Night had fully settled over Dusthaven.
Lanterns hung from iron posts along the streets, casting warm golden light across stone roads packed with travelers from every corner of Aethra.
Ships creaked in the harbor below the cliffs.
Airships drifted overhead like floating cities.
The smell of roasted meat, sea salt, and alcohol filled the air.
Dusthaven never slept.
Inside the inn Ryū had entered, the atmosphere was loud and alive.
Adventurers drank and argued over bounty contracts.
Merchants negotiated loudly.
Mercenary groups compared scars and weapons.
Along one wall hung a massive bounty board.
Sheets of parchment listed contracts ranging from monster extermination to escort missions.
Clare stood in front of it quietly.
"...this place is insane."
Ryū leaned against the bar, already halfway through a drink.
"This is a neutral port city."
He shrugged.
"No kings. No empires. No armies."
Clare glanced around.
"You really think the Human Empire would respect that?"
Ryū chuckled.
"Most of them don't."
Clare looked back at the bounty board.
A large poster caught her eye.
AETHER BEAST CONTRACT
Rank 4 Sand Leviathan
Reward: 500 Gold
Clare whistled softly.
"That's more money than a lieutenant makes in a year."
Ryū took another drink.
"I don't doubt it."
Clare turned toward him.
"You've definitely taken contracts here before, haven't you?"
Ryū shrugged.
"Once or twice."
A group of adventurers walked past them.
One of them stopped.
"...wait."
The man stared at Ryū.
His eyes widened.
"Holy shit..."
Ryū sighed.
"...damn it."
The man grabbed his friend.
"HEY! THAT'S—"
Ryū suddenly stood.
He grabbed Clare's shoulder and started walking toward the stairs.
"We're going upstairs."
Clare frowned.
"...why?"
Ryū leaned closer.
"Because I'd rather not deal with a bar full of idiots trying to challenge me."
Clare blinked.
"...that's fair."
They entered their room upstairs.
The room was simple.
Two beds.
A window overlooking the harbor.
A small lantern flickered on the wooden table.
Clare immediately began reassembling her combat suit.
Panels clicked into place one by one.
Ryū sat in a chair watching.
"You're too dependent on that thing."
Clare rolled her eyes.
"You've said that five times today."
Ryū pointed at the reactor core.
"The suit only channels environmental Aether."
Clare nodded.
"Yeah."
Ryū leaned forward.
"And you barely channel any through your actual body."
Clare paused.
"...so?"
Ryū flicked a coin across the room.
Clare caught it.
"Focus on the Aether in the room."
Clare frowned.
"...now?"
Ryū nodded.
"Now."
Clare sighed and closed her eyes.
She felt it again.
The same faint energy she noticed earlier in the canyon.
The room felt full of invisible currents.
"...I can feel it."
Ryū smiled slightly.
"Good."
Then he flicked the coin again.
This time faster.
Clare barely caught it.
"HEY!"
Ryū shrugged.
"Your body needs to react to Aether naturally."
Clare crossed her arms.
"This is the dumbest training ever."
Ryū stood.
"Then go beat a Rank 5 or higher with that suit."
Clare froze.
"...you know that shit would be impossible for me at my current level."
Ryū grinned.
"That's what I thought."
Suddenly—
THUD.
A loud noise hit the wall outside their room.
Clare's head snapped toward the door.
Ryū didn't move.
Clare stood slowly.
"...did you hear that?"
Ryū sighed.
"Yeah."
The door exploded inward.
Wood splintered across the floor.
Three armored soldiers stepped into the room.
Their combat suits were different from Clare's.
Sleeker.
More aggressive.
The armor plating was black.
But the rune circuits glowed red instead of green.
Clare's eyes widened.
"...Imperial Strike Division."
Ryū leaned back in his chair.
"Well, well, well..."
He lifted his drink.
"That didn't take long."
The soldier in front removed his helmet.
A woman.
Sharp eyes.
Cold expression.
Captain insignia marked her armor.
"Lieutenant Clare Drake."
Her voice was calm.
"You are officially classified as AWOL."
Clare's grip tightened on her sword.
"...this is a neutral city."
The captain nodded.
"I am aware of that."
Her eyes shifted toward Ryū.
"That's why we're not arresting you."
Ryū smirked.
"Smart move."
The captain crossed her arms.
"You will leave Dusthaven with us."
Clare laughed bitterly.
"...or what?"
The captain's soldiers stepped forward.
Their suits hummed with higher output reactors.
Red Aether flared across their armor.
Clare's eyes narrowed.
"...those are upgraded Knight Frames."
Ryū finally stood up.
He stretched his neck lazily.
"Wow! You boys have better Aether control than my daughter."
One soldier smirked.
"Imperial Strike Units run triple-output reactors."
Clare frowned.
"...three times the output?"
Ryū chuckled.
"Still won't be enough."
The captain looked at him calmly.
"You must be the infamous Ryū Drake."
Ryū bowed slightly.
"The one and only."
The captain's eyes hardened.
"You are responsible for multiple classified military incidents."
Ryū shrugged.
"Your army keeps attacking me first."
The captain stepped closer.
"We will not fight you inside Dusthaven."
Ryū nodded.
"Sure you won't."
He walked past them toward the hallway.
"I'd hate to destroy the place."
Clare blinked.
"...wait, where are you going?"
Ryū looked back at the soldiers.
"Shall we take this outside the city walls?"
The captain smiled faintly.
"...agreed."
Clare grabbed her blade.
"You're seriously going to fight them?"
Ryū cracked his knuckles.
"Of course I am."
He grinned.
"I haven't humbled some soldiers in a long time."
The Imperial soldiers followed them down the stairs.
And out into the night.
Beyond the walls of Dusthaven.
Where the neutral zone ended.
And bloodshed could begin.
END OF CHAPTER 4