Hearing the sound, Naoki quickly turned around.

  At the narrow entrance of the cave, a Pokémon resembling a fox stood, its fur a soft, light blue. The top of its head looked as if it were wearing a double-yered, woven cold-weather hat, with blue strands of hair extending forward like a braid. Its fs were covered in dark blue fur, resembling a pair of blue boots.

  'That's... G!'

  Naoki realized that this Ice-type Eeveelution had been following him and Koraidon quietly, perhaps sihey ehe cave.

  'Henry was right—there really is a G living under Frosted Hand!'

  Naoki's eyes lit up with excitement. The step was to figure out how to capture this G.

  He observed the Pokémon closely. G looked tense and alert, its eyes holding a hint of anger as it gred at them. To G, Naoki and Koraidon were clearly intruders in its territory.

  G leaned forward, taking an aggressive stance, and issued a warning cry: "Bu-Yi!"

  Naoki froze, about to expin that it was all a misuanding. But before he could react, G suddenly shifted its gaze upward, as if sensing something.

  Naoki followed G's line of sight and saw a Frosss watg them from a small ice cave in the rock wall above. The Pokémon observed the se below with a calm, calg expression.

  Its gaze drifted from G to Naoki and finally rested oone in the ter of the ke, which was emitting white, icy air.

  In the moment, Frosss moved, a blue light flickering in its eyes.

  Naoki saw the same blue light appearing on the surrounding stones.

  "Bu-yi!" G cried out, quickly running forward.

  Ice shards began to dense around G, f rapidly and ung toward Frosss. Though the attack wasn't very strong, it was enough to interrupt Frosss's as.

  With a swift leap, G jumped from the cave entrao the isnd in the ke, nding with all four paws on the icy sto stood firm, its stance a clear decration of ownership, as it faced off against Frosss.

  "Bu-yi!"

  This stone was G's treasure, and it wasn't about to let anyone else y cim to it.

  Watg this unfold, Naoki quickly pieced together what was happening. 'The Frosss is peting with G for the stone taining iergy!'

  Whether it was an Ice Rock or an Iow Rock, the stone's natural ice-type energy made it incredibly valuable to Ice-type Pokémon.

  Despite the interruption from the ice shards, Frosss remained unfazed, its eyes calm and steady.

  At first gnce, Frosss looked like a graceful, kimono-an, her appearance gentle and tender. But her as were anything but gentle.

  The Frosss coldly observed the se below. She slightly raised her right hand, and a dark Shadow Ball began to form, swirling ominously around her. With a swift motion, she hurled it directly at G.

  The power behind the Shadow Ball was intense. Sensing the danger, Koraidon didn't hesitate. It grabbed Naoki by the waist, leaping away from the isnd in the ke just in time to avoid the attack.

  They mao evade the bst, but G wasn't as fortunate. Determio protect its treasure, G couldn't dodge in time and was struck directly by the Shadow Ball, sending its small body crashing to the ground.

  G let out a pained cry, "Bu-yi..."

  After ensuring Naoki's safety, Koraidon quickly turs attention back to the isnd in the ke.

  Frosss, however, wasn't done. Her eyes glowed with malicious i as she unleashed a powerful shockwave, sending it surging toward the injured G.

  Seeing this, Naoki shouted, "Koraidon!"

  Koraidon moved in an instant, leaping to pce itself between G and the oning attack. With its powerful arms, it shielded G, taking the brunt of the force as it roared defiantly, "Raao!"

  The sheer pressure emanating from Koraidon was overwhelming, and Frosss faltered. Fear flickered in her eyes.

  Frosss had never inteo provoke the human or his powerful Pokémoarget had always been the G. But now, it was clear that the human had chosen to intervene, siding with the G.

  Relutly, Frosss gnced o time at the coveted stone on the isnd. Weighing her options, she ultimately decided it wasn't worth the risk. She turned and vanished into the shadows, retreating from the frontation.

  With Frosss gone, Koraidon turo G, its expression softening into a friendly grin as it asked, "Raao?"

  G blinked in surprise at the rge Pokémon that had just protected it. "Bu-yi?"

  Naoki watched the iion with a sense of relief and happiness. Koraidon's response had been so quick that he almost believed it would have protected G even without his and.

  But what mattered most was that G was safe.

  Standing at the shore, Naoki called out, "Hey!"

  Koraidon came over and ferried Naoki back to the isnd in the ke.

  Naoki approached G, pulling a bottle of fruit milk from his backpack—a special blend desigo restore health. He offered it to G. "Drink this; it'll help you heal."

  G stared at the bottle for a moment, then turs head away, refusing the offer with a quiet "Bu-yi."

  Instead, G trotted over to a er, picked up a small stone adorned with snowfke-like patterns, and pced it in front of Naoki. After this gesture, G jumped bato the icy sto the ter of the isnd, lying down and closing its eyes as if to rest.

  "Just as cold as Henry said." Naoki mused, looking down at the icy stoh a smile.

  Despite its aloof attitude, G had shown its gratitude in its own way.

  Naoki found himself liking this G even more. It had strength, pride, and a sense of honor, all qualities that made it special.

  But capturing this G wouldn't be easy. It was clear that ordinary methods wouldn't work with such a proud Pokémon.

  Food didn't seem to work on G, and it didn't appear to enjoy fighting much either. After a moment of thought, Naoki decided to uand G's situation first.

  He g the ice stoh G and asked, "Is this stone your treasure?"

  Upon hearing this, G, who had beeing with its eyes closed, immediately opehem, looking alert and defensive.

  Seeing that G had misuood, Naoki quickly reassured it, "Don't worry, I'm not here to take the stone from you. I just happeo e across this pce by act."

  Koraidon nodded in agreement, "Raao!"

  G rexed slightly, though still cautious. It gazed down at the ice stoh it, memories flooding back from the past.

  Back then, it was just an Eevee. By act, it had lost its way in the snowy mountains and stumbled upon this pce. Here, it discovered the stone, and us influence, Eevee had evolved into G. Sihen, it had made this cave its home.

  'Treasure.' This stone was is treasure.

  Thinking of this, G nodded slightly, "Bu-yi."

  "Did that Frosss try to take this stone from you earlier?" Naoki asked again.

  At the mention of Frosss, G's expression darkened with anger. Initially, the Pokémon living nearby had all been peaceful, ued in the ice stone. But one day, Frosss had appeared, determio cim the stone as its own. They had battled many times since, but her had emerged victorious. G was growing weary of this flid deeply resented Frosss.

  Naoki noticed how much G valued the Ice Stone, and an idea sparked in his mind.

  "If this stone is so important, Frosss won't give up easily. She'll likely return to try and take it again," Naoki said.

  "Bu-yi." G's expression grew even more serious.

  Seeing the opportunity, Naoki tinued, "Have you ever thought about moving the stoo a safer pce? Somewhere Frosss 't find it, so she won't bother you anymore."

  G's eyes lit up at the suggestion. 'That's it! If I move the stone, Frosss will never find it again!'

  But soon, G began to ponder. 'Where could I possibly take it that would be safe?' The snowy mountain was vast, and all the Pokémon here were Ice-types. Moving the stoside might just attract other Ice-type Pokémon to try and steal it.

  Seeing G deep in thought, Naoki spoke up at just the right moment, "Ahem, I might know of a good pce to hide the sto's safe, and there are no other Ice-type Pokémon there."

  G looked at Naoki with its deep blue eyes, clearly evaluating his offer.

  Naoki's heart raced, w if G had seen through his iions. At that moment, Koraidon nodded in agreement, "Raao!"

  G shifted its gaze back to Koraidon, the Pokémon that had just protected it from Frosss's attack. G was intelligent and sensed something familiar about Koraidon. It felt strange, as though it might have seen them somewhere before, but it couldn't quite pce where.

  Uo recall the mem asked, "Bu-yi?"

  "Raao!" Koraidon nodded happily, affirming Naoki's words.

  Naoki watched the exge with keen i. It seemed as though G was firming with Koraidoher such a safe pce truly existed.

  After a moment, G appeared to make up its mind. It looked down at the stoh it, then back at Naoki.

  Trusting the human and Pokémon who had helped it, G nodded, "Bu-yi."

  Naoki's face lit up with excitement. "Have you decided?"

  G nodded again.

  Seeing this, Naoki carefully pced the ice stone—almost as rge as G itself—into his space backpack, right in front of the Pokémon.

  With the stone safely stored, Naoki was ready to take both the Ice Stone and G back to his ranch.

  The Ice Stone, like the Ice Stone, is ahat help Eevee evolve into G. The only difference is that the Ice Stone disappears after use, while the Id Snow Stone does not. This naturally ied stone tains a vast amount of iergy.

  Even though G has already pleted its evolution, Pokémourally drawn to pces ri energy. It is for this reason that G treasures the Ice Stone so much.

  Refleg on this, Naoki couldn't help but smile slightly. Looking at the Ice Stone in his hand, he realized that this trip had been incredibly fruitful. He had obtained G, the Ice Stone, and the Id Snow Stohree valuable assets.

  Naoki took out ay red and white Poké Ball from his pocket and said to G, "The way back is a bit long, so why don't you rest in here for now?"

  G looked at the Poké Ball, thees front paw and lightly tapped the button. In an instant, its body transformed into a red light and was absorbed into the Poké Ball.

  When the Poké Ball stopped moving, Naoki let out a long sigh of relief. He had successfully captured G!

  Although it wasly a typical capture—G had agreed to ehe Poké Ball because Naoki could help protect its Ice Stone—Naoki wasn't ed. He khat ohey returo the ranch, he would have plenty of time to bond with G until it fully accepted him.

  After seg the Ice Stone in his space backpad making sure he hadn't left anything behind, Naoki and Koraidoed the cave.

  As Koraidon slowly asded into the sky, the entire Frost-covered Mountain gradually grew smaller until it disappeared from view.

  Naoki gnced back at the tall, majestic mountain, refleg on the day's events. He felt a renereciation for the sense of security that Koraidon provided. Not only could it fly, run, and swim, but it was also incredibly powerful and had a geemperament. It was nothing like the ferocious Winged King that some had described. Aside from occasionally being a bit silly, Koraidon seemed to have no fws at all.

  'I'm so lucky to have entered such a Pokémon,' Naoki thought gratefully. Thanks to Koraidon, his ranch had developed rapidly in just a few months. Without it, he would probably still be struggling to make money by fishing. The ranch wouldn't have the Miltanks or the Nacli Pokémon, and the living spaces for them likely wouldn't even be built yet.

  At that moment, Koraidon seemed to notiaoki was lost in thought. It tilted its head and looked at him, "Raao?"

  Naoki snapped out of his thoughts and responded with a joyful smile, "Koraidon, I really love you!"

  "Raao?!"

  Koraidon's eyes widened in surprise. It khat Naoki cared deeply for all the Pokémon on the ranch, spending each day tending to their needs. But this was the first time Naoki had expressed his affe so directly.

  'Does this mean I'm the first Pokémon to receive su honor?' Koraidon wohe thought filled it with happiness, and in its excitement, it began to speed up its flight.

  Koraidon's agile form streaked across the sky like a red meteor.

  Naoki, however, was caught off guard by the sudden burst of speed. ging tightly to Koraidon, he shouted, "Slow down! I'm going to fall!"