At the same time, he also needed to check the condition of the Voltorbs, to prevent them from triggering another Explosion due to unstable mental states.
Ingo also prepared to return to the area he was assigned to guard, and pass on the message to Irida that the situation at the Coronet Highlands had been resolved, so he bid farewell to Ash and Cynthia outside the Moonview Arena.
After Melli and Ingo each left, Ash and Cynthia were finally able to refocus on their upcoming journey.
Mewtwo then entered the small Pokeball that Ash had always worn around his neck.
That Pokeball was exclusively for Mewtwo, and since it looked like an accessory, it hadn't aroused anyone's suspicion even when Ash wore it around his neck.
If it had been a Red and White Ball, it would have already been recognized as a Pokeball and aroused curiosity.
With Mewtwo's departure, the two almost instinctively raised their heads, directing their gaze to the sky above the Coronet Highlands.
There, a massive Space-Time Rift still stretched across the sky above Mount Coronet.
Purple-red light flickered constantly from within the rift, clearly visible even from a considerable distance.
In fact, when they first arrived at the Coronet Highlands, they were already eager to get closer to that Space-Time Rift.
However, the peaks of Mount Coronet were so high, and many places were so steep that there were hardly any paths for normal walking; even capturing a normal Flying Pokemon temporarily might not safely reach such heights.
But now, they had Sneasler.
With Sneasler's ability to swiftly climb between cliff walls, ascending to higher locations on Mount Coronet was noticeably easier than before.
Cynthia took out the Celestica Flute and gently played it, the melodious flute sound quickly spreading through the valley.
Not long after, the tall figure of Sneasler descended swiftly along the nearby steep rock face.
"Sneasel~"
After reaching the two, Sneasler shook the yellow passenger box on its back, indicating they could get inside.
Ash and Cynthia each took a seat in the box on Sneasler's back and quickly found that, although it could accommodate two people at once, the space inside was not spacious; it resembled the cars from their living era but was much smaller than an ordinary car.
Cynthia was already quite slender, and Ash's body wasn't fully developed yet.
Yet, after sitting inside, they were almost pressed together, in such tight quarters that their arms couldn't help but touch, causing Cynthia's pale cheeks to blush slightly.
In contrast, Ash, as usual, felt nothing.
His attention was mostly on Mount Coronet outside and the ever-approaching Space-Time Rift.
He didn't notice at all that Cynthia was feeling a bit uncomfortable due to their close proximity.
Sneasler extended its sharp claws to grip the rock wall and started climbing upwards with the box on its back.
Its elongated limbs alternated swiftly on the steep walls, moving with ease even in spots where ordinary people could barely stand.
Though Sneasler found climbing easy, the two in the box were not as comfortable.
Especially when passing over parts where the elevation varied significantly, the yellow box would jolt with Sneasler's movements.
Ash and Cynthia, already nearly pressed together, found it even more challenging to maintain their distance.
Another pronounced bump came, causing Ash to sway to one side and bump right into Cynthia, feeling as if he had plunged into a soft mass of cotton.
Ash quickly grabbed the edge of the box to steady himself but still didn't think much of what had happened.
He just thought that riding in the back as Sneasler scaled such rugged heights was more turbulent than he'd imagined.
Cynthia's body stiffened from the sudden contact, her already flushed cheeks deepening in color.
Yet seeing Ash seemingly unaware of what just happened, she pretended as if nothing occurred.
Sneasler, unaffected by the pair behind, continued climbing steadily up the near-vertical rock face.
And as the height increased gradually, the massive Space-Time Rift that had always hung above Mount Coronet came into clearer view before their eyes.
Sneasler ascended the steep cliff walls continuously.
Meanwhile, Ash and Cynthia squeezed inside the yellow passenger box on its back, peeking through the slots to observe the outside as they chatted about events that had occurred during this period.
After nearly half a day of bumpy travel, Sneasler's climbing speed finally slowed. Then, with a flip, it traversed the last stretch of cliff and landed steadily at Mount Coronet's peak.
"We finally made it!"
Ash, having endured some soreness from the jolts, stretched and, following Cynthia, climbed out from the box on Sneasler's back.
Yet, as soon as they stood firm, their attention was instantly captivated by the scene before them.
Colossal ancient architecture stood majestically on the summit of Mount Coronet, with thick stone pillars supporting the central structure. Though time had left its obvious marks on the surface, the overall construction remained intact.
Ash gazed up, examining it.
"I didn't expect there to be such a large building here."
Rather than a palace, the place seemed more like an ancient temple dedicated to some presence.
Cynthia was visibly intrigued.
Already fond of researching the ancient history of the Sinnoh Region, she couldn't possibly stay outside upon discovering such a well-preserved ancient building at the top of Mount Coronet.
"Let's go inside and take a look."
"Okay."
Ash thanked Sneasler, then he and Cynthia, with Pikachu, entered the temple.
No sooner had they stepped inside than ten enormous statues of various forms appeared before them.
Though all these statues were carved from stone, their physical features were quite distinct, allowing Ash and Cynthia to recognize most of the Pokemon with just a glance.
"Kleavor, Lilligant, Ursaluna…"
Cynthia surveyed the statues, gently touching the cold surfaces of a few with her pale hand.
Soon she noticed that all these statues represented the Kings they encountered in the Hisui Region, along with the Mount Pokemon possessing unique powers.
Ash followed closely, identifying them one by one, until both stood before the last two statues, finally stopping.
"These two seem unfamiliar to us."
The last two statues were unfamiliar, yet their overall appearance felt quite recognizable.
One Pokemon resembled a modern Avalugg, while the other distinctly had traits of a Braviary, although notable differences existed in their body structure and appearance compared to the familiar forms.
Cynthia studied them closely for a while and soon guessed the answer.
"These two must be the last King and Mount Pokemon of the Alabaster Icelands."
"Avalugg and Braviary in their Hisuian forms…"
Ash's eyes suddenly lit up.
"They look so cool!"
Compared to the typical Avalugg, the Hisuian Avalugg had noticeably smaller ice formations on its back, while its head appeared more robust, extending into blade-like structures of ice on both sides.
Beside it, the Hisuian Braviary appeared exceedingly majestic, its wings broader than those of a regular Braviary, with its special crest on its head resembling outwardly spreading whirlpools from afar.
Ash stood before the two statues for quite some time, clearly already anticipating the moment he'd encounter these two Hisuian Pokemon in real life.
Cynthia didn't find this surprising at all.
Faced with Pokemon he had never seen before, Ash almost always reacted this way.