Ch. 116..120: Interstellar_ Return of the Villain Chapter 116-120

Chapter 116: Tough ’em Out!

"Didn’t I say no one could come in?!" Caesara snapped, her glare locked on the door. But then she stopped cold.

A slow clap broke the tense silence.

Lyra walked in, eyes gleaming with amusement. "Didn’t expect to sneak in and catch such an entertaining scene," she said, her smile eerie, sending an unsettling chill through the room.

Though she was just a level-six, the moment she stepped into the command center, the atmosphere shifted. The air felt thinner, tighter, and Caesara could feel it pressing in on her.

Lyra’s gaze hardened. "Caesara, what were you planning to do to my people?"

Without waiting for an answer, Lyra unleashed a series of light bands that raced toward Caesara.

Caesara yanked Morrison in front of her as a shield, but the bands swerved around him, shooting straight for her back. Forced to act fast, she opened a space portal and slipped through.

In a split second, Morrison was yanked aside by the light bands, landing roughly on the floor.

Lyra moved like a ghost, slipping through Caesara’s portal with ease. As she did, her Schedar armor, formed swiftly around her.

As a level-seven Space Twister, Caesara wasn’t one to back down easily. She tried warping the space around Lyra, attempting to trap her.

The force was so intense that a nearby metal table twisted into a knot. But Lyra, with her psychokinetic abilities, dodged the attack effortlessly.

Powered by her armor, Lyra threw a punch straight at Caesara.

The sheer pressure of the punch made Caesara’s skin prickle. She bent the space in front of her, forcing Lyra’s fist to miss.

Quick to counter, Caesara kicked at her, but the armor absorbed the blow without a dent.

Lyra swung again, her fist narrowly missing Caesara’s leg, but she didn’t stop there. She spun around, the armor on her hand morphing into sharp spikes.

Caesara barely managed to roll out of the way, panic flickering across her face.

She opened another portal to escape, narrowly dodging Lyra’s relentless pursuit.

But before she could find a good opening to strike back, Lyra pressed her hand down, and the air erupted with energy. Thousands of green lights, like tiny meteors, shot down from above.

The attack whistled through the air, sharp and deadly.

From the sidelines, Todd wiped sweat from his brow. When Lyra glanced in his direction, he felt his heart nearly stop, as if her stare could rip his soul right out.

But Lyra’s focus returned to Caesara. Just as she was about to launch another wave of attacks, Caesara raised her hands in surrender. "Alright, alright! I give up! I was wrong, okay?"

Though Caesara’s body was riddled with a few bloody holes, none of the injuries were serious. A quick session with a medical device would fix her up.

Lyra paused, her gaze still sharp. "Fix the command room first. We’ll deal with the rest later."

She gave Morrison a nod, and he instantly understood. "Boss, you can rest in my room for now."

The room wasn’t far from the command center. Once they got inside, the sound of Lyra’s heavy breathing and faint coughs filled the air.

She was exhausted. If the fight had dragged on even a little longer, Lyra knew her fatigue would’ve become obvious. And that would’ve been a disaster.

Morrison hurried over with a glass of water, but Lyra, fearing she might choke, waved it aside for the moment.

She covered her mouth, fighting to steady her breath, then finally took a small sip.

"What’s happening?" she asked, her face pale, flushes of red showing her strain.

Morrison knew Lyra’s health wasn’t in great shape, but he hadn’t expected her to be this winded after just a few minutes with Caesara.

This kind of weakness couldn’t get out, and Morrison knew it.

"Other caravans have been throwing their weight around. They hired level-seven bodyguards and have been trying to take control of more territory and resources. Caesara used our heavy losses as leverage to demand access to our resources, along with the ship’s activation keys and storage passwords."

"I’ve been doing everything I can to avoid a full-on clash with the major caravans, but now Lieutenant Commander Shedd’s accusing us of damaging the surface with our mining techniques. He’s pushing to get our mining rights revoked. The other caravans are piling on, aiming to squeeze us out."

Lyra understood immediately. Trouble was brewing both inside and out.

Lyra pressed her lips together, deep in thought. After a few moments, she tapped the table and asked, "What did the Mendez and Cohen say?"

Morrison frowned. "The Mendez family doesn’t care much. Lieutenant Commander Whyte has tried to keep things calm, but their numbers are too much. Even the Whyte family can’t be everywhere at once."

Their group had arrived late to the scene compared to the others. Without the queen bee clearing a path for them early on, they would’ve been left with nothing but scraps.

Sure, they made some decent profits, but it also made them a target. With their crew being less than a hundred, up against caravans of three to five hundred, they seemed like easy pickings.

While Morrison was clearly frustrated, Lyra remained calm. "Could be worse," she said.

At least the Mendez family wasn’t fully taking advantage of their position, and Cohen wasn’t sitting on the sidelines, either.

Just then, a call came through from Sean at the mining site. His voice was tense. "The Channing family just rolled up to the small mine we finished surveying. No warning, no talk—they just started drilling!" The sound of arguing rumbled in the background.

Morrison told him to keep cool. "We’ll be there soon," he said before looking to Lyra.

"How far is it?" she asked.

"About three hours by Lev."

Morrison assumed she’d want to head there directly, but Lyra surprised him with a different order. "Reach out to Lieutenant Commander Shedd. Tell them the Channings are stealing our mining site."

By now, Erin should’ve gotten word that Lyra had arrived on Wyrmtrace.

Morrison raised an eyebrow. "Erin Shedd? Are you sure?"

"Yes. Let’s have her mediate this little conflict. Oh, and make sure to record everything."

Even though he wasn’t entirely sure of her strategy, Morrison followed her instructions, sending live footage from the site to Erin. The evidence was clear—they were being targeted.

Erin’s response, however, was as sharp as it was dismissive. "We’re here to protect developers, not babysit squabbles. As long as no one’s hurt, this isn’t our issue," she said, dripping with sarcasm.

Morrison hung up, glancing over at Lyra, who had a slight, knowing smile on her face.

"Well then, what are we waiting for? Gather the team. Let’s go," Lyra announced as she stood up, walking toward the command room.

Inside, Caesara had already treated most of the injuries from their earlier fight.

"We’ll settle our stuff later. For now, we’ve got a job to do," Lyra said, her tone firm.

Caesara, looking a bit defiant, opened her mouth to argue, but Lyra cut her off. "Unless, of course, you’d prefer to stay on Wyrmtrace forever."

Caesara’s expression shifted as a chill ran down her spine. "Are you serious?"

"Try me," Lyra replied coolly.

Todd didn’t need to be told twice. He quickly rounded up the rest of the team, and they piled into the Lev, ready to take off.

Wyrmtrace was one of the largest planets they’d ever explored, and even with the Lev’s speed, it took a good twenty-six hours to make half a loop around it. Hauling ore by truck took even longer, which kept their reach limited.

But the Channing family didn’t care about limits—they kept pushing.

As the Lev neared the mining site, the loud rumble of drilling machines filled the air. Massive chunks of rock, freshly unearthed, were scattered everywhere.

Lyra ordered the Lev’s doors to be opened. Wind whipped inside, tossing her hair around wildly.

She stretched out her hand, palm open, and a swirling mass of green energy gathered. In one swift motion, it shot down toward the ground like a barrage of meteors, slamming into the Channing family’s machines and reducing them to scrap metal.

Caesara whistled, impressed. "Not bad."

Lyra smirked. "Don’t forget where we come from," she replied, slipping back into her armor. She grabbed the radio and gave her final order. "No casualties, but destroy everything."

Chapter 117: No One Died

After Lyra finished talking, she activated an energy shield, expanding it little by little. And then she took the leap, diving down first.

Behind her, Caesara raised a hand. "Alright, guys, follow me!"

Their crew responded with howls like wolves, wielding clubs as they charged down the light shield after her.

The staff, already frozen in shock, didn’t move until the crashing sounds snapped them out of it. "What the hell are you doing?"

The leader of the Channing family stepped forward. "What is this? Stop them!"

Before he could finish, a silver blur shot forward, grabbed him, and slammed him hard into the ground.

"Who are you planning to stop, exactly?" came a cold voice from the Lyra.

Suddenly, a sharp whistling sound cut through the air toward her, but Lyra didn’t flinch. The space beside her twisted, and the attack was deflected.

Caesara landed in front of Lyra, facing off against their opponent—a level-seven Peculiar. "Hey there, your fight’s with me!"

Bernard Channing, the second son of the Channing family, had always lived a cushy life.

People were either respectful or careful around him, so getting attacked out of nowhere like this? Completely new experience.

When Bernard hit the ground, he struggled to fight back, but the silver-armored Lyra stomped him down, her boot pressing his face into the dirt.

Bernard’s bodyguards rushed to help, but they were quickly tied up by bands of light. Then, they were slammed into the ground like ragdolls, bleeding from their heads.

Sean, who had been burning with anger, found himself speechless. He edged closer to Morrison. "Why’s SHE here?"

"Special training," Morrison said, waving a hand in front of Sean’s face as he stared at the chaos. "Any injuries? Any equipment busted?"

"Nah, we didn’t even try to fight back. We’ve got so few people here." Sean glanced at the fight again, swallowing nervously. Yep, this definitely felt like something SHE would do.

Bernard couldn’t even get a word out, only managing weak groans.

The others fared even worse. This wasn’t Bernard’s whole squad, and most of his crew were just staff—no match for the wild bunch from Voidstar. Within half an hour, all the equipment had been trashed.

Their leader was a wreck, and even the level-seven was taken down, courtesy of a surprise kick from Lyra while he was locked in battle with Caesara.

Bernard, bruised and barely standing, pointed a shaky finger at Lyra. "You witch! Give me your name!"

"You’ve been gunning for us and didn’t even bother finding out who are we?" Lyra pulled back the elastic metal around her, revealing her small frame.

The sight made a few onlookers blink in surprise.

"Channing, come at us again, and I’ll take one of your arms," Lyra warned.

He let out an angry laugh. "I know you! You’re Lyra of Voidstar, right? You know I’m a Channing and you’re still threatening me like that? You’ll never make it out of Wyrmtrace, I swear!"

Before he could finish, his vision blurred, and a fist sank deep into his stomach.

The level-seven next to him tried to step in, but Caesara’s spatial powers pinned him down. She casually flicked one of her braids. "Bigwigs are talking. Stay quiet."

Bernard hunched over, his hair yanked by slender fingers. As he stared into Lyra’s cold, calm face leaning in close, a chill ran down his spine. "Let’s see who won’t be leaving."

He wanted to throw out some tough words, but nothing came.

In the end, Bernard and his crew limped away in defeat, their caravan speeding off as cheers erupted from the victors.

Lyra told the team to get back to work, ramp up the mining, and then she headed inside the tent.

"Boss, are we gonna get in trouble for all this?" Sean asked, adjusting the equipment with a worried look. He had been pumped about all the new materials they were gathering, perfect for research.

"If we don’t do this, we’ll be in way bigger trouble," Lyra answered, sounding completely unbothered.

The Channing family might have serious power on Elden Prime, but chasing her down after they left Wyrmtrace? That was a long shot.

And here, in Wyrmtrace? Even less likely. Anyone who set foot here needed proper ID, and it wasn’t a place where they could just sneak in extra people. If it were that easy, the whole secret of Wyrmtrace would’ve been blown wide open by now, and space pirates would be all over it.

The only reason they were even there was because of the Mendez ship and Cohen’s connections.

So, Lyra wasn’t losing any sleep over revenge from the Mendez family.

With that thought, she casually shot a message to Cohen.

Cohen, meanwhile, was enjoying his lunch—until Lyra name popped up on his screen, instantly ruining his appetite. "Why are you contacting me on your own? What did you do this time?"

Lyra blinked innocently at the screen. "Not exactly a good thing, so I figured you’d appreciate a heads-up."

By the time evening rolled around, helicopters were buzzing in the sky—some from the Mendez family, others from the military.

Erin, leading the Legion Skywalkers, had surrounded the tents, forcing the machines to stop working.

Moments later, Lyra stepped out, locking eyes with Cohen, who trailed behind her. He kept a straight face, but he was gritting his teeth. ’Why is it always ME cleaning up her messes?’

Erin’s temper flared the second she saw Lyra. ’Why is she still alive?’

"Lyra, did you and your team destroy the Channing caravan and injure their workers?" Erin asked, her hands clasped behind her back, trying to look all high and mighty.

Lyra didn’t even hesitate. "Yep."

Bernard, freshly healed, jumped in like he was waiting for this moment. "Lieutenant Commander Shedd, she’s confessed! Arrest her!"

Erin nodded. "In that case, we’ll need you to come with us."

Zorion, standing nearby, signaled his men to move in and arrest Lyra.

"Hold up." Lyra’s cold stare landed on Zorion, stopping him in his tracks. Then she turned back to Erin. "Isn’t this just a dispute between business groups? What authority do you have to get involved?"

"We’re responsible for maintaining order on Wyrmtrace, so yes, I have the authority," Erin said firmly.

Lyra gave a knowing "Oh" and waved to Morrison, who then played a recording of a previous conversation. In it, Erin’s dismissive attitude was on full display, a sharp contrast to her current righteous act.

Lyra’s mocking voice cut through the air. "Makes me wonder what kind of relationship Lieutenant Commander Shedd has with Mr. Channing to be throwing her weight around like this. Imagine if this little comparison went viral—could spark some serious chatter, don’t you think?"

Erin’s eyes darted around, realizing too late that someone was recording the entire scene.

At that moment, Cohen sighed and finally stepped in. "Lieutenant Commander Shedd, this is a little... inappropriate, don’t you think?"

Erin’s hand, hidden behind her back, tightened into a fist. She hadn’t realized she’d walked straight into Lyra’s trap.

"You’ve gone too far!" Erin snapped.

"No one’s dead," Lyra said casually. "But if you’re that worried, next time I’ll heal them up after I’m done."

Caesara, who was always terrible at keeping a straight face during tense moments, couldn’t help but burst out laughing—way too loudly.

The tension in the air thickened, and the whole scene felt like it was about to explode.

Erin had fallen into a trap—if she arrested Lyra, she’d look biased, and if she didn’t, she’d appear weak. Just as the situation became awkward, the ever-reliable "mediator" Cohen stepped forward once again.

"I’m sure Lieutenant Commander Shedd was simply misled by someone else," Cohen said, smoothing things over.

He glanced at the still fuming Bernard. "From what we can see, the Mendez caravan was the first to detect and begin development. Mr. Channing, we’ve already spent significant manpower and resources dealing with the beasts here. I hope you won’t make things harder for us."

Cohen had figured it out—Lyra brought him along just to embarrass Erin. Without a neutral party, if Erin insisted on arresting her, there wouldn’t have been much they could do.

Chapter 118: Order On Wyrmtrace

News about the Channing family caravan hitting trouble spread fast.

A lot of caravans, which had been planning to swoop in and take advantage of the situation, decided to pause and see how things played out.

Every now and then, the caravan leaders were required to check back in at the base for briefings with the military. They’d report anything out of the ordinary and share their progress updates.

Coincidentally, the second day of Lyra’s orientation lined up with one of these meetings. Being the one in charge, she had to show up.

Morrison, Koros, and Todd flanked her as they entered the room, with a bunch of curious stares already waiting for them.

Most of those stares carried surprise. People had heard the caravan was run by a young woman, but no one expected THIS young.

Without paying any mind to the looks, Lyra strode in confidently and took her seat.

Not long after, Cohen and Erin arrived as well.

"Let’s keep this quick and get right to it," said Kogar, the meeting’s host, as he turned on a 3D map. "Here’s the data from each caravan’s progress. Take a look and tell me if anything’s missing. If it’s all good, I’ll archive it."

The meeting was all business, no fluff, and wrapped up in about thirty minutes.

As usual, Kogar threw out his closing line: "Anyone with suggestions, feel free to share."

"I have one," came a calm, direct voice that instantly captured the room’s attention.

"Miss Lyra, go ahead," Kogar said, though his smile made it clear he wasn’t thrilled about hearing it.

"I want to know the military’s stance on caravans fighting over territory," Lyra said, making it clear she wasn’t in the mood for sidestepping the issue. "Everyone here saw Lieutenant Commander Shedd’s reaction yesterday."

Lyra gestured toward Sean, who replayed Erin’s recording, forcing her to relive the embarrassment of being publicly called out.

Erin’s face turned red with fury. "Lyra, what exactly are you implying?" she shot back.

"I meant exactly what I said," Lyra replied coolly, her gaze sweeping across the room full of leaders. "Before I arrived, a lot of you gave my caravan some... ’special treatment.’ Now that I’m here, I want to ask: does Wyrmtrace have any rules or not? If not, I’ll stick to Voidstar’s."

’Whoa. She’s not holding back!’ Bernard, watching from across the table, quietly smirked. The Channing caravan was relatively small, about 300 people.

But not everyone was playing the same game.

An old lady let out a disdainful snort. She wore a formal outfit in blue. "Bold words from someone so young," she said.

Then, with a sharp edge to her voice, she added, "This planet’s massive, filled with resources. Naturally, those who are strong will take what they want."

In other words, ’if we can take it, we will.’

Several others gave Lyra mocking smiles and nodded, clearly agreeing with the sentiment.

"Mrs. Sholok, don’t be so harsh. The girl’s here under the Mendez family’s banner," another voice chimed in. "She’s young, sure, but let’s not scare her off."

"Voidstar runs things rough, but this isn’t Voidstar," someone else added.

Cohen, sitting at the head of the table, frowned slightly but stayed silent.

Alon, also present, quietly scanned his papers, though it was obvious his attention was locked on Lyra. ’What now? No cards in your hand this time.’

But Lyra didn’t flinch. She flashed a confident smile. "If it’s about ability, then let’s make it about that."

Cohen’s face tightened, and he slammed his hand down on the table. "Let me be clear," he said, voice calm but sharp. "While each caravan decides how they extract resources, there will NOT be any more violent conflicts like yesterday. If anyone breaks this rule, everyone involved will be sent back, no exceptions. And no new personnel will be allowed to join."

This shift in tone was rare for Cohen, who usually kept things light. But no one in the room forgot that he was the son of an admiral and a rising star in the military. When his face darkened, the weight of his authority settled over everyone, making the point without him needing to shout.

Even Sholok, who had been acting smug moments earlier, dialed back his attitude. "Of course, we’ll follow the rules," she muttered.

Others around the table quickly nodded in agreement, not willing to push their luck.

Cohen then turned his attention to Lyra.

She gave him a small nod. "Fine," she said, though her tone hinted at disappointment. It was subtle, but enough to make Cohen’s jaw tighten. He knew she was up to something.

The new rule didn’t exactly work in Lyra’s favor. Her team was small, and if the other caravans wanted to, they could easily provoke her group into a conflict.

Just send a few people to start trouble, and boom—her entire caravan would be forced out.

But there was a catch: getting the caravans to gang against Lyra would be no easy task. They all had their own interests, and no one was going to stop mining or gathering resources just to mess with Lyra.

Even the Sholok family, with their large numbers, wouldn’t throw away their progress on petty feuds. It’d be like handing over their gains to others.

Morrison knew this too, so he wasn’t too worried. But Lyra wasn’t about to leave things to chance.

Back at base, she pulled Morrison aside. "Keep an eye on Erin," she said, her voice low. "Watch if she starts talking to the other caravan leaders."

Morrison nodded. Sure, it wasn’t likely for the caravans to team up, but it wouldn’t take much for someone to stir the pot.

Later that night, Morrison’s suspicions were confirmed.

Through Koros’ surveillance feeds, he spotted movement near Erin’s camp. Several caravan leaders were sneaking over to meet her.

He reported it to Lyra immediately. "Just like you thought," he said. "They’re all meeting with Erin."

"I see," Lyra replied, cutting the connection.

She wasted no time and contacted Cohen, her voice hard with frustration. "This is on you, Cohen. Erin’s teamed up with the other caravans to target us."

Cohen, who was in the middle of a quick meal in the cafeteria, paused mid-bite. He put down his fork, already anticipating what was coming.

"How is that my fault?" he asked, not even trying to hide his irritation. "You brought up this issue today just to give yourself a reason to go after them, like you did yesterday."

He wasn’t wrong, and both of them knew it. The rule had its flaws, but Cohen wasn’t about to budge on it.

Lyra went quiet, but Cohen could tell he had hit a nerve.

"Lyra, those caravans aren’t Voidstar bandits," Cohen said, his voice firm but calm. "They’re regular citizens. I won’t stand by and let you hurt them."

The caravans may have thought their numbers made them strong, but Cohen knew better. Lyra’s crew was better trained, better equipped. If it came to a real fight, the caravans wouldn’t stand a chance. He wasn’t about to let that happen on his watch.

"I’m just going to rough them up a bit, no one’s going to die," Lyra said, pausing for a beat before adding with a casual shrug, "Worst case, I’ll heal them afterward."

Cohen felt his patience slipping. Every conversation with Lyra seemed to shave years off his life.

"No way! Those caravans are just stealing supplies. They haven’t physically harmed anyone. Can’t you just avoid them?"

"It’s too time-consuming and exhausting. So, no," Lyra shot back, clearly not interested in taking the peaceful route. She tossed his earlier words right back at him. "How about this—find an excuse and have your people tag along with my caravan."

Cohen blinked, stunned by her bold suggestion. "Do you even realize what you’re asking? How could I justify getting involved in your disputes?"

Lyra didn’t miss a beat. "If Erin can stoop to working with them, why are you hesitating? Besides," she added with a smirk, "you’ve lost quite a few people on Wyrmtrace lately, haven’t you? Are you sure you’ve paid out enough death benefits?"

There was a moment of silence. Cohen took a deep breath, trying to keep his cool. "This isn’t a long-term fix."

"I just need enough time until my special training is done," she said, pushing the matter.

A few days later, Cohen ordered an on-site data collection, confusing the other caravans. It wasn’t until his soldiers began shadowing Lyra’s caravan that the pieces fell into place—Lieutenant Commander Whyte was PROTECTING her.

"What’s Whyte playing at?" Bernard asked, dumbfounded. He had been gearing up to act against Lyra, but this threw him off. "Has he taken a liking to that Lyra?"

Mrs. Sholok, ever the cynic, sniffed in disdain. "Mr. Whyte is a man of principle. He’d never side with a mere merchant."

A broad-shouldered man grunted in agreement. "He probably saw this coming when he made that rule. He’s just making sure the small caravans aren’t pushed around unfairly."

"We were all ready to drag them down," Bernard muttered, "but it looks like Whyte won’t tolerate any shady business."

Reluctantly, they agreed to hold back and see how things played out.

If Lyra had overheard their conversation, she probably would’ve laughed.

But at that moment, she was deep into special training, listening to Andre’s latest briefing.

Improving their physical strength or honing superpowers wasn’t realistic in such a short time, Andre had explained. Instead, the goal of this training was to sharpen teamwork and coordination. That’s where they’d see the fastest improvement.

"There won’t be a designated leader during this training," Andre’s gaze swept over the group. "At the end, we’ll announce the team leader. You’ll need to figure things out as you go." His eyes narrowed. "We’ll be watching the entire time, so don’t try anything sneaky."

Then he dropped the mission: capture a young Galestone beast.

The announcement sent a ripple of shock through the group.

"Sir, did you say a Galestone cub?" one student asked in disbelief.

Andre’s frown deepened. "Are your ears clogged?"

No one dared question him again.

Among the group, only Elsie and Nicholas stayed calm.

As third-years, they had experienced special training before, so they knew to expect tough missions. But even they couldn’t hide the tension creeping in—this task was on another level.

A Galestone was a level-6 beast. And the real kicker? They were fiercely protected by both their parents. If necessary, the team would have to face two of these level-6 creatures at once!

 

Chapter 119: Stealing

Andre only gave the special training squad one big, heavily armored off-road vehicle—and it was solar-powered. That meant they constantly had to watch the energy levels and how long they stayed out in the field. Just one more challenge to add to the mission.

Milo, never one to keep quiet, grumbled, "How the f*ck are we even supposed to train like this? Are we even gonna make it back alive?" It was a wonder he’d made it into military school, considering how much he sounded like someone from Voidstar.

"Plus, according to the report, this species—Galestone—lives in rocky areas and has dual superpowers. It can fly and dig tunnels! And we’re supposed to catch its babies? This is a joke!"

Elsie finally lost her patience. "Can you shut up already?"

Milo, of course, didn’t miss a beat. "Oh, look at who’s trying to be all superior."

His attitude grated on everyone, especially Lyra. He reminded her of the Grains from EPMA, except the Grains knew when to stay quiet.

Milo, on the other hand, acted like he didn’t even care that Elsie could outmatch him in a fight. "You women are all the same. Can’t handle hearing anything. If it bothers you that much, cover your ears. Why should I have to change?"

Even the guy next to Milo shot him a frustrated look.

Sensing things were about to get worse, Nicholas, their team leader, stepped in. "Alright, enough. This mission’s hard enough as it is. Let’s focus on coming up with a plan."

That calmed things down a bit, though Elsie still looked irritated. Milo gave her a smug look, clearly satisfied with himself.

In the back, Lyra sat quietly next to Adela, another sophomore. They both knew speaking up wouldn’t do much good—the seniors rarely listened to them anyway. Better to keep quiet.

After about seven hours of switching drivers, they had to stop. Time to figure out their route and, more importantly, how they were going to capture the Galestone cub.

A head-on fight would be a disaster. Stealth was the way to go, but that meant someone had to distract the two adult Galestones.

"Galestones are fast," Nicholas said, looking at Elsie and Lyra. "Whoever distracts them needs to dodge or at least hold their own in a fight."

Before anyone else could speak, Elsie stepped up. "I have Aerokinesis. I can pull one of them away, but I’ll need backup."

The Galestones were powerful, more so than any human unless they had a rare or particularly strong ability. Unfortunately, wind powers weren’t exactly in that category.

A voice from the side broke the silence. "I’ve got Geokinesis. I can manipulate earth. I can slow the beast down if it tries to turn back."

It was a solid combo against the Galestones’ abilities.

Nicholas nodded but added, "Even with the two of you, it might not be enough. If one doubles back, the rest of the team could be in trouble."

Milo, ever eager to stir things up, pointed at the quiet girl in the corner. "Hey, we’ve got a level-six over there. Send her with Elsie. Then we’re good."

Elsie shot back, "We’ll be good, but what about the rest of the team? Lyra’s power is perfect for catching the young. It’s a waste to have her distract an adult."

She had seen Lyra fight before and knew her worth. With only three level-sixes on the team, they needed Lyra focused on capturing the Galestone cub, not playing decoy.

Milo overheard Elsie’s comment and let out a mocking laugh. "A healer? A waste? You’ve got to be kidding."

One of the elder students, who’d seen Lyra in action, wasn’t having it. "You weren’t there that day, Milo. You didn’t see her fight. Elsie’s got a point."

Milo rolled his eyes, smirking. "Yeah, sure, keep siding with these girls."

That pushed Elsie to the edge. Her fist clenched so tight she could feel her knuckles strain. Even the guy who had been driving couldn’t help but snap. "What’s wrong with you? This has nothing to do with gender."

Nicholas had had enough. "Alright, enough," he said, clearly done with the bickering. He turned to Lyra. "What do you think, Lyra?"

Without missing a beat, Lyra responded. "I’m not the strongest physically, so I probably wouldn’t be the best fit for Elsie’s task." She knew her limits. Barely scraping by in physical training, she wasn’t about to outrun a Galestone in a full-on chase.

Milo, of course, jumped on that. "If you’re that weak, why the f*ck are you even in special training? We all have to deal with Galestones!"

Lyra stayed calm. "That’s why I’ll handle taking the young ones. You guys distract the adults." Most of the team had combat powers, and the Geokinesis user needed to back up Elsie. So, stealth? That was her job.

Before Milo could argue further, she cut him off. "Let’s vote."

They were all sitting in a loose circle. Elsie raised her hand first. "I agree. Kolan or Daire can help me."

The two seniors she mentioned quickly raised their hands too.

"I’m in," Adela, another sophomore, said as she lifted her hand.

Now it was down to Nicholas and a steaming Milo. Seeing the direction it was headed, Nicholas nodded. "Alright, we’ll go with that."

Milo’s complaints were effectively ignored.

The plan was set, though they still needed to work out the details once they got closer to their target. For now, they had to navigate through beast nests and rough terrain, taking some long detours along the way.

Wyrmtrace had a day and night cycle that lasted about a third longer than Planet Nagano’s. When the sun finally set, the moonlight helped recharge their vehicle a bit, but not enough to keep going for long.

By the time the vehicle’s power dipped below 20%, they had no choice but to stop for the night.

Everyone was exhausted. After setting up night watch rotations, the group settled in to get some much-needed sleep.

Meanwhile, far out in the vast expanse of space, a massive spaceship streaked through the stars. Its hull was painted with the skull of a one-horned beast, and its radar satellites spun continuously, scanning for any planets with signs of life.

Back on Wyrmtrace, the Information Technology Department’s machines started beeping wildly. The technician on duty jumped out of his chair, fumbling for the emergency button.

"Unidentified radar signal detected near Wyrmtrace! I repeat, unidentified radar signal detected!" His fingers flew across the keyboard, bringing up more data. "Activate counter-recon measures and initiate signal jamming protocols!"

The Alliance’s IT systems were top-notch, and after a series of quick operations, they managed to mask almost all signs of activity on the planet.

Cohen burst into the room, still buttoning his shirt. "What’s the situation?"

An unidentified radar ping could mean only two things: space pirates or an Imperial scout ship. Either way, it spelled trouble. If they were found, the base would be wiped out without hesitation.

They carefully activated a hidden satellite to get a visual on the intruders. "It’s just one ship," one of the techs reported. "Likely space pirates. They seem to be hanging around this sector."

Cohen didn’t hesitate. "Send an urgent request for support to the nearest military space station. Now."

 

Chapter 120: The Seething Fires

To keep the panic at bay, the Alliance decided not to spread the word about space pirates showing up near Wyrmtrace.

Koros, though, wasn’t so easily fooled. He just loved hacking military’s intel system. When the news reached him, he froze for just a beat before quickly passing it along to Morrison.

Morrison, too, stayed cool. He’d had his fair share of run-ins with space pirates back in the day, just like Sorren.

With his chin resting in his hand, Morrison studied the image before him. "This looks familiar."

Right then, Todd showed up with his crew. As he glanced at the screen, his brow furrowed. "Morrison, isn’t that the Seething Fires? Their leader is a level-eight Peculiar of Aerokinesis and Firekinesis."

They had done business at Voidstar No. 2, and the Seething Fires were old clients.

"Now that you mention it," Morrison nodded, "I remember them. They’ve been circling Wyrmtrace."

Todd’s expression stiffened. "Sir, this is no time for jokes."

Morrison snapped his fingers. "Military reports. We need to notify our boss. And Todd, you might want to inform yours as well. If these pirates land and start causing trouble, your boss’s reputation might come in handy."

Now, communication devices were strictly off-limits during special training, but Lyra had her ways. Sneaking one in was hardly a challenge for her.

As she kept watch, the small device behind her ear buzzed. With a light touch of her finger, a soft voice reached her ear through bone conduction.

"Boss, the Seething Fires have been spotted near Wyrmtrace. They’re circling."

Morrison and Koros had kept it together when they talked, but Morrison’s voice tightened as he updated Lyra.

’The Seething Fires?’ Lyra sat by the flickering campfire, its light casting dancing shadows across her face.

It was a heavy thought—there were eight level-seven Peculiars on Wyrmtrace, but the Seething Fires had a level-eight leader, two level-sevens, and a small army of level-sixes.

The odds were not in their favor.

"Has the military called for backup?" she asked.

Morrison answered quickly, "Lieutenant Commander Whyte has sent out a distress signal to the nearest stations."

Each station had a portal for safe wormhole jumps, but the closest one was still forty hours away. In that time, the pirates could easily track them down.

With a frown, Lyra made the call. "Stop all excavation work, gather the resources we’ve collected, and send them back."

"Got it," Morrison replied.

As the call ended, he sighed in relief. At least Lyra wasn’t going to have them die over a pile of rocks.

Meanwhile, Koros got orders from his side as well.

"Keep an eye on the Skywalkers’ signals," Snakehead instructed.

"Understood," Koros replied. He hesitated for a second, then added, "Should we block radar signals from the special training team? What if the pirates track them down first?"

The training team only used an internal radar system. As long as they didn’t broadcast signals or give away their location, there was no real danger.

"No need," Snakehead decided.

A soft night breeze carried the scent of this strange, new world.

Lyra tossed another log onto the fire.

When Elsie arrived to take her shift, she headed inside, ready for a few hours of sleep.

The military always kept tabs on the progress of their missions. Typically, this had little to do with the Skywalkers, but that day, Erin came to Kogar with a question.

"That special training group of kids—they should be wrapping up their mission soon, right?"

Kogar’s suspicions were immediately triggered. Ever since discovering Lyra’s real identity, he had grown wary whenever these two sisters inquired about one another. ’What is she plotting this time?’

"I don’t think that should be your concern," Kogar replied, trying to keep things neutral. "I can’t answer that."

Still, the conversation left him feeling uneasy. So later, he brought it up with Cohen.

"Do you think Erin might..."

"No," Cohen interrupted without hesitation. "Even if Erin were reckless, she wouldn’t go that far."

Sure, Erin might want to eliminate Lyra, but she wouldn’t resort to something that would harm herself in the process. There were smarter ways to take someone down.

"Yeah, you’re right."

Time dragged on painfully. They hadn’t intercepted any signals from the Seething Fires, and thankfully, the pirates hadn’t located them either.

Meanwhile, the special training team had stumbled upon what they were after—signs of the elusive Galestones. Even better, they had cubs with them.

The region they were in was rugged, full of jagged cliffs and scattered shrubs. Tiny herbivores had dug burrows all around, squeaking and diving underground at the sight of the team’s vehicles.

Instead of approaching directly, they sent out mini-drones to scope out the area.

After some careful scouting, they spotted the Galestones’ nest tucked between the rocks.

The beast itself was an impressive sight—gray-white with layers of diamond-shaped scales. Its six-meter-long body was sleek and snake-like.

Its front limbs, short but sharp, were perfect for digging. With just a few powerful swipes, it could carve a hole in the rocks big enough to disappear into within seconds.

Its hind legs were muscular, and its tail—nearly twice as long as its body—had fins along the spine, which gave it incredible agility when flying.

"Only the female is in the nest," someone pointed out. "The male must be out hunting."

This was the break they needed—no need to worry about fighting two adult beasts at once.

Elsie nodded, determined. "Let’s not waste time. We’ll intercept the male now!"

Nicholas hesitated, wanting to play it safe, but he knew this was a chance they couldn’t afford to miss. So, he stayed quiet.

After the three left and sent word that they had located the male and were preparing to engage, the others sprang into action.

"Lyra, grab the cub and head straight for the armored Lev. When you’re far enough out, let us know."

"Roger that," Lyra confirmed.

With the plan set, Nicholas, Milo, and Kolan charged toward the female Galestone, making as much noise as possible.

By now, the creature had grown wary of humans. The moment she spotted them, she recognized the threat.

Letting out a series of sharp cries, the cub darted into a narrow hole for cover.

The female’s fins spread wide, shimmering silver with a fiery red base. She whipped through the air like a bolt of silver lightning.

Milo was the first to charge in but got swatted to the ground with one powerful swipe.

Not stopping there, the Galestone ripped up rocks with her claws and hurled them at Kolan, who barely managed to raise a shield of vines in time.

Kolan’s back was drenched in sweat. A dual-superpower beast like this was no joke.

"Think you can take me down?" Milo growled, wiping blood from his mouth. Shifting into his half-beast form, he lunged at the Galestone, his claws digging deep into her side.

Sparks flew as his claws scraped against the beast’s thick scales.

Meanwhile, Nicholas was on the attack too, launching fireballs one after another. They exploded with booming force right in front of the Galestone, each one lighting up the night sky.