Chapter 241: Shadow

A dense rain of energy projectiles pelted the small craft like droplets; Kelinda's energy sword sliced a curtain of light, barely holding the assault. The ship's Energy Shield flickered violently, and a shrill alarm blared throughout the cabin. "Left‑side shield damaged 70%!" the Elf's voice trembled slightly as she maneuvered the ship in sharp left and right thrusts, trying to evade the pirates' fire but still unable to avoid it completely.

"Dammit!" Kelinda muttered. She could feel the ship's energy draining rapidly. At this rate, they would soon be shot down. "Elf, prepare to fire up the jump engine!"

"But the jump engine isn't fully charged yet…" The Elf's words were cut short when an energy cannonball struck the ship's tail, jolting it violently and making the engine emit an unsettling hum.

"No time!" Kelinda decided on the spot. "Fire up the engine, even at only 50% power!"

On the pirate ship, a hulking man with a snarling grin—Du Yan Long—stared at the small craft they were chasing. "Boss, they seem about to fire the jump engine!" a pirate shouted, pointing at the screen.

"Hmph, trying to run?" Du Yan Long sneered. "Crank up the firepower; don't let them get away! I want that demon girl and her magic wand!"

The small craft's jump engine blazed with dazzling light, and the hull began to shake violently. Just as the engine was about to engage, an energy cannonball hit its core, snuffing the brilliance instantly and halting the ship's tremors.

"Engine damaged! We can't jump!" the Elf's voice was filled with despair.

Kelinda's face turned pale, but she didn't give up. She inhaled deeply and said to the Elf, "Prepare to abandon ship! We'll fight them to the end!"

No sooner had she spoken than the pirate ship closed in, and a squad of fully armed pirates burst from the landing bay into the small craft. Kelinda brandished her energy sword and charged forward bravely. Her swordplay was fierce, each swing ending a pirate's life. The Elf also swung her magic wand, unleashing spell after spell to cover Kelinda.

However, the pirates were too many, and they were gradually surrounded. Du Yan Long approached with a few elite pirates, greed flashing in his eyes. "Don't resist, beauty. Submit peacefully! Come with me, and I'll make sure you live in luxury!" he leered, moving toward Kelinda and reaching to grab her arm.

"Get out of my way!" Kelinda shouted, slashing at Du Yan Long. He dodged effortlessly, then punched Kelinda in the abdomen; she let out a muffled groan and staggered back a few steps.

"Boss, that magic wand!" a pirate shouted, pointing at the Elf's wand.

Du Yan Long's gaze shifted to the Elf, his greed intensifying. "Little girl, hand over the wand and I might consider sparing your life!"

At that moment, the black shadow reappeared. It moved like a wraith among the pirates, each appearance snuffing out a pirate's life. The pirates looked around in terror, unable to locate the shadow.

"What the hell is that?" Du Yan Long shouted in panic.

The shadow ignored him and kept attacking the pirates. Suddenly it halted, turned its head toward Kelinda and the Elf, and let out a shrill scream.

The Blue Star Guardian's "Heart of the Starfall" in his hand suddenly vibrated violently; he snapped his eyes open, gazing toward space. "Kelinda… danger…"

The Blue Star Guardian furrowed his brow; the Heart of the Starfall buzzed incessantly in his hand, flashing uneasy red light. He sensed Kelinda's energy fluctuations weakening, clearly in grave peril. He paced anxiously, powerful energy surging around him, ready to tear through space to render aid.

However, the shadow's presence acted like an invisible shackle, binding him firmly to Lan Xing. He knew that if he left, the shadow would seize the opportunity and strike a fatal blow at the unsuspecting Zhang Cheng. He must protect Zhang Cheng; it is his duty as the Blue Star Guardian and his promise to Zhang Cheng.

At that instant, the black shadow hovering over Zhang Cheng roiled. It swelled like a massive black ink mass, constantly rolling and twisting, exuding a chillingly evil aura. It emitted a shrill screech, and a black vortex erupted from its core, like a devouring black hole sweeping toward Zhang Cheng.

"Bad!" the Blue Star Guardian's heart sank; he felt the shadow's murderous intent, clearly aimed at killing Zhang Cheng. He wanted to intervene but was stretched thin. He had to choose between Kelinda and Zhang Cheng.

Bound by the intense light, Zhang Cheng also sensed the approaching death aura. He strained to open his eyes, but only a blinding white glare met him. Yet he could clearly feel a massive suction pulling him toward an endless abyss. He struggled fiercely, trying to channel his bracelet's power, but the light stood like an unbreakable barrier, imprisoning him.

"Kelinda…" Zhang Cheng whispered her name in his mind, a fierce will to survive igniting within him. He refused to fall here; his mission was unfinished, and he had not yet spent a lifetime with Kelinda.

He clenched his teeth, gathering all his energy to break through the light's hold. His body trembled violently, veins bulging like coiling dragons, sweat pouring down like rain. The light began to show a fissure, yet it still held him firmly.

The black vortex drew nearer; Zhang Cheng could even feel its icy death aura brush his cheek. Despair filled him—was he truly doomed here?

At that hair‑trigger moment, a crisp voice rang out: "Stop!"

Simultaneously, a dazzling beam tore across the sky like a falling meteor, slamming into the black vortex. A violent explosion echoed across the heavens, the vortex shattering instantly into specks of black light that faded into the air.

The intense light vanished as well, and Zhang Cheng finally saw daylight again. He beheld a woman in silver battle armor, wielding a light sword, hovering in the air. She was tall, with a stern face, her long silver hair streaming in the wind like a deity descended.

"You are…?" Zhang Cheng asked, staring at the unfamiliar woman, his mind full of doubt.

The woman turned slowly, her gaze landing on Zhang Cheng, a faint smile curling her lips. "I am an interstellar warrior of the Galactic Alliance, dispatched to protect you."

She paused, then shifted her eyes toward the distance, her stare sharpening. "As for that black shadow…"

Her voice suddenly turned icy, brimming with murderous intent: "I will make it pay!"

Zhang Cheng's consciousness, trapped in the intense light like a caged beast, frantically channeled his bracelet's power, trying to tear a fissure. The bracelet buzzed, energy surging within him, yet the seemingly thin but actually indestructible light barrier would not yield. He clenched his teeth, pushing his own strength to the limit; muscles tensed, veins bulged, like a fully drawn bowstring about to snap. The light dazzled his vision into a white haze, but he could feel the black vortex drawing ever closer, death's shadow flooding over him like a tide.

Meanwhile, Kelinda was locked in fierce combat with the space pirates. She wielded her energy whip like a supple venomous snake, each lash ending a pirate's life. Yet she was frantic, her eyes never leaving Zhang Cheng, bound by the intense light in the distance. She sensed the malignant energy ripple—that was the black shadow! It had seized the chance to strike at Zhang Cheng!

"Dammit!" Kelinda roared, her energy whip whipping even more ferociously. She abandoned the fight, intent only on shedding these pesky flies and rescuing Zhang Cheng. She flashed, becoming a streak of red light, breaking through the pirate encirclement and racing toward Zhang Cheng. Several pirates, seeing this, immediately piloted small craft after her; laser fire rained down like raindrops, never managing to hit the red lightning.

At that moment, a crisp voice sounded in Kelinda's ear: "I'm coming to help you!"

A Elf clad in a green robe, with a pair of transparent wings, appeared beside Kelinda. She brandished a gem‑inlaid staff, gave it a light swing, and a massive magical circle materialized, trapping the pursuing pirates inside. The circle shimmered with multicolored light, like a huge cage that held the pirates firmly.

"You are…?" Kelinda asked, surprised at the suddenly appearing Elf.

"I am Ailisiya, a guardian Elf of this star region," the Elf smiled, "I know your lover is in danger; I will do my utmost to help you."

Kelinda nodded gratefully, no longer hesitating, and kept flying toward Zhang Cheng. Ailisiya followed closely, continuously swinging her staff and unleashing various support spells to help Kelinda fend off stray pirate attacks.

Bound by the intense light, Zhang Cheng was now at a life‑or‑death juncture. The black vortex loomed within reach; he could even feel its icy suction tearing at his soul. He closed his eyes in despair, awaiting death's arrival.

Suddenly a silver beam sliced across the sky like a sword, cleaving the black vortex in two. The intense light vanished as well, and Zhang Cheng fell heavily to the ground, gulping for breath.

He looked up and saw a woman in silver battle armor, wielding a light sword, hovering in the air. She was tall, with a stern face, her long silver hair fluttering in the wind like a deity descended.

Her voice suddenly turned icy, full of murderous intent: "I will make it pay!" With that, she flashed and vanished on the spot.

Almost simultaneously, Ailisiya cried, "Bad! That black shadow…"

Ailisiya's expression grew grave; a hint of worry flashed in her emerald eyes. "The shadow's power is growing; I feel space distorting!" The light of her staff flared, and a far larger magical circle descended from the sky, enveloping the remaining pirates and their ships. The circle radiated emerald light, like a massive jade dome, trapping the pirates immobile.

"I must go help him!" Kelinda shouted anxiously, red energy swirling around her as her speed surged again, turning into a blood‑red lightning streak across the starry sky.

Zhang Cheng struggled to crawl up from the ground, his body still weak and feeble. After the bright light vanished, he finally saw his surroundings. He was in a desolate asteroid belt, with large and small asteroids floating around like tombstones of the cosmos, silent and still. A black vortex reappeared before him, larger than before, spinning faster, emitting a heart‑pounding howl.

The fear of death again enveloped Zhang Cheng; he felt his soul as if seized by an invisible giant hand, being slowly pulled out. He clenched his teeth, tried to mobilize the remaining energy in his body, but found it all in vain.

"Could it be... I'm going to die here?" Despair spread in his heart.

At that moment, he saw two beams of light in the distance, one red and one green, rushing toward him at astonishing speed.

"Kelinda! Ai Lixi Ya!" A sliver of hope ignited in Zhang Cheng's heart.

Kelinda and Ai Lixi Ya arrived at Zhang Cheng's side almost simultaneously. Kelinda grabbed the staggering Zhang Cheng and asked concernedly, "How are you?"

"I... I'm okay..." Zhang Cheng replied weakly, his gaze fixed on the black vortex drawing ever nearer.

Ai Lixi Ya's staff flickered with light, and an emerald shield appeared before Zhang Cheng, trying to fend off the black vortex's erosion. However, the vortex's power was too great; the shield held only a moment before cracks began to form.

"We can't keep going like this!" Ai Lixi Ya clenched her teeth, fine beads of sweat seeping from her forehead.

The black vortex drew ever closer, its massive suction pulling the surrounding asteroids in, instantly turning them to dust. As Zhang Cheng was about to be devoured, Kelinda, in despair, closed her eyes.

Suddenly, a silver ray descended from the sky, like a lightning bolt slashing the night, and instantly struck the center of the black vortex.

"Who are you?" A deep voice echoed through the starry sky.