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

Chapter 428 Guardians of the Safe Haven

"Now!" Rowan shouted.

The three simultaneously burst out of different exits of the Star River, using the energy fluctuations from the attack as cover to successfully escape the magic circle's encirclement. The Star River also initiated an emergency jump at the last moment, and although it was caught in the edge of the attack, it successfully escaped a devastating blow.

"What? They escaped?" Duke Dark Night stared in shock at the empty space. "Search immediately! They couldn't have gotten far."

Just then, Rowan provoked the Dark Lord via the public channel.

“Duke of the Night, do you want this?” Rowan held up the memory crystal in space. “The complete memories of the Shadow Lord, including all the secrets of the Dark Lord's resurrection.”

Upon seeing the crystal, the Duke of Darkness's breathing immediately quickened. As a high-ranking commander of the Dark Servants, he was acutely aware of the crystal's value.

"The Shadow Lord's memory crystal?" The Duke of Night's voice was laced with greed. "How did you get this?"

"That's not important. What's important is whether you want it or not," Rowan said provocatively. "Come and take it if you dare. I'll be waiting for you in the Death's Claw Storm Belt."

After saying that, the three immediately flew towards the direction of the Death Claw storm. In outer space, although the flight speed of a World Lord-level expert is not as fast as that of a warship, its advantage lies in its agility, and it consumes its own energy, requiring no fuel.

"Pursue!" Duke Dark Night ordered without hesitation. "We must retrieve that crystal at all costs."

The thirty warships immediately changed course and pursued the Claw of Death storm belt. Just as Rowan had predicted, the allure of the memory crystal had clouded the Dark Duke's judgment, and he hadn't considered that it might be a trap.

During the flight, Rowan constantly adjusted his route to ensure the enemy could keep up, but not be overtaken. This required precise distance control; too close and he would be attacked, too far and the enemy might give up the pursuit.

“They’re catching up,” Hong said, looking back at the pursuers, “and they’re moving very fast. They’ll probably catch up to us within half an hour.”

“Perfect,” Rowan calculated the time and distance, “at this speed, we can reach the edge of the storm belt before we get caught.”

The Death's Claw Storm Belt is one of the most dangerous regions in this star system. The space here is extremely unstable, filled with various energy storms and spatial rifts. Even the most experienced astronauts dare not enter lightly, let alone engage in combat within it.

As the flight distance increased, the surrounding environment began to change. Energy fluctuations began to appear in the once calm outer space, and flashing energy lightning could be seen in the distance.

"The Death Claw storm has arrived," Thor said, pointing ahead. "This is the danger zone."

Indeed, the scene ahead was breathtaking. A massive energy storm raged through space, with lightning of various colors flashing continuously, forming a magnificent yet dangerous barrier.

“Remember, stay close to me once we enter the storm zone,” Rowan reminded his two brothers. “The energy storms here are unpredictable; one wrong move and you’ll be swept up in them.”

“Understood,” Hong and Thor nodded seriously.

Without hesitation, the three rushed into the storm belt. Instantly, a powerful energy shockwave assaulted them. If they weren't world lord-level powerhouses, ordinary people wouldn't last even a second in such an environment.

“Storm Navigation,” Rowan unleashed the Laws of Storms, beginning to sense the surrounding energy flow, “follow me, take this relatively safe passage.”

Guided by the laws of storms, Rowan found a relatively stable passage. Although still fraught with danger, at least it wouldn't be immediately fatal.

"They really went in?" Duke Dark Night hesitated, watching the three figures disappear into the storm. "The Death Claw Storm Belt is no joke."

But the allure of the memory crystals ultimately triumphed over reason. "The entire fleet enters the storm zone," Duke Dark Night ordered through gritted teeth. "Spread out and advance cautiously."

Thirty warships began entering the storm zone, but soon encountered trouble. In the narrow storm channels, the maneuverability of large warships was severely restricted, and they were prone to collisions with each other.

Even more critically, the energy in a storm can interfere with a warship's detection systems, making it difficult for them to accurately locate targets. This environment is extremely unfavorable for warship formations.

"Commander, our detection systems are under severe interference," a warship reported. "We are unable to accurately pinpoint the target's location."

“And the storm is intensifying,” another warship added, “our shields are being depleted rapidly.”

“Keep going,” Duke Dark Night insisted. “That crystal must be obtained.”

Meanwhile, Rowan and his two companions chose a relatively stable area deep within the storm to stop. This area was surrounded by several massive energy vortexes, forming a natural defensive perimeter.

“Wait for them here,” Rowan said, observing the surroundings. “These energy vortexes will greatly restrict the warship’s operational space.”

“Moreover, we can harness the power of the storm,” Thor said, sensing the surrounding lightning energy. “The intensity of the lightning here is even stronger than my attacks.”

“Indeed, if these natural forces could be guided, their power would be astonishing,” Hong also observed the accumulation of metal ions in storms.

The three began preparing for the upcoming battle. In this unusual environment, traditional fighting methods were no longer applicable; they had to learn to harness the power of the storm.

"They're here," Rowan sensed the enemy's approach, "but only fifteen warships; it seems half of them were lost or damaged in the storm."

Indeed, in the complex storm environment, the Dark Night Duke's fleet had lost nearly half of its combat strength. The remaining warships also suffered varying degrees of damage, resulting in a significant decrease in their combat effectiveness.

"Found them, they're in the energy vortex zone ahead," a warship reported.

"Surround them," Duke Darknight ordered. "This time, we cannot let them escape again."

However, encirclement tactics are difficult to execute in the narrow storm passage. Moreover, the three men's positions were cleverly chosen, precisely at the confluence of several energy streams, making it difficult for warships to approach.

“Since they’re here, let’s give them a surprise,” Rowan began to implement the tactics he had prepared beforehand, “Storm Channeling.”

This is a special skill inherited from the Storm King, allowing him to guide and control the power of natural storms for a short period. While it's impossible to completely control such a massive storm, influencing a localized area is still possible.

As Rowan guided the flow, the surrounding energy vortex began to change. The previously relatively stable energy flow suddenly became violent, forming a huge energy tornado.

"What's going on?" Duke Dark Night stared in shock at the suddenly raging storm. "Why has the storm intensity suddenly increased?" "Reporting, Commander, our warships are unable to maintain stability in a storm of this intensity," came a panicked report from the fleet.

"And the energy tornado is moving towards us," another warship urgently reported. "Please instruct us whether to retreat."

But retreat was too late. The energy tornado guided by Rowan was incredibly powerful, immediately engulfing several nearby warships. Under such a powerful energy impact, even the sturdy warships began to disintegrate.

"Damn it, what kind of skill is this?!" Duke Night roared in fury. "How can he control the storm?"

"An advanced application of the Storm Laws," Rowan's voice echoed through the storm, "In this environment, I am the master."

Indeed, Rowan, who has mastered the laws of storms, has an absolute advantage in the Death's Claw storm belt. He can not only adapt to the harsh environment, but also use the power of the storm to attack.

"Thor descends," Thor also began to coordinate with Rowan's attack, guiding the lightning energy in the storm.

"Metal Storm," Hong uses the metal ions in the storm to form a dense barrage of metal bullets.

The three attackers' attacks merged perfectly with the natural storm, multiplying their power. Enemy ships that would have required their full strength to defeat were now easily destroyed with the storm's assistance.

"Impossible, absolutely impossible!" Duke Dark Night couldn't accept the reality before him. "How could three mere Realm Lord-level warriors destroy my fleet in such a short time?"

But reality is cruel. In the unique environment of the storm belt, numerical superiority becomes a disadvantage, while Rowan and his companions' individual strength and environmental adaptability are maximized.

“Now only your flagship remains,” Rowan said, looking at the last warship struggling against the storm. “Surrender. You have lost.”

"Surrender?" the Duke of Darkness laughed wildly. "The servants of the Lord of Darkness never surrender. Since we cannot complete the mission, I will perish with you all."

With that, Duke Dark Night began initiating the warship's self-destruct sequence. While the self-destruction of a warship is incredibly powerful, it has far more dangerous consequences within a storm belt—it could trigger a chain reaction, making the entire storm region even more unstable.

“He’s going to self-destruct,” Hong noticed the warship’s unusual activity. “We must stop him.”

“It’s too late,” Thor observed the energy fluctuations of the warship. “The self-destruct sequence has been initiated and cannot be stopped.”

“Then let’s leave this area,” Rowan decided decisively, “and retreat to a safe distance before the blast wave hits.”

The three immediately retreated towards the outer edge of the storm belt, but the warship self-destructed faster than they had anticipated. A massive explosion erupted at the center of the storm, triggering a violent chain reaction.

"Boom!" The shockwave from the explosion interacted with the storm's energy, creating an even larger energy vortex. This vortex was extremely large, covering almost half of the storm belt.

“We’re caught in,” Hong realized they couldn’t escape the vortex’s pull. “The vortex’s suction is too strong.”

"Don't resist, fly in the direction of the vortex," Rowan calmly analyzed the situation. "Trying to withstand it will only drain your energy."

The three adjusted their flight path, no longer trying to escape the vortex, but instead moving in the direction of the energy flow. Although this would take them to an unknown place, at least they could conserve their energy.

Swept along by the vortex, the three sped through the storm belt. The surrounding scenery constantly changed, with all sorts of strange energy phenomena appearing one after another. This was an unprecedented experience, and a tremendous adventure.

"Where are we being taken?" Thor shouted from within the turbulent energy currents.

“I don’t know, but it should be deep within the storm belt,” Rowan said, struggling to steady himself. “Nobody knows what’s there.”

As they ventured deeper into the storm's core, the surrounding energy density increased dramatically, with various laws of power intertwining to form an extremely complex energy network. Even world lord-level powerhouses felt immense pressure in this environment.

“Hang in there,” Hong encouraged his two brothers. “We’ve already made it through the hardest part; we can’t give up here.”

Just when the three thought they were going to be trapped in the storm forever, a light suddenly appeared ahead. Driven by the vortex, they were carried towards the light source.

"What's that?" Thor pointed to the light ahead. "It looks like the exit of the storm belts."

“No, the storm belt doesn’t exit in this direction,” Rowan observed carefully. “That light source is unusual; it doesn’t seem to be naturally formed.”

As they drew closer, the three finally saw the true nature of the light source. It was a massive man-made structure, suspended deep within the storm belt. The structure was spherical, its surface shimmering with various runes, clearly possessing some special function.

"What is this?" Hong stared in shock at the mysterious structure. "How can there be a man-made structure deep within the storm belt?"

“Moreover, the style of this building is very ancient,” Rowan observed the runes on the structure. “The patterns of these runes are seen in the records of the Storm King; they belong to ancient technology.”

Just as the three were speculating about the structure's purpose, a gentle beam of light shot out from it, enveloping them. This beam stabilized the space, pulling them out of the chaotic energy vortex.

“Welcome to this haven,” an aged voice echoed in their minds, “young warriors, your arrival has shattered this thousand-year-old tranquility.”

"Who's speaking?" Thor looked around warily. "Is there anyone else here?"

"I am the guardian of this safe haven," the voice continued, "an old man who has protected it from storms for thousands of years. Judging from your appearance, you must be fleeing some danger, right?"

Indeed, finding such a safe place deep within the Death's Claw Storm Belt was nothing short of a miracle for the three who had just experienced a fierce battle.

“We were indeed fleeing from the enemy,” Rowan answered honestly, “but we didn’t expect to be brought here by the storm.”

"Haha, this must be fate," the guardian laughed. "Since you're here, why not rest for a bit? The environment here is very helpful for recovering your strength."

As the guardian finished speaking, a portal in the mysterious structure slowly opened, revealing a warm light within. The three exchanged glances and ultimately decided to enter this mysterious haven.

After all, they really needed a safe place to recover their strength after the fierce battle and the storm.

(End of this chapter)