Intergalactic conquest with an AI

"I see..." The little girl let out a slow breath, trying to calm the pounding in her chest. "Then we need to keep playing our roles until she gets here. No unnecessary risks. No sudden moves. We can't let anyone suspect what's happening."

She leaned back in her chair, the light of the room casting shadows over her face. Then, after a few moments of thought, she looked again at the maid. "And our troops? Are they in position?"

The bot maid straightened and placed the cleaning cloth down on a nearby tray. "Yes, Little Mistress. All units have taken their pre-assigned positions. The sentries are rotating on schedule, the automated defense systems are primed, and the underground reserves are ready for deployment if needed."

The little girl gave a slow, approving nod. Despite her childlike appearance, there was something old and cold behind her eyes, something that had been forced to grow far too quickly.

"Good. If anything changes, I want to know immediately. Until Lady Cleo steps on this planet herself, we hold this illusion. No matter the cost."

The maid bowed slightly. "Understood, Little Mistress. The shadows remain at your side."

The office fell silent again, the only sound being the soft whir of the automated cleaning systems and the distant hum of the mansion's power grid.

Outside, the sun dipped lower, casting golden light through the wide windows, forming a peaceful view that hid the tightening storm beneath.

Meanwhile, Rex was still deep inside the virtual reality training chamber, completely immersed in battle.

Every moment of spare time he had was spent there, pushing his body and mind to the limit. Within that artificial world, he fought endlessly against simulated enemies designed to mimic real Tier 5 warriors and beasts. The training wasn't easy; in fact, it was brutal.

Sometimes he fought a single opponent in a duel to the death. Other times, he had to face down a dozen elite enemies all at once. And when things got really intense, he entered survival mode, where wave after wave of Tier 3 and Tier 4 enemies came at him without pause, testing his endurance, tactics, and raw willpower.

At this moment, Rex was on his knees in the middle of a scorched battlefield, his body trembling from exhaustion. Blood, sweat, and energy particles shimmered around him like dust in the air.

Above him, the current simulated opponent was a towering Tier 5 powerhouse that hovered in the sky, looking down on him coldly.

The enemy had taken damage too, but Rex looked far worse. His armor was cracked, his wings were broken and scorched, and his claymore was buried into the ground beside him, humming faintly.

"Mini Cleo…" Rex muttered, his voice strained and hoarse. "Give me a status report. How am I doing?"

A small holographic version of Cleo, about the size of a cat, floated beside him with a clipboard and a cheeky grin. She blinked at the numbers. "Mmm… not great, Boss," she said with a teasing tone. "That's loss number 235 in one-on-one duels against Tier 5s."

Rex let out a bitter laugh, coughing a little from virtual blood in his mouth. "Tch... Two hundred thirty-five, huh? Damn it. This next one isn't going to be number two hundred thirty six!"

With a roar, Rex's body flared with burning energy. His broken wings snapped back into place, regenerating in a burst of golden light. He gripped his claymore tightly and sprang into the air like a comet, heading straight for his opponent.

The Tier 5 enemy narrowed its eyes and responded with nothing but his fists; he didn't even bother drawing a weapon. But Rex didn't care. He had something to prove.

For the next several minutes, the two clashed high above the shattered battlefield. Each strike released a wave of force so powerful it sounded like thunder cracking open the heavens.

Wind howled, lightning flickered across the sky, and the ground trembled beneath their power. Rex fought with everything he had, like technique, instinct, rage, and desperation.

But in the end… it wasn't enough.

Once again, Rex found himself slammed back down to the ground, his body barely able to move. His energy reserves were drained, his vision blurred, and his limbs were heavy as lead. His claymore was shattered beside him, and even his wings had collapsed, twitching weakly in the dust.

Hovering nearby, Mini Cleo crossed her tiny arms and floated down with a smug little smirk. "And that makes it two hundred thirty-six defeats! Way to go, Boss! Maybe we'll break three hundred before dinner."

Rex groaned, lifting a trembling hand in mock frustration. "Remind me to install a mute button on you…"

Mini Cleo giggled. "Oh, you wouldn't dare. Besides, I'm your best coach!"

Rex let out a deep, frustrated sigh as he lay flat on the cold digital ground. He raised one trembling arm to cover his eyes, trying to block out the world, this cruel, artificial world where he had just suffered yet another crushing defeat.

His fingers curled into a tight fist, his knuckles white with tension. Every loss burned like acid, carving the truth deeper into his heart.

No matter how hard he fought, no matter how far he pushed himself, he was still just a Tier 4 warrior. Against a Tier 5 powerhouse, he was little more than a punching bag. And when it came to Tier 6 or 7? He might as well not exist. All he could do against beings like that… was run.

These thoughts were starting to take root inside of him, slowly becoming a shadow in his mind. A demon. One that whispered that he would never be enough.

He couldn't even remember the last time he'd felt at peace. The last time he truly relaxed or smiled without bitterness. His life was a constant grind, a never-ending struggle to catch up. To survive.

And as he sank into that dark spiral of self-loathing and exhaustion…

A voice echoed through the virtual world.

"What are you doing, child of humanity? Is this the full extent of your will? Is this how far your so-called determination will carry you?"

Rex's breath caught in his throat. The voice was calm, deep, and ancient. It resonated not just through his ears but through his bones. He could feel each word, like they were etched directly into his soul.

But that was impossible. No artificial intelligence had permission to speak in this simulation. This was a closed system, entirely under Mini Cleo's control.

His eyes snapped open, and he jumped to his feet, his instinct overriding logic.

And then… he saw him.

Standing not more than a few meters away was a figure Rex had hoped he'd never meet again, at least, not like this. The ancient Kaelzar emperor. The same one who had once ruled vast sectors of the galaxy.

The being who, in life, had stood at the very edge of godhood... a peak Tier 7 powerhouse who had nearly stepped into the realm of Tier 8… a would-be galactic sovereign.

The emperor's presence was crushing. Even as a memory, his sheer aura made Rex's breath hitch. It felt like time had stopped, like the very air inside the simulation had thickened.

Rex couldn't help but whisper, his voice barely audible, "How… how is this even possible?"

The emperor stared at him with those cold, piercing eyes. "Why do you assume it's impossible?" he asked, as though amused.

"Though in fairness, you are partially correct. What you see before you is not the real Kaelzar emperor. I am merely a thought... a residual consciousness. A memory fragment, stored within the imperial crown your… companion entrusted to you."

With a flick of his hand, the golden crown-like circle appeared behind Rex, hovering in the air like a halo of authority and legacy.

"So then… why now?" Rex asked, still uneasy, though his mind was starting to clear.

"Why now?" the echo replied, as if the question was a joke. "Because I am one of several guardians embedded within the imperial crown. Programs designed to awaken only in times of critical need."

"This particular version of me activates when the mental stability of the emperor or rather, in your case, the emperor candidate, begins to degrade to a dangerous degree." In a blink, the emperor disappeared from his spot and reappeared behind Rex.

Then to his left.

Then he's right.

He kept shifting, as if to remind Rex that in this space, he was more than a ghost; he was a shadow of a god.

"I must admit," the emperor continued, his voice low but sharp, "I never expected to awaken. After all, Kaelzars do not suffer from such weak limitations of the mind. We do not break. We do not waver."

He paused, then looked directly at Rex while his eyes narrowed.

"But you… you are not a Kaelzar. Not truly. Even though your body bears the marks. Even though your essence now mimics ours… you are still human."

"Fragile. Full of doubt. I do not know what my daughter was thinking, fusing with you so completely. Perhaps she saw something in you. Or perhaps… she was simply lonely."

The emperor folded his hands behind his back and looked down at Rex; his expression was unreadable but his voice was not.

"It does not matter. I have watched you every step you've taken. I've seen your struggle, your battles… your defeats. And I must be honest, child…"

He took a step forward, letting the full weight of his words settle over Rex like a mountain.

"You are disappointing."