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The sky was thick with gray clouds, and a bitter wind howled across the landscape as light snowflakes drifted down from above. The weather grew increasingly harsh as they flew closer to Sky Mountain, and the freezing wind cut through their clothes, making them shiver uncontrollably.
Their patrol duties required them to maintain a low-speed flight at a reduced altitude, ensuring they could clearly observe the ground conditions below. This careful approach was necessary for thorough surveillance of the area.
Patrolling was undoubtedly one of the most tedious and monotonous tasks imaginable. It tested not only their physical endurance but also their mental willpower as they faced hours of repetitive flight patterns and constant vigilance.
The biting cold wind felt as sharp as a blade against their exposed skin, stinging their faces with each gust. Jacob's eyebrows had accumulated a thick layer of frost, and his vision gradually became blurred as ice crystals formed on his eyelashes. The cold made him shiver involuntarily, and even though he was a strong young man, the harsh conditions were almost unbearable. If Jacob was struggling with the weather, it was even more challenging for a young girl like Amelia.
Maya, however, seemed well-accustomed to such extreme low temperatures and was handling the conditions much better than both Jacob and Amelia. Her experience in similar environments was clearly evident in how she moved and prepared for the journey ahead.
Since this was their first patrol mission in the Sky Mountain Range, all three of them found themselves in a pattern of flying and then stopping frequently. Every two hours or so, they were forced to land and take a break. During these stops, they would replenish their energy with food and water, build a small fire for warmth, and work to dispel the bone-chilling cold that seemed to seep into their very bones.
This constant need for rest breaks meant that from their early morning departure until nightfall approached, they had managed to complete only half of their designated patrol route. The remaining portion of their journey would take them even closer to Sky Mountain itself, where the environment would become increasingly harsh, the temperatures would drop even lower, and the patrolling difficulty would increase significantly.
"Sky Mountain is said to be home to many powerful Ice-type Pokémon," Maya explained to her two companions while they sat huddled around their small campfire. "Pokémon such as Abomasnow, Glaceon, and Alolan Ninetales have all been spotted in this region by previous patrol teams."
As Maya spoke, Jacob found himself involuntarily drawn to her figure beside the flickering flames. Although he considered himself an upright and honorable person, he was still a man with natural instincts. It was similar to encountering an attractive woman on the street - you might not have any romantic intentions toward her, but you would certainly notice and appreciate her beauty.
Maya's figure was among the most impressive Jacob had ever encountered. The last person who had left such a deep and lasting impression on him was Raya, but Maya was still quite young with tremendous potential for growth. In the future, she might even rival Raya's stunning appearance. As Jacob's thoughts drifted to memories of Raya's captivating figure, he felt considerably warmer, and the cold didn't seem quite as unbearable anymore.
As night began to fall across the mountain range, both the wind and snow intensified dramatically. The heavy snowfall severely limited their visibility, making it dangerous to continue their patrol mission. For their own safety, the three patrol members had no choice but to cease their patrolling activities and seek shelter. They eventually found a suitable cave that would protect them from the harsh elements.
The three companions sat in a circle around their carefully maintained campfire, eating their rations to replenish their energy and warming their cold bodies by the dancing flames. The cave provided welcome relief from the howling wind outside.
Maya was clearly experienced with such challenging situations, having encountered similar circumstances many times before during her patrol duties. She had already begun setting up a small tent inside the cave, preparing for them to spend the entire night in this temporary shelter. "Even the most desperate poachers wouldn't dare to hunt Pokémon in weather conditions like this," she said matter-of-factly while securing the tent stakes. "So we can sleep peacefully tonight without worrying about encountering any criminals. However, we should still leave one of our Pokémon at the cave entrance to stand guard and prevent any potential attacks from wild Pokémon that might seek shelter in the same cave."
"The environment around Sky Mountain is so incredibly harsh," Amelia said with a deep frown, glancing toward the cave entrance where heavy snow continued to fall steadily. "Do poachers really still come to this dangerous place to hunt Pokémon illegally?"
Sky Mountain was notorious for its extremely high altitude, combined with brutally low temperatures and dangerously thin oxygen levels. These conditions made it difficult for even the hardiest Pokémon to survive, let alone human beings who weren't adapted to such an extreme environment.
Even experienced members of the official Patrol Team only dared to fly around the outer perimeter of the Sky Mountain Range during their missions. None of them had ever ventured deep into the heart of Sky Mountain itself, where the conditions were said to be even more treacherous.
"They certainly do come here when the weather conditions are more favorable," Maya replied, rubbing her hands together vigorously and breathing warm air onto them to restore circulation. "Although Sky Mountain is extremely dangerous and poses significant risks to anyone who enters, the potential rewards are extraordinarily generous for those brave or foolish enough to attempt it. This means that while fewer poachers actually come to Sky Mountain compared to other hunting grounds, those who do make the journey are typically very strong and experienced criminals."
Maya continued her explanation while adjusting her position closer to the fire. "Any poacher who dares to venture into Sky Mountain must be at least at the Overlord Class level in terms of their skill and the strength of their Pokémon team. Even with such impressive capabilities, the number of poachers who end up dying in Sky Mountain is the highest recorded in the entire Sundawn Plateau Wilderness Area."
"The death rate is so incredibly high, and they still choose to come here?" Amelia asked with obvious concern, placing her cold hands near the campfire flames to warm them. "What kind of Pokémon could possibly be living in Sky Mountain that would be worth risking their lives for?"
"The answer is simple - all the Pokémon that manage to survive in Sky Mountain possess exceptionally high aptitudes and incredible natural abilities," Maya explained, settling more comfortably by the campfire as the warm light illuminated her sun-kissed skin. "The brutal and unforgiving environment of Sky Mountain ensures that the Pokémon living here are generally much larger and significantly stronger than their counterparts in more hospitable regions. Weaker Pokémon simply cannot survive the harsh conditions, so they perish quickly, leaving only the strongest and most adaptable individuals to thrive."
Maya's voice took on a more serious tone as she continued. "Moreover, this mountain range is home to several powerful and extremely rare Pokémon species, including Froslass and Mamoswine. Successfully catching just one of these magnificent creatures means striking it rich beyond most people's wildest dreams. Whether the poacher chooses to sell their captured Pokémon to a wealthy private Trainer or to a professional breeding facility, they can expect to make an enormous profit from their illegal activities. This is why poachers behave like compulsive gamblers, willing to risk everything for the chance at such a massive payoff, and they keep coming here one after another despite the obvious dangers."
"Besides the criminal poachers," Maya continued, recalling various rumors and stories she had heard over the years, "there are also legitimate Trainers who come to the Sky Mountain Range with different motivations. These are typically ambitious Trainers who want to push beyond their current limits and challenge themselves to reach the Elite level, or even aspire to join the ranks of the Heavenly Kings. They come here specifically to search for rare and powerful Pokémon that might help them achieve their lofty goals."
Maya paused to warm her hands again before continuing with her stories. "I remember hearing that there are still several Gym Leader-level Trainers currently training and living somewhere within the Sky Mountain Range, deep in the Wilderness Area. They've chosen to isolate themselves in this harsh environment to push their skills and their Pokémon to new heights through constant challenge and adversity."
Her voice dropped to a more mysterious whisper as she added, "And according to local legends and persistent rumors, the legendary Calamity Pokémon known as Chien-Pao is said to make its home somewhere in the depths of Sky Mountain."
Jacob had been quietly listening to the conversation between the two girls, occasionally adding wood to their fire and checking their supplies. However, he suddenly became much more interested and alert when he heard Maya mention this particular legendary Pokémon. "Chien-Pao?" he asked with obvious curiosity and excitement. "Sky Mountain is actually home to that kind of legendary Pokémon?"
Jacob's knowledge of legendary Pokémon was quite extensive, and he knew that Chien-Pao was one of the four legendary Calamity Treasures. This particular legendary corresponded to the mystical Sword of Calamity and was said to represent natural disasters such as devastating avalanches. The other three members of this legendary group were equally powerful and terrifying: Wo-Chien, which symbolized drought and desiccation and corresponded to the Scroll of Calamity; Ting-Lu, representing earthquakes and seismic destruction, corresponding to the Cauldron of Calamity; and Chi-Yu, symbolizing seas of molten magma and volcanic fury, corresponding to the Bead of Calamity.
Each of these four Calamity Treasure Pokémon possessed incredible power and unique supernatural abilities that defied normal understanding. Given Chien-Pao's association with avalanches and snow-related disasters, it made perfect sense that such a legendary creature would choose to make its home in the harsh and unforgiving environment of Sky Mountain.
"It's important to understand that this is just a rumor that's been passed down over the years," Maya explained carefully to Jacob, not wanting to raise his hopes too high. "I honestly don't know whether the story is true or completely fabricated. According to the legend, someone claimed to have spotted Chien-Pao deep within the most treacherous parts of Sky Mountain many years ago. This alleged sighting sparked an intense wave of exploration and searching for the legendary Pokémon, with many brave or foolish individuals venturing into dangerous territory hoping to find it. However, despite numerous attempts and expeditions, there were no new discoveries or confirmed sightings, and over time, most people began to dismiss the entire story as nothing more than an elaborate hoax or wishful thinking."
The mention of a legendary Pokémon had completely captured Jacob's attention, and he listened with intense focus, afraid he might miss even the smallest detail about Chien-Pao. This was particularly important to him because Chien-Pao was known to be an Ice and Dark dual-type Pokémon, and these happened to be exactly the two types that were currently missing from his personal collection and team composition.
"Could you please tell me more details about that rumor?" Jacob asked eagerly, leaning forward toward Maya with obvious interest and anticipation.
Maya looked directly at Jacob and nodded her agreement to share what she knew. "This incident supposedly occurred approximately twenty years ago," she began, settling in to tell the full story. "A Gym Leader-level Trainer who worked for the official Pokémon Association came to Sky Mountain to undergo intensive training. His goal was to push himself and his Pokémon team to the breaking point, hoping to achieve the breakthrough necessary to advance to the prestigious King-level Trainer status."
Maya continued with the tale, her voice taking on the cadence of someone recounting an old legend. "According to this Trainer's own testimony, one day while he was conducting his rigorous training routine in a remote area of the mountain, he suddenly heard an enormous, thunderous sound echoing through the peaks. This was immediately followed by a massive avalanche - not just any ordinary avalanche, but one of truly catastrophic proportions that threatened to bury everything in its path."
"Faced with this life-threatening situation," Maya went on, "the Trainer quickly released his most reliable Flying-type Pokémon and managed to escape into the air just in time to avoid being crushed or buried by the tremendous amount of snow and ice cascading down the mountainside."
Maya's voice became more dramatic as she reached the crucial part of the story. "While he was flying through the air, desperately trying to reach safety, he claimed to have seen something extraordinary moving through the heart of the avalanche itself. According to his description, it was a white, leopard-like Pokémon that seemed completely unaffected by the crushing snow and ice surrounding it. This mysterious snow leopard had distinctive pale blue, diamond-shaped crystals embedded in various parts of its body, creating an otherworldly appearance. Most notably and memorably, the creature's fangs appeared to be composed of two broken sword fragments, giving it a fearsome and unmistakable appearance."
Maya took care to describe every detail she could remember from the old rumor. "After this Trainer managed to return safely to civilization, he immediately reported the incredible incident to the Association authorities. The story was taken seriously enough that the Alliance decided to launch an official investigation. They sent one of their Heavenly Kings members to conduct thorough searches of Sky Mountain on three separate occasions, each expedition lasting several weeks and covering different areas of the mountain range. Despite these extensive and professional investigations, they were unable to find any trace of the legendary Pokémon or any evidence to support the Trainer's claims."
Jacob had been listening with complete attention throughout Maya's recounting, hanging on every word and afraid of missing any potentially important information about Chien-Pao. When she finished, he asked hopefully, "Is there anything else to the story?"
"That's everything I know about it," Maya replied with a definitive nod. "The rumor ends there, and there haven't been any new developments or sightings since then. Because the entire story relied solely on one person's testimony, with no photographic evidence, video recordings, or corroborating witnesses, most people in the community eventually concluded that the Trainer was either mistaken about what he saw, or was deliberately spreading false information for unknown reasons."