Chapter 244: The Forgotten King
The snowfall thickened, and white flakes filled the sky, making the distant landscape blurry and indistinct.
The air was heavy with snow and howling wind, reducing visibility to less than ten meters. Naoki and Koraidon hadn't been walking for long when the harsh blizzard overtook them, making it impossible to tell which way they were going.
"Which way is east… and which is west?" Naoki muttered, rubbing his hands together in an attempt to stay warm.
He tried to determine the direction by looking for the sun's position, but the sky was nothing but an endless sea of gray. Not only was the sun hidden, but even the path ahead was lost to the swirling snow.
A headache began to creep in as the biting cold seeped through Naoki's layers of clothing. He was used to warmer, more humid climates—this kind of weather was unbearable.
"Raao…" Koraidon shook off the accumulating snow on its head, then glanced at Naoki with concern, as if asking, "What to do next?"
The freezing wind howled through the valley, adding to the already miserable conditions. Naoki squinted at the snowy trail ahead and sighed. "I think we've lost the original path."
"Raao?" Koraidon tilted its head in confusion.
"We can't keep going like this," Naoki said with a shake of his head. "You might be fine in this weather, but I won't make it if we keep pushing forward."
He looked toward the cliffs in the distance, their steep walls cutting through the snowy expanse like jagged teeth.
"Let's head toward the cliffs. If we're lucky, we might find a cave where we can wait for the snow to stop."
"Raao!"
With his mind made up, Naoki and Koraidon ran toward the cliffs. They pressed on along the cold rock face, snow crunching beneath their feet with every step.
After some time exploring the foot of the cliff, Koraidon's eyes brightened, and it let out a cheerful cry.
"Raao!"
Not far ahead, it spotted the entrance to a cave, partially blocked by snow. Excitedly, Koraidon dashed over and stood at the entrance, waiting for Naoki.
Naoki jogged to catch up, brushing snow off his shoulders. He peered inside the cave, relieved to find no signs of other Pokémon—just a quiet, natural space.
The cave wasn't deep, but it would do. It seemed like a natural formation, not the lair of any Pokémon. Naoki gave Koraidon an appreciative nod and stepped inside, grateful for the shelter from the relentless storm outside.
As they settled in, the snow outside continued to fall heavily, with occasional gusts of wind blowing through the entrance.
Naoki sighed in relief and shook off the snow clinging to his clothes. From his travel bag, he pulled out a compact campfire stand and a small pot. He placed a few pieces of charcoal in the stand and carefully lit them, shivering slightly as he worked with his cold fingers.
Once the fire crackled to life, Naoki retrieved two bottles of water and a bag of noodles from his backpack.
Koraidon sat near the cave's entrance, using its large body as a shield to block the wind and snow from reaching Naoki.
"Just hang on a little longer," Naoki said, warming his hands over the small fire.
"Raao~," Koraidon responded, its tone soft and reassuring.
Before long, the water began to boil.
Naoki placed the noodles into the boiling water, adding seasoning from his travel pack. After a few minutes, the aroma of the soup began to fill the cave.
"Alright!" Naoki said with satisfaction.
He pulled out two bowls, evenly divided the noodles and poured the hot broth over them. A simple but comforting bowl of noodle soup was ready.
As he admired his work, the information popped into his head:
[Hot Soup Noodles (B-)] A humble dish, but perfect for warming both the body and spirit on a cold winter day.
Effect: Cold resistance protection, level 2. Grants moderate protection from extreme cold for 2 hours.
Evaluation: Omitted.
"Two hours, huh?" Naoki muttered.
Though the dish wasn't perfect due to the simple ingredients and rough preparation, two hours of warmth was good enough in this harsh environment.
Naoki looked up to see Koraidon eagerly gulping down its share of noodles, tilting its large head back to drain the bowl.
He quickly finished his own portion. As the warmth spread through his body, Naoki let out a comfortable sigh.
"It's not so cold anymore," he murmured, feeling the biting chill of the wind and snow outside losing its edge.
Naoki thought briefly about using this opportunity to explore the area. Maybe he could locate Freezington Village. But as he considered the unpredictable snowfall and the two-hour limit on the noodle's warming effect, he decided it was safer to stay put.
"If the warmth wears off before we find the village, we could end up in real trouble," Naoki reasoned.
With that, he and Koraidon sat by the fire, basking in its heat.
...
The minutes stretched on, and the outside world remained trapped in a dull gray haze. Without sunlight, Naoki had no way to tell if it was day or night.
The only way he could track time was by how long the warm feeling from the noodles lasted.
When the first batch of noodles wore off, Naoki cooked two more bowls, this time taking his time and adding more ingredients.
[Hot Soup Noodles (B)] Improved cooking technique! Increased warmth and flavor.
Effect: Cold resistance protection, level 3. Grants advanced protection from the cold for 6 hours.
After finishing their upgraded meal, Naoki sighed, glancing toward the cave entrance. "Looks like we're spending the night here."
"Raao~," Koraidon chirped contentedly, showing no signs of complaint.
Just then, the crunching sound of footsteps echoed from outside the cave, muffled by the heavy snow.
Naoki turned toward the entrance and saw a figure approaching—a man bundled in layers of thick clothing, looking like a walking bear. He carried a lantern that glowed warmly against the storm.
The old man hurried into the cave, his lantern casting light across the dim space. Spotting Naoki and Koraidon, he quickly shrugged off a thick-down coat and draped it over Naoki's shoulders.
Naoki blinked in confusion.
"You're not from around here, are you?" the old man asked, his voice kind but firm.
Koraidon tilted its head, matching Naoki's puzzled expression.
"Uh… no, we're from the Paldea region," Naoki replied, still processing the sudden kindness. "Who are you?"
The old man chuckled. "I figured as much. Traveling through the Crown Tundra without proper clothing is dangerous. Even hiding in a cave isn't enough—you'd likely freeze to death before morning."
The man then introduced himself. "I'm a villager from Freezington. A few hours ago, my partner Pokémon, Altaria, spotted you wandering through the snow. I returned to the village to grab supplies and came to find you."
He tilted his head slightly, looking over his shoulder as if expecting someone to follow him inside.
It was only then that Naoki noticed a bird Pokémon standing nearby. It had a sky-blue body, and its fluffy feathers looked as soft as cotton.
Hearing its owner's voice, the cheerful little bird—an Altaria—flapped its wings happily, its feathers bouncing lightly in the cold air.
Naoki smiled, finally piecing together what had happened.
The old man and his Pokemon had come to rescue them from the blizzard!
Though Naoki didn't feel like they were in immediate danger, he still felt grateful. "Thank you very much."
"Chirp!" The Altaria let out a happy trill, hopping in place with excitement.
The old man gave a warm chuckle. "Come back to the village with me! The snow's only going to get worse, and the temperature will drop even more. It'll be too dangerous to stay here."
"Thank you so much!" Naoki said, touched by the kindness.
Since they were heading toward Freezington Village, Naoki packed up his supplies. Koraidon helped him shake the snow off their things before they followed the old man down the snowy path.
Guided by the Altaria flying above, Naoki and Koraidon managed to stay on the correct path this time. The snow continued to fall heavily, but they made steady progress.
Before long, they emerged from the swirling storm and spotted a small, peaceful village nestled in a quiet valley, surrounded by snow.
"This is Freezington Village," the old man said proudly. "I don't know where you're headed next, but you're welcome to rest here before continuing your journey."
Naoki nodded gratefully. "Thank you very much. By the way, what should I call you?"
The old man smiled. "Just call me Ryan. Come on, let's get you and your Pokémon inside to warm up."
Ryan led Naoki and Koraidon to his home, ushering them toward a cozy fireplace. As soon as they sat down, the warmth from the fire began to melt away the lingering chill from their bodies.
Naoki felt a wave of gratitude wash over him. 'The people here are so kind,' he thought, touched by their hospitality.
Just then, a kindly old woman with silver hair appeared, carrying two cups of steaming tea on a tray.
She smiled warmly. "Here, have some hot tea to warm up."
"Thank you!" Naoki said, taking a cup.
Coincidentally, the warming effect from the hot soup noodles had worn off, but with the fire crackling in front of him and a hot cup of tea in hand, Naoki felt perfectly comfortable.
The old woman sat down beside them, her eyes full of kindness. "My husband is a bit of a rescuer at heart. He's always helping travelers lost in the mountains."
Naoki nodded, smiling. "Mr. Ryan is a very good person."
At that moment, the Altaria perched itself on the windowsill, tilting its head curiously as it watched them from across the room.
Noticing Naoki's gaze, the old woman chuckled softly. "That Pokemon was rescued by my husband as well. Poor thing had hurt its wings and fallen into the snow. It was almost frozen when he found it."
She looked fondly at the Altaria. "We nursed it back to health, thinking we'd release it once it recovered. But the little guy decided it didn't want to leave us."
"Ever since then, it's stayed with us, helping my husband rescue lost travelers from the mountains."
The Pokemon seemed to sense that the old woman was talking about it. With a happy flutter of its wings, the Altaria flew into her arms, letting out a cheerful, melodic chirp.
Just then, Ryan emerged from the back room, having changed out of his heavy outdoor gear. Now, without his bulky clothes, he looked surprisingly lean and energetic, a sharp contrast to his earlier bear-like appearance.
Outside, the snow continued to fall heavily, making it impossible for Naoki to venture out. So, they all sat around the fireplace, chatting to pass the time.
When Ryan learned that Naoki had traveled all the way from the Paldea region, his eyes widened in surprise.
"Paldea? That's really far!" Ryan exclaimed.
Naoki smiled. "It's not too bad. It only took three days by boat. If you want to talk about far places, though, I think the Kanto region is the farthest."
Ryan chuckled and nodded in agreement. His gaze shifted to Koraidon, who sat contentedly beside Naoki. Although Ryan admitted he wasn't entirely up to date with modern times, he still recognized a trainer when he saw one.
"So, you're traveling around the Galar region?" Ryan asked, his brow furrowed slightly in confusion.
He paused for a moment, his puzzlement growing. "Most trainers head north to the big cities, but you ended up here in this remote little village. What brings you all the way to the Crown Tundra?"
Noticing Ryan's confusion, Naoki gave a small smile and explained, "Actually, I'm not here for sightseeing. I came to the Crown Tundra because I'm searching for the King of Bountiful Harvests."
"The King of Bountiful Harvests?" Ryan muttered, rubbing his chin in thought. "I remember hearing something about that... What was it called again? Crayons?...hmm"
Naoki stifled a laugh. "I think you mean Calyrex—the King of Bountiful Harvests."
Ryan scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Right... Calyrex. My memory isn't what it used to be."
His wife, standing nearby, gave him an affectionate but exasperated look.
Ryan's wife chimed in, recalling a story from her childhood. "The King of Bountiful Harvests… I remember my grandmother telling me stories about it. She used to say that if children misbehaved in the fields, the King would come and take them away." She chuckled softly. "But looking back, I think it was just a way to scare kids into behaving."
Naoki nodded thoughtfully. As he suspected, although the villagers knew of Calyrex, they treated it as nothing more than an old folktale.
Faith in Calyrex had faded over time, and without belief, its power had weakened. Naoki knew that Calyrex depended on the faith of people to maintain its strength.
Without faith, the King of Bountiful Harvests—Calyrex—had grown weak, causing his loyal steeds, Glastrier and Spectrier, to abandon him.
The reason for his downfall? It seemed likely that the Galar royal family had taken credit for his deeds, just as they had taken credit for Zacian and Zamazenta's role in defeating the dark force, Eternatus.
Naoki fell into deep thought.
The game never delved into these details, but based on the royal family's behavior, it seemed possible that in their effort to maintain control and bolster their image, they took away credit not only from Zacian and Zamazenta but also from Calyrex.
As time passed, kingdoms rose and fell, and so did the King of Bountiful Harvests—forgotten by the people he once protected. His name faded from the hearts of the people, buried by history.
Faith, the very source of Calyrex's power, dwindled. And as his power faded, Glastrier and Spectrier abandoned him, leaving the once-mighty king alone.
Naoki felt a wave of conflicting emotions—sympathy, curiosity, and sorrow.
At that moment, the snowfall outside finally ceased.
"Look at that! The snow's finally stopped!" Ryan exclaimed with delight.
His wife smiled warmly. "If you're not in a rush, why don't you stay in the village for a while? The snow-covered scenery here is quite beautiful."
"You're welcome to stay with us!" the old woman added. "It's usually just the two of us here, so having some company would be a real treat."
Naoki smiled and bowed slightly. "Thank you both very much."
Suddenly, the cheerful Altaria chirped happily and fluttered its wings.
Ryan grinned. "Why don't you let Altaria show you around the village?"
Naoki chuckled. "Thank you, Altaria."
"Chirp!" Altaria responded, happily bobbing up and down.
With Koraidon by his side, Naoki strolled through Freezington Village, taking in the sights.
The village was small, home to about twenty households. In the center of the village, plots of farmland grew hardy, cold-resistant crops.
Snow-covered paths connected the houses, winding through the village like white ribbons.
As the snow cleared, villagers emerged from their homes, bringing life back to the quiet streets. Farmers could be seen hauling goods in carts pulled by Piloswine, their fur thick and well-suited for the cold.
Naoki smiled at the tranquil, picturesque scene. It was hard to believe that such warmth and vitality could exist in a place this cold.
As Naoki continued walking, Altaria suddenly took off from his shoulder, flying toward the farmland. It perched on a high mound of snow, chirping excitedly.
Naoki tilted his head. "What is it, Altaria?"
Altaria hopped in place, and something clicked in Naoki's mind. He remembered a small detail from the game.
Curious, he brushed the snow off the mound. Beneath the snow lay a broken stone statue—weathered and forgotten.
"Just as I thought..." Naoki murmured, brushing more snow away.
Before Naoki could say anything else, Koraidon stiffened beside him, its gaze fixed on something in the distance.
"Raao…" Koraidon murmured, its tail flicking as it locked eyes with the figure.
Naoki followed Koraidon's gaze, looking beyond the broken statue.
Under the branches of a snow-covered pine tree stood a mysterious Pokémon—petite, elegant, and radiating a majestic aura.
Naoki's breath caught in his throat. His heart pounded as he and the Pokémon stared at each other across the snowy expanse.
Time seemed to stop.
"It's…Calyrex!" Naoki whispered, awe washing over him.
However, as he took in the sight of the legendary king, an entirely inappropriate thought popped into his mind.
"Wow… what a big head!"
...
"Alright, let's cut to the chase—just hand over those stones already! 💎📖"
PS: If you're interested, you can read up to chapter 275 at patreon.com/Keepsmiling818 Don't forget to drop those power stones for a bonus chapter 💎💎
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