Intergalactic conquest with an AI-Chapter 370: Xylos struggle. {2} Fairy dance.

"You dare!?"

A thunderclap roared across the battlefield, louder than any explosion, while a streak of bluish lightning tore down from the sky and struck the western general dead-on. The impact hurled him back like a ragdoll, smashing into the metal bridge with a deafening crash that sent sparks flying.

"Cough—cough! Who dares to strike this general!? Show yourself!" the western general growled while pushing himself up through the smoking crater he had made. His armor sizzled and sparked as his bloodshot eyes scanned the sky, only to lock onto a figure standing calmly above him.

There, wrapped in swirling lightning, stood a man in sleek black armor traced with glowing red LED lines. The static in the air seemed to obey him, crackling along the bridge like a living thing.

"I am the Grand Inquisitor, sworn blade of the Holy Maiden of the human race." His voice echoed with divine wrath. "And for the crime of daring to raise your sword against the holy maiden… I sentence you to death… by a thousand bolts of lightning!"

In the blink of an eye, he vanished, then reappeared right in front of the general with lightning bursting from his fists.

"You're underestimating me a little too much, kid!" the general shouted while swinging his blade to block the incoming strike.

The two Tier 3 warriors clashed at blinding speed, slamming fists and blades together in a flurry of movement. But it became clear within seconds that while both held similar power levels, the Inquisitor's electrokinesis gave him the edge.

Every strike was faster, every movement sharper. Bolts arced around him like living spears, zapping the ground and battering the general's defenses.

High above, Lilla observed them with her usual cold serenity while a paladin in ornate silver armor knelt beside her.

"Saintess… should we assist the Lord Inquisitor?" she asked reverently.

Lilla kept her eyes on the battlefield for a few silent seconds before answering. "No need," she finally said. "My inquisitor is more than capable. That general is already doomed."

She turned toward the front lines with her golden hair shimmering like fire in the wind. "We must take this bridge today. Reinforce the vanguard. I'll join them myself."

"At once, Saintess!"

And with that, Lilla began her descent toward the center of the bridge, each step upon the air sending ripples across the sky.

[Western Bridge - Zone 4, Defensive Frontline]

Explosions lit up the far end of the bridge like fireworks gone wrong. Inside a bombed-out position, the captain of Zone 4 winced in pain as a medic wrapped his bleeding leg.

"Send the updated coordinates to the mortars! We need to break those damn shield lines!" he growled while gritting his teeth.

The laser wound was clean, no shrapnel, no explosion, just a smoking hole through the thigh. It hurt like hell, but at least his leg was still attached.

"Captain! Tank incoming!"

The shout pulled his attention toward the northern edge of the bridge.

A black human tank rumbled toward them, its twin machine guns blazing nonstop. Though the shots weren't accurate, the sheer volume of fire was enough to pin down every soldier nearby.

The battlefield lit up with ricochets and sparks as the tank advanced like a predator, ignoring the mortar shells that dented its hull without effect.

"Tch! this thing's armor is tougher than I thought." He turned to his comms. "Send a request to Zone 3. They should have anti-tank rockets!"

[Western Bridge – Zone 3]

"Sir! We've received an aid request from Zone 4!" the comms officer called out to the Zone 3 captain. "They're being suppressed by a black human tank and need flanking support with anti-tank rockets!"

The Zone 3 captain didn't hesitate even a second before replying.

"Good. Send a strike team immediately. I want that tank gone!" He slammed his fist into the table. "If they fall, we're next! so give them hell!"

Moments later, four elite soldiers sprinted down the lower path with heavy rocket launchers slung across their backs and eyes locked on the distant rumble of the black tank ahead.

"Squad leader! I see the tank! It's about 600 meters away, straight ahead in that direction!" one of the anti-tank soldiers shouted, his voice tight and filled with panic.

He held his binoculars so tightly against his face that the metal almost dug into his skin, desperately tracking the enormous war machine as it crawled through the smoke and rubble of the ruined battlefield. He didn't want to lose sight of it, not even for a second.

"Nice work! Sharp eyes!" the squad leader praised him with his voice being strong and firm as his body tensed up. He could feel the pressure in the air, thick and heavy. "Get the anti-tank missiles ready! do it now!"

The team moved fast, their boots pounding the broken ground as they scrambled into position. Their fingers trembled slightly, not from fear, but from adrenaline as they grabbed the heavy launchers and locked the rockets into place.

Metal clicked, gears hissed, and weapons snapped into firing mode. The sound was harsh but familiar. They had done this hundreds of times before.

Each soldier took a deep breath while trying to calm their racing hearts. Ahead of them, the tank rolled forward like some kind of metal giant, slow but unstoppable. It was covered in thick armor plates and bristling with weapons while smoke swirled around it, making it seem like a monster stepping out of a nightmare.

"Wait for my signal… Steady… FIRE!" the squad leader screamed while raising his arm.

Four deadly missiles shot through the air, trailing fire and thick black smoke. The heat from the launchers was intense. The rockets raced toward the tank like angry dragons, and then each one struck with thunderous force. The ground shook like an earthquake had hit.

Three of the missiles barely left a mark on the tank's tough armor, just leaving scorched dents and smoke. But the fourth missile found a weak spot; it slammed into the side of the tank's left track with a flash of light and a deafening explosion.

The massive war machine groaned, then shuddered and came to a stop, its track blown apart and become useless. The tank was no longer moving. It was stuck.

"Nice hit! Reload and take cover! NOW!" the squad leader shouted while already scanning the area. "They'll try to track our position. Stay alert!"

The broken tank was like a wounded animal now; while it was still big and dangerous, it was now vulnerable. From every direction, more attacks came; laser blasts, mortar rounds, and pulse shots rained down, hammering the tank again and again.

It sparked and burned while smoke rose into the sky. You could almost hear it cry, like a dying beast.

"Squad, get ready!" the leader ordered once more, his voice being sharp like a blade. "Aim for the middle this time! We finish this thing here and now, or none of us go home!"

The soldiers gritted their teeth while gripping their weapons harder. Their faces were pale but determined.

"FIRE!" Another missile streaked into the sky, cutting through smoke and wind like a spear.

This time, the blast was massive. The tank didn't just get damaged... it exploded completely.

A huge fireball lit up the battlefield, bright as day. Burning pieces of twisted metal flew through the air, crashing into buildings and scattering across the ground. The blast wave knocked dust and dirt into the sky, and for a moment, the whole world seemed to shake.

"Target destroyed! Excellent job, everyone!" the squad leader yelled while already slinging his pack over his shoulder. "Grab your gear! we're moving! Get to the safe zone, now!"

They turned to leave with their hearts pounding and ears still ringing from the explosion.

But then something strange happened.

"Guys… do you hear that?" one of the soldiers said quietly. His voice was trembling. He stopped walking and tilted his head, trying to listen through the distant noise of battle.

"What? You mean the bridge falling? The mortars?" another soldier replied, snapping back without thinking.

"No… it's something else… sounds like… like little bells…"

The sound grew louder.

Ting… ting… ting…

At first, it was soft, almost like wind chimes blowing gently in a summer breeze. But then it became clearer. Stronger. Like bells ringing in a storm.

"LOOK! OVER THERE!" the first soldier suddenly screamed while pointing with a shaking hand toward a thick cloud of smoke.

From the middle of the smoke cloud, the sound of chiming bells grew louder and louder... TING… TING… TING…

Then, a figure of a woman appeared from inside the smoke.

She was floating above the ground. Her armor was white, glowing softly, and covered in shining red lights that pulsed like a slow, steady heartbeat.

Her presence felt unreal... like she came from a dream or a myth. With every step, waves of energy rippled outward, making the air shimmer around her. It was as if she walked on water that wasn't there.

The smoke curled around her, not hiding her, but moving aside like it respected her. The battlefield, once filled with noise and chaos, suddenly felt quiet, like it was holding its breath.

The squad couldn't move. They couldn't speak. Their weapons hung loose in their hands. Every eye was locked on her, frozen in shock and awe.

The sweet, haunting chime of the tinkerbells still filled the air... ting… ting… ting… like a lullaby in the middle of hell. The armored woman hovered above the battlefield.

But then... a new sound cut through the melody.

A deep, grinding roar, the sound of dozens of heavy engines firing up in the distance. The ground began to tremble, small pebbles bouncing as the vibrations grew stronger.

Then, from the same smoke that had birthed the floating woman, shapes emerged.

Tanks....

Not just one or two, it was an entire column of them, their steel hulls scorched and scarred from battle, rolling forward like hungry wolves. Their cannons swiveled, searching for targets.