Chapter 293: He's in a Hurry, He's in a Hurry

Huo La slowly exhaled, his tense shoulders and back relaxing a bit, yet his brows remained knotted, and his eyes swirled with an unmistakable complexity—weighty confirmation of his speculation, vigilance toward the unknown, and a trace of melancholy from being plotted against.

He turned to look at the worried Xiao Zhao, quickly suppressing the doubts in his heart, forced out a thin smile, and said in as light a tone as possible: "I'm fine, just a bit excited."

Speaking, he stepped toward the shore, bent down and steadily picked up the Great Ball containing the Golden Magikarp.

His fingertips brushed the ball's pattern, he gave it a gentle toss, letting it land on the empty ground before him.

"Bang" sounded lightly, golden light flashed, the Golden Magikarp leapt out, shook off droplets after landing, then joyfully bounded, repeatedly using Water Splash Jump, the tiny spray landing on its golden scales and reflecting dazzling light.

"How about it, the Golden Magikarp is in hand, you should have an answer now," Deoxys's cold voice echoed again in Huo La's mind, its tone carrying a hint of mockery.

Huo La stared at the endlessly hopping Golden Magikarp on the ground, let out a slow sigh, and the complexity in his eyes gradually settled into certainty.

As expected, the system had a problem, and it was a big problem. Now he could confirm that the system contained more than one program.

If it only had basic routines and dialogue functions, such a system would be considered normal—but a normal system would never mark a mission as completed in a location that completely mismatched the task's designated spot.

Yet the mission was judged complete, which could only mean that the entity behind the system was already somewhat urgent, forced to follow his pace, even at the cost of exposing its own anomaly.

"Huh…," Huo La inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly, flicked his fingertips to bring up the system panel, his gaze landing precisely on the Golden Magikarp's information.

Pokemon: Magikarp (Shiny)

Gender: Male

Level: Lv16

Su Xing: A

Status: Healthy

Nature: Calm

Type: Water

Ability: Timid (When a Pokemon with this ability is hit by a Ghost, Bug or Dark‑type move, its Speed rises.)

Height: 1m

Weight: 12kg

Carried Item: None

Moves: Water Splash Jump (mastery 100%), Tackle (mastery 31%)

Improvement Count: 1 (Evolution)

Huo La stared at the panel's data, finally fixing his eyes on the evolution condition after "Improvement Count 1".

This was the reward after completing the Initial Task; previously it required hidden upgrade conditions tied to specific missions, but now no mission or condition was needed, clearly displayed before Huo La.

Undoubtedly this was a major boost to the Pokemon data he could view; under normal circumstances he should have been pleased, yet a chill rose in his heart.

If this mission reward weren't deliberately arranged by the entity behind the system, he would swear he didn't believe it.

Conversely, the system—or the entity behind it—now had goals highly aligned with his, even more urgent, and was willing to throw such a stake, offering greater help.

Huo La stopped overthinking, raised his hand to recall the Golden Magikarp, carefully slung the Pokeball onto his waist, then turned to Xiao Zhao and Ming Yao, his tone steadied: "Let's go, I've already caught this Golden Magikarp, some speculation has been confirmed, and our next target is Blowing Fire Island."

At the same time, far away in the Universe.

A jet‑black Rayquaza streaked through the Star Sea, its dark body interlaced with golden and red patterns that glimmered oddly with each movement, breaking through layer upon layer of Nebula Barrier, heading straight for the world where Huo La stood.

Its speed was extreme, its body enveloped in raging Cosmic Energy, and wherever it passed, Interstellar Dust was stirred and scattered.

Just as this black Rayquaza was about to breach the world's barrier and descend, a massive Energy Beam suddenly erupted from within the world, bearing an irresistible pressure, striking it precisely and abruptly halting its dive.

The black Rayquaza abruptly froze, hovering in space, a flash of malice flashing in its huge eye, it slowly turned its head, locking onto the direction of the incoming Energy Beam.

Within the Ozone Layer's thick ozone mist, another jet‑black Pokemon flickered in and out, surrounded by an extreme cold aura; its sharp eyes stared calmly at the intruding black Rayquaza. In the next instant, it let out a roar that shook the Universe, and another colossal Energy Beam, condensed to the extreme, surged with destructive force toward the black Rayquaza.

The black Rayquaza, unwilling to yield, let out a ferocious roar, black energy converged rapidly in its mouth, and a similarly black yet even stranger Energy Beam burst forth, bearing a retaliatory force, meeting the incoming energy.

"Boom—!"

Two terrifying energies collided in space with a thunderous crash, the ultimate power exploding instantly, and a raging Energy Shock Wave swept outward.

Wherever it passed, even light was twisted and devoured.

At the core of the energy clash, tiny black holes quietly formed, then swiftly vanished under the extreme tensile force, the scene reaching a climax.

Simultaneously, the collision's Energy Shock Wave dispersed the ozone mist cloaking that black Pokemon, fully revealing its true form in the Universe—it was none other than Arceus, the legendary creator of all things who should command world order!

Yet at this moment it was entirely black, devoid of any sacred aura, instead exuding a bizarre vibe.

The black Rayquaza hovered in the Star Sea, gazing at the jet‑black Arceus ahead, a flash of unabashed contempt flashing through its massive eye.

In the next instant it hesitated no more, its surrounding Cosmic Energy surged wildly, its dark body wrapped in flowing golden‑red light, accelerating fiercely, becoming a black lightning bolt that slammed straight at Arceus.

Facing Rayquaza's swift assault, Arceus showed no fear; a cold glint passed through its icy eyes, it did not dodge but advanced, its limbs gathering black energy auras, and in an instant it tangled with Rayquaza.

For a moment, war flames spread above the Ozone Layer.

Their battle was chaotic, yet each strike carried destructive power, the black silhouettes intertwining, indistinguishable in attack or defense.