Marvel: A Portal to the World of Swallowed Star

Chapter 301 301: Before the Mysterious Stone Chest

"Incredible," Rowan murmured softly. "They are moving so fast that even the surveillance system can barely keep up."

The fight had been brief but brutal. In the end, Shadow spotted a tiny opening in his opponent's defense. His short blade flashed forward with deadly precision and pierced straight into the pirate's throat.

The man collapsed instantly.

Shadow did not celebrate the victory. Instead, he immediately scanned the cargo hold, his eyes sweeping across every corner to confirm that no enemies remained. Only after ensuring the area was secure did he walk directly toward the mysterious stone chest, as if verifying that it had not been damaged during the battle.

"There," Hong said, pointing at the screen. "He checks the stone chest first. Not the injured crew. Not the other battle zones. That box clearly matters more to him than anything else on this ship."

At that moment, another monitor flickered to life.

A second wave of pirates had boarded from a different entrance.

These pirates were better equipped and far more numerous. At least a dozen of them poured into the ship, quickly overpowering the crew guarding that sector. Their formation was organized and efficient as they began advancing toward the command center.

"This is bad," Rowan said, frowning. "They are aiming for control of the ship. If they take the command center, everyone on board will be in danger."

Thor rolled his shoulders, faint arcs of electricity beginning to crackle around his body.

"So... do we step in now?"

Rowan glanced toward Hong.

Hong nodded slowly.

"In theory, we should help defend the ship," he said. "But to be honest, after watching Shadow just now, I feel a little annoyed. He clearly has overwhelming strength, yet he has been treating us like subordinates and questioning our loyalty."

Thor snorted.

"Exactly. Why should we rush to help him? Let him handle his own problems."

Rowan hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.

"Fine. We hold position and see what this mysterious captain can really do. But if things reach the point where the crew's lives are in real danger, we step in."

The three of them agreed and continued observing the battle through the command center's monitoring system.

The pirates were advancing quickly. They had already broken through several defensive lines and were only two sections away from the command center. The ship's defenders fought bravely, but it was clear they were outmatched by these seasoned raiders.

"Where is Shadow?" Rowan asked anxiously while scanning the monitors.

It did not take long before they found him.

He had already left the cargo hold and was sprinting through the corridors at astonishing speed, heading straight toward the incoming pirates. Twin energy blades glowed in his hands, and the combat armor on his back emitted a faint light, as if some enhanced mode had been activated.

The moment Shadow encountered the first group of pirates, the fight turned into a one-sided slaughter.

He moved faster than before. Faster and more precise.

Every strike was aimed at a vital point.

Despite their numbers, the pirates looked helpless against him. In only a few minutes, nearly ten pirates had fallen. Shadow had barely taken a scratch.

"This is impossible," Thor said in disbelief. "That level of strength is at least cosmic tier. Maybe even interstellar tier. How could someone like him just be an ordinary escort captain?"

Hong's expression grew increasingly serious.

"There must be more to this mission than we know. Shadow's identity, the origin of that stone chest, even this so-called pirate attack. All of it might be part of something much larger."

Rowan was about to reply when the mysterious voice suddenly echoed inside his mind again.

"Rowan... danger... he is not... what he appears to be..."

Rowan's head snapped upward.

On the main screen, Shadow swung his blade with terrifying power, slicing cleanly through a pirate's energy shield before driving the blade straight through the man's chest.

The entire command center gasped.

Energy shields normally required several strikes to break. Yet Shadow had destroyed one with a single attack.

"Did you see that?" Rowan exclaimed. "That strength and speed are at least interstellar level!"

Thor and Hong both nodded, their eyes filled with shock and reluctant admiration.

Whatever they thought of Shadow's attitude, his combat ability was undeniable.

With Shadow joining the battle, the situation changed almost instantly.

The pirates began retreating, scrambling back toward their ships. In less than twenty minutes, the intruders had been completely driven off. The transport vessel returned to a tense calm, leaving behind damaged corridors and several injured crew members.

When Shadow returned to the command center, his combat armor was stained with blood and scorched by energy fire.

Yet he himself appeared completely unharmed.

He slowly scanned the room. His gaze lingered on Rowan and the others for a moment before he walked toward the command console.

"Report the damage," he ordered calmly.

The communications officer responded immediately.

"Three crew members lightly injured. One seriously wounded and already transferred to the medical bay. The ship's hull sustained several impacts, but core systems remain intact. All pirates have either retreated or been eliminated."

Shadow nodded in satisfaction.

Then he turned toward Rowan's group.

"You did well. You followed orders and protected the command center."

Thor opened his mouth, clearly about to make a sarcastic comment, but Hong subtly stopped him.

Hong stepped forward instead, his tone calm.

"Captain Shadow, your combat ability is impressive. It seems we underestimated you earlier."

Shadow's expression did not change.

"It is simply the result of basic training. By the way, the cargo hold needs to be inspected and reorganized. Rowan, you and Thor will handle it."

Rowan frowned slightly but eventually nodded.

"Understood. We will take care of it."

As Rowan and Thor left the command center, Thor muttered under his breath.

"He is still ordering us around. And why the cargo hold again? That is where the stone chest is. Do you think he is doing it on purpose?"

Rowan thought for a moment.

"Maybe. And that might be exactly why we should go. This could be our chance to learn more about that mysterious chest."

Thor understood immediately and stopped complaining.

The two of them entered the cargo hold.

Most of the battle damage had already been cleared. Only a few scorch marks from energy weapons remained on the walls and cargo racks.

The mysterious stone chest still rested quietly in its original position, completely untouched.

It was almost as if the pirates had never even come close to it.

"Or maybe..." Rowan said slowly, his eyes filled with contemplation, "the pirates were never qualified to approach it."

Thor frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Rowan stepped closer and lowered his voice.

"Think about it. Shadow's strength is far beyond that of a normal escort captain. And he is obsessively focused on this chest. If whatever is inside requires immense power to approach or control, then this pirate attack might have only been a test or a diversion."

Thor's eyes widened.

"You mean those pirates were not here for ordinary cargo. They came specifically for this stone chest?"

"Very possible," Rowan replied.

"And think about something else. Even though pirates entered the cargo hold, none of them actually reached the chest. What does that tell you?"

Thor suddenly understood.

"It means they might not have had the strength to approach it at all! The chest might have some kind of special defense mechanism. Only people with sufficient power can even get near it."

"Exactly," Rowan said.

"That would also explain why Shadow can guard it so easily. It is not just that he is strong. It is that the pirates simply do not qualify to approach the chest."

At that moment, a voice spoke behind them.

"What are you two whispering about?"

Rowan and Thor jumped slightly and turned around.

Hong stood casually in the doorway, leaning against the frame with his usual calm smile.

Thor lowered his voice.

"Hong, we discovered something strange. This pirate attack might not be as simple as it looked."

Hong stepped inside and quietly closed the door.

"I checked the ship's security logs earlier and noticed something interesting. The markings on those so-called pirate ships closely resemble those used by certain covert units of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire's border patrol."

Rowan and Thor exchanged a shocked glance.

"You mean," Rowan asked slowly, "those pirates were actually imperial forces?"

Hong shook his head.

"Not necessarily regular military. Possibly mercenaries hired by a secret department. But one thing is certain. This attack was carefully planned, and the target was likely this stone chest."

Thor clenched his fists.

"So we are caught in some kind of conspiracy? Then the Third Prince sending us on this escort mission might also be part of it?"

Hong thought for a moment.

"It is hard to say. The Third Prince might know, or he might simply be manipulated. After all, he knew we needed the special medicine to treat Luo Feng's injuries. That was the main reason we accepted this mission."

Rowan stepped closer to the chest again, studying the strange carvings etched across its surface.

"No matter what, this chest definitely holds a major secret. We need more information. Hong, can you find out where we are heading?"

Hong nodded.

"According to the navigation log, our destination is a planet called Brant in the Ari Star System. It is classified as a low civilization world. Technologically speaking, it is roughly comparable to Earth's medieval era."

"A primitive planet?" Thor said in surprise. "Why send something like this to a place like that?"

"Maybe that is exactly why," Rowan said thoughtfully.

"A backward world would be the perfect place to hide a secret. After all, who would expect a cosmic-level secret to be hidden on a planet that cannot even achieve space travel?"

Suddenly Hong lifted his head.

"Someone is coming. We should stop talking."

The three quickly spread out and pretended to reorganize the cargo.

Moments later, the door opened.

Shadow stepped inside.

He had already changed out of the bloodstained combat armor and was now wearing a clean black uniform. Despite the change in clothing, the cold aura around him remained just as intimidating.

"How is the cleanup going?" he asked flatly while scanning the cargo hold.

"Almost finished," Rowan replied.

"The pirates did not cause much damage. Mostly minor impacts to cargo racks and ordinary freight."

Shadow nodded and walked toward the stone chest.

He circled it slowly, inspecting every detail with careful attention.

"Captain Shadow," Hong asked casually, "our destination is the planet Brant in the Ari Star System, correct?"

Shadow turned slightly, his sharp gaze locking onto Hong.

"How did you know that? That information is supposed to be classified."

Hong shrugged.

"I checked the navigation log. As members of the escort team, knowing the destination does not seem unreasonable."

Shadow's expression grew colder.

"Your job is to protect the cargo, not gather intelligence. Do something like that again and you will face consequences."

Thor could not hold back.

"Hey, we are hired escorts, not your subordinates. According to the contract, we have the right to know the basic details of the mission."

Shadow let out a cold laugh.

"Your contract is with the Third Prince. I represent a higher authority. On this ship, my word is final."

Rowan looked at him curiously.

"A higher authority? Who exactly are you, Shadow? You are obviously not just a transport captain."

Shadow gave no answer.

Instead he said coldly, "Prepare your equipment. We will reach our destination in twelve hours. When we land, the three of you will escort the cargo with me. Do not ask questions. Do not look where you should not. Just complete your mission."

With that, he turned and left the cargo hold.

The three men stared at each other.

"A higher authority?" Thor muttered mockingly. "Who does he think he is? Some secret imperial agent?"

Hong rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"He might actually be one. The Black Dragon Mountain Empire has many internal factions. Some secret organizations operate beyond even the royal family's full knowledge. I suspect Shadow belongs to one of those departments."

Rowan stared at the stone chest, his brows tightly furrowed.

"Whoever he is, we need to stay alert. This mission is far more complicated than we expected."

They decided to take turns resting during the remaining travel time so that at least one of them would always stay alert.

All three of them had the same feeling.

Once they reached their destination, the real challenge would begin.

The next twelve hours passed in uneasy calm.

The transport ship completed repairs from the pirate attack and continued traveling toward the Ari Star System. Rowan, Thor, and Hong rested in shifts to ensure they would be in peak condition when they arrived.

Finally, the ship's broadcast system announced:

"We are about to enter the Ari Star System. Estimated arrival at Brant planetary orbit in thirty minutes. All personnel prepare for landing."

Rowan, Thor, and Hong gathered outside the cargo hold, waiting for instructions.

Shadow soon appeared.

He was still wearing the black uniform, but this time he carried a small backpack on his back, and the energy weapon at his waist had been replaced with a more advanced model.

"Ready?" he asked briefly.

The three nodded.

All of them were fully equipped with combat gear, weapons, and supplies. None of them knew what awaited them, but experience had taught them one thing.

Prepare for the worst.

Shadow opened the cargo hold door and walked toward the mysterious stone chest.

He activated a device on his wrist.

The metal chains wrapped around the chest slowly loosened and fell away, revealing more of the intricate carvings etched across its surface.

Under the dim cargo lights, those strange patterns seemed even more mysterious.