Halochassis

Shin welcomed Risha into his home while the heavy downpour continued to hammer against the windows outside. Rainwater dripped from Risha’s clothes and hair, leaving small puddles on the floor as she stepped inside. The cold moisture clung to her skin, making her shiver slightly despite the warmth of the room. Shin quickly prepared a cup of chamomile tea for her, the gentle floral scent filling the quiet room as steam curled upward from the cup. He also handed her a dry towel so she could wipe the rainwater from her face and hair. Risha quietly accepted it, rubbing the towel against her wet hair while listening to the steady patter of rain against the glass.

Shin then glanced toward the Halochassis glove resting on the desk beside Risha. Under the warm light of the room, the damage was impossible to ignore. Scratches covered its surface, several sections of its armor were cracked, and some of its mechanical components looked dangerously bent from the battle. It had taken an incredible amount of punishment, and Shin wasn’t even certain whether the device could still function properly. He stared at it for several seconds, his expression becoming more serious as he imagined what could have happened if Risha had taken even more damage during her escape.

“I can’t deploy Mastema,” Risha muttered as she took a slow sip of her tea. The warmth spread through her chest, giving her a brief moment of comfort after the cold rain and chaos of the night. “The Halochassis glove is broken.”

“I’ll have Aether fix it first thing in the morning,” Shin said with a reassuring smile. His voice was calm, although there was still exhaustion hidden beneath it. “If anyone can get that thing working again, it’s him.”

“Thanks,” Risha said quietly.

She lowered her cup and stared into the swirling surface of the tea. Despite the warmth in her hands, her thoughts remained cold and restless. She couldn’t stop wondering why Shin and Aether had not come to their rescue sooner. Perhaps it was for the best. Even if they had arrived, what could they have done against Alexander Goldheart? The Chosen One had already demonstrated how terrifying his Autonomous Victory skill was. No matter how many Halochassis stood against him, there was a high possibility that all of them would have suffered the same fate.

Risha slowly looked toward the floor. Her fingers tightened around the warm cup as she remembered the raven Shin had sent to them. The bird had arrived with a simple message that carried far more weight than its few words suggested.

RUN.

That had been Shin’s warning.

Adzeel had been the one who decided to stay behind and fight, refusing to abandon their headquarters and everyone who had fought alongside him. Risha remembered the look in his eyes before they separated, and the memory left a bitter heaviness in her chest. Shin had been thinking about the best way to keep them alive. He had understood that fighting Alexander at that moment would be suicide, yet they had been too stubborn to listen.

We should have listened to Shin the first time we got that message, Risha thought.

The sound of rain continued to fill the room, almost drowning out the silence between them. Risha tried to think about what they should do next, but every possible plan seemed to lead toward another dead end. Adzeel had been captured. Their headquarters had been destroyed. The Halochassis were damaged, and the Celestial Wardens were now actively hunting them. Even the thought of returning to the battlefield made her stomach tighten.

Risha was still overthinking their next move when Shin finally broke the silence.

“What would happen to Adzeel now?” Shin asked.

Risha’s eyes lowered again. She slowly shook her head, unable to give him an answer. “I don’t know. I just hope that he’s not suffering.”

Shin leaned back slightly, his eyes becoming distant as he considered the situation. He could already imagine what Alexander might do with a captured Iron Bandit leader. “Considering how much of a charismatic showoff Alexander Goldheart is, a public execution would be the most probable thing he would do.” Shin paused, his fingers resting against the edge of the table. “And that would lure us out, making us play in his palms.”

“Are you saying that we should not rescue Adzeel?” Risha frowned. Her voice immediately became sharper, and her eyes narrowed at Shin.

“I-I’m not saying that.” Shin quickly forced another reassuring smile, raising his hands slightly as though trying to prevent the conversation from turning into an argument. He understood why Risha reacted that way. Adzeel wasn’t simply their leader. He was someone they had fought beside, someone who had protected the Iron Bandits when everything else had fallen apart. “Let’s just... let’s just take it one step at a time.”

Shin glanced toward the damaged Halochassis glove before continuing. “Aether and I killed the Saint, so the last Celestial Wardens would go all out on taking us down. If they’re already aware that we’re involved, then they won’t give us another chance to prepare. We need to be careful about what we do next.” He sighed softly and rubbed his tired eyes. “I don’t think an answer would haunt us tonight, so let’s just call it a night.”

Risha remained silent for several moments. The frustration in her expression slowly faded as she realized that Shin wasn’t trying to abandon Adzeel. He was simply exhausted, just like she was. They had spent the entire night running, fighting, and watching everything they had built crumble around them. There was no point in making a reckless decision while their bodies and minds were still battered.

Risha wordlessly agreed.

For tonight, there was nothing more they could do.

Shin prepared his bed for Risha, giving her a place where she could finally rest without having to worry about the rain, the burning slums, or the Celestial Wardens waiting outside. Risha hesitated at first, but exhaustion eventually overcame her. She quietly lay down, pulling the blanket over herself as the warmth of the bed slowly eased the tension from her body.

Shin, meanwhile, went to the living room and settled himself on the sofa. The cushions were far less comfortable than his bed, but he didn’t complain. He simply pulled a blanket over himself and stared at the dark ceiling for a while, listening to the rain continuing to fall outside.

Neither of them knew what tomorrow would bring.

For tonight, surviving was enough.

Shin woke up early in the morning with a sour taste crawling up the back of his throat. Before he could even sit properly on the edge of the bed, his stomach twisted violently, and he bent forward as a disgusting stream of green slime spilled from his mouth and splattered onto the floor. 

The stuff was thick and strangely luminous, carrying the bitter smell of medicine mixed with something metallic. Shin wiped his lips with the back of his hand and stared at the mess with tired eyes. Using a Halochassis always left his internal organs damaged in one way or another, even when his body appeared perfectly fine on the outside. The armor could protect him from bullets, magic, and monstrous attacks, but the strain of forcing his ordinary human body to control such a machine was another matter entirely. Because of that, he had been forced to drink a more expensive and higher-quality HP Up medicine just to get through the day without collapsing. The medicine burned slightly as it went down his throat, leaving behind a bitter aftertaste that made him grimace.

While Risha was still asleep, Shin quietly left the apartment and stepped into the cool morning air. The streets were only beginning to wake, with the pale sunlight creeping over the rooftops and the distant sounds of shopkeepers opening their stalls. A faint breeze carried the smell of freshly baked dough through the neighborhood, guiding Shin toward the nearest bakery. He bought a fresh baguette, still warm enough for the paper wrapping to feel pleasantly hot against his fingers, along with a few other pieces of bread. On his way back, he decided to make a quick stop at Aether’s apartment. Perhaps the man would already be awake and working on something, as usual.

Shin knocked on Aether’s door once, then again, and again. After several long moments, he tried knocking harder, the dull sound echoing through the quiet hallway. There was still no response. Shin frowned and waited a little longer, listening carefully for the scrape of a chair or the hurried footsteps of someone coming toward the door. Nothing. The apartment was completely silent, and there was no sign that anything unusual had happened. Shin eventually sighed and looked around the empty corridor before pulling out a small piece of paper. He scribbled a short message with a pen and slipped the note beneath Aether’s door, leaving it somewhere the inventor could not miss it.

Go to my house. - Shin.

Satisfied, Shin headed back to his own apartment with the warm bread tucked under his arm. When he opened the door, the comforting smell of melted chocolate immediately greeted him. Risha was already awake and standing near the kitchen, carefully brewing two cups of hot chocolate. Steam curled upward from the mugs, carrying the rich sweetness of cocoa and milk through the room. Her hair was still slightly messy from sleep, and her movements were slower than usual, but seeing her standing there alive still felt strangely reassuring after everything that had happened in the slums.

“Good morning, Shin,” Risha greeted.

“Oh, you’re already awake. Good morning, Risha,” Shin said as he entered the room.

Since Risha was already preparing hot chocolate, Shin decided to make breakfast while she worked. He placed the baguette on the table and sliced it into thick pieces, the crust cracking softly beneath the knife while the warm interior released a pleasant, buttery aroma. He spread generous amounts of butter across the bread, watching it soften and melt into the freshly baked surface. Soon, the two of them were sitting together at the dining table, quietly enjoying their meal. The hot chocolate warmed Shin’s chest with every sip, while the crisp crust and soft bread made the simple breakfast feel far more satisfying than it should have. For a brief moment, there were no battles, no Halochassis, no Celestial Wardens, and no ruined slums. It was simply Shin and Risha sharing a peaceful breakfast together, almost like an ordinary couple enjoying a normal morning.

That peaceful moment came to an end when a series of knocks suddenly came from the front door.

Shin immediately stood up and crossed the room. When he opened the door, he found Aether standing outside. The man looked like he had barely slept at all. Dark eyebags hung beneath his tired eyes, and his eyeglasses were slightly foggy, making his already exhausted expression look even worse. His hair was messy, and there was a faint smell of smoke and dust clinging to his clothes, as though he had spent the morning moving through the remains of the slums instead of resting.

“What’s with the invitation...” Aether began, but he immediately stopped when he noticed someone sitting at the dining table. His tired eyes widened behind his glasses. “Wait, Risha?”

“Mister Aether.” Risha smiled warmly.

“Risha! You’re alright!” Aether’s exhausted expression instantly changed to one of relief. He stepped inside the apartment without hesitation and nearly forgot to close the door behind him. “I went to the slums first thing in the morning, and all I saw were just... death and destruction. There were buildings burned down, people lying in the streets, and nothing but ruins everywhere. There were also reports that you were dead!”

Risha’s smile weakened. She lowered her gaze for a moment, her fingers tightening slightly around the warm cup in front of her. “I’m still alive, as you see,” she said with a weak smile. “But our allies... and Adzeel.”

The cheerful atmosphere from a few moments earlier disappeared completely. Even the smell of freshly baked bread seemed less comforting now. Aether moved closer and gently took Risha’s hand, his expression becoming firm despite the exhaustion on his face.

“We will rescue Adzeel. I promise.” He then turned toward Shin. “Right?”

Shin avoided his gaze and scratched the back of his head. The promise felt heavier than he wanted to admit.

“Right.”

Truth to be told, Shin could no longer bring himself to care much about Adzeel now that the Iron Bandits were essentially gone. Their hideout had been destroyed, their members had been scattered or killed, and the organization that had once given him a purpose was no more. Shin had no plans of taking down Alexander Goldheart either. After witnessing the overwhelming power of the Chosen One firsthand, Shin had already accepted that Alexander was an enemy who could not realistically be defeated by him right now. Trying to challenge him again would be little more than suicide.

But there was still one thing Shin could use.

The Halochassis Armaros.

Against Qinglong, that machine could still prove extremely useful. Shin had no intention of throwing away the only advantage he had left, even if his own plans had changed completely.

With that thought in mind, Shin reached down and picked up the damaged Halochassis glove belonging to Mastema. The weapon was still visibly scarred from the battle. Parts of the metal frame were bent, several components had been cracked, and faint traces of dried grime and battle residue remained around the joints. He placed the broken glove into Aether’s hands before pushing it toward him.

“Here. Repair it. Mastema could no longer be deployed,” Shin said.

Aether adjusted his foggy glasses and examined the damaged equipment. He turned it over in his hands, inspecting the shattered components and the exposed mechanisms with a mixture of concern and professional curiosity. After a few seconds, he let out a low whistle.

“Oh shit. It’s in rough shape.” Aether carefully prodded one of the damaged sections with his finger. “I will have to get it to my workshop.”

Risha leaned slightly forward, her expression becoming serious. “How many days before it’s ready once more?”

“If I haul my ass this morning, maybe it will be ready in two or three days,” Aether said. He glanced toward the damaged equipment, already looking like he was mentally listing every broken component he needed to repair. “In fact, I should really repair it now. Take care, you two.”

“Wait! How about—” Shin tried to reach out, but Aether immediately turned around and exited the scene before Shin could finish his sentence. The sound of Aether’s footsteps slowly faded down the hallway, leaving Shin standing there with his hand still slightly raised. He lowered it with a tired sigh and stared at the empty doorway.

Shin was having a dilemma. He rubbed the back of his neck while his eyes wandered around the room. Risha was still staying at his house, and although he did not particularly mind having her around, he knew that letting the situation continue for too long could become a serious problem. His girlfriend, Lireina, might not take it well. In fact, Shin had absolutely no idea how Lireina would react if she suddenly learned that he was living under the same roof as another girl, especially Risha. Just imagining the conversation already made his stomach tighten.

Shin sighed heavily, feeling a small knot forming in his chest. He could already imagine Lireina standing in front of him, smiling sweetly while asking perfectly reasonable questions that somehow felt more terrifying than facing a Celestial Warden in battle. The thought made him glance nervously toward Risha.

“What was that?” Risha asked.

“N-No. Nothing,” Shin said quickly. He forced a casual expression onto his face, hoping she would not notice how tense he had suddenly become.

Shin sat down at the dining table and tried to focus on something else. In front of him was the breakfast he had bought earlier, the buttery bread giving off a warm, sweet aroma that filled the small dining area. The crust was slightly crisp from being freshly baked, while the inside looked soft enough to practically melt in his mouth. He reached for a piece, hoping that eating would help him forget about his current predicament.

He barely had the chance to take a bite when a series of knocks suddenly echoed through the house.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

Shin stopped.

His hand remained halfway toward his mouth as he stared at the door. For a moment, he assumed Aether had forgotten something and returned. Perhaps he had another warning, another request, or maybe he had finally remembered the thing Shin had tried to ask him about.

Shin stood up from his chair, the legs scraping softly against the floor. He walked toward the entrance and reached for the handle. As he pulled the door open, the morning light spilled into the room.

Shin froze.

Standing in front of him was a beautiful blonde elf with long golden hair and bright green eyes. Her familiar face carried a cheerful expression, and her presence instantly made Shin’s heart jump into his throat.

It was Lireina.

“Good morning, Shin! Let’s have some... breakfast...” Lireina said brightly.

Her smile slowly faded.

Her green eyes shifted past Shin’s shoulder and into the house.

“Huh?”