At the very moment the two sides were locked in a stalemate, a faint white glow flickered once more across Metagross's metallic body.
Iron Defense was activated for the second time.
Immediately afterward, all four of Metagross's metal limbs lowered slightly, and its massive body surged forward with explosive force.
It was the move Body Press.
The Fighting-type attack struck Tauros with perfect accuracy.
Tauros let out a painful muffled cry as its huge body was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily at the edge of the battlefield. It struggled for a moment before losing its ability to fight.
"Tauros!"
Allen shouted in alarm.
For a split second, the entire area fell silent, only to erupt into thunderous exclamations the next moment.
"Won in one move?!"
"What kind of move was that? The power is insane!"
"Allen's Tauros can even tank Heracross's Megahorn…"
The livestream chat exploded even faster.
"Holy crap! Is this the power of a shiny Metagross like Champion Steven's? I'm blown away!"
"This shiny Metagross is terrifyingly strong!"
"That guy, Allen trained at the Gym before, and the gap is still this huge…"
At the edge of the field, Milotic immediately used Life Dew. Droplets carrying green healing energy drifted through the air and merged into both Metagross and Tauros.
Looking at his healed Tauros, Allen wore a complicated expression. He simply said, "You're very strong," to Theo before turning and leaving.
However, this victory did not discourage challengers. Instead, it ignited even more fighting spirit.
A young man wearing glasses stepped forward at once.
"I'll give it a try! My Heracross won't lose!"
A flash of red light appeared, and a deep blue Pokémon resembling an enlarged rhinoceros beetle with a massive horn emerged.
[Pokémon: Heracross]
Type: Bug / Fighting
Category: Single Horn Pokémon
Ability: Swarm
Moves: Arm Thrust, Fury Attack, Pin Missile, Lunge, Low Kick, Rock Tomb, Horn Attack, Brick Break, Bulk Up…
Theo continued to keep Metagross on the field, letting it familiarize itself with its newly learned moves such as Psychic Fangs and Heavy Slam.
Metagross's silver metal arms glowed with a dazzling white light, and behind it, a faint phantom of a meteor seemed to appear.
With overwhelming momentum, it threw a punch straight at Heracross.
Heracross tried to dodge, but Metagross restrained it for just an instant using telekinesis. That brief delay was enough for the punch to land cleanly, instantly knocking Heracross out of the fight.
"It won again…"
Someone in the crowd muttered in disbelief.
But the challenges did not stop.
One after another, trainers stepped forward, sending out Vigoroth, Linoone, and other Normal-type Pokémon. Some even brought out a Rapidash, hoping to break the stalemate with type advantage.
Yet Metagross relied on its strategy of stacking defense with Iron Defense, then alternating between Body Press and Meteor Mash for offense. Combined with Rock Slide and Earthquake, which it had learned earlier from Tyrantrum, it defeated every challenger that came its way.
Each battle was clean and decisive, rarely lasting more than five turns, leaving the surrounding spectators stunned.
Larvesta watched from the sidelines, completely fired up. The five antennae on its head occasionally spat out sparks as it cheered for Metagross.
Milotic floated gracefully at the edge of the field, controlling water with elegant movements, its tail swaying gently as if applauding Metagross's performance.
Although Milotic's Life Dew could replenish energy, consecutive battles placed heavy mental strain on the Pokémon.
Seeing this, Theo had Metagross step down to rest at the right moment and sent out Milotic and Larvesta to take turns battling so they could also practice their new moves.
When Milotic entered the field, its opponent sent out a Manectric to counter it with type advantage.
However, Milotic showed no fear. It elegantly controlled water and Ice Beam to form a reflective ice mirror.
The moment Manectric unleashed Thunderbolt, the attack was instantly reflected back by the ice mirror, astonishing everyone watching.
Larvesta, on the other hand, faced an Electrode.
It did not rush to defeat its opponent. Instead, it used Flame Charge to boost its speed while practicing its newly learned Substitute move to confuse the enemy.
Although its use of Substitute was still somewhat unstable, it was already capable of briefly distracting Electrode and drawing attacks away.
Through continuous real combat, Larvesta's mastery of Substitute improved rapidly.
Only when it ran low on stamina and could no longer maintain a Substitute did it switch to direct attacks to finish off its opponent.
As Theo continued to win, defeated trainers went back and brought reinforcements. More challengers arrived, and their strength steadily increased.
These high-intensity battles greatly accelerated the growth of all three Pokémon.
Metagross became increasingly proficient at combining Iron Defense and Body Press. Its Meteor Mash began to produce clear meteor afterimages, occasionally even triggering its additional effect.
Larvesta significantly improved its speed in using Substitute and could now deploy it effectively in battle to mislead opponents.
As for Milotic, every battle it fought, with its unique control of water and ice moves, resembled a graceful performance, highly entertaining to watch.
During this time, Theo also encountered a rather special opponent.
This trainer used a very rare Bug-type Pokémon, Shedinja.
Shedinja's body was yellow, with a white halo floating above its head. Its eerie, hollow gaze and its ghostly, floating form gave off an unsettling aura.
Many people in the crowd who were seeing this Pokémon for the first time instinctively took a step back.
"What Pokémon is that? I've never seen it before…"
"It looks so strange… kind of scary…"
At that moment, Theo's system interface displayed its information:
[Pokémon: Shedinja]
Type: Bug / Ghost
Category: Shed Pokémon
Ability: Wonder Guard
Moves: Dig, Shadow Claw, Shadow Sneak, Confuse Ray, Leech Life, Phantom Force, X-Scissor, Will-O-Wisp…
"Shedinja, huh?"
A trace of interest flashed through Theo's eyes. This was the perfect opportunity to personally witness the rare ability Wonder Guard.
"Metagross, try Meteor Mash."
Metagross responded immediately. A dazzling white light lit up along its metallic arm, while a faint meteor phantom appeared behind it. Even its body began to glow with a subtle red aura, clearly triggering the move's effect and boosting its attack power.
In the next instant, that overwhelmingly powerful punch smashed straight toward Shedinja.
Yet the boy on the opposite side did not move at all. He simply crossed his arms and watched coldly.
Shedinja seemed almost frightened, remaining completely still as it allowed the punch to strike its body.
Then something strange happened.
The Meteor Mash passed straight through Shedinja, creating only a faint ripple, without leaving even the slightest mark.
The surrounding crowd erupted in shock.
"What just happened? The attack went straight through it?"
"Is that an illusion? You can't even hit it?"
The livestream chat exploded as well.
"What kind of Pokémon is that? Even Metagross's Meteor Mash can't hurt it!"
"Does anyone know what that is? Please explain!"
"Hahaha, I know, but I'm not telling. I'll just say this, it's both very strong and very weak. If the streamer doesn't know how it works, he might actually lose."
"Very strong and very weak? What does that even mean? Please explain!"
Theo decided to test further.
"Metagross, switch to Thunder Punch."
But the result was exactly the same.
Metagross's electrified metal arm struck Shedinja's body as if it were passing through thin air. The opponent remained completely unharmed.
Seeing that Theo did not seem to recognize his Pokémon, the boy proudly lifted his chin.
"My Shedinja is invincible. No one can hurt it!"
The murmurs around them grew louder, turning into astonished whispers. Even Larvesta widened its eyes, tilting its head in confusion as it stared at Shedinja.
Looking at the boy's confident expression, Theo almost felt reluctant to end the match.
At that moment, the boy gave his command.
"Shedinja, use Phantom Force! Today we're going to defeat that Metagross!"
Upon receiving the order, Shedinja's figure instantly blurred, turning into a shadow and vanishing into the void, preparing to launch a surprise attack from concealment.
Now that he had already observed the effects of Wonder Guard, Theo stopped holding back.
"Metagross, lock onto it with telekinesis, then use Rock Slide to finish it."
Hearing this, the boy's expression changed drastically. His earlier confidence collapsed instantly.
"You… you know?"
"Of course I know. I had only heard about it before, and since it's so rare, I wanted to test its special properties myself. But I have to say, Shedinja is indeed unique. Anyone unfamiliar with it could easily fall for it."
Theo replied calmly.
As they spoke, a red light flashed in Metagross's eyes. Its invisible telekinetic waves spread out like a radar, precisely locking onto the intermittent energy fluctuations hidden within the void.
Metagross calculated the attack trajectory instantly. Several rocks materialized in midair, and under its telekinetic control, they shot out at sharp angles toward Shedinja's hidden position.
Caught off guard, Shedinja failed to evade completely. The moment one of the rocks made contact, a look of pain appeared on its face.
In an instant, it lost its ability to fight and fell stiffly to the ground.
"That's it… it lost?"
"Just like that? Why did Shedinja suddenly collapse?"
The spectators were completely confused, chattering endlessly.
In the livestream, the viewer who had earlier said "it's both strong and weak" finally began explaining:
"Shedinja is a very special Pokémon. It has a unique ability called Wonder Guard…"
People around the battlefield also began asking Theo, but he did not explain. Instead, he simply had Milotic use Life Dew to heal Shedinja.
This was his opponent's trump card. Theo did not want to expose its secrets in public. Those who wanted to know could look it up themselves.
The boy quietly recalled Shedinja and slipped out of the crowd without looking back.
A few days later, the viewer who had said he would come from Littleroot Town finally appeared.
He was a man in his thirties, with a sturdy build and a weathered face. Beside him stood a powerful Swampert.
Its gray-blue skin glistened with moisture, and its thick limbs stood firmly on the ground. Just standing there, it exuded a fierce and imposing presence.
"My name is Adam Mullen. I'm from Littleroot Town. I saw your stream and came specifically to spar with you. I want to battle a shiny Metagross like Champion Steven's."
The moment he introduced himself, some viewers in the livestream recognized him.
"Adam?! The semifinalist from the Ever Grande Conference a few years ago? His Swampert's Ice Punch was incredible!"
"No wonder he looked familiar! That Swampert's presence is insane!"
As Theo shook hands with him, the system interface displayed Swampert's information:
[Pokémon: Swampert]
Type: Water / Ground
Category: Mud Fish Pokémon
Ability: Torrent
Moves: Rock Slide, Take Down, Waterfall, Mud Shot, Earthquake, Surf, Rock Smash, Hammer Arm, Ice Punch, Body Press, Bulk Up…
A truly formidable opponent had arrived.
After taking a look at Swampert's status panel, Theo was the first to issue a command:
"Metagross, Magnet Rise."
Almost at the exact moment yellow electric currents began to flicker across Metagross's body, Adam's command rang out in perfect sync:
"Swampert, Earthquake!"
This was a signature Ground type move, extremely threatening to a Steel type like Metagross. Adam clearly intended to seize this opportunity to deal heavy damage in one decisive strike.
Fortunately, Metagross had already mastered Magnet Rise to perfection.
The electric currents around its body suddenly intensified, and its massive form lifted lightly into the air, hovering more than half a meter above the ground, completely avoiding the Ground type attack that would have been super effective against it.
In the next instant, a violent tremor erupted from the ground.
The grassy field rippled like waves, cracks spreading outward like a web. Even the spectators in the distance could feel the trembling beneath their feet.
"Magnet Rise!"
Adam's expression shifted slightly, but he quickly followed up with another command:
"Swampert, use Waterfall!"
At the trainer's order, torrents of water surged around Swampert's body as its muscles bulged. It leaped high into the air, charging straight toward Metagross. The rushing water carried immense force, tearing through the air with a howling sound.
"Meteor Mash!" Theo shouted.
Metagross's metallic arm glowed with brilliant white light. A phantom of a falling meteor formed behind it, becoming clearer and clearer as it collided head on with the surging water.
With a deafening boom, water splashed in all directions. Swampert was knocked back to the ground, while Metagross wobbled slightly in midair.
"Impressive, you have some skill. Swampert, Bulk Up, then follow with Hammer Arm!"
Swampert let out a low roar, its muscles swelling even further as its attack and defense rose sharply. It then turned into a blur, swinging its arm down with overwhelming force.
"We will use Hammer Arm too, meet it head on!"
Metagross braced itself, its limbs exerting force as its metallic arm gathered power for a counterattack.
The two Pokémon's Hammer Arms collided violently, sending shockwaves outward and forcing the onlookers to step back.
After that, Metagross and Swampert continued exchanging blows at close range, using moves like Ice Punch and Body Slam, engaging in an intense hand to hand battle.
Fortunately, Metagross had Magnet Rise, allowing it to completely negate Swampert's Ground type attacks. Otherwise, this match would have been quite dangerous for Theo.
The battle soon reached a stalemate. Only when both Pokémon were breathing heavily did Adam raise his hand, signaling Swampert to stop its assault.
"That is enough, that is enough. I originally planned to win with Earthquake as a surprise, but I did not expect your Metagross to use Magnet Rise so skillfully. With that, my old partner does not really have any advantage."
He looked at his slightly trembling Swampert, then at Metagross floating in the air with somewhat labored breathing, and laughed heartily.
"I will be staying here for the next few days. If you do not mind, how about we spar a few more times? Your Metagross and my Swampert share many similar moves, so they can train together."
"Gladly," Theo agreed without hesitation. The moment he saw Swampert's status panel, he had already thought of the same idea.
If Adam could stay in North Petalburg for a while and train with Metagross through repeated battles, that would be ideal.
Over the next few days, Adam indeed showed up every day.
Under his guidance and as a sparring partner, Metagross's proficiency in all its moves improved rapidly at a visible pace.
After every battle, the two Pokémon would exchange a glance, as if silently acknowledging each other's progress.
Aside from battling Adam, Theo also found time to make several video calls with Cynthia.
During every call, Larvesta was especially enthusiastic. It would always rush to the front of the screen first, chirping nonstop at Tyrantrum on the other side. Its little black feet gestured animatedly, reenacting battle movements.
Sometimes it mimicked Metagross throwing punches, other times it showed off its Substitute move. Its lively, excited expression made it look just like a child showing off to a friend, its face full of pride, clearly saying, "Hurry up and praise me."
On the other side of the screen, Tyrantrum always cooperated. Every time it saw Larvesta gesturing, it would shake its head and let out a low roar, as if responding, "Alright, alright, you are the strongest."
Cynthia leaned casually against the railing of the deck, the sea breeze lifting her long hair. Behind her, blue waves surged endlessly, and from time to time, Water type Pokémon like Wailord and Tentacool swam past the ship.
"The waters here are not calm. There are many undercurrents. Without Wailord's help, it would be very difficult to move forward," Cynthia said with a faint smile, brushing her hair aside as the camera turned toward the distant horizon.
"Are you getting impatient, wanting your Deino already? At our current speed, it will take about half a month to reach Unova."
"No, no, I am not in a hurry. I just wanted to see Tyrantrum," Theo quickly said, changing the topic as he turned the camera toward the streets of Petalburg outside his window.
Hearing that Theo wanted to see it, Tyrantrum immediately squeezed into the screen, staring at him with a grin, as if saying, "I am right here, go ahead and look all you want."
Cynthia could not stop smiling at Tyrantrum's silly and straightforward demeanor.
Not long after ending the call with Cynthia, Theo's PokéNav received a message from Drake.
It was a voice message, and faintly in the background one could hear the sound of waves and the cries of some kind of bird Pokémon.
"Kid, has Cynthia not reached Unova yet?"
Drake's voice carried a hearty laugh, as loud and energetic as ever.
Theo replied with a message, "Not yet. She said it will take about half a month."
Drake responded almost instantly:
"Hahaha, looks like you will have to wait a bit longer for your Deino. But that is fine. I already have some leads on the Pokémon here, and I guarantee it will suit your taste. By the time Cynthia reaches Unova, I should be heading back as well. When that happens, I will personally bring the little guys over to you."
…
(End of Chapter)