The closer they got to Xerneas's resting place, the denser the life energy in the surrounding area became.
It felt as though every breath of air had been infused with boundless vitality.
Flowers, grass, and towering trees flourished everywhere.
Their leaves shimmered under the sunlight, glowing with vibrant life.
Yet amidst this peaceful landscape stood a withered tree that seemed completely out of place.
Its roots spread deep into the earth like tangled serpents.
Its trunk bore the scars of countless years.
The branches stretching from its crown were lifeless and barren.
"We're here."
Chen Shi stopped walking and spoke calmly.
"We're here?"
Steven, Cynthia, Diantha, and Diancie immediately began looking around in confusion.
They didn't understand why Chen Shi had suddenly said that.
Aside from the fresh air and the unusually lush vegetation, nothing seemed particularly special.
"Old Chen, what do you mean we're here?"
Steven asked directly.
"Weren't you all looking for Xerneas?"
Chen Shi pointed toward the withered tree.
"That's it."
His tone remained calm.
A moment earlier, he had already confirmed it with the system.
There was no mistake.
This was the sleeping Xerneas.
"What!?"
"That's Xerneas?!"
Diantha stared at the dead-looking tree in shock.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't reconcile the image before her with the legendary God of Life.
This was completely different from what she had imagined.
Even Steven and Cynthia, who usually trusted Chen Shi without question, found themselves doubting him.
"Old Chen..."
"Are you sure you didn't make a mistake?"
"This is just a tree."
"Xerneas is supposed to be a Pokémon."
In Steven's mind, even Legendary Pokémon were still living beings.
Even if they entered a deep sleep—
How could they become a tree?
Could Xerneas actually change species?
Only Diancie remained silent.
While everyone else talked, she simply stared fixedly at the giant tree.
Deep within her heart, she had a strange feeling.
Lord Chen Shi might actually be right.
This really could be Lord Xerneas.
Looking at everyone's shocked expressions, Chen Shi smiled and shook his head.
"I'm not joking."
"This really is Xerneas."
"..."
Steven, Cynthia, and Diantha exchanged looks.
Their eyes were filled with disbelief.
No matter how hard they tried, they simply couldn't connect this lifeless tree with the legendary deity capable of bestowing life upon all things.
It was too unbelievable.
At that moment—
A voice suddenly sounded from behind them.
"So."
"You truly came seeking Xerneas."
Everyone immediately turned around.
Zygarde stood there in its 10% Forme.
Its cold gaze was fixed directly on the Mew resting upon Chen Shi's shoulder.
The moment Chen Shi saw Zygarde, his heart tightened.
He felt slightly nervous.
After all, judging from their previous encounter, Zygarde clearly disliked them meddling in unnecessary matters.
And now they had come searching for Xerneas.
Only to be caught red-handed.
The situation didn't seem particularly favorable.
Yet Mew showed no sign of panic.
Instead, it laughed.
[Big Snake.]
[I came here to wake the big deer.]
[Are you going to stop me?]
The moment those words were spoken, Zygarde's gaze became even colder.
Its body leaned forward slightly.
As if it were preparing to attack.
Mew paid no attention.
Instead, it sneered.
[You're such a hypocrite.]
[You figured out my goal long ago.]
[Yet you never stopped me from entering the Winding Woods.]
[This is your territory.]
[I refuse to believe you weren't monitoring us the entire time.]
[You knew exactly why I came here.]
[But you didn't appear earlier.]
[You didn't appear later.]
[You only appeared after we found the big deer.]
[So tell me.]
[Are you really here to stop me?]
[You didn't even return to your Complete Forme.]
[You didn't even gather your 50% Forme.]
[If you also want to see the big deer's condition, then stop pretending.]
The barrage of accusations left Zygarde speechless.
Silence was its only response.
If the Rational Core were present, it would have expelled Mew the moment it appeared.
But this was the Emotional Core.
And from an emotional standpoint—
It also wanted to know Xerneas's current condition.
Mew snorted triumphantly.
Ever since leaving the Diamond Kingdom, it had deliberately avoided teleporting.
It had forced Chen Shi to walk the entire way.
Specifically to see whether Zygarde would appear.
Yet throughout the journey, Zygarde never showed itself.
Only after they located the big deer did it finally appear.
And only in its 10% Forme.
Who was it trying to fool?
Just as the standoff continued—
Diancie suddenly stepped forward.
Gritting her teeth, she said:
"Lord Zygarde."
"It was I who asked Lord Chen Shi to help me find Lord Xerneas."
"If someone must be blamed, then blame me."
Zygarde glanced at her.
But said nothing.
Diancie stood there nervously, unsure what to do.
Chen Shi quietly turned toward Mew.
"Lord Mew..."
"What do we do now?"
Mew immediately smacked him on the head with a paw.
Now he remembered to call it Lord Mew?
With a huff, it disappeared in a flash of light and appeared atop the tree that Xerneas had become.
No one knew where it produced it from—
But suddenly a dazzling sphere of rainbow-colored light appeared in its paws.
Without hesitation, Mew slammed it into the tree.
In the distance, Zygarde instinctively took a step forward.
It looked as though it wanted to stop Mew.
But after a brief pause, it stepped back.
Well...
I'm only in my 10% Forme right now.
I'm not Mew's opponent.
Even if I wanted to stop it, I couldn't.
How useless of me...
The moment the rainbow light merged into the tree—
The lifeless giant tree trembled.
As if an unimaginable life force had suddenly been injected into it.
Then—
An even more astonishing scene unfolded.
A pillar of rainbow-colored light erupted from the center of the tree.
The dazzling beam shot straight into the heavens like a celestial dragon.
It pierced through layer after layer of clouds.
The sky itself was dyed in countless brilliant colors.
Like a magnificent painting unfolding across the horizon.
At the same time—
An endless tide of life energy surged outward from the tree.
It spread across the world like a vast ocean.
In every corner of the Pokémon world—
Countless Legendary Pokémon awakened from their slumber.
One after another, their gazes turned toward Kalos.
Toward the Winding Woods.
Toward the source of that life force.
"Xerneas..."
"Has awakened?"
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