Ripples spread across the lake's surface as the drenched Moltres weakly hauled itself onto the shore, half-submerged in the water.
"Scree…"
Galarian Moltres let out a feeble cry, water dribbling from its beak—clearly, it had swallowed more than its fair share of lake water.
"Decent strength, but its stamina is impressive."
Ryuu Shiro and Marnie approached the exhausted Legendary, the former studying it with a critical eye.
The Moltres was clearly on its last legs, its aura dimmed and spirit broken.
But even so, its endurance was remarkable—taking multiple Dragon Tails from Dragonair and still staying conscious?
Guess that's what makes it a Legendary.
Sure, Dragonair hadn't gone all out, treating this more like a light sparring session. But Moltres' resilience was undeniable.
"Still, it's got a long way to go before it's truly battle-ready."
Without further hesitation, Ryuu Shiro pulled out an empty Poké Ball and tossed it at the weakened Moltres.
While his heart belonged to Dragon-types, perfect specimens weren't easy to come by.
So he made exceptions for exceptional Pokémon—Tyranitar and Gardevoir were proof of that.
And Galarian Moltres? Definitely worth adding to the team.
The ball struck Moltres, opening to absorb the Legendary in a flash of red light.
The indicator blinked rapidly as Marnie watched with bated breath. Ryuu Shiro, however, remained unfazed—if this ball failed, he'd just throw another.
Click.
A crisp sound signaled the capture.
Galarian Moltres was caught!
"Congratulations, Shiro."
Marnie's lips curled into a rare smile as she offered her praise.
This wasn't just any Pokémon—it was a Legendary. And she had witnessed its capture firsthand!
In a world teeming with Trainers, true Legendaries were vanishingly rare. And Legendary Trainers? Even rarer.
Currently, only one person in all regions held that title—Brandon of Hoenn, who had tamed the Legendary Titans.
Sure, Ryuu Shiro had already caught Eternatus. But seeing him add Galarian Moltres to his roster?
It was thrilling.
"Luck's been on my side lately. You're my lucky charm, Marnie."
Twirling the newly captured Moltres' Poké Ball between his fingers, Ryuu Shiro shot her a grin.
Eternatus' location had come from Marnie's intel. And now, Galarian Moltres had appeared while they were together.
She really did bring him fortune.
"Took you long enough to notice~"
Marnie's eyes gleamed as she tilted her chin up, her tone cool but undeniably pleased.
"Adorable."
Unable to resist, Ryuu Shiro ruffled her hair—the soft strands slipping through his fingers just right.
"Hey! My hair!"
The familiar, flustered protest echoed through the night.
---
Time flew by, and night had fallen.
Under the pale moonlight, the colossal red tree of Dyna Tree Hill stood silent, its reflection shimmering on the lake's glassy surface.
Then—
A streak of blue light descended from the heavens, landing gracefully on the grass.
Zacian, the Hero of Many Battles.
"No mistake… the calamity's presence lingers here."
Zacian's nose twitched as its sharp eyes locked onto the drained Power Spot nearby.
"So it is replenishing its energy. But…"
Its gaze hardened.
All along its journey, it had encountered countless depleted Power Spots.
This could only be Eternatus' doing.
Yet Zacian knew—the Crown Tundra's energy alone wouldn't be enough to restore Eternatus to its full, Dynamaxed form.
And that was why it had to act fast.
Once the Tundra's Power Spots ran dry, Eternatus would move on—possibly targeting energy sources in human cities next.
"I hope I don't cross paths with him."
Zacian scanned the surroundings, its instincts guiding it northward.
It couldn't sense Eternatus' exact location, so tracking its residual energy was the only option.
But as it looked toward the northern horizon, a rare hesitation flickered in its eyes.
Humans might not know, but as a guardian of Galar, Zacian was well aware—
That direction was the domain of Calyrex.
The former king of Galar was fiercely territorial, and Zacian had no desire to provoke a misunderstanding.
Not out of fear—Zacian was no weaker than the ancient monarch.
But pointless conflict served no purpose. For ages, Zacian and Zamazenta had lived peacefully in the Slumbering Weald, coexisting with Calyrex in unspoken truce.
"No matter what… the calamity must be stopped."
Resolve solidified in its heart.
With a powerful leap, Zacian took to the skies, soaring north.
Eternatus was a being that should never have existed in Galar, and not even Calyrex could stop Zacian from dealing with it!