Intergalactic conquest with an AI

The Black Horizon general, still shouting orders over the communications, was drowned out by the sounds of his soldiers’ desperate screams. But no one was listening to him now. His words were as powerless as he was. His army was being wiped out before his eyes, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

As the last of the Black Horizon forces inside the campament fell to the relentless assault of the Aegis units, Rex stood at the center of the battlefield, his wings slowly folding behind him. His breath was steady, his gaze hard, but inside, he knew the battle wasn’t over yet. This was only the beginning.

For now, though, the camp was safe. The remaining humans had survived, thanks to him.

With a final glance at the destruction around him, Rex gently shifted the little girl and her brother in his arms and spoke softly to her, his voice a calm contrast to the chaos that had just unfolded. "You’re safe now."

The little girl, still clinging to him, nodded, her small voice barely a whisper. "Thank you."

Rex smiled down at her, though his mind was already on the next battle. There was still much to be done. The Black Horizon had only seen the beginning of what was coming for them.

As Rex spoke gently with the little girl, Ys appeared beside him; the girl’s eyes widened in awe at the sight of her. Ys’s shimmering green aura, softly glowing in the form of hundreds of delicate butterflies, swirled around her like an ethereal dance. She looked like something from a fairy tale.

"Darling, shall I take care of the remaining enemies?" Ys asked, her voice as soft as always, while her green eyes scanned the battlefield, noting the lifeless bodies of Black Horizon troops scattered like broken toys.

Rex’s expression darkened; his voice was now cold and stern. "There’s no need. I’ll handle it myself." His words were sharp and without a room for negotiation.

This was the first time Ys had ever seen him like this, and it unsettled her. She was used to the Rex, who always had a carefree grin and joked and smiled even in the face of danger. But that Rex was nowhere to be found. What she saw now was a man consumed by fury, his face a mask of rage that burned like a fire that could not be quenched.

She hesitated before answering. "Alright, just be careful," she said softly, though she knew he wasn’t listening. His mind was already elsewhere, focused on his next move.

Rex then got up, his massive wings unfurling in a dazzling display of light. The intensity of his aura made Ys’s butterflies scatter briefly, as if even they could feel the force of his anger. "Take care of the children," he said, his tone unyielding. "I’m leaving ten Aegis units under your command for protection. I’ll return soon."

Before Ys could respond, he took off with a single, powerful flap of his wings, launching into the sky like a rocket. The ground beneath him cracked from the force of his ascent, sending a gust of wind through the camp. Ys watched him go, her green butterflies slowly drifting back around her, their light dimmer now.

As Rex soared through the sky, his body cut through the air with an astounding speed of 300 kilometers per hour. His wings glowed bright against the darkening sky, like a streaking comet of wrath. Below him, the Aegis units charged through the forest at a steady 150 kilometers per hour, their metallic legs pounding the earth in unison, a perfect, unstoppable force moving to support him.

Far ahead, at the Black Horizon artillery station, the soldiers were already panicking.

"S-Sir! What should we do? The new enemy is coming right at us!" a terrified minion reported, his voice cracking as he watched the Aegis units closing in through the trees.

The CEO’s cold, dismissive voice crackled over the communicator. "What are you whining about? Use the artillery! They’re just a bunch of savages charging straight at us. They’re practically begging to be blown to pieces! Fire!

Now!"

The minion nodded nervously and barked orders at the artillery team, but there was something in the air. A strange, unsettling feeling.

One of the soldiers guarding the artillery squinted up at the sky. "L-Look! Up there! What’s that?" he said, pointing.

"What are you talking about? I don’t see anything."

"Mmm? No, I swear there was something there a second ago," the soldier insisted, shielding his eyes against the sun’s glare. He continued to scan the sky, his gut telling him something was terribly wrong.

And then it happened.

A flash of white, followed by a deafening boom.

Rex descended from the sky like a meteor, plummeting down at a blistering 300 kilometers per hour.

The moment he made contact with the ground, he landed directly on top of the unfortunate soldier who had been staring into the sky, his body reduced to nothing but a crimson stain beneath Rex’s boots. The force of his landing sent a shockwave rippling through the artillery station, knocking down equipment and several soldiers off their feet.

Before the others could even react, Rex stood tall amidst the chaos, his white armor glowing like a beacon of death. His wings stretched out behind him, catching the light of the sun as they cast a long shadow over the terrified artillery crew.

One of the soldiers, pale and shaking, raised his weapon, but Rex moved faster than they could blink. In a single, fluid motion, he closed the distance and crushed the man’s weapon with his bare hand, the metal crumpling like paper in his grasp.

The soldier’s eyes widened in horror as Rex grabbed him by the throat and lifted him into the air, his grip as unbreakable as iron.

"You think you can hide behind your guns? Behind your machines?" Rex’s voice was a low growl, filled with barely-contained fury. His eyes burned with an intensity that made the soldier’s blood run cold.

The soldier gasped, struggling in vain to free himself, but it was pointless. Rex’s strength was overwhelming. With a final, savage motion, he hurled the man into the side of an artillery cannon, the impact shattering both the man’s body and the machine. The cannon exploded in a shower of sparks and fire, the heat scorching the nearby soldiers as they scrambled for cover.

But Rex wasn’t done. Not even close.

The Aegis units arrived in perfect synchronization, their white bodies gleaming as they moved with cold precision. With no hesitation, they opened fire on the remaining Black Horizon forces. Plasma cannons roared to life, sending golden streams of destruction into the panicking soldiers. The battlefield lit up with blinding flashes as the enemy forces were torn apart, one by one.

Rex stood in the center of the carnage, watching as his Aegis units made short work of the remaining artillery crews. His wings flared wide, catching the light of the plasma fire, casting a holy yet terrifying glow across the scene. He had come for vengeance, and nothing would stop him now.

Far from the battlefield, the CEO of Black Horizon could hear the sounds of destruction over his communicator. The screams of his men, the explosions, the plasma fire. And in the background, a voice,Rex’s voice, that was calm but filled with the promise of annihilation.

"I’m coming for you next."

The CEO’s hands began to tremble.

Rex spread his wings and launched into the sky once more, leaving behind nothing but smoldering ruins, shattered weapons, and the broken bodies of those who had dared to challenge him.

"Get the ship ready for departure now! That lunatic’s going to kill us all!" The Black Horizon CEO barked, sweat dripping from his forehead. His eyes darted wildly as he glanced back at the carnage behind him. "Once we make it to the city, I’m putting a bounty so big on his head, even the dead will rise to hunt him!"

A moment later, a breathless minion came running back, eyes wide. "Sir! The transport is ready! Follow me to safety, quick!"

Just as the CEO was about to scramble up the ramp, the minion ahead of him was frozen still, then with a sickening slashed meat sound, his headless body staggered forward, spurting blood like a gruesome fountain. For a moment, the body twitched, took a few more steps, then collapsed in a lifeless heap.

The CEO stood frozen, his face draining of color. "W-Who’s there?! Show yourself!" he squealed, his voice hitting an embarrassingly high pitch, more pig than man.

Suddenly, a soft, almost playful voice drifted out of the shadows. "Oh, I wouldn’t worry about running, dear. My darling is in a... let’s say... terrible mood right now. If you fly away, his bloodlust will never be satisfied, and he’ll stay cranky.

And I really can’t have that. Soooo, I’m afraid you’ll need to stay just a tiny bit longer, okay?"

The CEO’s eyes darted around, frantically searching for the source of the voice. It was almost too sweet, too innocent, like a child about to pull the wings off a fly. "I’ll pay you! Whatever you want! I’m the CEO of Black Horizon; I can triple your rate! No, quadruple!

Name your price!"

There was a pause. Then, sitting casually on top of the transport ship, a figure appeared, swinging her legs like she didn’t have a care in the world. She smirked down at him, as if she’d just heard the most amusing joke. "Triple, huh? That’s what they all say. But let’s see...

Kaelzar girl, how much do you think we can squeeze out of him?"

From a tiny communicator on her neck, a crisp, bored voice replied. "Based on his company’s assets... I’d say about five million credits, easy."

The child’s smile widened into a wicked, almost devilish grin. "Five million, huh? Oooooh, I like that number." She leaned forward, eyes gleaming with dangerous mischief. "You’re worth more dead than alive, big guy."

"So... lets say, for 8M credits, I wont kill you," she said with a sweat smile while closing her eyes and swinging her feet.