Intergalactic conquest with an AI-Chapter 257 The last stand. {3} Kael Vortigan

The Argos's miniguns erupted with a deafening roar, unleashing a torrent of bullets that tore through the advancing horde like a hurricane of death. Shell casings rained down in a metallic symphony, clattering against the ground as Carlos surged forward with his massive halberd gleaming under the dim light.

Each swing of the weapon cleaved through mutated flesh with brutal precision, sending grotesque limbs and shattered bodies flying in every direction. Yet, for every creature he felled, twenty more seemed to rise from the shadows, drawn to the chaos like moths to a flame.

But the Argos was no ordinary suit of armor. It wasn't just a machine, it was a living, breathing entity, the culmination of Cleo's genius. Battle armor engineering had never been her forte, but AI development? That was her domain.

Instead of crafting something mass-produced, she had imbued Argos with intelligence, making it a one of a kind marvel. Powered by a Tier 3 Low core, the suit regarded the swarming creatures as nothing more than pests, its systems calculating every move with cold, unerring precision.

Behind the frontlines, Vire shoved the sergeant forward with a smirk, his voice cutting through the cacophony. "What are you all standing around for? Go help the rookie! He's strong, but even he can't hold the line forever. Move it!"

Carlos's relentless assault had shifted the tide of battle. The creatures, once an unstoppable wave, now fixated on him as their primary target, their grotesque forms surging toward the towering gray giant.

The defensive forces, battered but unbroken, seized the opportunity to regroup, their spirits reignited by the sight of Carlos holding the line.

"Listen up, Fifth Division!" the sergeant shouted, his voice carrying over the din of battle as he raised his laser handgun high. "We shoot these abominations to hell! We hold this ground, or we die trying!"

The soldiers roared in response, their voices a thunderous chorus of defiance. Gunfire erupted in a blinding cascade of light and sound, the air thick with the acrid smell of burning plasma and scorched flesh.

"Follow the stone giant!"

"Light 'em up!"

"Hell yeah! Time to test out this baby!" one soldier cackled, hefting a missile launcher onto his shoulder. The weapon roared, sending a fiery projectile into the heart of the horde, the explosion illuminating the battlefield in a brief, blinding flash.

But the shift in the battle hadn't gone unnoticed. Across the field, the Nexum forces watched with growing unease. Their officer sneered, his eyes narrowing as he observed Carlos carving through the horde with terrifying efficiency. "Shoot that gray giant down!" he shouted, his voice dripping with venom.

A lower-ranking officer hesitated with his voice trembling. "Sir, our troops are engaging him in close combat! We'll hit them too!"

The officer's face twisted into a mask of disgust. "What troops? Those things aren't ours anymore. Lady Isolde turned them. They're just cannon fodder now. Obliterate them all!"

There was no room for argument. Orders were orders.

[WARNING: Multiple hostiles detected. They are carrying electric rifles and low-grade explosives.]

Carlos didn't falter, his halberd a blur of motion as Argos's systems registered the incoming fire. "Are they strong enough to breach our shield?" he asked with his voice calm despite the chaos.

[Negative. Their firepower is insufficient.]

A wicked grin spread across Carlos's face, his eyes gleaming with defiance. "Then let 'em shoot. They'll just help me clean up this mess faster." With a brutal crunch, he crushed another creature's skull in Argos's powerful grip, the sound drowned out by the relentless roar of battle.

By now, the battlefield was shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from the golden glow of Argos's systems and the sporadic flashes of gunfire. Carlos's towering frame stood out against the pitch-black sky, a beacon of hope for his allies and a target for his enemies.

Hundreds of rounds of plasma bolts, kinetic slugs, and explosive projectiles, rained down on Argos, only to bounce harmlessly off its reflector shields. Some ricocheted back into the horde, turning the battlefield into a dazzling, chaotic light show. If this had been a movie, it would've been an instant classic of a war scene for the ages.

[Warning: Ammunition running low. I recommend retreating to a nearby allied outpost to resupply.]

Carlos exhaled sharply, sweat dripping down his forehead beneath the helmet. "Yeah… that's probably a good call. Could use some water while we're at it."

[No need. I have filtered your organic fluids into 100% purified water, available for consumption now.]

Carlos froze mid-step, his face contorting in disgust. "...What?"

[Your internal waste has been efficiently converted into drinkable—]

"NOPE. Nope, nope, nope. Not unless it's a life-or-death situation. I'll stick to actual fresh water, thank you very much." He shook his head in disbelief, a dry chuckle escaping his lips. "Alright, contact the steward. Let him know we're falling back for ammo."

[Understood.]

Carlos took one last glance at the battlefield, his eyes scanning the flickering lights of gunfire, the mountains of bodies, and the night sky ablaze with explosions. The fight was far from over, and the cost of victory would be steep.

While Carlos's actions were but a single spark in the inferno of war, they had not gone unnoticed. Far from the chaos, hidden in the shadows of safety, a pair of striking green, cat-like eyes watched him intently.

Sharon sat in the quiet confines of her transport, her gaze fixed on the holographic feed of the battlefield. Her heart ached as she saw Carlos retreat to resupply, her claws digging into the armrests of her seat.

She had been watching him the entire time, even as her transport sped toward the opposite pole of the planet, one of the few places still untouched by the war's devastation.

"I'm glad he's safe…" she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "But why did my father send me away? Did he really think so little of me?"

"My lady, we'll reach the evacuation zone in two more days," Anais, her ever-loyal maid, said softly. She stepped closer, holding a folded blanket in her arms. "Why don't you try to rest while we travel? You've been through so much."

Sharon shook her head, her ears twitching downward in frustration. "There's no way I could sleep, Anais. Not while all this is happening. I'd be too worried to even close my eyes. Besides…"

Her voice cracked, bitterness seeping into her words. "I just woke up a few hours ago after my father drugged me. How could he do that? How could he just… send me away like I'm some helpless child?"

Anais hesitated, her expression softening with sympathy. "My lady, the Lord is only thinking of your safety. He—"

"I know what he's thinking," Sharon interrupted, her tail curling tightly around her side. "You don't have to explain it to me." She turned her gaze back to the window, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

"It's just… I was the one who convinced Carlos to visit my home planet with me. And now he's caught in this nightmare. He could die out there, and all I can do is watch."

A single tear slipped down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away, her usual bright demeanor dimmed by an overwhelming sense of guilt. She felt powerless, trapped in a gilded cage while the people she cared about fought for their lives.

Meanwhile, the war raged on, its fury unrelenting. Madame Rose and Pax led a coordinated assault on two of the planet's critical power stations, key sources of energy for the defensive planetary cannons in the sector.

Their forces moved with surgical precision, splitting into two fleets and deploying waves of soldiers onto the ground. The stations shields were formidable, impervious to artillery and bombardment from the outside. Explore more stories with novelbuddy

But they had one fatal flaw: while they repelled external attacks, they couldn't stop physical entry. Troops and mechanized units poured through the barriers, turning the battle into a grueling siege. It was only a matter of time before the defenders were overwhelmed.

Then, without warning, the sky itself seemed to split open.

A streak of black and silver tore through the heavens like a vengeful comet, moving faster than the eye could follow. It crashed into Pax's flagship with a deafening roar, slicing through the massive warship as if it were made of paper.

The vessel split clean in half, explosions rippling along its structure before it plummeted toward the ground in a fiery cascade. But the comet didn't stop there, it shot toward the next ship, then the next, cutting through the Nexum fleet with ruthless, unstoppable precision.

Visit ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com for the 𝑏est n𝘰vel reading experience.

Finally, it came to a halt, hovering above the power station like a harbinger of doom.

A booming voice erupted across the battlefield, shaking the air and the ground beneath it.

"MY NAME IS KAEL VORTIGAN! LORD OF THIS PLANET! BRING ME THAT SISSY HERE, OR DIE IN SHAME LIKE THE PUPPET YOU ARE!"

His words echoed not only across the world but beyond it, carried by sheer force of will of a Tier 7 powerhouse. The moment his voice rang out, the tide of battle shifted. The allied forces erupted in cheers, their morale soaring like a wildfire.

With renewed vigor, they pressed forward, their attacks gaining ferocity. The Nexum troops, once pushing the defenders back, now found themselves struggling against the sudden surge of resistance.

On a distant battlefield, Madame Rose exhaled sharply, her sharp eyes narrowing as she watched the spectacle unfold. A small smirk played on her lips, and she raised her voice to meet his challenge, her words carrying across the chaos with equal force.

"Tsk. Still as loud as ever, Vortigan."

She stood atop a ruined building, several kilometers away from him, her presence as commanding as his. The air between them crackled with tension, a silent acknowledgment of the clash to come.