Intergalactic conquest with an AI

"Oh? Could it be that I am not qualified enough to stop a noble of your standing?" The planetary champion's voice was calm, almost amused, as if the shouting of the lesser noble barely registered in his mind. He did not even glance at the enraged octopod. In truth, his eyes were fixed elsewhere.

What had truly caught his attention was not the outburst of an arrogant Tier Three, but the surge of power he had felt only moments before.

For the briefest heartbeat, the dock bay had trembled under an aura far greater than his own, a force that brushed against his senses like the touch of fire and divinity. The source of that presence was clear. It radiated from where Little Red was standing.

"Take him away," the champion ordered without hesitation. "Contact his clan and demand compensation. Military deployments are costly, and I do not cover the expenses of fools."

The enforcers saluted with trained precision and immediately began their work. The barrier dissolved, yet the noble and his guards were powerless to resist.

They were gathered up and escorted away, their protests swallowed by the heavy steps of the mechanized bots. In only a few moments, the dock bay was quieter, the tension left behind hanging in the air like smoke after a fire.

The planetary champion's gaze, however, never wavered. He studied Little Red with measured curiosity. "Tell me," he said, his voice sounding steady, "which forces do you belong to? And what are your intentions on this planet?"

He expected an answer from her, but the reply came from behind him instead, a voice that carried both casual calm and undeniable weight.

"We are only here to stay for a few years," the voice said calmly. "We will not cause problems. But that does not mean we fear creating them if pushed."

The champion's pupils dilated. He spun with surprising speed, his instincts driving him to retreat a few meters back, putting distance between himself and the unknown speaker.

His tentacles stiffened; his body reacted as though a predator had appeared in his blind spot. "And who might you be?" he demanded, his tone sharpened by a mixture of caution and respect.

The figure that stood before him seemed to step out of light itself. A man clad in full power armor stood tall and unmoving, his presence commanding without effort.

From his back extended a pair of magnificent wings, vast and silver, each feather shimmering with a metallic brilliance that gave them an otherworldly beauty. A silver aura surrounded him, flowing from his wings like a tide of quiet strength.

"I go by the name of Rex," the man said, his voice steady, unpretentious, but carrying a subtle edge.

"I am no one important, only a wanderer seeking a little rest before continuing my journey… but it seems our host here struggles to control his men." His gaze flicked toward the champion's face, and his lip twitched in faint distaste at the sight of the twitching, slimy tentacles.

The planetary champion held Rex's gaze for a long moment, his mind racing. He searched for malice, for intent, for the shadow of threat in this silver-winged man's aura. Yet he found none. There was no murderous edge, only calm certainty. Slowly, his body eased.

"I understand your displeasure," the champion admitted at last. His voice lowered, stripped of arrogance.

"Though this incident was not of my making, the fault does fall partly on me; after all, I failed to keep order among the lesser scum under my command." He placed a hand upon his chest and bowed slightly, his gesture heavy with formality.

"Allow me to make amends. To show my sincerity, I wish to invite you to an auction to be held in my mansion tomorrow night. Will you honor me with your presence?"

Rex glanced at him for a moment longer, then descended slowly, his wings folding gracefully as he landed beside Little Red. She gave him a faint, approving glance but said nothing.

"I accept," Rex said simply. "I have no desire to turn this incident into something larger, and I am certain you are a busy man yourself. Where is your mansion located?"

The planetary champion followed suit, lowering himself to the dock floor, his eyes never straying from the silver-winged stranger. For the first time in many years, he felt that his position of authority was not the highest weight in the room.

"I'll message you the address later. For now, I'll send you my contact information." The planetary champion touched the device strapped to his left arm, and a soft pulse of light signaled the exchange.

"Since the matter has been resolved, I must return to my duties. As you yourself mentioned, I am a busy man. Please excuse me." He gave one final, formal bow before his body shot into the sky at incredible speed, vanishing from sight as quickly as he had arrived.

Rex let out a small chuckle and shook his head. "That was pretty dramatic, don't you think?"

The armor of nanomachines and living metal dissolved away from his body like a silver tide and folded back into his wings, which absorbed the material with a faint ripple of light.

Little Red tilted her head slightly, her crimson feathers catching the dock's light as she studied him. "Why are you here, my lord?" she asked softly.

"Weren't you supposed to be buying a villa with my sister?" She walked toward the ship's ramp; her tone sounded curious rather than accusatory.

"Oh, that?" Rex placed his hands behind his head and followed her; his smile was calm but playful. "Don't worry. She's the one who told me to come here and stop you from escalating things. I'm just the messenger, you see. She's the real boss here."

Little Red gave the faintest huff, her wings fluttering once as though dismissing the comment, but she said nothing more.

Nothing more of note happened after that confrontation. The rest of the day passed quietly, though not without accomplishment. Cleo handled the purchase of a villa in one of the planet's VIP districts, her efficiency as sharp as always.

For her, money was never a concern. She commanded the wealth of the Kaelzar trading fleets, and compared to that vast treasury, the price of a luxurious villa on a middle-class planet was nothing. To her, acquiring the property was less of an expense and more of a trivial formality.

A full day later, the hour of the auction finally arrived. As promised, the planetary champion delivered his invitation and the address of his mansion with precise formality. The elegant, glowing crest of his seal confirmed its authenticity.

Rex adjusted his collar and glanced across the room. "Ys, are you sure you don't want to come?" he asked while waiting for Cleo, who was still descending from the upper floor of the villa.

The young woman was sprawled across a velvet couch, her expression halfway between pouting and resignation. She sighed deeply, letting her body melt into the cushions as though she were trying to become part of them.

"I'm sure, darling. My mother warned me not to let anyone on this planet see me. She said she would come for me soon… to help me ascend and become a Tier Four warrior." Her eyes clouded for a moment with a mixture of expectation and unease flickering across them.

Rex raised an eyebrow. "And how exactly is she planning to show up? Will she be arriving with the whole swarm behind her?"

"Don't worry, darling," Yssera said with a faint smile, her voice dripping with both fondness and mischief. "She told me she would only open a spatial crack. She doesn't want to disturb your rest."

She narrowed her eyes at him in mock suspicion. "Though I am curious. She's always so kind to you but so terribly strict with me. Why is that, do you think? Do you know something I don't, darling?"

Rex cleared his throat, feigning innocence. "Ahem. I wouldn't know. Perhaps she's just grateful that I'm taking care of her… let's say, rather problematic daughter."

Yssera's lips curled into a small smile at his words. She leaned into his hand as he reached over and rubbed her hair, her eyes half-closing in contentment.

She did not resist the gentle gesture. Instead, she basked in it like a cat enjoying a patch of sunlight, letting the tension in her body fade away under the warmth of his touch.

Meanwhile, within the sprawling mansion of the planetary champion, light and music filled the grand ballroom. Chandeliers of crystal and living light cast their glow over the polished marble floor, where nobles in gilded robes and wealthy merchants in tailored suits mingled and laughed behind jeweled masks of courtesy.

Servers moved with silent grace, carrying trays of rare wines and exotic delicacies harvested from across the sector. The atmosphere seemed festive, but beneath the polite chatter ran an undercurrent of calculation. Everyone here had come for more than the auction.

From the balcony on the second floor, the planetary champion stood with his hands clasped behind his back, overlooking the crowd below. His tentacles twitched slowly, betraying his thoughts, while two warriors of his personal guard flanked him.

Both were Tier Four elites, clad in ceremonial armor that gleamed under the light, their every movement controlled and alert.

The champion's eyes narrowed slightly. "Well? How is it? How many Tier Four guests have arrived?" His voice was calm, but there was weight in the question.

The guard on his left bowed slightly and offered a datapad. "My lord, at present we have counted twenty Tier Four guests in attendance. Their names and affiliations have been logged. Each one is a figure of influence, nobles, fleet captains, guild masters, and wealthy investors who control key trade routes."