The inner folds of space trembled violently as the Myth of White Swordsman tore through with desperate speed. His arms cradled the small, limp form of the Myth of Secrets, her once-mystical aura now flickering weakly like a candle battered by storms.
His usually composed and sharp mind was nothing but a storm of unease as that scene of the Myth of Secrets’ eye bursting apart in an instant still played in his mind like a vivid nightmare.
It was like he could still hear that scream, could still see the starlit ichor streaming down her fragile face, staining her robes. For the first time in countless years, the White Swordsman felt raw, unbridled terror.
’How did her Eye of Secrets... burst apart? That’s impossible. She was one of the most untouchable among us. Even the truths hidden in causality itself couldn’t harm her so directly! What could she have seen or whom...’ Just thinking about it made the Myth of White Swordsman shudder with cold chills.
Furthermore, his instincts suddenly sensed impending death for a vague instant as if something or someone had just looked at him, and now he was thinking that the vast and inscrutable presence looming over them, and at any moment, they would be dead.
That’s why he dared not look again. Instead, he summoned every ounce of his sword-law, his speed tearing the inner layer of space apart as he fled farther and farther from the Holy Justice Citadel. Each heartbeat felt like an eternity.
But the worst never came, and he successfully managed to retreat without any consequence.
However, at that moment, he froze, for ahead, suspended within the gray folds of the inner space layer, floated an enormous vessel.
The strangest part was that this enormous vessel wasn’t moving; instead, it was anchored, and concealed within the folds of space where no ordinary power should ever reach. If not because of what just happened, the Myth of White Swordsman also wouldn’t have found it.
Its colossal frame gleamed with fractured star-metal, its jagged surface engraved with strange sigils and brutal scars of war, and upon its hull shimmered a crest of a shattered star!
This ship was none other than the Shattered Star Cruiser!
The White Swordsman’s eyes narrowed sharply, ’That sigil...it is a pirate ship? Hidden here, so close to the Holy Justice Citadel of all places? Furthermore, with the current state of the citadel and then after what happened with the Myth of Secrets...’
Even for him, who had long distanced himself from the mundane affairs of the Legendary Plains, the symbol of Star Pirates carried infamy. Ruthless marauders, feared even by Legendary Kings!
Yet the ship was still. Not advancing, not fleeing, which also made the Myth of White Swordsman think that they were probably lurking here like a predator biding their time, or they had already achieved their goal.
His sword-hand twitched as faint killing intent surfaced in his eyes, ’If I had not been fleeing through the inner space... even I would not have noticed it. But if they are here, they should have some clues about what happened back there or...’
Suddenly, a wild and frantic thought surfaced in the Myth of White Swordsman’s mind, ’Could it be they that whoever destroyed the Myth of Secrets’ eye had set this trap...’
But then he quickly shook his head as this thought was simply ridiculous because if such an entity were to pursue them, he would already be nothing but space dust. Furthermore, if there was really that kind of terrifying entity hidden there, why would they plant a bunch of pirates in their wake? Not to mention, he was a Quasi-Myth; the Shattered Star Cruiser was nothing!
As reasons clawed their way through his fear, the Myth of White Swordsman started to calm down as he thought no one was following him, and all of this could also be his imagination.
’This reeks of secrecy, and the Myth of Secrets must have suffered backlash from her law ability. It is... possible. Even myths suffer when they pry too far. Yes. That must be it...’ The Myth of White Swordsman thought as his heartbeat calmed, though faint tremors still lingered in his chest.
His eyes grew cold and calculating as he looked at the Shattered Star Cruiser.
"This place, this matter... it is far too strange," He muttered under his breath, his voice grim. He glanced down at the unconscious girl in his arms, her face pale as snow, and resolve hardened in his heart.
’If not for you, Lady Secrets, I would have abandoned this distraction. But now... we need answers. And I will not let this opportunity slip away...’
At this moment, raising his free hand, the White Swordsman summoned his mythic sword-law. Blinding radiance erupted, forming a vast white barrier of sword-light that encompassed the pirate vessel in an instant.
The ship seemed to groan under the overwhelming force, its cloaking runes flickering like dying embers.
"Come with me." His commanding voice was sharp as steel with no room for defiance.
The next moment, the bound ship trembled, then began to sink into his white domain, shackled and dragged along through the folds of space as if tethered to a god’s will.
The Myth of White Swordsman turned away, focusing once more on tearing through the inner layer of space. He had no time to waste.
The Mythical Coalition must be informed, and the Myth of Secrets must be healed, while most importantly, this anomaly must be investigated.
The moment the Shattered Star Cruiser was captured by the Myth of White Swordsman, the Shattered Star Pirates within were flabbergasted.
"What is going on!?" Dark Wing’s expression was gloomy and had paled to an extreme as one bad thing after another had kept happening since they had entered this cursed continent.
They were still clueless about how their captain was captured when he was about to raise the entire citadel to dust under his regal might. Then they were forced to flee before the Archpriests could react.
But they didn’t leave and wait here, hoping to contact their captain or rescue him. Yet now all of a sudden they were again met with something unexpected, and it seemed their entire cruiser had been hijacked!
Furthermore, when Dark Wing and others attempted to operate the ship, nothing worked, and when they tried to flee, to their horror, they couldn’t break past the white barrier, no matter how they attacked.
They all knew at this moment that the Shattered Star Pirates were probably as good as finished!
On the other hand, as the massive ship was pulled behind the Myth of White Swordsman like prey caught by a hunter, he still could not shake the lingering chill in his bones!