Fragmented Star Belt Three was a dangerous region on the outskirts of Star-Celestial Island, composed of ancient stellar debris and asteroids. Its magnetic fields were chaotic and its spatial structure unstable, making it extremely difficult for ordinary ships to navigate. But for the modified Dawnbringer and Lin Ye's skilled, fearless squad, it was an ideal battlefield for ambushes and counterambushes.
The Dawnbringer hid in the shadow of a massive asteroid, its starlight camouflage blending into the background. On the bridge, Lin Ye observed the distance through his Jōgan.
Against the pitch-black backdrop of space, an archaic ship shaped like an enormous bronze compass fled desperately, trailing thick smoke and the glow of leaking energy. Its surface was riddled with craters and scorch marks, several armor plates had buckled outward, and the thruster array on one side flickered erratically. Behind it, three black, dart-shaped Falcon-class Otsutsuki scout ships pursued in a triangular formation, repeatedly firing purple disintegration beams that skimmed the compass ship's edges and sent ripples through its shields.
"That's the target ship, code-named Ancient Compass," came the transmission from Star-Celestial Island's patrol. "The pursuers are standard Falcon-class ships, each equipped with two Rapid-Fire Disintegration Cannons. They lack heavy weapons, but they're extremely maneuverable. Be advised: the Ancient Compass's energy signature is dropping sharply. Its shields could collapse at any moment."
"I sense seventeen life signs inside the Ancient Compass, three of them very weak," Karin reported. Her Uzumaki Rinnegan could detect life through certain obstacles. "Each pursuing Falcon has roughly five life signs belonging to standard Otsutsuki soldiers. I haven't detected chakra from any high-ranking individuals like Kinshiki or Urashiki."
"No high-ranking individuals. Just an encounter with a patrol?" Sakura considered.
"Not necessarily. Karin sensed spatial disturbances in the distance earlier." Sasuke's White Jōgan swept a wider expanse of