Interstellar: Return of the Villain
Chapter 74: Facing Helion

Chapter 74: Facing Helion

After Saturday’s match, the three of them decided to grab a bite at the cafeteria.

Thierry, who was usually the life of the party, seemed a little worn out. Like Lyra, he’d faced a tough opponent, and to make things worse, the organizers had tampered with his stats, lowering his attack power just enough to mess with him.

"Our next team match is against Helion’s squad. God knows what kind of stunts the organizers will pull this time," Thierry muttered, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He had hoped to rely on pure skill, but it seemed like the competition was turning into a rigged game, all because he was standing in the way of someone’s profits.

Zinnia was just as frustrated, her face buried in her hands. For her, anything that couldn’t be fixed with a good punch was just a pain.

"There’s actually a simple solution," Lyra said, pausing with her fork in mid-air, her eyes locked on Thierry. "You’ve got a powerful ally who’s more than willing to help."

"Who?" Zinnia immediately perked up, intrigued by who could be bold enough to take on the organizers.

Thierry’s face lit up as he clapped his hands. "Of course! Why didn’t I think of that?" He beamed at Lyra. "I’ll ask him to keep an eye on your match, too!"

"That won’t be necessary," Lyra replied calmly.

"It is, though. We’re teammates, after all."

But the next day, as they logged into the match site, Thierry scratched his head awkwardly and told Lyra, "Uh... Cohen said it might not be appropriate for him to do that..."

If Cohen was seen watching a young woman’s match, the media would have a field day with it. Thierry started to wonder if Lyra had already guessed Cohen would say no when she insisted it wasn’t necessary.

"Yeah, I figured," Lyra said, realizing that Cohen probably wasn’t eager to cross paths with her anytime soon.

Zinnia, who had been in the dark the day before, finally caught on. "Wait, your powerful ally is Admiral Whyte’s son!"

It all clicked for her now. "I remember—you’re the Admiral’s nephew!"

When their team was up to compete, the spectator panel suddenly buzzed with excitement.

"Holy crap, Lieutenant Commander Whyte is here to watch the match!"

"Well, that makes sense—Thierry is his cousin."

"Didn’t he win the mecha championship in that crazy upset a few years ago?"

Even Zinnia was surprised. "So Thierry really is Lieutenant Commander Whyte’s cousin. He’s so low-key about it."

What should have been a regular match turned into a spectacle with Cohen’s arrival. But no one was more stunned than the organizers.

"Who did you say showed up?" The planning manager stared at the screen in disbelief.

The verified ID, with its flashy champion badge, belonged to none other than Cohen. He was standing calmly by the lower railing of the arena, in a spot reserved for players with linked accounts.

The manager quickly made a call. "Uh, Lieutenant Commander Whyte is here to watch Thierry’s match. Should we still...?"

"Are you out of your mind? Do you want to lose your job?"

Cohen was a Master Peculiar who had seen real action on the front lines in a mecha. He’d spot any data tampering in a heartbeat.

Before, they could get away with messing with Thierry’s stats because Cohen wasn’t around. But now, no one in their right mind would dare to pull any tricks with Cohen right there. If he so much as raised a question about the match, his followers would flood the official channels with complaints.

So, with no funny business from the organizers, the match went off without a hitch.

Today’s map was a real challenge—a rugged landscape crisscrossed with deep ravines.

To navigate the tricky terrain, Zinnia opted for a snake-like mecha as their main attacker, while Thierry chose a Lizard mecha to provide aerial support. Lyra, staying true to her style, stuck with her trusty humanoid mecha, ready to back up the team.

"Lyra, here we are again." Before the match officially began, while the team was making last-minute tweaks, a familiar, teasing voice cut through the comms.

It was Helion from the opposing team.

"Ever since you beat me last time, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. Finally, I get another shot. Shoutout to the organizers for this match-up."

Helion had a reputation for his aggressive and bold playstyle, which made him a favorite among some fans. But despite his flair, he wasn’t quite among the top-tier players.

Zinnia, adjusting her mecha’s skill settings, shivered slightly. "Ugh, what a creep!"

Thierry scowled. "Just ignore him."

A loud beep signaled the end of their prep time.

Both teams dropped into the map simultaneously.

The terrain was a maze of yellowish ravines, and the wind howled through them, occasionally kicking up clouds of sand that blurred visibility.

The audience had a bird’s-eye view of both teams, but the players could only see their own positions on the map.

Team Whatever didn’t rush in. Instead, they coordinated through voice chat.

"I’ll scout ahead," Thierry said, his Lizard mecha clinging to a rocky wall as he scanned the map. "They’ll probably send out a Spider mecha to scout. If I run into them, I should be able to handle it."

"Yeah, just take it slow. I’ll be right behind you," Zinnia replied. Despite her usual impatience, she was all about careful strategy during matches. She then asked, "Lyra, what’s your move?"

All three of them were seasoned players. They picked mechas they knew inside and out, and their coordination was smooth without needing anyone to take full command.

"I’ll keep tabs on Helion," Lyra answered.

With their plan in place, they quickly spread out across the map.

The livestream commentator’s voice picked up with excitement. "They’re on the move! As expected, their teamwork is spot on!"

Meanwhile, the chat was buzzing with a mix of fans, critics, and curious spectators drawn in by the buzz from the previous day’s events.

Viewers could toggle between different perspectives, watching the action from a spectator’s view or jumping into the cockpit of any player.

Contestants also had the option to share their control panels with the audience, and today, Lyra decided to do just that.

"Whoa, Lyra’s showing her control panel! That’s gutsy!"

"Time to take notes, folks!"

"Please, what can a first-year really show us?"

"She made it to the third-to-last round in the solo tournament, so maybe don’t underestimate her."

As expected, chat erupted in arguments, but the commentator stayed focused on the action. "It looks like Thierry’s about to face off with the other team’s Eagle mecha... and there it is!"

Both mechas launched missiles at each other, creating a massive dust cloud. But Thierry managed to gain the upper hand, securing a prime position.

"Zinnia, I’ve sent you the coordinates!"

"On my way!"

Zinnia’s Python mecha slithered through the ravine, closing in on the Eagle. She raised her mecha’s head and fired a precise laser beam, hitting the opponent’s tail feathers.

"Team Whatever takes the early advantage!"

Lyra, watching the updated coordinates, advanced her mecha while zooming out on the map. Three seconds later, she veered off, circling around to approach from another angle.

"It looks like Lyra’s setting up a flank, but Helion’s Werewolf mecha is blocking her path. Will we see a head-on clash?" the commentator wondered, his voice thick with anticipation.

Zinnia’s Python mecha darted through the deep ravine, locked in a tense chase with the opposing team’s Eagle mecha.

The Eagle was quicker, zigzagging through the rocky terrain with ease, but it couldn’t afford to soar too high.

Thierry’s Lizard mecha was still perched on the cliffside, ready to strike from above.

"Gillia, how much longer?" the Eagle’s pilot shouted, his voice tight with anxiety as the pressure mounted.

"On my way!" came the swift reply.

Without warning, a thick glob of corrosive venom shot out from the shadows, splattering across the Python’s tail. The armor immediately began to sizzle and smoke as the acid gnawed away at the metal, threatening to weaken the Python’s mobility.