Despite her delicate and cute appearance, Marnie, who had always been fiercely competitive since childhood, wasn't the type of girl to judge things solely based on looks.
Eternatus's appearance was far from beautiful. In fact, to most people, Eternatus, with its skeletal dragon-like form, might give them the immediate impression that it was an "evil Pokémon."
But Marnie really liked Eternatus. Why? Because it was a Legendary Pokémon, and it was undoubtedly incredibly strong!
"Eternatus, absorb the energy here first."
Ryuu Shiro looked up at Eternatus and smiled. The priority now was to absorb the energy here and then head to the next Power Spot.
Eternatus's white, spot-like eyes flickered as it slightly lowered its body. The red light in its chest and abdomen grew brighter, eerie and ominous.
Under the watchful eyes of Ryuu Shiro and Marnie, the energy particles from the glowing red Power Spot turned into a stream and quickly flowed into Eternatus's body.
"Do you like it?"
Seeing that Eternatus was absorbing energy, Ryuu Shiro glanced around. The surrounding Pokémon had already been taken down by Dragonair.
And after Eternatus appeared, the area fell completely silent.
Pokémon's senses were far sharper than humans'. The dangerous aura of a top-tier Legendary like Eternatus was something sensitive Pokémon could detect, and they naturally fled as far as possible.
Finally, Ryuu Shiro's gaze landed on Marnie. Seeing her beautiful eyes fixed intently on Eternatus, he smiled slightly and asked,
"Well, who doesn't like Legendaries? But I'm too weak right now."
Marnie was momentarily stunned, then nodded, her voice calm and pleasant.
In a world centered around Pokémon, no one would turn down the power of a Legendary.
Marnie, of course, also longed for it. But she had a clear understanding of her own position. What did she have now that would make a Legendary take notice of her?
Especially a top-tier Legendary like Eternatus, which had nearly destroyed the Galar region.
"Remember what I told you before? You're exceptional. Even a Legendary might not be out of your reach in the future."
Ryuu Shiro encouraged her with a smile. Whether it was her appearance or her strong personality, Ryuu Shiro had a lot of fondness for this girl.
And Marnie's talent was undeniable. Her brother, Piers, was one of the top Trainers in the Galar region. Because Spikemuth had no Dynamax Power Spots, Piers disliked Dynamaxing.
Yet, even without using Dynamax, Piers had given Raihan a tough fight in the original story.
But even someone like Piers had high praise for Marnie, saying, "Her talent makes me feel ashamed," and after the game's protagonist became Champion, Piers immediately stepped down and let the more experienced Marnie take over as Gym Leader.
This alone showed just how talented Marnie was.
"And… I'll help you. After all, you're my… little contributor."
Then Ryuu Shiro grinned, showing his signature mischievous smile, and looked at Marnie as he spoke slowly.
"Tone down your expression. You look like a villain."
Marnie's eye twitched as she retorted with a hint of annoyance. Even though she was used to Ryuu Shiro's smile, it still made her a bit uncomfortable.
And… are you really trying to help me? You're just after my body!
Marnie made a sarcastic remark in her heart, turning her gaze to the Grimmsnarl nearby. She had long since gotten used to Ryuu Shiro taking advantage of her.
She didn't dislike Ryuu Shiro either, or else why would she let him flirt with her so many times?
But Marnie was strong-willed. Even though she had a lot of affection for Ryuu Shiro, she couldn't bring herself to confess her feelings to him.
After observing the Grimmsnarl for a while, Marnie turned her gaze back to Ryuu Shiro.
"This Grimmsnarl's strength is decent, and its quality isn't bad. It's worth catching."
Ryuu Shiro understood what Marnie was thinking and, after examining the Grimmsnarl, gave his opinion.
Marnie was different from most female Trainers. She wasn't interested in cute Pokémon that looked soft and cuddly but lacked combat prowess.
Perhaps because her brother Piers specialized in Dark-types, she also had a preference for Dark-type Pokémon.
"Then I'll catch it."
A faint smile appeared on Marnie's pretty face. As for Ryuu Shiro's use of words like "decent" and "worth catching," Marnie simply filtered them out.
She knew Ryuu Shiro had extremely high—even absurdly strict—standards for the talent and potential of his Pokémon.
But how many top-tier Pokémon were there in the world? And how many of them would catch her eye?
Marnie didn't have such excessive demands, but she trusted Ryuu Shiro's judgment. If he said it was worth catching, then this Grimmsnarl must be quite good.
"Poké Ball, go!"
Marnie took out an empty Poké Ball and expertly tossed it at the Grimmsnarl.
The Grimmsnarl, already heavily injured by Dragonair, had no ability to resist. The indicator light flashed three times before coming to a complete stop.
Marnie caught the returning Poké Ball, and the smile on her delicate face seemed to deepen slightly, her beautiful eyes narrowing into crescents.
After all, she had just gained a new partner.
Ryuu Shiro looked at the happy Marnie and couldn't help but smile. She really was adorable.
But just as Eternatus was absorbing energy, in a forest far from the Crown Tundra…
By a clear stream, Zacian, who had been about to drink, raised its head, its cold gaze sending chills down one's spine.
"So you couldn't hold back after all."
....
In the lush green grass, Ryuu Shiro absorbed the energy from the Power Spot and then recalled Eternatus.
"How do you feel, Eternatus?"
Ryuu Shiro stretched his neck and asked Eternatus in his mind.
"My energy is replenished now. Thank you, Shiro."
Eternatus replied in a low, hoarse telepathic voice. They had absorbed at least dozens of Power Spots along the way.
Eternatus's energy was no longer depleted. Although it was still far from the energy needed for Eternamax, it was more than enough for normal activity.
"No need to be so polite. We'll probably have to lay low for a while now. Absorbing energy will inevitably expose your presence."
"If Zacian and Zamazenta are as persistent as they seem, they're likely already on their way here."
Ryuu Shiro's lips curled into a smile, then he pondered for a moment and discussed the situation with Eternatus.
Normally, Eternatus stayed inside its Poké Ball, completely hiding its presence. Even if Zacian was highly sensitive to Eternatus, it wouldn't be able to detect its location.
But to absorb energy from the Power Spots, Eternatus would inevitably expose its presence. Given how familiar Zacian and Zamazenta were with Eternatus, they could easily sense its general direction.
To prevent Zacian from "barging in," now that Eternatus had enough energy, Ryuu Shiro felt it was necessary to avoid a direct confrontation with Zacian.
"Without Eternamax, even with my guidance, Eternatus would stand no chance against Zacian…"
Ryuu Shiro sighed inwardly. If it were Zamazenta, the Crowned Shield, Eternatus might have a fighting chance. In fact, Ryuu Shiro was confident they could win, with an 80% chance of victory!
But Zacian, the Crowned Sword…
Well, that was a different story. Eternatus's Poison and Dragon-type moves would be completely ineffective, and its signature moves would be utterly useless. How could it possibly fight Zacian?
With moves like Shadow Ball and Meteor Beam?
Had Ryuu Shiro forgotten how brutally Zacian had fought in Hammerlocke? Behemoth Blade had completely shattered Meteor Beam.
Ryuu Shiro remembered it vividly. For now, it was best to avoid a direct confrontation…
Besides, even if Eternatus could hold its own against Zacian, did Zamazenta just not exist?
What if the fight dragged on and Zamazenta shamelessly stepped in to help its sister?
Ryuu Shiro was proud, but he wasn't foolishly arrogant.
"I'll follow your lead."
Eternatus replied after a moment of silence. Although it longed to return to its full power, after being slashed twice by Zacian, Eternatus now understood the importance of patience.
And it trusted Shiro. It could feel that Shiro was genuinely helping it.
Ryuu Shiro nodded. It was good that Eternatus understood. He had been worried that Eternatus, now with its energy replenished, might feel overconfident.
What Ryuu Shiro was really thinking about was whether Zacian and Zamazenta were already on their way to the Crown Tundra.
"Up ahead is Dyna Tree Hill. Shiro, let's take a break there."
Looking at a simple map, Marnie pointed to a nearby peninsula and spoke to Ryuu Shiro.
The Crown Tundra was a vast area. Although they had left the snowy mountains, they were still within the Crown Tundra region.
"Sure."
Ryuu Shiro set aside his thoughts and replied with a smile.
Dyna Tree Hill, as the name suggested, was a peninsula surrounded by lakes on three sides, with a towering tree at its center.
This was a massive red tree, its leaves a deep crimson like maple leaves. When the gentle breeze blew, the falling leaves created a breathtaking scene.
Ryuu Shiro and Marnie arrived under the giant tree. Ryuu Shiro took out a picnic blanket from his backpack and spread it on the grass, then laid out some simple food.
"It's so beautiful~ They say Dyna Tree Hill has the most stunning scenery in the Crown Tundra, and those who come here are blessed by the goddess of luck. I'm really feeling it now."
Taking a bite of her bread, Marnie leaned against the tree and gazed at the peaceful, beautiful natural scenery around her, unable to help but murmur softly in contentment.
Surrounded by shimmering, beautiful lakes, with green grass and blooming flowers, this place was truly enchanting.
"I don't know about luck, but this place is indeed beautiful."
Ryuu Shiro leaned next to Marnie and agreed with a smile. The natural beauty of the Pokémon world was truly magical.
"And thank you for not saying anything to ruin the mood."
Marnie glanced sideways at Ryuu Shiro. After hesitating for a moment, she gently rested her head on Ryuu Shiro's shoulder.
Her heart seemed to beat faster than usual, but the girl didn't pay it any mind. When she noticed that Ryuu Shiro didn't react, she let out a barely audible sigh of relief.
But then she came to her senses, her fair, flawless cheeks slightly reddening. What was she doing?
"This girl, really~"
Although Marnie tried to act calm, Ryuu Shiro, who knew her well, could sense her nervousness.
Ryuu Shiro's lips curled into a slight smile as he wrapped his left arm around Marnie's slender waist from behind, pulling her closer to his chest.
"My shoulder isn't as comfortable as my chest~"
Resting his chin on Marnie's head and inhaling the fresh scent of her hair, Ryuu Shiro spoke softly to the now even redder Marnie.
Marnie rolled her eyes but didn't refuse. Instead, with a faint smile on her lips, she continued to nibble on her bread.
Was it just her imagination, or had the breeze become gentler? And the air… did it smell sweeter?
The peaceful atmosphere didn't last long.
"Screech~"
A sharp, almost piercing cry echoed through the sky, reaching the ears of Ryuu Shiro and Marnie.
A large black-and-red bird slowly flew in from the horizon. Its black and red feathers, resembling burning flames, adorned its tail, crest, and wings. Its curved beak and red legs with black claws gave it an eerie, sinister appearance.
This was a bird Pokémon that looked undeniably evil and otherworldly!
But when Ryuu Shiro saw the bird clearly, his red eyes lit up, and his lips curled into a wide, wicked grin.
"Galarian Moltres!"