The Cosmic Battleship Strikes!

Amid the boundless expanse of the universe, a floating courtyard drifted among the stars, like a solitary messenger conveying both the tranquility and splendor of existence. Yet, this serene space was now torn asunder by the chaos of cannon fire. 

Shaovne and I stood in the midst of this dazzling battlefield. Towering before us was an enormous warship, its lasers and tracer rounds slicing through the void like shooting stars, raining destruction upon everything in sight. 

The target was not only us but every structure nearby. 

Elsewhere, I couldn't say, but here, the courtyard's surface had already been ravaged, riddled with craters from the relentless assault. A female angel once mentioned that all structures within [Yuantiang] shared gravity equivalent to that of the surface, allowing us to maintain relative balance through refined combat techniques even amidst the onslaught. 

Shaovne moved with the grace of a meteor streaking across the night sky, deftly dodging the barrage of laser beams. Every pivot and leap was perfectly timed, avoiding deadly blows with precision. 

Following close behind, I adjusted my position with practiced skill, carefully observing the massive warship ahead. With my blade in hand, I struck down missiles and energy beams, fending off the enemy's relentless firepower. 

Yet, the courtyard's condition worsened with every passing moment. 

"We can't keep this up! I don't know what that thing is, but we have no choice but to destroy it!" 

Shaovne's voice rang in my ears, carrying a mix of urgency and resolve. 

I took a deep breath, catching a glimpse of unwavering determination in her eyes. A glance at the now-ruined pavilion confirmed that staying here meant certain destruction. Gauging the distance between myself and the warship, I made a swift decision. 

"Understood." 

I swiftly drew my black shortsword, a weapon unlike any other, imbued with a foreboding power. Gripping it tightly, I locked my gaze on the colossal warship in the distance. Its weapons continued to unleash lasers and energy blasts, bent on annihilating everything in its path. 

Adjusting my stance, I raised the shortsword high, focusing all my strength. In Shaovne's watchful eyes, I hurled the blade with all my might toward the warship. The sword arced through the air like a comet, unstoppable and precise, aimed directly at its mark. 

As the blade traveled, it ignited into brilliant flames, a stark contrast against the darkness of space. Lasers and energy blasts targeted the sword, sensing its threat, but the blazing light repelled every attack effortlessly. 

At last, the blade struck the warship's core. A deafening explosion erupted, engulfing the massive vessel in a wave of searing energy. The ship disintegrated into a fiery ball, its shockwave rippling outward and shaking the surrounding void. 

Shaovne dropped to one knee, sweat glistening on her face as remnants of combat resolve lingered in her eyes. Watching the warship dissolve into debris, her tense expression softened at last. 

"Well done! You're even better than I expected!" 

Her voice carried genuine admiration, a rare note of delight breaking through the tension. 

I caught her words but kept my gaze fixed on the distant explosion. As the warship's fragments drifted into nothingness, the battle quieted, leaving only the battered courtyard floating amid the stars. Standing on the broken pavilion, I soaked in the stark silence and majestic expanse, scanning for any sign of approaching angels. 

Surely such an attack would have alerted [Yuantiang], I thought. 

True enough, the same female angel reappeared beside us. 

"Are you both alright? Moments ago, space pirates launched an assault here. Our angels have destroyed all their ships." 

"We're fine..." 

I sighed, the adrenaline of battle ebbing as I replayed the events in my mind. Then, an odd realization struck me. 

Something was missing. 

...It hit me. 

The black shortsword I threw earlier—seems I won't be getting it back.