Cotton Guard successfully blocked the Metal Claw.
However, using Cotton Guard also meant Altaria was sacrificing momentum. Wrapped up in all that cotton, it wasn't in a good position to counterattack quickly.
Natsui didn't miss the opening. While Altaria was still covered up, he ordered Metang to use Psychic. The invisible force grabbed Altaria and lifted it high into the air like a giant hand.
Winona saw Altaria floating and hesitated for a moment. She still chose to keep Altaria in its defensive posture.
Based on experience, most Trainers would slam a target down from that height to add impact damage. Cotton Guard couldn't block Psychic itself, but it could at least reduce the damage from crashing into the ground.
She treated it as a precaution, a way to prevent the worst-case scenario.
Unfortunately, that caution played right into Natsui's hands.
Altaria hung in the air like an oversized fluff ball. Metang didn't smash it down. Instead, it kept Psychic pressure on it, dealing steady damage second after second.
Winona quickly realized something was off.
He's not trying to slam it at all.
Another seven or eight seconds dragged by. Altaria was still stuck up there, still taking Psychic damage, and nothing was changing. Winona couldn't afford to keep watching. She had to abandon her original plan and try to force an escape, the same way she had attempted earlier.
The moment Altaria started to move, Natsui noticed it.
Only now you're trying to break free?
It was already too late.
At the exact instant Altaria canceled Cotton Guard, Natsui gave his command.
Metang's Psychic finally shifted from "hold" to "drop." Altaria was driven straight down.
Winona felt helpless. She didn't have a clean answer.
Altaria couldn't reapply Cotton Guard in time. It also couldn't pull off the earlier trick, using Dragon Pulse against the ground to create a shockwave and save itself.
As a Trainer, she could only watch as Altaria fell.
He's unbelievably patient, and his timing is perfect.
Boom!
In a second or two, Altaria slammed heavily onto the ground.
Even with its natural fluff and feathers, the fall plus the sustained Psychic damage was too much. Altaria fainted on impact.
The referee didn't hesitate. He raised the flag.
"Altaria is unable to battle. Metang wins the first round!"
As soon as he said it, a burst of white light wrapped around Metang's body. Everyone recognized what was happening.
Metang was evolving.
For Natsui, it was great news.
Since catching Metang, he had traveled for a while, putting it through plenty of battles, both one-on-one and in group fights. It finally hit the point where it could evolve.
That also meant that among his current Pokémon, aside from Eevee, all the others had reached their final forms. His overall strength had risen again.
The white light soon faded.
A Pokémon that looked even more imposing than Metang appeared in its place.
This was Metang's evolution, Metagross.
Metagross looked like two Metangs fused into one. Its body was turquoise, with a shape somewhere between a heavy lander and a compact machine. Four thick legs extended from its body. Its eyes glowed red. The most striking feature was the silver metal "X" across its face.
In the stands, Misty was happy for Natsui. Since she didn't know the species well, she pulled out her Pokédex and scanned Metagross.
The Pokédex responded immediately.
"Beep. Metagross, the Iron Leg Pokémon. A Steel and Psychic type. Metagross is formed by four brains linked together, creating a complex neural network. It is smarter than a supercomputer. By processing in parallel with its four brains, it can complete calculations instantly. It can analyze opponents and win using overwhelming computing power. It can also pull in its legs to float in the air, or fold them to fly. It doesn't just rely on Psychic power, it also prides itself on raw strength. It can grab prey with its four legs and pin opponents down with its claws. It is said that when the temperature drops below zero degrees, its magnetism increases, so Metagross living in snowy mountains are especially energetic."
Compared to Natsui's mood, Winona on the opposite side couldn't share the excitement.
The opponent had evolved right after beating her Pokémon. There was no way she was going to feel good about that.
She shook her head, recalled Altaria, and took out her second Poké Ball.
As she threw it, a Pelipper appeared high above the battlefield the next second.
Natsui saw Pelipper and refocused. He didn't switch Pokémon. He left Metagross in.
Metagross hadn't taken much damage in the first round, and it still had plenty of fight left. More importantly, it had just evolved. This was the perfect chance to help it adjust to its new body and strength in real combat.
Winona wasn't surprised.
She could tell this Pokémon was dangerous even before it evolved, and now it was even worse.
Still, there was one piece of good news for her. Pelipper was Water and Flying. Steel-type moves hitting a Water-type would be less effective. In that sense, this round looked much more manageable for her.
The two Pokémon took their positions. As the referee signaled again, the second round officially began.
There wasn't much to say about the opening exchanges. Pelipper was strong and experienced, not weaker than Altaria. Since it didn't have to fear Steel-type pressure as much, it focused on avoiding Psychic control instead.
Against Metagross's Psychic attacks, Pelipper kept moving unpredictably, flying wide and erratic patterns. It used Water Gun to buy time, then counterattacked whenever Metagross showed a gap between actions.
Natsui didn't give many directions. He barely issued commands at all.
He had already won one round. Whether he won or lost this one wasn't the point. He wanted to see what Metagross could do on its own, without constant instruction, and use that as a baseline for its true strength.
Under those conditions, Pelipper and Metagross traded blows for a while.
Pelipper's best tactic was switching between long-range Hydro Pump and close-range Steel Wing.
That alternating rhythm did cause Metagross some trouble at first. But just like the Pokédex said, Metagross was extremely intelligent. After taking only a couple of hits, it seemed to read the pattern.
When Pelipper tried the same sequence again, Metagross caught it.
Several claws snapped into place and restrained Pelipper completely.
The sudden reversal shocked Winona. It felt like she was watching the same ending as the first round, all over again.
Winona shouted, "Pelipper, break free!"
But Pelipper couldn't overpower Metagross's grip.
At first, Pelipper could still flap and twist, trying to muscle its way out. Metagross didn't budge. Pelipper even tried to scoop Metagross with its massive beak, but Metagross was simply too large to fit.
As Pelipper's strength drained away, the pressure only increased. After struggling for a long time, Pelipper's eyes rolled back and it fainted, crushed by sheer restraint.
Red light flashed in Metagross's eyes. Even after Pelipper fainted, it didn't immediately let go. It only released its claws once Pelipper had clearly lost consciousness.
The referee checked quickly and raised the flag.
"Pelipper is unable to battle. Metagross wins!"
Metagross had won again without much difficulty. Still, after two rounds, it had accumulated some damage. It looked like it could keep fighting, but pushing into a third round might risk both sides collapsing.
Since Natsui had already learned what he wanted, he recalled Metagross.
Winona was fully convinced after losing twice in a row. She admitted, "Truly impressive."
Then she added, "And I can tell your Metang, Metagross now, was raised well. My two Pokémon barely had room to play their game."
Anyone could see it, and Winona especially could.
This man wasn't just strong, he was sharp.
Natsui responded politely. "Your Altaria and Pelipper were strong too. Today just didn't go your way. Against most Trainers, they would cause serious problems."
Winona's expression improved immediately. She smiled and said, "Then next is the final round. Let's see if I can take one back."
Compared to her attitude before the match, she was clearly treating him with more respect now.
That was her way of acknowledging strength.
Winona took out her third Poké Ball. She threw it high, and a green light flashed.
A Shiny Swellow appeared in the sky.
Misty exclaimed from the stands, "Wow!"
She added, "A cyan-colored Swellow! This is my first time seeing one."
Compared to the usual dark blue Swellow, the cyan color looked striking. But one thing hadn't changed. Its stare was fierce, and its claws looked just as dangerous.
Natsui considered his choice for this final round.
If he had another Flying-type that needed training, he would have loved a pure aerial fight in this kind of open field. But the only Flying-type he currently had was Dragonite, and Dragonite was simply too strong for this matchup. It wouldn't be training, it would be a steamroll.
So he chose Milotic.
He released it onto the field.
It helped that Pelipper had been spraying Water Gun and Hydro Pump repeatedly earlier. The ground was already muddy, and puddles were forming. That was good terrain for Milotic, letting it move more freely.
Type-wise, neither side had a clear advantage. Compared to the first two rounds, it looked more even.
Still, instinctively, bird Pokémon often feel like they have an edge over long-bodied, snake-like Pokémon.
Of course, instincts don't decide battles. Strength and execution do.
Swellow hovered above. Milotic coiled below. Both locked onto each other, ready to fight.
At the referee's signal, the third match officially began.
This time, under Natsui's order, Milotic attacked first.
"Milotic, use Water Gun."
A stream of water shot upward toward Swellow. The blue line cut across the air, but Swellow's speed made it hard to tag with a straight shot.
Swellow circled a few times and the water couldn't touch it. Not even close.
But that wasn't the point.
Milotic kept spraying. Even without landing a hit, the falling water soaked the arena further. The mud loosened, the puddles spread, and the battlefield became slick and wet.
Winona immediately understood what Natsui was doing.
Her brow furrowed.
So he's turning the field into something that favors him.
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