Intergalactic conquest with an AI-Chapter 329: Hive City War. {7}

"Commander! There's a bomber squad incoming!" an officer shouted; his voice was trembling as he pointed toward the left flank of the Hive City.

The Supreme Commander's eyes narrowed as he followed the officer's finger, spotting the distant silhouettes of bombers streaking through the sky like birds of prey.

"Relax," the Commander said, his voice dripping with false confidence. "Our shields can withstand several payloads. Let the anti-air defenses handle them." But even as he spoke, his eyes remained locked on the approaching bombers, a gnawing unease settling in his gut.

The bombers drew closer, their engines roaring like thunder. Then, in a horrifying moment of clarity, the Supreme Commander realized his mistake. The bombs weren't ordinary explosives... they were phase-shift bombs, designed to bypass energy shields entirely.

"Phase-shift bombs!" he shouted out with his voice cracking with panic. In a blur of motion, he sprinted toward the little girl's mother, scooping her up and leaping from the fortress just as the bombs began to rain down.

The world seemed to slow as the first bomb pierced the shield, followed by hundreds more. The fortress erupted in a cataclysmic explosion, the shockwave hurling the Commander and his charge through the air like ragdolls.

When the dust settled, the fortress was gone. Reduced to rubble. The main energy generator was obliterated, and the once-impenetrable shield flickered weakly since its power was crippled.

The Supreme Commander stared at the ruins while his hands trembled with rage. Years of planning, countless credits, and untold sacrifices.... gone in an instant.

"AHHHHHHHHHH!!!" His roar of frustration echoed across the battlefield, a primal scream of fury and despair. To the Grand Elder, watching from afar, it was music to his ears.

"Hohoho," the Grand Elder chuckled while stroking his long white beard with a mischievous grin. "It seems he didn't like my little gift. Fourth Elder! Order the artillery squad to target what's left of that shield. Let's finish this."

"Understood, Grand Elder!" The Fourth Elder saluted and dashed off to relay the orders. Moments later, the deep, resonant boom of field artillery filled the air, each shot a death knell for the weakened shield. The ground shook as shells rained down, pounding the remnants of the fortress into oblivion.

"Return fire!" the Supreme Commander bellowed, his voice cutting through the chaos. Officers scrambled to help him into his armor, their hands shaking as they fastened the plates. The time for strategy was over. Now, it was war.

The battlefield erupted into chaos. Thousands of soldiers clashed, their weapons lighting up the smoke-choked air with bursts of energy and fire.

Explosions rocked the ground, sending shockwaves through the ranks of both armies. The Elders forces charged headlong into the fray; their momentum was unrelenting despite the relentless bombardment from the Commander's artillery.

For three days, the battle raged. The sky was a canvas of fire and smoke, the ground a graveyard of broken machines and fallen soldiers. And then, as the sun dipped below the horizon on the third day, the two leaders finally came face to face.

"Hohoho," the Grand Elder cackled while stepping off his air bike with the grace of a man half his age. He tapped his cane, and with a sharp click, a hidden blade slid free, gleaming in the dim light.

"It seems neither of our plans went quite as expected. Isn't that right, Commander?"

"Hmph. All of this.... everything is because of you!!, you damned old man!" the Supreme Commander spat, floating a few meters above the ground. In one hand, he clutched the severed head of one of the Elders elite soldiers.

With a sickening crunch, he crushed it, tossing the lifeless body toward the Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder didn't flinch and with a flick of his blade, he cleaved the body in two, the halves falling harmlessly to the ground. "Such theatrics," he said, his voice dripping with amusement. "But tell me, Commander.... do you really think you can win this fight?"

The Supreme Commander's eyes burned with hatred. "I don't need to win. I just need to kill you."

The air crackled with tension as the two leaders squared off, the battlefield around them fading into the background. This wasn't just a clash of armies; it was a clash of wills, of ideologies, of lifetimes of hatred and ambition.

The tension between the Supreme Commander and the Grand Elder was palpable; their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills.

Both men stood frozen, waiting for the other to make the first move. The air around them crackled with energy, the battlefield holding its breath as if even the chaos of war paused to witness this moment.

And then, as they were finally going to make their move.....

A dazzling golden comet streaked down from the heavens, slamming into the ground between them with the force of a meteor. The shockwave sent both leaders stumbling back, their weapons raised defensively as dust and debris filled the air.

"Hahah! Finally, you guys are in the same spot!" a voice rang out, cheerful and slightly unhinged. As the dust settled, Rex stood there, his grin wide and his eyes sparkling with mischief.

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"Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to just sit back and watch all the fun without being able to join in? And why the hell do I sound like a battle maniac right now?" He scratched his head while feigning confusion.

The Supreme Commander's face twisted in rage. "Who do you think you are, standing between us like this?!" he shouted angrily while his spear materialized in his hand, its liquid metal surface shimmering ominously.

"Oh, come on, Commander! You've been stalking us for days! Have you already forgotten your first love?" Rex dropped to his knees dramatically, clutching his chest as if wounded. The Grand Elder, meanwhile, studied Rex with a mix of curiosity and caution.

There was something about this young man... something dangerous.

"Hohoho," the Grand Elder chuckled; his voice was calm but laced with intrigue. "And who might you be, young fellow?"

"Oh, me? I'm just—" Rex tried to answer, but before he could finish, Mini Cleo materialized in front of him, her tiny form glowing with urgency.

{Be careful, boss!}

She shouted, her voice high-pitched and frantic. In an instant, Rex's white coat transformed into a pair of magnificent wings, shielding him just as the Supreme Commander's spear hurtled toward his head.

The weapon clanged against the wings, sparks flying as it was deflected.

{Pew! I successfully blocked the attack! Praise me, boss!}

Mini Cleo struck a smug pose with her tiny hands on her hips.

{Like hell I'll praise you! Just look at that smug face of yours! If I praise you, you'll become even more insufferable!} Rex shook his head, his wings folding back into a coat as he sighed in exasperation.

"That's not a nice way to talk, Commander," Rex said while wagging a finger at the Supreme Commander like a scolding parent. "Where did you learn your manners from?"

"Ahhh, you're dead!" the Supreme Commander bellowed, yanking his spear back and charging at Rex with a fury that could level mountains.

But Rex dodged effortlessly, his movements fluid and almost playful, as if this were nothing more than a game. The Grand Elder watched the spectacle with a raised eyebrow, his cane-sword resting casually in his hand.

Just as the Grand Elder was about to intervene, he felt the presence of a faint, almost imperceptible shift in the air. Before he could react, a soft, girlish chuckle echoed behind him. He turned, his eyes narrowing as a figure materialized out of thin air.

"Well, well," Ys purred, her voice dripping with playful menace as she floated gracefully in front of the Grand Elder, her butterfly-like green wings shimmering in the dim light.

"I was really hoping you'd join the battle against my darling. Now, what should I do～?"

The Grand Elder's eyes narrowed, his grip tightening on his cane-sword. "Hohoho, and who might you be, little girl?" he asked; his tone was calm but laced with caution.

While she didn't seem like a significant threat, something about her presence set off alarms in his mind. He wasn't about to act impulsively, not when the air around her felt so... wrong.

"Oh, I'm just a little girl who was supposed to carry out the annoying Kaelzar girl's plan," Ys said with a mock pout, her voice sing-song and teasing. "But since you're still here, I wonder if the plan is still the same... What do you think, Lilla?"

The Grand Elder followed her gaze upward, his eyes widening as he saw another young girl descending from the sky.

She walked as if the air was made of solid water, each step sending ripples through the atmosphere and was accompanied by the faint, melodic chime of bells. Her presence was serene, almost ethereal, but the Grand Elder wasn't fooled. There was danger here... danger he couldn't yet fully grasp.

"We should stick to the plan," Lilla said; her voice was soft but firm. Her eyes, now fully open, locked onto the Grand Elder with an intensity that made even his seasoned heart skip a beat. "We'll just ask the Grand Elder to stay put."

The Grand Elder chuckled, though his guard remained high. "Hohoho, you two young girls are having quite the dangerous conversation. But even if you try to make me stay put, you won't be able to stop my army of nearly 70,000 strong."

Ys giggled, her wings fluttering as she tilted her head coyly. "Heheh, well... that's where you're wrong. You're actually standing on my army right now, you know～?" With that, she stomped her foot lightly on the ground, sending a small shockwave rippling outward.

The Grand Elder's eyes widened as the ground beneath him began to tremble violently, as if an earthquake were tearing through the battlefield. "This...!" he muttered, his instincts screaming at him to move.