Nico hit the rubble again.
This time he didn't bounce.
His body just skidded over the broken metal, scraping over jagged edges before coming to a stop near the edge of a tilted slab.
He tried to breathe.
It didn't work.
His chest wheezed and his air came out in sharp, uneven bursts.
A few meters away, Metal Nico stepped up.
Slow.
Precise.
Every step calculated.
Nico forced his arms under him and pushed.
His elbows shook violently.
"…Not… done…"
He barely got one knee under himself.
Metal Nico vanished.
CRACK.
A fist slammed into Nico's head before he could even turn.
His body folded instantly, and he was launched sideways across the battlefield again.
He tumbled once.
Twice.
Then slammed into a piece of broken tower and dropped to the earth.
Metal Nico was already there.
A kick drove into Nico's back and pinned him flat against the rubble.
Nico gritted his teeth.
Tried to push up again.
The pressure increased.
Then Metal Nico lifted his foot.
And stomped him again.
BOOM.
The slab beneath Nico cracked.
Water splashed up from below.
Nico coughed and rolled weakly to the side.
He barely got onto his hands again.
"…Move…"
His fingers dug into the rubble as he dragged himself forward.
On the far side the Phantom Rubies glowed faintly.
Still there.
Still within reach.
Metal Nico didn't rush.
He watched Nico.
Then appeared in front of him.
A hand shot down and grabbed Nico by the collar.
Lift.
Nico's feet left the ground.
For a second, their faces were level.
Metal Nico's glowing eyes didn't change.
No anger.
No expression.
Just cold intent.
Then.
CRACK.
A punch to the stomach.
Nico's body snapped forward.
Metal Nico didn't let go.
Another punch.
CRACK.
Then a third.
CRACK.
Each hit was a little heavier than the previous.
Nico's arms dropped.
His body went limp in Metal Nico's grip.
The robot released him.
Nico dropped to his knees.
He didn't fall over.
Not yet.
Still trying.
Still there.
Metal Nico stepped forward again.
A knee drove into Nico's face.
Nico's head snapped back and he flew across the rubble again, crashing into a floating slab and rolling across it before stopping.
Rex saw it from across the battlefield.
"…He's gonna die…"
Viper clenched his jaw.
"Focus."
Noir stood in front of them, tail flicking slowly.
"You're not done here."
Nico pushed himself up again, now on the other side of the battlefield.
Slower.
But still.
Much slower.
He got one foot under him.
Then the other.
He stood.
Barely.
His body swayed.
His arms hung low.
But he was still standing.
Metal Nico lunged.
Nico tried to block.
Too slow.
CRACK.
The punch broke through his guard instantly and slammed into his chest.
Nico flew backward again, and he smashed through part of the debris and slipped across the surface of another slab.
He didn't even try to stand immediately this time.
Just lay there half a second.
And then forced himself onto one elbow.
"…Still…"
His voice cracked.
"…not done…"
Metal Nico appeared again.
He didn't go for a punch this time.
He grabbed Nico's arm.
Twisted.
CRACK.
Nico screamed.
Metal Nico spun and threw him.
Nico flew across the battlefield and crashed near the Phantom Rubies.
They briefly glowed next to him.
So close.
Nico reached.
His hand dragged across the rubble toward them.
Metal Nico landed behind him.
Nico's fingers brushed one of the Rubies.
Metal Nico kicked him.
BOOM.
Nico's body slammed into the ground again and rolled away from them.
The Rubies scattered slightly.
Still within reach.
But not his.
Nico lay on his side.
Breathing unevenly.
Every movement hurt.
But his eyes were still on the Rubies.
"…Mine…"
He tried again.
His body barely responded.
Metal Nico walked past him.
Straight toward the Rubies.
Nico's eyes widened.
"No—"
He forced his body to move.
His muscles screamed.
He pushed himself forward.
One inch.
Then another.
Metal Nico reached down.
Picked one up.
Then another.
Then another.
Nico dragged himself forward faster.
Desperate now.
"No—don't—!"
Metal Nico turned.
Nico lunged.
Not fast.
Not strong.
Just everything he had left.
Metal Nico met him with a single punch.
CRACK.
Nico froze mid-lunge.
Then dropped.
Flat.
Metal Nico didn't even look at him again.
He lifted the remaining Rubies.
All five now.
The air shifted.
The ocean underneath them rippled.
A low hum spread out over the battlefield.
Rex stopped moving.
Viper looked up.
Noir turned his head slightly.
Dr. E smiled.
The Rubies flared.
WHOOOOM.
A burst of energy exploded out of Metal Nico.
The blue aura around him began to pulse violently.
His whole body lit up as new energy lines moved through the frame.
The Rubies lifted from his hands.
Hovered.
Then positioned themselves behind him in a perfect formation.
The energy increased.
The air warped.
The rubble shook.
Dr. E's scanner screamed.
Then locked.
95,000
Rex's eyes widened.
"…No…"
Viper didn't say anything.
Noir just smiled faintly.
Nico barely lifted his head again on the rubble.
"…You've gotta be kidding…"
Metal Nico stepped forward.
The ground cracked beneath him.
Nico tried to stand again.
He got halfway up.
His legs gave out.
He caught himself on one hand.
Forced himself up again.
This time, he stood.
Barely.
His arms trembled.
But he raised them anyway.
Metal Nico vanished.
Nico swung.
Missed.
Super Metal Nico was behind him.
A hand pressed gently against Nico's back.
Then.
BOOM.
Nico launched forward like a bullet, smashing through the rubble and bouncing through the debris.
He didn't even have a chance.
Metal Nico was already above him.
A kick drove him straight down into the rubble.
BOOM.
The impact split the slab in half.
Water surged upward.
Nico lay there.
Still.
For a second.
Then he moved.
Slowly.
Trying again.
Trying to get up.
Super Metal Nico landed in front of him.
Silent.
Watching.
Waiting.
Nico pushed himself up.
His arms shook.
His legs barely held.
But he stood.
One more time.
"…Not…"
He took a step forward.
"…done…"
Super Metal Nico raised his fist.
Energy wrapped around it.
Dense.
Heavy.
Overwhelming.
The air bent around it.
Everything went quiet.
Rex stopped moving.
Viper held his breath.
And Noir did not interrupt.
Nico staggered back.
One step.
Then another.
Super Metal Nico punched.
CRACK.
The sound rang out across the ocean.
Nico's body snapped backward instantly.
He flew across the battlefield, slammed into a scattered piece of wreckage and completely sank it.
Debris collapsed over him.
Silence.
No movement.
No breath.
Nothing.
Super Metal Nico lowered his fist.
And stood there.
Unchallenged.