Yveltal was knocked out.
Damian naturally didn't need to worry about its life safety.
He walked up to Xerneas.
"Xerneas, hello."
"It's a real honor to meet you."
Damian greeted Xerneas very politely.
"Hi, humans~."
"Thank you so much for stopping Yveltal."
Xerneas was just as kind.
Its Telepathy was a very gentle, feminine voice.
Even just hearing it made it feel like its owner was extremely gentle.
It was clear Xerneas had a good impression of Damian.
After all, someone who could stop Yveltal from causing destruction couldn't possibly be a bad person, right?
"Thank you."
"I'm just… a bit ashamed that I came late."
Damian stayed humble.
"No need to take it to heart."
"You did really well already."
Xerneas glanced at Mega Shadow mewtwo y.
"Such a strong human…"
Xerneas could feel the powerful force inside Mega Shadow mewtwo y.
That power was beyond Yveltal.
After all, Xerneas was a Fairy-type Legendary Pokémon.
And after all the back-and-forth with Yveltal—however long it had been—
Xerneas was extremely sensitive to the power of "Dark-type."
"Here…"
"It's so pitiful—"
Xerneas scanned the surroundings and couldn't help letting out a soft sigh.
Whenever it saw "death" scenes like this where Yveltal stole life energy—
it always couldn't help but feel pity.
But what could it do?
It couldn't predict Yveltal's awakening.
So every time, it could only rush over as fast as possible after Yveltal woke up.
But every time…
it still ended up one step too late.
"Humans…"
"What's your name?"
Xerneas's gentle gaze turned to Damian.
"Damian."
"Just call me Damian."
Damian smiled.
"Okay, Damian."
"I can feel that you're an amazing human."
"You carry so, so much weight on your shoulders."
Xerneas's Telepathy carried a hint of awe.
It was the legendary Xerneas.
It was very sensitive to "life."
It could feel the incredibly旺盛 "life energy" on this human in front of it.
In simple terms—
he had a lot of powerful Pokémon inside him.
This was something Xerneas had never seen before.
So Xerneas formed a good idea in its mind.
"Thank you."
"So I want to ask you something, Damian."
"I think only you can do it."
Xerneas asked Damian.
"Can you tell me what it is?"
Damian raised a brow.
Xerneas had a request?
Damian was genuinely curious.
"I've always believed that…"
"life is the greatest thing in the world."
"Nothing can replace it."
Xerneas slowly raised its head.
At this moment, its gentle Telepathy felt extremely distant and hazy.
Damian silently nodded.
Of course, right?
Because life was life.
Without life…
how could you even say a pile of yellow dirt was meaningful?
"What is the meaning of life?"
"Even for me…"
"I can't define it."
"In my long life…"
"I've seen far too much."
"Especially in humans."
Xerneas spoke slowly.
"Some people say the meaning of life is to find what you love…"
"and chase those goals."
"Some people say the meaning of life is to keep learning…"
"and become a better version of yourself."
"Some say the meaning of life is to leave a unique mark on the world…"
"so you won't waste your life."
"And others say the meaning of life is to pursue the truth…"
"and understand the essence of existence."
Xerneas looked into the distance.
That Xerneas shimmered faintly with light.
Its aura was so beautiful and dazzling right now.
"I'm slowly starting to understand the weight of the word 'life.'"
"Each person, each Pokémon…"
"each tree, and even those tiny flowers…"
"is doing everything they can to express their whole lifetime."
"I can see their 'life' shimmering with bright brilliance."
"Life is just that beautiful and unique."
"But…"
"not every Pokémon respects 'life.'"
Xerneas lowered its head and looked at the Yveltal on the ground.
Its eyes held complexities that Damian and Caitlin couldn't read.
"I love life."
"I love every single life."
"I'm not just trying to witness."
"I just want each Pokémon's life…"
"to be able to live its entire life completely."
"Because their lives aren't long."
"Their lives are short…"
"but to them…"
"it might be intense and glorious."
"But it appeared anyway."
Xerneas sighed in a low voice.
"Yveltal…"
Caitlin softly spoke that name.
"Yes, Yveltal."
"It's 'death' that steals all life."
"At first I couldn't understand why it would be so cruel…"
"stealing their life."
"To protect those innocent lives…"
"I tried to stop it."
"And I fought with it for those lives too."
"But… later…"
"I gradually realized…"
"I can't change its will."
"It won't understand the meaning of 'life.'"
"And it can't understand how precious 'life' is."
"It only steals…"
"from beginning to end, that's all it does."
How long has it been?
How long has it been tangled with Yveltal?
Xerneas couldn't remember anymore.
It didn't feel exhaustion either.
Because it knew "life" was precious.
As long as it was to save those lives, it wouldn't get tired.
But every time it saw those lives losing their color—
Xerneas would still feel sad and pained.
Even if it could give them "life" again…
the pain and fear of the moment "life" was stolen…
could never be erased.
The suffering remained.
"So…"
Damian roughly understood what Xerneas meant.
"We can't escape this 'loop.'"
"But Damian…"
"you can."
"You want me to catch Yveltal?"
Damian looked at Yveltal.
He pretended to think.
"That's right."
"You have the ability, Damian."
Xerneas nodded.
"I know it's hard."
"I know it's dangerous."
"But among all the humans I've seen…"
"only you can do it, Damian."
Xerneas understood this wasn't something easy.
You could even say it carried huge risk.
Yveltal was just too dangerous.
Catching Yveltal—
what if Yveltal went berserk again later?
But Xerneas still had the nerve to ask Damian.
Because in Xerneas's eyes, this was truly a once-in-a-millennium chance.
Catch Yveltal.
Let it experience other meanings besides death and destruction.
That was one of the few chances to change Yveltal's will.
"I understand."
"If this is something only I can do…"
"then I'm willing to accept it."
Damian fell into silence for a moment, then smiled back at Xerneas.
"Thank you, Damian."
A very "humanly" gentle smile appeared on Xerneas's face.
Its Telepathy was filled with sincere gratitude.
"No need to thank me."
"This is also for the world."
"But Xerneas…"
"I also have something I want to ask you."
"As long as it's something I can do…"
"I'll help."
Xerneas had no objections.
It even made a promise.
After all, in Xerneas's view, Damian was putting himself at risk to agree to something this dangerous.
"That's right."
"I encountered Diancie earlier…"
"Hmm? Yveltal is awake."
Damian took out a Love Ball.
He was just about to explain about Diancie.
Yveltal slowly stirred and woke up.
It probably had a bit of a foggy head since it had been knocked unconscious by Xerneas's stomping earlier.
But before it could fully recover—
in its vision, a deer hoof quickly zoomed in.
Bang~!
"Damian, you can continue what you were saying."
Xerneas stomped Yveltal unconscious again.
Its gentle Telepathy didn't change at all.
Caitlin: (○—○)
This…
Caitlin looked at Yveltal again, still unconscious.
Then she looked at Xerneas.
Was this right?
"Diancie's Diamond Domain Holy Diamond is gone."
"It needs to manufacture a new one."
"Otherwise, its country can't maintain its ability to sustain life."
"So it's been searching for you."
"It hopes you can help it."
Damian opened the Love Ball.
Diancie appeared beside him.
Diancie looked a bit nervous…
and also excited, staring at the legendary Xerneas.
"So that's how it is."
"I'll be happy to help."
Xerneas didn't hesitate at all.
As long as it was to ensure life continued on, Xerneas was more than willing.
And it also probably understood Diancie's needs.
The colorful antlers on Xerneas's head shimmered with soft light.
The light kept shimmering…
and drifted toward Diancie.
Diancie couldn't help but close its eyes.
It let out a comfortable, light chirp.
This was the life energy Xerneas shared.
Diancie couldn't manufacture Holy Diamond.
And that was simply because it wasn't strong enough.
But Xerneas shared part of its life energy directly with it.
It instantly raised Diancie's life essence.
Diancie's power improved—
so now it could do it.
That was Xerneas's terror.
It could directly share its own life energy with other lives.
A very broken ability.
Not long after, the light on Xerneas gradually faded.
"Alright."
"That should be enough."
Xerneas's gentle Telepathy sounded.
"Diancie…"
"How is it?"
Damian asked Diancie.
Diancie tried.
A beautiful pink diamond formed in front of it.
Then Diancie's face instantly lit up with joy.
"It really worked!"
"Thank you, Xerneas!"
Diancie bowed to Xerneas.
Its crisp Telepathy was overflowing with thanks.
Originally, the diamonds it manufactured couldn't be sustained for long.
But now Diancie was certain—
its diamonds would never disappear.
It really did it.
"Damian~ I can do it now!"
Diancie then looked at Damian, very happy and leaping with excitement.
"That's great."
Damian returned the smile.
"Do you need help with anything else, Damian?"
Xerneas's voice was still extremely gentle.
To it, sharing a bit of life energy just now was absolutely nothing.
"Yes."
"There is indeed something else Xerneas needs to assist with."
Damian understood what Xerneas meant.
After it finished helping, Xerneas would probably share all of its life energy completely to save this lifeless dead land.
Then it would turn into Tree of Life and fall into slumber.
And it would recover its lost life energy as well.
Yeah.
Damian had already made a decision.
After Xerneas turned into Tree of Life, Damian would move it back to Tree of Beginning Park.
It was probably also going to be welcomed warmly by Mew and Regigigas.
With Xerneas being this gentle…
how could it be left outside to endure wind and rain?
It should go to Tree of Beginning Park!
Have Erika and the others take good care of it.
Water it more, fertilize it a bit, and help Xerneas grow even more vigorously.
And it could also sleep a bit under the Tree of Life during the afternoon, too.
How great would that be.
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