Things developed just as Penny said.
Regice's Blizzard spread in a 360-degree sweep with no blind spot. The biting wind carried a cold that felt like it could freeze your soul. The ground iced over thickly—an untrained Pokémon would slip just trying to move.
Ceruledge raised Protect, then shattered its shell-like ice casing with a single sword stroke.
Then, a second Bitter Blade parted the air and struck Regice's hard body again.
Clang!
Another crisp ring of blade on steel-hard ice.
Ceruledge didn't get discouraged. Per Lucas's orders, it alternated Fire- and Fighting-type attacks, occasionally mixing in Ghost-type moves. Its steady, agile footwork was completely unaffected by the ice.
The ruins rang with rhythmic clashes of steel on ice, like a master smith forging twin flaming greatswords.
The scene looked perilous. Ceruledge's attacks seemed unable to harm Regice's tough body at all.
It felt as if one misstep would see it frozen solid and plunged into an abyss.
But the truth?
The flicker rate of Regice's facial yellow dots grew faster. Even a mostly emotionless Legendary Titan found Ceruledge troublesome.
Regice raised its hands. Invisible energy locked onto the afterimage-trailing, fleet Ceruledge. Twin electromagnetic cannons built up in its arms.
That strong combo—lock-on plus Zap Cannon—was once again broken by Ceruledge's two quick slashes.
Regice's other attacks were also dodged, while more and more clangs rang out against its body.
Because of speed, even at similar power levels, Regice was less threatening than Mega Blastoise.
And Ceruledge's damage was accumulating. The exterior looked pristine, but that was only Regice's Legendary endurance hiding the injuries' presence.
"Bitter Blade!"
"Sss—goh!"
With a low growl, Ceruledge's flames surged again.
This time, insights from two previous sword duels with Iron Valiant flowed through its mind. Sometimes swift as wind, sometimes heavy as thunder—Ceruledge now had it all under full control.
In its violet eyes, the tiniest hairline crack—born from repeated strikes—on the side of Regice's light-blue polyhedral prism body became starkly clear.
Ducking under a destructive Hyper Beam, Ceruledge pushed off hard, sprinted to Regice's flank, and brought both blazing blades down!
Clang! Clang!
Two clear rings sounded as the blades hit home.
"Ji-ji-ji—!!!"
Regice's reaction was huge. Its rotation halted—it seemed stunned.
On its formerly pristine light-blue body, spiderweb cracks spread. Lucas also caught that crisp "crack."
Knowing the moment had come, he didn't hesitate.
"Flare Blitz!"
Ceruledge's feet bit into the ice. Its cold gaze flared hot. Flames climbing its swords leapt onto its body, and in a blink it became a roaring fireball, charging Regice!
Where it passed, steam from melting ice condensed into frost in the cold, then was heated again and turned into a shrouding fog.
The next moment—
BOOM—WHUMP!
Ceruledge's all-out Flare Blitz smashed into Regice. A furious vortex of fire scoured the steam away—then more steam billowed as the ice melted further.
The blast felt like it would puncture eardrums, hot air twisting the cold that Regice had imposed.
Penny and Peonia stared wide-eyed, stunned by the sight.
Peonia even found herself wondering what would happen if her idiot dad's Copperajah took that hit.
Moments later, the upheaval subsided.
"Drago~"
Dragonite stepped forward, its wings beating fast. A gust curled the steam toward the high ceiling, finally clearing their view.
Ceruledge knelt on one knee, eyes closed, calmly enduring the recoil of Flare Blitz.
Regice was in worse shape—lying prone, its once indestructible body torn up badly. Chunks of half-melted ice lay scattered about—no doubt pieces of its body.
The yellow eyes barely flickered. A few faint, unintelligible mechanical sounds stuttered out.
"Doo-doo… le… ji… eh…"
With the outcome decided, Lucas pulled the soundly sleeping Cosmog from under his jacket. Under Mimikyu's guard, he walked to Ceruledge and held out a hand.
"Can you stand?"
Ceruledge nodded lightly, accepted the help without fuss, drew a steadying breath, and stood.
It had simply been tired from all the dodging and swinging—not truly hurt—just needed a moment.
Regice had barely managed to land anything serious. The worst injury Ceruledge suffered was the recoil from Flare Blitz when it "created" a weak point on Regice.
"Good. Still, once we're out of here, let Comfey give you a Flower Healing."
Lucas sighed in relief. This was a good result.
He hadn't needed any of his many hidden cards—Ceruledge alone defeated the Legendary Titan.
The plan to keep striking the same point until unbreakable armor broke had worked.
It all tied back to what Ceruledge learned from its fights with Iron Valiant.
The old Ceruledge couldn't have gracefully dodged Regice's spammy, wide-area attacks while relentlessly focusing precise, stacking strikes on one spot.
"Miii~"
He felt a tug at his hem.
He looked down—it was Mimikyu.
It tugged again to get his attention, then pointed at the fallen Regice, clearly asking whether to catch it.
"Catch it, huh…"
Understanding from its eyes and gestures, Lucas pondered.
Regice, Registeel, and Regirock often appeared as guardians of some place. Perhaps that was Regigigas's intent in creating them.
If captured and obedient, Regice could guard the farm—though its environmental influence would need managing.
[Ding! Capture Regice or return it to slumber to open the ruins' door.]
The system, not wanting to be left out, flashed text across his vision.
Fortunately, Lucas had already decided. Since the chance was here, why overthink? He'd deal with the rest later.
It would be his first attempt to capture a Legendary through battle alone.
He took out several high-performance Ultra Balls and tossed them one by one at Regice.
As expected of a Legendary—even though Regice had been knocked out by Ceruledge's targeted strike, the first four Ultra Balls popped open and shattered.
Just as he was about to throw a fifth, Regice seemed to wake.
"Ji-ji-ji—!"
It let out a warbling mechanical cry and tried to push itself up, but with a large chunk of its body missing, even getting up was a struggle.
Knowing what he needed to, Lucas threw the fifth Ultra Ball. On contact, Regice turned to red light and flowed inside.
The ball hit the ice and shook three times.
Penny and Peonia, hurrying over with Dragonite and Swampert's help, didn't even dare breathe. Their hearts pounded, afraid the sound would affect the outcome.
Luck was with Lucas. Even though Regice's consciousness had returned and it wanted to act, the capture was a success.
Click!
Three golden stars flashed on the Ultra Ball.
Lucas blinked. He hadn't expected to succeed with just five balls.
He thought he might have to fight another round.
After all, Regice, Registeel, and Regirock could feed on ice, metal, and rock to repair themselves. The ice Ceruledge had melted was only a small patch. There was fuel for Regice everywhere.
He picked up the Ultra Ball holding the Ice Titan. Mimikyu climbed up onto his shoulder with a happy chirp.
Ceruledge nodded in satisfaction.
They'd gained many companions already—one more Regice hardly hurt. In its eyes—being caught by Lucas was Regice reaching up, not them stooping down.
Penny and Peonia arrived, shuffling carefully over the ice with Dragonite and Swampert's help, faces alight with joy. "Congratulations, Teacher Lucas / Mr. Lucas, on capturing Regice!"
"Thank you."
Lucas smiled kindly, asked about their condition one by one, and when sure they could handle it, he shrank the Ultra Ball and pocketed it, then looked toward the sealed door.
With Regice captured, the door should open soon, right?
Just as Penny and Peonia were about to ask what they needed to do next to leave the Iceberg Ruins, a low, drawn-out rumble sounded from the door.
The panels began to move—slow, steady. A rush of icy air blew through the widening gap, scattering dust and filling the air with an ancient scent.
True sunlight speared into the ruins. Through it, they could clearly see the snowbound vale outside.
Beyond the door, a backlit figure, as if it had been waiting, sped toward them!
Penny and Peonia blinked at the unfamiliar Pokémon.
Lucas instinctively held Cosmog a little tighter, eyes flashing with surprise.
After one mishap, was Calyrex… walking right into the net?
As the door opened, Calyrex, without thinking, rushed into the ruins for the first time—like a gust of wind—coming to a stop before Lucas and the others.
Only then did the brain Calyrex had forgotten to use in its worry start back up.
It took in Lucas holding a soundly sleeping Cosmog, Lucas's few Pokémon—each formidable in its eyes—and the two bewildered girls.
Then, with psychic sight, it surveyed the interior: mingled heat and cold, ice scarred with battle, and no sign of the guardian statue.
Calyrex realized at once it had been impulsive.
This human, Lucas, had passed the Iceberg Ruins' trial on his own. The icy giant was probably sealed in one of those strange round balls.
Its worry had been unnecessary.
It froze a second, then looked a last time at the sleeping Cosmog. Its body began to fade as it prepared to Teleport.
"Wait, Calyrex."
Lucas suddenly called out.
Penny and Peonia's eyes widened in surprise. This big green Pokémon was the Legendary King of Bountiful Harvests—the once-sovereign of Galar—Calyrex?
Dragonite and the others also stared curiously at the forgotten king.
Seemingly changing its mind, Calyrex's fading form re-solidified. Lucas was pleasantly surprised. "You're willing to communicate with me!"
Calyrex felt a flash of awkwardness.
It had wanted to leave quickly, to avoid the growing, tearing ache of seeing Cosmog again—the rising reluctance to part.
But it had forgotten: even with the door open, Teleport still didn't work inside.
"Ahem… In any case, what is it thou wouldst say to Us?" It added, "Let us speak outside. If we linger, this door shall close again."
"Ah!?"
Experiencing Pokémon telepathy for the first time, Penny and Peonia gasped, their horizons expanding on the spot.
Since Calyrex had said so, Lucas didn't dally. "All right. Let's head out now."
Dragonite scooped up Penny and Peonia. Lucas recalled Ceruledge to rest and, with Swampert's help, carried Cosmog off the ice. They hurried out of the ruins and back into the snowy valley.
Outside, it actually felt… warmer. One could imagine how extreme Regice's chill had been. Staying inside too long might have frozen them alive.
Not long after they left, the ancient door began to move again, slow and sure. With a low, long hum, it shut completely.
Calyrex pulled its gaze from the door and turned to Lucas. Its telepathic tone was cool.
"Thou may'st speak now."
Penny and Peonia stood nervously behind Lucas, hardly daring to breathe.
After all, the king of real history stood before them!
Every move radiated dignity—
Lucas adjusted Cosmog in his arms—not to hoard it, but simply to keep it warm.
Under Calyrex's slightly warmer gaze, Lucas spoke. "We investigated your past deeds and history in Freezington."
"Oh?"
Calyrex's subtle up-and-down hover paused—stopping in midair. That tiny hitch revealed its true feelings weren't as calm as they seemed.
Lucas noticed, his eyes dimming for an instant. He sighed inwardly and said quietly, "The villagers in Freezington consider you a fictional figure from compiled stories…"
He gently conveyed the villagers' views that Nemona and the others had gathered.
After listening, Calyrex slowly turned to regard the snowbound valley, lost in thought.
After a long while—and a sigh so faint Lucas almost missed it—it turned back. Its bearing and words were once more full of elegance and majesty.
Lucas understood: Calyrex didn't want to reveal weakness in front of him—or in front of Penny and Peonia, descendants of its former people.
"It seems they do not believe We exist. Humanity has forgotten the bond We once forged together."
"No matter. Would We lament such? We are the King of Bountiful Harvests! We shall not stoop to pinning Our hopes on humanity!"
Resolve flashed under its noble gaze. Lucas's words shattered its long-held fantasy—truths it had ignored or dared not accept were, in fact, true.
Though truth cuts like a knife, Calyrex would not sink into despair.
If anything, it hardened its resolve.
Since it had decided not to rely on humans, there was only one path to restoring its strength.
Calyrex closed its eyes, clearly struggling within.
Only then did Penny and Peonia let themselves look at it with pity and heartache—for a heartbeat.
Only a heartbeat.
A king would not welcome such looks.
Lucas parted his lips, but didn't offer comfort. To Calyrex, that would be an insult…
After a long time, Calyrex opened its eyes and said gravely, "Were Our noble steed to return to Us, matters would improve."
It had thought much. Though it had just said it would not rely on humans, Lucas—entrusted with Cosmog—was different. Otherwise it wouldn't ask this.
Looking at Lucas, it continued, "It is the mount We once rode with ease—a four-legged Pokémon. The village statue depicts Us astride it.
"Long ago, they were Our companions as We galloped through wilds and hills. But since Our power waned and We parted ways, We know not where they are.
"Moreover, thou shouldst know: even if We found Our steed now, this meager strength We have briefly regained would not suffice. We could not hope to master them…"
It raised its head to meet Lucas's eyes, awaiting his answer.
Under that gaze, Lucas realized Calyrex stood at a dead end.
That it would set aside its pride and plainly state its need was a pleasant surprise.
His prepared persuasion was no longer needed. Calyrex had truly "walked into the net."
"Glastrier and Spectrier, right? I'll help you regain your strength. Then, you'll agree to leave the Crown Tundra with me and raise Cosmog yourself. How about it?"
He didn't force the issue with pressure.
Leaving aside whether Calyrex's pride would allow it, Lucas didn't want to do that anyway.
So he asked—seeking Calyrex's consent.
"Thou even knowest Our steeds' names…"
Surprise flickered in Calyrex's eyes. It glanced at the half-hidden Cosmog in Lucas's arms.
Then it hesitated.
As Galar's king—forgotten though it was—it had never considered leaving the Crown Tundra, leaving Galar, leaving its realm, leaving the land of its memories.
But Lucas's question laid it bare—
Even if it regained its strength, should it reign again?
Beyond the shock to current institutions and the impact on Galar and its people's descendants—
Even if it reclaimed its power, its answer would surely be no.
It didn't want to experience all that again. Not out of cowardice—but clarity.
Rather than being a king again, perhaps its heart wanted to be a caretaker—to raise Cosmog, who had filled the void in its heart upon waking.
After a long silence, Calyrex replied, "If thou fulfill'st thy promise, We might consider it."
Exactly what Lucas hoped to hear.
He had already stated that, even if Calyrex refused, he would help it find its steeds. Since it didn't reject him outright, it meant its heart had moved—it was considering the possibility.
That was enough.
Lucas smiled. "Then it's a deal!"