Marvel: The other side of the double-passing door is Devouring the Stars

Chapter 425: Teaching these reckless pirates a lesson.

"How much longer will it take?" Rowan asked.

"At the current pace, you should be fully recovered in another month and a half," the chief expert gave a precise timeline. "By then, you will be in even better condition than before your injury."

Rowan was delighted with the news. Although it came at a great cost, it would be worth it if he could fully recover and become even stronger.

During his subsequent treatment, Rowan not only cooperated with the medical team but also began to revisit the legacy of the Storm King. Through this battle with the Shadow Lord, he gained a deeper understanding of the profound skills within the legacy.

"It seems that although that forbidden skill consumed a lot of energy, it also deepened my understanding of the laws of spacetime," Rowan said, sensing the changes in the power of the laws within his body. "Perhaps this injury is also a form of growth."

Indeed, martial artists who have survived life-or-death trials often achieve breakthroughs on a spiritual level. Although Rowan paid the price with his life force, he made significant improvements in his understanding of the laws and his unwavering will.

A month later, Thor brought good news.

“The company’s purge operation has successfully destroyed most of the Dark Minion strongholds,” he excitedly told Rowan. “Now only the final command center and a few scattered small outposts remain.”

“Great!” Rowan was delighted with the news. “It seems our sacrifices weren’t in vain.”

"Furthermore, the company has already begun preparations for an exploration mission to the sealed location," Hong added. "It's said to be the largest joint operation ever, involving not only Virtual Universe Corporation but also several other top powers."

"A joint operation?" Rowan was somewhat surprised. "The company has decided to publicly disclose this threat?"

“That’s right. CEO Elena believes that this level of threat cannot be handled by a single force,” Silvermoon said as she entered the room. “So the company confided in a few of its most trusted allies and gained their support.”

This is indeed a wise decision. The threat of the Lord of Darkness concerns the fate of the entire universe, and only by uniting more forces can this problem be completely solved.

"When can I participate in the operation?" Rowan asked impatiently.

“Wait another two weeks, until you are fully recovered,” Silvermoon said firmly. “This operation will determine the fate of the universe, and we need you to be in peak condition.”

Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye. When the chief expert announced that Rowan had fully recovered, he felt an unprecedented surge of strength. Not only had his vitality been fully restored, but his overall abilities had also significantly improved.

"I'm at least 30% stronger than before I was injured," Rowan said, feeling the surging power within him. "This experience was painful, but the gains were immense."

"So, are you ready to participate in the final battle?" Silvermoon asked with a smile.

“Of course,” Rowan answered firmly, “I have made all the preparations for the peace of the universe.”

As Silvermoon explained the plan for the final battle to Rowan, Thor and Hong listened attentively. After hearing the entire plan, the two exchanged a glance, seemingly reaching some kind of tacit understanding.

“Silver Moon, we’re going to participate in this operation too,” Thor suddenly said.

"What?" Silver Moon was somewhat surprised. "You're going to participate too? This time, the enemy is no ordinary opponent."

“That’s precisely why we must participate,” Hong said firmly. “Rowan has already sacrificed so much for universal peace; as his brothers, how can we stand idly by?”

"But your strength..." Silver Moon was somewhat worried. Although Thor and Hong were both World Lord-level powerhouses, World Lord-level strength was clearly insufficient to face a threat of the Dark Lord's level.

“We know our strength is limited,” Thor honestly admitted, “but we can help in other ways. And the combined power of three Earthlings isn’t just the sum of its parts.”

Indeed, Rowan, Thor, and Hong had trained together since childhood, and their teamwork was extremely seamless. They had developed a specialized set of combined combat techniques that allowed their overall combat strength to far exceed the sum of their individual abilities.

“Moreover, we each have our own special skills,” Hong added. “I have a unique understanding of the metal element, and Thor’s lightning element is very useful in group battles. We can provide Rowan with strong support.”

Rowan felt a surge of warmth in his heart upon hearing his two brothers' words. To have someone willing to fight alongside him in the face of such a dangerous mission was a friendship more precious than anything else.

“I support their participation,” Rowan said to Silvermoon. “With them by my side, I will have more confidence.”

“Alright then,” Silvermoon finally agreed, “but you must strictly adhere to the discipline of the operation and not take any risks.”

"Of course, we are all experienced martial artists and know what we should and shouldn't do," Thor assured him.

Just then, Rowan suddenly remembered something, and a look of regret appeared on his face.

"What's wrong?" Hong noticed Luo Wen's unusual behavior.

"I was thinking, if Luo Feng were here too," Luo Wen sighed, "the four of us brothers could fight side by side again."

Upon hearing Luo Feng's name, Thor and Hong's expressions sombered. Luo Feng was the most talented of the four, and also the youngest. However, he had recently returned to Earth for some special reasons and was temporarily unable to participate in cosmic affairs.

“Yes, how many years ago was the last time the four of us fought together?” Thor recalled. “Back then, we had just entered the universe, knew nothing, but were united and fearless.”

"Looking back now, those were truly wonderful times," Hong said, lost in memories. "Although we weren't very strong, we shared the purest friendship and the most unwavering beliefs."

"If Luo Feng knew we were going to fight the Lord of Darkness, he'd regret it to death," Thor said with a wry smile. "He loves these kinds of thrilling adventures."

“After this mission is over, we must go back to Earth to see him,” Rowan suggested. “We’ll tell him about our experience in detail, so he can share in our glory.”

“It’s a deal,” Hong and Lei Shen replied in unison.

Although they were somewhat disappointed that Luo Feng wasn't by their side, the three brothers still decided to join hands to face this unprecedented challenge. Their friendship would be a vital force in the face of the dark forces.

Two days later, the transport fleet arranged by the Virtual Universe Corporation prepared to depart for the rendezvous point. This joint operation was extremely large in scale; elite warriors from different factions would meet at a secret location and then travel together to the sealing site of the Dark Lord.

“According to the arrangements, we will be traveling to the meeting point aboard the ‘Star River’ transport ship,” Silvermoon explained the itinerary to the three. “The journey will take approximately three days, with several transit points along the way.” “The Star River?” Thor’s eyes lit up. “That’s one of the most advanced transport ships in the Virtual Universe Corporation; I’ve always wanted to see it.”

"It's indeed very advanced, not only fast but also very strong defensively," Silver Moon explained. "Moreover, it's equipped with the latest stealth system, which can evade most detection."

When they arrived at the harbor, the Starship was truly impressive. This transport ship was a kilometer long, with a streamlined shape and a silver-white hull that shimmered in the sunlight.

“It’s truly magnificent,” Hong exclaimed. “Compared to this, spaceships on Earth look like toys.”

"This is just a transport ship; the real warships are much larger," Silvermoon said with a smile. "You'll be even more amazed when you see the scale of the combined fleet."

After boarding the Star River, they were assigned to the first-class area. The facilities here were extremely luxurious, with each room having a private training room and rest area, making it feel nothing like being on a spaceship.

“Traveling in this environment is simply a pleasure,” Thor exclaimed. “It seems Virtual Universe really does have deep pockets.”

“This is out of respect for the participants,” Silvermoon explained. “After all, everyone is risking their lives for cosmic peace, so the company naturally wants to provide the best conditions.”

The Starship quickly activated and departed from the headquarters of the Virtual Universe Corporation. In hyperspace jump mode, the ship reached speeds thousands of times faster than light, and was expected to arrive at the rendezvous point in three days.

The first day of the voyage was uneventful, and the three brothers used this time to make final preparations. They discussed tactics together, exchanged their skills and insights, and ensured that they could exert their maximum combat effectiveness at crucial moments.

"My lightning magic has recently made a breakthrough," Thor demonstrated his progress to the other two, "Now I can precisely control the intensity and direction of lightning without harming friendly forces."

"My metal-based laws have also progressed," Hong retorted, "Now I can instantly condense even stronger defenses and change the form of metal."

“You’ve all made progress, and I can’t fall behind,” Rowan said with a smile. “Through this battle with the Shadow Lord, I’ve gained a deeper understanding of the laws of spacetime.”

The three learned from each other, complementing each other's strengths and weaknesses, and made full preparations for the upcoming challenges.

The second day's journey went smoothly as well, but things began to change on the evening of the second day.

"Warning, warning! Unidentified flying object detected approaching!" the ship's public address system suddenly announced. "All passengers, please remain calm. The crew is preparing to respond."

"Unidentified flying object?" Rowan immediately became alert. "Could it be an attack by the servants of darkness?"

“They could also be space pirates,” Silvermoon analyzed. “While this route is relatively safe, we can’t completely rule out unforeseen circumstances.”

Soon, the spaceship's captain released more detailed information through the internal communication system:
"Distinguished passengers, we have been intercepted by a group of space pirates. These pirates, piloting modified combat ships, demand that we stop for inspection. Although the Starship's defenses are strong, to avoid unnecessary conflict, we are attempting to resolve this through diplomatic channels."

"Space pirates?" Thor frowned. "They're incredibly audacious, daring to intercept a Virtual Universe Corporation ship."

“They might not know our identities,” Hong analyzed, “or they might have some ulterior motive.”

As they were talking, the spaceship suddenly shook violently. Clearly, diplomatic efforts had failed, and the pirates had begun their attack.

"Attention all warriors," the captain's voice rang out again, "the pirates have begun their attack. Although our defenses are strong, we still hope that capable warriors will assist in the defense."

“Let’s go take a look,” Rowan decided immediately. “We can’t let the pirates affect our journey.”

The three brothers rushed to the spaceship's observation deck, where they could see the situation outside through the transparent protective shield. In the dark expanse of space, more than a dozen combat ships of various shapes were besieging the Starship.

These pirate ships had a peculiar design, clearly having undergone extensive modifications. Some were heavily armed, while others emphasized speed and maneuverability. Judging from the coordination of their attacks, they were not ordinary rabble, but a well-trained pirate group.

“These pirates are well-equipped,” Hong observed the enemy’s fighting style, “and their tactics are very sophisticated; they’re definitely not ordinary bandits.”

“Indeed, their attack was very targeted,” Thor also noticed the anomaly, “specifically targeting the Starship’s weapon and propulsion systems, clearly demonstrating a deep understanding of this type of ship.”

“This wasn’t a coincidence,” Silvermoon’s expression turned serious. “They came specifically to intercept us.”

Just then, a gruff voice came through the public channel:

"Listen up, people aboard the Star River! I am Bloodblade Shark, leader of the Bloodblade Pirates. I order you to stop and surrender immediately. We know you have important cargo on board; hand it over and we'll spare your lives."

"The Bloodblade Pirates?" Silvermoon frowned. "This is a notorious pirate organization that specializes in plundering important resources from various powerful factions."

"How did they know our itinerary?" Rowan asked suspiciously. "This route should be classified."

“Either it was an internal leak, or they have a special intelligence source,” Silvermoon analyzed. “In any case, we can’t let them succeed.”

The captain of the Starship was clearly not one to be trifled with; he responded via the public channel:
"Bloodblade Shark, you've made a huge mistake. This is a Virtual Universe Corporation spaceship. I advise you to evacuate immediately, or you'll face the consequences."

"So what if it's a Virtual Universe Company?" Bloodblade Shark laughed arrogantly. "In this star system, our Bloodblade Pirate Crew is the law. Hand over the goods obediently, or we'll take them by force."

As soon as he finished speaking, the pirates' attack intensified. Dozens of energy beams shot towards the Starship simultaneously. Although they were blocked by the protective shield, the shield's energy was rapidly depleting.

“This won’t do,” the Starship’s weapons officer reported via internal communication. “The enemy’s firepower is too intense; our shields won’t hold for much longer.”

"Counterattack!" the captain decisively ordered. "Activate all weapon systems and teach these reckless pirates a lesson."

Although the Star River was a transport ship, it was equipped with a powerful weapon system. At the captain's command, dozens of laser cannons extended from both sides of the ship, beginning their counterattack against the pirate ship.

(End of this chapter)