Chapter 75: Escaping.

Words : 1127 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

"Hey, beautiful. Welcome back," he said with a smirk tugging at his lips despite the tension of the situation. "What were you up to?" From his back, Ys's playful voice responded, her tone brimming with smug satisfaction . "Oh, nothing much... just taking care of a little pest problem." Rex's eyes narrowed, but there was a hint of amusement in his gaze. "I trust you didn't go too overboard?" Ys's voice hummed in his ear, full of mischief. "Me? Overboard? Never, darling. I simply acquired a new little pet. Someone who might prove useful to us later on." Rex shook his head with a quiet chuckle. "Just make sure she doesn't get in the way." "Oh, don't worry," Ys replied, her voice dropping to a purr. "She'll be very well-behaved." As they moved swiftly toward the transport ships, Rex's sense of unease grew. Whatever lay beyond the battlefield wasn't just another Khryssari common troop; it was something darker, something ancient, and it was coming closer. "Hey, Ys, is your aunt planning something big?" Rex asked, his tone full of growing concern. "Mmm... probably," Ys replied, her voice deceptively light as she hugged his neck from behind, leaning against him with a playful smirk. "Since you've already defeated the champion, I'd say the playtime is over." Rex's brow furrowed. "And... what exactly does that mean?" "It means she'll finally start taking this fight seriously," Ys answered, a hint of excitement in her tone. "For starters, the allied fleet is already as good as gone." Rex glanced over his shoulder, alarmed. " Is she sending a bigger fleet to ambush them?" "Not exactly," Ys chuckled, clearly enjoying his reaction. "You see, we have these... special units. Scary-looking guys who are very good at boarding enemy ships without anyone noticing; not even scanners can pick them up." Rex let out a low whistle, imagining what kind of horrors could bypass high-tech scanners and trained sentries. "If they're considered scary by Khryssari standards, they must be pure nightmare fuel." He was still picturing these mysterious creatures when he felt Ys's breath close to his ear, her voice dropping to a soft whisper. "Darling, we need to hurry to the transport ships. My aunt has already mobilized the real swarm." gunboat. It was under assault, with several K. warriors clawing at its hull, but the Aegis sentinel were holding them off, blasting the Khryssari back and giving Rex a clear path to board the ship. Once inside, Rex hurried to the cockpit and threw himself into the pilot's seat. His fingers danced over the controls, bringing the gunboat's systems online. The engines hummed as they powered up, and the energy shields shimmered to life, enveloping the ship in a protective barrier. "Aegis units, time to fall back!" he ordered through the comms. "Get inside the ship so we can take off." For a moment, there was silence. Then, a voice came through, deep and calm but with a strange hint of finality. [Negative, my lord. We will stay here to give you enough time to escape and prevent the Khryssari from breaching the ship.] Rex's jaw tightened, his eyes widening. "What are you talking about? It's time to leave; get inside now!" There was another pause, and then the response came again, this time even firmer. [Negative, sir. Time is running low. You need to take off immediately. It is our duty to ensure your safety.] Rex's hands clenched on the controls, his heart sinking. He wasn't used to this. The Aegis units were his steadfast guardians, each one a valuable and irreplaceable asset; more than that, they were his comrades. And now they were choosing to sacrifice themselves. He swallowed, trying to find the words. But before he could speak, the voice came through one final time. [And sir, it was an honor serving under you.] Rex's grip on the controls trembled. "Understood," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper. He forced himself to look away from the viewport, unable to bear the sight of the Aegis units outside, holding back the Khryssari swarm with unwavering resolve. The ship's engines roared to full power, and Cleo gunboat lifted off the ground, slowly ascending. Through the cockpit's glass, Rex caught one last glimpse of the Aegis sentinels, locked in fierce combat, their metallic forms shining amidst the chaos. One by one, they were overwhelmed by the relentless Khryssari forces, but they held the line, buying him every precious second they could. Ys watched him silently, sensing the turmoil in his heart. She reached out, resting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "They knew their purpose, darling. They chose this." Rex exhaled slowly, his gaze hardened. " I know. But that doesn't make it any easier." The gunboat accelerated, leaving the battlefield below. As they soared through the skies, Rex's heart was heavy with the weight of those left behind. The sacrifice of the Aegis units would not be forgotten. It would fuel him, driving him forward, giving him yet another reason to fight, to survive. Once the gunboat ascended into the sky, Rex's eyes scanned the horizon, catching sight of a swarm of Khryssari aerial units, skydancers, and others, heading straight for them. Their forms were like dark shadows in the turbulent skies, wings beating in unison, creating a low, menacing hum that reverberated through the air. Rex's hand flew to the control panel, activating the gunboat's automated turrets. The hum of the engines was soon accompanied by the sharp, rhythmic thrum of rapid-fire cannons. Beams of light shot out, tearing through the darkened sky and striking down the approaching skydancers with deadly precision. The air crackled with energy as the Khryssari units spiraled downward, some disappearing in fiery bursts as the turrets found their marks. But Rex knew the odds were against them. The planet was overrun, and it would be nearly impossible to break free of the Khryssari swarm on sheer firepower alone. Just as the weight of that realization settled over him, a brilliant, unexpected sight caught his eye, it was a massive allied fleet ship, torn and battered, plummeting from the sky like a falling star. The ship's descent was catastrophic, its bulk slicing through the Khryssari swarm with the force of a thousand blades. It crashed into the ground with a thunderous roar, splitting apart and erupting in a dazzling firestorm that lit the sky in a kaleidoscope of flame and debris. The impact and the subsequent explosions tore through the swarm, creating a temporary void, a pathway through the chaos. "Lady Luck, you beautiful thing," Rex muttered

Chapter 75: Escaping.

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