Ripples spread across the lake's surface as the drenched Moltres weakly hauled itself onto the shore, half-submerged in the water.
"Scree…"
Galarian Moltres let out a feeble cry, water dribbling from its beak—clearly, it had swallowed more than its fair share of lake water.
"Decent strength, but its stamina is impressive."
Ryuu Shiro and Marnie approached the exhausted Legendary, the former studying it with a critical eye.
The Moltres was clearly on its last legs, its aura dimmed and spirit broken.
But even so, its endurance was remarkable—taking multiple Dragon Tails from Dragonair and still staying conscious?
Guess that's what makes it a Legendary.
Sure, Dragonair hadn't gone all out, treating this more like a light sparring session. But Moltres' resilience was undeniable.
"Still, it's got a long way to go before it's truly battle-ready."
Without further hesitation, Ryuu Shiro pulled out an empty Poké Ball and tossed it at the weakened Moltres.
While his heart belonged to Dragon-types, perfect specimens weren't easy to come by.
So he made exceptions for exceptional Pokémon—Tyranitar and Gardevoir were proof of that.
And Galarian Moltres? Definitely worth adding to the team.
The ball struck Moltres, opening to absorb the Legendary in a flash of red light.
The indicator blinked rapidly as Marnie watched with bated breath. Ryuu Shiro, however, remained unfazed—if this ball failed, he'd just throw another.
Click.
A crisp sound signaled the capture.
Galarian Moltres was caught!
"Congratulations, Shiro."
Marnie's lips curled into a rare smile as she offered her praise.
This wasn't just any Pokémon—it was a Legendary. And she had witnessed its capture firsthand!
In a world teeming with Trainers, true Legendaries were vanishingly rare. And Legendary Trainers? Even rarer.
Currently, only one person in all regions held that title—Brandon of Hoenn, who had tamed the Legendary Titans.
Sure, Ryuu Shiro had already caught Eternatus. But seeing him add Galarian Moltres to his roster?
It was thrilling.
"Luck's been on my side lately. You're my lucky charm, Marnie."
Twirling the newly captured Moltres' Poké Ball between his fingers, Ryuu Shiro shot her a grin.
Eternatus' location had come from Marnie's intel. And now, Galarian Moltres had appeared while they were together.
She really did bring him fortune.
"Took you long enough to notice~"
Marnie's eyes gleamed as she tilted her chin up, her tone cool but undeniably pleased.
"Adorable."
Unable to resist, Ryuu Shiro ruffled her hair—the soft strands slipping through his fingers just right.
"Hey! My hair!"
The familiar, flustered protest echoed through the night.
---
Time flew by, and night had fallen.
Under the pale moonlight, the colossal red tree of Dyna Tree Hill stood silent, its reflection shimmering on the lake's glassy surface.
Then—
A streak of blue light descended from the heavens, landing gracefully on the grass.
Zacian, the Hero of Many Battles.
"No mistake… the calamity's presence lingers here."
Zacian's nose twitched as its sharp eyes locked onto the drained Power Spot nearby.
"So it is replenishing its energy. But…"
Its gaze hardened.
All along its journey, it had encountered countless depleted Power Spots.
This could only be Eternatus' doing.
Yet Zacian knew—the Crown Tundra's energy alone wouldn't be enough to restore Eternatus to its full, Dynamaxed form.
And that was why it had to act fast.
Once the Tundra's Power Spots ran dry, Eternatus would move on—possibly targeting energy sources in human cities next.
"I hope I don't cross paths with him."
Zacian scanned the surroundings, its instincts guiding it northward.
It couldn't sense Eternatus' exact location, so tracking its residual energy was the only option.
But as it looked toward the northern horizon, a rare hesitation flickered in its eyes.
Humans might not know, but as a guardian of Galar, Zacian was well aware—
That direction was the domain of Calyrex.
The former king of Galar was fiercely territorial, and Zacian had no desire to provoke a misunderstanding.
Not out of fear—Zacian was no weaker than the ancient monarch.
But pointless conflict served no purpose. For ages, Zacian and Zamazenta had lived peacefully in the Slumbering Weald, coexisting with Calyrex in unspoken truce.
"No matter what… the calamity must be stopped."
Resolve solidified in its heart.
With a powerful leap, Zacian took to the skies, soaring north.
Eternatus was a being that should never have existed in Galar, and not even Calyrex could stop Zacian from dealing with it!
....
On the vast, endless icy path, Ryuu Shiro and Marnie trudged forward slowly, bundled in thick coats, with Dragonair following quietly behind them.
"It seems like there was once a civilization here."
Marnie blinked as she gazed at the stone pillars and stair railings around them, speaking thoughtfully.
The bluestone bricks on the ground, now covered by drifting snow, also supported her speculation. The weathering and erosion of time were not something modern construction could replicate.
This was the Crown Tundra! A place where human civilization had yet to truly reach.
Throughout the world's long history, too many glories had been buried beneath the sands of time, and humanity had yet to fully uncover those ancient civilizations.
This was only natural, as even now, the wilderness held far too many mysteries.
And now, the two of them seemed to be advancing toward an unknown piece of history.
"The Crown Tundra. Have you ever wondered why it's called the Crown Tundra?"
Ryuu Shiro's crimson eyes flickered as he gazed into the distance, though the constant snowfall limited their visibility.
The white mist drifting around added a touch of mystery and chill to the atmosphere.
"Huh?"
Marnie was taken aback. Why was it called the Crown Tundra?
She truly didn't know the specific reason, nor did she know when the name had originated.
"Legend has it that Galar once had an extremely benevolent king. He was elegant and majestic, said to be able to see through all things—past, present, and future."
Ryuu Shiro gently brushed the railing beside him with his gloved hand, causing the snow on its surface to slide off, revealing the weathered layer beneath.
Marnie's brows furrowed slightly, as if she had a guess, but she didn't interrupt Ryuu Shiro's narration.
"With a wave of his right hand, he could make flowers bloom and grass turn green. With a wave of his left hand, he could enrich the fields and bring bountiful harvests. Thus, he was known as the King of Bountiful Harvests, and the kingdom he ruled once flourished in prosperity."
"To restore greenery to barren lands, he rode across the Galar region with his beloved steed, bound by a deep bond."
"When the meteor crisis struck, he spent a single night relocating vast forests and the creatures within them to other locations."
Ryuu Shiro's voice seemed ethereal in the cold, drifting snow, and Marnie listened intently.
"What happened to this king later?"
Marnie asked curiously. Such a prosperous kingdom, with such a benevolent and miraculous king—why was there no trace of its history left now?
"No kingdom can remain prosperous forever. Even the kingdom ruled by the King of Bountiful Harvests eventually declined."
"There's no concrete evidence, but the kingdom of the King of Bountiful Harvests was indeed buried by the passage of time. The once-thriving kingdom was completely covered by endless snow."
"The Crown Shrine, where the king resided, has now become an icy palace."
Ryuu Shiro shook his head with a smile. The so-called King of Bountiful Harvests was none other than the legendary Pokémon, Calyrex!
And the Crown Shrine was the palace where Calyrex once resided. One could imagine that the Crown Tundra was, in fact, the core of the territory once ruled by Calyrex.
But that was in the past. Now, the Crown Tundra no longer held the glory and prosperity of old, completely buried under ice and snow.
However, the lush greenery in the southern part of the Crown Tundra still hinted at its former richness.
"So, the legendary king is really in the Crown Tundra?"
Marnie's face was thoughtful. She wasn't foolish; the secrets Ryuu Shiro was sharing clearly pointed to the legendary king of Galar.
"Yes, and it should be residing near the Crown Shrine. The question is whether we'll be lucky enough to encounter it."
Ryuu Shiro nodded, a hint of amusement curling his lips.
To be honest, he was quite curious about the legendary benevolent king, Calyrex.
But whether they would encounter it was beyond his control. If this were a game, Calyrex would indeed reside in the Crown Shrine in the Crown Tundra.
But this was a real world. Who knew if Calyrex might have wandered off for a stroll?
After all, even Zacian had left the Slumbering Weald to confront Eternatus.
"By the way, Marnie, what are your plans next?"
On the ancient path covered in ice and snow, Ryuu Shiro casually glanced around as he asked Marnie, though his eyes suddenly narrowed.
The trees on either side of the ancient path were dyed white by the snow, very beautiful, but…
"I might go on a journey. I want to get stronger."
Marnie pursed her lips, hesitating for a moment before replying.
Yes, she wanted to get stronger! Her reason for leaving Spikemuth was to grow stronger and more famous, to bring the declining town back into the public eye.
"Then why not come with me and explore the world? Galar is too small. I'll take you to every corner of the world."
Ryuu Shiro didn't hesitate to invite Marnie. Not only was she pleasant to look at, but she was also a very promising Trainer.
With proper training, she could become a valuable assistant to Ryuu Shiro in the future.
"Huh?" Marnie's clear eyes widened slightly. Was this… a confession?
"But before that, Dragonair!"
Without waiting for Marnie's response, Ryuu Shiro abruptly turned his gaze toward the trees behind them, a grin spreading across his face as he called out to Dragonair.
"Dragonair~"
Dragonair let out a high-pitched cry, its long body rising as a beam of dragon energy shot from its mouth.
Boom!
The Dragon Pulse exploded, sending snow flying as a black figure leaped out from behind the trees, landing in front of Ryuu Shiro and Marnie before turning to face them.
"Interesting. The king's steed appearing here means we must be close to the Crown Shrine."
Ryuu Shiro's grin widened as he examined the Pokémon carefully.
It resembled a black horse, with a strong, pure black body, a light purple tail, and long, deep purple mane flowing down its neck.
The legendary Pokémon—Spectrier!
One of the beloved steeds of the legendary King Calyrex!