Floating Island - Triple S Talent-Chapter 525: Pirate ship

After all, his objective in this place was nearly complete. He had successfully absorbed the Seed of Fundamental Law—a crucial step in strengthening his existence within this universe. Only one final piece remained.

Besides, he couldn't forget about his sister, Nita. He knew she still needed him—not just as an older brother, but also as someone who could guide and accompany her. And truthfully, Lein preferred spending his time with Nita over staying in this strange place.

Closing his system panel, Lein shifted his gaze toward the battle arena where Efan was fighting. Everything was proceeding according to plan. Efan seemed to be getting used to the tempo of Grandmaster-level combat, which satisfied Lein. He didn't need to intervene—yet.

"Alright… while I wait, I might as well continue absorbing the essence of law," he said with enthusiasm. He rose from his seat, his body recharged after drifting through heavy thoughts.

Calmly, he took out a scroll wrapped in shimmering light—the Starshifter Scroll. Without hesitation, Lein opened the scroll and confirmed the usage prompt that appeared before him. A bright white light engulfed his body, forming a magical circle that slowly rose from his feet to his head.

A few seconds later, Lein's body vanished completely, drawn into the transfer dimension bound to the scroll.

Meanwhile, his clones remained behind. They were still busy opening legendary chests, one after another lifting glowing artifacts with expressions filled with hope… and sometimes despair.

The Void of the Universe

Amidst the emptiness of space, a massive ship drifted silently like the carcass of an ancient whale forgotten by time. It stretched a hundred meters long, its metal hull etched with old symbols and a large banner fluttering slowly under artificial gravity. A faint hum from the ship's ventilation system echoed, like the soft breathing of a slumbering giant.

At the front of the deck, several crew members stood in a row, holding energy-based binoculars. They peered into the cosmic darkness, as if searching for something that shouldn't exist.

"Just as I thought… there really is a new realm in this sector," muttered a man in a long black cloak. On his chest was the emblem of a skull, charred as though scorched by time. One of his eyes was covered by a dark cloth, while the other gleamed with a dim silver light.

"Good thing we scouted the outer region," replied one of his subordinates—a dark-skinned man with his hair tied in a short ponytail.

The man in the black cloak lowered his binoculars and glanced coldly at his subordinate. "Form a scouting squad. Make sure there's no King-level sovereign in that place. We can't afford to be reckless."

His voice was low, but sharp—like a freshly honed blade.

He pointed toward a large man standing nearby. The man's body was covered in black markings resembling living tribal tattoos, as if his skin itself were a cursed relic from a forgotten age.

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"Canos. You lead."

"Yes, Sir," Canos replied without hesitation. He bowed slightly, then stood and moved to the center of the deck, calling out names for the scouting squad. His voice was loud and firm, as if the wind of space itself couldn't drown out his commands.

The man in the black cloak nodded slowly, clearly satisfied. But just as he turned to observe the distant bluish-green realm again, a slight frown formed on his face. There was hope, a plan—and most importantly—a weakness he intended to exploit.

A smirk curled on his lips as he raised the binoculars back to his face. But the smirk slowly faded.

His eyes widened. His breath caught.

"What… is that?" he whispered. His tone had shifted—not curiosity, but dread. His heart pounded as he saw thousands of tiny lights shooting out from the direction of the newly discovered realm—heading straight for their ship. Their formation was tight, precise, like a swarm of predators preparing to strike.

"Enemy attack!" the man shouted, his voice echoing across the deck. "Activate defenses!"

No one needed to be told twice. His crew scrambled into position. The deck shook as the ship's defense systems powered up. Energy shields enveloped the vessel in transparent blue flashes, while massive weapons mounted on both sides began to glow, charging up.

In mere seconds, the once-calm silhouette transformed into a fortress ready for war.

"Damn it… since when did they know?" the man growled, still staring at the incoming lights that now appeared even closer.

Thirty seconds passed. A tense silence loomed over the pirate ship, broken only by the faint whine of the energy shields humming like a whisper of death. Every eye was locked on the front—where the swarm of light continued to approach.

At last, their forms became clear.

They weren't living creatures, but a fleet of battle satellites. Each glowed with a core of energy pulsing strongly—like artificial hearts fueled for destruction. The number was overwhelming. Not dozens, not hundreds—but thousands. They floated in circular formation, creating an aerial fortress impenetrable to the naked eye.

"Damn… high-level tech?" the cloaked man hissed, eyes narrowing, lips tightening in tension.

If it were just hundreds, he could stay calm. Even with advanced weapons, he and his crew—armed with dark magic and pirate tech—could still fight back. But against this many… not even a first-rank King-level entity would survive.

His chest grew heavy.

Then, behind the line of battle satellites, a single spaceship appeared. It wasn't as large as the pirate ship, but its design was striking. Sleek, symmetrical, coated in gleaming silver-white metal like it had just rolled off a galactic assembly line. Massive weapons lined its sides, each radiating a pressure that pierced the soul.

The man in the cloak swallowed hard. His heart sank.

This time… they'd hit a wall.

As the ship arrived, all the surrounding battle satellites moved in unison, parting like a swarm of mechanical insects to clear a path. At the same moment, they switched to full combat mode. Plasma energy pulsed along their weapons, building up heat and power, aiming directly at the pirate ship.

Even the artificial air around the deck seemed thinner.

Two figures emerged from the elegant vessel. One was a young woman with short black hair tucked neatly under a tactical helmet. The other was an older man in a long white robe, his face calm and dignified, though he made no move to speak. His gaze was flat, uninterested in conflict unless absolutely necessary.

But all eyes were now on the woman.

She wore an official military robe, adorned with golden emblems and insignias that glimmered with authority. As she stepped forward, a long staff hovered beside her. Its tip was crowned with a bright blue crystal, glowing in response to her commanding presence.

The staff halted just in front of the pirate ship, floating calmly—but dangerously.

"I am Hana, Captain of the Skyward Expedition, envoy from the Divine Sky Realm!" the woman shouted, her voice sharp and echoing through the public transmission channel. Her gaze was like a sword, aimed straight at the man in the black cloak standing on the enemy deck.