phoenix Dive explosion.
The battlefield suddenly felt quieter.
The anger in Lireina's eyes slowly softened.
"...Tch."
With a small sigh, she lowered her pistols.
The swirling winds around her calmed completely as she made her decision. Instead of pursuing the black armor, Lireina walked toward the wounded adventurers. Gentle green magic soon flowed from her fingertips, replacing the violent aura she had displayed earlier.
Soft winds spiraled around the injured.
The breeze carried warmth and the faint scent of flowers and fresh rain. Cuts slowly closed. Bruises faded little by little. The exhausted adventurers visibly relaxed as the soothing wind magic eased their pain.
"You're safe now," Lireina quietly said while kneeling beside one of the wounded men.
<><><><><>
Meanwhile, far away from the battlefield, Shin and Adzeel continued running through the dense forest.
Branches scraped loudly against the Halochassis as Shin forced himself forward. His breathing echoed heavily inside the helmet while warning alarms relentlessly rang in his ears.
[WARNING: LOW POWER]
The reddish-purple glow from the armor's core began flickering weakly.
Then suddenly—
CLANK. CLANK. CHHKKK.
The Halochassis started folding inward on itself.
Mechanical plates retracted piece by piece with a series of metallic clicks. The armored gauntlets collapsed first, followed by the chest plating and shoulder guards. The advanced machinery compressed itself with impossible engineering until the massive power armor completely vanished.
In only seconds, the legendary Halochassis returned to its original compact form—
A single glove worn on Shin's left hand.
At the center of the metallic glove rested a dimly glowing reddish-purple gem that pulsed weakly like a dying ember.
The sudden loss of physical enhancement hit Shin immediately.
His legs nearly gave out beneath him.
"Hah... hah...!"
Without the armor supporting his body anymore, exhaustion crashed into him all at once like a tidal wave. Shin stumbled forward before stopping completely. He bent over while desperately gasping for air, his chest burning with every breath. Sweat poured down his face and neck. His lungs felt like they were on fire after all the fighting and running.
Adzeel, who had been sprinting ahead, finally stopped as well.
The bandit leader turned around and looked at Shin for a moment before placing both hands on his waist. Despite the exhaustion, a proud grin slowly spread across his rugged face.
"Thank you for saving me and my folk back there," Adzeel said. "That elf bitch would've gotten my ass if you didn't help us."
Shin remained bent over, still trying to catch his breath.
"Hah... damn..." he muttered weakly between breaths.
Adzeel chuckled softly before his eyes shifted toward Shin's left hand. Toward the glove. The dim gem reflected faintly beneath the moonlight peeking through the forest canopy.
"So that's the compact form of the Halochassis, huh?" Adzeel said with visible curiosity. "Looks pretty neat."
Shin slowly straightened himself and wiped the corner of his lips with the back of his hand. Dirt and sweat smeared across his face. His tired eyes met Adzeel's.
"You want it back?" Shin asked bluntly.
For a brief moment, the forest became silent except for the distant chirping of insects and the rustling of leaves overhead.
Then Adzeel shook his head. "No."
His answer came surprisingly fast.
"You can have it," Adzeel continued. "The Halochassis has chosen its owner, and that owner's you."
The bandit leader crossed his arms and leaned against a nearby tree.
"I doubt I'd even be able to use the damn thing anyway," he added with a small laugh. "Besides... it's the legacy of your deceased best friend."
The joking tone in Adzeel's voice faded slightly afterward. Even Shin became quiet.
The glowing gem on the Halochassis glove pulsed faintly against the darkness, almost as if Emmanuel's will still lingered within the machine he created.
For several seconds, he simply stared at Adzeel beneath the dim moonlight filtering through the trees. The cool night breeze rustled the leaves above them while distant insects chirped endlessly in the darkness.
Honestly, Shin did not expect this.
A bandit leader willingly giving up a treasure like the Halochassis? Any ordinary thief would have killed for such power. Even kingdoms would wage wars just to possess technology capable of rivaling the Celestial Wardens.
Yet Adzeel simply let it go.
"And consider it a token of thanks for saving my men," Adzeel said proudly as he puffed his chest. "We Iron Bandits have honor after all."
The rugged bandit leader grinned confidently, placing both hands on his waist like a proud commander speaking about his army.
Shin stared at him for another moment before finally letting out a small laugh.
"Heh."
It was faint and tired, but genuine. The tension in his shoulders slowly eased afterward.
After finally catching his breath, Shin straightened his posture. His legs still felt heavy from exhaustion, and sweat continued dripping from his chin, but at least he no longer felt like collapsing.
The forest around them had become calmer now.
Moonlight seeped through gaps in the canopy, painting pale silver patterns across the damp soil. The smell of moss and fresh earth lingered in the cold air while tree branches gently swayed overhead.
"So... what now?" Shin asked.
Adzeel scratched the back of his head lazily.
"We go on with our daily lives, I guess," he replied. "I'll probably check the slums and lay low for a while. The adventurers and guards'll definitely be hunting us after tonight."
"Great," Shin replied dryly. "I guess I'll go back to my daily life as a normal citizen then."
The words sounded strangely hollow to him.
Could he really return to normal after all this?
After seeing the Celestial Wardens firsthand... after using Manny's Halochassis... after nearly dying in battle...
The life of an ordinary scholar suddenly felt very far away.
Still, Shin turned around and began walking away from Adzeel. Fallen leaves crunched softly beneath his boots while the glove on his left hand emitted a weak reddish-purple glow.
But then—
"Shin Rebellium."
Shin immediately froze. The sudden use of his full name sent a chill crawling down his spine. Slowly, he glanced over his shoulder. Of course they know my whole name, Shin thought bitterly.
The Iron Bandits must have been observing him ever since Emmanuel started involving him in secret projects. Perhaps they had been watching him for weeks... maybe even months.
"What is it?" Shin asked as he turned back toward Adzeel.
The bandit leader smiled faintly before extending his fist forward.
"We'll come find you once we're ready to bounce back," Adzeel said. "And about our vengeance plan..."
His expression slowly hardened.
"I hope you'll have an answer by then."
For a brief moment, Shin simply stared at the offered fist bump. The idea of joining actual bandits sounded insane. Yet after tonight, the hatred burning inside him toward the Celestial Wardens had only grown stronger. The image of Emmanuel's death still haunted his mind vividly.
Slowly, Shin raised his fist and bumped it against Adzeel's.
Thunk.
A silent agreement. Or perhaps the beginning of one.
Without another word, Shin turned around and resumed walking away through the forest.
The sounds of the wilderness accompanied him as he left deeper into the night. Crickets chirped endlessly. Wind whispered through the leaves. Somewhere far away, an owl cried beneath the moonlit sky.
Eventually, Shin finally exited the woods.
The dense trees gave way to an open roadside highway illuminated by faint lantern posts. The cold night air hit his sweat-covered body immediately, making him shiver slightly. Wagons occasionally passed by the dirt road, their wheels rattling loudly over loose stones.
Exhausted beyond belief, Shin dragged himself toward the roadside and raised his thumb for a hitchhike.
Several wagons ignored him.
But eventually, one wooden wagon pulled to a stop nearby with a loud creak.
An older man holding the reins leaned slightly out of his seat.
"Young man," the driver called out cautiously. "You need a ride?"
Shin opened his mouth to answer. But the moment he did—
"BLLLAAARGH!!"
A stream of disgusting green goo violently erupted from Shin's mouth straight onto the wagon driver's face.
The splatter was wet, chunky, and horrifyingly sudden.
The driver froze completely. Green slime slowly dripped from his nose, beard, eyebrows, and clothes. Some of it even slid down onto the wagon seat. The horses nervously neighed from the smell.
For five whole seconds, absolute silence filled the highway.
Shin himself stared blankly, equally horrified.
Then—
"WHAT THE FUUUU—?!"