The Rise of the Black Plain

After departing from the Artificial Moon, Starship 666 embarked on a five-week journey without encountering any issues. Their initial destination was Vanquish Station, a spaceport comparable to the one they had left, situated near a significant planet akin to Zocarro within the same galaxy.

This stop marked a relatively safe phase of their voyage. Zocarro's influence, backed by its powerful presence and the spread of its forces within its home galaxy and even into neighboring ones, provided a measure of security.

Nevertheless, as they ventured further, Zocarro's protective reach diminished, increasing the potential for encountering dangers.

Yet, space travel is unpredictable, and it's not that uncommon for a journey of 42 weeks to pass without incident.

Continuing on their path, the crew and passengers of Starship 666 navigated smoothly into their sixth week, edging closer to Scout Base. This upcoming stop, set for ten days ahead, would be their first in a new galaxy, marking a new chapter in their expedition.

...

As the ship cruised through space, Minos and his group scattered across different sections of the vessel.

The level 102 Sovereigns dedicated themselves to cultivation in the third-level chambers, focusing on their personal growth, while their robot companion conducted business on behalf of the group. However, his purpose wasn't to acquire resources but to gather information. Following their recent stop, new passengers from various alien races had come aboard, bringing with them diverse knowledge about the Zocarro's galaxy and other insights that could influence both the current journey and the group's future prospects.

Meanwhile, on the third level, Ruth and Minos took advantage of the complimentary daily meal offered at the food court, enjoying a moment of leisure and food together.

Although the cafeteria offered both complimentary and premium meals, there was no noticeable difference in quality between them. Every dish was exceptionally prepared, so much so that Minos believed he could advance in his cultivation simply by eating, without any deliberate effort!

As he enjoyed his meal, Minos already had plans to waste the energy within the food using his special abilities.

Fortunately, this task was well within his capabilities. Minos possessed a unique skill that not only accelerated his own cultivation but also significantly boosted the growth of his companions, allowing them to gain strength more rapidly.

Just as he had in the Spiritual World, Minos could extract energy from food remnants and other sources, then transfer this energy to his companions. This ability was a key factor in the swift progress Ruth and the Sovereigns had made since departing from the headquarters of the Armhands.

After finishing their meal together, Minos and Ruth encountered their large robot companion waiting patiently by their table.

"Your Majesty, we might be heading into a tricky situation in the coming days. I've been in talks with some aliens from the planet we recently passed, and it appears that space pirates have seized control of the Scout Base. There's a good chance we'll encounter trouble during our stop at the station."

Ruth and Minos shared a look of concern as they digested the news delivered by their level 103 robot.

"If other passengers are aware of this, why would the crew plan to stop at the Scout Base anyway?"

Following Ruth's question, Minos turned to the robot, pondering the same query as his wife.

"The crew is bound by their duties to drop off and pick up passengers, so stopping at Scout Base is unavoidable, regardless of the potential threats. Deviations from the planned route, like making detours, would only occur under extraordinary circumstances," the robot explained.

"What should we do then?" Ruth turned to Minos with concern.

"We'll inform our group about the situation and remain in our cabin while the ship is docked at the Scout Base. Depending on the pirates' capabilities, this could help us avoid any unnecessary confrontations and losses," Minos concluded.

The robot then offered a strategy, "It might be wise to consider some precautionary investments before we arrive at Scout Base, Your Majesty. There are premium services available for booking. By securing these services in advance, we ensure our access to them, even in the event of pirate interference with the crew's resources."

"That sounds like a prudent plan," Ruth nodded in agreement, looking towards her husband.

"Let's do it." He nodded affirmatively, feeling that it would be good to guarantee a reservation in case the pirates were powerful and their cabin's security mechanisms weren't enough to protect them.

...

The journey continued as smoothly as the initial five weeks, leading up to today when Starship 666 began to decelerate upon nearing its second destination, Scout Base. This facility, though significantly smaller than the Artificial Moon, buzzed with activity as various ships navigated to and from the adjacent planet.

This nearby planet, unlike Zocarro, which leveraged instantaneous transport to move living beings to the Artificial Moon, relied on more traditional methods of space travel.

This distinction between Zocarro and the neighboring planet wasn't merely technological but also a reflection of the differing spiritual laws governing them. Zocarro's intense gravitational pull and stringent spiritual restrictions necessitated the use of instantaneous transport for departure, highlighting the unique challenges posed by its environment.

That's why Zocarro's powers remained "hostage" to its means of transportation, which could only transport 10 people per day.

But on the other planet in the ship's path, things weren't so extreme. The native forces were able to leave their surface without any major problems, using much less technologically advanced ships than the one Minos was on at the time.

As the ship approached the base, the captain was aware of the possible trouble he might encounter there. However, as a level 114 Sovereign, he would stop there to drop off and pick up passengers, no matter what the problem was.

"Prepare for landing at Scout Base," the captain announced, ensuring that both crew and passengers were securely stationed in their cabins.

At the same time, a contingency of the crew was poised to counter any pirate threats that might emerge.

In this world, there was the presence of Sovereigns and even lower-tier Supremes, but that was no guarantee that the enemies had beings powerful enough to stand in the captain's way!

Upon establishing communication with the planet's space station, the captain maneuvered the ship to dock at one of the available ports. He then promptly opened the ship's entrance, bracing to deal with any potential challenges that might arise.

The moment the entrance was disclosed, this level 114 entity was met with the stark reality awaiting at Scout Base!