Intergalactic conquest with an AI-Chapter 339: Blood Clan world. {5}

His words sent a visible ripple of fury through Zynaria. Her crimson pupils sharpened into slits, her body stiffening with unrestrained ire. To compare a proud Kaelzar with mere machines, to soulless androids... it was the gravest of insults.

Her lips curled into a sneer. The living metal chains suddenly convulsed, tightening like a constricting vice. In an instant, their smooth surface morphed into jagged thorns of gleaming steel that erupted from their links, burying themselves into the captive's flesh.

A strangled scream tore from his throat as fresh pain surged through his veins. But Zynaria wasn't finished.

A crackling hum filled the air, the very atmosphere vibrating with lethal energy. Bolts of raw electricity surged through the chains, crawling over the blood clan member's body like a thousand stinging needles.

His muscles spasmed uncontrollably, his breath turning into choked gasps as his arrogant defiance melted into sheer agony.

Rex exhaled through his nose, placing a hand on Zynaria's shoulder, his grip firm but not forceful. "Zynaria... I still have questions for him. Keep him alive." His voice carried no desperation, only cool authority, as if he were reminding a petulant child to play nice.

Zynaria clicked her tongue in irritation. "Hmph! Fine! You're lucky, trash," she scoffed, releasing her clenched fist. Instantly, the thorns retracted, and the electricity dissipated, leaving the blood clan member a trembling, gasping wreck.

But as Zynaria cast a sidelong glance at him, her smirk returned. "Doesn't mean I won't have my fun later," she murmured, just loud enough for him to hear.

Rex let out a long, drawn-out sigh, his gaze fixed on the young blood clan member sprawled before him.

The once-proud noble was barely holding himself together, trembling from the torment he had just endured.

Yet, despite his weakened state, his body persisted, slowly knitting itself back together as the wounds closed, feeding on the rivulets of blood raining down upon him. The regenerative abilities of his kind were indeed remarkable, but even that resilience had its limits.

"Well..." Rex muttered while rubbing the back of his neck as he studied the scene before him. "I suppose we can finally have a civilized conversation... unless, of course, you'd like to experience that again?" His tone was almost casual as he lazily pointed a finger toward Zynaria.

The Kaelzar princess crossed her arms, still radiating a quiet menace. The crimson glow in her eyes hadn't faded, and the metallic chains still twitched, as if hungry to resume their cruel work.

Rex leaned forward slightly, his smirk turning razor-sharp. "I wonder how much more it'll hurt. But you won't die from that alone, right? After all, your kind is... tough."

He tapped his chin thoughtfully, his voice laced with mock curiosity. "Still, just because you can survive it doesn't mean you don't feel pain. And I bet every nerve in your body is still screaming, isn't it?"

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He took a slow step back and, with deliberate ease, sat down on the table, his posture relaxed. The contrast between his composed demeanor and the pure terror etched across the blood clan member's face made the scene all the more unsettling.

The young noble's breathing hitched, his composure finally cracking as fear took complete hold of him. "W-wait! I'll talk! Please... spare me!" he blurted out, his voice barely above a whimper.

What followed was a long, drawn-out interrogation. Several minutes passed in that dimly lit room, each moment stretching into an eternity for the captive.

Question after question, the blood clan member spilled whatever information he had, his voice growing hoarse from his desperate confessions. But in the end, when Rex was certain there was nothing more of value left to extract, he exchanged a glance with Zynaria.

Without a word, she lifted her hand, and reality itself seemed to ripple. A shimmering tear in space unfurled beside her, forming a dark rift, a doorway leading to a shadowy alleyway on some distant world. The scent of damp pavement and rust filled the air from the other side.

Rex stepped toward the portal but hesitated, his boots halting just before crossing the threshold. He cast one final glance over his shoulder, first at the trembling, broken figure of the young noble, then at Zynaria. His expression was unreadable, but his next words carried an undeniable finality.

"Do it painlessly."

With that, he turned away, stepping through the rift and vanishing into the darkness beyond.

Zynaria exhaled softly, rolling her shoulders before stretching out her hand. Liquid metal surged around her fingers, shaping itself with precise intent.

In mere moments, a massive two-handed battle-axe took form, its onyx-black blade glowing with a deep, molten red along its edges. This was no ordinary weapon. It was a relic of the Kaelzars royal armory, an artifact awarded to her by her father himself as a trophy for slaying a void beast.

That same void beast that had its essence now bound to her in the form of her dragon-like mobile suit. And now, its power would put an end to this pathetic wretch before her.

She stepped forward, gripping the axe with one hand. The young blood clan noble barely had time to comprehend his fate before the blade cleaved through him in a single, brutal swing.

The moment it met his flesh, a searing heat ignited from the weapon, cauterizing the wound instantaneously. There was no scream, no struggle. His body never had the chance to regenerate.

There was only silence....

Zynaria exhaled again while resting the massive axe against her shoulder as she stepped back toward the rift. Without a second glance, she walked through, the space crack sealing behind her, leaving behind nothing but the scorched remnants of a once-proud blood clan member.

As Zynaria made her way back to the hideout, Rex was already at the entrance of the auction house. The grand structure loomed before him, its sleek obsidian walls reflecting the neon glow of the cityscape.

A pair of armored guards stood watch at the massive double doors, their sharp, cybernetic gazes scanning every potential intruder. The moment Rex approached, they moved in unison, blocking his path with an outstretched hand.

"Halt! This auction is private," one of the guards stated firmly, his visor flashing red as he scrutinized Rex. "Only those with an invitation may enter. Please present yours."

Rex remained unfazed while casually sliding his hands into his coat pockets.

{Mini Cleo, is it ready?} he asked through his mental link, his voice calm but expectant.

A familiar energetic voice chirped in response. {Aye, boss! Showing the invitation now!}

A split second later, a shimmering holo-screen materialized beside Rex, displaying a digital pass with the proper credentials. This time, it wasn't a counterfeit. As much as Mini Cleo loved her tricks, even she admitted that faking an invitation was too risky.

The auction organizers performed thorough verification scans, and if they had walked in with a fake, they would have been exposed the moment the real passholder arrived.

Fortunately, their earlier "negotiations" with the nightclub owner had paid off. The man had an invitation, albeit one for the common seating rather than a private booth, but it would suffice.

The guard took a moment to scan the pass, then gave a curt nod. "Thank you for your cooperation. You're free to enter, customer."

Rex smirked while stepping forward just as Mini Cleo's small, glowing form zipped in front of him, blocking his way.

{Boss!} she transmitted urgently, her bright digital eyes flashing with excitement. {Someone just entered the auction house without an invitation!}

Rex arched an eyebrow. {And?}

{He was using some really advanced cloaking tech!} she continued speaking while flailing her tiny arms dramatically. {But c'mon, compared to the original, these little imitations are laughable! So obviously, I picked him up on my scans!}

Rex sighed, since his interest was barely piqued. He glanced in the direction Mini Cleo was pointing, his expression unreadable.

{Stay put, Mini Cleo,} he instructed. {So what if someone slipped inside without an invitation? If it weren't for our lucky encounter, we'd be doing the same thing.}

Mini Cleo puffed up indignantly. {But, boss—}

{Our goal here isn't to play security guard. We don't care who sneaks in, unless they're causing problems for us or for the ones making trouble for the blood clan. Now, stop fixating on it and let's go.}

With that, Rex made his way inside, weaving through the lavishly decorated corridors toward his assigned seat in the common section.

Mini Cleo huffed while folding her tiny arms as she floated behind him, still casting glances toward the mysterious intruder's last known location. Her curiosity was practically buzzing; was it just a skilled thief? A rival bidder? Or someone with an agenda far more interesting?

Rex, however, didn't bother looking back. Whatever it was, it wasn't his problem. Not yet, anyway.

After about an hour, the auction finally commenced. The dimly lit hall brightened with holographic displays showcasing the various items up for bidding. Yet, despite the grandeur of the event, Rex found himself unimpressed.

Most of the auctioned goods were high-end gadgets, experimental weaponry, and specialized combat gear, tools meant to enhance the efficiency of the blood clan's missions.

To any regular mercenary or enforcer, these items would have been priceless assets, capable of turning the tide in battle. But to Rex?

Completely useless.

With his bio-nanotech enhancements and Zynaria's living metal crafting, he could create far superior weapons on a whim. He had no need for overpriced toys when he could forge his own.

He sighed while resting his chin on his knuckles as he lazily watched the bids escalate for a high-frequency plasma blade. His mind began to drift, the droning voice of the auctioneer acting as a lullaby.

The faint hum of conversations around him only added to the monotony, and before long, Rex felt his eyelids growing heavy.

{Maybe I should've let Mini Cleo chase after that cloaked guy... at least that would've been entertaining.}

Just as he was about to doze off, the energy in the room shifted.