Intergalactic conquest with an AI

"Welcome back, Rex," Cleo's calm voice rang out as her holographic form appeared nearby.

"I have already called the medic bots, just in case." Her golden eyes then narrowed on Yssera, her tone sharpening with annoyance. "Now stop making a scene and carry him to the sofa. If you haven't noticed, he can't even stand on his own right now."

"Mmm～? Why do you sound so irritated?" Yssera tilted her head, her greenish hair brushing against Rex's cheek as her eyes gleamed with mischief.

Then, as if a thought struck her like lightning, she widened her eyes dramatically before breaking into a devilish smile. "Oho～, don't tell me you're jealous because I'm hugging my darling like this, while you can't… since you're only a hologram～?"

Her voice rose and fell in a playful sing-song tone as she pressed her cheek against Rex's with exaggerated affection, all while sneaking glances at Cleo's expressionless projection.

Cleo, of course, showed no reaction on her face; her holographic form remained calm and perfectly composed. But Rex, who carried her true core within his body, could feel the quiet storm of annoyance radiating through their shared link. She was angry, even if her image showed nothing.

"Hey, stop teasing her already and help me stand up," Rex muttered, his voice being low but firm as he reached out and pinched Yssera's cheek.

"Okaish…" she mumbled, her words distorted by his pinch.

With a reluctant pout, she finally gave in, lifting him gently and guiding him to the sofa. Once he was seated, she sprawled across his lap as though it was her rightful throne, her small wings flapping lazily as if claiming her prize. From that position, she had the best view of the massive reinforced window that looked out into the void.

"So," Rex said as he leaned back, exhaustion resting heavy in his tone, "are we good to leave this hellish place?" His eyes shifted to Cleo's shimmering form, while Yssera made herself comfortable by nuzzling against his leg.

Cleo paused just long enough to glance at Yssera one more time before answering. "Affirmative. I have confirmed that the mercenary group has already departed from the planet's orbit. The radars detect no Kaelzar presence, or at least none that can be perceived clearly. The black mist still interferes with our instruments."

"Mmm… What about you, Ys?" Rex asked, his hand absently patting Yssera's head. "I thought I sensed some of your creatures down there. Did you retrieve them?"

"There's no need for you to trouble yourself with that," Yssera replied casually, her tone being completely unfazed.

"Those were only disposable drones, crafted from outdated material. They will linger for a few hours more before their cores collapse. After that, they will fade on their own." She said it so lightly, as though she were speaking about broken toys, leaving no space for discussion.

Rex sighed and leaned further into the cushions, his body aching from the exhaustion. "If that's the case, then let's leave this cursed rock behind. Cleo, take us out of here. I've had enough of these necrotech worlds. Next time, if we stumble across another one, we should just blast it from orbit before setting foot on the ground."

"As you wish." Cleo's voice was calm, though the faint shimmer in her hologram betrayed her irritation at Yssera. With a graceful gesture, she summoned several holoscreens, her fingers moving swiftly through layers of data and navigation commands.

Rex let his head rest against the sofa's back, his eyes sliding closed as the low hum of systems filled the room. Yssera continued to lie across his lap; her little wings flapped lazily while her gaze lingered on his tired face.

Outside, the Cleopatra stirred to life; her engines roared softly as the colossal fortress ascended away from the world. Once it cleared the planet's orbit, it accelerated, reaching the minimum safe distance for a warp jump.

After all, attempting to open a wormhole too close to the planet's surface would have been suicide, since somehow the planet's gravity affected the wormhole device, and there have been cases where the wormhole opened up in the middle of the planet, and the consequences were...

Far behind them, Gaia watched the Cleopatra vanish into the stars. She then turned back toward the battlefield, her eyes sweeping over the exhausted figures that still fought at her side.

The Titans, the primordial beast, and the Hive Mind Queens were all battered and drained, their bodies marked by wounds and fatigue. Yet, even with their combined strength, the Fallen Titan continued to grow stronger.

And to make it worse, something changed the very instant Rex left the sector. It was as though a binding seal had been torn away.

The Fallen Titan's body swelled with terrifying speed, expanding until its presence eclipsed everything around it. In moments, the necrotech world seemed no larger than a child's toy ball resting in the palm of its colossal hand.

"Tsk! Gaia!" A Red Titan wreathed in black flames shouted out, his voice echoing like thunder across the battlefield.

"That thing has suddenly become even stronger! I can feel it! It's on the verge of ascending into a Tier Nine being! If it succeeds, no one here will be able to face it!"

His words were grim, and yet even as he shouted them, he and the others poured the last of their strength into a massive shield woven of stellar energy, trying desperately to hold back the Fallen Titan's immense fingers as they closed upon the world like the jaws of a trap.

"Worry not, my kin. We have already bought enough time. My true body is finally within reach." As Gaia's words echoed across the battlefield, the luminous form she had manifested, the body woven from pure stellar energy, began to dissolve.

It broke apart into countless shining motes, scattering like dust across the void. The stars themselves seemed to dim for a heartbeat, as if in awe of what was about to come.

A second later, the very fabric of space trembled. Then, with a soundless tear, a vast crack split the heavens open. From the rift emerged colossal roots, each one as thick as mountain ranges, glowing with the brilliance of living constellations.

These roots stretched endlessly, weaving themselves across the black abyss until they coiled around the Fallen Titan's limbs. In a single breath, they bound him completely, holding him so tightly that even his monstrous fingers could no longer twitch.

"You have ravaged this galaxy long enough," Gaia declared, her voice resounding like the breath of creation itself. She raised her hand; her expression remained calm yet filled with sorrow. "Show your true self, foul creature of the Void."

With that, she exhaled softly into her palm. The simple gesture unleashed a miracle, an unending storm of flower petals, billions upon billions of them, each one shimmering with a different hue.

They drifted through the vacuum of space as though carried by an invisible breeze until they began to fall upon the Fallen Titan's colossal form.

The moment the petals touched him, the Titan howled in agony. His roar shook worlds and stars alike, but the petals clung to his body, sinking into his dark flesh. Wherever they landed, his skin writhed and burned, his very essence unraveling.

The Void that had claimed him recoiled, unable to withstand Gaia's boundless vitality.

"My kin… I am sorry," Gaia whispered, and for the first time after millions of years, a tear of shimmering light traced down her cheek. "May you return to the universe and find eternal rest within its embrace."

The battle dragged on for hours. The Fallen Titan writhed and roared, but the petals never ceased their relentless assault.

They consumed the corruption bit by bit until at last the monstrous figure collapsed into silence. All that remained of him was a core, a radiant cosmic heart, still larger than planets and brighter than dying suns. Though smaller than the necrotech world, its sheer presence left all who gazed upon it breathless.

Far away, the Matron of the Hive watched all of this while her many eyes trembled. Even her vast body shivered involuntarily at the sight of Gaia's true might. She turned sharply toward Xytrallia. "Xytrallia, give the command. Order the Hive to retreat at once. We are leaving this place."

Xytrallia hesitated, her voice becoming more cautious. "But why, Mother? Should we not seek a reward from the Titans' representative before we depart? It was promised to us. After all, we risked our warriors to guard this galaxy. It is only natural to ask for what is due."

The Matron's gaze returned to Gaia, whose towering form now loomed over the battlefield, gathering the Fallen Titan's core with her massive, star-lit hands.

Her voice carried the weight of fear rarely heard from her lips. "It is not the time to speak of payment. Do you not understand? Gaia is no longer merely a Titan; she has stepped into the realm of Tier Nine!"

"At this level, nothing restrains her. If she wished, she could annihilate our entire race in the blink of an eye. We will live another day only by leaving in silence."

Without waiting for further argument, the Matron turned and began her retreat. Xytrallia and the other Hive Queen followed swiftly behind, their fleets vanishing into the distance.

Only after they were gone did Gaia's avatar, the form woven of stellar energy, return once more to stand before the remaining powerful beings. Two Titans still lingered, battered yet proud, alongside the two primordial beasts whose eyes still burned with primal fire. They waited in respectful silence for her return.