Chapter 415: What Kind of Good Person Brings a Legendary Pokémon to an Ice Sculpture Competition?

Union Calendar, August 30, Year 798.

Early morning.

Fully equipped, Luo Mu shouldered a backpack stuffed with tools.

Inside the backpack were countless ice chisels and ice axes of various models, along with a toolbox filled with different carving knives; spare cold-weather suits, gloves, and multiple spray bottles filled with water were also prepared.

Oranguru said Luo Mu was a poor student with too many stationery items, and Luo Mu had no way to refute this.

After all, in terms of technical skill, he indeed still had quite a gap compared to those masters.

As usual, after keeping an eye on Skarmory Skarmory Sanmao and the others finishing the delivery of Tapu Tapu Moumou's fresh milk, sheep milk, and dairy products, Luo Mu received a message from Oranguru confirming the transaction was successful.

Ah Feng's side had also expended considerable effort for these raw materials.

Not only had they arranged for dedicated personnel to wait every day, but they also used specialized direct cold-chain trucks to transfer the raw materials to the Patisserie Aunt Lei Mu's stores as quickly as possible.

The reason for having Oranguru accompany them today was to avoid communication barriers between Skarmory Skarmory Sanmao and humans; judging by current progress, after Oranguru accompanied them a few more times, Skarmory Skarmory Sanmao should be able to deliver goods to this special customer independently.

Clip-clop, clip-clop—

Behind him rang the crisp sound of horse hooves, neither hurried nor slow, indicating that their owner's state of mind was currently quite leisurely.

Luo Mu turned to look, and when he saw that familiar figure, he felt no surprise.

It was indeed Lei Guan Wang.

After handing Cosmog over to the Oliva Kindergarten, Lei Guan Wang had ridden over on Cetitan, holding Vulpix in his arms.

Luo Mu took the Vulpix from Lei Guan Wang's arms; the little fox had slept soundly, seemingly having successfully dispelled its fatigue, no longer tangled up in the Aurora Veil, and appeared much more lively.

Held up by his buttocks in Luo Mu's arms, Vulpix wagged its fluffy tail, pawing at Luo Mu's arm with its small claws, its face full of anticipation.

"Mwu!"

Finally going to play in a real snow mountain!

Waking up, Vulpix suddenly realized that its obsession from a few days ago was like a joke; just as Luo Mu had said, the premise of everything is that one must be happy first.

Compared to Luxray and the others, who loved battle and training and gained a sense of achievement through growth, Vulpix felt it was best for itself to simply be happy.

At least, that was what it thought for now.

Luo Mu looked at Lei Guan Wang, glanced left and right, and asked, "Isn't Spectrier coming along?"

Lei Guan Wang shook his head, "It has to guard its fields; apparently, due to an excess accumulation of Ghost-type energy, that field attracts Ghost-type Pokémon very much at night."

"You know how angry it got a few days ago when it discovered half of its black radishes had been ruined, gnawed into incomplete pieces."

Before Luo Mu could even speak, Cetitan let out a schadenfreude-filled neigh.

When it came to kicking someone while they were down and mocking each other, Cetitan and Spectrier, who had been fighting for thousands of years, yielded to no one.

Glanced at mildly by Lei Guan Wang, Cetitan immediately stood straight, acting as if it had behaved itself.

Luo Mu also understood Spectrier's thinking very well and nodded slightly, "That's for the best."

Ghost-type Pokémon are truly formidable in terms of concealment abilities; some gifted ones can even turn invisible and erase their presence entirely. With such a large farm, if one isn't careful, these fellows could really sneak in.

With Spectrier watching over the fields these past two days while we go out, I feel a bit more at ease.

Next, Luo Mu checked again to ensure no Pokémon had been left behind.

Cangyan Cangyan Rengui, Mimikyu, Regice, and the Sandslash couple were all resting safely inside their Poké Balls.

Adding Vulpix, who was following personally, along with Lei Guan Wang and Cetitan, the slightly luxurious lineup for the ice sculpture competition was now complete.

Originally, Luo Mu had also wanted to bring Dragonite.

He thought that once the ice sculptures were mostly done, he could simply have Dragonite blow some wind, perform some fine-tuning, and use rapidly rotating Wind Blades to polish them; how convenient that would be.

But then he thought again: since this trip relies on Lei Guan Wang anyway, giving Dragonite, who always follows him everywhere, a holiday was also a good choice, so Luo Mu let Dragonite and Luxray stay at the farm to train.

A moment later.

Seeing that the time was approaching eight o'clock, Luo Mu and Lei Guan Wang prepared to depart.

It wasn't that time was pressing; there was still plenty of time before the conference officially began at ten o'clock. The main reason was that with the sun rising higher, Luo Mu, who had already changed into thick cold-weather gear, felt himself starting to sweat.

Lei Guan Wang said somewhat helplessly to Luo Mu, who was already sticking close to Cetitan, "This is the largest snow mountain range in the region, correct?"

"Yes, try to land somewhere around the mid-mountain level," replied Luo Mu, busy trying his best to dissipate heat.

Lei Guan Wang nodded slightly, closed his eyes, and spread his mental energy to search for the location of Glaseado Mountain.

Before long, he said in a low voice, "Found it."

As soon as the words fell, Lei Guan Wang's powerful psychic power distorted space, carrying them toward the coordinates at the other end.

With just a blur before his eyes, Luo Mu discovered that the scenery around him had completely changed.

Compared to the previous heat, the air around them became cold almost instantly.

Looking at the vast white world surrounding them, amidst Vulpix's joyful cries, Luo Mu took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "We've arrived at Glaseado Mountain!"

Mid-mountain of Glaseado Mountain.

A quite spacious area of snow-covered ground where the terrain was basically very flat.

Rarely, quite a large crowd had gathered here.

The area was surrounded by symbolically erected isolation tapes, with hired Trainers patrolling the perimeter; if any wild Pokémon moved toward this side, they would step in to block or drive them away.

No matter how one looked at it, Glaseado Mountain was a rather dangerous area within the entire Paldea region; holding a Summer Ice Sculpture Competition here meant that the safety of the contestants, judges, and some ice sculpture art enthusiasts who had come specifically to watch was something the organizers had to consider.

Therefore, the organizer this time, the "World Ice Sculpture Art Association," had used connections to contact the Paldea League and borrowed a Gym Leader from one of the eight major gyms to serve as high-end combat power stationed here.

The Gym Leader of the Glaseado Gym, the eighth gym recommended by the Paldea authorities, and former professional snowboarder—the Ice-type expert known as "Absolute Zero Cool Tech," Grusha!

At this moment, Grusha was sitting quietly in the open-air venue; even when someone tried to strike up a conversation with him, he only replied coldly with a single sentence before falling silent again.

His attention was not focused on monitoring the safety of the venue.

Anyway, as Grusha's ace, Altaria was currently on alert in the sky; possessing good eyesight, Altaria could detect all potential approaching threats in advance.

Furthermore, because Altaria is a Dragon and Flying-type Pokémon, at critical moments, it could also carry Grusha to move quickly and provide support wherever needed.

Therefore, rather than wasting his attention on surveillance work that Altaria could handle better on its own, Grusha was more concerned about which contestants were present today.

From the rough data provided by the organizers, Grusha roughly knew there were about fifty-plus contestants.

But whether any acquaintances he knew were among those fifty-plus people remained unknown.

Grusha's gaze kept wandering over the entrance tunnel for contestant registration; unfortunately, until now, he still hadn't seen a single familiar face.

As a former athlete, it seemed somewhat strange for Grusha to know professionals in the field of art across different domains.

But only Grusha himself knew that before becoming famous as an athlete, he had even borrowed a corner of the territory belonging to the ice sculptor next door just to practice skiing.

Thanks to this, Grusha possessed a certain level of appreciation for ice sculptures, and it was precisely this past experience that led him to accept this task.

Otherwise, the person protecting the venue at this moment would most likely have been Ryme, the Gym Leader of the Glaseado Gym, who was located closer to the venue.

Just as Grusha was silently recalling that mature figure accompanied by a Frosmoth, he suddenly spotted a figure at the contestant registration entrance tunnel that was completely beyond his expectations.

It was Luo Mu, holding a Vulpix, accompanied by a big-headed Pokémon riding an unknown white horse.

He is also coming to compete?

Perhaps due to feeling surprised, Grusha's slightly fluctuating gaze was caught squarely by Luo Mu.

Seeing Grusha, Luo Mu did not feel surprised.

Just during registration, he had heard that this grand tournament had specially invited a Gym Leader to handle security work.

There are only two Gyms on Glaseado Mountain; it must be either Ryme or Grusha.

Grusha's appearance was quite delicate and clear, one could even say he possessed a kind of androgynous beauty.

Furthermore, on the snowy mountain, he liked to wrap himself up tightly, exposing at most half his head; even his neck and lower face were blocked by a thick scarf, and he kept long hair.

This caused people seeing him for the first time to assume he was a woman.

Additionally, when he was in a listless state, his voice became very soft and cold, leading many people speaking to him to even believe they were truly facing a female.

Fortunately, before Luo Mu could develop such an illusion, he had already seen Grusha's true face and thus would absolutely no longer mistake him for a lady.

—Who the hell knows why, after lowering his scarf, Grusha could so smoothly transform from androgynous beauty into a handsome young man who even looked somewhat rugged.

Seeing Luo Mu actively walking over, Grusha simply waved at him and asked softly, "Why did you suddenly think of participating in this tournament?"

Luo Mu lifted Vulpix with the motion of a mandrill holding up Simba and said with an expression of complete matter-of-factness, "To experience life and record beautiful moments, of course."

As he spoke, Luo Mu also shook the camera hanging around his neck.

Grusha: "."

That's true; this guy has already retired, so no one has more free time than him.

To speak honestly, within Grusha's impression of Luo Mu, frustration over wasted potential and a subtle sense of envy occupied the majority.

Clearly possessing such outstanding talent as a Trainer, why did he stop being a Trainer just like that?

Every time he thought about the aftereffects left by his severe injury, which caused him to never again be able to engage in the snowboarding he loved.

Grusha, whose once hot-blooded personality had been frozen solid because of this, would occasionally fantasize in his heart: if only he had actually retired because he grew tired of snowboarding, so he could still play a few rounds whenever the mood struck him.

Because his feelings toward Luo Mu were extremely complex, Grusha found himself despising his own slightly dark petty thoughts while simultaneously feeling full of guilt during his interactions with Luo Mu.

Just like not long ago when Luo Mu suddenly called to ask him about the training method for "Aurora Veil," Grusha had panicked for a long time before answering the phone.

Thinking back now, perhaps that was already a sign that Luo Mu intended to participate in the ice sculpture competition.

But Aurora Veil?

That person's Aurora Veil is his signature move; could Luo Mu be trying to imitate it?

Grusha did not ponder deeply; his gaze fell successively upon Vulpix, Snowsno, and Lei Guan Wang, lingering longest on Lei Guan Wang, as if trying to determine whether Lei Guan Wang was actually an Ice-type Pokémon.

A moment later.

Grusha asked, his voice becoming involuntarily stiffer and colder whenever he spoke with Luo Mu, "Are these Ice-type Pokémon you captured later?"

Grusha remembered that when Luo Mu challenged the League, there should not have been any Ice-type Pokémon in his team.

Did he go and capture them specifically to participate in this ice sculpture competition?

As an Ice-type expert, Grusha recognized the Alolan Ice-type Vulpix discovered in the Alola region.

But the other two... or rather, the one Pokémon, Grusha did not recognize.

"Only Vulpix is," Luo Mu said, supporting Vulpix's little butt with a cat-holding technique perfected through practice, then looking at the Lei Guan Wang beside him, "This is my friend Lei Guan Wang and its beloved horse, Snowsno."

Lei Guan Wang nodded toward Grusha; originally intending to say something via telepathy, but the moment Lei Guan Wang's gaze landed on Grusha, as if discovering something, the focused Lei Guan Wang suddenly fell silent.

Snowsno, meanwhile, turned its nostrils toward Grusha.

Apart from Lei Guan Wang, its provider Luo Mu, and those opponents it couldn't defeat, Snowsno never gave anyone a good look.

"Lei Guan Wang and Snowsno."

Grusha silently repeated these two names, feeling a heavy sense of incongruity.

His vision told Grusha that the Lei Guan Wang riding atop Snowsno before him were two separate Pokémon.

Yet their auras were bizarrely fused together without the slightest flaw.

Very strange.

Perhaps because he always felt somewhat awkward when facing Luo Mu.

Grusha planned to find an excuse to slip away.

But before he could speak, the Lei Guan Wang before him suddenly opened its mouth, and immediately a mental wave surged into his mind.

Grusha strangely discovered that he could actually understand the meaning contained within Lei Guan Wang's cry.

Lei Guan Wang asked.

"You were injured in the past?"

In an instant, chaotic thoughts rammed wildly through Grusha's mind, giving him a significant sense of confusion.

Grusha's first reaction was: How did Lei Guan Wang know he had been injured in the past?

Then, he realized something even more off.

Lei Guan Wang spoke!

Could it be telepathy?

Just as Glacia fell into confusion, Lei Guan Wang spoke again: "Your legs, ankles, and soles seem rather too fragile; it appears they cannot support you in strenuous exercise?"

Listening to Lei Guan Wang's voice from the side, Luo Mu was initially puzzled as to why Lei Guan Wang would suddenly bring this up.

But then he remembered that Glacia seemed to have once been a professional snowboarder, later forced to retire due to injury.

Thus, with a try-it-and-see attitude, Luo Mu asked: "Can it be cured?"

"Of course."

Lei Guan Wang gave Luo Mu a strange look and nodded.

It was not arrogance on its part; aside from diseases, whether external or internal injuries, as long as a single breath of life remained, Lei Guan Wang could heal it.

Luo Mu and Lei Guan Wang were like a huge makeshift troupe; after a brief exchange and consultation, they directly decided to cure Glacia's lingering effects.

After all, it was merely a small matter requiring just a lift of the hand.

When Glacia came to his senses, he suddenly discovered he was enveloped by a certain warm energy.

Initially, Glacia was somewhat panicked and wanted to remind the Altaria above, which for some reason had not reacted to the commotion here, to come over.

But when Glacia felt his legs, which in daily life would occasionally flare up with pain and were exceptionally weak, improving at an unrealistic speed, he no longer had time to worry about those things.

The first sensation was the complete disappearance of the throbbing pain; next, the sense of weakness vanished as if erased by a rubber eraser. Glacia, whose sensory perception of his legs had always been extremely sensitive, realized that his legs seemed to be returning to their original peak condition.

Until the warm energy departed, Glacia still had not reacted.

After a good while, Glacia, as if in a dream, looked at Lei Guan Wang in shock and asked with a slightly hoarse voice: "How... how was this done?"

Regarding his own legs, Glacia possessed an extremely clear understanding.

He had sought out famous doctors and found many Pokémon skilled in healing; even so, no one had been confident enough to restore him to a state where he could compete again.

Did Luo Mu and Lei Guan Wang know what a shocking thing they had accomplished?

Lei Guan Wang said: "Observing that you seemed deeply troubled by this, I simply healed you as a casual favor."

As if worried Glacia might misunderstand something, Lei Guan Wang added another sentence: "You may rest assured; this was merely a whim on our part, requiring no price from you."

"..."

Glacia fell silent for a moment, recounted his futile search for medical treatment and his helpless retirement, and said: "Even the most cutting-edge medical technology experts found by the Champion could not cure my legs, yet you spent only a few short minutes."

Glacia was even wondering if he had been deceived by a Pokémon skilled at constructing illusions.

But the signals his healthy legs transmitted to his brain were so real.

He truly could not distinguish between them!

Luo Mu and Lei Guan Wang exchanged a glance, and their looks toward Glacia filled with a few more degrees of pity.

This injury was truly harmful; look, a fine young lad can no longer distinguish fantasy from reality.

Setting down the Vulpix, Luo Mu stepped forward, patted the tense-bodied, stiff-faced Glacia, and helplessly explained: "The reason other doctors and Pokémon could not cure you is simply that their power was insufficient."

"I do not know if Chairman Geeta told you, but the Lei Guan Wang by my side is a legendary Pokémon of the Galar region; it possessing this power is a very normal matter."

"Legendary Pokémon..."

Glacia murmured in a low voice, tears of joy bursting from his eyes.

He had waited for this day for who knew how long.

Overwhelming joy enveloped him.

Once Glacia's emotions had stabilized somewhat, Luo Mu, who had truly just done a good deed as casually as helping an old lady cross the street, mentioned that he still had to compete and planned to slip away with Lei Guan Wang.

After all, he still needed to secure a good spot in the competition arena.

Only then did Glacia react.

Wait.

What kind of decent person brings a legendary Pokémon to participate in an ice sculpture competition!

There is a small figurine lottery in the reader group; those interested can join the group to participate.

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(End of Chapter)