✨ CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN — VESSEL ASCENSION: FIRST STRIKE ✨
The air quaked with Aiden's awakening. Every crack in the rooftop glowed faintly under his white-gold aura. The six Hunters scrambled, forming a defensive circle, but their confidence had already begun to falter.
Maya hovered slightly above, silver threads entwining around Aiden like a second protective layer.
"You're… unstoppable," she whispered, awe lacing her voice. "But pace yourself—if you burn out, even the First Star can't save you."
Dara stumbled forward, wide-eyed, waving his metal pipe. "I… I can't believe this is real. BRO—YOU'RE LITERALLY A SUN ON LEGS!"
Aiden ignored the theatrics. His focus was absolute. He had felt the First Star within him align, ready to act—not as a passenger, but as a weapon.
THE FIRST STRIKE
With a single step forward, the golden-white wings flared, and the ambient energy around him became visible—threads of light spiraling outward like the arms of a galaxy.
He launched himself at the closest Hunter. The speed enforcer tried to dodge—but Aiden's aura predicted the dodge before it even began.
WHAM—!!
A golden fist collided with the Hunter's chest. The armor dented, energy shields shattered, and the speed enforcer was thrown backward into a pile of rubble. Sparks rained down.
Maya's threads amplified the strike, channeling a sharp pulse of celestial energy.
Dara cheered. "YES!! That's my bro!!"
The other Hunters regrouped, panic flickering in their eyes for the first time.
TEAM SYNERGY — AIDEN & MAYA
Aiden turned midair, landing softly on the cracked concrete. His eyes flicked to Maya, who subtly weaved her silver energy into his aura, reinforcing him while creating openings in the Hunters' formation.
"Now," she whispered.
Aiden inhaled. Golden-white aura surged further, blindingly bright. The force enforcer slammed his fist into the ground—expecting Aiden to dodge. But Aiden didn't.
Instead, he absorbed the shockwave, letting Maya's threads guide and stabilize the energy. He swung his leg, sending a pulse of light that threw the force enforcer through a nearby wall.
Dara, grinning despite the chaos, ran forward swinging his pipe. "I'm… I'm helping!!"
It wasn't much—but the distraction was enough. One Hunter paused, recalculating, and Aiden seized the moment.
THE COORDINATOR FALLS
The coordinator, trying to manage the group, extended silver glyphs across the rooftop. They formed predictive barriers, but Aiden's newfound awareness allowed him to bypass them with flawless precision.
Golden fists flew—each strike enhanced by Maya—targeting the weak points Maya detected in the enforcers' armor.
CRACK! CLANG! BOOM!
One by one, the enforcers faltered. The coordinator raised its hands, attempting a last-ditch control spell—but the Vessel's aura overwhelmed it. Threads of golden-white light snapped through the glyphs, disrupting the formation entirely.
The coordinator stumbled, caught off guard. Aiden landed a strike to its chestplate. The armor shattered. The figure collapsed, motionless.
Dara cheered loudly, jumping up and down. "WE'RE ACTUALLY DOING THIS!!"
Maya's silver glow wrapped around Aiden's shoulders protectively. "Don't celebrate yet. The others are dangerous, and the Citadel… it's still active."
THE VESSEL'S PRESENCE EXPANDS
Aiden's aura grew again—larger, more defined. It wasn't just light—it was gravity-shaping energy, bending the air, making every movement he made a potential strike before it even happened.
Even the remaining Hunters' coordinated attacks couldn't land. Their predictive abilities were failing.
One tried a teleport strike from above. Aiden raised a hand—threads of Maya's silver energy weaving into a cage around him. The Hunter was trapped midair, immobilized.
"You… won't… take her…" Aiden whispered, golden eyes blazing. The First Star's voice echoed inside his mind:
"You are the shield. You are the blade. Protect, or nothing remains."
The remaining enforcers realized their mistake—the Vessel wasn't just resisting extraction. He was already beyond their calculation.
CLIMAX OF THE FIRST STRIKE
Aiden jumped high, wings fully spread. With a roar that vibrated the battlefield, he slammed into the center of the remaining Hunters, golden-white aura erupting outward like a miniature supernova.
BOOOOOOM!!
Rubble flew. Steel twisted. Blue energy chains evaporated. The Hunters were thrown back, scattered across the battlefield, struggling to rise.
Maya landed beside him, breathless but steady. "That… was incredible."
Dara, now lying on his back, stared up. "BRO… YOU'RE ACTUALLY SCARY. LIKE… DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH WHEN I'M SCARED SCARED!!"
Aiden's gaze swept across the battlefield. Golden-white wings still flaring, aura pulsating.
"They wanted the Vessel," he said quietly. "They wanted to control me. But they underestimated… the Guardian."
The Citadel hummed in the distance, energy still gathering. This was only the beginning.
Maya nodded, linking her energy more tightly. "Next wave… we'll face even worse. But now… we're ready."
Dara groaned. "Bro… ready to die yet again? Because I'm not."
Aiden smiled faintly, golden light reflecting off the ruins. "Then we fight together. Always together. "