Chapter 685: What a Huge Cauliflower!

Chapter 685: What a Huge Cauliflower! (Combined, Seeking Monthly Votes!)

"So, you really went to find Sageem?"

Jinghe stared at the screen, where the massive Giratina loomed, his eyes widening slightly.

Giratina had somehow heard that honey was very sticky, so it sought out places with lots of flowers to find the so-called honey.

And then, naturally, it found Glastica and, as if by fate, encountered Sageem, the "Thankful Pokémon."

It's unclear how many events transpired, but it seems that Giratina and Sageem managed to build a fairly good relationship.

Though unexpected, it was also somewhat reasonable.

"Roar"

Giratina nodded shyly.

Only later did it learn that Jinghe and Gengar had been looking for it, and it seemed to have caused some delay. Fortunately, the issue wasn't too serious.

Jinghe sighed inwardly:

Finally, not everything has to go wrong. At least this time, it didn't end up in a theatrical scene like "Giratina and the Sky Flower: Sageem."

So,

it's not his fault, but someone else's (definitely)!

That would be you, Daiya!

"Geng, geng-ga."

Unlike Jinghe and Giratina's calm demeanor, Gengar's expression was rather stiff.

No, it wasn't just stiff; it was more like a blank, pale face.

Saliva?

When Gengar learned from Giratina that the stuff on the Diamonds was its saliva, his entire state of mind deteriorated.

He shifted his gaze stiffly.

Suddenly, he saw Daiya working diligently nearby, and his spirits slowly recovered.

Thank goodness Daiya also ate it.

So, no problem.

Gengar's mood even improved, and he hummed a little tune as he floated over to Daiya, looking at him with a teasing, mocking gaze that made Daiya feel extremely uneasy.

"Another, another task?"

"Geng-ga~~"

Gengar chuckled and waved his hand.

No worries, you work, I'll just watch~

Daiya breathed a sigh of relief, while Gengar felt a sense of pleasure, knowing a secret that Daiya didn't.

Often, when one person is in trouble, they feel terrible, but if two people are in trouble and the other is even worse off, it doesn't feel bad at all, and there's even a sense of schadenfreude.

"Mewtwo, the house is in your hands."

Jinghe looked at Mewtwo, who was dressed in new attire, with a serious expression.

To be honest, this Mewtwo, though not as impressive as the mech Mewtwo, still looked pretty cool.

Mewtwo glared at Jinghe, turned his head, and said nothing.

However, Jinghe understood Mewtwo's nature well; silence meant agreement.

"Thanks for your hard work, Aipom Siblings. I'll bring you back some gifts."

Jinghe waved his hand, a brief farewell.

"Ah-ee~~"

Unlike Mewtwo's coldness, the Aipom Siblings were much more gentle, waving back softly.

"Wait for me, Teacher Jinghe!"

Daiya, with a bun in his mouth, ran over from the side and quickly caught up.

Jinghe rubbed his forehead.

"Hey, I'm going to the Galar region, and you want to come along?"

That's right, this time Jinghe was planning to visit the Galar region, more specifically, the Crown Tundra.

Since he had promised Regieleki to return it to its "home", he had to keep his word, no matter how much he might be reluctant to part with Regieleki.

Additionally,

he planned to meet the Crown Tamer.

It was still unknown what state the Crown Tamer was in, but from the reaction of the wooden statue, it seemed the Crown Tamer had already awakened.

If they could establish a truly friendly relationship, having the Crown Tamer take care of his newly established island farm would be far more beneficial than working hard himself.

Of course,

the most important point.

For Snivy.

As one of the few Grass Mythical Beasts and the only Grass-type Legendary, the "God of Fertility", it might be able to tell him why Snivy can't evolve.

Whether Snivy evolves or not is its own choice, but as a trainer, he needed to eliminate any factors that might influence Snivy's decision.

If the Crown Tamer can't answer, he would have to go to Alola and ask Tapu Fini.

"Of course!" Daiya slapped his chest confidently.

He wasn't stupid.

Either go back to Sinnoh to deal with some head-scratching "affairs",

or stay in Hoenn and work as a "laborer" for Teacher Jinghe,

or go to the Crown Tundra to escape the heat.

The Crown Tundra.

A famous "dangerous place" in the Galar region, rarely visited by people.

Wild Pokémon there are powerful, not quite as strong as those in Kanto's Silver Mountains, but at least on par with Sinnoh's Sky Pillar.

How could he miss an adventure in such a dangerous place?

Jinghe looked Daiya up and down, pondered for a moment, and then nodded.

"Suit yourself."

At least, as a Fire-type Pokémon specialist and one of the Four Champions, Daiya would definitely be of great help in the Crown Tundra.

At the very least, they could serve as a good warm-up.

Watching the two figures in the distance, Mewtwo looked down at the two round, colorful stones in its palm.

Fine, it would wait until he returned to try again.

Mewtwo was willing to stay.

On one hand, it was because Jinghe had asked it to stay and experience the human world, to see how humans and Pokémon interacted outside of the trainer-Pokémon relationship.

On the other hand...

Mewtwo closed its eyes slightly, its Psychic Power subtly spreading to envelop the entire café.

In the faint aura, it sensed something both unfamiliar and familiar, something that stirred a slight flutter in its heart.

Mewtwo had a feeling that this aura belonged to a Pokémon of great importance to it, but...

Who could it be?

Hum—

Before Mewtwo could think it through, another gentle Psychic Power approached.

It was much weaker compared to Mewtwo's, but still one of the few powerful Psychic Powers Mewtwo had encountered among ordinary Pokémon.

Opening its eyes, Mewtwo looked at Aipom Sister, who wore a gentle smile.

"Ah~"

Aipom Sister placed her hands at her chest and smiled warmly at Mewtwo.

Mewtwo collected its thoughts, nodded slightly, and telepathically said:

"Don't worry, the training will continue as usual."

"Even if we can't match Gengar's, that somewhat 'deviant' guy, or the fiery-haired Infernape, we'll still be fine."

As one of the few Psychic-type Pokémon in the café, Aipom Brother had no particular interest in training or battling, only in brewing better coffee.

But Aipom Sister was different.

After returning to the café with Jinghe, Mewtwo noticed that Aipom Sister had a remarkable talent for Psychic Power and seemed enthusiastic about battling and training.

Thus...

At Aipom Sister's request, Mewtwo temporarily agreed to be her "instructor", helping her train her Psychic Power.

Jinghe was naturally aware of this. He understood Aipom Sister's character better than Mewtwo and not only didn't stop it but also strongly supported it.

Training with Mewtwo...

Perhaps when he challenged the "Champion's Path", Aipom Sister could give everyone a big surprise.

"Ah~ o(〃'▽'〃)o"

Aipom Sister's eyes sparkled with barely contained excitement as she bowed slightly.

Because the invisible flyer had to be left for Aipom and the others to travel between the island and the café, Jinghe and Daiya took a flight to the Galar region this time.

The next morning, the flight arrived in Wattson City, a massive industrial city at the heart of the Galar region.

As Jinghe knew,

Kabuna, whom he had battled at the Lily of the Valley Conference in Sinnoh, had reclaimed the position of Gym Leader at the Wattson City Gym.

Jinghe and Daiya, along with Gengar and Snivy, exited the airport and walked with interest through the city, which was filled with an industrial atmosphere.

The climate here was cooler than Johto but warmer than Sinnoh.

Despite being an industrial city, the streets were very clean, and one could always see large industrial plants, their rumbling sounds forming the main melody of the city.

Along the way, besides the numerous factories, there were also many shops, hardware stores, parks, and Pokémon battlefields.

Almost no battlefield was empty, with many trainers gathering to participate or watch, making the atmosphere lively.

It had to be said,

In terms of the promotion of Pokémon battles, the Galar region was probably the most prevalent, forming a stark contrast to the laid-back Castelia region Jinghe had visited.

It gave people a subtle sense of urgency.

But this made Daiya fidget with impatience, eager to jump into a battle.

Battles!

If not for Jinghe's restraint, he would have insisted on battling a hundred or two hundred times, not letting anyone escape.

For Daiya, a "battle maniac" who was enthusiastic about battling, the Galar region was nothing short of a "paradise."

"By the way, Teacher Jinghe, since the Galar region doesn't have the Four Elite, does that mean there's no 'Champion's Path'?" Daiya tried to distract himself.

"The champion of the Galar region doesn't have as much power as champions in other regions."

Jinghe first said something seemingly irrelevant before answering: "Although there's no 'Champion's Path,' the Galar region has a 'Champion Challenge.'"

"Champion Challenge?" Daiya was taken aback.

"The Galar region is the only one that has fully commercialized Pokémon battles, from basic matches to Gym Challenges and the Champion Challenge."

Jinghe was quite impressed with Lysandre's promotion of Pokémon battles and the Galar League.

A mind full of business acumen.

It was because of Lysandre that Pokémon battles were so prevalent in the Galar region.

"The 'Champion's Path' involves defeating the Four Elite and the Champion, while the 'Champion Challenge' requires defeating all Gym Leaders and the Champion", Jinghe added.

The Galar region doesn’t have the Four Elite, but the competition among the Gym Leaders is quite intense.

Take, for instance, Kabuna from Boxing Town, Niezhi from Spiky Town, Popura from Dance Town, and even Meirong from Battle Town. At their peak, their combat prowess could rival that of the Four Elite.

Kabuna, needless to say, is a formidable rival to Dan, one of the few who can pose a real threat to him.

Niezhi, on the other hand, is the only Gym Leader in the Galar region who can go toe-to-toe with Kabuna without using Dynamax, nearly causing Kabuna to falter.

As for Popura, the oldest Gym Leader in the Galar region, she is a contemporary of Master Mustard and once even competed for the championship, though she ultimately failed. Despite this, she has a presence similar to that of Kanto’s Kukui.

And Meirong, the only Gym Leader in the Galar region who has never lost to Kabuna, speaks volumes about her strength.

In this light,

Kabuna is the "Power Gauge" of the Galar region!

Aside from these individuals, other Gym Leaders like Caibei, Lulina, and Magua, while also strong, have a more balanced approach, much like the "path of balance" implemented by Lysandre.

Balancing strength and charisma.

It’s no wonder that the Galar region is where Pokémon battles are most widely promoted, and Lysandre is indeed a mastermind.

“No wonder Dan hasn’t been active in the group chat lately. He mentioned he was preparing for something, probably for this ‘Champion Challenge,’ right?” Daiya suddenly realized.

“Probably.”

Jinghe shrugged.

With Dan’s own strength, plus the support and hype from Lysandre, it’s almost a certainty that he will become the champion, just like our bamboo.

Furthermore, to enhance Dan’s fame and make the Galar region more well-known, Lysandre plans to organize the “Pokémon World Championship.”

Of course, that’s a story for another time.

However,

As Jinghe said,

The power of the champion in the Galar region is not as significant as in other regions. The true power lies with the League President, Lysandre.

This is why Dan, after stepping down as champion, will become the League President.

In short,

The operational model is quite different from other regions.

The Alola region, with its “makeshift team,” could really learn a thing or two from this.

After a brief tour of the sights in Machamp City, Jinghe and Daiya arrived at the city’s train station.

The ticket clerk smiled at them.

“Where are you headed, gentlemen?”

In the Galar region, whether it’s aerial taxis or the extensive railway network, the interconnectedness of the region is greatly enhanced.

“Crown Tundra,” Daiya said directly.

“Crown Tundra?”

The ticket clerk was taken aback for a moment before she replied,

“Sure, please wait a moment.”

Jinghe had already checked the train schedules online before they arrived, so they were right on time.

Soon, with their tickets in hand, the two entered the station and followed the signs to the train bound for the Crown Tundra.

Shortly after boarding, the train clattered into motion.

The scenery outside the window rushed by.

This wasn’t Jinghe’s first time riding the Galar region’s trains, so he wasn’t particularly amazed. However, Gengar seemed to have forgotten the last time they rode, and it pressed its face against the window, watching the passing landscape.

“So few people.”

Daiya, looking at the empty, spacious carriage with only the two of them, couldn’t help but comment. He then found an empty seat and lay down, resting his head.

The Crown Tundra isn’t a popular destination in the Galar region.

In “Dawn Wings,” when Peony took her daughter to the Crown Tundra, the train was also empty.

After all, it’s a rugged, snow-covered, and extremely cold place, home to many powerful wild Pokémon, rivaling the Sky Pillar in Sinnoh.

It’s surprising that there are any villages at all, let alone that it’s popular.

However, the Crown Tundra has many ruins and temples, which attract explorers and history enthusiasts.

For instance, Peony, and our bamboo.

Jinghe had Rotom make him a cup of coffee and then settled down to read a book.

There was still a while before they reached the Crown Tundra.

Crown Tundra, Crown Temple.

A majestic temple, buried in the snow, standing tall on the summit of the tundra.

Outside the temple, a massive, decaying tree swayed in the wind and snow, struggling to hold on.

A break in the overcast sky suddenly let a beam of golden sunlight through, piercing the snow and creating a shimmering, shimmering scene.

Perhaps the sudden warmth of the sunlight, or the swirling cold wind, caused a pile of snow on a withered branch to be blown away, revealing a small, green sprout, crystal clear.

Inside the tree trunk, a being, curled up as if asleep, slowly opened its weary, drowsy eyes.

Its head turned slightly, its gaze seeming to penetrate the thick tree trunk, the vast snow, and the towering mountains.

Finally, you have come.

I hope you won’t disappoint me.

The tiny sprout, resisting the cold wind and snow, grew tenaciously and with effort.

Cold.

Very cold.

As the scenery outside the window shifted from green to white, the temperature dropped rapidly.

The train became a true snow train.

When the train stopped, and Jinghe and Daiya got off, the moment they stepped out of the station, a piercing cold wind hit them. Daiya, hugging his arms, sneezed and let out a curse.

"Damn, it's freezing!"

This wasn't a place for "summer retreat"; it was a place to suffer.

He rubbed his arms up and down, his nose almost dripping with snot.

Wearing just a T-shirt, it was no wonder he was cold.

Even Jinghe, who was usually warm, felt a slight chill, though it was still within tolerable limits.

"You're a ‘fire user,’ aren't you? You can't possibly freeze to death, right?" Jinghe said.

Hearing this, Daiya finally reacted, trembling as he threw out a Poké Ball to summon his Chimchar.

"Chim!"

Chimchar, upon appearing, shivered involuntarily, but then the heat from its body rose, and the flame on its head flickered, helping it adapt to the cold.

Daiya quickly moved closer to Chimchar, closing his eyes in comfort and letting out a long sigh.

"Ah."

Chimchar: "."

It glared at Daiya irritably.

Where should he put his hands!

At this moment, Jinghe also threw out a Poké Ball, summoning his Ninetales.

"Au!"

In the snowy landscape, Ninetales, resembling an ice sprite, landed gracefully, its tails gently spreading out, looking comfortable.

Although fire-type Pokémon are weak against ice, in this vast natural environment, Ninetales was clearly more at ease than Chimchar.

Moreover, in this icy wasteland where it was hard to determine directions, Ninetales would ensure they wouldn't get lost.

"Teacher Jinghe, where are we going?"

Daiya, warmed by Chimchar's flames, asked.

Jinghe glanced at the vast snowy mountains.

"Let's head to Freezing Village first."

Before coming to the Crown Tundra, he had contacted Peony.

However, even on Sky Pillar, the signal was weak, and in this remote Crown Tundra, it was no better. He still hadn't received a reply from Peony.

But in the message to Peony, Jinghe had mentioned they would go to Freezing Village first, hoping to meet her there.

This place seemed to be a "good spot" for Boss Giovanni as well, Jinghe thought.

It was just a question of what would happen if the Rainbow Rocket Group and Lysandre's Malamar Group met.

"There's a village in this place?" Daiya was taken aback.

From his perspective, the Crown Tundra was even colder than Sky Pillar, and yet there was a village?

The two of them walked on the snow-covered path, the "crunch" of their footsteps echoing as they headed towards Freezing Village on the map.

Jinghe also said:

"Once, this might have been the most prosperous place in the Galar region."

"The most prosperous? Here?" Daiya looked skeptical.

Jinghe shook his head.

He had intended to educate Daiya about the ancient Galar Kingdom, but now it seemed better not to.

Walking on the snowy path, they had to be careful not to get lost and watch their steps.

Some areas looked solid with thick snow, but who knew what lay beneath.

One wrong step could send them tumbling down a cliff.

Or they might fall through a hollow patch of ice, not knowing where they would end up.

Of course, they also had to be wary of dangerous Pokémon that might suddenly emerge from the snow.

There were quite a few dragon-type Pokémon in the Crown Tundra.

"Au!"

Ninetales suddenly let out a light cry.

"Chim!"

Chimchar immediately stepped forward, flames swirling around its fists, ready to strike at the source of Ninetales' alert.

Swoosh—

A Vine Whip suddenly shot out, faster than Chimchar, and plunged into the snow, trembling slightly.

Rustle—

The snow shook, revealing a dark cave. A few Geomancy Pokémon hovering at the entrance were startled and "tinkled" as they flew back into the cave, seemingly frightened.

Seeing it wasn't an attack, Chimchar sheepishly retracted its fist.

Snivy, nestled in Jinghe's clothes, curled its lips, reinforcing the "brute" label it had mentally given Daiya and Chimchar.

Chimchar returned to Daiya's side, scratching its head.

Sorry, it was a reflex.

However, Chimchar's action wasn't entirely ineffective.

The burst of flame in the Crown Tundra was quite noticeable, so—

Crunch, crunch, crunch—

With a slight noise, the snow began to slide from the entrance of the cave Snivy had cleared.

Daiya's expression changed.

"An avalanche?"

But the sound clearly came from inside the cave.

Soon,

A group of white Snom emerged from the cave walls, like a snowfall.

Among them, a Frosmoth with white, crystalline wings fluttered out, bringing a lingering chill.

"Frosmoth, the Ice Moth Pokémon, with Ice and Bug types. Frosmoth is gentle, but it considers any destruction of its natural habitat as an enemy. It uses its large, frost-emitting wings to fly around, causing blizzards to punish them, Lotto!"

Rotom, wearing a scarf, resumed its role.

It had been taking good photos, but now it encountered "danger."

The flames from Chimchar had melted some of the ice, and since it was near Frosmoth's cave, it was seen as a threat to its habitat.

Listening to Rotom’s Pokédex explanation, Daiya and Flame Monkey felt even more embarrassed.

At that moment.

Suddenly, an elderly voice called out.

“Darmanitan, Snom!”

Whoosh—

A gentle breeze carried a flurry of tiny snowflakes, gradually restoring the melted snow.

Snow Moth glanced at the snowman-like Darmanitan that had appeared in the field of vision, reined in its hostility, and flapped its wings, leading the Snow Chompers back into the cave.

As Snow Moth disappeared, the snow and wind gradually subsided, and Jinghe and Daiya saw an old man wrapped up tightly like a big bear, slightly panting.

By his side, a Galarian Darmanitan, the Ice-type variant, followed closely.

The Darmanitan that had earlier blocked and calmed Snow Moth was this one.

The old man caught his breath, praised Darmanitan, and then fed it some food before turning to Jinghe and Daiya.

“You must be from out of town, right?” the old man asked.

“How did you know, old man?” Daiya asked, puzzled.

Jinghe slightly turned his head, wanting to distance himself from this “idiot.”

The old man chuckled and pointed to the clothes Jinghe and Daiya were wearing.

Would any normal person wear short sleeves in the Crown Tundra?

He then added seriously:

“Strangers traveling through the snow, using fire recklessly can be quite dangerous. It can easily provoke wild Pokémon who are averse to fire.”

After a pause, he introduced himself:

“I am the village elder of Freezing Village. Darmanitan saw the fire and I was worried something might happen, so I rushed over.”

Unlike the Fire-type Darmanitans, which are often combative, Ice-type Darmanitans are generally timid. When encountering strangers, they might even disguise themselves as snowmen to avoid being seen, waiting for the strangers to leave.

During blizzards, they seek refuge in human settlements, protecting both themselves and the villages, making them very friendly and helpful Pokémon in the snowy world.

For Freezing Village to exist in the dangerous Crown Tundra, it was clear they had some fighting power.

“Thank you, old man,” Jinghe said with a smile, then crouched down and thanked the shy Darmanitan: “Thank you, Darmanitan.”

He handed a few energy bars to Darmanitan as a token of gratitude.

While Jinghe and Daiya could have handled Snow Moth and the Snow Chompers, it saved them some trouble.

“Nyeh~ o(////▽////)q”

Darmanitan blushed, looking a bit embarrassed.

“Since you are travelers from out of town, you should come back to the village with me. It looks like a blizzard is coming,” the village elder said.

“A blizzard?” Daiya looked up at the hazy sun.

Jinghe ignored him and said to the elder: “Thank you, Elder.”

Having a guide was undoubtedly better than wandering around on their own.

They had a map, and Nine-Tails wouldn’t let them get lost, but finding Freezing Village in the vast snowy expanse would still take some time.

Moreover, Jinghe wanted to ask the village elder about Peony.

So, the two followed the elder to a quiet valley and saw the small village built in the snow.

Jinghe also learned from the elder that Peony had entered the snow mountain about ten days ago and hadn’t returned, and it was unknown if she was safe.

“Here is Freezing Village,” the elder said with a smile. “It’s a poor and dilapidated place, but it’s a place to rest. If you don’t mind, you can stay at my place tonight.”

“Thank you so much, Elder,” Jinghe said sincerely, then stopped in his tracks.

At the village entrance stood a completely snow-covered, decayed sculpture, with a crown-like object partially visible on top.

The elder noticed Jinghe’s gaze and explained:

“This is a sculpture that has been passed down in our village for thousands of years. It is said to be the village’s ‘guardian deity,’ but it is now very decayed, and we don’t know which deity it honors.”

As he spoke, he shook his head in sorrow.

“The village doesn’t have many people left now. Even those who stay are all elderly. The young ones who have any ambition mostly leave the tundra by train.”

Jinghe stepped forward and gently brushed the snow off the sculpture, revealing its form.

The elder’s description of “decay” was an understatement. The sculpture barely retained any of its original appearance.

The only part that seemed well-preserved was the wooden crown on top.

Suddenly.

Buzz—

The sculpture trembled slightly.

Daiya rubbed his eyes, and the elder looked stunned.

The wooden crown on the sculpture’s head slowly floated up, and a faint, blurry figure emerged, struggling to stand up, its knees bent and its posture laborious.

From the figure, a faint aura of authority could still be felt.

Seeing the blurry figure, Jinghe was also taken aback.

It’s actually... the Crown Tamer?!

Daiya exclaimed:

“Holy crap! What a huge cauliflower!”

The shadow wavered, almost dissipating.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end