Ch. 181..185: Interstellar_ Return of the Villain Chapter 181-185
Chapter 181: Blackheart Gone
As Liliana’s powers surged, Blackheart felt the blood in his veins go wild, as if it had a life of its own.
The pressure built up fast, and before he could even react, his muscles and veins exploded.
Blood gushed from his body, painting him in a grotesque mosaic of crimson, like a field of nightmarish flowers blooming from his flesh.
From a distance, it was as though his entire body had been transformed into a macabre canvas, red blossoms sprouting violently from every pore.
Perched calmly on the tail of the colossal wyrm, Lyra watched the scene unfold with an air of cold indifference.
Grade A superpower: Hemokinesis—a terrifying ability to manipulate blood. That seemed almost too perfect for Liliana.
Its raw strength was unmatched, but the cost of wielding it was brutal. Every advancement tore through the user’s body, forcing them to endure excruciating pain as their blood revolted.
Reaching higher levels without the aid of top-tier healing plants was nearly a death sentence—many who tried were consumed by their own power.
Blackheart had always known how dangerous Liliana’s abilities were, which is why he had restricted her access to those very healing plants.
In his paranoia, he’d even considered shattering her Crystal Core to cripple her growth. But her power was too valuable, and she was too useful.
Liliana had been the backbone of his empire, managing his operations with ruthless efficiency.
In the end, Blackheart thought he could control her, always keeping her one step below him.
But now, as she stood above him, holding the very healing plants he had denied her—plants she had obtained from Lyra—he realized too late that he had created his own demise.
His eagle had turned on him, sinking its talons deep into his flesh, and now it was feeding on the life it had once served.
As his life drained away, Blackheart gasped, his eyes wide with disbelief. "You turn against me... with... with that witch..." His voice choked out in a final, strangled cry before the darkness swallowed him whole.
Liliana stood up slowly, her expression unreadable.
The blood that had coated her body slithered off her like a living thing, leaving her pristine as if it had never touched her.
She spread her arms wide, tilting her face toward the sky, a soft, almost manic laugh escaping her lips.
"So this is what freedom feels like..." she whispered.
A single tear, stained red, slipped down her cheek—a tear for the thirty years she had spent imprisoned in her father’s cruel grasp.
From the moment she had been kidnapped at eight years old, her life had been one long nightmare of blood, death, and survival. And now, as she stood among the carnage, she was free—but empty, a hollow shell soaked in the blood of her past.
Lyra, who had been quietly observing the entire ordeal, finally rose. "Clean this up," she ordered, her voice steady. "Our backup has arrived."
The wyrm lowered her massive head to her, and Lyra patted her rough scales gently. "Go have some fun," she said softly.
The creature’s eyes gleamed with excitement, and with a powerful push from her wings, she shot into the sky, leaving a gust of wind in its wake.
Far above, Leandro and his squadron of mechas were piloting through the atmosphere when they spotted the giant wyrm.
Startled by the sudden appearance of such a massive beast, they prepared to engage, but the wyrm paid them no mind, shooting past them like a bullet.
Leandro’s team continued toward the coordinates Lyra had provided. But when they landed and saw the scene before them, even Leandro, seasoned in battle, was taken aback.
The ground was littered with bodies, a mountain of corpses and creeks of blood that soaked the battlefield. It was utter carnage, unlike anything they had expected.
Some of the younger interns in Leandro’s crew gagged, barely able to stomach the sight of the massacre.
Zinnia, piloting her own mecha, approached Lyra, her voice filled with concern. "Lyra! Are you okay?"
"I’m fine," Lyra replied coolly, her gaze fixed on the towering advanced mecha approaching her.
She gestured toward the battlefield of corpses. "Sir, Blackheart is dead, and the remaining pirates have surrendered."
Leandro opened the cockpit of his mecha, stepping out with a nod of approval. "You did well, Lyra. I’ll report this to the admiral. Your contribution will be noted."
He didn’t bother asking how Lyra had managed to wipe out Blackheart’s entire legion. The details didn’t matter. The mission was a success, and that’s all that counted.
Liliana and what was left of her crew quietly gathered their things, blending into the ranks of the military fleet as they prepared to depart aboard their warships.
Far off in the distance, a thin, tall woman with wild gray hair and a feathered shawl stood in the open door of a helicopter, watching the departing ships through a pair of binoculars. Her face was twisted with fury.
In a fit of rage, Erin crushed the binoculars in her hands, her voice dripping with venom.
"Fools! They got wiped out by two little girls working together!" she spat, her voice cracking with frustration.
She cursed her luck—Lyra and Liliana had moved faster than she ever could have anticipated.
"That utterly useless piece of trash!" Erin seethed, pacing furiously. "Liliana managed to reach level-seven right under Blackheart’s nose, and she’s gathered a loyal crew without him even realizing it!"
Erin’s original plan had been to swoop in at just the right moment and seize the chaos for herself. But now, the military had been watching Blackheart closely for some time, their forces lying in wait just outside the system.
They were ready to move at the first sign of weakness. No other faction would dare strike while the military had its eyes on the region—except Erin.
One of her subordinates hesitantly asked, "Are we really going to let Liliana walk away with all of Blackheart’s resources?"
"Absolutely not! That’s MY treasure!" she snapped, her eyes gleaming with ambition.
She spun toward the rest of her crew. "Tell the Broken Blades to gather all available forces. We’re heading to space—NOW. And spread the word—Blackheart’s dead. Whoever gets there first can have their pick of his loot!"
She paused, her jaw clenched in thought.
Leandro had likely only brought part of his forces here, given the distance and the fact that he wouldn’t leave his base completely unprotected.
If she moved quickly, this could be her best chance to take everything Blackheart had left behind. Even if she had to share the spoils with other pirate factions, it would be better than walking away empty-handed.
She licked her lips, a twisted smile creeping across her face. "I hear Blackheart made quite the fortune stashed away on Voidstar No. 2."
It wasn’t long before the Falcons Pirate Group, one of the closest groups in the area, arrived.
Their leader, an old man with a grizzled mohawk, spun two iron balls in his hands. He approached with a smirk. "You sure about this intel, Broken Blade?"
The woman, Broken Blade, scoffed, her sharp eyes narrowing. "I’ve been locked in a struggle with Demetra. You really think I’d be here if I wasn’t sure?" She paused, a dangerous glint in her eye. "And after we’re done, leave that Leandro brat to me. I’ve got plans for him."
The old man chuckled, his raspy voice dripping with amusement. "You always were one twisted hag."
It didn’t take long for the two pirate factions, both led by powerful level-eight Peculiars, to unite and surround Leandro’s base in space, their forces poised to strike.
Inside the command center, Leandro and Ansel were preparing for the inevitable attack.
"Looks like we’ll have to deal with this ourselves, Vice Admiral Shedd," Leandro muttered, irritation lacing his voice.
His fingers drummed impatiently on the console in front of him. If that old pirate tried to pull a fast one, Leandro swore he’d rather face the witch from the Broken Blades than let the old man get away unscathed.
"Of course," Ansel replied, his tone calm but alert. He knew all too well the gravity of the situation.
With two notorious pirate crews on their doorstep, each led by a level-eight Peculiar, the stakes were sky-high.
Even if Ansel had his own agenda, this was no time for games. They needed to organize their forces and act fast.
As they were preparing, Ansel couldn’t resist asking, "What about Lyra? How is she?"
Leandro gave a small smirk, glancing sidelong at his colleague. "Lyra’s just fine. In fact, I’ve already submitted the report. She’ll be credited for taking down Blackheart’s forces."
It was true, and personally, Leandro enjoyed the idea of using Lyra’s success to poke at Ansel. The battle was about to begin, and any edge he could get was worth it.
Meanwhile, deep within the ship, Lyra stood before the cell where Liliana was being held.
Liliana’s lips curved into a soft smile as she leaned forward, her hand reaching out to gently cup Lyra’s face.
"Lyra, are you sure you don’t want to join me?" Her voice was low and inviting. "You gave me new life. For you, I would die."
Lyra’s expression remained cold as she pulled away from Liliana’s touch. "I have my own path, Liliana."
But before Lyra could fully withdraw, Liliana snatched her hand again, gripping it tightly. Her eyes burned with intensity. "You know where you belong, Lyra. It’s with us."
Zinnia, who had been standing nearby, shuddered in disgust and quickly stepped forward. She grabbed Liliana’s wrist and yanking her hand away. "Lyra would never join someone like you!"
Liliana blinked in surprise, and then she laughed softly, her voice silky. "Ah, my little angel. It seems there’s always someone looking out for you, isn’t there?"
Thierry, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, shot Liliana a cold glare. "We should get ready for the fight," he said sternly.
His thoughts darkened—he hadn’t forgotten how Liliana’s crew had razed a small town to the ground, leaving nothing but devastation behind.
Lyra nodded, following him out of the room to assist the medical unit. But as they were splitting up, she spotted Erin approaching, her strides quick and purposeful.
"Lyra, come with me. We’re about to join the fight!" Erin called out, her voice tense with urgency.
Lyra immediately sensed something was off and turned to walk away, but Erin quickly grabbed her arm, leaning in close. "Are you really going to stand by and let Kail die? And what about your internship credits—don’t you want those too?"
Lyra froze for a moment, her mind racing.
Chapter 182: One Step To Level Seven
Erin might as well have had the word "scheme" tattooed on her forehead, her intentions glaringly obvious.
Lyra cast a quick glance over her shoulder, her eyes narrowing. "Fine."
This could easily turn into her opportunity to strike back.
Without another thought, she followed Erin—whose smug smirk made it clear she thought she’d already won—straight towards the mecha bay.
At that same moment, Kail was on the verge of leaving. His entire squad had been decimated during the chaotic fight at the trading market. The crushing weight of defeat hung heavily over him. When he saw Lyra, he managed to whisper, "Sis..."
She didn’t break stride. "Let’s go."
Kail blinked, caught off guard. "You’re heading out too?"
But he didn’t need much time to piece it together. His expression darkened, and he shot Erin a sharp look. "You’re still trying to hurt her? Even now?"
With no one else around, Erin didn’t bother hiding her twisted intentions. "Oh, I’m not just trying. I want both of you dead!"
The tension was palpable, almost electric, and Kail’s energy flared like a storm ready to break. Erin’s smirk only widened.
"Didn’t you say we were going?" Lyra cut in, slicing through the hostility in the air.
Erin faltered, momentarily thrown off. ’Why isn’t Lyra panicking? She has to know this is a trap. But, no matter, there’s no escaping this time.’
"We’ll use the level-six mechas," Erin said, lifting her chin and pointing towards a tall, multi-colored model nearby. "We need to reinforce Vice Admiral Shedd’s unit."
Lyra calmly picked a sleek, red humanoid mecha. After a quick, thorough inspection, she closed the cockpit, locking herself in.
Kail opened his mouth, on the verge of calling out to her, telling her not to go. But Lyra didn’t spare him a glance, sealing any chance for protest.
In a flash, the golden, red, and purple mechas launched into the blackness of space, one after the other.
Meanwhile, Leandro was neck-deep in battle with the notorious Broken Blade. His concentration was shattered when an electromagnetic cannon blast took out one of the enemy mechas in a flash of light.
A grin spread across his face as he used his superpowers to hurl nearby asteroids at the enemy, landing another devastating blow.
"Sir, providing support from range," came a calm, feminine voice over his comms.
Leandro’s smile vanished. Disbelief washed over him, quickly replaced by anger.
Still battling on the front lines, his face twisted. "Shedd, why the hell is an *intern* out here? Are you kidding me?"
Ansel, who was locked in combat with another commander off in the distance, replied in his usual calm tone, "She needs the field experience."
Leandro nearly choked on his frustration, but with the Broken Blades pushing their relentless attack, he had no time to argue.
Back in the thick of it, Lyra’s mecha continued its assault, every shot landing with deadly precision. Her accuracy was so infuriating that two level-eight commanders quickly ordered their squads to converge on her position.
Surrounded and without backup, Lyra’s fingers moved like lightning across her controls.
She expertly dodged the incoming laser fire, weaving through the assault and launching counterattacks.
As she maneuvered, her powers surged to life. Tendrils of green energy snaked through the battlefield, piercing enemy cockpits and mechas with lethal precision.
Chunks of debris drifted through space, while blood, violently sucked from shattered cockpits, stained the cold, empty void.
She moved like a ghostly predator on the battlefield, sowing fear in the hearts of her enemies.
Her crimson mecha sliced through the chaos, drawing the attention of an enemy commander.
Suddenly, a beam of electromagnetic energy shot towards her from behind. Her reflexes were razor-sharp, fingers flying over the controls as she narrowly dodged the attack.
This wasn’t just any mecha. This was high-level one.
Lyra’s eyes scanned the battlefield, quickly locking onto Erin’s location. Without hesitation, she steered her mecha directly toward her.
Seeing Lyra hurtling towards her, Erin’s heart skipped a beat. Panic surged through her, and she turned her mecha, desperately trying to escape.
"Damn you, Lyra!"
But Lyra’s machine was faster, more powerful. To make things worse, Lyra wasn’t just any pilot—she was a level-seven Peculiar, her abilities far beyond Erin’s. A laser beam shot out from Lyra’s mecha, cleanly slicing through Erin’s arm.
"Grandpa!" Erin shrieked, her voice thick with fear and desperation.
Ansel had thrown her into this battlefield, but he hadn’t come to save her yet.
Lyra was making her getaway when, without warning, her entire mecha locked up, frozen in place.
’An Absolute Field? But whose?’ Before she could fully process it, an electromagnetic cannon blast hurtled toward her with terrifying speed.
Her lips thinned into a sharp line as her superpower flared to life. With a surge of energy, she latched onto the fleeing golden mecha nearby, yanking it back with violent force.
The moment it collided with the blast, a massive explosion tore through the battlefield, casting blinding light across the void.
In the distance, Ansel’s eye twitched as Erin’s panicked scream filled his earpiece.
"Arghh—!"
Realizing Erin was out of her depth, Ansel had no choice but to divert her battered mecha toward the medical ship.
Meanwhile, Lyra remained immobilized, trapped in the grip of the spatial force of his Absolute Field.
From afar, Leandro sensed something was off. Amid the chaos of superpowers and explosions, he couldn’t immediately tell who had Lyra locked down, but he wasn’t about to let her fall.
Just as he prepared to rush to her aid, Broken Blade swarmed in, blocking his path again.
"Leandro!" a taunting voice rang through his comms. "I only play with you because I like you. Now you’re worried about OTHER girls? You’re begging for it!"
A massive cannon blast launched straight for Lyra, still caught in the spatial snare.
Leandro’s anger flared, and with a quick burst of his superpower, he deflected the attack just in time. But it wasn’t over yet—another high-level mecha, which had been stalking Lyra from the start, fired off a fresh assault.
Nearby, Kail spotted Lyra’s growing danger. His mind flashed back to the haunting memory of the day he had found her, bloodied and broken in the basement.
That image snapped him into action. Without a second thought, he plunged his mecha toward her, determined to shield her.
But as soon as he crossed into Ansel’s Absolute Field, he, too, was frozen in place.
Then came the blinding blue light. An electromagnetic cannon fired at full force, its intensity searing across the battlefield like a sun.
Lyra, feeling the attack zero in on her, moved to activate her Schedar.
However, at the crucial moment, her psychokinesis backfired. One of her seals malfunctioned, throwing her powers into chaos.
"Damn it!"
Her superpower spiraled wildly, surging out of control and threatening to consume her.
Just as the energy seemed to peak, a brilliant light erupted from the Crystal Core deep within her mind—she was advancing!
For a brief, disorienting moment, her consciousness seemed to separate from her body. She found herself in a vast, cosmic landscape where stars and black holes swirled in eerie silence.
A small, serene green crystal floated amidst it all, quietly drawing energy from the universe around it.
It clicked—this was the world of psychokinesis and superpowers.
Some of the energy was being devoured by the black holes, their greedy pull irritating her to the core.
With a sheer force of will, she shattered them, reclaiming the power they had stolen.
Then, something else caught her eye—a tiny white crystal.
’Could it be...?’ Lyra held her breath as she stared at it, understanding flashing in an instant. Three seals glowed faintly before her: one purple, one red, and one violently trembling white seal.
’Of course...something’s wrong with the queen bee.’
Her lips pressed together in a grim line. She focused, pushing down the swirling chaos of her psychokinesis, forcing it back into submission.
...
Meanwhile, on Wyrmtrace, outside the base, a tense group faced down the rampaging queen bee.
They braced themselves for the worst, but just as the creature was about to strike, she suddenly froze, going still.
Cohen seized the opportunity. "Now’s our chance—kill her!" he ordered.
"No!" Mandy rushed forward, throwing her arms out wide to shield the beast. "She’s only out of control because of the drugs! Look, she’s calming down!"
But before they could react, the queen bee sensed danger and shot underground, attempting to flee.
Mendez’s level-seven Peculiar didn’t hesitate. She unleashed her full power, fully prepared to obliterate both Mandy and the Queen.
"You old witch, you’re dead if you try that!" Caesara roared, launching herself forward to intercept the attack.
At the same moment, Anton activated his spatial barrier, enveloping Mandy in a protective shield just in time. The battlefield descended into chaos, and Cohen tried desperately to regain control.
"Everyone, STOP!" he shouted, his voice drowned out by the clashing forces.
Amidst the pandemonium, Caesara’s gaze sharpened with sudden purpose.
Without warning, she teleported Mendez’s butler directly into Anton’s Absolute Field.
The collision of two opposing spatial domains caused a violent rupture in space, shredding the unfortunate butler into pieces instantly!
...
Deep in the outer space of Voidstar No. 1...
A brilliant green light exploded across the battlefield, so bright and intense it felt like it pierced through the very fabric of the soul.
The glow was hypnotic, drawing the eyes of everyone on the battlefield, but the true impact came seconds later—a crushing wave of psychokinesis that slammed into the minds of every soldier, commander, and Peculiar like a psychic tidal wave.
Even Ansel found himself reeling from the force of her power.
He had underestimated Lyra completely. The psychokinesis she unleashed was monstrous—far beyond anything he could have imagined.
Level-eight Peculiars, scattered across the battlefield like predators, suddenly faltered, their vision spinning as if the universe had flipped upside down.
The once unshakable Absolute Field’ began to crumble, its hold over space and time fraying at the edges, slowly unraveling like a thread being pulled from the fabric of reality.
When Lyra finally snapped back to consciousness, it felt like her entire body was on fire.
The searing pain was relentless, as if every cell in her being screamed out in protest. She had done the unthinkable—she had ascended to level-seven without first removing one Soul Spike embedded in her, a move as reckless as it was dangerous.
And now, her body was paying the price.
Her chest heaved, each breath a battle. The power surging within her was too great, too wild to control.
It was tearing her apart from the inside, stretching her physical limits to the breaking point.
’It’s too much...’
Chapter 183: She’s Dying
Breaking free from Ansel’s clutches wasn’t easy, but Leandro managed it.
Meanwhile, Lyra seized her opportunity. With everyone still stunned, she commanded Schedar to dive straight into the cockpit of Broken Blade’s mecha.
Leandro acted fast. A flurry of laser blasts, followed by a surge of his powers, hammered the mecha hard.
The once formidable machine twisted under the force, blood beginning to ooze from the cracks like a horror movie coming to life.
Panic shot through the Broken Blades Pirates like a bad rumor. Desperate, they rushed forward, eyes wild with fear.
One of their more advanced mechas, which had been relentlessly hunting Lyra, suddenly swerved and ditched its mission. He headed straight for the remains of their leader’s machine, clearly hoping to save what was left and make a break for it.
But Leandro wasn’t about to let them run off that easy. No way. He powered up his mecha and blasted forward, cutting through space like a beast on a hunt.
In mere seconds, he left the core pirate leaders in shambles. Their fleet was falling apart like an old sweater unraveling at the seams.
It was over for the Broken Blades.
One of their remaining leaders spat out a curse, his voice shaking with dread. "Fall back! All of you!" The guy clearly wasn’t ready to die today.
Ansel took in the chaos and hesitated for just a moment, his eyes narrowing as he considered his next move. Then, his attention shifted to Lyra.
However, before he could act, a wave of terror rippled through his own ranks. Screams erupted all around him. Everything was falling apart.
Liliana and her squad, who’d somehow managed to sneak past unnoticed, were tearing through the ranks like a pack of wolves in a sheep pen.
Soldiers dropped dead wherever they went, drained of life in seconds. The cold expanse of space, normally dark and empty, now looked almost eerie with the faint glow of deadly flowers blooming in their wake.
Death was everywhere Liliana walked.
Ansel’s army scattered in the chaos. He barked a quick command, "Kail! Round up our men and get ready to retreat!"
Kail, however, had other ideas. With a look of pure determination, he lunged his mecha towards Lyra.
"I’m taking my sister back to the medical ship!" he shouted, clearly more focused on her than on following orders.
Ansel’s face twisted with rage. "Useless fools!"
Thunderous energy surged around him, pulsing with fury. He let his powers loose in two directions—one aimed at finishing off the Pirate Fleet, and the other hurtling straight for Lyra and Kail. He treated them like nothing more than loose ends to be cleaned up.
Lyra and Kail immediately felt it. The air thickened around them, space itself pressing down like an invisible weight.
Leandro, still deep in the fight, spun around as the energy shift hit him. His eyes widened as he took in the scene.
"Seriously? Space twisting? That old man’s got Spatiokinesis powers?" Leandro cursed under his breath.
Wasting no time, Leandro threw himself into action, channeling his powers and yanking both Lyra and Kail toward safety. He hurled them back to the medical ship, just barely dodging the deadly attack meant to crush them.
Once again, Ansel’s plans crumbled.
Furious, his voice boomed over the comms, "Leandro! How dare you interfere?!"
Leandro wasn’t having it anymore. "You’ve crossed the line too many times, Ansel!" he snapped, his patience long gone.
With that, the thin veneer of their so-called alliance was ripped to shreds. They were done playing nice.
By the end of the fight, both pirate fleets were obliterated, their forces scattered and fleeing, tails between their legs. Blackheart’s people barely made it out alive.
And Lyra? Though she was barely holding on, she’d survived.
Back on the medical ship, Kail raced to her, practically ripping open the cockpit in his frantic rush.
His heart nearly stopped when he saw her condition. She was drenched in blood, her body struggling to heal itself.
The wounds just wouldn’t close, no matter how hard her powers tried.
"Sis, you okay?!" Kail’s voice was thick with worry, his hands trembling as he reached out.
Lyra, barely conscious, fumbled for her opticomputer. She typed out a message to Morrison with shaking fingers.
"Help... me down..." she whispered, her voice weak as a gust of wind.
Zinnia and the others, who had been working on the wounded nearby, rushed over at the sight of Lyra. Their faces paled.
"Lyra! What happened to you?!" someone gasped.
Lyra tried to respond, but her strength was fading fast. Her eyelids fluttered, and just like that, she collapsed. Darkness swallowed her.
But before she completely slipped away, the Space Button on her wrist emitted a faint glow.
Schedar, her ever-faithful companion, emerged and coiled around her protectively, shielding her from any further danger.
...
Meanwhile, on Elden Prime, Morrison was overseeing the cleanup of their latest operation. He was calmly giving instructions to Mandy when Lyra’s message came through.
One glance at it, and his composure shattered. He shot to his feet, eyes wide.
"Deliver the plant to Demetra," the message read.
His heart sank. Something had gone horribly wrong with Lyra—badly enough for her to send such a desperate message.
Mandy, noticing the shift in his mood, asked cautiously, "Morrison, is everything okay?"
Okay? Nothing was okay. Too many things had spiraled out of control. The queen bee’s madness had clearly spread, and now, she might’ve caught up with Lyra.
Morrison stared at the screen, taking a deep breath. He slowly sank back into his chair, fighting to regain control. "No, it’s fine," he lied, his voice steady but distant. "Just stick to the plan. Once you’re done, go to Demetra directly."
After ending his call with Mandy, Morrison leaned back in his chair, the gears in his mind turning.
Wasting no time, he reached out to Caspian, eager to confirm the status of the level-nine strength-enhancing plant.
"We’re picking them up this afternoon," Caspian replied, a slight smirk evident in his voice. "What’s the rush? It’s not like Lyra, a level-six, has any real use for something so powerful."
Morrison wasn’t about to reveal the real reason. He played it cool. "You recently made a killing selling top-grade Aesculapius’ Grace, but we haven’t received any sign of the plant yet. Of course, we’re in a hurry."
Caspian’s eyes narrowed, sensing something off but shrugging it off as typical business paranoia. "Have we worked together this long only to lose trust?" His voice was smooth, but the dig was clear. "Besides, you still owe us two advanced medical machines."
Morrison didn’t miss a beat. "Those machines? They just arrived," he said smoothly, keeping his cool. "I’ll be meeting you tonight to close the deal."
The moment the call ended, Morrison moved into high gear. He immediately ordered his assistant to book the fastest available flight to Demetra.
"Make it happen now," he insisted, urgency pressing him forward.
As he scrambled to tie up loose ends, Morrison’s gut churned with unease.
If any news from Demetra got to Caspian too early, Morrison knew he would use it to twist the knife.
Guys like Caspian never passed up an opportunity to exploit a vulnerable moment.
...
Meanwhile, on Demetra, Leandro oversaw the careful transfer of a strange silver egg to the medical department. His face remained unreadable, his focus sharp as the operation unfolded with precision.
Ansel watched from a distance, barely able to contain his frustration. "Leandro, I believe it’s my responsibility to manage the interns," he said, his voice cold.
Before Leandro could reply, Andre stepped in, his disdain clear. "Those students are under NMA’s protection. It’s only right that I ensure their safety, without any interference from you, Vice Admiral Shedd."
Andre’s jaw clenched as he continued. "In fact, due to Shedd’s reckless treatment of the interns, I’ve filed a request with the military for their transfer to a more appropriate unit."
Andre’s fury had been bubbling ever since he found out Ansel had sent the interns to a pirate-infested trade market, which nearly cost them their lives.
With Leandro now backing him, Andre was determined to keep the students far away from Shedd’s dangerous antics.
Ansel’s gaze darkened, venom flashing in his eyes. Without another word, he stormed off, his anger palpable.
Despite the heated clashes, the pirate crisis on Demetra had come to an end.
The aftermath, however, was far from quiet.
As the Alliance military report spread, the public was hit with grim news. Two catastrophic tragedies had unfolded: first, the massacre at Anya Village, which took the lives of 2,123 innocent souls; and then the even more horrifying slaughter at Trade Town Amaran, where a staggering 91,231 people had been killed.
The sheer scale of the loss sent shockwaves through the Alliance, leaving people reeling with grief and outrage.
Yet, in the midst of such devastation, there were victories that couldn’t be ignored.
The Blackheart Pirate Fleet had been annihilated, their leader executed. .
The Falcons and Broken Blades had taken major hits, with their leaders critically injured and nearly fifty of their top members captured.
And much to the public’s surprise, it was revealed that a group of interns had played a crucial role in these wins, which helped temper some of the anger across the Alliance.
But behind the scenes, darker truths were emerging, unsettling the military’s higher ranks.
Whispers of betrayal were circulating, pointing to the possibility of inside involvement in the Amaran massacre.
It seemed that remnants of the Blackheart pirates had managed to escape thanks to a traitor on the inside. They had stolen the key that unlocked the prison cells.
The blame for the first betrayal was conveniently pinned on Baird, who had already been killed. But the second betrayal cut deeper—it was none other than Kail Shedd, Vice Admiral Ansel Shedd’s own grandson, who had the key stolen from him.
This breach led directly to the massacre of hundreds of Legion Skywalkers, who fell to Liliana’s merciless rampage.
The scandal took a more dramatic turn when Ansel himself pressed formal charges against Kail, making the betrayal impossible to sweep under the rug.
The military, still scarred from the Tyro incident years earlier, found itself once again battling the demons of its own past, a wound that had never truly healed.
Chapter 184: Delivering The Plant
The buzz about the situation on Demetra was spreading like wildfire.
Caspian, always ahead of the game, was privy to details most in the Alliance didn’t have. Still, by that time, Morrison had already boarded a ship, clutching the level-nine strength-enhancing plant like his life depended on it.
"Could something have happened to Lyra?" Caspian wondered aloud, making his way home to ask his sister, Leona. But when he arrived, she was drowning in work.
"You’ve got time for questions? How about helping me deal with the military instead?" she snapped, clearly at her wit’s end.
They’d been badgering her nonstop for funds, and it was wearing her down.
Every major battle seemed to trigger the same old fight—military versus finance. Before a battle, they demanded supplies; afterward, they demanded compensation for the injured. The constant tug-of-war was driving Leona up the wall.
Caspian raised his hands in surrender. "Yeah, that’s a hard pass. I’ve got zero interest in that stuff." He had no taste for politics. His world was money, not government hassles.
Leona shot him a look of pure frustration. If only her "useless" little brother had a bit more ambition, their father wouldn’t have shoved all this responsibility onto her.
Still, after a deep breath, she filled him in. "Lyra? She killed Blackheart. And not only that, she took on Broken Blade and left her seriously injured. That’s a major win for her."
Caspian, lounging back with his cup of tea, nearly choked. "She’s that strong?" He clicked his tongue, letting it sink in. "Man, she must’ve been holding back during her AMAT days."
"Exactly," Leona said, nodding. "Even the military higher-ups were caught off guard by what she pulled off."
Caspian leaned back, thinking aloud, "Right now, she might still need me for business, but in a few years? I could be the one chasing her for favors."
Leona smirked. "Don’t count on it. She’s badly hurt from this fight, and Ansel’s still locked in a power struggle with Leandro over who gets to oversee the interns."
Suddenly, Caspian’s mind flashed to Morrison, hastily heading off with the rare level-nine plant.
If only he’d known sooner... He quickly shook off the thought. Sure, he was all about making money, but he wasn’t heartless. Plus, keeping Lyra alive was way more profitable than the alternative.
Meanwhile, Morrison was on a medical supply ship bound for Demetra, a grueling five-day non-stop journey through various space stations. But instead of heading straight for the military base when he landed, he made his way to Lightwell City, a nearby hub.
After a little digging, he managed to get Thierry’s number from Mandy and gave him a ring. "Mr. Whyte? Morrison here. I’m Lyra’s assistant. I’m in Lightwell—could we meet up?"
Zinnia might’ve been the closer contact, but Thierry, with Whyte as his surname, had a more solid reputation, and Morrison needed someone he could trust in this tricky situation.
Thierry, who had met him a few times, didn’t hesitate. "Let me get clearance to step out."
However, with Lyra still stuck inside that elastic metal egg, Thierry hesitated for a moment. He decided to loop Zinnia and the others in, using the excuse of needing to shop for supplies, and he was granted leave without issue.
Zinnia, on the other hand, was far from pleased. "Shopping? Are you serious right now? I’m barely hanging on over here," she grumbled, looking visibly drained after days of circling the metal egg where Lyra was trapped. "She’s still stuck in that thing, and we don’t even know if she’s alive."
Vikie tried to keep her calm. "C’mon, let’s head out. Maybe we’ll pick up a clue or something."
Helion, hands jammed in his pockets, shot a glance at Thierry, who had been unusually quiet this whole time. Based on what he knew, Thierry wasn’t the type to get sidetracked during critical moments.
With everyone wrapped up in their own thoughts, they followed Thierry to the meetup spot, where Morrison was waiting.
Seeing the whole squad show up, Morrison frowned slightly. This might get complicated.
Thierry quickly stepped forward, reassuring Morrison, "We’re all friends of Lyra’s, sir. There’s no need to be concerned about us."
Zinnia, the most familiar with Morrison, wasted no time. She grabbed him by the arm and, with a sense of urgency, asked, "Do you have a way to save Lyra?"
"I do," Morrison replied, his voice steady, "but I’ll need your help to get in touch with her first."
The entire group fell silent, the weight of the situation settling in. They knew they were in for a fight.
Meanwhile, not too far away, a man was watching their every move through binoculars. He immediately reported back, "Sir, someone from Elden Prime just arrived, and it looks like they’re working to save Miss Lyra."
In his office, Ansel leaned back with a cold smirk when he heard the news. "I knew those kids weren’t just going out shopping for fun." He then barked his orders, "Stay close, and wait for the right moment. Let’s see if the little dog Lyra raised brought anything useful."
Morrison had originally planned to deliver the treatment directly to Lyra. However, there was one major issue—civilians weren’t allowed inside the military base without top-tier authorization.
Zinnia, thinking on her feet, suggested, "Why don’t we talk to Leandro? He’s the one in charge of the base."
"That could work," Morrison nodded, appreciating the suggestion.
Thierry quickly reached out to Leandro’s adjutant, explaining that Lyra’s team had arrived with a special medicine that could save her.
Before long, they were granted permission to enter the base. Their hearts lifted as they rushed toward the base’s gates.
But just as they neared the edge of the city, a sudden and violent superpower attack blindsided them.
Their attackers were heavily cloaked, but Thierry recognized the energy immediately. "It’s Vice Admiral Shedd’s people!" he shouted, gritting his teeth.
"Dammit!" he cursed, his frustration clear.
Without hesitation, one of the assailants targeted Morrison directly.
Reacting quickly, Morrison conjured a mist-like substance in his hand, which solidified into a shield.
But the attacker, an Aerokinesis Peculiar, was lightning-fast. In the blink of an eye, he flanked Morrison, snatching the Space Button from his neck.
Morrison’s face drained of color as he realized what had just happened. Instantly, the mist in his hand shifted, transforming into a whip that lashed out at the attacker.
Meanwhile, Thierry and the rest of the group jumped in to help, but the level-seven Peculiar unleashed a blast of wind so strong it sent them sprawling to the ground.
In a flash, the attacker was gone, racing toward the military base.
Morrison scrambled to his feet and gave chase, but he was too late. The intruder had already slipped inside the heavily guarded base.
Frustrated, Morrison kicked a nearby rock, his anger boiling over.
Back at the military base, Ansel watched the chaos unfold through the surveillance cameras, a twisted grin spreading across his face.
Everything was falling into place just as he had anticipated.
Zinnia, tears brimming in her eyes, turned to Morrison, her voice shaky. "What do we do now, Mr. Morrison?"
Disheveled from the scuffle, Morrison plopped down on a large rock just outside the base. "Give me a second to think..." he muttered. Then, his eyes sharpened. "For now, get someone from the base to guide us inside."
The team quickly moved to follow his instructions. While they scrambled, Morrison discreetly pulled out his opticomputer and typed a message. All the while, drones overhead slowly drifted out of sight.
A few minutes later, Leandro’s adjutant arrived, surprised by the tense atmosphere. "What happened here?" he asked, his brows furrowed.
Zinnia was about to explain, but Morrison, glancing at his watch, cut her off. "It’s about time," he said cryptically.
Right on cue, a young courier jogged up, holding a box. "Mr. Morrison, your package. Please sign for it."
Morrison calmly handed the courier a fat tip from his wallet. "Thanks."
Turning back to the stunned group, he flashed a grin. "I didn’t underestimate Vice Admiral Shedd’s dirty tricks."
Before even leaving the ship, Morrison had taken precautions, arranging for the plant to be shipped directly to the base.
He knew someone like Ansel would be monitoring them like a hawk, so he had to think several steps ahead to outsmart him. And it worked.
When they finally arrived at the giant metallic sphere that had trapped Lyra, Morrison’s emotions were all over the place.
Seeing her like this, reduced to being imprisoned in this massive metal structure, felt surreal.
He took a deep breath and called out, "Boss, I’ve brought the medicine."
The metallic shell began to crack open slowly, a thick, metallic scent of blood filling the air.
Chapter 185: How Do You Sleep At Night?
Ansel eagerly worked on unlocking the stolen Space Button, convinced it held the key to saving Lyra.
He could almost taste the victory as he cracked it open, but his satisfaction was short-lived.
His face darkened immediately when he realized the button was completely empty.
Meanwhile, inside the medical chamber, Morrison quietly slid the real medicine through the metallic opening, then turned to the group waiting anxiously outside.
"Let’s give her some space," he said, his voice calm but full of anticipation.
He had a pretty solid guess about what Lyra was about to pull off—something so unbelievable that even he struggled to fully accept it.
A single Soul Spike could cripple a Master Peculiar, but Lyra had several embedded in her. The Shedd family’s cruelty knew no bounds, and it was a miracle she’d survived this long.
...
Hours later, when Lyra finally re-emerged, completely healed, everyone was left in stunned silence.
Leandro, usually stoic, was slack-jawed, unable to wrap his mind around the transformation.
She had been on death’s door earlier, yet now she appeared not only restored but even stronger than before.
...
On the other hand, Erin’s situation was bleak.
Her legs had been blown to bits, reduced to bloody stumps, and her right arm was barely hanging on.
When she returned to Elden Prime for her official debrief, she still hadn’t received her prosthetics. She was slumped in a high-tech wheelchair that made her look more like a discarded shell than a soldier.
Watching Lyra bask in the praise and admiration of the crowd, Erin’s heart twisted in pain and bitterness.
Her whole life, Erin had been overshadowed by Lyra’s brilliance.
Even as kids, during their superpower assessments, Erin had been praised as an A-class Strength user—an impressive feat for most. .
But Lyra? She had been branded an S-class, capable of wielding two powers. It was like the universe had decided that Erin could never shine as brightly.
In moments of frustration, Erin’s father would pull her aside, twisting her ear, and bark, "Why can’t you be more like Lyra?"
That refrain had haunted her for years.
Lyra was adored by their parents, loved by their classmates, and even the boy Erin once had a crush on had been drawn to her cousin.
Erin had never been seen for her own accomplishments—she was always in Lyra’s shadow.
People would ask, "Why is Erin so much weaker?" She was compared to Lyra at every turn.
The truth was, Erin’s A-class rating, with a score of fifteen, put her in the top seven percent of all superpowered individuals.
But none of that mattered when Lyra, with her perfect scores and radiant presence, stood next to her.
Jealousy had wrapped itself around Erin like smoke, creeping into every part of her life. No matter how hard she pushed herself, she could never catch up to Lyra’s light.
And now, after everything, it was Lyra who left her broken and scarred, while she stood tall, victorious, and whole.
Erin clutched the blanket draped over her, trying to push down the growing chill that crept through her thoughts.
She wasn’t going to give up. Not yet.
...
When Lyra’s flight touched down on Elden Prime, she and her friends were greeted by throngs of cheering citizens lining the streets of Central City.
It felt like a holiday parade, with flowers raining down from the sky and glowing banners swaying in the wind.
Zinnia scratched her head, bewildered. "Why’s everyone so hyped up?"
Thierry let out a soft chuckle, his smile knowing. "Leandro has quite the fanbase, like Cohen."
Suddenly, it all made sense to the group—it wasn’t just Lyra or the mission. Leandro’s good looks had earned him a dedicated following.
Just then, a figure pushed through the crowd—Phelixes, his face lighting up with joy. "Sis Lyra, welcome back!" he called out, offering Lyra a bouquet of flowers.
Lyra accepted them with a casual grace, and the crowd around them reacted instantly.
In a flash, the onlookers surged forward, clamoring for her attention. "Lyra, my idol, over here! Please, look at me!" one fan shouted.
"Lyra, take my flowers!" another yelled, waving a bouquet so wildly it nearly flew out of their hands.
Many had believed the "idol" of Elden Prime was too distant to accept such personal gifts. But now that she had taken one, they kicked themselves for not being bolder sooner, wishing they had been the first to approach her.
Lyra accepted the bouquets effortlessly, and when her hands were full, she flashed a polite smile to signal she couldn’t take any more.
The crowd didn’t seem to mind. They followed eagerly, walking alongside her and her group like they were part of a grand procession.
When they reached the end of the street, a large plaza opened up, and patrol guards stepped in, creating a barrier to keep the masses at bay.
The festive atmosphere faded as the soldiers made their way toward the Alliance Military Council building for formal recognition of their service.
For interns like Lyra and her team, this was more about appearances.
The real stars were the decorated officers receiving medals for their commendable actions.
While the interns’ efforts hadn’t gone unnoticed, their recognition was more low-key, logged in their files for future promotions once they graduated.
They didn’t yet hold the rank for public honors or to stand before the cameras.
As the ceremony unfolded, the two Vice Admirals were honored with medals, and the admiral gave a speech to the assembled press.
What caught everyone off guard was when the admiral singled out Lyra.
"I’m heartened to see such extraordinary young talent like Lyra in our ranks," he said proudly. "She is the future of our military, and I have no doubt the cadets following in her footsteps will continue to protect the Alliance and expand our reach in the stars."
The officers, including Leandro, burst into applause, but not everyone shared the same enthusiasm.
Behind the admiral, a few senior officers exchanged uneasy looks, one even frowning in disapproval.
The camera caught their reactions, ensuring that not all the higher-ups were happy with this new rising star.
After the ceremony, Lyra and her fellow interns were reassigned to the Legion of Rose so they could continue their internship.
For Lyra, this unexpected praise was a sign that her internship might go more smoothly from here on out.
Just as the group started chatting about grabbing a meal during their upcoming day off, the mood suddenly shifted.
Ansel appeared, his presence instantly turning the air tense.
"Kail wants to see you," he said flatly, his tone as cold as ever. "His trial starts this afternoon." Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.
Lyra, unfazed, didn’t bother replying. She simply turned to Zinnia and the others, her voice casual. "Let me know once you’ve booked a place for dinner tonight. I have something to take care of first."
She then slipped into the stream of white-uniformed soldiers and caught a Lev, disappearing from view.
Zinnia let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders sagging. "She still can’t let go of her brother, huh?"
Thierry, after a brief hesitation, explained, "Lyra and her brother have only had each other since their parents were executed when she was ten. You can’t expect her to just cut him loose."
He paused, the weight of Lyra’s past lingering in the air. Once a prodigy destined to rise alongside her brother in the Alliance, she had gone through hell to claw her way back to the starting line.
"Boss, back to the company?" Crag asked from the driver’s seat, snapping Lyra from her thoughts as they sped through the city.
With her head resting on her hand, she let out a quiet sigh, her gaze distant. "No. Take me to the military tribunal."
At that very moment, Kail sat alone in a holding cell, disheveled and defeated. His uniform was wrinkled and worn, a far cry from his once-proud appearance.
When Lyra entered, he looked up, his eyes bloodshot and filled with a mix of anger and sorrow. His voice, rough from days of interrogation, rasped, "It was you who took it, wasn’t it?"
He was referring to the crystal key.
"It was," Lyra replied, her tone cool and indifferent as she pulled out a chair and sat across from him.
The coldness of her response hit him like a splash of ice water.
Kail’s eyes reddened with disbelief. His voice cracked as he accused, "You... you’re working with space pirates?" The words seemed impossible for him to comprehend, coming from the sister he thought he knew.
"If Ansel can, why can’t I?" she shot back, her voice sharp and detached. "It’s just a tool. A method. Nothing more."
For the first time, Kail stared at his sister, truly seeing the unsettling change in her.
This wasn’t the rebellious but kind-hearted girl he had once known. This woman in front of him was someone entirely different—ruthless, calculated, and cold.
His hands, still cuffed, slowly rose to cover his face. His voice trembled with sorrow and disbelief. "How could you do that to me? I wish we were never siblings..." he murmured, his whole body shaking under the weight of the realization.
The sister he had once protected, admired, and loved was gone, replaced by someone he could no longer understand.
Lyra’s brow furrowed for a moment, but then a sarcastic chuckle escaped her lips. Her smile turned cold and mocking. "You really think Ansel handed you that key out of kindness? He knew I’d take it the moment he gave it to you."
Kail’s already clouded eyes darkened further as her words sank in. The realization gnawed at him, and after a long, heavy pause, he finally spoke, his voice subdued. "Don’t worry. I won’t turn you in."
That response seemed to satisfy her. Lyra straightened up, her tone brisk and dismissive. "Good. Then that’s settled." She turned to leave, her hand already on the doorknob when Kail’s voice cut through the silence, stopping her in her tracks.
"Nearly 100,000 people on Amaran," he said, his voice thick with the weight of their lost lives. "And the hundreds of Legion Skywalkers soldiers—you turned them all into victims of your conspiracy. SISTER, how do you sleep at night, REALLY?"
Lyra’s hand tightened on the doorknob, the tension visible in her grip.
She paused for just a second, then turned her head slightly, her voice cold and detached, devoid of any remorse. "There will only be more bodies piled on my path in the future."
Without another word, she stepped out, leaving Kail behind in a stunned silence, shattered by the realization that the sister he thought he knew was long gone.