Intergalactic conquest with an AI-Chapter 320 : Chaos. {2}

Before Mini Cleo could finish, Rex leaped through the shattered window, his wings snapping open to carry him into the night. The cold air rushed past him as he soared toward the rooftops, his golden light cutting through the darkness like a beacon.

The snipers didn't stand a chance.

The first one barely had time to react before Rex was on him, his wings slicing through the air like blades. The sniper's weapon clattered to the ground as he fell unconscious. The second sniper managed to fire off a shot, but Rex dodged it effortlessly while closing the distance in an instant. A swift strike to the jaw, and the second sniper was down.

The third sniper tried to flee, but Rex was faster. He landed in front of the man, his wings glowing ominously in the dark. "Going somewhere?" Rex asked with his voice being cold.

The sniper raised his weapon, but Rex's wings snapped forward, disarming him in an instant. The man stumbled backward, his eyes wide with fear. "W-who are you?!"

Rex's smirk returned. "Just a guy who doesn't like being shot at."

With a single, precise strike, the third sniper was out cold.

Rex stood on the rooftop, his wings folding back as he surveyed the scene. The attack had been stopped, but he knew this was far from over. Someone had sent these snipers, and he intended to find out who.

{Boss, the girl's still safe, but we've got company,} Mini Cleo warned. {Nexum security forces are closing in on the gala. They're not happy.}

Rex sighed while running a hand through his hair. "Of course they're not. Alright, let's get back before things get even messier."

He leaped off the rooftop, his wings carrying him back to the gala in seconds. The little girl was right where he'd left her, her eyes lighting up as he landed beside her.

"You came back!" she exclaimed, with her voice filled with relief.

Rex crouched down, his wings forming a protective barrier around them. "I told you I would, didn't I? Now, let's get you out of here."

As he scooped her up, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the room. Nexum security forces burst in, their weapons drawn and their expressions grim.

"Freeze! Put the girl down and surrender!" one of the guards shouted.

Rex sighed, his golden eyes narrowing. "You guys really don't know when to quit, do you?"

With a flick of his wrist, his wings expanded, deflecting the first volley of stun rounds. The little girl clung to him with her small hands, gripping his shirt tightly.

"Hold on tight," Rex said, his voice calm. "This might get bumpy."

With that, he leaped into the air, his wings carrying them through the shattered window and into the night sky. The city lights blurred past as they soared through the sky, the sounds of chaos fading behind them.

The little girl looked up at him, her eyes wide with wonder. "You're… amazing."

Rex chuckled, his white wings glowing faintly in the dark. "Yeah, well, don't let it get around. I've got a reputation to maintain."

As they disappeared into the night, Rex couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. The mission was far from over, but for now, he'd saved the girl and sent a clear message to whoever was behind the attack.

The wind howled as Rex soared through the night sky, his wings glinting under the pale moonlight. Below, the city sprawled like a labyrinth of neon and shadows.

With a sharp twist, he descended into a narrow alley, his wings folding and morphing seamlessly into the sleek, high-tech coat he'd worn earlier. Cleo's investigation had saved him; since now that he couldn't remove his wings anymore, she'd reprogrammed the living metal to shift forms.

Rex crouched low, his eyes scanning the darkness. The alley reeked of damp concrete and rust, the perfect place to disappear for now. He turned to the little girl beside him, her wide, mismatched eyes glowing faintly in the dark.

One eye was a deep green glowing bionic, while the other was a shimmering cybernetic orb that seemed to pierce through his very soul.

"We'll hide here for a while," Rex muttered, his voice being low but urgent. "If we keep flying, the patrols will pick us up like flies. Now, care to explain what the hell that was back there?" He gestured vaguely toward the sky, where a hail of sniper fire had nearly turned them into Swiss cheese.

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The girl blinked while her tiny fingers poked at her eyes as if they were toys. "Well, you see, mister, my dad gave me these upgrades. One bionic, one cybernetic. It makes me really good at spotting trouble. And strangers. And trouble caused by strangers." She grinned while revealing a gap-toothed smile that was equal parts adorable and unsettling.

Rex raised an eyebrow. "Cute. But that doesn't explain why half the city's trying to turn us into target practice. Spill it, kid."

She hesitated, her small fists clenching. "A few days ago… I found out something. My mom and the Supreme Commander… they're… together. And they're planning to kill me. They want their secret son to take over the planet." Her voice trembled, but her cybernetic eye glowed brighter, betraying a flicker of anger.

Rex whistled low. "Well, damn. You're not just in trouble... you're royally screwed." He rubbed his chin, his HUD flickering as Mini Cleo fed him data from the swarm of micro-drones she'd deployed.

{No hostiles yet, boss!.}

"But wait, weren't you supposed to be under the Elder Council's protection? What happened to those old windbags?"

The girl scoffed, her tiny frame shaking with indignation. "Those hyenas? All they care about is power! They'd sell their own mothers for a shot at the throne!" Her voice cracked, and for a moment, she looked like she might cry.

Rex felt a pang of discomfort; he was great at fighting, not so much at handling emotional kids. Awkwardly, he reached out and patted her head.

"Uh… there, there," he said while cringing at his own awkwardness. "So, um, how'd you even know to come to me? What if I couldn't fight? Or worse, what if I was one of their assassins?"

The girl pushed his hand away, her cybernetic eye narrowing. "Pfft. Impossible. After my dad, you're the strongest person on this planet. My eyes don't lie, you're Tier 4. I can see it." She crossed her arms while looking far too smug for someone who'd just escaped a sniper ambush.

Rex smirked. "Those eyes of yours must've cost a fortune. But still, you took a huge risk trusting me. What if I'd said no?"

She tilted her head, her grin widening. "Because I know who you are, mister. You're the Celestial Conqueror. I've seen you on the news. You're a hero." Her voice was filled with awe, but Rex couldn't help but laugh.

"Hero? Kid, I'm just a guy trying to survive. But… I guess I can't leave you hanging." He stood, his coat shifting slightly as the living metal adjusted to his movements. "Alright, here's the plan: we stay off the grid, find out who's really pulling the strings, and then—"

A sudden ping on his HUD cut him off. Mini Cleo's voice buzzed in his ear. "Boss!, we've got company. Five hostiles, closing fast. And they're not here to chat."

Rex sighed while cracking his knuckles. "Of course they are. Kid, stay behind me. Things are about to get messy."

The girl's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Finally! Some action!"

As the sound of boots echoed down the alley, Rex couldn't help but chuckle. "You're a strange kid, you know that?"

"Takes one to know one, mister," she shot back with her grin never fading.

The first attacker rounded the corner, and Rex's wings burst from his coat, gleaming like blades.

The alley erupted into chaos. The first attacker lunged at Rex with a plasma blade humming in his hand.

Rex's wings snapped forward, deflecting the strike with a metallic clang. The force sent the attacker stumbling back, but two more were already closing in, their weapons glowing ominously in the dark.

"Kid, stay close!" Rex shouted out, his voice cutting through the noise. He spun, his wings slicing through the air like twin scythes, forcing the attackers to retreat.

But they were well-trained and equipped with military-grade cybernetics, by the looks of it. This wasn't just some random hit squad; these were professionals.

The little girl, however, didn't seem fazed. She darted behind a dumpster, her mismatched eyes scanning the scene with unnerving precision.

"Mister, there's a weak spot in their formation! The one on the left, his shield generator is overheating!" she called out, her voice surprisingly calm for a child in the middle of a firefight.

Rex didn't question it. He lunged at the leftmost attacker, his wings slamming into the man's chest. The shield flickered and died, and Rex followed up with a brutal punch that sent the man crashing into a wall. One down.

But the others weren't waiting. A hail of energy bolts lit up the alley, forcing Rex to dive for cover.

{Mini Cleo, any bright ideas?} he muttered, his HUD flashing as Mini Cleo analyzed the situation.

{Incoming!} Cleo's voice chirped in his ear. {Three more hostiles are approaching from the south. And… oh no. They've got a heavy.}

"A heavy?!" Rex groaned. "Of course they do. Why wouldn't they?"

The ground shook as the "heavy" made its entrance, a hulking mech suit, its armor bristling with weapons. The pilot's voice boomed through a loudspeaker. "Surrender the girl, and we'll make your death quick."

Rex smirked while cracking his neck. "Yeah, not happening." He turned to the girl, who was peeking out from behind the dumpster. "Kid, you're full of surprises. Got any more tricks up your sleeve?"

She grinned while pulling out a small device from her pocket. It looked like a toy, but the way her cybernetic eye gleamed told him otherwise. "My dad gave me this. It's an EMP pulse. One burst, and that mech's toast."