✨ CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT — VESSEL ASCENSION: DOMINION RETALIATES ✨
The Citadel's hum intensified, a low, vibrating pulse that rattled the broken streets. The sky above twisted into metallic gray, punctuated by streaks of blue energy—the Dominion was preparing a full-scale assault.
Maya tightened her silver energy threads around Aiden, her glow brighter than ever.
"They're not sending scouts this time," she warned. "It's a complete retaliation. All SSS units… and more."
Dara swallowed audibly, clutching his metal pipe.
"Bro… more? I thought six was enough!"
Aiden's golden-white wings flared. His aura pulsed outward, shaking dust from ruined buildings.
"They want to break me. But we're not letting them."
THE DOMINION ATTACKS
From the Citadel, dozens of SSS enforcers erupted into the battlefield, teleporting into precise formation. Spears, hammers, energy whips—all converged on the trio.
The ground quaked as multiple impact waves collided with Aiden's aura. Golden-white energy rippled outward, absorbing some attacks, deflecting others.
Maya's voice was calm but urgent.
"Aiden, if we don't coordinate, they'll overwhelm us before the first wave ends."
Dara waved frantically, leaning out from behind a toppled wall.
"I don't care! Just tell me what to hit!!"
Aiden took a deep breath, wings flaring.
"Stay close. We move together. Focus—Maya, reinforce my aura. Dara… keep their attention."
TRIO STRATEGY IN MOTION
Maya's silver threads wove into Aiden's aura, forming a lattice of light around him. Each strike he threw was now amplified and guided, energy crackling along the threads toward weak points in the enforcers' armor.
Dara, surprisingly effective, swung his pipe toward teleporting SSS units. Each contact—even if minimal—created enough disruption for Aiden to exploit.
Golden fists collided with multiple enforcers at once, launching them like ragdolls. Sparks and blue energy scattered across the battlefield.
Maya called out, voice sharp:
"Now, Aiden! Chain strike!"
Aiden roared, golden-white aura exploding outward. Every step sent shockwaves through the Citadel's energy field. Enforcers staggered, some thrown from rooftops entirely.
DOMINION ESCALATES
The Citadel itself responded. Energy cannons extended from the tower's spire, charging multiple beams simultaneously, each aimed at the trio.
Dara's eyes widened.
"BRO… THAT'S A LOT OF LIGHTS!! I DON'T WANNA DIE LIKE THIS!!"
Aiden didn't flinch. His wings spread wider, aura blazing like a miniature sun.
"Then we move. Together."
Maya amplified the threads, creating silver-gold channels that absorbed incoming beams, redirecting the energy into Aiden's fists.
With a single leap, Aiden slammed into the first wave of cannons, smashing the energy cores with a strike that sent arcs of blue energy ricocheting across the rooftops.
Dara ducked behind a pillar, cheering.
"BRO—YOU'RE LITERALLY BREAKING THEIR TOYS!!"
FIRST VICTORIES
The remaining enforcers hesitated. Aiden's presence had shifted the battlefield. The Citadel's beams wavered, recalibrating desperately.
Maya whispered urgently.
"They're not just attacking—they're learning. If we can keep up, we can exploit the recalibration delay."
Aiden's eyes blazed gold-white.
"Then we force their hand."
He charged forward, wings trailing light, fists connecting with one enforcer after another. Each strike destabilized the Dominion's formation. Chains of energy from the Citadel fractured under the feedback, sending sparks across the battlefield.
Dara, laughing despite fear, jumped onto a fallen enforcer, swinging his pipe.
"TAKE THAT, SCARY METAL PEOPLE!!"
Maya's silver threads flared, interweaving with Aiden's aura, stabilizing his overloading energy.
"This… this is working," she said, astonished. "The Vessel is controlling more than I thought possible."
THE BATTLE ESCALATES
But from the Citadel's spire, a deep hum signaled something worse—a new deployment.
A massive shadow fell across the battlefield. Energy distorted violently, and the ground trembled with power beyond any SSS unit.
Maya's voice went cold.
"Aiden… that's not just a Hunter. That's the Citadel itself manifesting a guardian form."
Dara swallowed hard, trembling.
"Bro… THAT THING… IT'S GIGANTIC…"
Aiden's gaze hardened, golden-white aura stretching farther than ever.
"They want the Vessel. Fine. Then they get me."
The first phase of retaliation had begun—and the true battle for survival had just started.