Chapter 686: The White Horse in the Snowstorm, Snowstorm Steed!

Chapter 686: The White Horse in the Snowstorm, Snowstorm Steed! (Two-in-One, Requesting Monthly Votes!)

You really have the nerve to shout like that.

Jinghe's cheeks twitched.

Bang!

The wooden crown that had just floated up seemed to lose its support and fell to the ground.

Jinghe: "."

No, the Crown Tundra King should already be weak, so even its shadow appears so faint. It can't just faint from a single word from Daiya, right?

The old village chief pinched the corner of his eye, looking at the calm statue before him. He shook his head and chuckled to himself:

"I must be getting old, seeing things."

He then said to Jinghe and Daiya:

"Both of you, my house is the first one at the next corner. I'll go back and tidy it up."

With that, he left with the Dammababoon.

Jinghe and Daiya were still standing before the decaying statue. Daiya rubbed his eyes, "Was that... an illusion?"

How did he suddenly see a giant cauliflower?

He must be hungry.

Daiya thought to himself.

But just as he finished rubbing his eyes, he saw the wooden crown rise again, as if the Crown Tundra King had gathered its remaining strength.

In the dim light, the faint silhouette of a Pokémon with a giant green bud on its head reappeared.

Beneath the giant bud was a small, delicate body like a rabbit, with a pair of blue eyes filled with both authority and fatigue, and pursed lips. Behind it were wings that resembled a cloak, and its grayish-white body was supported by long, pure white legs, which contrasted sharply with the large crown on its head.

The Crown Tundra King!

The ancient king of the Galar Region, known as the "God of Fertility" and the "King of Fertility", now appeared before Jinghe and Daiya in a special form!

"That cauliflower head is back!"

Daiya exclaimed again.

The Crown Tundra King's eyes flashed with irritation, glancing at the startled Daiya before its mouth moved slightly.

Crown Tundra King: "%￥#@&%￥."

Damn, is it swearing?

I can't understand it!

Is it a bit offensive?

Seeming to realize something, the Crown Tundra King's eyes flickered with understanding. It glanced at Daiya again, and a blue light flashed in its eyes. The wooden crown suddenly fell onto Daiya's head, encircling his fluffy, spiky hair.

"Ku?"

Ember Ape was startled, then suddenly alarmed, as if sensing something, and was about to kick the wooden crown.

But Jinghe stopped him with a gesture.

"Wait, Ember Ape."

Daiya, who hadn't reacted yet, seemed to lose his consciousness. His eyes grew vacant, and his body slowly floated up, emitting a similar aura of authority to the Crown Tundra King.

It was possessed.

In the game, the Crown Tundra King often possessed Pion to communicate with the protagonist, and here, Pion was replaced by Daiya.

With a dazed expression, Daiya's lips moved, emitting a hoarse, deep voice.

"You have finally come. The King has been waiting for you."

Jinghe, looking at Daiya who was now a medium, gestured to Ember Ape again and said:

"Actually, even without this human, I can communicate with the noble King."

"Really?" The voice carried a hint of doubt.

Jinghe didn't hesitate, immediately using Aura Power to clearly sense Daiya's presence and the faint will of the Crown Tundra King within him.

The Crown Tundra King, naturally, also sensed the Waveguide, and looked at "Daiya" with a hint of surprise.

"So you are the 'Waveguide Messenger'."

As the former king of the Galar Region, it had seen the famous Waveguide Messengers of the ancient Eternatus City.

Its voice was calm, without much fluctuation, but it added:

"This is a small 'punishment' for his disrespect."

Once might be overlooked, but twice or thrice? Does it really think the Crown Tundra King has no pride?

Just possessing Daiya was already a great show of respect to Jinghe.

"Ah."

Jinghe nodded.

Respect is earned.

He started rummaging through his inner pocket, muttering to himself:

"Sorry, it's a bit uncomfortable."

As he spoke, a silver feather appeared in his hand.

The Silver Feather!

The Crown Tundra King's eyes glimmered, "The Sea Messenger."

Then he produced a colorful feather.

The Rainbow Feather!

"Rainbow Hero!"

The Crown Tundra King's tone changed, showing some emotion.

"This thing is a bit stiff."

Jinghe took out the Gene Wedge, muttering and rubbing his chest.

"The Path Messenger."

The Crown Tundra King fell silent for a moment, then its expression became serious and solemn.

Then came the Cosmic Arm.

"The Messenger of Arceus."

Followed by a bunch of other items.

Crown Tundra King: "."

Taking a deep breath, the Crown Tundra King's expression towards Jinghe changed significantly.

The wooden crown gradually left Daiya's head, leaving a message for Jinghe.

"The King will wait for you under the tree behind the temple."

With that, the wooden crown returned to the decaying statue, and Daiya slowly landed, looking around in confusion and scratching the back of his head.

"What happened? I feel like I just took a nap. Ouch—"

Daiya inhaled sharply, feeling the cold and quickly rubbed his arms, running to Ember Ape, who was looking at him suspiciously.

"Why did you run so far? I nearly froze to death."

Jinghe shook his head and said to Daiya:

"Daiya, go to the Village Chief’s house first. I have some things to take care of."

Without waiting for Daiya's reaction, Jinghe turned and headed toward the highest peak of the Crown Tundra.

Getting lost in the vast snowfield was possible, but if one simply headed toward the highest peak, there was no chance of getting lost.

"Teacher Jinghe, the Village Chief said there’s going to be a blizzard—"

Daiya shouted from below, "Come back soon!"

Jinghe waved his hand in acknowledgment.

After leaving the village, he recalled Nine-Tails and threw out a Poké Ball to summon Dratini. He skillfully put on his protective gear, pointed at the misty, distant mountain, and whispered, "Dratini, let’s go."

"Whoo~"

Dratini let out a joyful cry, flapped its wings, and carried Jinghe toward the highest peak of the Crown Tundra.

In this frozen land, where the cold was intense, flying was no easy task. The higher they went, the more difficult it was to withstand the biting cold, let alone fly.

Ordinary people, even with the thickest clothing, would hardly be able to resist the pervasive chill.

As a Dragon and Flying-type Pokémon, Dratini clearly didn’t enjoy this environment, so it flew a bit faster, making the journey somewhat uncomfortable for Jinghe.

Fortunately, with Dratini’s speed, the seemingly distant distance didn’t take too long.

Below, in a dark and icy ravine, something seemed to sense the rapid approach of Dratini. The snow shifted, and a head resembling a jet slowly emerged from a cave.

A plume of white mist formed from the warm breath, and its narrow eyes glinted with a scrutinizing look.

From the holes on its head, several small figures poked their heads out curiously.

Suddenly, a gaze swept over, and the creature quickly retreated into the cave.

Such a strong sense of awareness.

"Whoo—"

A long cry echoed through the air.

Jinghe and Dratini arrived at the summit of the Crown Tundra.

An ancient temple, completely buried in snow, was barely visible in outline.

Behind the temple stood a withered yet resilient ancient tree, even taller than the temple itself. Unfortunately, it was bare, with nothing but branches and snow.

When Jinghe approached the ancient tree, the spectral form of the Crown Tundra’s guardian was already waiting.

It stood on the cliff, hands behind its back, gazing over the vast snowfield, like a king surveying his kingdom.

Hearing the crunch of snow underfoot, the guardian slowly turned around.

Perhaps because it was closer to its resting place, the guardian’s spectral form appeared more substantial than before.

It looked at Jinghe, the “distinguished” trainer, with less sternness and more warmth.

Through the Waveguide, Jinghe could “hear” the guardian’s words.

"You have come."

Jinghe nodded, saying nothing, and walked beside the guardian, gazing at the snow-covered landscape.

From his shadow, Gengar couldn’t contain his curiosity and peeked out, his eyes darting around as he observed the small guardian, lost in thought.

"I should thank you properly. Without your faith, I might have remained asleep for who knows how long."

As the “King of Fertility” and a genuine Mythical Pokémon, the guardian’s source of power was different from other Mythical Pokémon.

Its power came from faith.

Faith was the root of its strength.

In the past, as the king of Galar, the guardian received the faith of the entire Galar region, making it incredibly powerful.

It was said to have the ability to heal hearts and make plants grow, a Pokémon filled with benevolence.

When it raised its right hand, flowers would bloom and grass would flourish.

When it raised its left hand, the land would become fertile, and crops would yield abundant harvests.

Thus, it earned the title “King of Fertility.” Before that, it was known as the “Legendary King.”

However, for some unknown reason, the guardian, at the height of its power, became “negligent.”

The guardian seldom appeared before humans and represented a symbolic flower—the Radiant Blossom.

But the blooming of the Radiant Blossom required great effort, and in its negligence, the flower gradually stopped blooming.

The residents of Freezing Village, the guardian’s most devout followers, were terrified, thinking they had offended the guardian. They continuously cleaned the Crown Temple, which served as its shrine.

They even reduced their own food and rations to offer valuable crops as sacrifices, hoping to gain the guardian’s “forgiveness.”

Despite this, the Radiant Blossom never bloomed again. Over time, the custom of worshiping the guardian faded, and so did the faith in it.

If not for Jinghe and Gengar, who, by chance, offered a bit of faith to the guardian, it would still be asleep.

Therefore, even without Jinghe’s “proof of identity,” the guardian was still filled with gratitude.

"Unknowingly, it has been thousands of years." The guardian, hands behind its back, sighed deeply.

Through the Waveguide, Jinghe could sense the guardian’s profound sorrow and heartache.

In fact, Jinghe wanted to ask the guardian why it had become negligent. If it hadn’t been negligent, with its “King of Fertility” powers, how could faith have been lost?

But now doesn’t seem like the time to ask that question.

After all,

the Crown Tundra King looks like it’s about to fall back into slumber due to a lack of power.

"Can you do this king a favor?"

The Crown Tundra King suddenly turned to Jinghe, its tone earnest and pleading.

Here it comes.

Jinghe had a pretty good idea what the "favor" would be, but he still patiently replied, "Please, go on."

The Crown Tundra King took a deep breath and gazed out over the vast snowy plains.

"Relying on faith alone, my power won’t recover anytime soon. But I once had two beloved steeds, with whom I shared a deep bond. I also entrusted a portion of my power to them."

Jinghe nodded slightly, understanding that the steeds in question were the Snowstorm Steed and the Spectral Steed. He waited for the Crown Tundra King to continue.

"However, I’ve been asleep for too long. These two steeds are wild and untameable by ordinary people and have long since disappeared. But I can sense that they are still somewhere in the tundra."

The Crown Tundra King paused as if catching its breath.

"I want to ask you to help me bring these two steeds back."

Given how the Crown Tundra King was struggling to speak, it would be difficult for it to help Jinghe look for Snivy. It made more sense to help the Crown Tundra King recover its strength first.

Moreover, as a normal human, Jinghe was quite curious about the Crown Tundra King’s “negligence” in governance, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"What should I do?"

"I ‘saw’ that you planted Ice Radishes and Black Radishes, which are the favorite foods of my two steeds. If you place them in a secluded spot in the tundra, they will likely appear."

It looked at Jinghe earnestly and warned, "Remember, these horses are wild and untameable, so be very careful."

What about the Bond Rope?

Before Jinghe could ask, the Crown Tundra King continued, "To truly tame these horses, a Bond Rope is essential. The villagers of Freezing Village used to offer it, but I doubt any remain now."

"Perhaps they still know how to make it?" Jinghe asked.

He recalled that in the game, the village chief of Freezing Village was needed to create the Bond Rope.

"Perhaps the method still exists", the Crown Tundra King nodded.

It wasn’t certain, but it had to hope so.

"However, to create the Bond Rope, the Radiant Blossom is necessary. Only I can make it bloom, but it consumes a lot of energy."

It slowly walked to a giant withered tree, where a tiny sprout stood out prominently.

"This—"

"This is the only sprout I can produce from the power I’ve accumulated over a thousand years of sleep."

Taking a deep breath, the Crown Tundra King continued, "I will use all my strength to make it bloom. Please, make sure to use this flower to create the Bond Rope and capture the steeds."

It looked at Jinghe.

"I entrust everything to you."

Through the "statue", it had been observing Jinghe for some time.

While Jinghe’s strength was unknown, his attitude towards Pokémon was something the Crown Tundra King highly approved of, which is why it trusted him so much.

As for his strength, it had initially planned to test him, but seeing all the "proof" Jinghe had, it dismissed the idea.

As an "Aura Messenger", "Sea Messenger", "Rainbow Hero", "Path Messenger", and "Arceus’ Messenger", Jinghe should be fine, right?

Jinghe pressed his lips together, unaware of the Crown Tundra King’s thoughts, and couldn’t help but ask, "Your Majesty, why did you fall into such a deep sleep?"

Asking directly why it "abandoned its people" or why it was "negligent" in governance would be inappropriate. It was better to ask about the deep sleep.

He wanted to confirm what the Crown Tundra King was thinking. Although it was known as the "King of Fertility", it was an ancient legend. If its neglect was due to dissatisfaction with humans or something else, would it do something harmful upon regaining its strength?

After all, humans were the ones who caused its power to wane. Could it harbor resentment?

If the restored Crown Tundra King suddenly declared, "I will conquer the world", that would be a problem.

There was a significant difference between a benevolent king and a tyrant.

The Crown Tundra King’s hand paused mid-air.

It looked up with a tinge of melancholy and whispered, "My memory is a bit hazy, but I remember... it was an incredibly massive meteorite."

Meteorite?

Xerneas?

That’s right.

The Galar Region has records of "Darkness" and of "legendary heroes" dispelling it, but there are no accounts of a massive meteorite impacting the region.

A meteorite that size, carrying Xerneas, would have had a tremendous impact. If it had landed, it would likely have caused a catastrophic disaster that could have wiped out all life in the Galar Region.

Even the creator god Arceus almost met its end when facing the massive meteorite.

If the Crown Tundra King, in its prime, had protected its people by blocking the meteorite, it would have lost a great deal of power and possibly been severely injured.

But wasn’t that over twenty thousand years ago?

The Crown Tundra King said it had been asleep for thousands of years.

"I’ve been asleep for too long. When I awoke, darkness had already enveloped the land. The details are fuzzy now."

Just as it was recovering from the damage caused by the meteorite, it encountered "Darkness"?

The grudge between the Crown King and Xerneas is truly immense.

It’s unclear just how much the King of Swords and the King of Shields played in the “Darkness.”

However, from the Crown King’s account, it’s evident that he did everything he could for his people.

He withstood the meteorite and battled Xerneas.

The fact that he’s still alive is, in Jinghe’s eyes, quite remarkable.

As for whether the Crown King is lying or making things up—Jinghe, the “Pokémon psychologist,” isn’t one to make baseless claims.

Jinghe’s gaze towards the Crown King now holds a newfound respect.

At the very least, this is a being who truly dedicated itself to its people.

It’s been a tough road for him.

He struggled to withstand the meteorite and shelter his people under the “Darkness,” only for the title of “King of Galar” to be stolen by two humans.

“I will help you find your two beloved steeds,” Jinghe promised solemnly.

Hearing this, the Crown King’s expression showed relief. “This king... relies on you!”

With that, he fixed his gaze on the tender bud on the withered tree and declared seriously and solemnly:

“Then let this ‘Radiant Blossom’ bloom once more!”

Hum—

A brilliant force erupted from the Crown King’s body, causing the massive crown on his head to shine brightly.

The buds at his neckline slowly unfurled, one after another.

In front of him, the tender bud grew rapidly, sprouting branches, and a translucent light-blue flower quietly bloomed.

“Now!”

Jinghe took a step forward, using the Waveguide to gently cradle the partially bloomed flower in his hand.

With the Crown King’s current strength, he couldn’t even fully open the flower.

Exhausted, the Crown King panted heavily.

“Please... help.”

His form slowly dissipated like a bubble, eventually vanishing completely.

The already withered giant tree seemed even more decayed, looking as if it might collapse in the wind and snow at any moment.

Unconsciously, Jinghe had taken on another task.

But it was for a good cause.

The Snowstorm Steed and the Spectral Steed shouldn’t be as difficult to handle as a Legendary Pokémon.

Perfect.

After resting at home for about ten days and dealing with a series of events, it’s a good opportunity for his little ones to test their current strength and the results of their hard training.

If the Snowstorm Steed and the Spectral Steed were to be compared in terms of strength, they would probably be on par with the Legendary Birds and Beasts?

“Let’s go, Dratini, we’re heading back.”

Jinghe patted Dratini’s round, bouncy belly.

Once he helps the Crown King, he can ask it to check on Snivy, guide him to the places where Regieleki and Regidrago once slept, and send Regieleki home!

“Uu~ (ˊˋ)”

Dratini carried Jinghe and prepared to head in the direction they came from.

But then.

A sudden blizzard swept across the tundra, the howling cold wind and heavy snowflakes drastically reducing visibility. This storm was as intense as the “Snowfall” of the Nine-Tails, but its range was much larger.

“Fly close to the ground,” Jinghe said quickly.

Flying higher would be a minor issue compared to getting lost.

“Uu~”

Dratini immediately descended.

Soon, a few patches of emerald green grass came into view, standing out in the vast snowy landscape.

The Crown Tundra isn’t entirely an icy world; there are always a few areas where plants grow due to special conditions.

These areas are the source of food for many Pokémon living in the Crown Tundra.

Further south in the Crown Tundra, although the weather remains cold, the vegetation is relatively lush.

Many ancient ruins and temples are found in that region.

Amid the snowstorm, in the swaying grass, several Bada Butterflies flapped their wings, creating wave after wave of wind to combat the snow, protecting their already meager home from being buried.

In this barren land, finding a place to live is a rare blessing. Behind the Bada Butterflies, a few green Worms looked helpless.

However, the Bada Butterflies’ ability to maintain this area and keep it free from snow shows their strength.

Especially the leader.

Each time it flapped its wings, it blew away a significant portion of the falling snow, with the others handling the rest.

The more challenging the environment, the stronger the wild Pokémon that inhabit it. This is true for Silver Mountain, Sky Pillar, and the Crown Tundra.

Since Jinghe saw them...

A red light shot out.

“Nine-Tails!”

“Au~”

The snow spirit-like Nine-Tails appeared on the grass, gently waving its tail under the wary gazes of the Bada Butterflies.

The howling wind and snow suddenly ceased, and the extreme cold was partially blocked by Nine-Tails’ power.

A faint, life-energy-infused warmth rose from the ground, warming the shivering Green Worms.

They realized they were being helped.

The Bada Butterflies looked on with gratitude.

The power of nature can’t be calmed instantly by anyone except a deity.

Since the blizzard prevented Jinghe from returning to Freezing Village in the short term, he decided to stay on this patch of grass and help the Bada Butterflies fend off the storm.

“Everyone, come out.”

Jinghe tossed out all his Poké Balls, summoning his little companions.

Especially the Crimson Blade Phantom, who immediately began emitting heat upon appearing, gradually warming up the grassy area.

Jinghe then took out some food, preparing to share it with the Pokémon struggling to survive in the snowy plains—energy bars, Marcarons, and more. There was plenty for everyone.

The green caterpillars living on the grass had never seen such a display. They gazed at Jinghe and the food before him with wide eyes.

Seeing this, Jinghe smiled and pushed the food forward, saying, "Don't be shy."

The green caterpillars, already favorably impressed by Jinghe and his Pokémon for helping them withstand the blizzard, quickly crawled over.

Before long, Jinghe was surrounded by green caterpillars and the eagerly watching iron cocoons.

"This thread..."

Jinghe held a strand of white thread in his hand, gently tugging at it and feeling its considerable strength.

Plants that could grow in such a harsh, cold environment naturally had their unique qualities and resilience. The green caterpillars that fed on these plants produced silk that was different from ordinary green caterpillars.

For wild Pokémon, the environment shaped them. Those who survived were all elite, a result of natural selection.

"Take a rest, too."

Jinghe called to the Bada Butterflies.

The grass could grow here not just because of the plants' special qualities but also due to the environment. The area was sheltered by mountains on two sides, and Nine-Tails had set up ice walls on the other sides to block the wind and snow, making the place much warmer than before.

Many Bada Butterflies were drawn by the food, but their apparent leader stood solemnly between the ice walls, still on guard.

This Bada Butterfly must be around level 50, which was quite rare.

Through the Pokédex and his Waveguide, Jinghe could sense its tense emotions.

Tense?

What was it afraid of?

Jinghe had his Pokémon distribute the food and walked over to the Bada Butterfly, using the Waveguide to ask, "What are you worried about?"

"Whii~"

The Bada Butterfly leader gently flapped its wings, shaking off the snow.

Such a severe blizzard is that guy's active time.

Blizzard?

That guy?

Snowstorm Steed?

Of course.

Even if Snowstorm Steeds don’t need to eat or can survive on ice and snow, who could resist a mouthful of fresh, tender grass? The plants here, which made the green caterpillars so plump, were clearly rich in nutrients.

If Jinghe were a Snowstorm Steed, he wouldn’t pass up such a good feeding ground.

However, while grassy areas in the Crown Tundra were rare, they weren’t the only ones, so the Snowstorm Steed’s appearance wasn’t guaranteed.

"Encountering a Snowstorm Steed in a blizzard would be quite a challenge", Jinghe thought.

A Snowstorm Steed on a clear day is different from one in a blizzard.

"Whii~!"

According to its pattern, that guy should be around here recently.

The Bada Butterfly leader’s worry wasn’t unfounded.

If the Snowstorm Steed’s activity pattern was consistent, then...

"Neigh~"

Suddenly, a loud, clear neigh echoed from the distant blizzard.

"Grgh!"

Jinghe's Pokémon, including Gengar, immediately stood up and gathered around him, ready to defend.

The Bada Butterfly leader trembled, looking even more serious.

The other Bada Butterflies and green caterpillars showed their fear more clearly, with the green caterpillars retreating into the grass and curling up.

It’s here!

In the blizzard, where visibility was already low, a white horse stepped forward, its hooves heavy and deliberate.

It seemed to see not a blizzard but a sunny, spring day.

A pure white horse, with thick ice crystals covering its limbs and tail, and a face like it was wearing an ice mask, gradually came into Jinghe’s view.

The white horse in the blizzard—Snowstorm Steed!

"Great, I didn’t even need the ice radishes to encounter it", Jinghe thought to himself.

To the Snowstorm Steed, the ice walls standing in the blizzard were surely the most delicious treat.

Fresh grass?

Its favorite was still these hard ice blocks!

It hadn’t encountered such high-quality ice blocks in a long time and was eager to enjoy them.

Since the King of Fertility fell into slumber, it had forgotten how long it had been since it last had ice blocks that could even slightly compare to ice radishes.

The Snowstorm Steed didn’t question why these ice blocks were here. It just raised its front hooves, neighed again, and its joy was evident.

Gengar also felt a surge of excitement.

"Grgh! (_)"

Its eyes gleamed, and it couldn’t help but imagine itself riding the white horse, holding the reins, looking cool and heroic.

This horse...

This horse fits my status as a king!

Gengar licked his lips, ready to pounce.

So, it’s not always a prince who rides a white horse; it could also be a ghost.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end