Intergalactic conquest with an AI-Chapter 269 Human civil war. {2}

After the humans seized control of Nexum's facilities on the commercial planet of Nakor, their influence spread like wildfire. With a firm grip on key technologies and a thriving black market supplying military-grade weapons to criminal syndicates and mafia factions, they quickly rose to power.

Their presence became so overwhelming that even the planet's official guards dared not challenge them. The streets of Nakor, once bustling with trade and commerce, now whispered of fear and submission.

This dominance allowed Lilla to establish a temple on the outskirts of Nakor's main commercial city, a place where she could train her growing zealot forces in secrecy. Her paladins, clad in power armor reminiscent of ancient human knights, stood as the generals of this holy army.

The armor, a masterpiece forged by Cleo, was a marvel of engineering and control. It enhanced the strength and resilience of its wearer, but beneath its divine exterior lay a hidden safeguard, an explosive command that only Lilla could activate.

A failsafe, in case loyalty ever wavered. But such an event was nearly impossible since Paladins were not ordinary soldiers. They were fanatics, bound by unshakable devotion.

While Lilla herself was not a warrior, her true power lay in something far more dangerous. She possessed the rare and terrifying ability to bend minds with words alone. Like a master orator, a charismatic ruler who could lead entire nations into ruin yet have their people worship them for it, she turned mere men and women into zealots. Her voice was a weapon, her presence a force of nature.

She did not need to fight. That was what her brother was for.

He had ascended to the rank of High Inquisitor, the supreme commander of the Order of the Five Paladins. He led their forces into war, while Lilla commanded another five elite female paladins, the ones who never left her side, sworn to protect her and the Holy City at all costs.

These paladins were more than warriors. They were humanity's deadliest champions, enhanced by psychic abilities unlocked through the brutal experimentation of the Nexum scientists, scientists whom Lilla had personally condemned to death. Stay tuned to novelbuddy

And now, their faith would be tested.

A priestess entered the chamber, her footsteps silent against the cold marble floor. She bowed deeply before speaking, her voice trembling with a mix of reverence and urgency.

"Saintess, our stealth drones have located the pagan assault force."

Lilla remained still, her eyes closed, her presence radiating calm amidst the storm.

"Display it."

The holoscreen flickered to life, projecting a grainy yet unmistakable image of the advancing army. The sheer scale of the force was staggering, a sea of soldiers, vehicles, and weaponry stretching as far as the eye could see.

The priestess's voice was measured, but tension laced her words.

"Their estimated numbers are between two hundred thousand and three hundred thousand soldiers, accompanied by nearly one thousand armored vehicles, including tanks."

Lilla exhaled slowly, her expression unreadable. "That is only their land invasion force. I doubt that is the full extent of their military strength. What of their fleet?"

The priestess hesitated, her fingers tightening against the sleeves of her robe.

"We do not know, Saintess. Our spy drones have been destroyed. Our infiltrators... have been eliminated. We are blind in that regard."

For a long moment, there was silence. The weight of the unknown pressed down on the room, the air thick with anticipation.

Then, Lilla's voice came, calm and absolute.

"Very well."

She lifted her hand, removing the delicate veil from her face. Her expression was serene, yet her eyes burned with something far more dangerous than rage. They were the eyes of a leader who had seen too much, endured too much, and would stop at nothing to protect what was hers.

"Activate the Holy City's shields. Bring the temple's full defense systems online. Send the order to my paladins."

She stepped forward, the soft hum of her armor growing into a low, powerful thrum as it awakened. White plates of sacred metal gleamed under the chamber's light, but now, lines of crimson energy pulsed across its surface like veins of fire.

"Prepare for total war."

The priestess placed a hand over her chest in salute, her voice steady despite the storm brewing outside. "Understood, Saintess."

She turned swiftly, making her way toward the barracks, where the five female paladins spent their days training for battle and studying the art of warfare. The time for preparation was over. The time for war had come.

The massive doors of the barracks swung open as the priestess stepped inside, her presence commanding instant attention. The room, once filled with the clatter of training and the hum of preparation, fell silent. She raised her voice, her tone firm and unwavering, cutting through the stillness like a blade.

"The Saintess has spoken. The time for the Holy Crusade has come."

A ripple of energy passed through the room as her words sank in, a current of resolve electrifying the air.

"She has ordered a full defensive deployment. Our sole focus is to protect the Holy City at all costs."

She turned without another word, her robes billowing behind her as she left the chamber, the weight of her message lingering in her wake.

For a moment, there was only silence. Then—

The five paladins moved as one.

Without hesitation, they abandoned whatever they had been doing and sprinted toward their personal chambers. Their golden power armor awaited them, standing like sacred statues of war, their surfaces gleaming under the dim light. Each suit was a masterpiece, divine craftsmanship combined with Cleo's cutting-edge technology, a fusion of faith and science.

Piece by piece, they donned their armor, the exoskeletal plating locking into place with mechanical precision. The hum of power cores igniting filled the air as their suits came to life, crimson energy lines pulsing like veins of fire. The moment they were fully suited, they marched out, heading directly to their respective battle stations.

Each paladin took command of a major defensive front, standing as the unbreakable shields of the faithful. The fifth and most elite of them stood guard over the plaza, the heart of the city, where the battle would be won or lost.

Every soldier, every zealot, every devotee stood ready. Their spirits burned with unwavering conviction, their faith unshakable. They were prepared to die for their Saintess.

On the other side of the battlefield, the invaders had formed an unshakable noose around the Holy City.

From his vantage point atop his tank fortress, Lord Jiro surveyed the siege with cold, calculating eyes. The massive war machine beneath him rumbled softly, its armored plating reinforced with layers of shielding, its command systems linking him directly to the vast army under his command. The air was thick with tension, the weight of impending battle pressing down on everyone.

A human officer approached and saluted, his voice steady but laced with urgency.

"Lord Jiro, the siege is complete. We are in position. We can begin the assault at your command."

Jiro did not immediately respond. He remained seated with his hands resting on the hilt of his ceremonial blade as he gazed at the holy city in the distance.

The golden towers. The towering temple at its heart. The crimson glow of the defensive barriers flickering against the encroaching darkness.

A hunter's patience was the difference between a clean kill and a costly battle.

He exhaled slowly, his breath visible in the cold air.

"Hold the siege," he ordered, his voice calm but firm. "A true hunter knows when to strike. We wait until nightfall."

The officer hesitated, his eyes flickering with uncertainty, but he did not question his command. With a sharp nod, he turned and relayed the order.

Around them, the invading armies stood poised.

Four powerful human generals led four separate divisions, each commanding tens of thousands of soldiers, each overseeing lines of heavily armored vehicles and mobile artillery platforms. Their numbers were overwhelming, their firepower unmatched.

Yet, the tension in the air belonged to them. Not to the defenders.

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No, the attackers were the ones who felt unease creeping into their bones.

Because standing at the gates of the Holy City, clad in immaculate white power armor, was their Saintess.

Lilla.

The living symbol of divine will. The voice of their god.

She stood unmoving, framed by the towering entrance of the temple, the crimson glow of her armor casting an ethereal light around her. Her presence alone was enough to make the defenders morale soar to unbreakable heights.

For in their eyes, as long as the Saintess stood, their god was with them.

And if their god was with them... then no force in the universe could stand against them.

Nightfall had finally arrived.

General Jiro stepped out of his massive command vehicle, the cool night air filling his lungs as he took a slow, deliberate breath. The battlefield stretched before him, a sea of shadows and flickering lights, the distant glow of the Holy City's defenses casting an eerie luminescence across the horizon.

He exhaled, his eyes narrowing as he gazed at the shimmering barrier that had stood as an impenetrable fortress for so long.

The time had come.

Reaching for his communicator, he spoke with absolute authority, his voice cutting through the stillness like a blade.

"It's time. Fire the shield disruptors."

A moment of silence followed.... but then ,the night erupted into chaos.

A series of violent explosions shook the air, their shockwaves rippling through the battlefield like the wrath of a vengeful god. Brilliant streaks of energy sliced through the darkness, massive projectiles slamming into the Holy City's barriers with earth-shattering force. The ground trembled beneath the onslaught, the very air vibrating with the fury of the assault.