Boboiboy's POV

I stood frozen, my heart pounding as Fang and Nyx faced off, the air thick with tension. Fang's stance was rigid, his fists clenched as if every fiber of his being was preparing for a fight. Nyx, staff in hand, glared at him with unwavering resolve, his magic crackling faintly in the air around him.

"You're seriously fucked in the head, Fang," Nyx spat, his voice cold, a stark contrast to the fiery anger in his eyes.

Fang didn't flinch. Instead, he retorted with venom, his words laced with raw emotion. "I'm not too fucked to point out that you've known him for less than a month and you're already in his bed."

The words hit like a slap. I stiffened, my breath catching in my throat as the air around us seemed to grow heavier.

Nyx's grip on his staff tightened, his knuckles white as he leveled it at Fang. His voice trembled, not with fear, but with barely contained fury. "At least I don't go around spreading lies about my exes to make everyone hate them. Only to find out later that my ex is the sweetest, most beautiful person. You can't even admit, deep down, that you regret losing Boboiboy because of your own damn choices. Your ego blinded you, and instead of owning up, you doubled down and hurt him even more!"

Nyx's hand shook, his anger palpable.

"When I joined the mission to bring him to Xixus, I believed every horrible thing you said about him. But then I saw the truth. Everything you said was pretentious garbage!" Nyx's voice cracked with emotion. "You're the real piece of shit here!"

Fang's eyes flashed, a dangerous gleam igniting within them. In a blur of motion, he lunged at Nyx, his anger unleashed. Nyx reacted instantly, slamming the base of his staff into the ground as a gust of wind surged forward, throwing Fang back several feet.

"Stop it!" I screamed, desperation clawing at my throat.

But they weren't listening.

"Shut up, you manwhore!" Fang's voice cut through me like a knife, and for a moment, I felt the sting of those words pierce my heart.

Nyx's fury erupted. His hair began to levitate, charged with magical energy as his voice boomed. "HOW FUCKING DARE YOU!? Of all people here, YOU are the manwhore!"

Fang roared, and Nyx charged forward, their anger manifesting into raw power. They were like two storms colliding, unstoppable forces destined to destroy each other.

"No! STOP!" I screamed, my voice breaking under the weight of my fear.

They weren't listening-they couldn't hear me over their rage. I shifted into Boboiboy Lightning, my body crackling with electricity as I threw myself between them just as their powers clashed.

Everything went white.

A deafening, high-pitched sound tore through the air, drowning out my thoughts, my fears, and my screams. For a moment, it felt like the world was unraveling around us. Then, there was nothing but silence.

As the dust began to settle, my vision cleared, and the sight before me made my heart race.

Fang's shadow sword was still drawn, its dark energy pulsing ominously in his grip. Nyx, on the other hand, had his staff raised, its brilliant light contrasting sharply against the tension in the air. I found myself on the floor, sitting in a stunned daze, as Kizka stood at the center of us all.

His face was twisted in anger-an expression I rarely saw from him. It sent a chill down my spine.

Without a word, Kizka stepped forward and, with a single motion, delivered a punch that sent both Fang and Nyx flying backward.

"Ah!" I gasped, unable to believe what I was witnessing.

Both of them landed hard on the ground, groaning as they tried to recover.

"What the fuck are you two doing?!" Kizka roared, his voice booming with fury. "Is this what my two right-hand men have come to? Using your powers against each other like you're enemies? Against your own platoon?!"

His words were like a dagger, and the growl at the end of his sentence made me freeze in fear.

Kizka's chest heaved with each breath as his anger seemed to simmer into something heavier. "And here I am-desperately looking for you two-because we've got intel on Kaizo!" His voice broke slightly, revealing a trace of sadness. "And this is what I find instead?!"

Fang groaned as he staggered to his feet, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "What?!" he shouted, his frustration and disbelief spilling over.

I glanced at Nyx, my heart aching for him. I knew he had only acted to protect me, but his decision to clash with Fang had only worsened the situation. And it definitely wasn't a good look to Kizka.

I slowly approached Kizka, keeping my voice gentle. "What's happened, Kizka?"

Kizka's anger seemed to waver for a moment as he exhaled sharply, his gaze falling to the ground. "There's a tip," he muttered, his voice thick with emotion. "We've got coordinates... with Kaizo's code attached to the signal."

Fang's eyes widened. "What?!" he exclaimed, his voice sharp as he took a step closer.

Kizka's fists clenched as he continued. "The signal leads to a planet-deep in the farthest reaches of the universe. Nezka."

"Nezka?!" Nyx's voice rang out, his tone a mix of disbelief and dread.

I turned toward him, startled by his reaction.

"How the hell is Kaizo in Nezka?!" Nyx demanded, his voice rising with emotion.

Fang stood frozen, his expression a mix of shock and denial. But the moment passed quickly, and his determination flared. "It doesn't matter! We're going there now!" he shouted, pushing toward Kizka with a desperate energy.

"But why Nezka?!" Nyx cried out, his voice cracking.

The tension in the room was suffocating. I watched helplessly as the three of them spiraled into distress, their voices overlapping in heated arguments and raw emotion.

"What if it's like last time?!" Kizka snapped, his voice trembling with barely contained anger. "Of all the planets out there, why would he be taken to that one?!"

Fang faltered, his expression turning pale.

"It doesn't matter!" Fang shouted back, his voice breaking. "We have to go!"

I couldn't stay silent any longer. "Why is Nezka such a terrible place?" I asked, my voice cutting through the chaos.

Kizka turned to me, his hardened expression softening just slightly. He hesitated before speaking, his voice low and filled with pain. "It's... Nyx's home planet."

The revelation hit me like a punch. My breath caught in my throat as I turned to Nyx, whose face had crumpled with visible anguish.

"What?" I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Kizka continued, his tone grave. "Everyone there... was annihilated by the tyrant, Malvior."

My body froze, my mind reeling. Slowly, I forced myself to ask, "But... how did Nyx survive?"

Kizka's gaze fell to the floor. "He was saved by the last survivors-those who sacrificed themselves to destroy Malvior's physical body and the henchmen who ravaged the planet. Kaizo's team found Nyx just before Nezka became toxic and uninhabitable."

Nyx clenched his fists, his face a mask of pain as he stared at the ground.

"Nezka..." Kizka's voice cracked. "It was once one of the most beautiful planets in existence. Ethereal, even. But now... it's nothing more than a toxic, desolate wasteland. The universe declared it off-limits."

Fang's voice cut through the heavy silence. "Do you think Kaizo was taken there by Malvior's forces?"

Kizka nodded grimly. "It's not impossible. Malvior's body may have been destroyed, but his soul was only sealed. If someone broke the seal or is working to fully awaken him... it makes sense to use Nezka as the staging ground."

A silence fell over us as the weight of Kizka's words settled in. My heart ached for Nyx, who stood apart from us, his face etched with sorrow.

"We're wasting time," Fang said firmly, breaking the silence. "We're going to Nezka. Now."

No POV

With the higher-ups granting clearance, the team moved quickly to prepare for their mission. The urgency was palpable, yet the air was thick with unspoken emotions.

Kizka oscillated between excitement and fear, his heart heavy with the weight of what they were about to face. His usual light-hearted demeanor was nowhere to be found as he double-checked their equipment, his movements a mix of determination and apprehension.

Fang, on the other hand, had shoved the earlier altercation with Nyx and Boboiboy to the back of his mind. His focus was singular now-Kaizo. Nothing else mattered to him, not even the lingering tension in the air.

Nyx took the helm of the ship, his hands gripping the controls tightly. Anxiety radiated from him like a storm, and his usually composed demeanor was unraveling. His breaths came in uneven gasps, and his shoulders were tense, trembling slightly as he guided the ship through the warp jumps.

Boboiboy noticed. Of course, he noticed. Standing quietly beside Nyx, he could see the cracks in his friend's composure growing with every passing moment. The pressure of returning to the planet that had once been his home-and the graveyard of his people-was breaking Nyx apart.

Boboiboy reached out, his presence steady and calming, and rested a hand on Nyx's shoulder. "I'm here," he said softly, his voice grounding Nyx like an anchor amidst the chaos in his mind.

Nyx didn't reply, but he gave the faintest nod, his hands still trembling as they maneuvered through yet another warp jump.

When the ship finally emerged from its final warp, the view before them was breathtaking.

Nezka hung in the void of space, a world of swirling red and gold, its surface gleaming like polished marble. Despite the toxic atmosphere and the devastation that lay beneath, the planet was hauntingly beautiful. Its colors shimmered in the light of the nearby star, casting reflections across the ship's windows.

Boboiboy's breath caught in his throat as he stared at the planet, mesmerized. For a moment, the weight of their mission and the fear of what lay ahead were replaced by awe.

"It's beautiful," he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

His hand on Nyx's shoulder tightened slightly, a silent gesture of reassurance and solidarity. Nyx's knuckles were white on the controls, but he managed to let out a shaky breath.

"Yeah," Nyx said, his voice hoarse. "It was beautiful once. Before... everything."

The moment was bittersweet. Nezka's beauty was a stark reminder of all that had been lost, and the looming danger of what lay below was impossible to ignore.

"Let's land," Kizka's voice broke the silence, his tone firm but tinged with unease.

Nyx nodded, his movements automatic as he guided the ship toward the planet's surface. Fang stood silently behind them, his jaw clenched, his gaze fixed on the swirling colors of Nezka.

As the ship descended, the haunting beauty of the planet gave way to a desolate reality. The red and gold hues were marred by jagged landscapes and swirling toxic clouds. The surface seemed lifeless, yet a suffocating sense of dread hung in the air.

They had arrived. Nezka. The graveyard of Nyx's past and, perhaps, the battleground for their future.

Kizka's POV

"Captain, are you sure this isn't a trap?" Lahap's voice quivered, his unease spilling through despite his attempts to keep steady.

My eyes were glued to the framed photo on my desk-me, Pang, Boboiboy, and Kaizo. The memory felt distant, almost unreachable now, like a whisper of a time when things weren't this complicated.

"If anything happens, I won't be able to do much but retreat!" Lahap pressed, his worry now tangible.

I tore my gaze away from the photograph, my focus locking onto Lahap.
"Lahap." My voice was sharp, curt.

"Yes, Sir!" He straightened immediately, stiff as a board.

"After three hours, if we don't return, launch back home." My tone left no room for argument.

He hesitated, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously. "But-"

"That's an order." My words cut through his protest, steel-laden.

"Roger that, Captain." His voice cracked toward the end, the sadness impossible to mask.

"You're dismissed."

Lahap saluted and turned on his heel, his heavy steps echoing as he left.

As the door slid shut, I leaned back in my chair, closing my eyes. My chest felt like it was caving in under the weight of my decision.

This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do.

What if this is all a trap? What if this signal is nothing more than an elaborate ploy to lure us into the enemy's hands?

But... Kaizo's distress code. Only those in the military know it. The chances of anyone replicating it are almost nonexistent.

I gripped my head, my fingers tangling in my hair. My mind raced through the possibilities, each one worse than the last.

If this fails, if it's a trap, it will destroy Fang. I don't think I can handle seeing him shattered again.

The thought brought tears to my eyes, pooling and spilling over before I could stop them.

Kaizo... I can't keep living in the shadow you left behind.

---

Fang's POV

I paced my room relentlessly, my thoughts swirling like a storm. Every step I took seemed to echo louder than the last, the anxiety clawing at my chest.

This is it. This has to be the time Kaizo comes back to us.

I clenched my fists tightly, my nails biting into my palms. I have to save you, Kaizo. You're the only family I have left. Please... let it be you at the end of this.

The door to my room slid open abruptly, and I spun around. Tony stood there, his expression frantic.

"T-Tony-" I stammered, startled.

"I heard, Pang!" he said, rushing toward me. Before I could react, his arms wrapped around me, pulling me into a tight hug.

The dam holding back my tears broke, and they spilled freely. My voice wavered as I buried my face in his shoulder. "I hope... I hope this is the end of our fight to find Kaizo."

Tony's hand moved to gently stroke my hair, his touch soothing.

"I'll support you till the very end," he whispered softly, his voice steady, grounding.

The comfort he gave me felt like a lifeline.

I clung to him, letting the weight on my chest lift just a little. "Thank you, Tony..."

---

Boboiboy's POV

I ran through the halls, my heart racing.

"Nyx!" I called out, my voice echoing. I had searched his room, the control room, and every other place he might be. Still, he was nowhere to be found.

"Have you seen Nyx?" I asked a soldier I passed in the hallway.

"Nyx? Oh, I saw him heading to the engine room," the soldier replied casually before walking away.

Engine room. I didn't hesitate-I sprinted toward it, my legs moving faster than my thoughts.

When I reached the door, I paused for a moment, bracing myself for what might be on the other side.

As the door slid open, my breath caught in my throat.

There he was, Nyx, sitting alone in the middle of the room. His arms were wrapped around his knees, his long hair unbraided and spilling over his shoulders like a veil.

He was crying.

"Nyx," I whispered, my voice breaking.

He looked up at me slowly, his tear-streaked face lifeless, his eyes devoid of the light they usually carried.

I didn't think-I ran to him, wrapping my arms around him tightly. "I'm here!" My voice cracked, raw with emotion. "I'm here for you, Nyx. Let me carry your burden!"

At my words, a faint flicker of light returned to his eyes, and he broke down completely. His sobs wracked his body as he clung to me, his grip desperate, as though letting go would shatter him.

This man, who gave so much of himself to others, now needed someone to hold him together. His pain was unspoken, buried so deeply it had begun to consume him.

I could feel it-the anguish that haunted him, the memories that refused to let him go.

"You're amazing, Nyx," I whispered, my own tears falling. "I'm here for you. I'll never leave you."

His sobs grew louder, the floodgates of his heart finally opening.

We stayed like that for what felt like an eternity. In that moment, nothing else mattered.

We were all broken, battered by the weight of this fight. But somehow, we would find a way to keep moving forward. We had to.

To be continue