Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 282: Prisoner Break

Chapter 282: Prisoner Break

The Stellar Devourer paid no mind to Ian’s stunned expression and shifted his attention to Skylight, whose guarded stance betrayed his unease. With a flick of his hand, he summoned a virtual document. "This comes directly from your admiral," he announced.

The document detailed a mission briefing. If Skylight agreed to assist in rescuing Barrett, he would be allowed to return to the Empire. Not only that, but he’d be promoted to Vice Admiral, with the option to join the admiral’s elite legion or command his own.

The proposal hit Skylight like a bolt of lightning.

Return to the Empire? A promotion to Vice Admiral?

When he glanced at Ian, however, something in him hardened. He shook his head firmly. "I’m not going back."

He already knew Lyra’s plan: to escape to Voidstar No. 2—a distant haven where neither humans nor Stellar Devourers waged their wars. It was a place of absolute freedom, an ideal refuge for Ian.

The Stellar Devourer raised an eyebrow, clearly taken aback. "Your admiral was sure you’d accept."

When both young men stood defiant, his expression darkened. The air around him grew icy, his voice laced with menace.

"If you won’t cooperate willingly, don’t blame me for resorting to force."

With a single gesture, he extended a finger toward Ian.

Suddenly, the force of a black hole engulfed Ian. His body contorted in agony as invisible energies seized him, pulling at his very core.

Ian tried to withstand the torment, but the pain was unbearable.

"Aaaaah—!"

It felt as though his body was being shredded from within, the relentless agony paired with a chilling fear of the unknown. He collapsed, writhing on the ground in despair.

"Stop it! What are you doing?" Skylight shouted, panic flooding his voice. He charged at the Stellar Devourer, but the guy batted him away with a casual wave of his hand.

"No. 19," he said coldly, "How can you be so stupid? The black hole’s power is not infinite. When it’s depleted, the strength it granted you test subjects will vanish. And you know what comes next."

Skylight’s eyes widened in horror as Ian’s cries grew weaker. Memories of Ian’s agonizing transformation when he first gained his powers came flooding back.

Ian curled into himself, trembling uncontrollably, his voice cracking as he sobbed.

"I don’t want this! I don’t want this anymore! Skylight, help me..."

Skylight darted to Ian’s side, pulling him into a protective embrace. "Enough!" he cried out. "I’ll do it! I’ll agree to your terms!"

Since reuniting with Ian, Skylight had watched him mask his pain with a carefree demeanor. But beneath the facade lay scars too deep to heal. Skylight couldn’t bear to see Ian suffer like this any longer.

The Stellar Devourer’s expression softened, his satisfaction evident. "Good. I’ll send you the details of the plan soon." With that, he disappeared into the void.

As the oppressive air lifted, Ian’s sobs quieted. His entire body was drenched in sweat, as though he had been pulled from the depths of an ocean.

"Skylight... I don’t want you to throw yourself back in danger for me," Ian murmured weakly.

Skylight shook his head, forcing a small smile. "I just want to return to the Empire."

"Really?" Ian’s voice was barely above a whisper.

"Yeah."

A quiet understanding passed between them—truths unspoken, but deeply felt. Both chose to pretend they didn’t notice.

Meanwhile, in a rest area near the military prison, Lyra stood with her gaze fixed on the distant horizon.

As expected, her caravan had arrived.

Three days after the Empire’s victory at Wyrmtrace, Barrett’s transfer to headquarters for interrogation was finally scheduled.

The Empire had refused any ransom negotiations, leaving the Alliance no choice but to proceed with the move.

Due to the looming threat of Stellar Devourers, Frederick assigned Lyra to oversee the mission personally and escort Barrett.

Joining her was Orson, who had volunteered for the operation. He hoped to use the opportunity to gain political leverage for his dream: establishing an independent legion. Though the mission was dangerous, success promised the highest commendation.

At dawn, the heavily fortified convoy set out from the military base.

Inside the central prisoner transport, Lyra sat beside Barrett. She rested with her eyes closed, her icy demeanor filling the space with tension.

Barrett, wearing a superpower suppressor, glanced at her. Breaking the silence, he attempted a smirk. "Lyra, why don’t you join the Empire? Economically and technologically, we’re leaps ahead of the Alliance."

The driver and the officer in the passenger seat exchanged nervous looks. This wasn’t a conversation they wanted to overhear.

Lyra didn’t bother with a reply. Without opening her eyes, she raised a hand and smacked Barrett across the head.

"Behave," she said curtly. "And don’t waste your breath on cheap provocations."

The driver and the officer both exhaled in relief. Thankfully, no classified information had slipped into the prisoner’s taunts. Still, their complex gazes lingered on Lyra through the rearview mirror.

Her sharp eyes caught their stares, and they quickly averted their gaze, embarrassed.

The convoy continued for a while, the quiet hum of the engines the only sound, until Lyra’s eyes abruptly snapped open.

"Stop the vehicles! Prepare for battle!" she commanded.

Her voice carried such authority that the entire convoy reacted instantly, halting and assuming defensive positions like a well-oiled machine.

Orson scowled from his vehicle.

This was supposed to be his mission, but before he could object, Lyra was already out of her transport, leaping gracefully onto a Lev.

The vehicle containing Barrett activated a faint green barrier, sealing it against extradimensional interference.

Moments later, the air rippled with malevolent energy. Extradimensional rifts began tearing open around them.

"Attack!" Orson barked, drawing his weapon.

The convoy burst into action. It was staffed almost entirely by Peculiars—superpowered soldiers—and snipers and long-range specialists hidden nearby opened fire.

A brutal clash erupted as creatures emerged from the rifts, howling with fury.

Lyra, however, remained motionless atop her Lev, her piercing gaze scanning the battlefield.

As Orson fought off a lunging Therianthrope Peculiar with a fierce kick, he shot Lyra a glare. "Don’t forget your other mission!"

"I’m well aware," she replied coldly, her tone betraying no urgency.

Extending her psychokinetic senses outward, she probed the battlefield. ’Where are the Stellar Devourers?’

Suddenly, a prickling sensation ran down her spine. The sky grew dim, and a strange glow began descending—a faint light multiplying rapidly until the entire squad looked up, their faces twisting in horror.

A meteor swarm.

"Retreat! Now!" Orson’s voice cracked with panic.

"We can’t!" Lyra’s expression turned grim as she raised her palm.

Luminous shields formed layer upon layer above the convoy, glowing like a crystalline dome.

The first meteors struck with devastating force, shattering the shields almost instantly.

These weren’t ordinary meteors—they were infused with destructive energy, each carrying the weight of a Supreme Peculiar’s wrath.

The impacts churned the ground into chaos, sending shockwaves that pinned the soldiers where they stood. The squad felt a creeping despair, the realization of their powerlessness sinking in.

Then, without warning, a ripple of force surged through the air. The meteors veered off course, halting mid-air about a kilometer away.

Lyra’s sharp eyes narrowed. Two forces are clashing.

Moments later, the meteors disintegrated into fine, glittering dust, drifting harmlessly to the ground.

The squad stared in stunned silence until Lyra’s voice cut through the tension like a blade. "Stay alert!"

The warning came just in time. Extradimensional rifts expanded, and enermies began pouring through them, surrounding the convoy.

"I’ve already sent for reinforcements!" Orson yelled, rallying the soldiers. "Hold the line! Don’t give them an inch!"

The battle intensified as more Stellar Devourers emerged, their dark forms moving with inhuman precision.

Strangely, they ignored Lyra entirely, directing their attacks at the other Peculiars.

Lyra prepared to join the fray, but an ominous energy locked onto her.

The ground trembled, and metallic sand began rising into the air. It swirled into a dense cloud, then shot toward her like a swarm of sharp needles.

Lyra conjured a light shield, deflecting the sand, but the sheer force of the attack forced her to dodge.

The metallic swarm shifted direction, targeting the Lev containing Barrett.

From the largest rift, an old man emerged, his calm demeanor radiating malice.

Lyra’s expression darkened. It was another Supreme Peculiar.

The convoy’s defenders faltered as fear rippled through their ranks.

In the next moment, the metallic sand exploded outward in a devastating barrage, slicing through half of the Alliance soldiers like shrapnel. Agonized screams filled the air.

Lyra sprang into action, unleashing her healing abilities to save the wounded. But the shards of metal embedded in their bodies resisted her powers, leaving many beyond her help.

The old man waved his hand, and the metallic sand coalesced into a swirling storm around him. His gaze locked onto Lyra, a faint smirk tugging at his lips.

Lyra summoned Schedar, forming a glowing sword of pure psychic energy.

The old man’s eyes glinted with interest, and with a flick of his hand, he almost wrenched it from her grip.

Forced to retreat, Lyra reluctantly sealed the weapon back into her Space Button.

"Fascinating," the old man mused, his voice calm yet menacing. "Such extraordinary psychokinesis for someone so young."

His failed attempt to seize her weapon seemed to fuel his resolve. The metallic storm around him intensified, spinning with deadly precision.

Lyra tightened her grip on a staff of superpower-forged energy. Her expression steeled as she prepared to confront him head-on.