Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 301: Is She Really Just Level Nine?

Chapter 301: Is She Really Just Level Nine?

With Gino frozen and incapacitated, Lyra wasted no time shifting her focus to Broken Blade.

Transformed into a massive white bird, Broken Blade flapped her wings desperately, trying to escape.

However, her retreat was cut short as green energy arrows materialized in the air, tracking her every move with eerie precision.

The arrows wove through the sky like a hunter’s net, herding her back toward Lyra’s position.

On the ground, Lyra had already zeroed in on Markle.

Moving at lightning speed, her sword blurred as it cleaved through the metallic creatures Markle summoned—lions, tigers, and even a giant serpent. Each creation crumbled under a single strike, unable to withstand her relentless assault.

A swift kick from Lyra sent Markle hurtling into the air. Before he could stabilize, Lyra launched herself skyward, catching him mid-flight.

With a single, decisive thrust, her blade pierced through him, driving him back to the ground with devastating force.

Above, Broken Blade seized the opportunity to flee, but Lyra reacted instantly.

With a smooth motion, she hurled her sword into the sky. The blade split mid-air into two gleaming daggers, which struck the roots of Broken Blade’s wings.

Crying out, the white bird plummeted earthward, shifting back into her human form as she hit the ground.

The daggers morphed again, transforming into metallic rings that clamped tightly around Broken Blade’s limbs, binding her in place.

Lyra summoned Schedar with her psychokinesis, dragging Broken Blade across the ground with a humiliating scrape before dropping her beside Markle.

The two pirate leaders lay defeated, stripped of their strength and dignity.

Lyra’s attention returned to where Gino had been frozen. Approaching the site, her expression darkened—where the icy statue once stood, there was now only a glistening puddle of alcohol.

"He escaped?" she muttered, her tone sharp.

Her night-dark eyes flared with an ominous glint. Without hesitation, she handed command over to Mandy.

"Take over from here," Lyra ordered briskly.

Re-forming Schedar into a sleek floating board, she leapt onto it and shot off, her speed surpassing the sound barrier as she pursued Gino with pinpoint accuracy.

Grains, shading his eyes against the distant shockwaves of Lyra’s departure, let out a low whistle of admiration.

"Wow! She is something else. Took down the entire base by herself!" He grinned slyly and added, "Is she really just level nine?"

Mandy, busy directing her team to secure the remaining pirates, shot him a sharp glance.

"Less talk, more work," she said curtly. "We still need to regroup with Aurelius and the others."

While Mandy managed the aftermath, Lyra’s allies launched coordinated strikes on other pirate strongholds.

Robin and his unit attacked the bases of Broken Blade and Markle, leaving no safe haven for the remnants of their forces.

Situated at the intersection of the three pirate territories, the orphanage had long maintained a fragile peace.

Father Kyle, a man of considerable power, paid steep tributes to the pirate gangs, ensuring the sanctuary remained untouched.

It was a place of quiet safety amidst the chaos, where the laughter of children replaced the clash of weapons.

That peace, however, was about to end.

In the kitchen, Gultong set down steaming dishes and called the children to dinner. Their laughter filled the dining room as they rushed in, excitedly praising the food.

"Anna’s cooking is amazing!"

"Way better than Father Kyle’s! A hundred times better—no, a thousand!"

"Remember when Father Kyle cooked that wild ox? It was so tough Peter lost all his baby teeth chewing it!"

Even Father Kyle, entering behind them, chuckled at their antics.

"You little rascals! If you keep that up, no more cooking for you!" he joked, prompting even louder giggles.

The mood was warm, almost idyllic, as the villagers—refugees now under the orphanage’s protection—shared in the rare moment of peace. Gultong couldn’t help smiling.

"If this could last forever..." he murmured softly.

But as the clinking of utensils filled the room, Father Kyle’s smile abruptly froze. Rising to his feet, his face turned pale with dread.

"Run! Now!" he shouted, his voice urgent and commanding.

The sheer panic in his tone jolted everyone into motion. Without hesitation, they scrambled toward the back exit, instincts born of years of survival driving their flight.

Gultong paused, his senses catching an overwhelming surge of superpower radiating from Father Kyle. The energy was immense, almost suffocating, but before he could process it, another presence loomed closer—a force far more menacing.

If Kyle’s power was a tranquil lake, the approaching presence was a raging tsunami.

"They’re here!"

A voice, dripping with venom and rage, echoed through the courtyard.

A puddle of liquid splashed onto the ground, rippling unnaturally before reforming into a man’s figure.

Gino had arrived.

Father Kyle hurled a prepared thunderball, but the transformed Gino casually raised a shimmering barrier of alcohol.

The crackling energy fizzled harmlessly against the liquid shield, dissipating into harmless sparks.

Kyle frowned, then surged forward in a blur of motion, his strikes fierce and unrelenting. Each blow created gusts of wind, the sheer force of his combat style leaving Gultong, watching from the sidelines, utterly stunned.

In terms of physical combat, Kyle clearly outmatched Gino. However, Gino’s superpower made him an overwhelming opponent. As he sidestepped Kyle’s onslaught, he sneered.

"You’re definitely ex-military," Gino remarked mockingly.

"That was a long time ago," Father Kyle replied grimly.

Dropping to one knee, he pressed his palms to the ground.

Overhead, the thunderclouds he had summoned released a cascade of lightning, aimed to annihilate Gino. The bolts struck with deafening force, splitting the air with blinding light.

But Gino raised his hands, and another alcohol barrier materialized, absorbing the brunt of the attack.

The thick, intoxicating aroma of liquor filled the air, and Kyle’s movements began to slow. His breathing grew labored, and a deep flush crept across his face.

"You reek of weakness," Gino jeered, stepping forward confidently.

Kyle staggered, struggling to focus. Meanwhile, Gino pushed past him, his sights set on the house. Hostages—children or adults, it didn’t matter. They would be his leverage against Lyra, a tool for vengeance.

"Father Kyle!"

The panicked cries of the children snapped Kyle back to his senses. He bit his tongue hard, the sharp pain clearing his mind.

With a final burst of strength, he cast a net of lightning to shield the house.

Gino stopped, momentarily irritated by the barrier. His gaze darkened as he snarled, "You’re dead."

Alcohol vapors in the air ignited, erupting into a massive explosion. When the storm of fire and lightning subsided, Kyle lay motionless on the charred ground, his body scorched and lifeless.

Unbothered, Gino strode into the dining room, oblivious to the faint twitch of Kyle’s fingers as he weakly clawed at the scorched soil.

Inside, Gultong stood trembling but resolute, shielding the children and villagers.

"Stay back!" he shouted, launching a fireball at Gino.

The flame dissipated before it even reached him. Gino’s smirk widened as he advanced, the children’s terrified cries filling the air.

Outside, Kyle’s hand fell limp again, his eyes unfocused. A small teddy bear rolled across the playground, nudging against his fingers. His lips moved faintly, forming unspoken words.

"I’ve failed... again."

Just then, a beam of sunlight pierced through the dissipating clouds, illuminating the broken scene.

The golden light seemed to intensify, tinged with green, as tiny motes descended like stars.

And then, someone appeared—a striking silhouette in a red dress.

Lyra had arrived.

Gino had just grabbed one of the children when Lyra’s hand closed around his face.

Her arrival was a blur of motion, faster than anyone could process. She slammed him through the wall and into the ground outside, creating a massive crater on impact.

Gino’s body bounced violently, his limbs twisting unnaturally as the sound of breaking bones echoed.

Panicking, he tried to liquefy his body, turning translucent in an attempt to escape. But as he began to melt into the ground, excruciating pain wracked his form, forcing him back into his human shape.

"What... what did you do to me?" he screamed, writhing in agony.

Lyra was emotionless, her cold eyes reflecting a chilling finality. A faint green glow danced around her fingertips, spreading through Gino’s body.

His form grotesquely swelled and shrank, distorting into a horrifying, malformed creature.

Gino’s white lab coat was smeared with dirt and blood as he crumpled to his knees. Trembling, he crawled toward Lyra’s feet, clutching at her legs with desperation.

"I surrender! Please, Rear Admiral Shedd! Spare me!" he begged, his voice breaking.

Villagers and children stared in stunned silence, the terrifying sight of Gino reduced to a groveling mess seared into their memories.

Lyra remained unmoved, her icy demeanor unbroken.

This moment would later become legendary, immortalized in an oil painting displayed across Voidstar No. 1 and within the Alliance—a defining image of Lyra’s unparalleled dominance.

The green motes of light drifted to Kyle, gradually knitting his wounds. When he finally rose, his gaze swept over the scene.

Lyra was gone, dragging Gino like discarded trash. She hadn’t spared him a single glance.

"Father Kyle! Who was that amazing hero? She was incredible!" a little girl exclaimed, wiping his soot-streaked face with a handkerchief. "I wish I had a big sister like her!"

Kyle’s lips trembled, forming a faint, bitter smile.

"I once had a sister, just like her," he murmured softly. "But because I failed her again and again... we became strangers."

The little girl tilted her head, pressing the damp cloth to his cheek.

"Father Kyle, are you in pain? Why are you crying?" she asked innocently, her wide eyes filled with concern.