Chapter 245: The Forgotten King
Chapter 245: The Forgotten King
Snow began to fall from the sky, blanketing the distant landscape in a haze of white, obscuring all that lay beyond.
As the blizzard raged on, visibility dropped to less than ten meters. Naoki and Golurk hadn't ventured far before they were enveloped by the snow, losing their sense of direction.
"Which way is east, and which is west...?"
Naoki rubbed his hands together, trying to discern their bearings by the position of the sun.
However, the sky was a blanket of gray, and in this weather, it was impossible to make out even the path ahead, let alone the sun.
Naoki felt a headache coming on, and the frigid temperatures weren't helping.
Having lived in a warm and humid environment all his life, he was already feeling the strain of this harsh climate. How had Reuniclus managed to survive out here?
"Agurr...?"
Golurk shook the snow off his head and looked at Naoki with concern, as if asking what they should do next.
The howling wind swept through the valley, and Naoki glanced at the path ahead, now obscured by the heavy snowfall. "We might have strayed from the original route," he said to Golurk.
"Agurr!"
"We can't keep going like this," Naoki shook his head. If they continued, Golurk would be fine, but he feared he might not withstand these conditions.
After a moment's thought, Naoki turned his attention to the steep cliffs looming not far away.
"Let's head over there and follow the mountain. We'll see if we can find a cave to shelter in until the snow stops."
"Agurr!"
The two quickly made their way to the base of the cliffs and began their search along the icy wall.
Perhaps it was their lucky pudding kicking in, but before long, Golurk spotted a cave entrance hidden under a pile of snow.
His eyes lit up, and he hurried over, standing at the mouth of the cave, waiting for Naoki to join him.
Naoki rushed to catch up and cautiously peered inside. Seeing no signs of other Pokemon, he entered the cave with Golurk.
The cave wasn't deep, and it appeared to be uninhabited, more like a natural formation than a Pokemon's lair.
Outside, the snow continued to fall, and occasionally, a gust of cold wind would sweep through.
Naoki breathed a sigh of relief. He shook the snow off his body and quickly set up a simple campfire with a pot and grill from his travel backpack. He lit a small bag of charcoal underneath to start a fire.
Then, with numb fingers, he retrieved two bottles of drinking water and a bag of noodles from his pack.
Golurk sat in a position that shielded Naoki from the wind and snow with his massive body.
As Naoki waited for the water to boil, he warmed himself by the fire and said to Golurk, "Just a little longer."
"Agurr~"
Soon, the water was boiling.
Naoki added the noodles and some spices he carried with him. After a few minutes, a delicious aroma filled the cave.
"Done!"
Naoki took out two bowls and evenly divided the noodles, pouring the soup over them. A simple hot noodle soup was ready.
Naoki looked down, and the effects of the hot soup appeared in his mind.
[Hot Noodle Soup (B-)
: A simple dish, but a comforting choice on a cold winter day.
Dish Effect: Cold Resistance lv2. Provides protection against harsh cold, warming the body after consumption. Effect lasts for 2 hours.
Evaluation: Passable.]
"Two hours..."
Although the effect of the hot soup was diminished due to the simple ingredients and rough preparation, two hours was still quite decent.
Naoki looked up to see Golurk already slurping up the soup with his large head.
He quickly finished his own bowl, feeling his body warm up, and he let out a comfortable sigh.
"Finally, the cold is easing."
The blizzard outside no longer bothered them.
Naoki considered using this opportunity to explore and possibly locate Freezevale.
However, upon further thought, he realized they had no way of knowing how long the snow would last, and the soup's warmth would only last two hours.
If the effect wore off before they found the village, they'd be in trouble.
After careful consideration, Naoki decided to wait out the snowstorm in the cave.
He and Golurk sat by the fire, warming themselves.
Time passed slowly, and the sky outside remained a dull gray, making it impossible for Naoki to tell if it was noon or evening.
He could only gauge the passage of time by the duration of the soup's effects.
When the first round of effects wore off, Naoki cooked another batch of noodles.
This time, he added more ingredients and prepared the dish with greater care. The effect level increased from lv2 to lv3, and the duration extended from two hours to six.
The snow outside showed no signs of letting up.
Just then, amidst the heavy snowfall outside, they heard the sound of shuffling footsteps.
Naoki turned and saw a figure bundled up like a large bear, holding a lantern and quickly approaching the cave entrance.
The old man's lantern illuminated the dim cave, and he immediately spotted the human and Pokemon within.
Without hesitation, he stepped into the cave and draped his thick down jacket over Naoki's shoulders, who stood there bewildered by the sudden gesture.
"You're not from around here, are you?" the old man asked.
Golurk tilted his head, confused.
Naoki nodded, equally perplexed. "And you are?"
"I could tell you're not from these parts. It's extremely dangerous to be so lightly dressed here. Even taking shelter in a cave might not be enough; you could still freeze to death!" The old man spoke with a grave expression before introducing himself. "I'm from Freezevale Village. My Chimecho found you lost in the blizzard a few hours ago, so I rushed back to the village to get help."
As he spoke, the old man glanced at his shoulder.
Naoki then noticed a small, sky-blue bird Pokemon with fluffy feathers like cotton perched there.
Hearing its Trainer, the Chimecho happily flapped its wings.
Witnessing this exchange, Naoki finally understood what had happened.
This kind old man and his Chimecho had come to rescue them from the blizzard! Although they didn't need rescuing, Naoki was still grateful. "Thank you so much, Chimecho."
"Chime!"
The Chimecho hopped about playfully.
"Come with me to the village first! Once the snow stops, the temperature will drop even further, and it will become much more dangerous!" the old man urged.
"Thank you, I appreciate it!"
Since they were headed to Freezevale Village anyway, Naoki readily accepted the offer.
He gathered his belongings from the cave and, with Golurk following, trailed after the old man.
Guided by the Chimecho flying ahead, they didn't get lost this time. After trekking through the heavy snowfall, Naoki spotted a quiet valley nestled in the icy landscape, where a small village stood amidst the snow.
"This is Freezevale Village!" The old man smiled. "I don't know where you're headed, but you can rest here for a bit before continuing your journey."
Naoki nodded. "Thank you. May I know your name?"
"Just call me Ryan," the old man replied. "Now, come on. Bring your Pokemon and let's get you warmed up properly!"
Ryan led Naoki and Golurk to his home and invited them to sit by the fireplace to warm themselves.
Naoki felt a touch of warmth in his heart. The people here were indeed kind.
Just then, a silver-haired old woman entered the room, carrying two cups of steaming tea.
She smiled gently. "Have some hot tea to warm yourselves."
"Thank you!"
Naoki took a cup, and just as the effects of the hot noodle soup were about to wear off, the warmth from the fireplace and the hot tea kept him from feeling the cold. Instead, he felt comfortably warm.
The old woman spoke with a motherly tone. "My husband has a soft spot for helping travelers like you who get lost in the mountains."
Naoki nodded gently. "Mr. Ryan is a good man."
At that moment, the Chimecho flew over and perched on the windowsill, its eyes full of curiosity as it looked at them.
Naoki noticed this and followed its gaze.
The old woman smiled as she followed his line of sight. "This Chimecho was also rescued by my husband from the mountains. Its wings were injured, and it was stranded in the snow, its little body nearly frozen stiff."
"My husband brought it back, and we intended to release it back into the wild once it recovered. But this little one didn't want to leave."
"Ever since then, it's been living with us and helping my husband rescue lost travelers from the mountains."
The Chimecho, realizing they were talking about it, chirped happily and flew to the old woman, perching in her lap and letting out cheerful "Chime!" sounds.
Meanwhile, Ryan emerged from the room, now changed into a different set of clothes.
The change in attire transformed him from a large, bear-like figure to a slender and energetic elderly gentleman, full of vigor.
With the blizzard still raging outside, Naoki had no choice but to stay indoors. The group sat and chatted to pass the time.
When Ryan learned that Naoki was from the Pasio region, he exclaimed in surprise, "Pasio? That's quite a distance!"
"It's not too bad; it only takes three days by ship," Naoki smiled. "If you ask me, the Kanto region is much farther away."
Ryan nodded, then turned his attention to Golurk by Naoki's side. Though he was older and might not be as up-to-date with the times, he was still familiar with the profession of Pokemon Trainer.
Naoki understood his confusion and explained, "Actually, I didn't come here for sightseeing. The reason I ventured to the Crown Tundra is that I'm searching for a legendary Pokemon, the King of Bountiful Harvest."
"Huh? What about the King of Bountiful Harvest?" Ryan furrowed his brows, trying to recall. "I think its name is Thunder Crown Yang... or was it Thunder Crown Tang?"
"......It's actually Thunder Crown King, right?" Naoki interjected.
Ryan scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Oh right, it's Thunder Crown King."
Ryan's wife, who was sitting beside him, gave her husband a resigned look.
She racked her brains and said, "The King of Bountiful Harvest... I used to believe it was real. When I was little, my grandmother told me stories about how the king would take away your body if you misbehaved in the fields. But now I think it was just a way to scare children."
Indeed...
While some people in Freezevale Village had heard of the King of Bountiful Harvest, they did not believe in its actual existence and dismissed it as a mere legend.
Not to mention faith.
For the Thunder Crown King, whose power stemmed from faith, this was undoubtedly a fatal blow.
Without faith, the Thunder Crown King's power gradually weakened, and even the Frost Horse and the Spirit Horse abandoned it...
And the instigator of it all was the Galar royal family, who took credit for driving back the darkness of the night with Cangle and Zamarant.
Naoki fell into deep thought.
The game didn't elaborate on this point.
But from the actions of the Galar royal family, it was highly likely that they did so to maintain their rule and their image in the eyes of the people, inadvertently taking away the Thunder Crown King's credit as well.
As time passed and kingdoms changed, the Thunder Crown King faded from people's memories and the annals of history.
The King of Galar had been forgotten by his people.
The loss of faith weakened the Thunder Crown King's power, and the Spirit Horse and the Frost Horse left it as well.
Naoki's heart was filled with mixed emotions.
Just then, the snow outside stopped falling.
"It finally stopped!" Ryan and his wife exclaimed in delight.
Then, Ryan turned to Naoki and said, "If you're not in a hurry to leave, you can stay in the village a little longer. The snowscapes of Freezevale Village are quite a sight to behold."
"Yes, please stay with us for a while!" Ryan's wife added. "It's usually just the two of us, so having a guest will make things more lively!"
"Thank you, then," Naoki said gratefully.
The Chimecho happily hopped onto his shoulder and chirped.
Ryan smiled and said, "Let Chime show you around the village!"
Naoki looked at the Chimecho and smiled, saying, "Thank you as well."
"Chime~!" the Chimecho replied cheerfully.
Naoki stepped out with Golurk and strolled through the small village that stood amidst the snow-covered tundra.
Overall, the village was not large, consisting of only about two dozen households.
In the center of the village were several fields where cold-resistant crops were grown.
The roads, covered in snow, connected the houses to each other.
Perhaps because the snow had stopped, people emerged from their homes, and in the blink of an eye, the once quiet village buzzed with activity.
A farmer pulled a cart with an Ivory Pig, piled high with goods.
Chimecho perched on a fence in the fields, and a Geometrical Snowflower swayed in the air.
It was hard to imagine that even in this harsh, cold land, there was a vibrant scene of life.
Suddenly, the Chimecho flew from Naoki's shoulder towards the fields, landing on a tall snowdrift.
The Chimecho hopped about.
Naoki was surprised and recalled something from the game. He stepped forward and brushed away the snow, revealing a damaged stone statue beneath.
"As I thought..."
Just as Naoki was about to say something, Golurk turned his gaze towards the distance.
"Agurr?"
Naoki looked up, his eyes following Golurk's gaze beyond the statue, to a small, graceful, and dignified mysterious Pokemon standing under a snow-laden pine tree not far away.
Naoki paused, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still as they gazed at each other across the expanse of white.
It was... the Thunder Crown King!
However, looking at the Thunder Crown King, an untimely thought popped into Naoki's mind.
"What a big head!"
(End of Chapter)
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