Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 162: Better Robbery

Chapter 162: Better Robbery

Over the years, Lyra had been quietly focusing on her self-improvement, moving at her own pace. As chief instructor, Andre had kept a close eye on her progress the whole time.

But something just wasn’t adding up. The harder Lyra trained, the more she pushed herself, the weaker her body seemed to become.

Her face, once full of color, had paled so much it looked like she had worn too much powder.

Yet, despite her fragile appearance, when she fought seriously, she could easily take down someone like Anton and slam him into the ground.

Andre’s sharp gaze settled on her, and his brow creased. "You’re close to a breakthrough, aren’t you?" he asked, noting the chaotic swirl of superpower particles around her. They were fluctuating, unstable.

Lyra gave a weak cough as she collapsed onto the couch. "That’s none of your business, SIR."

The principal, standing nearby, looked utterly stunned. His eyes widened in disbelief. ’A level-seven breakthrough before graduation?’ That was unheard of.

Unable to contain his excitement, he rubbed his hands together and beamed. "Lyra! You truly are the pride of NMA. With you, there’s no way we’ll lose the AMAT this year!"

But he had no clue that Lyra was hanging by a thread, barely keeping her growing powers under control.

After holding back during her spar with Andre, her head was still spinning from the effort.

"Sorry, sir," Lyra said firmly, her tone reminiscent of how she spoke back in her second year. "As you can see, in my current state, there’s no way I can compete in the AMAT."

Her time was running out. Her body was developing rapidly, as expected, but the Soul Spike inside her was blocking her from upgrading her powers.

Her body couldn’t handle the strain, leading to a brutal cycle of deterioration.

She needed level-nine strength-enhancing plants, and fast. There was no time to waste on competitions.

The principal went quiet, deeply troubled.

The academy’s annual physical exams had already revealed her respiratory system was in bad shape. She’d been advised to undergo long-term treatment, but Lyra had zero interest in slowing down.

Andre wasn’t easily fooled though. "You’re not tricking me. Your punches still had enough force to toss me around like a ragdoll. And you expect me to believe these students would be any kind of threat to you?"

Lyra gave him a side-eye, her response short and cold. "Not going."

"You stubborn girl!" Andre ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "It’s not like we don’t have other fighters—Thierry and a few of the others are capable enough. But your cousin, the one from the Calvin family, he just broke through to level six."

"He’s a dual-ability Peculiar," Andre continued, "and I don’t think the Whyte family boy will be able to handle him."

Thierry and Zinnia hadn’t even reached the proper stage to break through to level six, but for the sake of the AMAT, they had used enhancement plants.

Risky as that was, their natural talent and high potential meant they could still pull through. With enough training, they might manage to push past the dangers.

"I trust Thierry and Zinnia," Lyra said simply.

Andre was left speechless. Finally, his frustration boiled over. "Can’t you show just a little bit of team spirit?!"

Lyra’s response was blunt, as usual: "No."

Andre felt a wave of defeat wash over him as he stared at the pale, frail woman in front of him.

Her small frame and sickly appearance completely belied the raw, terrifying power she could unleash in a heartbeat. He clenched his fists, but he knew there was no way he could force her.

The principal, too, was at a loss. Back in her first year, they could still convince her with business deals, but now, she couldn’t care less about the academy’s demands.

In fact, it was the academy that was practically groveling at her feet for favors.

Finally, the principal broke the tense silence. "What would it take for you to join?"

Lyra, determined to shut down the conversation, replied without a second thought, "I need level-nine strength-enhancing plants."

Andre nearly choked. "Level-nine?! You might as well rob a bank! Even if we sold the principal to the Empire, we couldn’t afford that!"

The principal winced, standing awkwardly nearby.

Lyra’s voice remained unnervingly calm. "If I could get one through Robbery, I wouldn’t mind doing that."

Her words sent a chill through the room, leaving no doubt she was completely serious.

The principal paused, as if something had just clicked in his mind. Then, with a sly grin, he said, "Actually, it’s not out of the question."

Lyra’s head snapped in his direction, her eyes sharp and probing.

The principal chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment. "And no, you won’t have to steal anything. I’ve recently heard that within the next two months, a level-nine strength-enhancing plant is going to be up for sale on Elden Prime."

Skepticism flashed across Lyra’s face. She didn’t buy it.

Without wasting a second, she tapped on her opticomputer and made a quick call to her contact on Elden Prime.

"Miss Shedd, do you realize what time it is over here?" Caspian’s voice came through, groggy and more than a little annoyed. The starlight streaming through his window suggested it was the middle of the night on his end.

Ignoring the irritation in his voice, Lyra cut straight to the chase. "Is it true? Is someone selling a level-nine strength-enhancing plant on Elden Prime?"

Caspian hesitated, thrown by her sudden intensity. "There are rumors, but nothing concrete yet. The details of the deal are still under wraps."

Before he could elaborate, Lyra cut the call, the screen going dark instantly.

Back in the principal’s office, the old man’s face lit up with a smug smile. "So, ready to join now?"

Lyra regarded him carefully, her expression unreadable. After a long pause, she finally answered. "I’ll join, but I’m not doing the special training. And I want complete freedom outside the competition."

The principal, more than eager to lock in the championship, agreed without hesitation. He was willing to offer her almost anything if it meant she’d secure the academy’s victory.

With the deal made, Lyra headed back to her dorm to pack.

The second she walked in, Zinnia rushed over, her face full of concern. "Lyra! Are you alright? Please tell me you didn’t argue with the chief instructor. Is he forcing you into the AMAT?"

Lyra’s response was as straightforward as ever. "Yes."

Mandy, who had been quietly observing from the side, raised an eyebrow. "So, you’re going?" she asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Lyra’s reply was short but definite. "Yes."

The single word left both of them momentarily stunned.

Everyone knew that in her second year, she’d outright refused to join, no matter how much pressure was put on her.

Afterward, some students had even dragged her name through the mud on the school forums, accusing her of being selfish and prioritizing her own goals over the academy’s pride.

Zinnia’s reaction was instant, her hands flying up in excitement. "Woo! This is going to be awesome!" she cheered, practically buzzing with energy.

Mandy, however, smiled knowingly. She could tell there was more to Lyra’s sudden change of heart than met the eye.

When Crag, the driver, pulled up to collect Lyra, he was surprised to find himself loading not one, but three passengers into the Lev.

Zinnia and Mandy exchanged a quick glance as Lyra crossed her arms, leaning back in her seat.

Mandy broke the silence. "I’m headed to Wyrmtrace. Debbie wants me to sort out a few things there, so I’ll be taking care of that."

By now, Mandy had become a full-fledged member of Lyra’s team, more than capable of handling operations on her own when necessary.

Meanwhile, Zinnia was practically bouncing in her seat. "It’s been WAY too long since I saw my bunny! I’m stopping by for a visit."

Her "bunny" was Rajan, who had been working in the LE Energy tech department since graduation. Even Lyra couldn’t quite figure out how Zinnia had managed to reel him in, but it was clear Zinnia adored him.

When they arrived at the factory, Rajan was already waiting outside, glancing around nervously like a kid waiting for his mom after school.

The moment he spotted Lyra, his face turned pale, and he looked like he’d been caught skipping class, even though he had already taken the day off.

It was easy to see why Zinnia called him her "bunny."

Zinnia wasted no time. "Raj! I’m here!" she squealed as she bolted out of the car, launching herself at Rajan.

Her taller frame nearly knocked him off balance, but he managed to catch her just in time.

All the nervousness drained from his face as he wrapped his arms around her, grinning wide. "I took the day off. What do you wanna do?"

Zinnia’s excitement was palpable. "Meat! Lots of them! And after that, let’s destroy the punching machines like we did last time. We’ll punch it until the owner begs us not to!" She gave him a playful kiss on the cheek.

Rajan’s face turned red, but he laughed, squeezing her hand. "Sure thing, anything for you."