Intergalactic conquest with an AI

As the first of the heads broke the surface, it lunged straight at Ys with its jaws wide open. She hissed, baring her venomous fangs as her massive tail whipped upward with blinding speed, slamming into the head with a crack that echoed across the ocean.

The impact sent a shockwave rippling outward, causing the water to spray violently in all directions.

Another head surged up from her right, snapping at her midsection. She spun in the water, her serpentine body twisting gracefully as her tail lashed out again, catching the attacking head and smashing it back into the depths.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

But as she defended against one attack, another head emerged from the depths, aiming for her exposed back.

"Not so fast!" she roared, releasing a volley of glowing green butterfly-like projectiles from the veins in her wings. The projectiles shot toward the attacking head, each one detonating on impact with the force of a plasma cannon.

The head recoiled with a guttural screech, black blood spilling from its wounds.

But Ys had no time to celebrate her small victory. The ocean began to churn violently as the full size of the creature became visible. The beast wasn't just massive; it was colossal.

Its eight heads were attached to a single, gargantuan body that extended far below the surface, its scales glistening like molten obsidian and etched with glowing green runes. The ocean seemed to quake as its sheer size displaced the water around it.

"You've got to be kidding me," Ys muttered, her eyes widening as the creature began to encircle her, its heads moving in perfect synchronization. It wasn't just strong; it was smart. This wasn't an ordinary predator; it was a true apex beast, and it had decided Ys was prey.

The heads began striking one after another, forcing Ys to stay on the defensive. Her massive body twisted and turned, her tail whipping through the air and water to parry the relentless attacks.

She unleashed another wave of green butterfly projectiles, aiming to buy herself some time, but the creature's regenerative abilities were absurd. The wounds she inflicted were already beginning to close.

From a distance, Rex watched the chaos unfold, his eyes narrowing as he saw the full scale of the creature Ys was facing. His wings flared with silver light as he flew closer, ignoring the warnings Mini Cleo was frantically shouting in his ear.

"Master, you're still heavily injured! You need to retreat and recover; this is beyond your current capabilities!" Mini Cleo pleaded, her voice filled with panic.

"No chance," Rex said, his voice cold and resolute. "Ys needs me. I'm not letting her fight that thing alone."

As he approached, he saw Ys managing to hold her ground, but barely. Her once-mighty tail was now covered in gashes, and her projectiles were becoming less frequent as her energy reserves dwindled.

One of the serpent's heads managed to graze her side with its teeth, tearing into her scales and drawing green blood.

"That's enough," Rex growled, summoning his plasma claymore once more. His white wings blazed brighter, and he dove straight toward the creature, aiming for the closest head.

With a powerful slash, he drove the claymore into the serpent's skull, the blade cutting deep and unleashing a torrent of black blood.

The head let out an earth-shaking screech, thrashing wildly as Rex pulled the blade free. He hovered above the creature, his body glowing with a faint silver aura as he activated what little remained of his overdrive energy.

"Need some help, my dear wife?" Rex shouted, his voice carrying over the chaos.

Ys, with her massive body battered and bleeding, shouted through their telepathic link, her voice trembling with urgency. "What are you doing here? Get out of here, Rex! Escape while you still can! This creature is too powerful for you to handle!"

Rex, undeterred, laughed loudly as he soared toward her serpentine head, his movements deliberate despite the chaos. "What, leave you to fight this thing alone? Sorry, but I don't have the energy to fly all the way back. It looks like I'll have to stand with you!"

He landed firmly on the crown of her head, grinning. "So don't shake too much, alright? I'd rather not fall to my doom just yet!" His laugh rang out defiantly as if mocking the very idea of fear.

Ys's heart clenched, knowing the grim reality they faced. If Rex fled, she would die. If he stayed, they would both die; there was no victory to be found here. And yet, the thought of not dying alone, of fighting together until the bitter end, brought a strange sense of solace.

Rex, ever the joker, even in the face of death, gazed at her scales shimmering faintly in the moonlight. "By the way, why didn't you ever show me this form before? It's... beautiful."

Ys hesitated, her serpentine eyes narrowing as the monstrous beast's eight heads lunged closer, jaws snapping viciously. Meanwhile, one of the heads darted toward Rex, fangs gleaming.

Before it could strike, a well-aimed blast struck its open maw. Rex turned, grinning wildly. "Nice shot, Mini Cleo!" he shouted.

Mini Cleo had already deployed two floating laser cannons, both firing with rhythmic precision. Rex gestured at them with an exaggerated expression. "I swear, if I didn't have you, I'd be dinner by now. Keep it up!"

Ys dove suddenly, plunging beneath the water's surface in a desperate bid to escape the circling heads that dominated the air. The beast roared in frustration, its heads following in relentless pursuit. Her voice came to him again, quieter now. "I thought you wouldn't like this form. It isn't... beautiful."

Rex tightened his grip on one of her horns as the rush of water threatened to tear him off. His voice softened, though his words carried the same reckless honesty. "You're ridiculous, you know that? Your true form is amazing. Cute, even. Now stop worrying about what I think and listen up."

Ys swam faster, the pressure building around her as the creature closed the gap. Her blood, green and glowing faintly, trailed behind her from countless wounds. The sight of it twisted something deep inside Rex, but he forced himself to stay focused.

"Head that way!" Rex shouted over the rushing current, pointing ahead. "We're taking this thing to a little surprise I set up earlier. Trust me, you'll love it. Or it'll kill us both, but hey, we're out of options, right?"

Despite the agony wracking her body, she couldn't help but chuckle faintly. "Alright, darling. I'll leave it to you!"

Summoning every ounce of strength she had left, she surged forward, water breaking around her in violent waves. Behind them, the monstrous beast gained ground, its eight heads tearing through the water with a hunger that refused to be denied.

Rex held on tightly, his knuckles white as the current whipped at his face. The tension pressed against them like the weight of the ocean itself. Yet amidst the chaos, a grin tugged at his lips. "If we're going down," he muttered to himself, "we're going down in style."

Meanwhile, Cleo's calm demeanor cracked the moment she received the urgent transmission from Mini Cleo. Her heart raced as she read through the detailed message. Without hesitation, she initiated a direct link.

"Mini Cleo, I've read the report. Tell Rex to head to these coordinates immediately. We'll face that monster there." Her voice was firm, but the urgency couldn't be hidden.

Mini Cleo's holographic form saluted sharply, her tiny fist thudding against her chest with all the drama of a soldier in battle. "Got it, Original! You can count on me!" she chirped, her small yet determined form beaming with confidence.

The moment the call ended, Carlos who had been pacing nearby spoke up. "Was that about Rex? What's going on? How is he?!" His voice wavered with concern.

Cleo let out a long breath before responding, her expression as unreadable as ever. "He's alive for now. But they won't last much longer if that... thing catches them." She pulled up the footage Mini Cleo had sent, projecting it for Carlos to see.

Carlos stared in stunned silence as the video played. Onscreen, Rex and Ys were battling a massive Tier 4 beast, its eight monstrous heads tearing through everything in their path.

It wasn't a fight. It was a slaughter. Blood and desperation filled the screen as the beast relentlessly pursued its prey.

Carlos's voice was barely above a whisper. "How are we supposed to help them? That thing—" He paused, gesturing toward the video. "—it's unstoppable."

Cleo closed the projection with a flick of her wrist, her expression calm and calculating. "Reinforcements are already en route. They'll be in orbit within minutes."

Carlos's brow furrowed in confusion. "Reinforcements? From where?"

Cleo's lips curled into the faintest hint of a smile. "You'll see soon enough."

Meanwhile, Ys was straining every fiber of her being as she swam toward the surface, her body wracked with pain. "It's here, Ys! Go up, now!" Rex shouted, his voice filled with an urgency that left no room for doubt.

"Got it, darling!" Ys replied, summoning every last ounce of strength to propel herself upward. The water erupted around them in a colossal explosion of foam and spray as they broke the surface.

Behind them, the monstrous beast followed, its eight heads rising like a nightmare given form, water cascading from its jaws.

Rex didn't hesitate. He leaped off Ys's head; his energy levels recharged to 50%, just enough to fight on his own. "Let's do this, Ys! We've got to hold out until reinforcements arrive!"