Boom—!!!
Deep in the sky, a pale beam of light streaked across the heavens like a meteor, flying at a speed faster than light.
At that moment, even the waves on the sea seemed to be stilled by this invisible pressure. The surrounding air distorted due to the high temperature, and visible heatwaves warped the distant coastline.
Galar region, the seat of the royal family.
The current king stood before the observation deck, a smile of certain victory still on his face.
Their grand army was about to conquer Kalos; this was the first step for the Galar royal family to rule the entire world.
"Your Majesty, congratulations!"
A member of the Galar royal family bowed respectfully to the man.
"Your greatness will be known to the world. Thousands of years from now, people across the globe will join together in praising your name."
The man smiled slightly.
The surrounding royal family members looked at each other, seemingly about to begin celebrating the victory of this war together.
But before the cheers could finish, they saw the sky suddenly turn white.
Immediately after, a white light from thousands of miles away came howling towards them.
"What is that?!"
The king's smile froze instantly. He looked up to see the white beam of light, large enough to blot out the sun, falling vertically like the wrath of God.
No warning, no roar—only an instant of extreme silence—
In the next moment, it was as if a giant beast had awakened deep within the earth.
The foundation of the entire royal city began to shake violently, and rubble exploded like raindrops.
The sky was instantly dyed a blinding milky white, and then a terrifying shockwave swept through the city at the speed of light.
On the streets, crowds of running people were instantly vaporized. Solid granite buildings melted the moment the white light touched them, turning into a torrent of scalding lava.
Even the Metagross perched atop the high tower, symbolizing the glory of the Galar royal family, turned to ash before this absolute power without even being able to let out a cry of sorrow.
That was the true power of the ultimate weapon.
It was no longer a funnel absorbing life, but a cannon barrel releasing destruction.
All the legendary energy it had absorbed was now converted into a reckoning for the enemy.
Traveling thousands of miles across mountains and seas, it was only to pour this destructive wrath precisely upon the homeland of the invaders.
This was the most violent retaliation from a king of a fallen nation.
Outside the royal city, the flocks of Corviknight had no time to evacuate before being enveloped by the aftermath of the white light.
Thousands upon thousands of black feathers burned instantly. A rain of burning black feathers fell from the sky; Galar's proud aerial ace was completely wiped out in this single strike.
Inside the royal palace.
The Galar general, who had just been immersed in the illusion of victory, was now slumped beneath the throne.
He watched helplessly as the white light swallowed his army, the entire royal city, and even evaporated the distant sea into a massive cloud of Mist.
The earth trembled, and space distorted.
The beam of light finally exploded deep within the heart of Galar, like the roar of a prehistoric giant cannon. The shockwave overturned several mountain ranges, and a tsunami swept across the entire coastline.
Then, the white light swept toward the surroundings.
Closer, closer!
The Galar royal family tried to turn and flee in terror, but the white light reached them almost instantly, swallowing them whole.
Dust blotted out the sun and moon. For three whole days, the Galar region was shrouded in this apocalyptic dust.
Above Cyllage City.
Draconis rode Kyurem, hovering in mid-air, looking down at Cyllage City which had just experienced the flames of war.
Xerneas and Yveltal stood on either side, the blue of life and the dark red of death intertwining in the night sky, witnessing this tragic end.
Although the white light had receded, the catastrophe in the city had not completely dissipated.
The ultimate weapon had absorbed too much origin energy. The ground was cracked everywhere, the once-lush vegetation had instantly withered, and even the air carried the pungent smell of gunpowder and death.
Fortunately, Kyurem, Xerneas, and Yveltal took action in time to confine that power within the castle's range, preventing it from devouring all surrounding life as recorded in history.
Draconis turned back and looked outside the city.
There, tens of thousands of Kalos soldiers and hundreds of thousands of Commoners were staring blankly in this direction.
These people and Pokémon, who should have been swallowed by the ultimate weapon in this war, had survived intact.
Draconis felt a sense of relief.
AZ stood atop the ruins of the palace, his clothes tattered and covered in blood.
He watched the receding white light, the madness in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by a hollow silence.
The newly resurrected Floette floated nearby, the eternal flower emitting a faint but warm light, healing his wounds.
But AZ seemed not to feel it. He slowly reached out and stroked the reborn Floette.
"That's great... Floette, you're alive..." he murmured softly, his voice as raspy as a worn-out bellows.
Cyllage City was turned into ruins, and the invaders were completely destroyed.
This was a victory that nearly resulted in mutual destruction.
The Floette with the eternal flower looked at AZ with concern, then looked around at their home, which had been reduced to rubble.
In mid-air, Draconis looked at AZ with mixed emotions.
He did not offer comfort or blame, because it had already happened, and everything had lost its meaning.
AZ did not know that Draconis possessed the power to stop the war, so the first thing he thought of when facing the attack on Kalos was the ultimate weapon.
And Draconis had not expected the Galar army to attack so quickly, or that AZ would seize that moment to activate the ultimate weapon.
However, fortunately, his appearance had reduced the losses to a minimum.
Xerneas and Yveltal looked at the calmed earth, then turned their heads to look at Kyurem and the human beside them.
They had initially thought this being was an invader of the Kalos region, but it now seemed he was not such a presence.
Without many words, the God of Life and the God of Death nodded slightly to Draconis and Kyurem, then turned and left.
*
Three days later, Cyllage City.
The city, having just experienced war, was waiting to be rebuilt. Although homes were destroyed, fortunately, the people were still there.
Life had to go on.
After burying the deceased, the people of this city returned to their former peaceful lives, with new homes waiting to be built.
"Report! The remaining Galar army has completely withdrawn from the Kalos region!"
A guard came to report with excitement.
"I heard something big happened in Galar. I think it must be that thing of yours, Your Majesty, that hit those thieves' homeland!"
"Good, well hit!"
"Those damn Galarians, those invaders—they deserve to taste this!"
"Only in this way can we be worthy of our brothers who sacrificed themselves!"
The ministers of this country were extremely excited; when mentioning Galarians, their hearts were filled with hatred.
As an outsider, Draconis did not participate in this.
He couldn't help but think that if he were AZ, facing a situation where his country was invaded and his subjects died under the enemy's swords... he would probably have made the same choice as AZ.
Upon the throne, AZ closed his eyes, his face filled with exhaustion.
He looked at Draconis with gratitude.
Later, he learned from the ministers everything that this King of Unova had done for them.
He was also incredibly fortunate; if not for Draconis, the ultimate weapon that day would likely have devoured all life in the vicinity.
He had almost caused a great catastrophe.
Now, he was no longer qualified to continue as king.
AZ slowly stood up, his heavy steps descending from the throne one by one, each step feeling as if he were treading upon broken mountains and rivers.
He did not look at the excited ministers or the cheering soldiers, but walked straight to Draconis and knelt on one knee.
This kneel was a fallen king's expression of gratitude to his savior, and even more so, a penance for almost destroying everything.
"His Majesty Draconis..."
AZ's voice was low and raspy, no longer possessing any of an emperor's pride, leaving only endless relief and guilt.
"Kalos owes you a life. I, AZ, owe you the whole world."
Draconis was silent for a moment, then reached out and gently helped him up.
"You were protecting your home and country; I only did what I should have done."
As he spoke, a soft light suddenly appeared outside the palace.
The Floette with the eternal flower landed gently in AZ's palm, its petals trembling slightly as if tenderly comforting him.
AZ looked at his lost-and-found partner, and his eyes finally couldn't help but turn slightly red.
He had almost lost his country, his royal city, and countless subjects, but he had finally found the only light he wanted to protect.
"I am no longer fit to be king."
AZ raised his head, his gaze firm.
"From this day forth, I abdicate the throne of Kalos. For the rest of my life, I will travel across this broken land, using the power of the eternal flower to heal the wounds left by the war."
"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"
The ministers were shocked and tried to dissuade him, but AZ raised his hand to stop them.
"Say no more. This is the punishment I deserve, and the only compensation I can offer."
He turned and looked at the Commoners rebuilding their homes outside the window, at those faces where hope was being rekindled.
The smoke of Cyllage City had dissipated, and sunlight pierced through the clouds, falling upon the cracked earth.
Though scarred, signs of life were gradually emerging.
Draconis felt moved as he watched this scene.
He thought of Nimbasa City far away, the brightly lit streets, and the sight of humans and Pokémon living in harmony.
The people here would one day have such a life again.
"I have a proposal that can provide a help for you to recover as much as possible and recuperate," Draconis suddenly spoke up.
Hearing this, everyone around him immediately looked at him in unison.
"Our Unova was once like today's Kalos, suffering through the baptism of war. The Commoners there did not have enough to eat or wear, and many died of hunger and cold every year."
"But that path was wrong. After continuous exploration, we found a new path."
"Now, every commoner in the Kingdom of Unova can fill their stomach and wear thick clothes. Even in the coldest winter, no one dies of hunger or cold."
"Everyone has food to eat, everyone has a house to live in, everyone has land, and everyone can keep warm."
Hearing this, the surrounding ministers instantly let out cries of surprise.
"How is that possible?!"
"Even a god probably couldn't make the Commoners of an entire country have enough to eat, right?!"
Because it was simply an impossible thing.
With the productivity of those serfs and manor owners, it was simply impossible to reach such a level!
To this, Draconis only smiled slightly.
"So, we learned to borrow the power of magical beasts."
"In Unova, magical beasts are called Pokémon by us, and everyone can live and fight together with Pokémon."
"Pokémon that can breathe fire can help us cook, and Pokémon that can spray water can help us wash clothes. Not only that, but there are also Pokémon that can be very useful in farming, smelting, mining, and cooking."
"And everything I just said is thanks to the help of these Pokémon."
As Draconis's voice slowly fell.
Almost everyone present was dumbfounded.
After a moment, a white-bearded minister looked as if he had seen a ghost and let out a cry of surprise.
"Borrow the power of magical beasts? How is that possible!"
"Those magical beasts in the wild are all very ferocious and will immediately attack humans upon seeing them!"
"As long as you find the right method, nothing is impossible," Draconis reminded him. "Didn't the Galar kingdom's army of Corviknight borrow the power of Pokémon?"
"And..." Draconis's gaze fell upon Floette. "His Majesty AZ's Floette is also a Pokémon, yet it was willing to sacrifice itself to protect AZ."
As soon as these words were spoken, the scene fell silent, and even the air seemed to freeze for a few seconds.
Floette trembled slightly in AZ's palm, the aura of the eternal flower gentle and firm.
Only then did everyone realize with a shock that the most precious guardian was one of the "ferocious magical beasts" in their eyes.
Draconis looked around, his voice calm but with an unquestionable penetration:
"Pokémon are not beasts, let alone weapons. Like us humans, they are a part of this world, equal beings coexisting with humanity."
He waved his hand, and a Poké Ball lit up with a soft white light in his palm.
In the next second, the figures of Dragonite, Volcarona, and Serperior appeared one after another.
They did not release any pressure but simply stood quietly by Draconis's side like a group of loyal guards.
"Do you see?" Draconis said softly. "They are gentle and intelligent, capable of fighting alongside humans. Unova's prosperity is not because of a god's blessing, but because we chose cooperation."
The ministers looked at each other, the shock in their eyes gradually turning into deep thought.
For a long time, human perception of magical beasts had remained at "combat power" and "threat."
Humans naturally thought they were the masters of this world, so some would use violence to enslave and exploit those magical beasts.
But the scene before them overturned their inherent concepts of thousands of years.
AZ looked at the Pokémon behind Draconis, his gaze complex and deep.
He remembered that day when Floette burned out its life to protect him and Kalos.
He knew then that some Pokémon understood loyalty and sacrifice better than humans.
"Is the Unova model... feasible?" an old minister asked with a trembling voice.
If that were the case, wouldn't their Kalos also be able to become more prosperous?
Draconis smiled slightly and nodded:
"Unova has practiced this for several years. Facts have proven that when humans and Pokémon coexist peacefully rather than humans enslaving Pokémon, this land becomes more prosperous and peace lasts longer."
He looked at AZ, his tone sincere.
"Kalos is scarred, and the road to reconstruction is long. If you can take this opportunity to break the old shackles, perhaps you can walk a new path of your own. As an ally, I am willing to represent Unova in cooperating with you and guiding you to move forward together with Pokémon."
A minister looked at AZ and then at Draconis, concern flashing in his eyes: "I wonder why Your Majesty Draconis is willing to help us Kalos?"
To this, Draconis only smiled slightly.
"I want to build a world where humans and Pokémon can live and move forward together. This is my ideal, and it is also what I once promised Kyurem."
Hearing this, everyone was at a loss for words for a moment.
AZ remained silent for a long time, looking down at the Floette in his palm.
the eternal flower gently rubbed against his fingertip, as if silently supporting his decision.
"Fine."
AZ suddenly raised his head, his gaze firm, his voice raspy but resonant.
"Kalos is willing to try. In the name of the last king of Kalos, I offer a diplomatic gift to the Kingdom of Unova. From now on, Kalos will form an alliance with Unova to jointly explore a future where humans and magical beasts... no, Pokémon, coexist!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone present was shocked.
"On behalf of the Kingdom of Unova, I welcome Kalos's joining." Draconis reached out his hand and said with a smile, "May we work together to return this land to peace and prosperity."
AZ looked at Draconis's outstretched hand, the exhaustion in his eyes dissipating, replaced by long-lost hope.
He gently grasped that hand.
The moment their hands met, a new light seemed to quietly bloom upon the ruins of Cyllage City.
In a corner, the gaze of the Zygarde Core fell upon their joined hands, a light flashing in its eyes.
....
Power Stones PLZZZZZ
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