Chromastone's emerald eye reflected the two divine monkeys.
Bang!
In the next second, two thick flaming staffs slammed down with brutal force, blasting the floor apart.
Searing sparks sprayed everywhere, drifting through the air like flocks of fiery birds.
Zuko stared at the shattered ground, blood-red eyes burning with rage.
Chromastone was gone!
He swept his gaze around. Aside from the two humans, only the Feathered Serpent God and Heatblast were still nearby.
Fine. Then he'd deal with the two humans first!
With that thought, Zuko immediately directed his duplicate toward Grandpa Max and Gwen.
The savage divine monkey strode over with a flaming staff slung on its shoulder, arrogant and vicious, clearly intent on killing the two humans who had barged into the tomb.
"Grandpa…" Gwen's whole body trembled.
Using Ten Thousand Swords Piercing the Heart earlier had drained her dry. She didn't have the strength to fight back now.
Grandpa Max grit his teeth, gripping his pistols and firing nonstop.
But those human weapons were nothing to the Beast God Zuko.
Suddenly, a purple beam struck from above.
The duplicate's pupils snapped tight as it threw its flaming staff up overhead to block.
A powerful ultraviolet stream poured from Chromastone's horn, the energy pure and surging.
Arms folded, Chromastone hovered in midair. No wings, yet he floated as easily as if the air itself held him up.
This was one of Chromastone's abilities: flight.
And it wasn't just that. Chromastone could survive in space. If he wanted, he could fly straight from Earth to another planet.
The duplicate was weaker and couldn't withstand that ultraviolet energy. Its heavy feet slid backward, carving two deep trenches into the floor.
Seeing this, Zuko's main body roared. Muscles tightened, veins bulged, flames roaring all over him as he sprang up with his flaming staff and smashed down at Chromastone.
Chromastone snorted, cut off the beam, and slipped aside.
Then he dove straight down toward the duplicate.
"I'll deal with you first!"
Chromastone moved like a young hawk diving for prey, reaching the duplicate in a heartbeat.
The duplicate snarled and swung its flaming staff down hard.
Chromastone caught it with one hand, sparks bursting at the impact.
"Heh. That's it?"
He clenched his crystal fist, a violent shockwave rolling off him as he drove a punch into the duplicate's chest.
The duplicate's eyes went wide. The flames covering its body visibly dimmed, dying down faster and faster.
Then its form blurred into a shadow, thinning until it vanished completely...
"Roar!"
At the same time, Zuko's true body charged in behind Chromastone.
The instant he saw his duplicate collapse, he flew into a frenzy. His eyes flooded with blood-red fury, like he wanted to carve Chromastone into pieces.
Chromastone turned, a sharp glint flashing in his eye.
Clang!
He brought both arms up and took the full impact of the flaming staff head-on.
Zuko's strength was terrifying. He bellowed, gripping the staff and forcing more and more power into it, driving Chromastone back step by step.
After giving ground two or three steps, Chromastone suddenly slipped to the side.
Zuko's balance broke. Surprise flashed across his face as he lurched forward.
Chromastone pressed the opening, fist tightening, and hammered a punch into Zuko's back.
Boom!
The blast rang out like thunder. Zuko's huge body shot backward like a kite with its string cut.
A multicolored beam erupted from Chromastone's horn, unleashed at full power and slamming straight into Zuko.
In the dazzling light, Zuko screamed. His face twisted, warping as his body melted away into nothing.
With Zuko finished, Chromastone's eye flickered.
"So… it was only a wisp of the Beast God's remnant soul…"
...
On the other side, Heatblast was almost done.
The Feathered Serpent God was no weaker than Zuko. A casual flap of its wings could whip up a terrifying hurricane, nearly snuffing Heatblast out.
"Damn it, you loser! Don't think I'm scared of you!"
Heatblast swung his hand, forming a Cloud of Steam, then jumped onto it and shot through the air.
The Feathered Serpent God roared, its massive serpentine body twisting and coiling as it surged after him.
Chromastone immediately followed.
Inside the hall, Heatblast rode the Cloud of Steam, tossing scorching fireballs over his shoulder.
The Feathered Serpent God beat its wings, and razor-sharp gales shattered every fireball with ease, scattering the flames into nothing midair.
"Oh, come on! Still not working?" Heatblast clutched his head.
Then, as if he'd finally made up his mind, he spun around and faced the ferocious Feathered Serpent God alone.
He clenched his fists. Explosive flames crawled over them, crackling loudly.
The Feathered Serpent God was already in his face.
"Die, freak!"
Heatblast roared and drove a flaming punch straight into its forehead.
The Feathered Serpent God froze, eyes widening.
"It worked!" Heatblast lit up.
But the next second, his stomach dropped.
Forcing itself through the pain, the Feathered Serpent God opened its gaping maw and lunged to bite the stunned Heatblast.
"It's over…" Heatblast went rigid.
At that critical moment, Chromastone arrived.
He shot forward with arms outstretched, streaking through the air.
In a single breath, he was above the Feathered Serpent God.
A whipping kick snapped down, blasting the Feathered Serpent God into the floor. Stone tiles exploded, dust and debris surging up.
The Feathered Serpent God struggled to lift its head, letting out a hoarse hiss.
Its blood-red snake eyes locked onto Chromastone above.
Whoosh!
A razor-thin ultraviolet streak cut the air and pierced straight through its skull.
The Feathered Serpent God cried out miserably. Its body sagged, fading into a pale shadow, then dissolving into scattered starlight that vanished into the air.
The Feathered Serpent God's remnant soul was extinguished.
Beep beep!
Heatblast's Omnitrix flashed, reverting him to Ben 10.
"Ah!" Ben 10 flailed helplessly as he dropped toward the ground.
"Ben!" Gwen screamed.
Chromastone reacted instantly, catching Ben 10 and lowering them both to the floor.
Everyone finally let out the breath they'd been holding.
Chromastone tapped the Omnitrix and returned to his original form.
"The two Beast Gods' remnant souls are taken care of. Let's keep moving," Lucian said with a grin.
"Alright!"
"Wait!" Lucian's expression suddenly sharpened as he locked onto the third mural.
Everyone followed his gaze, and their hearts clenched.
On the third painting, the skeleton in a black robe had—at some point—lit up its eyes with a bloody crimson glow...