✨ CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE — HUNTER SQUAD: CAPTURE ORDER OMEGA ✨
"When the Dominion wants something, they don't negotiate—they retrieve."
The six Hunters didn't rush.
They descended—slow, deliberate, absolutely certain they would win.
Their armor was engraved with the same ancient runes that lined the underside of the Citadel, glowing with faint blue pulses.
Aiden braced himself.
Maya hovered behind him, fingers trembling as she maintained a thin silver thread of energy between them.
Dara, meanwhile, crouched behind a broken bus, peeking with the bravery level of someone who absolutely did not want to be here.
THE HUNTERS FORM A HEXA-PATTERN
Six spears lifted.
Six visors locked onto Aiden.
A perfect formation—
two front, two flanks, two rear.
A hexagon meant to trap a Vessel with zero escape paths.
Maya's voice tightened.
"Aiden… that's a Binding Formation.
They're planning to trap your aura inside it and collapse your channels."
Aiden clenched his fists.
Meaning: they wanted to shut down the Heavenly System before extracting it.
Dara pointed at the Hunters, whisper-yelling:
"I don't like how organized they are. Can they at least be clumsy? Someone? Anyone?"
THE HUNTERS MOVE
The formation collapsed inward.
Not fast.
Not loud.
Just… inevitable.
One Hunter teleported behind Aiden—
A pulse of blue energy snapping against his spine—
WHAP—!!
Aiden staggered forward, coughing blood.
"Aiden!" Maya cried.
But she couldn't heal him—not with the System battling overload inside him.
Another Hunter appeared in front of him, slamming a knee into his gut.
THUD—!!
Aiden nearly folded—
but his golden aura flared, pushing the Hunter back.
For a moment.
Just a moment.
Maya lifted both hands.
"I'm giving you reinforcement—hold still!"
Silver light surged into Aiden's aura—
stabilizing it, calming the violent flickering.
Aiden exhaled.
Pain still burned through him…
but clarity returned.
"Thanks."
Dara shouted from behind the bus,
"BRO YOU NEED MORE THAN THANKS—YOU NEED A WHOLE ARMY!"
AIDEN TRIES TO BREAK THE FORMATION
Aiden dashed at the nearest Hunter—
the ground cracked under his step—
CRACK—!!
He swung with a golden punch—
The Hunter caught it.
With one hand.
Blue energy rippled through their armor as they stared him down like he was a misbehaving child.
Aiden's eyes widened.
"What—"
The Hunter twisted—
and threw him.
Aiden crashed through a concrete wall, debris raining over him.
Maya's heartbeat spiked.
"Aiden!!"
She ran toward him—
but a Hunter blocked her path, spear raised.
Dara screamed and swung a metal rod—
CLANG—!!
The rod bounced off the Hunter's armor like it hit a tank.
Dara held his vibrating hands.
"OH NO. I HAVE MADE A MISTAKE."
The Hunter turned toward him.
Dara paled.
"BIG mistake. HUGE mistake."
AURA LOCK: INITIATED
All six Hunters spoke at once:
"Aura Lock — Begin."
Blue chains of light spread around the rooftop—
forming a glowing web that started contracting.
Aiden pushed off the debris, stumbling but standing.
"What… what is this?"
Maya's eyes widened in horror.
"That's an Extraction Web.
If it seals, they'll pull the Vessel out of you—
and your body won't survive."
Aiden's breath hitched.
He didn't fear death.
But he feared leaving Maya and Dara here.
Alone.
Hunted.
He clenched his fists so tight blood dripped between his fingers.
"No."
AIDEN IGNITES BEYOND LIMITS
Golden light blasted outward—
but this time it wasn't just gold.
It was white-gold, threaded with faint symbols.
Maya gasped.
"That's… the Vessel Core. Aiden, you can't use that yet—you're not ready!"
Aiden didn't care.
He let it burn.
The aura roared like a sun exploding.
The Hunters froze.
"WARNING. VESSEL OUTPUT EXCEEDING SAFE PARAMETERS."
Dara shouted from under the bus,
"THAT'S THE POINT!! HE'S UNSAFE!! RUN FROM THE UNSAFE CHILD!!"
The Hunters reformed their formation—
spears raised—
Aiden stepped forward.
Every step shook the rooftop.
Cracks spread under his feet.
His eyes glowed bright gold.
"You want the Vessel?"
The Hunters aimed their spears.
"You're not taking it."
He lowered his stance.
"You'll have to take ME first."
THE FIRST REAL CLASH
All six Hunters charged at once—
Blue and gold collided—
BOOOOOOM—!!!
Aiden's punch shattered the first Hunter's shield—
his knee dented the second's chestplate—
But three more spears pierced his aura—
Pain exploded through him—
Maya screamed,
"AIDEN!!"
The Extraction Web pulsed—
Chains tightened—
Aiden hit the ground, gasping—
The System inside him flickered violently—
WARNING: VESSEL INSTABILITY CRITICAL
WARNING: OVERLOAD IMMINENT
WARNING—
Aiden tried to stand.
He tried.
But the Hunters had him pinned.
THE CITADEL PREPARES EXTRACTION
The massive cannon on the Citadel finished charging—
light gathering at the core—
Every Hunter stepped back—
giving the cannon a clean line to Aiden.
Maya's eyes filled with terror.
"They're going to forcibly extract the Vessel!"
Dara shook violently.
"No! No no no! Bro—GET UP—PLEASE—GET UP—!"
Aiden was on one knee—
vision blurring—
golden aura flickering like a dying flame.
The Citadel spoke again:
"PREPARING VESSEL REMOVAL."
The cannon locked onto Aiden's chest.
Maya screamed:
"AIDEN MOVE—!!!"
But he couldn't.
The cannon fired—
A beam of pure extinction—
And Aiden…
lifted his head…
eyes burning…
and whispered—
"Not yet."
As the light engulfed him.