Giant Chasm.
This place is in the northeast corner of the Unova Region, a huge meteor crater that you could theoretically spot from Lacunosa Town's overlook.
Alder and the others have just arrived here.
They move along the cave, but as they delve deeper, they can clearly feel the temperature dropping.
"This temperature is a bit low."
Wallace tightens his cloak around him, peering around.
Snow and frost cover the ground, and the air is freezing cold.
"Yes, everyone be careful; we're not far from our destination."
Alder glances at the map; Volcarona is floating beside him. The group continues onward.
After passing through another cave, a white, snowy world unfolds before their eyes.
It's a vast ice field canyon, ice crystals glitter on the two mountain walls, snow piled on the ground,
ice crystal shards.
"Beautiful… gorgeous."
Wallace sighs in awe; this snow-and-ice world is dazzling.
"This is it." Alder exhales; the cold is so intense that you can clearly see his breath.
They press on for a few more minutes, then halt together.
In midair, a large swarm of geometric snowflakes floats around, swirling as they drift, snowflakes scattering in a breathtaking display of beauty.
But as their vision shifts downward, they see a terrifying sight—
A huge gray-blue Pokémon lies on the ground, resting, looking like a snarling tyrannosaurus with ice-blue spikes on its snout, an ice-blue face and jaw,
a long gray neck, two arms that look small relative to its body, two wings made of ice crystals—one long, one short,
a gray tail.
It seems to be sleeping, the geometric snowflakes gently falling onto it to help it sleep more comfortably.
"Is this the strongest Legendary Dragon Kyurem?"
Steven studies the sleeping Kyurem closely. Without question, its form is not beautiful; it's quite fierce and ferocious in appearance.
"How do we proceed next? Should we awaken it?"
Cynthia raises an eyebrow, watching Kyurem sleep so soundly with the geometric snowflakes tending it.
Unlike Groudon, you can't just fling a Poké Ball at Kyurem while it's sleeping; Groudon slept very deeply back then, and they'd tested it.
But who knows how deep Kyurem sleeps?
Moreover, intel suggests Kyurem isn't in a good mood; the pursuit of Groudon was mainly aimed at Kyogre.
And since Groudon and Kyogre aren't on good terms, even if Groudon awakens later, it'd pick a fight with Kyogre first.
But Kyurem might be different; although Kyurem's relationship with Reshiram and Zekrom may not be great, who knows?
"I think—"
Giovanni hesitates, about to say more, when his expression suddenly changes.
A creeping, hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck sensation washes over him, making his limbs feel cold.
This is the awareness of being watched by a top predator.
Giovanni narrows his eyes and looks ahead; sure enough, at some point the sleeping Kyurem has opened its eyes. The gold-eyed, pupil-less gaze looks coldly at the humans who have intruded on its slumber.
"Careful!"
Steven's pupils shrink; he grips his Poké Ball more tightly.
"Roar!"
Kyurem's deep, brutal draconic bellow resounds through the glacier canyon, echoing between the ice walls.
The geometric snowflakes drift away in alarm, humming as they float away.
The huge Kyurem slowly rises, its cold dragon eyes glaring down at Alder and the others.
A group of humans have dared enter its turf and disturb its sleep. Are they crazy?
Kyurem scans Giovanni; if it scents a strong aura on this person, it might unleash ice on them.
Yet even so, Kyurem's mood is foul.
Dense cold aura leaks from Kyurem's body, dropping the temperature here even further, to the point of visibly shivering.
But more terrifying than the temperature is the Wild Kyurem's gaze—the cold, weighty vision, and oppressive atmosphere that could stop a heart.
What a terrifying oppressive aura!
Wallace feels as if he can't breathe.
"Kyurem, we didn't mean to disturb your slumber."
Alder suppresses the frantic beating of his heart and speaks in a calm, grave tone.
"This time we came specifically to seek your help; after this is over, you…."
"Roar!"
But before Alder can finish, Kyurem roars again.
The roar sends a violent windstorm and ice and snow whipping through the canyon, nearly blinding the group.
Even Volcarona immediately steps in front, shielding them with a Protect barrier.
Kyurem's cold gaze remains unchanged; those golden eyes are as emotionless as a god's.
"What should we do? It doesn't seem willing to communicate with us."
Wallace mutters softly.
Undoubtedly, Kyurem's roar is a warning and expulsion.
If they stay, Kyurem might attack them outright.
Better, Kyurem gave them a warning; this is Kyurem giving them a chance.
But—should they leave just like that?
Alder is still not entirely satisfied; after all, they finally found Kyurem.
Several seconds pass; Kyurem's aura grows more volatile, impatience flashing in its eyes.
Ice-cold frost breath leaks from its mouth with every breath.
"Kyurem, this is your treasure, right?"
Alder pulls out that DNA Splicer from his pack.
Kyurem's dragon eyes narrow slightly as it stares at the Splicer in Alder's hand. Indeed, it's its own item.
However, more than two thousand years ago, Kyurem lost it, and since it never needed it, it'd long since forgotten to look for it.
Unexpectedly, it's back.
"Kyurem, I'm returning this to you; please help us this one time." Alder says in a low, steady voice.
Kyurem stares down at the humans; the DNA Splicer on its back, shimmering with light, floats toward Kyurem and slides into the tip of the spikes on Kyurem's wing, disappearing.
Seeing this, Alder feels a surge of joy—Kyurem has agreed.
But next—
"Get lost."
A deep, coarse Telepathy speaks in Alder's ears, causing everyone to freeze.
This Telepathy—Kyurem's—says: "Leave, since you brought the DNA Splicer back; I don't kill you."
Kyurem's deep voice then rings out again; it no longer wants to waste words, only wants to sleep again.
This domineering attitude clearly shows Kyurem's personality.
Wallace is stunned: what? You take the DNA Splicer and tell us to leave?
Damian is a man who values fair trade; why would Kyurem do this? Robber?
Alder is silent, not expecting this.
But he doesn't repeat his request; clearly Kyurem will not help them.
Though disappointed, what can they do?
"How will you decide to help us, Kyurem?" Giovanni uses his magnetic voice, Viridian's natural aura lighting up around him.
With Viridian's aura, even Kyurem's temper won't just lash out in impatience.
"I'm not interested in your humans' petty quarrels."
Kyurem glances at Giovanni with disdain.
Yes, it has no interest in these humans' plans; it doesn't care to present a case.
Losing its Inner "Truth" and "Ideals," Kyurem has become largely indifferent; it doesn't care about much anymore.
Even more, it looks down on its own "kind."
Those two dragons fight over that silly "Truth" and "Ideals"; it's stupid.
"Even if that's related to Reshiram and Zekrom?" Giovanni doesn't give up.
But Kyurem's golden eyes show impatience.
"Don't test my patience, humans, get lost."
"As a Legendary Dragon that remained after the Dragon split, your name is Kyurem, yet people only know Zekrom and Reshiram, while your name remains obscure."
"Humans!"
As if provoked, Kyurem's terrifying gold eyes blaze, its mouth opens wide, and a vicious ice beam shoots out.
Ice-type Ice Beam!
"Groudon!"
Giovanni immediately pressed the button on his Poké Ball and launched it.
A flash of white light as the Groudon appears in front of them, reaching out to block the ice beam.
But Kyurem's freezing power is far more than expected.
From the arm, ice crystals spread all over Groudon's body.
In mere seconds, Groudon is frozen into a gigantic ice statue.
Seeing this, even Giovanni and the others gasp in shock.
This is…
"Stupidity, humans, if you won't leave, you'll all be ice sculptures left behind."
Kyurem's golden dragon eyes are cold as ice; its telepathy brims with brutality.
Yet then, a sudden red glow bursts from Groudon's frozen body, the ice crystals rapidly melting.
In this sudden turn, Kyurem's gaze shifts toward Groudon.
"Roar!!"
A beam of red light morphs into a Q-figure, its size growing larger, its lava-like body blazing.
How dare you freeze me!! Primal Reversion!
With the appearance of Primal Groudon, sunlight—even if it's hot—shines down over the glacier canyon.
The molten heat melts the ice and frost.
Noticing this, Kyurem's icy gaze locks onto Primal Groudon, and a flash of lightning crackles along its tail, arching across its entire body.
"Roar!!"
A brutal roar shakes the canyon; a colossal gray-black dragon-like Pokémon appears, its body massive, wings black and ice, with a tail that's a black turbine.
Black Kyurem!
"Form change."
Steven frowns; clearly this form of Kyurem is much stronger than before.
Black Kyurem slowly rises in the air, looming over Primal Groudon, a huge Dragon aura filling the air.
Two legendary powers loom, the glacier canyon drenched in their intimidation.
That swarm of geometric snowflakes scurries to the corner, trembling; they can feel Kyurem's anger rising.
"I don't know if Primal Groudon is Kyurem's opponent—"
Wallace watches the escalating scene with concern.
"By the way, why do all these powerful legendaries seem to 'transform'?"
~~~
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