Chapter 501: A One‑Minute Concession

Above the high sky, the two Divine Beasts clashed back and forth, and the battle grew ever more intense.

Zekrom continuously switched moves, Metal Claw and Flash Cannon taking turns, relying on Steel-type attacks to keep the pressure, and its heavy armor repeatedly withstood the impact of Fairy skills.

Xerneas, using the speed and high attack granted by Geomancy, roamed in attack; Fairy Aura made every strike powerful, and its surrounding Life Energy continuously repaired the minor damage it sustained, fully displaying the Life God's endurance.

After several rounds of entanglement, both sides gradually showed signs of fatigue.

Zekrom repeatedly used Hard Resistance against Fairy moves; its metallic shell was covered with fine scratches, and its breathing grew heavy;

Xerneas continuously unleashed powerful moves, depleting its internal Life Energy enormously, and the branches atop its head wilted slightly.

The countdown numbers on the Rotom Phone flickered rapidly, the glaring timer constantly reminding Huo La—time was seriously running out.

Twenty minutes remained before the end, leaving only a scant few minutes.

Kyurem in the rear field desperately kept the Antimatter Rift open; the faster the passage expanded, the more anxious Huo La became.

This one‑on‑one duel simply could not be prolonged; if it dragged on, even a victory would completely miss the optimal moment to exile the Final Weapon.

The primary victims whose life force was being absorbed were all those present and the Pokemon!

High above, the two First‑Grade Gods were already covered in fatigue.

Lysandre's thin eyes swept over Zekrom, his tone laced with unabashed sarcasm: "Your Zekrom is about to give out. The Time God, being drained to this extent, is rather pathetic."

Huo La felt impatient, yet would not lose composure, and immediately retorted coldly: "Likewise. Your Xerneas is no better."

"Oh?" Lysandre's eyebrows twitched, his tone teasing, "Then I'll show you how much power Xerneas still has."

Huo La clenched his teeth; he could neither stall nor afford to waste, and had to decide the outcome with a single move.

"Zekrom, give it all you've got—Time Roar!"

Huo La let out a deep, hoarse roar; this was the only way to break the deadlock at this moment.

On the brink of exhaustion, Zekrom roared upward, forcibly squeezing out the remaining Time primal power until it was completely drained.

The dazzling energy of deep blue and silver‑white intertwined, wildly compressing and converging in its throat; the surrounding air began to warp and tremble, and the flow of time over the entire ruin briefly became chaotic.

In the next second, an overwhelmingly massive torrent of energy tore through the sky, bearing the force to rend heaven and earth, and shot straight at Xerneas!

This strike poured out Zekrom's last remaining power, with no reserve, no retreat—a desperate life‑or‑death gamble in a hopeless situation.

Lysandre's expression tightened slightly, and in a deep voice ordered: "All‑out energy defense, Hard Block! Then finish it with Moonblast!"

Xerneas's life aura instantly gathered, the glow of its antlers surged, and a thick, translucent Fairy Barrier instantly unfolded, firmly enveloping its entire body.

A thunderous roar exploded across the sky!

The terrifying impact of Time Roar slammed onto the light shield; the transparent barrier instantly filled with spider‑web‑like cracks, shaking violently without cease.

Xerneas's massive body was forced to retreat repeatedly by the raging residual Time force; its four hooves gouged two deep ruts in the ground, and its golden fur was torn by the airflow into a chaotic flutter.

Crack—

A brittle sound rang out, and the Fairy Barrier shattered completely.

The remaining Time shockwave slammed onto Xerneas, hurling it back several meters; its body shook violently, nearly toppling over.

But it ultimately held its ground.

Seizing the moment when Time Roar's power waned, Xerneas forced its fatigue aside, and between its antlers suddenly formed a pink yet highly lethal aura.

All its remaining stamina, its final special attack, its last move, converged into a single strike.

"Moonblast!"

The pink Fairy beam shot through the air, precisely locking onto the just‑finished, utterly exhausted Zekrom, inescapable!

Zekrom was already too weak to raise a defense, and could only brutally take the finishing move.

The intense flash burst, and the shockwave swept across the entire ruin.

The silhouettes of the two legendary Divine Beasts almost simultaneously lost support, both plummeting heavily from the heights, crashing onto the shattered ground and raising clouds of rolling dust.

The dust slowly settled, and the battlefield fell completely silent.

Zekrom struggled to arch its body; the light on its armor had completely faded, and it finally lay powerless on the ground, its eyes devoid of spark, utterly unable to fight.

On the other side, Xerneas fared no better; its limbs grew weak and trembled, barely supporting its body without collapsing, breathing rapid and heavy, its vitality dimmed, already at the end of its strength.

Huo La watched the fallen Zekrom, his chest filled with helplessness and frustration.

He had wagered all his offense, yet still lost this one‑on‑one duel.

The Rotom Phone's countdown frantically flickered, and the number on the screen glaringly showed only the final minute left.

Time had completely run out, leaving no room for any maneuver.

Huo La clenched his teeth, his heart burning with urgency, unable to heed any rules or checks, about to forcibly order the Kyurem that had already kept the Antimatter Rift open to disregard everything and immediately exile the Final Weapon.

At that critical moment, the thin Lysandre suddenly spoke.

He wore a calm, indifferent expression, without the slightest pride or flamboyance of having defeated his opponent, only a placid tranquility, as if the god‑level duel that had just decided victory or loss was merely an inconsequential spar for him.

"This battle was fought to the fullest. According to our agreement, you indeed lost."

His tone shifted, speaking calmly and composed: "But using the Final Weapon to wipe out half of all life and reshape a New World, I have already done once. Repeating that, for me, holds no meaning or interest."

"You may act now." He looked up at the floating Final Weapon in midair, gently granting permission, "Throw it into the Antimatter World; consider it as me repaying the lifesaving favor you gave me."

After speaking, he turned his head toward Ghetsis beside him, and in a deep voice asked: "As for Kalos's Flash Flame Team… do you have the capability to take over?"

Ghetsis's eyes flashed with a hint of contemplation; after quickly weighing pros and cons, he answered calmly: "Of course I can. But being under someone else's roof requires the attitude of someone under someone else's roof."

The thin Lysandre said nothing further, ignored Ghetsis, and refocused his gaze on the tense Huo La, softly reminding: "Your time is running out."

With his words ending, he raised his hand and recalled the already exhausted Xerneas and Zygarde.

The remaining Ifrital gently fluttered its wings, bowing down to land beside him.

The thin Lysandre leapt onto the back of the Destruction God, did not linger, turned his direction, and sped toward the distant Flame Flash Squad Camp, his figure quickly vanishing amid the billowing smoke.