Dawn was approaching.
The night had clarified nothing — it had only made everything more complicated.
Sharlok walked alone through the narrow alley.
The smoke from his cigar dissolved into the fog of Hellington while his gaze remained still, lost among thoughts that were becoming less and less clear.
Three pawns.
All in the same place.
There was no irritation in his eyes.
Only interest.
He activated the earpiece.
“Surez.
Do you read me?”
“Loud and clear, Captain.
I’m finishing the report on the Hellington operation.”
“Forget the report.”
The answer came sharp, without hesitation.
“Tomorrow at dawn we will meet on the beach where the imperial boat was found.
You will come alone.”
On the other end there was a brief silence, almost reluctant… then the voice returned, disciplined.
“…Understood.”
A barely perceptible pause, then Sharlok continued, his tone lower.
“I want observers in civilian clothes at the city borders.
No uniforms.
No official movements.
Silent eyes… we must not alert the Hellington base.”
A held breath.
“Understood, Captain.”
Sharlok slowly inhaled from the cigar.
“Two recruits don’t make it this far without outside help.
And this bastard… I want to see him come out into the open.”
He closed the communication.
The cigarette butt fell to the ground, crushed beneath his boot.
Then he moved again, with absolute calm.
The chessboard was ready.
At dawn, the hunt would change shape.
A pale light filtered with difficulty between the industrial buildings of Hellington, broken by dirty windows and metallic reflections.
The light entered Steven’s room without truly warming it.
On the table, two cups steamed quietly beside croissants still wrapped in paper.
Sky slowly opened his eyes, his body still stiff from the previous night.
He inhaled without thinking, drawn by a warm, sweet smell that filled the room.
His lips curved into a sleepy smile.
“Okay… I already like this place,” he murmured.
Steven moved between the stove and the counter with precise movements, the wheelchair gliding silently across the kitchen floor.
He arranged cups and pots without hurry, while every now and then his gaze returned to the laptop open on the table.
It looked like he was following something only he could perceive.
“Croissants and warm milk,” he said without turning.
“Eat while you can.
I don’t know how long you’ll be able to stay here.”
Shark remained standing by the window, his arms crossed.
He didn’t touch the food right away.
First he checked the street below, his hard gaze searching for suspicious movement among the shadows of the morning.
Only then did he sit down.
Sky took the first bite with enthusiasm, his eyes lighting up immediately.
For a moment everything else stopped existing: no thoughts, no worries… just the taste of food finally pulling a satisfied smile from him.
The moment was not comfortable.
It was only a pause between two storms.
Yet Sky’s instinctive harmony made it feel lighter… at least for a moment.
“Thanks for letting us stay here, Steven!” Sky said loudly, speaking almost over another bite.
He chewed quickly, nearly choking just to keep eating, while Shark watched him with an expression somewhere between embarrassment and resignation.
Steven allowed a faint smile to appear.
“It’s not a problem.
In here you’re not soldiers of the Empire… you’re just people.”
He paused briefly, his gaze cold but sincere.
“And besides, you’re Level Ups.
It’s not often I get to observe two from this close.”
Shark lifted his gaze, more curious than suspicious.
“You say that like it’s something special.”
Steven leaned back slightly in his chair.
“It is.
Not because you’re criminals or heroes.
Just… because you’re different.”
His eyes moved calmly across the room, analytical.
“The world revolves around Level Ups, for better or worse.
Some destroy.
Others keep what’s left standing.”
For a moment no one spoke.
From the window came the distant sound of Hellington waking up, metallic and relentless.
Shark exhaled softly.
“Hmm… when you say it like that it almost sounds like a responsibility.”
Sky remained silent, his gaze lost outside the window.
For the first time he didn’t seem simply enthusiastic.
He seemed… aware.
“It is.”
He paused briefly.
“A Level Up doesn’t stay neutral for long.
Either you enter the Empire… or a clan.
Anyone who tries to remain in the middle is crushed sooner or later.”
Shark lowered his gaze for a moment, then exhaled.
“Responsibility, huh… as if we didn’t already have enough.
Right now it’s piling up.”
Steven suddenly stiffened.
His fingers moved quickly across the keyboard beside the wheelchair.
The screen reflected a sequence of imperial data scrolling rapidly before his eyes.
“If you’re fugitives, you can be sure they’re already looking for you…”
He opened a file with a sharp click.
Then he froze.
His pupils narrowed.
“No… that can’t be.”
Shark raised an eyebrow.
“What is it?”
Steven swallowed slowly.
“Castel Rock is under the direct command of Captain Sharlok.”
He lifted his gaze toward them, serious.
“You escaped from him?”
Sky and Shark nodded without hesitation.
Steven flinched slightly.
His fingers stopped on the keyboard and his expression darkened.
His voice dropped instinctively.
“That man is a monster.
If you faced him directly… you wouldn’t stand a chance.”
Sky didn’t step back.
Steven’s words slid off him without shaking his calm.
“I don’t know how strong he is.”
He raised his chin slightly, his eyes hidden behind the dark lenses.
“But maybe Shark and I together can beat him.”
Steven’s eyes widened.
He remained silent for several seconds, as if mentally reviewing every possible outcome.
When he spoke again, his voice was lower, sharper.
“You don’t understand.”
He shook his head slightly.
“An imperial captain doesn’t fight to measure himself.
He fights to end the battle quickly.”
His fingers tightened on the edge of the keyboard.
“Between a recruit and someone like Sharlok there’s an abyss.
If you really stood in front of him… it wouldn’t be a battle.”
Shark clenched his teeth.
“Then we should just stay away from him.
Avoid him.”
Steven didn’t answer immediately.
His eyes moved rapidly through the data on the screen.
“I doubt he moves alone.”
He opened another file, his face illuminated by the cold light of the monitor.
“According to what I’m seeing… his second is Commander Surez.”
He inhaled slowly.
“Another individual… beyond your reach.”
Shark stepped forward half a step.
“Hey.
Don’t talk like we’re already finished.
We’re strong too.”
Steven remained impassive.
If anything, his expression became even more serious as he opened another window of data.
“It’s not over.”
His voice lowered.
“The city of Hellington is under the command of Captain Benjamin.
Fortunately for you, he’s out of the city on a mission in the north.”
He paused briefly.
“But in his place there is the operational supervisor… Commander Rione.”
Silence fell in the room.
Steven lifted his gaze toward them, cold and lucid.
“You may be strong.
I don’t doubt it.”
His fingers intertwined.
“But these officers are trained.
They have experience, strategy… and control of the territory.”
He breathed slowly.
“If you want to survive here, you’ll have to move with extreme caution.”
Sky slowly raised his gaze.
His voice was calm, but something in his tone had changed.
“Sharlok… Surez, Benjamin or Rampone.”
Steven stared at him.
His mind took a full second to reorganize the words.
“You mean… Rione?”
Sky stood up completely, adjusting his glasses with a calm gesture.
“The names don’t matter.”
He paused briefly.
No matter the obstacle.”
That was when Shark suddenly stood up, like an animal reacting to instinct.
“Sky, we need to move.
Sharlok might already be in the city.
Staying here isn’t safe… not for us, and not for Steven.
If they find us, they’ll drag him away too.”
Sky nodded.
“You’re right.”
Steven slowly turned his wheelchair toward the computer, already focused.
“For now this remains our base.”
His fingers touched the keyboard.
“But you need to change your clothes immediately.
The way you look now… you’d last five minutes.”
He gestured toward the door of his room.
“My wardrobe.
Take whatever you want.”
He glanced up briefly.
“And maybe take a shower too… because you stink.”
A little later, Sky and Shark came out of the bathroom wrapped in warm steam.
In front of the wardrobe, Sky chose quickly.
For Shark it was more complicated… until Steven pulled a box from the lower shelf.
“My father’s clothes.
They should fit you.”
This time they were perfect.
Steven watched them for a moment, then tossed them two thin black earpieces.
“Almost invisible.
We stay in contact twenty-four hours a day.
I can’t fight… but I can guide you.”
He paused.
“GPS integrated.
With these I always know where you are.”
Sky smiled slightly.
“I knew you were the right companion.”
Steven turned serious again.
“The Empire will use Hellington’s cameras to search for you.
Before they do… I’ll erase the recordings from the last two days.”
Shark crossed his arms.
“Brilliant.
But breaking into imperial systems is a crime.”
Steven didn’t even look up.
“Relax.
I’ve been enjoying driving the imperial tech division crazy for years.”
He paused briefly, almost annoyed at having to explain.
“I don’t want to brag… but most of them just follow protocols without understanding what they’re doing.”
A faint smile appeared.
“To me they’re just predictable obstacles.”
Shark narrowed his eyes, as if something had just clicked in his mind.
“Wait…”
He stepped forward slightly.
“That’s why you shot at us when we walked in wearing those uniforms.”
He studied him more carefully.
“You weren’t just being cautious… you’re a wanted man too, aren’t you?”
Steven remained silent for a moment.
Then he tilted his head slightly, as if the answer were obvious.
“Yes.”
A brief pause.
“I’m wanted.”
He lifted his gaze toward Shark, impassive.
“With one difference.”
A shadow of a smile crossed his lips.
“The Empire doesn’t know my name… or my face.”
For a second silence filled the room.
Sky’s eyes suddenly lit up.
“Seriously?!”
He stepped forward, almost radiant.
“You’re even more incredible than I thought!”
A wide smile crossed his face.
“A ghost genius messing with the Empire… you’re perfect for our clan!”
Shark rubbed a hand over his face, exasperated.
“Only you could get excited because someone is wanted.”
But a small smile betrayed him.
Steven watched the scene in silence, then lowered his gaze back to the screen.
“If you’re done celebrating… you should move.
Hellington won’t stay blind for long.”
Sky nodded, enthusiasm turning into determination.
He adjusted his glasses and turned toward the door.
Shark slipped a hand into his pocket, pulled out a cigarette and lit it.
His gaze already fixed outside.
“Let’s go see what’s happening out there.”
The door opened with a faint creak.
Morning light flooded the room.
Without looking back, Sky and Shark stepped out toward a city ready to devour them.
Next Episode — The Third Among the Waves