Battle Of Planets

Chapter 44: i awlays wanted to kill you
Stray rays deflected off Coco’s armor, striking the battlefield like wild lightning and threatening to hit the Rangers and Rogues around them. Tyson instinctively threw himself in front of Alex, pouring every last bit of his nanoparticles into forming his metallic shield. His once-formidable armor dissolved, its particles constantly repairing the Shield as it absorbed the brunt of the attack. He had no protection left—only his sheer will kept them safe.Coco stood his ground, allowing the plasma ray to crash against him. He could feel his armor repairing itself, with the nanoparticles working to mend his sustained damage, but his thoughts drifted elsewhere.

He had consistently recognized Blue’s potential—that reckless, untamed talent. Recruiting him into the Rogues had required effort, even though Blue never truly embraced the cause. Coco saw something in him that felt familiar. A fire that refused to be extinguished.

For years, he tried to suppress his connection with the boy, convincing himself it didn’t matter. Blue was an enemy, nothing more. And yet, deep down, Coco couldn’t shake the thought—if he had ever been a father, his son would have been like Blue: brave and unyielding.

But that future had ended with his wife.

His whip dissolved back into his armor and its weight. He thought that, perhaps, in another life, things would have been different. But in this one, they were enemies. And he had a war to win for humanity’s sake.

Coco directed his attention to his feet, anchoring them solidly against the ground as he took a heavy step forward. The nanoparticles in his armor adapted, ensuring he could retain balance despite the ongoing assault of Blue’s plasma cannon.

Blue clenched his teeth as his armor rapidly depleted, its nano-bots breaking down to power the cannon. His reserves were draining quickly. On the other side, Tyson’s shield started to weaken, cracks appearing as stray plasma beams struck it. Unlike Coco, Tyson’s Meta-bot wasn’t strong enough to absorb that level of damage, nor did he have enough nano-particles left to maintain the barrier.

”Damn,” Alex muttered, cursing himself. He reached out and placed a hand on Tyson’s shoulder, initiating a transfer of his nano-particles.

Tyson glanced at him in surprise.

”I’m doing this for me,” Alex muttered. ”I don’t want Father to scold me.”

Tyson chuckled despite the pressure. With the new surge of nanobots, he strengthened the shield, holding firm against the residual beam.

Meanwhile, Coco pushed forward, his body defying the cannon’s force. Each step felt heavier, yet he continued to advance, closing the gap between them. The stray beams ricocheted wildly across the battlefield, slamming into Rangers and Rogues alike. Some warriors paused mid-fight, turning their heads toward the spectacle, watching in awe as Coco walked through the storm of plasma beams, which appeared unstoppable and relentless.

And then, with one final, thunderous step, he broke through.

A metallic hand lunged through the searing plasma cannon, gripping Blue’s throat with a vice-like force. The cannon flickered out and dissolved as his armor crumbled, much of it entirely degraded from excessive use. His reserves were depleted to 7 percent.

Blue gasped, straining against Coco’s grip, his human hands clawing desperately at the metallic hold. His nanoparticles instinctively surged to his arms, forming reinforced metal gauntlets in a final attempt to break free. He gritted his teeth, pouring every ounce of strength into his effort—but it was in vain.

Coco’s grip was unyielding.

For years, Blue had convinced himself that, despite everything, Coco saw something in him. But now, staring into the cold, unfeeling helmet of the man he once followed, Blue realized the truth—Coco would have killed him without hesitation. Rage bubbled inside him, but it was swallowed by the crushing weight of his failing body. His vision blurred, darkness creeping at the edges. He wanted to fight, to carve his vengeance into Coco’s armor, but death was already at his doorstep, knocking louder with each fading breath.

”Blue!” Tyson attempted to stand, but Alex held onto his arm, pausing uncertainly.

”This is their battle,” Alex muttered,

”He’s fighting alongside,” Tyson insisted.

”Temporarily,” Alex retorted. ”As soon as this is over, he’ll revert to his old ways.”

”Don’t be cruel, man,” Tyson said, pushing Alex’s hand away. ”We’re better than that.”

Alex’s expression grew stern. ”But we’re not better than him. Look at us—we don’t have enough reserves to keep fighting. So, what’s your plan? Rush in and get yourself killed?”

Tyson clenched his fists, frustration boiling within him. His nanoparticles were entirely depleted—his Meta-bot had reverted to its original form, a sword. But what could a human like him do against a warrior dressed in advanced metal armor?

”Fighting him now is hopeless,” Alex muttered, a hint of regret in his voice. ”If we had armor, then we could have done something.”

Tyson paused. Hope. That was the one thing humans always had. A quiet smile spread across his face. So what if he could no longer use his armor? He still had his Meta-bot—his weapon, training, and determination to fight.

This is why they trained.

To fight. To protect.

”Then step back and watch—I won’t just sit here!” Tyson declared, sprinting through the wreckage and debris at full speed.

”Wait, ”You idiot—” Alex cursed, then sighed. ”Fine, go die. I don’t care.”

From the sidelines, the lieutenant watched as Coco battled the three young men. Even Dex stood in silent awe. Neither of them spoke, captivated by the sheer determination of the younger fighters. They knew there was no way they could win against Coco—yet they still held their ground.

The lieutenant clenched his jaw. While his fellow Rangers executed rogues on the spot, he chose to subdue them instead, trusting his instincts despite the bloodshed. Now, as he watched the younger ones’ desperate struggle—the cannon’s blast, Coco’s sheer dominance—he felt justified in his decision to avoid that monster.

Dex, on the other hand, relished a good fight. However, even he recognized that facing Coco would mean being slaughtered in seconds. Yet these weaklings—Tyson, Alex, and Blue—were holding their own.

His smirk grew broader as Coco’s hand tightened around Blue’s throat. This is no longer the leader who once fawned over Blue and the younger rogues.

Coco had become death itself.

The Rangers and Rogues stood frozen, watching in stunned silence. For a brief moment, they all felt the same chilling realization—if Coco chose, any one of them could find themselves in Blue’s position, gasping for air as their life was choked away, but now, one warrior was daring enough to stop him.

”Hey!” Tyson shouted, throwing a stone at Coco’s metal frame. Clang! ”Why don’t you try picking on someone stronger instead of that loser?”

Coco sighed as his helmet retracted into his armor. He looked down at Blue, observing him struggle for breath before finally letting go. Blue fell to the ground, coughing and rubbing his throat.

”Do you still have life left in you?” Coco asked, amused.

”Yeah, and it’s full of life—unlike you.”

Tyson leaped off a flattened car, standing tall with only a sword in his hand—no armor, no nanoparticles—just sheer defiance. Coco studied him for a long moment, intrigued by his boldness.

”What gives you the courage to stand before me like that?”

Tyson smirked. ”My master taught me never to give up.” He tilted his head slightly. ”And... you should watch your back.”

Coco narrowed his eyes as he turned—just in time for Blue to hurl a handful of dirt directly into them.

”Agh!” Coco staggered back, rubbing his eyes while his furious shouts echoed across the battlefield.

In the next moment, Alex sprang from the nearby debris, his katana slicing through the air with deadly precision, aimed directly at Coco’s neck. The blade cut through with chilling speed—unstoppable and lethal.

Clang!

The sharp clang of metal striking metal echoed as Dex stepped between them, intercepting the attack. Alex’s katana quivered against Dex’s armored forearms, the force of the strike barely moving him.

Coco’s helmet quickly slid back into place as Alex gritted his teeth, attempting to force the blade downward. However, compared to Dex’s immense strength, his human muscles felt powerless.

”You owe me one, Coco,” Dex said with a grin, pushing Alex away.

Dex saved Coco only because he saw no hope against him. So, he decided to switch teams and forget the Rogues. He will stand with this madman who enjoys destruction, just like him.

Alex flipped backward, landing next to Tyson and Blue to regroup with his team.

”This bastard!” Blue growled, continuing to rub his sore throat.

Coco exhaled sharply, his vision still hazy behind the helmet. The bright HUD display flickered momentarily before stabilizing. He assessed the situation—Dex had intervened just before Alex’s sneak attack could strike.

A second too late, and Coco’s head could have been rolling on the ground.

”Thanks,” Coco whispered.

Dex chuckled as his helmet retracted back into his armor. ”Don’t mention it. I’m switching teams, and besides that, I have always wanted to kill that Blue bastard with my own hands.”

Coco exhaled, glancing at Blue. ”Yeah, I get it. If it weren’t for me, you would have done it long ago.”

”Right! But it’s still not too late. I’ll—”

Before Dex could finish, a sharp crack split the air. His head shot up, cleanly severed from his body.

A deadly whip snapped back into place next to Coco, humming with energy.

Silence descended over the battlefield. Everyone gazed in stunned disbelief as Dex’s lifeless body crumpled to the ground with a dull thud.

The Meta-bot, having fulfilled its purpose, flickered once more before vanishing into the air, its nano-particles dispersing like dust.

”Me too,” he hissed, his words dripping with venom. ”I’ve always wanted to kill you myself.”