Intergalactic conquest with an AI

The long-barreled cannon extended outward like the beak of some divine predator, its inner core pulsating with golden energy. Its surface was engraved with fine, glowing runes, and as it locked into position behind Rex, it let out a low, vibrating hum that echoed across the battlefield.

Hovering midair, wings of living metal still spread wide behind him, Rex extended his hand forward and pointed with a single finger that was calm and unshaken.

"There," he said coldly, his eyes locked onto the towering form of one of the infected giants, a Tier 3 monstrosity whose grotesque body was covered in writhing muscle and plated tumors, currently pinning down one of the Maulers.

The Mauler's mechanical limbs struggled beneath its weight; sparks flew as it tried to push the beast back.

In response to Rex's command, the Emperor Crow aligned its aim. The cannon's long barrel shifted with eerie precision, targeting the giant with ruthless efficiency. Circuits along the halo began to spin, glowing brighter as energy surged through them, charging the cannon with a rising, electric whine that seemed to shake the air itself.

The infected giant roared, unaware of the doom that was seconds away from crashing down upon it.

"Target acquired," Cleo's voice echoed smoothly through their mental link; it was laced with anticipation. "Fire at will."

And Rex did.

With a flash of golden fury, the cannon discharged a beam of compressed energy that tore through the air like a thunderbolt. The recoil cracked the sky, and the ground beneath trembled as the shot landed dead center on the infected giant's chest.

There was no scream... only silence, and then an eruption.

The beast didn't just fall; it ceased to exist. Its upper body disintegrated into ash and molten chunks in an instant. What remained crashed to the ground with a dull, wet thud; smoke rose from the crater where it once stood.

Cheers erupted from the nearby Kaelzar units as the Mauler, now freed, let out a synthetic roar and powered back to its feet, its engines flaring with renewed rage.

"Nice shot," Rex muttered as the halo retracted the cannon back into its radiant ring. He cracked his neck once, then glanced toward the next target.

"Alright... who's next?"

"Did you see that, boss?" Volkong asked, his voice carrying a mix of awe and disbelief. He pointed at the towering column of black smoke rising in the distance, marking the spot where Rex's attack had completely erased a Tier 3 infected giant.

"Of course I saw it…" Valxir replied, his voice sounding low and thoughtful, still watching the distant plume of smoke as if it might suddenly take shape and explain itself.

"That firepower… that wasn't just some flashy trick. It was equivalent to a main cannon from a light destroyer. How in the void does a conqueror who's still fluctuating between Tier 4 and Tier 5 manage to wield that kind of strength?"

Valxir narrowed his eyes, recalling every detail of the golden halo, the energy cannon, and the speed at which Rex had acted. It wasn't just strength; it was precision, calm, and lethality.

"Zanar," Valxir said sharply while turning away from the battlefield and beginning to walk back toward the command tent, "start making calls. Reach out to every informant, every data broker. I want everything we can dig up on that so-called Angel Conqueror. Background, affiliations, past conflicts... everything. It might become crucial later on."

"Understood, sir," Zanar replied with a subtle bow. Then, hesitating just a moment, he added in his usual soft, girlish tone, "And… are you sure we don't need to intervene? Shouldn't we make a move against him now, before he becomes even more dangerous?"

Valxir paused at the entrance to his tent, his hand gripping the flap. His voice came cold and calm.

"There's no need for us to move. Not yet. Let those mongrels from the Collector faction wear themselves down. If the conqueror falls, he wasn't worth our time. If he survives… well, then we'll know he's worth watching."

He pushed the tent flap aside and was halfway inside when he added, almost as an afterthought, "Volkong, send word to Zorbag. He's to maintain the defensive line using only minimal forces and some mechanized units. Let the lizard dogs chew on metal. Let them think they're making progress."

With that, he vanished inside, leaving only silence behind.

Volkong scratched the back of his head while frowning. "Zanar… what do you think the boss is planning?" he asked while still staring at the fading smoke in the sky.

Zanar glanced at him with cold, unreadable eyes. "There's no need for you to know what the boss is thinking. Your only job is to follow his orders. Nothing more."

Volkong laughed harshly. "Hah! What a loyal dog you are! Don't wag your tail so hard next time your master tosses you a command! You might break something!" With a mocking grin, he vanished in a flash of instant movement, heading toward Zorbag's position.

Zanar clenched his jaw at the same time his eyes twitched. "Y-You—!"

But Volkong was already gone, leaving only the wind and Zanar's frustration behind.

Meanwhile, aboard the flagship of the Collector army, a dreadnought-class vessel orbiting above the burning battlefield, the tension was rising. The command deck was vast, filled with glowing holoscreens displaying real-time combat data. Machinery hummed and buzzed like a living organism.

A massive, four-meter-tall lizard warrior stomped toward the central dais, where an even more imposing figure stood, a five-meter-tall reptilian overlord, cloaked in ceremonial armor, his eyes glowing with yellow reptilian menace. He was the Great Recollector, supreme commander of the Collector military force.

"Hisss… Great Recollector," the warrior said while stopping and lowering his head with deep respect, "Just as you predicted, the mercenaries are holding back. They're barely lifting a claw while our warriors are left to fight alone!"

His tail slammed the metal floor in frustration, the clang echoing through the chamber.

"Hisss… typical," the Great Recollector hissed in a low, gravelly voice. "Mercenaries are only useful as fodder. That's what we paid them to be. But no matter. Send in some of our Clan Elites to support the frontlines. But watch for those Tier 6 enemies the mercs warned us about. We don't fight blind."

He moved slowly toward his Command Throne, an ancient-looking seat of stone and technology fused together, etched with the symbols of the old clans and humming with command protocols.

The warrior bowed deeper. "Hisss… Great Recollector, I request permission to descend to the battlefield personally. Let me lead our warriors in combat!"

The Great Recollector stared at him for a long moment. His slitted eyes narrowed as if weighing every possibility.

"Very well, Clan Elder," he said at last. "You have my permission to enter the field. Lead with strength and show them why we are feared. However…" He leaned forward slightly, his voice sounding low and dangerous.

"While you're down there, your true mission is to locate the female from the Blood Clan. The Collector hierarchy has specifically asked for her capture."

"Hisss… I swear it, Great Recollector. I will find her."

"Good," the Great Recollector hissed, reclining back into his throne. "Don't fail me."

Back on the war-torn surface of the planet, the tide of battle had begun to shift.

The moment the Mauler Juggernauts rolled onto the field, everything changed. These massive, thunderous machines of war moved like unstoppable titans; each step caused tremors through the ground.

Their hulls gleamed under the flickering firelight, dented and scarred, yet seemingly indestructible. Their advanced shielding and devastating firepower turned them into perfect rallying points for the nearby Tyrant Units, who now surged forward like a rising tide of destruction.

With the Juggernauts anchoring the center, the Kaelzar army gained momentum. Under their protection, the Tyrants advanced with renewed fury, cutting through entrenched positions and forcing the enemy back, inch by brutal inch.

But the real nightmare had only just begun.

Above them, the Wrath Drone Carrier had finally entered striking distance of the Mercenary-Lizard Coalition's front line. Without hesitation, its bays opened, and wave after wave of combat drones burst forth like a mechanical plague.

Thousands of them screamed downward, weaving between anti-air blasts, raining down missiles, plasma bolts, and kinetic projectiles with pinpoint accuracy.

The chaos below multiplied thanks to that.

"Hisss, proud scale warrior," the lizard in charge of the left wing shouted out while his eyes narrowed as he watched the sky light up with fire. "Take your battalion and eliminate that metal monstrosity. Equip yourselves with the plasma launchers. We'll need them."

"It will be a pleasure of the greatest scale," the warrior hissed back with a fang-filled grin. He pressed a circular device hanging from a chain around his neck. In an instant, his scaled body shimmered and vanished from view.

Though outdated, the older model cloaking device still served well for their kind, especially since the latest tech was incompatible with their unique skin chemistry. Within seconds, the entire battalion began to vanish, silently fanning out into the battlefield like ghosts.

Above the chaos of the surface, in the orbiting void, things were just as tense.

The Collector and Mercenary fleet had begun to charge their weapons, cannons hummed to life, energy cells glowed hot, and turrets locked onto key targets. Their strategy was clear: pressure the fortress shield from above while their forces below pushed for a collapse.

But the Kaelzar fortress was no easy prey.

Standing tall at the heart of the orbiting fortress's command spire, Cleo's holographic form shimmered like a goddess woven from light and data. Her eyes glowed with calculation as she gazed out at the stars, watching as enemy warships continued to pour into the sector.