Chapter 44 – Operation Hollow Mantle
The subterranean atmosphere was a dense cocoon of silence, broken only by the rhythmic crunch of boots over broken stone and the low humming of the RS-I's operational HUD. The tunnels beneath Bastion-7's northern corridor weren't on any official map, but Aaron's instincts had long stopped relying on records. These halls were carved not by men, but by something far more ancient.
"Symbiosis Level: Stable," the RS-I whispered in his inner ear, syncing with his heartbeat. "Mental Fortitude: 92%. Tactical Efficiency Bonus: +18%."
Aaron glanced toward Lieutenant Kayra, her expression unreadable under the dim luminescence of her HUD's glow. She had taken point without being asked—a ghost in motion, her firearm raised, breath controlled. Behind her, Nyra floated like a pale flame, ethereal and watchful.
"Movement detected, thirty meters ahead. Unnatural heat signature," Nyra murmured into Aaron's mind through the Bond Link.
Aaron raised a hand, and the squad halted behind him—each of them cloaked in the distortion field provided by Spectra Nodes, modified from the technology salvaged from the Depthborn carcasses back in Chapter 39. The route was narrow, the walls bleeding with veins of dark ichor. This wasn't just another forgotten tunnel. It was a nest.
The enemy ahead was a Reclaimer-Class hybrid—a failed experiment from before the Genesis Collapse. The bio-data had been wiped from public archives, but Aaron remembered its classification from the forbidden logs of ArcNet's Sigma Vault.
The creature stepped into view: hunched, armored, its eyes glowing with violet phage-light, its claws scraping against the walls like metal shrieking against bone. The hybrid twitched erratically, almost sniffing for their presence.
Aaron's RS-I interface flared with strategic overlays.
> Combat Simulation Loading: RS-I Adaptive Prediction
Primary Objective: Neutralize Hostile Without Alerting Hive.
Secondary Objective: Extract Genetic Residue Sample.
Recommended Path: Cloak Evasion > Precision Shot > Neural Disruptor > Capture Protocol.
Kayra turned her head slightly. "Orders?"
"Silent takedown. No echo trail."
"Understood."
Aaron activated Silent Sync. Time dilated. Every movement from the squad slowed to micro-adjustments. Kayra fired a single shot—phased round, silencer-engaged—straight into the hybrid's spinal cluster. As it spasmed, Aaron lunged, embedding the Neural Disruptor and activating the Extraction Nanites.
The creature dropped with a gurgle, twitching in a death rattle, black blood oozing from its ears.
> Objective Complete. Genetic Residue Secured.
[Trait Gained: Adaptive Carapace Fragmentation - Tier I]
The tunnel trembled.
"Oh no…" Nyra whispered. "You triggered the brood signal."
From the darkness, a wave of skittering echoes flooded toward them. Not just hybrids—symbiotes, mutagenic larvae, remnants of the old war experiments. Operation Hollow Mantle had officially gone loud.
"Fall back and funnel!" Aaron ordered.
The squad pivoted like a machine. Lira tossed concussive charges behind them, collapsing sections of the tunnel, while Aric deployed defense turrets that rotated and spat plasma bolts with ruthless efficiency.
They reached an inner chamber, more ancient than the rest. This was not built—it had been grown. Vines pulsed with bioluminescence, and at the center stood a pulsing heart, suspended by writhing tendrils. An Overmind Core.
Aaron's RS-I flickered violently.
> WARNING: Overmind Presence Detected. Neural Contagion Risk Elevated.
> INITIATE MENTAL FORTIFICATION? YES / NO
"Yes."
The world around Aaron rippled as Nyra reinforced his mind with layered psionic shields. For a split second, he glimpsed something through the Overmind—fractured memories of another life, another version of him, crucified on a battlefield of time.
"Aaron… that's not a heart," Nyra said, voice trembling. "It's a Seed of Rebirth. It's how they spread."
Kayra examined it, her voice cold. "We destroy it now or risk losing the entire quadrant in a month."
Aaron approached it, hand trembling. The RS-I listed conflicting strategies. Destroy it and prevent the infestation—or harvest its data and gain an edge against the deeper threats beyond the Hollow Front.
He made his choice.
> New Trait Gained: Forbidden Seed Signature (Corrupted)
Side Effects: Latent Symbiotic Instability – Under Observation.
Kayra raised an eyebrow. "You really plan to use that?"
"I'm done playing by human rules," Aaron said. "We need every edge."
Outside, the tunnels were beginning to collapse. The brood had awakened.
As they made their way to the surface, the RS-I continued to evolve, shifting its parameters.
> SYNC EVOLUTION DETECTED: Reality Sync Interface v4.1
New Feature Unlocked: Threadwalker Protocol – Traverse Multiple Parallel Layer Realities.
Aaron's breath hitched. This wasn't just about Earth anymore.
As the team breached the surface, the horizon was lit with enemy artillery, and in the far distance, Bastion-3 was already under siege. War was no longer coming.
It had already begun.
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>End of Chapter 44-