Chapter 688: The Black Horse Prince!

Chapter 688: The Black Horse Prince! (Combined, Requesting Votes!)

"Chaa~ Chaa~ Chaa!"

The Village Elder rubbed the "Bond Tether" while Forger watched and nodded occasionally, as if he was learning something.

It has to be said, although the custom of making tethers has long vanished in Frostcliff Village, the old Village Elder’s craftsmanship was still top-notch. His grandfather must have spent a lot of effort teaching him.

"Phew—"

Wiping the sweat from his forehead, the old Village Elder handed Jinghe a black and a white tether. "I haven’t let you down."

"Thank you, Village Elder."

Jinghe solemnly accepted the tethers.

With these two "Bond Tethers", the issues with the Snowstorm Steed and the Spirit Phantom were no longer a problem.

However, upon receiving the tethers, a thought inevitably arose in Jinghe’s mind.

Since the Crown King could use the "Bond Tether" to control the Snowstorm Steed and the Spirit Phantom, combining the powers of the two Pokémon, almost like a form of "fusion", even changing their abilities, could other Pokémon also gain the strength of the two horses with the help of the "Bond Tether"?

Even more so, what if a human held the "Bond Tether"?

Jinghe glanced at the Ice Nine-Tail, shaking his head slightly.

It would be quite a challenge for the Ice Nine-Tail to ride the Snowstorm Steed.

Then he looked at Gengar, who was muttering to himself, and the image of Gengar riding the Snowstorm Steed earlier flashed in his mind. He shook his head again.

Gengar riding the Snowstorm Steed just didn’t seem right; the scene was a bit off.

But what if Gengar rode the Spirit Phantom?

It might be worth trying if the opportunity arose.

"The body aches after sitting for too long", the old Village Elder chuckled, standing up and glancing out the window with a hint of worry. "That young man hasn’t returned yet."

"Village Elder, don’t worry about him."

Daiya had lived for so long without any issues; even if he went missing in the Crown Tundra for a few weeks, Jinghe wasn’t concerned.

Though Jinghe often silently kept a tally of Daiya’s misdeeds in his mind, he had complete faith in Daiya’s strength.

If Daiya ever went all out, only Hiruna in Sinnoh could match him, and he had the potential to rival the Champion in the future.

Jinghe also glanced out the window.

The blizzard had clearly diminished compared to earlier, but the ground outside Frostcliff Village was still covered in thick snow.

Jinghe stood up, preparing to return to the Crown Temple.

First, he would deliver the Snowstorm Steed to the Crown King. With the Snowstorm Steed and the "Bond Tether", the Crown King should be able to regain some of his strength.

Then, whether they work together or the Crown King takes on the Spirit Phantom alone, the task would be much easier. After that, Jinghe could ask the questions he wanted to know.

The Village Elder had intended to stop him, but thinking that Jinghe had already "captured" the Snowstorm Steed, he didn’t fear the blizzard. He only reminded Jinghe to be careful.

Thus, as the blizzard had slightly subsided and the sky hadn’t completely darkened, Jinghe set off with his Pokémon and the Snowstorm Steed, heading for the summit of the Crown Tundra.

Having made the journey once before, this time it was much smoother, and they encountered no significant issues.

After all, the Snowstorm Steed exuded a dominant aura; any sensible wild Pokémon wouldn’t dare to cause trouble.

Before the night fully set in, Jinghe arrived at the entrance of the Crown Temple.

"Neigh—"

But upon arriving, the Snowstorm Steed became agitated, neighing as if it sensed something.

Huh?

Clippety-clop, clippety-clop—

The crisp, floating hoofbeats echoed within the temple, partially buried in snow, revealing a corner of its structure.

"What is—"

"Neigh—" The Snowstorm Steed neighed again.

"Gengar, get a Black Carrot out", Jinghe whispered.

"Gengar?"

Gengar scratched his head, reluctantly pulling out a black carrot.

Clippety-clop, clippety-clop, clippety-clop—

The hoofbeats inside the temple suddenly quickened.

"Neigh—!!"

This neigh did not come from the Snowstorm Steed but from inside the temple!

Rumble—

As the neigh echoed, a portion of the snow covering the temple collapsed, revealing more of its structure.

Towering, majestic, ancient, and imposing.

Even with just a corner exposed, the ancient aura was palpable, evoking images of its former grandeur.

A pitch-black horse with blue mane and a tail that burned like indigo flame, with energy resembling ghostly mist swirling around its hooves, galloped out of the temple.

It was none other than the Crown King’s other beloved mount, the ghostly horse, the Spirit Phantom!

It was said that after the Crown King fell into slumber, the Snowstorm Steed and the Spirit Phantom lived within the temple.

Jinghe had thought it was just a guidebook entry, that the Crown King, even in his weakened state, wouldn’t fail to notice the presence of his mounts.

But now, it was clear that the Spirit Phantom did indeed live in the temple.

This suggested that the Crown King was indeed very weak, or perhaps there were reasons he couldn’t or wouldn’t enter or approach the temple?

Regardless.

The Spirit Phantom had now charged out, its target being the Black Carrot in Gengar’s hand!

"Neigh—"

However, the one most affected by the Spirit Phantom’s charge wasn’t Jinghe or his Pokémon, but the Snowstorm Steed, which seemed excited.

Jinghe immediately became cautious.

Individually, the Snowstorm Steed and the Spirit Phantom were manageable, but if the Snowstorm Steed suddenly betrayed them, it could be troublesome.

Of course, it was only a little trouble.

If he could pin down the Snowstorm Steed for a beating, he could certainly do it twice!

However, Jinghe thought about some of his earlier suspicions and said:

"Gengar."

This round, let Gengar handle it.

"Geng-gar~"

Gengar grinned wickedly, understanding Jinghe's intentions. In front of the Spirit Phantom, he slowly picked up the black carrot, opened his mouth, and "nom" tossed it in.

Crunch, crunch—

Fresh, juicy, crisp, and sweet.

Delicious!

"Neigh!!"

Seeing this, the Spirit Phantom was instantly furious. The black carrot it had been longing for was eaten by this pudgy, purple-skinned fatty. It let out a long, angry neigh, and a pitch-black sphere formed in front of it.

Shadow Ball!

Unlike the Snowstorm Steed, which was extremely slow but had high defenses, the Spirit Phantom was almost the complete opposite—extremely fast but with relatively weak defenses.

Fortunately,

Gengar was a Pokémon that excelled in speed, a nimble little fatty.

When the dark Shadow Ball came rushing, Gengar immediately dove, disappearing from the Spirit Phantom's sight, causing the Shadow Ball to miss.

Gengar certainly knew how to draw attention.

Even though Gengar had vanished, the Spirit Phantom didn’t seem inclined to attack Jinghe or the other Pokémon. Instead, it spread out ghost-type energy, trying to locate Gengar.

A thin, light purple mist spread from the Spirit Phantom's feet, making the place feel eerie and sinister.

The mist flowed.

The Spirit Phantom suddenly turned, spotting Gengar's trace!

Immediately, it launched a Shadow Ball.

Bang!!

However, the just-emerging Gengar vanished like a bubble.

The Spirit Phantom was startled.

A decoy?

It abruptly turned its head again, only to find Gengar still in the same spot, pointing at it with a mocking expression.

"Geng-gar~()σ"

"Neigh!!"

The Spirit Phantom was furious. A shadow shot out from its body, like a living phantom charging straight at Gengar.

Shadow Sneak!

Bang!

But,

When the Shadow Sneak passed through "Gengar", it again dissipated like a bubble.

Another decoy?!

At this moment, the first bubble that the Spirit Phantom had destroyed quickly solidified, revealing a Gengar with a triumphant smirk. It slapped the Spirit Phantom’s rear.

A purple toxic haze immediately spread over the Spirit Phantom’s body.

Poison Jab!

"Whinny—"

Before the Spirit Phantom could react, the Snowstorm Steed, standing behind Jinghe, let out a startled neigh, its face filled with fear. Its hindquarters tightened, and its tail clung tightly to its buttocks.

This guy.

Even with the Spirit Phantom's speed and its inherent ghost-type advantages, it was still outmaneuvered by Gengar. The Snowstorm Steed couldn’t imagine how it would fare against Gengar.

"Neigh!!"

The Spirit Phantom, of course, had no idea what the Snowstorm Steed was thinking, but the pain from the Poison Jab and Gengar’s “playfulness” made it neigh again.

Its eyes were filled with malice and cunning.

A trick!

The Spirit Phantom felt it had encountered the most troublesome opponent of its life. The chilling sensation it felt was something only its enemies had experienced before. It never imagined it would be on the receiving end this time.

However, as a ghost-type Pokémon, the Spirit Phantom knew what its kind feared most.

That was not playing any “hide and seek” games, but overpowering with brute force!

As it neighed, the Spirit Phantom’s aura skyrocketed.

It stared intently at Gengar, ready to prevent any surprise attacks.

But Gengar’s reaction puzzled the Spirit Phantom.

Not stopping its enhancement?

"Geng-gar~"

Gengar stood on one foot, the other dangling casually over its knee, as if sitting in mid-air. One hand was picking its nose, the other raised slightly.

Come on, put in some effort, did you skip breakfast?

The Spirit Phantom suddenly felt an uneasy premonition.

And this premonition was confirmed when its aura reached its peak.

"Geng-gar~!"

Take this!

Gengar grinned, his eyes filled with mockery. He reached out and grabbed something, and instantly, two small bat-like entities made of black mist, about the size of a palm, flew out from the Spirit Phantom.

In an instant,

The Spirit Phantom’s aura plummeted.

Meanwhile, Gengar’s aura surged even faster.

Its abilities were stolen?!

How could this be?

The Spirit Phantom’s brief daze gave Gengar the perfect opportunity.

"Double Team", Jinghe whispered, and Gengar acted.

A blood-red eye opened on Gengar’s forehead, locking onto the Spirit Phantom. When the Spirit Phantom snapped out of its shock and met the blood-red eye, it knew it was too late.

Buzz—

A dull explosion sounded from within the Spirit Phantom.

For a poisoned Spirit Phantom, the power of Double Team would be doubled!

Additionally, thanks to its own special attack boost and the ghost-type advantage,

The Spirit Phantom suffered a devastating blow, both physically and mentally.

With this hit, Gengar gained the absolute upper hand.

Followed by a series of moves—Thunder Wave, Lick, Confuse Ray, and more—the Spirit Phantom was turned into a walking "negative buff display machine."

Gengue also took this opportunity to test the results of his previous training.

After absorbing a complex and varied mass of negative emotional energy from the ultra-mystic Hoopa's "Shadow Sneak", Gengue seemed to have a stronger effect when applying debuffs to his opponents.

Especially with toxins.

The Spirit Phantom's single misstep led to its downfall.

Thus, information is a crucial element in battles.

If it had known beforehand that Gengue could steal the opponent's buffs, it either wouldn't have used its tricks or would have reacted in time to avoid being caught off guard and beaten while down.

Information asymmetry can sometimes even compensate for a significant power gap.

This is why, even without a Mega Evolution, Gengue was able to successfully dominate the Spirit Phantom.

In the Pokémon world, Pokémon battles are never a fixed exchange of moves. Many variables can arise, and no one can claim with 100% certainty that they won't fail, even in a champion versus ace trainer matchup.

This is the essence of what makes Pokémon battles so exciting.

"Snort."

The Snowstorm Steed noticed Jinghe's sidelong glance and immediately lowered its head, softly snorting and tucking its tail, adopting an expression that said, "Don't look at me, I'm not a traitor, and I won't take advantage of the situation."

Initially, the Snowstorm Steed was resentful of Jinghe for using four Pokémon to battle and suppress it. But now,

it suddenly realized,

What a good person!

This is a real good person!

Not making it face Gengue's relentless debuff combo is a huge kindness!

Now it understood Jinghe's "kindness."

Of course,

while feeling a bit intimidated, the Snowstorm Steed couldn't help but feel a twinge of schadenfreude.

Seeing its old rival suffer so much,

the weather today is really nice, isn't it?

"Gengue!"

Seeing that the Snowstorm Steed wasn't showing any signs of betrayal, Jinghe smiled slightly and threw a black tether.

This was the perfect opportunity to test it.

"Gengar!"

Gengue, who had been eagerly waiting, caught the "Bond Tether" and instantly appeared behind the Spirit Phantom.

"Neigh!!"

The Spirit Phantom neighed, seemingly anticipating what Gengue was about to do.

Unlike the temperamental Snowstorm Steed, which enjoyed battles and challenges against strong opponents,

the Spirit Phantom preferred solitude, relishing in quiet and isolation. After enjoying thousands of years of solitude, it was now to be used as a mount?

However,

no matter what the Spirit Phantom thought, it had been beaten down by Gengue to the point where it could barely defend itself. How could it resist?

The familiar tether was once again placed around its neck.

Hum—

A dark, chilling mist erupted from the Spirit Phantom, Gengue, and the "Bond Tether", gradually enveloping Gengue and the Spirit Phantom.

"Interesting?"

Jinghe, who had been observing the entire process, narrowed his eyes, a glint of excitement in them.

Could this "Fusion" card really work on Gengue and the Spirit Phantom?

However, after a while, the dark mist slowly dissipated. Gengue, sitting on the Spirit Phantom's back, seemed to show no significant changes, neither did the Spirit Phantom.

"Of course."

Jinghe shook his head.

He wasn't particularly disappointed.

After all, it was the most likely outcome.

If Gengue could truly fuse with the Spirit Phantom using the "Bond Tether", Jinghe would have definitely tried riding the Snowstorm Steed today.

What if he could actually summon "Ice Spears" or "Star Shards" with his bare hands?

Unfortunately, this bold fantasy was quashed with Gengue's failure.

But Gengue didn't seem to mind. Holding the tether, riding the Spirit Phantom, he felt like a "great general" in his imagination, no, a "king" leading his troops into battle!

It was a sense of freedom and clarity.

"Gengar!"

I am the prince of the black horse!

On the other hand,

the Spirit Phantom, which had been highly resistant at first, became docile after the "Bond Tether" was placed around its neck and a brief exchange of energy and information with Gengue.

Though it snorted irritably, it no longer resisted.

This change was naturally noticed by Jinghe and the other Pokémon, including the Snowstorm Steed.

However, the Snowstorm Steed was in a bit of a predicament.

It was looking around warily when suddenly it saw Forger, Thicklipuku, and Blastoise turn to look at it!

"Neigh neigh"

You, you, you, what do you want? Why are you looking at me like that?

Especially Blastoise.

Bro, you're so big, I'm so small, are you serious?

"Bark~"

Blastoise rubbed his hands together, eager to try, almost ready to borrow the "Bond Tether" from Jinghe.

Seeing that the Spirit Phantom was no longer resisting and Gengue had achieved his goal, Jinghe decided to stop further attempts.

"Alright, let's go find the Crown King."

He said.

Since they had already captured two of the Crown King's beloved horses, the mission could be considered complete.

They headed towards the withered tree behind the temple.

Gengue, riding the Spirit Phantom at the back, noticed that no one was paying attention to him and cautiously pulled out a black carrot, feeding it to the Spirit Phantom.

The Spirit Phantom snorted again, its mood seeming to stabilize.

As they approached the withered tree.

Compared to when they first arrived, the Wilted Tree had visibly withered even more.

Jinghe's swift actions were driven by the fear that the Crown King might not hold on much longer. If the Crown King were to pass away, Jinghe would feel deeply guilty and self-blaming, no matter how many reasons and excuses he could come up with.

Fortunately, things had gone well.

From the moment the request was made to the completion of the task, it took less than a day.

He stepped forward, placed his hand on the tree trunk, and closed his eyes.

Waveguide, within my heart!

Soon, he found the Crown King, who was curled up deep inside the trunk, with life signs so weak it was barely detectable.

The Crown King was now extremely quiet, curled into a ball, devoid of the regal aura he once possessed. Instead, he looked like any other Pokémon, weak and injured, licking his wounds in solitude.

Jinghe sighed softly.

To protect its people, the Crown King had become this weak.

Fortunately, bringing the Crown King out didn't require breaking the tree trunk. It seemed the Crown King had fused with the Wilted Tree, and Jinghe could easily lift him out.

It was worth noting that the Crown King was very light, almost like a rabbit, light and nimble.

"You..."

The Crown King seemed to sense something and opened his eyes slightly, seeing Jinghe. However, he couldn't even manage to speak a complete sentence.

In such a state, could he really recover just by riding the two horses again?

But there was nothing more to say at the moment. Jinghe immediately gave his Pokémon a look.

"Whinny!"

The Snowstorm Steed was suddenly startled, looking at Jinghe's Pokémon with a somewhat "unfriendly" gaze.

Don't, don't look at me like that. I'm not going to be uncooperative.

The Snowstorm Steed was flexible and quickly compromised.

At least the Crown King had treated them well over the years, providing plenty of Black Carrots to eat.

So, Jinghe personally placed the Bond Tether around the Snowstorm Steed's neck.

Hmm?

As Jinghe placed the Bond Tether around the Snowstorm Steed's neck, a strange feeling rose within him.

Almost instinctively, both he and the Pokémon looked at each other, seeing a hint of confusion in each other's eyes.

In that instant—

Jinghe felt as if he had undergone a Mega Evolution, connecting with the Pokémon on a mental and willful level, even to the point where he could make the Snowstorm Steed lift its foot with just a thought.

It felt as if the Snowstorm Steed's hooves were his own hands, as if he could command them as easily as his own limbs.

And while the Snowstorm Steed's feeling wasn't as direct as Jinghe's, it had a similar sensation to when it was the Crown King's mount.

Its strength became part of the other's, enhanced and freely used.

Huh?

Isn't this a human?

A strange thought rose in the Snowstorm Steed's mind.

But Jinghe didn't think much about it. After Thicklipuku helped the Crown King onto the Snowstorm Steed's back, Jinghe handed the reins to the Crown King.

The next second, a hum resonated.

The reins automatically attached to the Snowstorm Steed's neck, fitting perfectly.

A brilliant light, akin to the glow of evolution, enveloped the Crown King and the Snowstorm Steed.

Jinghe took a step back, murmuring, "Fusion!"

The light came and went quickly.

When the white light faded, the Crown King, now looking much better, was seated on the Snowstorm Steed's back, holding the reins. The Snowstorm Steed, in resonance with the Crown King, raised its front hooves high and let out an excited neigh.

A surge of energy flowed from the Snowstorm Steed through the reins into the Crown King's body, and the massive crown on his head emitted a green aura. His royal cloak behind him slowly extended, turning into a pure white color, majestic and fluttering in the wind.

A few moments later, everything returned to calm.

The Crown King released one hand, turned to Jinghe, his face stern yet kind, and bowed slightly.

"Jinghe, I will forever remember your help."

A surge of energy burst from him, indicating that he had regained some of his original strength.

In contrast, the Wilted Tree behind the Crown Temple gently swayed, and signs of life gradually emerged. The withered trunk quickly restored its smoothness, and new energy sprouted from the ancient branches.

A new beginning!

As Jinghe had suspected, the ancient tree behind the temple and the Crown King were deeply connected, much like the World Tree and Mew.

Jinghe didn't immediately respond to the Crown King, but instead turned slightly and said, "And the Spirit Phantom."

He then called out to Gengue, "Gengue, it's time."

"Ge-nga."

Hearing Jinghe's call, Gengue drooped his ears, pulling the reins, and slowly guided the Spirit Phantom toward them. Jinghe, who knew Gengue well, was fully aware that Gengue was just putting on a show.

This little act couldn't fool Jinghe, who knew every move Gengue made, but it did affect the Crown King.

"No hurry, take your time."

The Crown King's voice was stern yet gentle.

"Ge-nga!"

Gengue suddenly lifted his head, grinning, and all traces of his previous lethargy were gone. He eagerly pulled the reins, and the Spirit Phantom began to trot around.

Clop, clop, clop—

As it ran, the Spirit Phantom's legs began to lift off the ground, as if it were stepping on ethereal mist, gradually ascending into the sky.

Whoa!

Gengue, Male realized for the first time that the Spirit Phantom had this "feature", and he was overjoyed, his interest growing even more.

Jinghe, Male rubbed his forehead, feeling somewhat embarrassed as he said to the Crown King:

"Sorry, Gengue, Male can be a bit mischievous."

The Crown King looked at Gengue, Male, who was riding the Spirit Phantom, with a glint of curiosity in his eyes.

It was the first time he had seen a Spirit Phantom behave so "obediently" under the control of another Pokémon.

Moreover, the bond between the Spirit Phantom and Gengue, Male—

"It's no trouble", the Crown King shook his head slightly.

Although he was far from his peak, he had already recovered some of his strength.

That was enough.

Even without Jinghe, Male's help, he could easily subdue the Spirit Phantom once he was fully restored.

"I thought it would take more time, but you managed to do it so quickly", the Crown King remarked with a sigh.

Jinghe, Male smiled and briefly recounted his encounter with the Snowstorm Steed and the Spirit Phantom, as well as the process of capturing them.

"I see."

The Crown King gently patted the Snowstorm Steed's neck, sighing softly.

"I never imagined these two horses would take up residence in the temple."

The Snowstorm Steed let out a soft snort.

In the end, although the Snowstorm Steed and the Spirit Phantom had been captured by the Crown King, they had been beaten in the process. After the Crown King fell into a deep sleep, the two horses had thousands of years of freedom, during which they reverted to their wild nature and no longer respected their former master.

After all, among Pokémon, especially wild Pokémon, strength was the ultimate measure. A weakened Crown King naturally struggled to gain their recognition.

"Jinghe, Male, would you like to come with me to the Crown Temple?" the Crown King asked suddenly.

Hmm?

Jinghe, Male was taken aback for a moment before he smiled and said, "Of course."

Jinghe, Male and his group then followed the Crown King into the Crown Temple.

Although this wasn't his first time in the area, it was his first time entering the temple.

The temple was vast, with spacious interiors. After the long passage of time and the "damage" inflicted by the two horses, it was now in a state of ruin. However, from the remnants of the walls and structures, it was clear that the temple had once been grand and magnificent.

As they walked, the Crown King introduced Jinghe, Male to the various rooms and their original purposes.

"This was my favorite spot. The cushions were soft and comfortable, and I enjoyed resting here."

"This was my study, once filled with books from all over the world. Unfortunately, they have all rotted away."

"This is the stable, where my two beloved horses were once kept."

It seemed as if the Crown King was reminiscing about something, or perhaps mourning something.

Jinghe, Male could clearly sense the changes in the Crown King's emotions—from the initial excitement of regaining his strength, to the sorrow of seeing the temple's decay, and the sense of loss at the changes in the world.

The loss was not just due to the passage of time, but also because of the human world's forgetfulness. The people he once protected had long forgotten him.

Being forgotten by those he wanted to protect must be painful for anyone, right?

However, the Crown King quickly composed himself and looked at Jinghe, Male with the Snowstorm Steed at his side.

"Jinghe, Male, you came to see me for a reason, didn't you?"

Having traveled all the way from Hoenn to the Crown Tundra in Galar and helping him so much, there must be something he needed assistance with.

Jinghe, Male didn't beat around the bush and looked toward the main hall.

His Pokémon were circling an ancient, decayed, and partially obscured stone tablet in the temple's main hall.

On the stone tablet, Snivy was swinging its feet, deep in thought.

Following Jinghe, Male's gaze, the Crown King also saw Snivy on the stone tablet and was momentarily taken aback.

Then, a mysterious and enigmatic light flickered in the Crown King's eyes, as if countless images were flowing through them.

The Crown King, known as the "Bountiful King", was the ancient "King of Galar", but his abilities extended far beyond just "fertility."

Legend had it that the Crown King could see the past, present, and future.

While this might be an exaggeration, his powers were undoubtedly formidable.

The Crown King first frowned, then his expression changed to one of realization as he murmured:

"The Forest's Blessing."

The Forest's Blessing?

Jinghe, Male was puzzled.

The Crown King withdrew his gaze and said to Jinghe, Male:

"You want it to evolve, don't you? I can do that."

"No", Jinghe, Male replied, looking at Snivy. "Whether it evolves or not is Snivy's decision. I'm just concerned about its health."

The Crown King was taken aback.

Letting a Pokémon decide for itself?

He smiled warmly for the first time.

"Jinghe, Male, you are indeed an excellent trainer."

Jinghe, Male didn't comment.

Just as he was about to ask the Crown King about the "Forest's Blessing", a familiar shout came from outside the temple.

"Ah—"

With a mix of curiosity, Jinghe, Male and the others rushed out of the temple and looked up into the sky.

There—

A large bird, engulfed in black flames, was soaring through the air, and in its claws was the shouting Daiya!

Hmm?

That was—

"It's him", the Crown King said, realization dawning on him.

The Pokémon, surrounded by black flames and an aura of evil, was none other than the Flareon!

More precisely, the Galarian Flareon!

"Too bad it's not a 'chicken on the ground,'" Jinghe, Male sighed inwardly.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end