Linoone let out a low growl as its four limbs slammed against the ground, launching its white and brown body forward once more like a streak of light skimming across the surface.
Extreme Speed was unleashed again.
Its claws gleamed with a cold, sharp luster as it charged straight toward Metagross's face.
At that exact moment, Metagross responded by activating Bullet Punch once more.
All four of its metallic arms lit up with dazzling white light. With the added boost from Agility and Magnet Rise, along with the propulsion of its psychic power, Metagross's punching speed reached an unprecedented level.
Its four massive arms moved like four high-speed machine guns, relentlessly hammering toward Linoone.
This time, Linoone could no longer evade completely.
Clang, clang, clang!
A series of deafening impacts rang out one after another.
Metagross's Steel typing naturally resisted Normal-type attacks, and with the defensive boost from repeatedly stacking Iron Defense, even though Linoone had pushed its attack power to the absolute limit with Belly Drum, the damage it dealt was greatly reduced.
In contrast, Linoone was in far worse condition.
Belly Drum had already consumed a massive amount of its stamina. Now, being struck repeatedly by Metagross's Bullet Punch, every blow felt like a heavy hammer crashing down on its body.
As the final punch landed, Linoone let out a pained whimper.
Its body was sent flying like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily onto the ground. After struggling weakly for a moment, it went completely still.
At the center of the battlefield, Metagross hovered in midair. The white glow on its metallic arms gradually faded as its crimson eyes swept across the arena.
Although its breathing was slightly heavy, its presence remained as overwhelming as ever.
The audience fell silent for a full three seconds. Then, an explosive wave of cheers erupted like a roaring tide.
"Metagross can actually fly? That is way too cool!"
Someone in the stands could not help but shout, while countless phones were raised to capture the sight of the hovering Metagross, flashes going off in rapid succession.
"Totally worth coming! With this level of strength, no wonder he dared to challenge Gym Leader Norman!"
Excited voices filled the arena.
The livestream chat was even more frantic.
"That Bullet Punch speed is insane! It is like a machine gun, Linoone could not dodge at all!"
"Why does this feel familiar… that flying posture looks just like when it was a Beldum!"
At the edge of the field, the little boy with glasses could not hold back anymore. He jumped to his feet, clenched his small fists tightly, and shouted toward Norman:
"Dad, go for it! Do not lose!"
Norman scratched his head helplessly at that, smiling toward the boy before turning back to Theo.
"Alright, no need to drag this out. With your Metagross in its current state, any of my Vigoroth is no match. But according to the rules, you need to defeat three Pokémon to earn the badge, so I will still send it out for formality's sake."
As he spoke, Norman tossed another Poké Ball.
A flash of red light revealed a tall, white-furred ape-like Pokémon with a striking tuft of red hair on its head.
It was Vigoroth.
True to its name, it could not stay still for even a second. It bounced around the battlefield, scratching its ears one moment and pounding its chest the next, brimming with restless energy.
Its thick arms swung rapidly, its eyes filled with agitation, as if it might charge into a fight at any moment.
But just as Norman had said, Metagross was currently stacked with multiple enhancements like Iron Defense and Agility. It was at the peak of its condition.
Facing Vigoroth, Theo did not even bother with complicated tactics. He simply gave a calm command.
"Metagross, Body Press."
Metagross's figure blurred as it shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, crashing straight into Vigoroth with a clean and decisive Body Press.
Vigoroth did not even have time to react before it was sent flying backward, slamming into the ground and immediately fainting.
The entire process took less than ten seconds.
The referee promptly announced:
"Vigoroth is unable to battle! The challenger, Theo, wins! Congratulations, you have obtained the Petalburg Badge!"
A staff member stepped forward, holding an exquisite wooden box. Inside lay an orange-yellow badge engraved with the silhouette of Slaking, the symbol of the gym.
Yet at this moment, almost no one cared about the badge.
The audience could no longer contain themselves. One after another, they rose to their feet, waving their arms and shouting in unison.
"Slaking! Slaking!"
"Send out Slaking!"
"We want to see Slaking!"
Even the little boy at the edge of the field was swept up by the excitement. The earlier disappointment on his face from his father's loss vanished completely, replaced with pure excitement as he joined the crowd in chanting.
Norman raised his hand and gently pressed his palm downward.
The noisy arena instantly fell silent, as if someone had pressed a mute button. Every gaze focused on him.
He then looked at Theo, his tone turning serious.
"Your Milotic has recovery moves, right? Do not withdraw Metagross. Let Milotic heal it first. Once it is back to full condition, it can face my Slaking."
Theo was momentarily taken aback. Norman continued.
"I know you have battled against Senior Moore and won. His Blaziken was only a recently trained Pokémon and not part of his main lineup. But my Slaking… is my true ace."
He paused, a trace of pride flashing in his eyes.
"It has been with me every step of the way. Only a Metagross in your current state can stir even a bit of its fighting spirit. Come on, do not waste time. Have Milotic restore its strength."
The moment those words were spoken, Larvesta immediately became displeased.
The little Pokémon chirped angrily, pointing its tiny claws toward Norman as if scolding him for his arrogance.
It even jumped up in frustration, bumping its head against Milotic, who had been calmly floating nearby watching the battle, urging it to hurry up and heal Metagross.
In Larvesta's eyes, Metagross was its exclusive mount. Looking down on Metagross was the same as looking down on it.
Milotic, who had been gently controlling water vapor in the air, instantly understood after being nudged. With a graceful flick of its tail, it glided to the side of the field.
Though usually gentle and uncompetitive, even Milotic felt a bit displeased this time after hearing Norman's words.
What did he mean by only stirring a little bit of fighting spirit?
Metagross was its companion, and in its current state, even Milotic was not confident it could defeat it.
For the opponent to say something like that was clearly underestimating Metagross.
A soft green glow began to radiate from Milotic's body. Countless droplets of Life Dew condensed into existence, falling like a gentle rain over Metagross.
Drip, drip.
The Life Dew droplets fell onto Metagross, instantly seeping into its metallic body and transforming into a warm current of energy that spread throughout its entire frame. In just a few moments, Metagross's previously rapid breathing gradually steadied, and the fatigue it had accumulated visibly melted away. Its crimson eyes regained their sharp brilliance, gleaming with renewed focus and power.
Only after Metagross had fully recovered to peak condition did Milotic gracefully retreat to the sidelines. Larvesta, meanwhile, bounced excitedly beside Theo, shaking its head as the tiny flame-like tuft on its head bobbed energetically. It was clearly eager to watch what would happen next.
In its eyes, that opponent had dared to look down on its "exclusive mount." Soon enough, they would see just how terrifying Metagross truly was.
Seeing that Metagross had fully recovered, Norman finally reached for a Poké Ball at his waist. His fingers lingered on its surface for a brief moment before he suddenly hurled it forward.
"Come out, Slaking!"
The red-and-white Poké Ball burst open midair, releasing a beam of light brighter than any before it.
Boom!
The heavy impact of something landing shook the entire battlefield. Even those seated in the front rows of the audience could feel the tremor beneath their feet.
As the light faded, an enormous figure emerged.
Theo narrowed his eyes, and inwardly he could not help but curse in shock. This Slaking was nearly as tall as his Tyrantrum.
Its body was covered in dense, dark brown fur, and its muscles bulged with explosive strength. Unlike the lazy, slouching Slaking seen in Pokédex images, this one stood upright with its eyes wide open, sharp and ferocious. It stared down at Metagross from above, lips curling slightly to reveal sharp fangs, radiating a savage and violent aura.
At the very first glance, Theo was reminded of the silverback gorillas he had seen in nature documentaries in his previous life. Powerful, brutal, and brimming with primal ferocity.
The moment Larvesta saw Slaking, it immediately shrank back with a frightened chirp, retreating behind Theo and only daring to peek out with half its head. In its perception, the power inside this Slaking felt like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
That overwhelming sensation was almost identical to the mysterious aura it had sensed back at Meteor Falls.
Under such immense pressure, Larvesta's five antennae drooped, its body curling inward as all its earlier arrogance vanished without a trace.
Even Milotic grew serious. It suppressed its usual elegant demeanor, its eyes widening as it stared intently at Slaking, clearly sensing an unprecedented level of threat.
At that moment, Theo's system interface automatically displayed Slaking's information:
[Pokémon: Slaking]
Type: Normal
Category: Lazy Pokémon
Ability: Unknown????
Moves: Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Abyssal Thrust, Mega Punch, Mega Kick, Amnesia, Facade, Brick Break, Shadow Claw, Bulk Up, Body Slam, Rest, Sleep Talk, Drain Punch, Rock Slide, Body Press, Poison Jab, Substitute, Heavy Slam, Play Rough, Earthquake, Focus Punch, Hammer Arm, Outrage…
Theo's pupils shrank slightly as he stared at the nearly overflowing list of moves.
This was the Pokémon with the most moves he had ever seen.
Fire, Ice, Electric, Fighting, Rock, Ghost… it covered almost every type imaginable, and it even knew the Dragon-type move Outrage.
Even Cynthia's Garchomp or Steven's Metagross could not compare in terms of sheer move diversity.
Most notably, its Ability was listed as "Unknown," completely different from the usual Truant associated with Slaking.
Metagross stared at the massive beast before it, its crimson eyes filled with caution. It could clearly sense that the energy contained within Slaking was like a vast ocean.
Compared to that, every opponent it had defeated before felt like mere streams.
The moment Slaking appeared, the audience erupted into uncontrollable excitement. The cheers surged like a tidal wave, almost lifting the roof of the gym:
"Slaking! Slaking!"
"It's Slaking! Norman's Slaking is here, I love it!"
The livestream chat exploded as well:
"No way, this is Slaking? Are you serious? This is a completely different species from the ones I've seen!"
"Those muscles are insane! It's even bigger than my Machoke's, what is this monster?!"
"The pressure is unreal just looking at it. Come on, Metagross!"
At that moment, Slaking suddenly raised a thick finger and beckoned toward Metagross, its eyes full of provocation.
"Metagross, Body Press!"
Theo did not hesitate.
He knew very well that against such an opponent, hesitation would only lead to a worse defeat. The only chance lay in taking the initiative.
Metagross had already stacked Iron Defense three times, pushing its defensive power to the extreme.
At Theo's command, its four metallic limbs sank downward as it gathered all its strength into a single point. With the speed boost from Agility, its heavy body moved like a fully loaded cannon.
Speed and force merged perfectly with Body Press.
"Wooooom—!"
The air tore apart with a sharp, piercing screech.
In an instant, Metagross shot forward like a derailed interstellar projectile, dragging a silver afterimage behind it as it slammed toward Slaking with unstoppable momentum.
This strike contained the greatest power it could currently unleash.
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion erupted at the center of the battlefield. Violent shockwaves transformed into white clouds of dust that spread across most of the arena.
The entire gym trembled violently.
Spectators instinctively grabbed onto the railings in front of them, their faces filled with shock.
Behind Theo, Larvesta cautiously peeked out, while Milotic tensed its body, staring intently into the dust-filled center.
Through the swirling haze, two overlapping silhouettes could barely be seen.
A few seconds later, as the dust slowly settled, the scene revealed made everyone suck in a cold breath.
Slaking stood firm with its arms crossed in front of its chest, forming an impenetrable barrier.
It had forcefully blocked Metagross's Body Press, which carried the combined might of triple Iron Defense and Agility.
Even though it had been struck by a Fighting-type move that should have been effective against it, Slaking appeared completely unharmed.
The ground beneath its feet had already been crushed into fragments, split by two deep trenches that extended backward from the impact.
"This… how is that possible?!"
One of Theo's fans in the stands cried out in disbelief, even dropping the sign they had been holding.
No one had expected that the same Body Press which had effortlessly defeated Spinda and Vigoroth would be stopped so easily by Slaking.
At that moment, Slaking suddenly threw its head back and let out a thunderous roar.
"SLAKINNGGGG!!!"
The sound exploded like thunder, forcing many spectators to cover their ears.
As the roar echoed, Slaking's arms bulged with power, veins standing out like twisted cords.
Then, unbelievably, it began to push forward.
It was actually forcing Metagross back while enduring the full force of its attack.
(End of Chapter)