Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 139: ATMT (9)

Chapter 139: ATMT (9)

The Empire’s plan had been flawless, a terror attack executed with precision. They weren’t about to let it fail without causing significant damage.

The moment the swirling sandstorm approached the worm hole, it was sucked in instantly.

The four students, inches from being pulled into the void, hung in the balance.

Moments earlier, the Alliance members had dared to hope—but now their faces were stricken with horror.

Lyra’s eyes narrowed, a cold determination hardening in her gaze.

She reached deep within, fiercely manipulating the superpower particles in the air, bending the enemy’s own ability to her will. It felt like the energy was bursting from her very soul.

A radiant green light shot through the chaotic sandstorm, forming layers of shields just centimeters from the students, creating a barrier between them and the worm hole.

The light was brilliant, pure—more powerful than anything Lyra had summoned before. Its soft glow bathed the scene, and those who witnessed it felt their souls tremble.

The students and soldiers of the Alliance finally remembered to breathe. Aurelius wasted no time, pulling the EPMA students back from the brink, freeing them from their restraints.

Across the battlefield, the Empire’s forces—especially the middle-aged man—stood paralyzed with shock.

"How... how can anyone block the worm hole?" he muttered, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

Lyra felt the energy drain from her body like a flood, leaving her weak and disoriented. Her head pounded with pain. Whatever that surge of power had been, it had nearly consumed her.

Before she could recover, a gloved hand shot out from within the worm hole, and an immense force yanked her off her feet. She was being dragged toward the void, unable to resist.

’I can’t go in!’

Desperately, she bit her lip and shot out a glowing tendril of light.

Elsie, acting fast, grabbed hold of it, and soon others rushed to help, pulling with all their might.

But the Empire’s level-seven fighter regained his focus. With a brutal strike, he severed the tendril.

Elsie and the others were thrown to the ground, and Lyra was pulled closer to the worm hole. The hand from within gripped her arm tightly.

"Lyra!" someone shouted.

Just as she was about to vanish into the worm hole, a strong hand grabbed her by the ankle, pulling her back with incredible force.

In a split second, the newcomer managed not only to yank Lyra out but also catch the person from the other side of the worm hole, attempting to drag them through as well.

Sensing the danger, the figure within the worm hole swiftly severed their own arm, and the void closed, disappearing into nothingness.

The Alliance soldiers erupted in relief and joy—their savior had arrived.

Far across the battlefield, Ansel was locked in a fierce fight with the evolved wyrm and the Empire’s general.

A sudden surge of familiar superpower struck the general, throwing them off balance.

Ansel frowned, sensing the presence. "Myer, weren’t you supposed to be rescuing the students?"

"Haha, the admiral is handling that personally, to make sure the children are safe," Myer replied casually, his eyes flicking to the scarlet mecha. The woman who had been piloting it had climbed out, her expression cold and calculating.

"Shedd, let’s not waste any more time. Let’s take her down," Myer said.

With that, the two launched a coordinated attack on the woman.

In the distance, the wyrm’s intelligent eyes flashed with understanding. His body shook as his scales vibrated, and without hesitation, he took to the sky.

Like many high-level beasts, he had the ability to traverse space, and now that he had evolved and narrowly escaped death, he wasn’t about to risk capture.

This too had been part of the deal Lyra made with him—he would fight, but not at the cost of his freedom.

Back on the ground, with Ansel and Myer working together, they quickly gained the upper hand over the Empire’s general.

"Surrender," Myer ordered, though he secretly hoped the woman would resist, giving them the excuse to eliminate her.

"Dream on!" she spat. She knew the passage had closed. The Empire had abandoned them, but her pride was too fierce to surrender.

She sneered at Ansel, venom in her voice. "Don’t you want to know who gave me the coordinates? Who betrayed you?"

Ansel’s eyes narrowed, but Myer was calm, his face betraying nothing. "Once we capture you, we’ll get all the answers we need."

At this point, there was no room for more words.

The woman stopped resisting, but then, with a fierce burst of will, she unleashed her superpower in full force.

It exploded like a dam breaking, flooding the entire area with uncontrollable energy.

Superpower particles went wild, swirling in a chaotic storm that even Myer and Ansel couldn’t immediately control.

They were forced to step back as the energy spiraled out of control, the battlefield thrown into disarray.

"I can tell you who the traitor is!" the woman panted, her face contorting with madness as she glared at both men with a sarcastic smirk.

Ansel’s eyes narrowed as a sudden realization hit him. "No! She’s going to self-destruct!"

Before Myer could even react, Ansel moved with blinding speed, appearing behind her in an instant.

"The traitor is—"

THUD!

The woman’s eyes widened in disbelief as her body slumped to the ground. Her head had been severed, her final words left unspoken.

Ansel, unfazed, snorted and casually tossed the head aside.

Myer watched him closely, suspicion flickering in his eyes.

Ansel was moving too quickly just now.

During the earlier disturbance in superpower particles, Myer hadn’t been able to detect Ansel’s abilities clearly, which only deepened his concerns.

"We should join the admiral," Myer said, his expression unreadable as he gathered the woman’s body.

Ansel nodded, his gaze already sharp and focused toward the control room.

By the time they arrived, the enemies had all been captured.

The Admiral’s commanding presence had once again restored the Alliance’s confidence.

The broadcast was alive with cheers, and people believed wholeheartedly that with the Admiral by their side, the Alliance would remain unshakable.

"This wormhole was a result of the enemy’s special superpower, not some advanced technology," Frederick explained in a live broadcast, easing the public’s concerns. "We’ll have White monitor it closely."

The confirmation that this wasn’t invincible technology, but a power-based phenomenon, helped calm fears among the viewers.

Afterward, Frederick approached Lyra, who still looked pale from the energy she had expended.

"Lyra, today’s victory is largely thanks to you. These young lives were saved because of your courage and quick thinking," he said, acknowledging her role in saving the military’s reputation as well.

Gratitude filled the air as many, including Elsie, clapped for Lyra.

The audience watching the livestream followed suit, breaking into thunderous applause.

"I’m saying it now—Lyra is officially my idol!"

"Lyra, my hero!"

"Whoever doubted her earlier? She just infiltrated enemy lines and saved the day!"

"Lyra’s a legend, no doubt, but why did the military have to rely on a student to pull this off?"

Amidst the applause, Aurelius suddenly realized his terminal had been broadcasting the entire time.

He had originally thought Lyra brought him along for strategic purposes, but now it seemed her motives had been more deliberate, perhaps even calculated.

As the group began to evacuate, Aurelius intentionally slowed his pace to walk beside Lyra. "Lyra, you planned this all quite thoroughly," he remarked.

Now, the entire Alliance saw her as a hero. The military would undoubtedly shower her with accolades, and the public had witnessed her single-handedly turn the tide of the operation. She’d be welcomed with open arms by the very establishment that once overlooked her.

"But didn’t I save everyone?" Lyra’s cool, cat-like eyes met his. "And I almost sacrificed myself in the process."

It was clear that if she hadn’t sensed the potential for recognition, she wouldn’t have gone to such lengths. But once she realized this conspiracy involved her directly, she wasn’t going to let the enemy win. Instead, she used the situation to her advantage.

Aurelius had no response. The truth of her statement left him speechless. He was struck by how deeply calculating she was, far more than most could ever fathom. And, oddly enough, he felt a pang of envy at her unrelenting ambition.

As everyone boarded the helicopters to leave the island, the tension finally seemed to ease. But just as things settled, a blond young man barreled through the crowd, fury in his eyes.

Without warning, he grabbed Aurelius by the collar and landed a punch squarely on his jaw.

"You worthless bastard!" the youth shouted. "How dared you abandon me and run away?!"