Intergalactic conquest with an AI-Chapter 306 Future.

"Hard to say," Rex murmured while rubbing his chin. "But they're not here to pick flowers. Let's wait and see if they make a move on the core."

The cyborgs stopped a short distance from the golem debris while their leader stepped forward to examine the remains. "This is it," the leader said with his voice distorted by his helmet. "The core's still intact. Get the extraction team ready."

Mini Cleo's eyes widened.

{Boss, they're trying to steal our loot! Should I—}

"Not yet," Rex interrupted, his voice being calm but firm. "Let's see how far they're willing to go."

The extraction team moved in with their equipment humming as they began to cut into the golem's remains. Rex's hand twitched, but he held his position. He wasn't one to start a fight unnecessarily, but he also wasn't about to let someone walk away with his hard-earned prize.

Just as the cyborgs were about to secure the core, Rex deactivated his cloaking field, his white wings flaring to life. The sudden burst of light startled the cyborgs, and they scrambled to raise their weapons.

"Looking for something?" Rex asked while his voice echoed across the battlefield. His energy claymore materialized in his hand, its blade crackling with power.

The leader of the cyborgs stepped forward; his visor flickered as he assessed Rex. "We didn't come here to fight," he said, his tone being cautious. "We're here for the core. Name your price, and we'll be on our way."

Rex smirked. "The core's not for sale. But if you're looking for a fight, I'm happy to oblige."

The cyborgs exchanged uneasy glances, their weapons wavering. Mini Cleo, still clutching her holographic nuclear bomb, giggled.

{This is going to be fun, Boss!}

Rex's wings glowed brighter as he took a step forward. "Last chance to walk away."

The leader hesitated, then signaled for his team to retreat. "This isn't over," he said, his voice tinged with frustration.

Rex watched as the cyborgs disappeared into the mist, his golden light fading as he relaxed. Mini Cleo pouted while her nuclear bomb disappeared with a flicker.

{Aww, no fireworks?} Continue your journey on novelbuddy

"Not today," Rex said while absorbing his claymore. "Let's get this core to Cleo before anyone else gets any bright ideas."

Several minutes later, the frigates arrived, their sleek forms cutting through the mist as they descended toward the battlefield. Mining and cargo drones spilled out like mechanical ants, swarming over the golem's massive remains.

Squads of Aegis units fanned out, securing the perimeter with military precision while the drones began the arduous task of extracting the colossal core.

Rex watched from a distance, his white wings glowing faintly as he kept a vigilant eye on the operation. Mini Cleo hovered beside him with her tiny little arms crossed as she monitored the drones' progress.

{Boss, this is going to take a while. That core's the size of a small building!}

she said while her voice tinged with amusement.

"Let them work," Rex replied; his tone was calm but firm. "We've got time."

Meanwhile, far from the battlefield, the Tier 3 cyborg from earlier stood aboard his ship, his visor flickering as he relayed the failed extraction attempt to his superior. "Sir, the extraction of the golem core failed. There was a Tier 4 Bionic warrior protecting it," he reported, his voice being steady but laced with frustration.

"A Tier 4, you say?" The voice on the other end replied with the tone being sharp and calculating. "Could you identify which organization he belongs to? Any logos or insignias?"

"No, sir. No logos or markings. But I managed to capture a photo with my visor. Sending it now." The cyborg transmitted the image and waited in tense silence for his orders.

The man on the other end studied the photo, his eyes narrowing as he recognized the figure. "Very well. Retreat to the ship and await further instructions."

"Understood," the cyborg replied before cutting the communication.

Alone in his command room, the man, known only as "The Handler," stared at the image of Rex while his lips curled into a sly smile. "So, this is where you've been hiding, Conqueror of Hanarix..."

He murmured; his voice was dripping with intrigue. He reached for a sleek, black device connected to the ship's long-range communication system and activated it.

The line crackled to life, and after a moment, a gruff, tired voice answered. "What is it? I told you to only use this line for matters of utmost importance." The voice belonged to an old man; his voice tone was weary but carried an undercurrent of menace.

The handler straightened; his voice tone was filled with reverence. "I salute the Father of the Syndicate."

"Enough with the formalities," the old man snapped. "Speak plainly. What's so important that you've disturbed me?"

"Father," the Handler began, his voice tone respectful but urgent, "I've found the Conqueror of Hanarix." He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "I request your guidance on how to proceed."

There was a long silence on the other end, broken only by the faint sound of the old man's labored breathing. Finally, he spoke with his voice low and measured.

"Do as we've done with the other potential conquerors. Extend an invitation to join the Syndicate. Offer him one of our most luxurious pleasure worlds as a gesture of goodwill. Let's see what he chooses."

The handler nodded, even though the old man couldn't see him. "Understood, Father. It shall be done as you've instructed."

The old man coughed; the sound was harsh and wet. "Good. Keep me updated. And remember... handle this delicately. The Conqueror is not someone to be trifled with."

"Of course, Father," the Handler replied with his voice being firm. "I'll ensure the invitation is delivered with the utmost care."

The line went dead, and the handler leaned back in his chair with his mind racing. He glanced at the photo of Rex again, his smile returning. "Let's see if you're as formidable as they say, Conqueror."

Back on the misty planet, Rex stood guard as the drones continued their work. Mini Cleo floated beside him, her holographic form flickering as she monitored the perimeter.

{Boss}

She said it suddenly, with her tone being serious.

{I'm picking up some strange signals. Someone's watching us.}

Rex's eyes narrowed while his golden wings flared slightly. "Let them watch," he said, with his voice being calm but resolute. "If they want a fight, they'll get one. But if they're smart, they'll stay out of our way."

Mini Cleo grinned while summoning a holographic popcorn bucket.

{This is gonna be fun.}

Rex shook his head while a faint smile tugged at his lips.

"You and your theatrics."

As the mist swirled around them, the tension in the air was palpable. The Conqueror of Hanarix had been found, and the Syndicate's gears were already turning.

But Rex wasn't one to be easily swayed by threats or temptations...

"Rex, we've been offered an entire pleasure world, but they want us to—" Cleo began speaking; her voice was calm and measured as she read from the holographic message floating in front of her.

"Yes! Accept the job! It doesn't matter what the job is! That's a whole planet, you know!?" Rex interrupted while leaping out of his seat with uncharacteristic enthusiasm.

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His white wings flared slightly, and his eyes sparkled with excitement. For a moment, he looked less like a fearsome Tier 4 Bionic Warrior and more like a kid who'd just been told he could have all the candy in the store.

Cleo sighed while pinching the bridge of her nose. "Rex, you should at least read the details before accepting something. The more amazing the reward sounds, the worse the request usually is."

Rex froze mid-celebration, his wings drooping slightly. "Ehem, yes, you're right. Sorry," he muttered while coughing awkwardly as he sat back down. "Alright, what do they want from us?"

Cleo adjusted her glasses and resumed reading. "According to the card they sent, they want us to join the Syndicate. However, they don't specify what role we'd have or what rank we'd be given." She projected the message onto a larger screen so everyone in the room could see it.

Lilla, who had been quietly observing the conversation, then leaned forward. "I know a bit about the Syndicate. They started as a coalition of crime lords who pooled their resources to create a corporation. Over time, they grew into a megacorp, but... there are a lot of shady rumors about them."

Rex turned to her; with his curiosity piqued. "What kind of rumors?"

Lilla hesitated, her expression darkening. "The rumors say they don't have a bottom line when it comes to business. They're involved in everything from human trafficking to drugs, illegal weapons, and black-market implants. Basically, if it's on the dark market, the Syndicate probably has a hand in it."

Cleo nodded, her fingers dancing across a holographic keyboard. "Those aren't just rumors," she said while summoning multiple screens filled with data.

"It's practically a fact. Their data storage wasn't hard to hack... honestly, even Nexum's systems were more secure. I've got access to their records, and let's just say... they're not exactly upstanding citizens."

Rex leaned back in his chair, his earlier excitement replaced by a thoughtful frown. He took a deep breath, his wings folding neatly behind him. "Well, in that case, let's table this discussion for later. We've still got a planet to secure, a necrotech world in standby to deal with, and now this Syndicate invitation. When did we become so popular?"

Mini Cleo, who had been floating quietly in the corner, suddenly piped up.

{Boss, I think it was around the time you started blowing up giant golems and glowing like a walking lighthouse. Just saying.}

Rex shot her a glare, but the little AI just grinned, her holographic sunglasses sliding down her nose.

{What? It's true!}