The Crown Tundra, an endless stretch of white.
Few places in the world could compare.
People liked to say Mt. Silver in Johto was the most dangerous known wild zone, but anyone who set foot here would quickly realize that the Crown Tundra wasn't something Mt. Silver could match.
The land itself pulsed with unstable energy.
Scattered across the frozen ground were countless dens where red light sometimes flickered like a heartbeat beneath the ice.
According to ancient records, the source of this energy dates back 3,000 years.
When Eternatus unleashed the Darkest Day, its massive body was eventually torn apart by the combined efforts of Zacian and Zamazenta.
The shards of that colossal power drifted across Galar, sinking into the earth and forming energy points.
Wild Pokémon who absorbed that power sometimes transformed into giant, towering versions of themselves, Dynamax forms that turned even normally timid species into threats capable of smashing mountains.
And that was why the Crown Tundra had a danger level far above any ordinary wilderness.
A cold gust cut across the plains.
"It's freezing…" Cynthia exhaled, her breath turning to mist as she tightened her thick down jacket.
Her blonde hair was tucked beneath a knit cap, but the wind still managed to tug at a few strands.
She shot a glance at the person walking beside her.
Sam didn't seem bothered at all.
He wore nothing more than a light jacket, something someone might wear on a mild autumn day.
The snow gathered on his shoulders, yet he looked perfectly comfortable.
"Sam," Cynthia said, giving him a long look, "are you seriously not cold?"
Sam shook his head lightly.
"Not really."
Cynthia blinked. "How? It's freezing."
Sam didn't explain. The divine powers coursing quietly through his body insulated him in ways normal humans could never manage.
Instead, he stepped closer and tugged her collar higher to block the wind from sneaking in.
Cynthia's cheeks warmed slightly, whether from the cold or his gesture was hard to tell.
She followed his gaze across the endless white.
"What are you looking at?"
"Just thinking," Sam said softly.
"Zapdos isn't the only powerful one living here. There are legends even above it."
"Above Zapdos?" Cynthia turned to him, curiosity rising.
"Where did you learn that?"
"In the old records."
She hummed thoughtfully. Sam's tone didn't change, but his eyes sharpened.
"The true ruler of the Crown Tundra is said to live here, the King of Galar. Calyrex."
Cynthia raised a brow. "So the legends are real?"
Sam nodded.
"People claim to have seen a shadow riding through blizzards faster. Calyrex has two steeds, Glastrier, the white one, and Spectrier, the black one. Depending on which it rides, the king's form changes."
In Sam's memories, Calyrex existed only in games.
Neither manga nor animation had ever shown it.
Even with all his knowledge, details about Calyrex's true strength were vague.
That mystery alone made Sam's curiosity burn hotter than the cold around them.
The two continued forward, their boots crunching across fresh snow.
The air was quiet, too quiet, until a deep rumble rolled through the tundra.
Snow fell from distant cliffs. Cynthia stopped in her tracks.
"What was that?"
Sam already sensed it.
A burst of red light flashed dangerously ahead of them, the kind that only appeared when a Pokémon's energy surged out of control.
A massive shadow lumbered into view.
A long-haired Pangoro.
This one stood nearly thirty meters tall, its fur bristling like black steel cables. Each step made the ground tremble.
The Dynamax glow pulsed across its body.
[Pokémon Detected: Pangoro(Dynamax Form)]
[Type: Dark/Fighting]
[Ability: Iron Fist]
[Level: 49 (Gym Peak)]
[Potential: Gym Peak]
[Known Moves: Power-Up Punch, Bite, Bulk Up, Assurance, Sucker Punch, Dark Pulse, Hammer Arm ....]
[Condition: Normal]
[Remarks: It will use the powerful drill kick by deforming the body hair of the legs, and the power can even drill a big hole in the ground of Galar.]
The thirty-meter-tall Pangoro slammed its fists into the ground, snow exploding upward with the impact.
The roar echoed across the frozen plains like thunder.
Most people would panic at the sight of a Dynamax Pokémon charging them.
They didn't.
He watched calmly, hands in his pockets, and said to Cynthia as if they were discussing the weather, "Galar's Dynamax phenomenon really has its own style. When I get a proper Dynamax Band, I should let my team try it too. I'm curious how big they'd get."
Cynthia let out a short laugh despite the looming threat.
"If your Dragonite Dynamaxed, he'd probably reach… what, a hundred and fifty meters? Maybe bigger?"
Their casual chat only irritated the giant Pangoro even more.
It stomped closer, red light swirling around its fur like sparks off a bonfire.
Being ignored was clearly the last straw.
The Pangoro raised a massive hand, casting a shadow over them, and swung down toward Sam with enough force to crack the tundra.
Sam didn't flinch.
He raised one hand and flicked a Poké Ball forward.
A burst of red light cut through the blowing snow.
Lucario materialized in front of them, aura flaring to life like blue fire.
"Luca," Sam said quietly.
He didn't need to say anything else. Lucario already understood.
He clenched his fist, and the wave of aura surged outward, clearing the snow around him in a single pulse.
Then he kicked off the ground, launching himself upward like a bullet.
His fist met the giant Pangoro's descending palm.
BOOM!
The shockwave tore through the snowfield.
The Dynamax Pangoro stumbled, its gigantic body shuddering before collapsing backward.
The red glow flickered violently, shrinking rapidly as its oversized form unraveled.
Within seconds, the towering Pokémon had returned to its normal size, unconscious and harmless on the ground.
Cynthia exhaled, a small puff of white mist drifting past her lips.
"Dynamax looks terrifying… but sometimes it's just big and loud."
Sam nodded. "Size alone doesn't mean much if you don't know how to use it."
Cynthia brushed snow from her coat.
"Come on, let's find Zapdos before it gets any colder."
She took Sam's hand and moved forward a few steps, then felt him stop.
"What is it?"
"You don't need to look for Zapdos," Sam murmured.
"It's already coming."
A faint rhythm reached them, sharp, rapid impacts against ice.
Cynthia frowned.
"Hoofbeats?"
The sound grew louder.
Then something bright cut through the snowstorm, orange feathers streaked with black lightning patterns.
A bird-like shape, but running, not flying, kicking up snow as it dashed toward them at incredible speed.
Cynthia stared. Her mind blanked for a moment.
"Is… that…?"
A wild Zapdos, Galarian form, slid to a stop several yards in front of them, snow spraying out in a fan around its talons.
Its eyes glowed with fierce determination, wings tucked tightly to its sides like a trained martial artist preparing for battle.
[Pokémon Detected: Zapdos (Galarian Form)]
[Type: Fighting/Flying]
[Ability: Defiant]
[Level: 60 (Low Champion Tier)]
[Potential: Tier 1 Legendary - Intermediate]
[Moves: Thunder Wave, Peck, Agility, Drill Peck, Discharge, Thunder, Zap Cannon…]
[Contest Condition: Berserk]
[Remarks: As a fiercely competitive Fighting-type, it instinctively challenges any Pokémon it senses is stronger than itself.]
Cynthia slowly turned her head toward Sam, her disbelief obvious.
"This… is Zapdos?"
She pointed at the bird.
"It looks like a really angry Doduo with bigger legs. Are you sure this is a legendary Pokémon?"
Zapdos narrowed its eyes at her, offended.
Sam resisted the urge to laugh.
"Galarian Zapdos specializes in fighting. It doesn't look like the Kanto version, but it's just as strong, maybe even stronger physically."
Zapdos stamped the ground once, sharp and deliberate.
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