Intergalactic conquest with an AI

The figure stepped closer, its heavy steps crunching against the debris. Pax's vision blurred, but he could make out the silhouette of someone huge, someone who didn't belong here. The figure crouched down, tilting his head as he examined him with a mix of curiosity and disgust.

"You're a mess," the voice said, almost amused. "What kind of freak are you supposed to be?"

Pax tried to speak, to beg, to threaten, but all that came out was a gurgling, incoherent noise. The figure sighed, standing up and brushing off his hands.

"Well, whatever. Not my problem."

With that, the shadow turned and walked away, leaving Pax to writhe in agony, his body slowly succumbing to the venom. The last thing he saw before his vision faded completely was the retreating figure, disappearing into the darkness of the destroyed city.

"What!? And you're telling me this just now!?" Carlos snapped, his voice sharp with frustration. He spun on his heel, his instincts screaming at him to go back and finish the job. Pax was a monster, a threat that needed to be eradicated, especially in his weakened state.

But before he could take a single step, Argos intervened.

[There is no need.]

The AI's voice was calm, almost unnervingly so.

[Scans indicate he is heavily injured and suffering from severe poisoning. It is only a matter of time before he succumbs. Eliminating him now would be a waste of resources. More importantly, we have an objective, reaching the spaceport and securing a ship for extraction. We cannot afford to lose time.]

A holographic image of Pax's broken, writhing body flashed across Carlos's HUD, confirming Argos's assessment. The once-mighty Viceroy was a shadow of his former self, his body twisted and convulsing as the venom coursed through his veins.

Carlos exhaled sharply, his fists clenching and unclenching as he wrestled with the urge to go back. "Mmm… yeah. You're right." He forced himself to turn away, pushing the thought of Pax from his mind. "How far to the spaceport? You said there was one in this city."

[The objective is 20 kilometers from our current position. I recommend activating propulsion systems for faster travel.]

Carlos let out a bitter chuckle while shaking his head. "And you don't think I want to do that? Seriously, Argos, I swear you're bugged. We barely have enough energy left to keep systems stable, let alone fire up the propulsors. Hell, you don't even have enough power to activate Halberd. That damn reactor is recharging way too slowly… We need to let Cleo know about this."

[Understood. Upgrade request has been logged. The issue will be reported to the Kaelzar factory once long-range communication is reestablished.]

Carlos nodded while following the holographic path displayed on his HUD. He moved carefully through the ruins of the shattered city, every step feeling heavier than the last. The weight of exhaustion pressed on him, but he couldn't afford to slow down.

He glanced toward the sky, silently praying that the Titan wouldn't shift its rampage toward this side of the planet.

His voice dropped slightly, his tone edged with unease. "You think that poisonous bitch is still after us?"

[Negative.]

Argos's response was immediate. [Scanners indicate that all Tier 6 and higher combatants have retreated from the planet. Only two powerful individuals remain engaged with the Titan. Based on my data, both are reaching their limits.]

Carlos ran a hand down his face, sighing deeply. "Shit… I wonder if Sharon's going to blame me for abandoning her father."

[Based on logical probability, there is a 0% chance of that outcome.]

Carlos let out a dry, humorless laugh. "That's because you don't understand women, Argos. They're not logical. At all." He shook his head while forcing himself to focus.

"Come on, let's keep moving before something else decides to go wrong. I swear, that green witch is still haunting me… My body's still shivering just thinking about her."

[Understood. Increasing internal calefaction to regulate body temperature.]

Carlos chuckled despite himself, a small smile breaking through the tension. "Ha… thanks, buddy."

As they pressed on, the ruins of the city loomed around them like silent sentinels, a stark reminder of the devastation the Titan had wrought. Carlos couldn't shake the feeling of unease that clung to him, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the task at hand.

Vortigan moved like a shadow, his form flickering across the battlefield as he closed the distance to the Titan's massive throat. His sword, already a weapon of legend, glowed with an otherworldly light as he channeled every ounce of his energy into it.

The blade grew in size, its edge shimmering like a burning star. With a roar, he swung with all his might, aiming to cleave through the Titan's flesh.

But against a creature of such colossal scale, even his weapon, enhanced beyond its limits, was nothing more than a toothpick.

The blade struck, but the Titan's skin barely yielded. The wound was shallow, a mere scratch on the surface of its impenetrable hide. Vortigan's eyes narrowed in frustration as the Titan's flesh began to regenerate almost instantly since the creature was drawing energy from the planet itself to heal.

Meanwhile, Madame Rose summoned a swirling inferno around her, the flames twisting and condensing into the form of a massive, radiant phoenix. Her crimson hair billowed in the heat as she poured her remaining strength into the attack.

With a furious cry, she hurled the firebird toward the Titan's underbelly, the only vulnerable spot they had identified. The phoenix struck with the force of a supernova, an explosion of molten energy cascading across the Titan's skin.

And yet…

Their combined attacks left only surface wounds... tiny cuts, barely deeper than scratches that the Titan barely seemed to notice.

With a single pulse of raw power, the Titan released a devastating energy shockwave. The force of it was cataclysmic, obliterating everything in its path. Vortigan and Madame Rose were blasted away like ragdolls, their bodies hurled through the air as the land beneath them was erased.

Mountains crumbled, rivers evaporated, and entire landscapes were reduced to nothingness. Even asteroids far beyond the planet's atmosphere disintegrated into dust.

Madame Rose groaned while pulling herself out of the cratered remains of a meteorite where she had crashed with blood dripping from her lips, her body battered and bruised. She wiped the blood away with the back of her hand, her fiery eyes glaring toward the distant colossus.

"Tsk! See what the fuck you've done, you damn old man!" She shouted, her voice hoarse with rage and exhaustion.

Vortigan, battered but still standing, scoffed. "Hmph. None of this would've happened if you bastards hadn't come to invade my world!" His eyes flickered, scanning the battlefield. "Speaking of which... where the fuck is Percival!?"

Madame Rose snorted, her lips curling into a bitter smirk. "Who the hell cares? Probably ran off to hide under his mama's skirt like the sissy he is!" Her breath was ragged now, her energy nearly drained. Even standing took effort.

Vortigan glanced at her, taking in the way her shoulders heaved, the way sweat dripped down her pale face. He sighed while shaking his head.

"Rose… You need to retreat." His voice was quieter now, firm but steady. "There's no point in staying. Just you and me? There's no way we're bringing that thing down. Get out while you still can."

She glared at him but didn't speak.

"And don't even try to argue," he continued. "You're barely—"

Before he could finish, a fireball shot past his face, close enough to singe his cheek. Vortigan's expression darkened as the flames flickered out behind him. Madame Rose stood there with her fists clenched and her eyes burning with fury.

"What's the point of playing the fucking hero when you're the one who unleashed this thing onto the galaxy!?" Her voice cracked, raw with rage. "Do you have any idea how many will die because of you!?"

Vortigan stared at her, his eyes unreadable. Then, to her surprise, he let out a slow, tired chuckle.

"Hmph. Who cares?" He muttered, his voice eerily calm. "I'll be dead by then." He turned away from her, gripping his sword tightly. "Let history find whatever scapegoat it wants. I don't care anymore."

He took a step forward. His body began to glow with dark gray and silver energy pulsing around him, growing brighter with each passing second.

"Go, Rose. Retreat."

She clenched her jaw, every part of her screaming to stop him, but she knew he wouldn't listen. There was no talking him out of this. Vortigan had made his choice.

With a final, defiant roar, Vortigan launched himself forward. Like a black-and-gray comet, he became a streak of light against the void, charging straight toward the Titan, a final stand against the beast that had shared his world for centuries.

And this time, he didn't plan on coming back.

Madame Rose watched him go, her fists trembling at her sides. For a moment, she hesitated between staying to fight and following his command. But deep down, she knew he was right. There was nothing more they could do.

With a bitter curse, she turned and fled, her fiery wings carrying her away from the battlefield. Behind her, Vortigan's energy flared like a dying star, a final act of defiance against the Titan.

Amidst the chaos, the transport ship meant to carry Sharon to safety lay in ruins, its twisted metal frame smoldering against the shattered landscape. The evacuation had failed.

And Sharon…

She lay motionless among the wreckage, her breathing shallow. A jagged metal bar had pierced straight through her abdomen, pinning her to the cold steel beneath her. Blood pooled around the wound, staining her once beautiful white dress...