Galactic pirates.
They were a phenomenon that couldn't be fully eradicated once a civilization entered the age of interstellar travel.
Just as there were both good and bad people—some good people became geniuses whose contributions benefited the entire universe—
Likewise, there would always be bad people exploiting the vast emptiness between planets to their own advantage.
Such was the nature of galactic pirates.
They wandered through space, wielding firepower greater than ordinary transport ships, roaming freely across the galaxy.
However, even these pirates had three strict taboos:
First: never touch ships marked by recent battles.
Such ships had likely just emerged from or were currently involved in war. Trying to prey upon battle-hardened vessels would likely result in ruthless retaliation.
Second: never touch ships from the Interastral Peace Corporation (IPC).
After all, the IPC was a major power spanning the galaxy. Provoking even a single ship meant facing retaliation from every planet wishing to curry favor with them.
Third: never touch ships traveling alone without visible weapons.
Such ships usually carried extremely powerful Pathstriders.
After all, traveling unarmed through dangerous space was either a display of absolute confidence or supreme foolishness.
Aside from these three taboos, the pirates had a reliable method of identifying easy prey.
For example, those wealthy fools who loved chasing the newest model starships.
These people were famously plump sheep across the galaxy, and every pirate dreamed of capturing one.
The Spider Pirate Gang was a notorious band of pirates wandering near the medical planet Zieltworth.
Countless wealthy individuals came to Zieltworth for medical treatment, making it the ideal hunting ground for pirates like the Spider Gang, who quietly raked in credits by the bucketful.
Recently, they'd heard thrilling news:
"A brand-new Trailblazer-class starship was delivered by the IPC!"
The entire pirate ship buzzed with excitement upon hearing this.
Trailblazer-class ships were IPC's latest models. Any buyer who could acquire one at this stage had to be unimaginably wealthy.
Thus, this buyer immediately became their chosen fat sheep.
Kekeke… Let's teach you a lesson and show you just how dangerous this galaxy can be!
The Spider Pirates, from captain to crew, brimmed with anticipation. Even if this fat sheep wasn't extraordinarily rich, selling the ship alone would earn a fortune.
They simply had to have it!
After careful intelligence gathering, they locked onto the starship's location.
Even though the ship seemed to be inexplicably traveling back and forth repeatedly, its whereabouts were soon pinpointed.
Watching their prey shuttle repeatedly across space, the pirates grew more and more thrilled.
Let us lovingly spoil you…
We'll drain every drop of juice from your body!
"Attention, starship ahead! This region is under the Spider Pirates' control, and you're surrounded!"
Precisely according to plan, numerous Spider Pirate ships emerged from the pitch-black space, encircling the silver-white starship.
Looking at the trapped silver-white vessel, the pirates saw nothing but a helpless little rabbit locked inside a cage—
And they were the butchers about to slaughter it.
But then…at that very moment, the little rabbit trembled slightly.
From the starship, streak after streak of silvery-white fireflies flew outward.
Hmph. With such ordinary defensive firepower, you still dream of stopping us?
Prepare yourselves for true despair!
But then, the glittering silvery-white sparks flew directly into their fleet formations.
Only then did the pirates realize—those sparks were shaped exactly like human figures!
Huh?!
Wait—why are our ships on fire?
HUH?!
Hang on, something's wrong here!
Figures enveloped in blazing white flames darted swiftly through space.
Wherever these flames passed, the Spider-marked pirate ships burst into fierce explosions one after another.
In the endless darkness of the galaxy, a ribbon of shining lights swept away the shadows.
However, the shocking truth was that this luminous ribbon was formed entirely from exploding pirate ships.
These pirate ships selflessly sacrificed themselves, illuminating the darkness around Hoshigaki Sora's ship, guiding him forward!
Seeing this touching scene, the Iron Cavalry felt so moved that their attacks became even fiercer!
Boom boom BOOM!!
[Warning! Warning! The number of lost ships is rapidly increasing!]
"What's happening? How did things turn out like this?!"
The Spider Pirates' vice-captain watched the continuous alerts on his terminal, panic rising in his chest.
On their formation list, one ship after another was going dark—
All had become sacrificial flames lighting Sora's path!
"All ships, concentrate firepower! Shoot those monsters down immediately!" The vice-captain hurriedly ordered every remaining vessel.
He knew they'd encountered real trouble this time!
Who could've guessed that starship carried so many elite interstellar combatants?!
What kind of normal person would fill their ship like that?!
In that instant, the entire Spider Pirate fleet released all firepower restrictions, unleashing a devastating barrage!
The whole region was filled once again with dazzling lights of every color imaginable.
But—it was completely useless.
Those blazing figures easily slipped through every gap between the attacks.
Even missiles with automated tracking couldn't touch them.
The vice-captain personally saw a missile—on the brink of hitting one of those burning warriors—simply get caught barehanded.
Yes, truly caught by hand.
Witnessing this impossible scene, he froze on the spot.
This was a missile hurtling through frictionless space at incredible speeds—
Yet someone had intercepted it with their bare hand!
Though the impact knocked them backward, that figure remained unharmed, calmly grasping the missile mid-flight.
Everyone watching felt they'd seen a ghost, and at that moment, the vice-captain realized:
These weren't just elite soldiers—they were powerful Pathstriders!
"Stop, STOP! Cease fire immediately!" Another second and their fleet would be wiped out entirely!
Surrendering was always wise when facing a Pathstrider.
But the only reply he received was an even more ruthless wave of attacks.
Clearly, their enemies had no intention of mercy—only annihilation awaited.
Hotaru casually tossed the missile she'd caught, flinging it straight into another nearby ship.
BOOM!!
With a violent explosion, the vessel instantly ruptured.
"Hurry, everyone! Finish quickly—don't disturb Sora-kun's rest," she instructed the others over their comms channel.
"We got it already. These guys really picked the worst timing."
"Exactly. Sora-kun just started resting a little, and these idiots chose now to jump out?"
The channel buzzed with irritation—not at themselves, but in frustration on Sora's behalf.
After all, he'd finally found time to rest, and then these guys suddenly showed up?
How could Sora possibly relax this way?
How could they possibly tolerate it?!
Thus, their mission became clear: end this swiftly and silently before disturbing Sora, wiping these pirates out completely.
Given that pirate surrender was usually worthless, the Cavalry's path was set!
Quietly eliminate every pirate ship in sight!
You dared show yourselves at such an inconvenient moment?
Then your fate is sealed!
Their attacks grew sharper and more ruthless.
Under their flawless cooperation, pirate ships could barely survive intact for ten minutes before bursting into blazing fireballs.
The flames illuminated the path for that silver-white ship—and plunged the Spider Pirates further into despair.
"We can't go on like this!" The vice-captain immediately realized the dire situation.
"Hurry and awaken the captain from his meditation! Activate the main ship's [High-Temperature Energy Cannon]!"
His orders issued, the vice-captain glared furiously at that calm, distant ship.
"Blow them to hell!"
Those soldiers might dodge endlessly, but he refused to believe their starship could evade as easily.
Their cannon unleashed temperatures reaching nearly a million degrees instantly—
No ship could possibly survive it!
"Just watch your precious ship fall to ruin!"
With a wild grin, he slammed the firing button!
A scarlet beam of searing energy shot fiercely through space!
The vice-captain brimmed with satisfaction. Despite losing so many ships, now he could finally laugh triumphantly.
After all, happiness was built upon others' misery. Imagining the soldiers' despair filled him with joy—
But at that moment, he noticed a strange light flickering atop the silver-white ship.
Squinting suspiciously, he stared closer.
That familiar bright spark…
Why does it… look exactly like welding sparks?
It reminded him vividly of welding on his distant, backward homeworld.
Then, something unbelievable happened!
With those welding-like sparks flickering, the starship seemed to gain sentience, vanishing instantly without any warning!
WHOOSH!
It reappeared right in front of the flagship—close enough to nearly collide!
WHAT THE—?!
The vice-captain couldn't believe his eyes. How could a starship brake that precisely?
Even more shocking was a single figure standing atop the ship's hull—
"I am the offspring of the sun! Kamen Rider! Black! RX!"
Tak!
That figure launched forward, flying into a ferocious kick!
In the next instant, the flagship buckled inward, collapsing as if struck by a meteor!