The Giant Corporations that Started in Night City

Chapter 354: Successful Escape! Galen Erso Joins the Megacorp! The Mandalorian Appears!

Paul continued his strategy of wearing down Darth Vader's stamina, hoping to drag him into a prolonged battle.

He could tell that Vader was no longer at full strength like before.

If he could push Vader to the point of exhaustion, Paul might not be able to launch a counterattack and defeat him outright—but at the very least, he might have a chance to escape safely.

Of course, that all depended on whether he could last that long.

Vader's most proficient combat style was his precise counterattacks—defensive maneuvers that turned enemy aggression against them in lethal parries. However, that didn't mean his offense was weak.

Due to the limitations of his heavy power armor and clunky mechanical limbs, Vader was indeed slower and less agile.

To compensate, he had honed his offensive techniques to their purest, most efficient form: direct, powerful, and deadly. When he went on the attack, it was often over in moments.

Now, as Vader gripped his lightsaber with both hands, it signaled that he was entering his full-power mode.

In an instant, his lightsaber came crashing down like a violent storm. Having dropped the pretense of restraint, his dual-handed attacks became overwhelming.

Each strike was heavy and oppressive, carrying immense force. If Paul let his guard down for even a second, he'd be dismembered on the spot.

At first, Paul was able to block several blows with his energy shield, but it wasn't long before the shield cracked and ultimately failed entirely under the relentless assault.

And now, without his twin-blade technique and down to a single weapon, Paul was no longer capable of keeping Vader at bay.

In the next moment, Vader lunged forward with explosive speed, his lightsaber stopping just short of Paul's throat. Paul froze, knowing that the slightest movement could cost him his life.

At this range, Vader only needed to apply a little pressure to end him.

"You've lost. Are you ready to come with me now?"

Vader's voice was cold and mechanical, fully confident in his impending victory. From his perspective, Paul was already his—there was no room for error or escape.

Paul, well aware of the overwhelming gap in their abilities, had never intended to defeat Vader. Buying time had always been his real objective.

"Yeah, I lost… but so did you."

While Vader's focus had been locked on Paul, Megatron had already used the wanderer-class dreadnought to slip past both the Executor and the Death Star. He had regrouped successfully with the fleet.

Paul never believed he could save the galaxy on his own. No matter how powerful the spice made him, he could never take down a galactic empire alone.

Only one person could lead them to true victory: Li Ang , the mastermind of the Megacorp.

Blind heroism had no value—only calculated strategy would lead to survival.

Paul had never intended to go down with the ship, nor did he plan to sacrifice himself for the Rebellion.

His mission was complete. It was time to go.

In the next second, he pressed a hidden switch.

Hovering outside the Raddus, a cloaked transforming spacecraft immediately activated and sped toward the ship's hallway.

At the same time, Paul's figure began to shimmer, gradually fading away.

This was the effect of a hyperspace teleportation device. Before leaving the Legacy mothership, Paul had equipped himself with this gadget. As long as he was within range, he could instantly teleport back to the vessel.

"Darth Vader, until we meet again!"

With those final words, Paul vanished before Vader's stunned eyes. The Sith Lord lashed out with a vicious stab—only to strike empty air.

"No!!"

Vader's furious, frustrated roar echoed through the ship's corridor. But it was too late—Paul had already activated multiple hyperspace jumps in succession, safely returning to the wanderer-class dreadnought.

Upon Paul's return, David immediately gave the order. The Fearless and the Legacy jumped into hyperspace, retreating at maximum speed toward the forward base.

While the Executor and the Death Star remained entangled with the Raddus, the entire Megacorp fleet successfully executed a strategic withdrawal, vanishing from the Scarif system.

Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Multiverse Base, the central control room.

As they watched the Fearless finally enter the emptiness of hyperspace, everyone exhaled in collective relief. They had completed Li Ang 's strategic retreat plan.

Had Paul failed to make it back, they would've been forced to turn around and destroy the Executor and the Death Star—escalating the conflict and igniting a full-blown war with the Empire prematurely.

That would have left them little time to build their own Death Star-class weapons, the Star-Killers.

It would've become a race: who could construct more planet-killing superweapons faster?

Fortunately, everything had unfolded just as Li Ang had anticipated.

"That was way too close. Good thing Paul's a clever one—he actually made it back alive," Jack Wells said, shaking his head with a laugh. Though normally critical of solo hero antics, he had to admit Paul had pulled off the perfect outcome.

He'd used personal skill to preserve the larger mission.

"That kid's got real potential. I think he's ready to take over for David," said Reed, chuckling beside him.

Everyone who had witnessed Vader's terrifying power now held a deep fear of the Dark Lord.

If any of them had been in Paul's place, they would've been split in half instantly—no question.

Li Ang said nothing. He knew the truth. Within the entire Megacorp, Paul was the only one capable of exchanging even a few blows with Darth Vader.

While Megatronus was also powerful, he lacked formal training in arcane or supernatural arts. Against Vader's Force-based control abilities, he'd be completely overwhelmed.

But Paul, after unlocking his potential through the spice, had become the only human warrior in the Megacorp to step onto the path of "cultivation." That made him resistant to Vader's Force choke and mental domination—enough to survive a direct encounter.

Still, only barely.

In the Star Wars universe, the Force is essentially a metaphysical energy that unifies the fundamental forces of nature.

In cultivation terms—it's just another form of spiritual energy.

The Megacorp's Astartes warriors might be great against alien monsters, but against Force users like Vader, they were hopeless.

No mere mortal could face a cultivator head-on.

Only Paul had narrowly escaped from Vader's grasp. Anyone else—David, V, or the Astartes—would've been instantly killed.

"Have the Science Nexus division begin analyzing the Death Star schematics immediately. I want us entering production of the Star-Killer bases within one month."

"And I want the first batch—no fewer than ten units—completed within three months."

Li Ang issued the command directly to Alt Cunningham.

To accelerate the plan, he was even willing to redeploy the [Infinite Engine] megastructure, which was currently focused on researching universal laws.

It would now assist the Science Nexus in developing the Star-Killer program. For the next few months, the Megacorp's entire research and manufacturing capacity would be devoted to this project.

Once the first wave of Star-Killers was completed, Li Ang would reorganize the fleet into a new expeditionary force—one capable of challenging the Galactic Empire head-on.

His ultimate goal: unify the entire Star Wars galaxy.

"Yes, sir."

Alt Cunningham took the command and began coordinating with Zuma, Dr. Halsey, Chisagi Fox, and other lead scientists to launch the Star-Killer Project.

Meanwhile, thanks to Paul delaying Vader, the Sith Lord was forced to continue pursuing the fleeing Tantive IV.

If everything unfolded according to the original timeline, Princess Leia—aboard the Tantive IV—would soon meet her brother, Luke Skywalker.

The true Chosen One of the Star Wars universe.

But for now, that had little to do with the Megacorp.

Their immediate priority was preparing for war.

Before Palpatine could react, they had to finish constructing their Star-Killers, using superior technology to force the Empire into surrender.

Back at the front-line base, Paul and Megatron returned aboard the Fearless—and not long after, the strike team of Pani, Sam, and other operatives completed their mission as well.

They had successfully rescued Galen Erso—the Death Star's chief engineer—and brought him back along with the remaining Rogue One members.

With Galen's help, the Megacorp would build Star-Killers even faster.

Upon arriving at the Megacorp's front-line base and witnessing the massive warships, transforming Death Moon-class megastructures, and elite alien warriors, Galen Erso and the others were stunned.

It felt like they had stepped into a dream.

When Galen first laid eyes on the War Moon, he gasped in disbelief:

"I thought the Star-Killer Project was still 20% incomplete! How is it already finished?!"

As the lead designer, he knew the exact status of the Death Star. This development should've been impossible.

It wasn't until the Megacorp staff explained everything in detail that Galen and the others finally understood what had happened.

Now, with the Megacorp and the Rebellion formally allied, there was no longer any need for secrecy.

At this stage, the Rebel Alliance was still a struggling resistance movement—just barely scraping by. With no sponsors and no real backing, they could hardly sustain their uprising. But the Megacorp's angel investment fund arrived at the perfect time, resolving their most immediate crisis.

Moreover, after fighting side by side in the Battle of Scarif and sharing intel, the two sides had established the foundations of trust and a shared strategic interest.

Upon witnessing the Megacorp's staggering technological prowess and their record of conquering multiple multiversal civilizations, Galen Erso couldn't help but exclaim in awe:

> "An astonishing supercivilization group… With power like yours, not even the Galactic Empire could be your equal!"

Yes, the Empire did rule the entire galaxy of the Star Wars universe, overseeing trillions of intelligent lifeforms, and had even managed to unify the Old Republic and the Sith Empire into a singular regime.

But Emperor Palpatine's monopolization of power—his tight control over galactic resources—had enraged far too many interest groups.

He had fed grandiose promises to a privileged few, writing metaphorical blank checks, while blatantly sacrificing the interests of the old ruling classes.

This had left him isolated and despised—a ruler who had lost all true support.

If it were Li Ang and the Megacorp in charge instead, their philosophy was simple: everyone eats. What you get depends on what you're capable of.

And if the pie wasn't big enough? No problem—Boss Li Ang would simply lead his guild into another dungeon raid, slay new monsters, and carve up fresh territories for resource redistribution.

That's why Galen was so awestruck when he learned that the Megacorp had created a multiverse-spanning empire in under a century.

In the Star Wars galaxy, whether it was the corrupt, bureaucratic Old Republic or the iron-fisted tyranny of the Empire, neither system had ever managed to bring about peaceful, sustainable development on a galactic scale.

Even the so-called Rebel Alliance was just history repeating itself—another attempt to resurrect the old republic, ultimately serving the interests of a bygone aristocracy.

The result? Perpetual civil war across the galaxy—endless chaos and suffering.

And history bore this out.

In the later eras of the Star Wars timeline, the conflict between the New Republic and the First Order was nothing more than a senseless war of dogs biting dogs—there was no true good or evil left.

The carnivorous elite factions, fighting tooth and nail over the galactic table scraps, didn't give a damn about the common folk. The galaxy burned and crumbled, weakened to the point where extragalactic invaders—the Yuuzhan Vong—could ravage it with impunity.

So whether the Rebels or the Empire won in the end, it didn't matter. The Star Wars galaxy would be plunged into endless warfare either way.

Only one man now held the power to change that fate—to save the galaxy from itself.

Li Ang , the Supreme Executor of the Megacorp.

After witnessing how Li Ang had already subdued civilizations like the Reapers, the Covenant, the noble houses of Dune, and the Cybertronians—unifying them into the Megacorp's vast trade network—Galen finally understood the true scale of Li Ang 's ability.

The level of resource integration and cross-civilization governance Li Ang had achieved was the very dream Palpatine had always chased but never attained.

To be able to bring together disparate species, cultures, and factions under one banner—such a ruler was destined for greatness.

At that moment, Galen Erso knew—joining the Megacorp was the only hope for the galaxy's future.

He quickly accepted the invitation from the Megacorp's Science Nexus division, and with firm conviction, declared:

> "I am willing to give everything I have to the Megacorp!"

"Welcome to the team," said Chisagi Fox, one of the Nexus Division's top scientists, beaming with approval.

With Galen's support, the Megacorp's research into the Death Star's energy core and the development of the Star-Killer bases would proceed even faster.

Thanks to Paul's efforts retrieving the Death Star blueprints—which included partial Star-Killer schematics—Galen was able to fill in the missing technical details much more efficiently. Without that data, not even his photographic memory could've recreated the entire framework in time.

As for Paul Atreides, now a decorated war hero, he was immediately rushed to Night City Medical Center upon returning to headquarters. He was forcibly placed into cryogenic healing sleep to mend the extensive injuries throughout his body.

After fighting in the Battle of Jedha, the Battle of Scarif, and going toe-to-toe with Darth Vader, Paul had accumulated both internal and external trauma. There was no time for celebration—his recovery came first.

---

Two months later. At Multiverse Base Headquarters, Command Center.

Having just finished issuing a flurry of orders, Li Ang hadn't even rested for a few minutes before opening his eyes once more and diving back into coordination tasks across departments.

While most day-to-day operations no longer required his personal oversight, checking in on the progress had become second nature to him over the years.

Thanks to Europa, the Megacorp's transcendental AI, Li Ang could monitor every corner of their multiversal empire in real time—down to individual assembly lines on distant planets.

> "Good. Everything is proceeding according to plan."

After confirming there were no red flags in any of the major projects, Li Ang could finally allow himself a brief moment of reassurance.

At the moment, the Megacorp's main priorities were: building the Star-Killer bases, secretly establishing contact with former Old Republic senators, the Trade Federation, and bribing key officials within the Empire.

Li Ang didn't actually expect those bribes or promises to bring meaningful support in the war.

His true aim was simple—to ensure that once the Empire fell, those same opportunists would switch sides without hesitation.

Backing the winning side is hardwired into the genetic code of every civilization. Li Ang was merely laying the groundwork for future allegiance trades.

In this regard, Li Ang 's tactics were nearly identical to those Palpatine had once used. And the elites recognized this all too well. Knowing the game, they played along quietly from the sidelines.

Naturally, the Megacorp had not yet engaged in any direct communication with the Galactic Empire. Li Ang remained in the shadows, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Once Palpatine's power structure began to collapse—that would be Li Ang 's time to emerge and claim the galaxy.

> "Boss, no signs of Yuuzhan Vong activity on V's end. Everything's stable so far. Also…"

Secretary General Lucy stepped up to the central console, relaying the latest report from Reed to Li Ang 's holographic display.

> "Reed has successfully incited a Mandalorian uprising. The local Imperial Overseer, Suprema, has been killed. Mandalore is now under full Megacorp control."

Li Ang 's fatigue instantly faded. This was the best news he'd received in over sixty days.

The Mandalorians had a long and storied history.

Originally known as the Taung, they once clashed with humanity for control over Coruscant in a war to decide galactic dominance.

In the end, humanity won. The Mandalorians became nomads, scattered across the galaxy.

From the Old Republic to the Imperial era, the Mandalorians had fought nearly every major faction in the galaxy—including the Jedi, whom they'd bloodied in multiple wars.

It was during those conflicts that the Mandalorians invented beskar armor—gear strong enough to withstand lightsaber strikes.

Though the Jedi ultimately prevailed, they paid a heavy price.

Thanks to their martial prowess, the Mandalorians earned a galaxy-wide reputation as fearsome warriors—no one dared provoke them lightly. Eventually, they found their calling as elite bounty hunters.

But during the rise of the Empire, fearing rebellion, Palpatine cracked down hard on Mandalore. He turned the planet into a slave-trading hub, treating the Mandalorians like property.

They were now at their lowest point in history—worse even than when they'd been forced to wander the stars after their defeat by humans.

> "Excellent!"

Li Ang clenched his fists with excitement. This was the ideal time to throw the Mandalorians a lifeline—and in doing so, secure one of the galaxy's most powerful fighting forces, completely for free.

They harbored deep hatred for the Empire. All they needed was the right spark to rise up and destroy their oppressors.

And that moment had finally arrived.

> "Boss, are the Mandalorians really that powerful? You seem really excited," Lucy asked, puzzled. It had been a long time since she'd seen Li Ang this animated.

After all, if the Mandalorians were so impressive, why had they ended up enslaved and humiliated by the Empire?

> "The Mandalorians might not be the strongest force in the Star Wars universe," Li Ang said with a calm smile, "but they're the most critical force we can win over."

In terms of raw combat effectiveness, they never disappointed.

In the original canon, when the galaxy faced the Yuuzhan Vong invasion, the Mandalorians were among the few forces capable of defeating them in direct battle.

Their current subjugation under the Empire—especially one led by Darth Vader—wasn't shameful at all.

After all, Vader's combat power was so overwhelming that even in the long, storied history of Star Wars, there were few who could defeat him head-on.

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