Just as the atmosphere between Lucian and Himeko had become pleasantly warm inside the bathroom, a group of interstellar pirates operating nearby noticed the Astral Express as it suddenly entered their region of space.
Interstellar pirates, as their name implied, were pirates who roamed the vast seas of stars aboard heavily armed spaceships, surviving through robbery, plunder, and violence.
Sea of stars, spaceships, and pirates—the three elements combined to form the title 'interstellar pirate.'
Needless to say, they were no different from greedy locusts.
Lurking along major trade routes and navigation lanes throughout the galaxy, they preyed upon merchants, travelers, civilian transports, and anyone unfortunate enough to cross their path.
Murder, arson, extortion, kidnapping, looting, and slavery were all commonplace for them, and they committed such atrocities without the slightest hesitation. Lawless and ruthless, they were true desperadoes who lived with one foot already in the grave, believing that every successful raid might be their last.
Naturally, interstellar pirates were not a single unified organization, as countless pirate crews operated throughout the cosmos, each with its own leader, territory, and sphere of influence.
Most pirate crews consisted of ordinary people armed with conventional weapons and stolen spaceships, relying on overwhelming numbers and firepower to intimidate weaker targets.
However, the more dangerous crews were sometimes led by Pathstriders who possessed genuine Path powers and used those powers to dominate, terrorize, and slaughter others without restraint.
And the pirate fleet currently blocking the Astral Express's route belonged to one such powerful organization.
Only moments earlier, they had been surrounding and relentlessly attacking an old-looking spaceship drifting through the area.
At first glance, the spaceship appeared worn, outdated, and barely held together, as though it should have been retired long ago.
Yet it proved to be unexpectedly troublesome.
Not only was it remarkably agile, weaving through incoming attacks with astonishing precision, but it also launched occasional counterattacks using some kind of strange light-distorting technology that repeatedly disrupted the pirates' targeting systems.
Despite being heavily outnumbered, the spaceship's crew handled the situation with surprising composure, calmly maneuvering through space while searching for any opportunity to break through the encirclement.
Meanwhile, the pirate leader was a burly one-eyed man with a vicious scar stretching across his face.
At least, that was how he wanted others to see him, since both of his eyes were perfectly functional, and the eyepatch existed purely to make him look more intimidating. Even the scar had been drawn on by his own hand to enhance his fearsome appearance.
Spitting to the side, he glared at the evasive spaceship and cursed loudly.
"Dammit! That piece of junk sure can dodge! Pick it up, boys! Blow those engines to hell!"
Hearing the command, his subordinates immediately responded with excited howls as energy beams, missiles, and physical shells rained down upon the fleeing spaceship in an unending barrage that lit up the surrounding darkness.
But just then, in the middle of the battle, one pirate suddenly pointed at the detection screen and shouted in alarm.
"Boss! Look! Another big target just showed up! Kinda looks like a train!"
Hearing the shout, the one-eyed pirate leader quickly leaned over to inspect the screen.
As soon as he saw the incoming vessel, his eyes immediately lit up.
That streamlined locomotive.
That elegant body illuminated by starlight.
That unmistakable silhouette.
As an experienced pirate, he knew enough to recognize that the unique-looking train resembled the legendary Astral Express.
However, he had heard countless rumors claiming that the Astral Express had long since crashed and disappeared from the cosmos.
If those rumors were true, then the one approaching now had to be some kind of imitation.
Still, even a high-quality imitation would be worth a fortune on the black market.
Compared to the battered old spaceship they had been chasing, the value of that train was incomparably greater.
In the next moment, the pirate leader immediately slapped his thigh in excitement, his face breaking into an ecstatic grin.
"Hahaha! We're rich! Talk about perfect timing!"
"Everyone, turn the cannons around! Stop that train!"
"Dammit, we're gettin' it today no matter what!"
"We'll split the money and the women between us!"
""OOOOHHH—!!!""
A deafening cheer immediately erupted throughout the pirate fleet as the pirates roared with excitement, their morale soaring at the thought of the enormous fortune now seemingly within reach.
With that, their ramshackle space warships immediately adjusted their formation and surged toward the Astral Express like a pack of bloodthirsty sharks that had caught the scent of fresh blood, completely abandoning their pursuit of the old spaceship.
===
Meanwhile, inside the old spaceship that had just escaped being surrounded by the pirates, two familiar figures stood within the cockpit.
Although the ship looked battered and outdated from the outside, its cockpit remained surprisingly orderly. Numerous instruments emitted soft mechanical hums as streams of data continuously flowed across the control panels, while the vast sea of stars stretched endlessly beyond the observation window.
Among the two figures, one of them wore a gray and white dress coat with a scarf and glasses while carrying a black cane in his hand.
Even though his expression remained calm and composed, there was a faint weariness about him that seemed born from countless hardships, endless journeys, and the burdens he had carried for far too long.
He was none other than Welt Yang.
Standing beside him was another man dressed in a pristine white formal suit trimmed with gold.
He had dazzling golden hair and golden-green eyes that gave him a refined and noble appearance, while the faint smile lingering at the corner of his lips carried a hint of perpetual amusement, as though very few things in the universe could truly surprise him.
He was known as Otto Apocalypse—or rather, he was the 1st Divine Key, Void Archives, currently using one of Otto's soulium bodies.
"They've changed targets... It seems we're safe for the moment."
Welt adjusted his glasses and calmly observed the changing battlefield through the observation window, his steady gaze following the pirate fleet as it abruptly altered its course.
"Safe?" Void Archives chuckled softly, his tone carrying unmistakable amusement. "I think it would be more accurate to say that those pirates are the lucky ones. If they had truly managed to anger a savior like you, their fate wouldn't have been pleasant."
Welt ignored the familiar teasing as though he had long since grown accustomed to it, his gaze remaining fixed on the magnificent train crossing the distant sea of stars.
Gradually, the slight crease between his brows deepened even further.
"That train isn't ordinary, but now that it's been targeted by those pirates, it may soon find itself in trouble."
More importantly, that train had unknowingly helped relieve the pressure on them by drawing the pirates' attention away.
Whether it had done so intentionally or not, it had effectively diverted the enemy fleet and given them a precious opportunity to catch their breath. However, simply standing by and watching after receiving such assistance just didn't sit well with him.
After a brief silence, Welt tightened his grip on the black cane in his hand, his expression becoming even more resolute.
"I can't just stand here and watch those criminals commit atrocities. We should help the people aboard that train."
Hearing that, Void Archives' smile immediately widened, looking as though he had expected exactly that answer.
"As you wish, my dear savior. Your habit of meddling in other people's affairs really follows you no matter which world you end up in~"
Even though his words were filled with playful mockery, Void Archives nevertheless followed Welt without hesitation.
Just like that, the two men turned their spaceship around, already preparing to intervene before the pirate fleet could completely surround the Astral Express.
===
"It's them, pom! They almost hit the Astral Express's beautiful windows, and now they want to rob us too, pom!"
Inside the Astral Express, Pom-Pom pointed outside while hopping angrily in place, their little face puffed up with indignation as they glared at the approaching pirate fleet.
Lucian calmly looked through the window at the pirate fleet drawing closer.
Among the fleet, the spaceships varied wildly in shape and appearance, many of them looking as though they had been crudely assembled from scrap metal, stolen parts, and whatever junk they had managed to salvage from previous raids. Although every ship looked different, they all carried the same savage, lawless aura that made it obvious they belonged to pirates.
Soon afterward, a loud broadcast echoed through the sea of stars.
Ordinary sound could not travel through the vacuum of space, but advanced communication equipment utilizing quantum entanglement technology could easily bypass such limitations, allowing voices to be transmitted across the battlefield as though everyone were speaking face-to-face.
"Hahahaha! Looks like it's just one pretty boy and a pet on board. Nothing to worry about! Hah, this job's gonna be a piece of cake!"
Even from inside the Parlor Car, the one-eyed pirate leader's laughter and arrogant words could be heard loud and clear as he activated the public broadcast channel.
"Hey, pretty boy! If you know what's good for you, open those train doors right now and hand over all the women and valuables inside!"
"If I'm in a good mood, I might just let your sorry ass live!"
""Hahahahaha—!!!""
As soon as the pirate leader finished speaking, the rest of the pirates immediately joined in, filling the communication channel with vulgar laughter, crude jeers, and obscene insults, as though they had already won.
Unfortunately for them, Lucian happened to be in a particularly bad mood, and the irritation he had been suppressing finally found a suitable target.
Under Pom-Pom's tense gaze, Lucian calmly turned around without saying another word and walked toward the train's entrance.
In the next second, the door slid open, and he stepped outside without the slightest hesitation, allowing his body to drift directly into the cold, silent vacuum of space.
Seeing the scene unfold before their eyes, everyone who witnessed it was instantly stunned. Even the pirates froze for a brief moment, staring blankly at the figure standing amid the sea of stars.
However, the very next moment, they erupted into even louder laughter.
"Yo! He's gotta be carrying treasure!"
"Yeah, ain't no way someone's walking through space like that without any protective gear!"
"Take it from him!"
Among the pirates, however, one pirate hesitated, his expression turning uncertain.
"Hey... think we might've picked the wrong target?"
Hearing the question, the fleet's strategist immediately dismissed the concern with a scoff.
"How many years have we been pirates? How many real monsters have we actually run into?"
"Our boss is a Pathstrider of Elation. As long as no Emanator shows up, who the hell's gonna stop us?"
"Don't tell me that pretty boy just happens to be an Emanator? C'mon, the cosmos is huge, and there are only a handful of Emanators. No way we'd run into one that easily."
Hearing that the strategist's reasoning sounded perfectly reasonable, the hesitant pirate shut his mouth, and the anxiety of the other pirates who had heard his question quickly disappeared as well.
Even the one-eyed pirate leader felt reassured.
Indeed, what were the chances of randomly encountering an Emanator?
With more than a hundred space warships and tens of thousands of pirates under his command, how could they possibly lose?
At this moment, every pirate looked at Lucian as though he were nothing more than another helpless victim who had foolishly delivered himself straight into their hands.
===
At roughly the same time, Welt and Void Archives, who had begun approaching to provide assistance, also witnessed the unbelievable sight of Lucian standing alone in the vacuum of open space.
"Crossing space with a physical body directly..." Welt muttered, his pupils contracting slightly. "Is that some kind of technological protection, or can he naturally survive in the vacuum of space?"
Meanwhile, for the first time, Void Archives put away his usual playful smile as a mixture of surprise, curiosity, and fascination flashed through his golden eyes.
"Interesting... he appears to possess a form of power that exceeds conventional understanding. Even from this distance, I can't quite discern what kind of existence he is—"
"Stop pretending to be mysterious and get over there."
Welt immediately interrupted Void Archives, but just as the words left his mouth, Lucian finally moved.
Wearing an indifferent expression, Lucian's gaze slowly swept across the approaching pirate fleet as though he were looking at nothing more than a group of insignificant insects.
"I turned off Law of Calamity because I wanted to kill vermin like you guys with my own hands. Otherwise, it just wouldn't feel satisfying..."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Lucian slowly clenched his right fist before casually throwing a punch toward the vast pirate fleet.
*Buzz—*
Everyone immediately felt a sharp ringing explode inside their ears the instant the punch was thrown.
In an instant, the roar of the spaceship engines vanished.
Everyone's voices vanished.
Every other sound vanished.
At this moment, it felt as though the entire universe had suddenly fallen into absolute silence, leaving behind nothing but an endless ringing that echoed inside their ears.
A moment later, they finally saw it.
A terrifying shockwave erupted from Lucian's fist, tearing through the void with unstoppable force. Everywhere it passed, space itself shattered layer after layer like fragile glass, while the countless asteroids caught within its trajectory instantly disintegrated into fine cosmic dust visible to the naked eye.
It was a scene that completely defied reason.
Such a horrifying sight instantly sent chills through every pirate's body as icy fear climbed from the soles of their feet all the way to the tops of their heads.
"N-No way... is he... an Emanator...?"
At first, the one-eyed pirate leader muttered softly in a daze, his face turning deathly pale.
But in the very next second, his voice completely cracked as he frantically screamed at the top of his lungs.
"RETREAT! RETREAT RIGHT NOOOOW—!!!!"
As a Pathstrider, he was far more sensitive to Path powers than ordinary people, and the power contained within that single punch alone had already reached the level of an Emanator.
A genuine Emanator.
What kind of terrible luck was this?
Out of the countless beings scattered throughout the boundless cosmos, how had they managed to encounter one here, of all places?
It was as though fate itself had personally decided to destroy them.
Unfortunately, realization came far too late.
Not even a second had passed after the pirate leader screamed his desperate order when the colossal region of space occupied by the pirate fleet suddenly appeared as though it had been swept clean by an invisible cosmic hand.
Hundreds of space warships.
Tens of thousands of pirates.
Every trace of their existence vanished.
No explosions.
No wreckage.
No screams.
No debris.
Everything, from the massive space warships to the pirates inside them, was reduced to the finest cosmic dust without a single exception.
In an instant, the arrogant pirate fleet that had filled the communication channels with laughter, insults, and threats only moments earlier disappeared completely and silently, as though it had never existed at all.
As a result, the sea of stars instantly fell silent once more.
Not a single pirate spaceship remained.
Not a single life remained.
Only an empty expanse of cold, lifeless space stretched before them, as though the fleet had been erased from reality itself.
Welt and Void Archives immediately slammed on the brakes of their spaceship and froze in place, their minds going completely blank after witnessing tens of thousands of people being erased from existence in a single instant.
Neither of them spoke.
Neither of them moved.
Even breathing seemed to have become difficult.
===
[A bonus chapter for every 300 Power Stones]
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