Calyrex's eyes looked down at them both, its voice ringing clearly in their minds through a dignified psychic transmission — not loud or deep, but filled with an overwhelming majesty that stirred awe in their hearts.
That was the majesty of a king.
Once hailed as the King of Bountiful Harvests in the Galar region, Calyrex was a true sovereign.
"So this is... the legendary King...!"
The air grew unbearably heavy, as if weighed down by an invisible force, pressing against Marnie's chest so much that even breathing became difficult. She clenched her lips tightly and dared not meet the gaze of the king atop the white steed.
But in her heart, Marnie was utterly shaken.
Because Eternatus had already been subdued by Lucas, she hadn't personally felt the divine pressure of a high-tier legendary Pokémon. Even though Eternatus was once a calamity that nearly destroyed the Galar region, Marnie had inevitably lost her fear of it.
As for the Galarian Moltres and Spectrier, they were merely standard legendaries—nowhere near the oppressive force of a high-tier legendary Pokémon.
But Calyrex was different. Calyrex was the legendary king of Galar, and one could not even discern whether it was a friend or a foe.
The immense, regal pressure from Calyrex sparked, for the very first time, a genuine sense of reverence in Marnie toward legendary beings.
"It's an honor to meet you for the first time, O King of Bountiful Harvests."
Perhaps sensing Marnie's pressure, Lucas took a step forward, positioning himself in front of her. He bowed slightly to Calyrex and offered a gentle smile.
As expected of a Pokémon worthy of being called a king.
Lucas straightened and met Calyrex's gaze directly, his heart filled with awe.
Among the high-tier legendaries, Calyrex's stature was by no means grand. In fact, one could even call it "petite."
Its overall height was just a little over a meter.
Adorned with a massive green crown-like bloom atop its head, a necklace of pearl-like orbs circled its neck in a perfectly symmetrical pattern. It had a pair of small wings, and at first glance, nothing about its appearance seemed particularly imposing.
But that majestic kingly aura was enough to make anyone forget its physical form entirely.
"Oh? You recognize Us?"
A trace of intrigue surfaced in Calyrex's sapphire eyes as it carefully examined Lucas.
Once, it had been a ruler—but that time had long passed.
Even Calyrex could no longer recall how many years it had been hidden away in the Crown Shrine. Yet someone not only recognized it at a glance but even addressed it by its ancient royal title.
"The existence of the King of Bountiful Harvests is well known, even to a junior like myself. In fact, the reason I came here was to seek out the legends surrounding Your Majesty."
Lucas replied with a faint smile—neither arrogant nor submissive. He indeed harbored a respectful attitude toward this legendary monarch.
Because Calyrex was inherently a kind and benevolent king. Its deeds throughout history fully lived up to the name of the King of Bountiful Harvests.
Toward such genuinely good-hearted legends—or even good-hearted humans—Lucas would always offer a measure of respect, even if they stood on opposing sides.
"Do you truly claim to be here only to verify Our legend? Human, though you hold respect for Us, there is no obsession in your heart. Your lie is far from subtle."
Calyrex's wise, authoritative eyes locked onto Lucas, clearly unconvinced that his sole purpose was to follow legends.
Lucas raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised by Calyrex's insight.
"You've gained Eternatus's acknowledgment. That alone surprises Us. Yet the power of Eternatus is not something easily retained."
"To find Us—or perhaps, to lure Zacian onto Our territory and provoke a conflict between Us and Zacian. Is that correct? You are a cunning human indeed."
Despite its calm tone, Calyrex's psychic voice carried no anger—only a sense of wise confidence, like someone fully aware of everything.
Spectrier had just returned to inform Calyrex of two humans entering the Crown Shrine area.
Initially, Calyrex hadn't paid it much mind. After all, it had secluded itself from the world for centuries. Even within Galar, its name was rarely mentioned anymore.
Let alone someone knowing its exact location.
So, it had assumed they were simply two explorers who had stumbled upon the shrine by accident.
But when Spectrier told it that the human carried Eternatus within him...
Everything suddenly became much more interesting.
"They say the King of Bountiful Harvests possesses unparalleled wisdom. That reputation is clearly well-earned."
A flicker of admiration lit up in Lucas's red eyes—because what Calyrex said was exactly what he had in mind.
Eternatus had already absorbed too many of the energy points scattered throughout the Crown Tundra. In Lucas's view, Zacian would undoubtedly track its aura and arrive eventually.
At present, a battle between Eternatus and Zacian would be completely unequal. Eternatus would be at a huge disadvantage.
From a distance, perhaps they could avoid confrontation. As long as Eternatus remained hidden inside a Poké Ball, Zacian wouldn't be able to locate it.
But if both were within the Crown Tundra, and Zacian happened to wander close by—what if a "chance encounter" occurred?
So… he had thought of Calyrex, the guardian of the Crown Shrine!
"To Eternatus, Zacian is a true natural enemy. We have no intention of making enemies of Zacian."
"But Zacian's prejudice toward Eternatus runs too deep. I don't believe Your Majesty is so unreasonable, correct?"
Lucas remained composed, his red eyes steady as he met Calyrex's gaze.
At this point, there was no choice but to lay all his cards on the table. If things didn't work out, he would simply abandon the remaining energy points and leave the Crown Tundra.
"Reasonable? Human, it seems you are mistaken."
Calyrex shook its head gently at Lucas's words. Its gaze was emotionless and deep, unreadable.
"Though We did not personally partake in the events of three thousand years ago, We are aware of certain details."
"Eternatus brought its own downfall. Zacian and Zamazenta bear no fault."
Calyrex spoke calmly.
The "Darkest Day" incident that engulfed all of Galar three thousand years ago had even reached the secluded Crown Tundra. Calyrex, hidden in the shrine, still knew fragments of what transpired.
Because of that event, many wild Pokémon in the Crown Tundra were forcefully Dynamaxed, causing widespread destruction.
As a benevolent and kind ruler, Calyrex harbored no goodwill toward the source of it all—Eternatus. In its view, it was only natural that Eternatus had been crushed and hunted by Zacian and Zamazenta.
It brought its fate upon itself.
"But that was three thousand years ago. And Eternatus has already paid the price for the damage it caused. Its body was shattered, and its fragments scattered across Galar, bringing prosperity."
Lucas rebutted, though even he felt this argument was a stretch…
Indeed, when Eternatus unleashed the Darkest Day, Zacian and Zamazenta destroyed it. Its body shattered, scattering energy-rich fragments across Galar—bringing unforeseen benefits to the region.
Even the modern-day Dynamax phenomenon was a result of Eternatus.
But none of that had been Eternatus's intention…
If anything, Eternatus wanted nothing more than to reclaim all that energy.
"And now that Eternatus has reawakened, Zacian still insists on eliminating it. But Eternatus hasn't committed any wrongdoing, has it?"
Of course, this was another lie aimed at deceiving Calyrex…
If Oleana or Raihan were here, they would definitely tremble with rage—Lucas was lying without even blinking!
Hammerlocke's damaged buildings would like a word.
And he had even been crafty with his phrasing—he said Eternatus hadn't actively done anything wrong.
That way, even if Calyrex later learned about Hammerlocke's destruction, Lucas could still argue confidently that it was Zacian who had attacked first, and Eternatus had no choice but to retaliate, leading to the city's ruin.
Marnie's eye twitched uncontrollably, but she wisely kept her head lowered and remained silent.
"Hmmm…"
Calyrex tilted its head in thought. Though legends spoke of its power to see into the past, present, and future, that was just praise—a metaphor for its greatness.
Calyrex was the King of Bountiful Harvests, not the King of Time.
Even Dialga, the time dragon, could not see the full breadth of past and future—let alone Calyrex.
"No matter how you spin it, this matter has nothing to do with Us. Human, it's best if you leave."
After a moment's silence, Calyrex finally shook its head and issued a polite dismissal.
Though intrigued by this human who had tamed Eternatus, it didn't wish to get involved in this messy affair.
It was no longer the King of Galar. Now, it was merely a forgotten sovereign dwelling quietly within the Crown Shrine.
This conflict between Eternatus and the siblings was something Calyrex had no intention of involving itself in.
In truth, it didn't even oppose Zacian and Zamazenta's goal of destroying Eternatus. It might be merciful—but it was also wise.
"If you truly care for Eternatus, We advise you to leave this land. Zacian... is not easily persuaded."
Calyrex offered its advice calmly. It wasn't so much that Zacian was unreasonable—it was that Zacian was stubborn. Trying to make it let go of its hatred through mere words? That was wishful thinking.
After all, Eternatus had once nearly destroyed the Galar region. It was an outsider. Calyrex, though kind, clearly leaned toward Zacian's side.
But as Lucas had said, Eternatus had already paid for its crimes three thousand years ago. If it had truly changed for the better, perhaps it deserved another chance.
At least, that was Calyrex's personal belief.
Zacian, however, was unlikely to agree.
This was an incredibly difficult matter—no one was truly in the wrong. It was merely a clash of perspectives. That's why Calyrex wanted no part of it.
"Thank you for the advice, Your Majesty. I'll take it to heart. However…"
Lucas nodded sincerely, then hesitated, looking somewhat troubled.
"Zacian... may have already arrived in the Crown Tundra."
He spoke helplessly to Calyrex.
Upon hearing that, even the composed Calyrex twitched slightly.
This cunning human!
This wasn't just trying to drag it into the mess—he'd already done it!
"So, it really has arrived."
Calyrex closed its eyes. An overwhelming surge of psychic energy rippled outward, scanning the entire Crown Tundra in an instant.
And there—roaming one of the snow-covered valleys—was Zacian. Under Calyrex's psychic vision, its presence lit up like a spotlight in the dark.
Calyrex: "..."
This mess... it seems there's no avoiding it now.
For a moment, silence fell. Calyrex's gaze flickered rapidly. No one could guess what the legendary king was thinking.
Then, in the next moment—
"Glastrier."
Calyrex gently tightened the reins in its hand and softly called to the steed beneath it.
Glastrier neighed excitedly, rearing up on its hind legs as a wave of frigid air erupted from its body.
It had been holding back its ferocity for far too long!
And almost at the same time—
Above Lucas, Marnie, and Dragonair, dozens of razor-sharp icicles formed and came crashing down.
An Ice-type move—Icicle Crash!
The Ice Rider Calyrex challenges you to a battle!
"Neighhhhhh!"
A sharp whinny echoed across the snowy landscape as Glastrier reared up in excitement. At the same time, massive icicles rained down from the sky above Lucas and Marnie.
"Dragonair!"
Sensing danger instantly, Lucas shouted at Dragonair and quickly pulled the startled Marnie backward.
Ice Rider Calyrex's sudden attack had come too swiftly!
So sudden, in fact, that they were caught completely off guard.
Dragonair swayed its elegant, serpentine body and charged its tail with a green glow. It struck upward with full force.
Crack!
The icicles shattered under the force of Dragon Tail.
Fragments of broken ice tumbled to the ground, and the immediate threat was neutralized—but the atmosphere had turned completely solemn.
(End of Chapter)