The first attacker moved fast.
Too fast for a C-rank.
Aiden barely twisted aside as a blade grazed his ribs, hot pain ripping through already damaged muscle.
[WARNING: BLOOD LOSS INCREASING]
Aiden ignored it.
He stepped into the second attacker's range and slammed his elbow up under the man's chin.
CRACK.
The man went limp mid-air.
Varek's eyes narrowed.
"So it's true," he said calmly. "You don't fight like the rest."
Two more came at once—one from the left, one from above.
Aiden ducked, grabbed a loose pipe from the floor, and swung.
Metal met skull.
The attacker dropped with a wet thud.
The fourth slammed into Aiden's back, driving him to one knee.
The pressure was crushing.
"Hold him," Varek ordered.
Bad move.
Aiden's chest mark flared.
Not power.
Authority.
The air warped.
The man holding him screamed as his muscles locked, body freezing mid-motion like his nervous system forgot how to work.
[UNCONFIRMED EFFECT: WARDEN MARK — SUPPRESSION]
Aiden rose, ripping free.
"What—what did you do?" the man gasped, collapsing.
Aiden didn't answer.
He was breathing hard now. Vision tunneling. Every injury screaming for attention.
The silver-haired woman stared at him in disbelief.
"You… you didn't even activate a skill."
Aiden wiped blood from his mouth.
"I didn't need to."
Varek finally moved.
Slow.
Measured.
A spear formed in his hand—compressed energy spiraling tight.
"I didn't want to kill you," Varek said. "But Sector Black doesn't need a god."
He threw.
The spear shattered the air.
Aiden felt death rushing toward him—
—and caught it.
Not the spear.
The space around it.
The mark burned white-hot.
The spear slowed. Twisted. Veered aside and detonated against a wall.
The explosion threw everyone back.
The cavern shook.
Varek skidded, boots carving lines in the stone.
He stared at Aiden now—no smile left.
"That wasn't adaptation," he said. "That was override."
Aiden staggered.
His legs nearly gave out.
[WARNING: SYSTEM STRAIN — UNKNOWN SOURCE]
[RECOMMENDED ACTION: TERMINATE ENGAGEMENT]
Aiden laughed breathlessly.
"Yeah," he said. "It's been recommending that since I was born."
Varek raised his spear again.
The remaining two attackers hesitated.
Fear had finally caught up.
Aiden straightened as much as he could.
"You want control?" he said. "Earn it."
The mark pulsed again—
—and this time, something answered.
Not the System.
Not the floor.
Something older.
Deep beneath Sector Black, a low vibration rolled through the stone.
Varek's eyes widened.
"…No," he whispered. "You wouldn't—"
The System screamed.
[WARNING: WARDEN ATTENTION DETECTED]
[UNAUTHORIZED SIGNAL SOURCE — CONFIRMED]
The lights flickered violently.
The shadows deepened.
From the darkness behind Aiden—
A presence stirred.
Not visible.
But felt.
Watching.
Judging.
Aiden didn't turn around.
He smiled tiredly.
"Guess I'm not alone after all."
The floor trembled.
And Sector Black went silent.