Battle Of Planets

Chapter 68: Results
”Tyson Rogers, you earned 152 points. Alex Rogers, 151,” the examiner announced. ”Respectively, fifth and sixth place in the drill.”Alex’s expression grew serious. Tyson, in disparity, beamed as if he had just won the entire drill.

Tyson pumped his fists like he had just dethroned a champion. ”Yes!” His team erupted in wild cheers, celebrating as if they had just secured first place.

Tim, who had actually come in first, stood there, confused. Wasn’t he supposed to be celebrating? His team exchanged uneasy glances, shifting uncomfortably as they watched Tyson’s squad cheer wildly.

”Are they fools?” someone whispered.

”We ought to be the ones celebrating, not them.”

”Right? What’s so great about fifth place?”

Whispers circulated among the crowd, yet no one dared to speak aloud. Everyone knew who Tyson was—and what he was capable of.

Meanwhile, Alex’s team stood in uncomfortable silence. The girls looked heartbroken, their guilt practically radiating from them. One of them even sniffled.

”Guys...” Alex sighed, massaging his temples. ”It’s alright. We did our best.”

”No, sir!” one girl suddenly fell to the ground. ”We let you down—please, punish us!”

A stunned silence enveloped the crowd. Heads turned toward them, wide-eyed.

”Wait... what did she just say?” someone whispered.

”It’s not what I think it is... right?” Ken blurted out.

Lara rolled her eyes. ”Don’t exaggerate; she doesn’t mean it like that.”

But as if to betray her, the other girls knelt, dropping to their knees. One even blushed slightly—almost as if she truly meant it that way.

Alex frantically tried to pull them up, his eyes darting around—when suddenly, snap!

He turned to see Tyson, phone in hand, with wide eyes as he stared at the screen.

”Wow,” Tyson murmured. ”Punishment, huh?”

”You jerk! It’s not what it seems!” Alex shouted.

”Sure, sure,” Tyson smirked. ”You can tell that to your wife.”

Alex stood still. His face became expressionless.

”Get ready to leave the mines!” the examiner shouted. ”No messing around—pack your bags!”

Tyson’s group hurried to finish packing. Just as they wrapped up, Alex slipped into their tent. Ken’s eyes widened in surprise upon seeing him, but Tyson remained blissfully unaware, focused on cramming the last of his belongings into his bag.

Then, almost instantly—snap!—Alex tightened his grip on Tyson’s wrist.

Alex said. ”How does it feel, huh? How dare you mess with me?!”

”Let me go, you brat!” Tyson growled, fighting to break free. But Alex was stronger.

”Delete that photo. Now.”

”No,” Tyson gritted out as Alex tightened his grip. Then, feeling the pressure, he quickly added, ”Y-Yes! I was joking!”

Alex smirked, then abruptly kicked Tyson’s backside, sending him stumbling forward. Dusting off his clothes, Alex turned to the group, who stood by in shocked silence.

”Don’t let this small win go to your head, you bastard,” Alex warned. ”I’ll kick your ass anytime, anywhere.”

”Oh really?” Tyson straightened up, ”Why not do it here? What’s the problem? Are you scared?”

”Really? Then—”

Before Alex could finish, Shaun quickly interrupted. ”Guys, we need to leave,” he said, his voice cautious. He knew these two all too well—once they began bickering, their no stopping. ”If you start a fight here, who knows what will happen?”

”I’ll take him down; that’s what will happen,” Alex said confidently.

”I’ll wake you up to reality; that’s what will happen,” Tyson shot back.

Alex smirked. ”Reality? The reality is that you have seventeen points, and I have twenty-three points.” He crossed his arms. ”I’m going to wipe the floor with you.”

”I knew I’d find you here,” Lieutenant Marsh said as he walked in. ”Boys, it’s time to go. Why are you fighting now?”

The tension in the air dissipated as the brothers turned to face him. The group nodded in acknowledgment of his presence.

Marsh smiled. ”We should get going home. Don’t take too long, or you’ll end up mining stones here for a month.”

Once the Lieutenant left, Alex rushed out—ensuring he flashed a middle finger at Tyson on his way.

---

Military trucks rolled down the road, transporting the Association’s Rangers to their home city, Elria. They moved past the ruins of collapsed structures, transitioning from dirt roads to the vast highway. The trip was lengthy and tiring, with the fatigue from their recent drills still evident in their bodies.

Some Rangers succumbed to fatigue, drifting into deep sleep as the hum of the engines lulled them into a temporary peace. Others kept themselves busy with books, flipping through pages under the dim glow of the overhead lights. A few gazed out of the truck windows, watching the world blur past—crumbling structures yielding to vast open plains, then the familiar outskirts of their city inching closer with every mile.

They arrived in Elria at midnight. The air was cold and breezy, and Tyson and his group stood before the Rangers’ headquarters.

”Thank you, Sergeant,” Ken said earnestly. ”For everything... and for guiding me on the right path.”

Bee nodded firmly while Lara and Shaun stayed silent, the weight of their goodbyes settling in. Over the past week, they had grown closer—like a family of their own. Training together, pushing through the drills, and enduring hardships side by side had left an undeniable mark on all of them, even on Tyson.

”You’re our leader,” Lara whispered, more to herself than to anyone else. ”We will always follow you.”

”I hate to admit it, but yeah,” Ken added hesitantly. ”but don’t expect me to run your errands,”

”I’m here to run your errands,” Bee grinned. ”I’ll carry your bags, buy you snacks with my money—whatever you need, Sergeant!”

Shaun chuckled, shaking his head. He saw a reflection of himself in Bee—eager to impress Tyson and Alex, just as he had been when he first met them. But now, it was no longer about admiration. He felt something deeper—a sense of responsibility. He wasn’t merely trying to impress them; he wanted to be their right hand, standing by them and protecting them if needed, even with his limited powers.

Tyson smiled, ruffling Bee’s hair. ”Whatever. Now head home—your families must be worried sick about you all.”

Lara hung back as Ken hit Bee on the head. ”How could you side with Tyson instead of me!”

”But he’s my boss’s boss,” Bee defended with a sheepish grin.

”He’s not my boss!” Ken shouted playfully, mock-choking Bee as he marched ahead.

Tyson turned to Lara. ”You seem really quiet,” he said, noticing her hesitation.

”I wish we could have trained more,” Lara said, looking down at her shoes. ”Will... will we ever meet again, Senior?”

Tyson chuckled and gently patted her head. ”Of course we will. Just ensure you actually attend your training from now on.”

”Really?” she asked, hope shimmering in her eyes.

”Yeah.” Tyson paused for a moment before adding, ”I’ll see if we can train together sometimes.”

”Please do that, senior!” she practically shouted, her excitement bubbling over.

”Alright, alright, just relax,” Tyson said with a smirk, shaking his head. ”But promise me—no more skipping training sessions.”

”I would never,” Lara declared, her eyes shining with determination.

”Good.” Tyson glanced back at the car, where Alex was busy giving farewell hugs to the girls—his eyes, however, remained fixed on Tyson, ensuring he wouldn’t do anything bratty.

”Goodnight, Senior,” Lara said softly. Then, almost shyly, she added, ”I-I’ll message you sometimes.”

Tyson smiled warmly. ”Sure, that sounds great.”

Lara dragged her feet as she walked away, casting quick glances over her shoulder—as if trying to take one last look at him. With a final exhale, she vanished into the night.

”So... your girl isn’t here to pick you up?” Alex asked, leaning back inside the car with a smirk.

”Neither is yours,” Tyson retorted. ”And she doesn’t even know I’m coming home tonight.”

Alex smirked. ”She’s the city president—she must be worn out. That’s different.”

”Or,” Tyson grinned, ”she’s just upset with you. I truly hope you don’t die after meeting her.”

Alex’s expression stiffened. Tyson had indeed created a scene with her. Initially, Alex thought no one in this world could keep him up at night — but now, he was fully aware of that person.

His soon-to-be wife, the woman he loved the most, was the President of this city. Without another thought, Alex floored the gas pedal. The sports car shot from 0 to 100 in seconds, making Tyson scream like a terrified child.

”What the heck, man?! Are you trying to kill me?!” Tyson shouted, gripping his seat for dear life.

”Maybe,” Alex said coolly. He couldn’t start a fight with Sera—but Tyson? That guy had practically entered his life just to annoy him. ”This is for messing with my head.”

”Slow down, you maniac!” Tyson shouted. ”I haven’t even said hi to Nancy yet! Slow down, you jerk!”

Alex smirked. He took a sharp turn and sped into a quieter part of the city, where fewer cars ventured along the road. Somewhere in the cold night, Tyson’s screams echoed loud and clear.