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Listening to the murmurs of passersby drifting into his ears, Lionel smiled.
It seemed that the battles he had fought in North Petalburg City over the past few days had indeed garnered quite a bit of attention.
Lionel followed the flow of people forward, his gaze resting upon the Petalburg Gym situated not far ahead.
The Petalburg Gym was far more magnificent than he had imagined.
Wind chimes hung from the eaves, tinkling melodiously in the breeze.
The ivy climbing the walls had been meticulously trimmed, framing the four bold, powerful characters that read: " Petalburg Gym."
It was said that the Petalburg Gym had undergone three expansions; evolving from a venue that could originally accommodate only a handful of people, its main battle arena could now seat over a thousand spectators.
They had even added a circular grandstand to the second floor; one could faintly hear the roar of the crowd drifting out from within, even while standing outside.
The reason the Petalburg Gym had continued to grow in size wasn't merely to accommodate battle spectators.
Every Saturday and Sunday, the Gym Leader, Norman, would host lectures here on Pokémon breeding, as well as sessions on communication techniques tailored to Pokémon of various elemental types—content that was both detailed and practical.
Over time, it wasn't just the local Trainers who came; people from neighboring cities would also make special trips just to attend the lectures. Consequently, the Gym had to be expanded time and again to accommodate the ever-growing number of students seeking to train and acquire knowledge.
Lionel followed the apprentice guiding him into the building. After passing through the spacious foyer and pushing open the doors to the battle arena, the sight that greeted him caused him to furrow his brow slightly:
The spectator stands surrounding the main battleground were already filled with a multitude of people—roughly two-thirds of the seats were occupied.
Although it wasn't quite the standing-room-only crowd seen during the weekend lectures, for a standard weekday Gym challenge, the turnout was already far beyond the norm.
The air was thick with a mixture of excitement and tension, and the murmur of conversation rose and fell in waves:
"Do you think we'll really get to see Slaking today? My mentor said there's a really strong challenger today, so Gym Leader Norman is bound to send out Slaking."
"Definitely. My brother challenged him once; his Tauros was taken down in a single hit. Tell me—how formidable is that?"
"That formidable?"
Someone nearby chimed in, their tone laced with astonishment:
"Defeated a Tauros in just one move? Your brother trained hard and honed his skills right here at this Gym—yet he lost in a single hit? That's just too incredible..."
Amidst the chatter, the Gym apprentices were busy with their Pokémon, swiftly clearing and preparing the battleground. Before long, the arena was completely ready.
"Mr. Lionel, it's your turn."
The guiding apprentice walked up to him and made a polite "please" gesture.
Lionel nodded, and—accompanied by the three Pokémon at his side—he stepped forward and walked toward the battleground.
The moment he took his position, a wave of enthusiastic applause erupted from the stands. In addition to the supporters of Gym Leader Norman, there were quite a few fans of Lionel himself seated in the audience.
Many people held up signs bearing words of encouragement like "Go!" and waved them enthusiastically, while the live broadcast cameras remained firmly locked onto Lionel's figure.
At that moment, Gym Leader Norman walked onto the field from the opposite end.
He wore a jacket featuring a Stantler motif over a dark gray pair of jeans, paired with black work boots; his appearance was clean and sharp.
From the stands, a young boy wearing glasses shouted:
"Go, Dad! Go, Dad!"
Norman gave him a gentle smile and a thumbs-up, then turned his attention back to Lionel.
"Lionel, I've heard a lot about you—I've been looking forward to you coming to challenge me for quite some time."
"The feeling is mutual, Gym Leader Norman,"
Lionel replied with a smile.
"I hope to receive some guidance from you and your Slaking in battle today."
"No problem. But first, I'll have to see what you're made of. Alright then—Spinda, let's go!"
Norman nodded, took two steps back to create some space, and drew a Poké Ball.
A flash of red light appeared, and a Pokémon—its body covered in creamy-white fur and brown spots—materialized on the field.
It was the very same Spinda they had encountered earlier in the Petalburg Woods.
Upon landing, it didn't stumble about haphazardly like an ordinary Spinda; instead, it moved with a peculiar, rhythmic gait.
Its body swayed gently to an internal rhythm, each step landing as if perfectly synchronized with an invisible beat.
Lionel had already done his homework. Norman's Spinda was unlike any other.
It had seamlessly integrated the *Teeter Dance* move into its very footwork; simply watching it move was enough to make an opponent feel dizzy and disoriented.
And that wasn't all—Norman's Spinda also possessed the ability to utilize *Flash* and *Shadow Ball*.
When combined with its signature "stagger-step" dance, these moves would often cause opponents to fall into a state of total confusion the moment they faced it, thereby placing them at a severe disadvantage in battle.
"Lionel, who will you be sending out?"
Norman asked with a smile, his gaze resting upon the three Pokémon standing beside Lionel.
Lionel didn't hesitate for a moment; he had already reached an agreement with his three Pokémon beforehand—today belonged to Metagross.
" Metagross, it's your turn to take the stage."
As Lionel's words faded, Metagross stepped forward, making its way onto the battle arena.
Its silvery-white metallic body gleamed even more brilliantly under the stadium lights, while its crimson eyes remained locked firmly on the Spinda standing opposite it.
Behind Lionel, Larvesta bobbed its little head.
The small fireball-shaped hat it wore swayed gently with its movements, and it let out a series of high-pitched chirps—cheering and rooting for Metagross.
Milotic, too, was right beside Larvesta; it swished its tail gracefully and let out a soft, melodic hum, joining Larvesta in cheering for Metagross.
On the opposing side, upon seeing Metagross make its entrance, Spinda began to stagger and sway even more erratically.
The creamy-white and brown spots covering its body seemed to flicker rapidly with its movements, as it twisted and gyrated with exaggerated intensity.
Then, with a sudden *whoosh*, over a dozen duplicates split off from Spinda's body.
Each duplicate was an exact replica of the original; they advanced with a chaotic, stumbling gait—their bodies shimmering with a faint glow—as they slowly closed in on Metagross.
Spinda was attempting to use this dizzying, chaotic spectacle to bewilder Metagross—hoping to plunge it into a state of confusion.
In the stands, many spectators who witnessed this scene instinctively rubbed their temples, feeling a sudden wave of dizziness and disorientation.
However, to Metagross, these tricks and illusions of Spinda's were utterly trivial—hardly worth a second thought.
It didn't even bother to cast a direct glance at Spinda; instead, an invisible wave of psychic energy radiated outward from Metagross's body.
The powerful psychic force expanded rapidly, instantly enveloping the entire battle arena.
Under the heightened perception of its Psychic-type abilities, the energy signatures of Spinda's duplicates appeared hollow and chaotic—all save for one distinct signature located right in the center of the arena.
Metagross effortlessly pinpointed the subtle difference between the true Spinda and its illusions.
Then, a razor-thin streak of white light flashed across Metagross's metallic body—signaling the activation of an Iron-type move.
Tate was a very different opponent compared to the former Gym Leader, Brawly. He kept his eyes glued to Metagross and immediately noticed the changes taking place within it. He instantly issued a command to his Pokémon:
"Now! Use Double Team!"
Spinda moved in coordination with its dozen or so clones, weaving their positions in a crisscrossing pattern as they charged toward Metagross, attempting to disrupt its judgment and perception.
But Metagross remained unperturbed; guided by the precise sensitivity of its Psychic power, it remained firmly locked onto the movements of Spinda's true body.
The moment Spinda's true body—using its clones as cover—slipped around to Metagross's rear-flank to launch an attack, Metagross was already poised to strike.
Its four metal legs suddenly sank low; its massive, heavy frame pivoted like an arrow loosed from a bowstring, rushing forward with a sound of rushing wind to slam violently into Spinda's true body.
The Fighting-type move, *Seismic Toss*, landed with pinpoint accuracy.
Spinda's clones vanished in an instant, while its true body was sent flying backward from the impact. It tumbled several times across the ground, struggled briefly, and then lost its ability to battle.
The entire sequence unfolded so rapidly that the spectators barely had time to react; from the moment Metagross made its move to the moment Spinda went down, less than a minute had passed.
A brief silence fell over the stands, followed immediately by an explosive roar of astonishment:
"That fast?!"
"I didn't even have time to see what happened, and Spinda is already..."
"And that was Spinda—the ace Pokémon of the Gym Leader, Norman!"
The chat feed in the live stream room was also scrolling furiously:
[ Metagross is truly incredible! It completely ignored the clones and the *Flash* effect!]
[I was worried earlier that Metagross might fall victim to Spinda's confusion tactics, but it looks like I was overthinking it.]
After recalling Spinda, Gym Leader Norman gazed at Metagross with evident interest:
"Impressive. Your use of Psychic power is incredibly precise, and your composure is excellent—you weren't distracted by mere illusions. You truly live up to the reputation of a Metagross."
"Very well. Now, let's try this one— Vigoroth! Go!"
As a flash of red light burst forth from the Poké Ball, a creature resembling a cross between a honey badger and a snow leopard—creatures from his previous life—appeared on the battlefield. Its entire body was covered in light tan-colored fur.
It bore various brown markings across its frame; its limbs were stout and powerful, and its claws gleamed with a sharp, cold light.
The moment it landed, it parted its jaws to reveal a set of razor-sharp teeth, letting out a low, guttural growl.
A pair of aqua-blue eyes locked onto the Metagross, burning with a fierce, combative glint.
Lionel's Pokedex activated, displaying the creature's information:
[Pokémon: Linoone]
[Type: Normal]
[Classification: Rushing Pokémon]
[Ability: Guts (When afflicted with a status condition, the Pokémon's Speed increases.)]
[Moves: Tackle, Slash, Pin Missile, Headbutt, Hone Claws, Rock Smash, Fury Swipes, Thrash, Belly Drum, Facade]
As Lionel scanned the move list on Linoone's status panel, his gaze was immediately drawn to a specific move: Extreme Speed.
[Extreme Speed: Attacks the opponent with incredible velocity. Its attack speed is terrifyingly fast—so rapid, in fact, that it is said to be capable of covering a thousand *li* in an instant.]
Before the Pokedex's synthesized voice had even finished speaking, Linoone let out another low growl. The muscles in its limbs tensed instantly, and its light brown fur bristled.
The very next second, its figure seemed to vanish into thin air, transforming into a blurred streak of brown lightning.
It appeared—almost as if by teleportation—right in front of the Metagross. Its sharp claws slashed out with a sound of tearing wind, aiming for the Metagross's torso.
*Clang!* The Metagross was struck with such force that it recoiled slightly, leaving a faint white scratch mark across its metallic body.
Meanwhile, Linoone had already used the recoil force to spring back; its figure dissolved into the air once more, moving so fast that even the Metagross's Psychic powers could only barely detect a faint, fleeting energy signature.
"What incredible speed!"
A collective gasp of astonishment rose from the spectators in the stands.
Linoone attacked again. The Metagross—using its four metallic arms—reacted in the blink of an eye, throwing a rapid-fire barrage of punches at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow, unleashing its Bullet Punch attack.
Yet, every single punch struck only empty air. The attack speed of Bullet Punch was vastly inferior to that of Extreme Speed—so much so that it stood no chance whatsoever of landing a hit on the charging Linoone.
Realizing that its Bullet Punch attacks were failing to connect, Metagross simply ceased its movements. It planted itself firmly in place, and a series of faint white glows began to ripple across its metallic body.
It was unleashing Iron Defense in rapid succession.
Metagross was elevating its defensive capabilities to their absolute maximum within a matter of moments.
Meanwhile, Linoone darted around Metagross like a phantom, launching surprise attacks at intermittent intervals; with every strike that landed, Metagross's massive frame would visibly shudder.
Although Linoone's attacks—empowered by its Extreme Speed ability—were consistently finding their mark,
Metagross, bolstered by the defensive enhancements provided by its Iron Defense ability, was sustaining significantly reduced damage. Passive defense was no longer an option. Lionel swiftly devised a strategy and immediately issued a command to Metagross:
" Metagross, activate the Reflective Barrier formation! Execute Battle Plan No. 1!"
No sooner had Lionel's command ended than a crimson glow erupted within Metagross's eyes. Invisible psychic energy surged and intertwined around its body like a rising tide.
In a mere instant, four transparent, glass-like reflective barriers materialized out of thin air.
Under Metagross's full-force, precise manipulation, the four barriers—centered around Metagross—interlocked seamlessly to form a perfect cube-shaped shield, firmly encasing and protecting its entire body.
The charging figure of the attacker flashed into view once more, its claws slashing violently against one of the reflective walls.
The transparent barrier shuddered violently, a faint hairline crack appearing across its surface. Seizing this fleeting opportunity, Metagross finally found the opening it needed to strike back.
Leveraging the momentary respite provided by the reflective shield, Metagross initiated Battle Plan No. 1.
It completely disregarded the attacker's *Extreme Speed* assault, focusing its entire concentration inward upon itself.
A faint golden current began to ripple across Metagross's metallic frame, spreading out like a fine, intricate web; the crackling hiss of electricity filled the air.
Simultaneously, powerful waves of psychic energy surged from deep within its body, intertwining with the electrical currents to form a unique and peculiar energy field.
*Activate!*
This was precisely the combination technique of *Magnet Rise* and *Agility*.
As the psychic energy radiating from Metagross intensified, it lifted the massive metal body into the air, causing it to begin drifting with effortless grace. Its speed began to accelerate at an astonishing rate.
Its once-ponderous metal frame now seemed to shed its weight, regaining a measure of the nimble agility it possessed in its youth—back when it was merely a Beldum, darting through the skies like a high-speed cannonball. Norman gazed up at the hovering Metagross, his eyes holding a glint of determination.
His demeanor shifted instantly:
"Linoone! Belly Drum!"
Linoone skidded to a halt, gulping down huge drafts of air as its body began to swell at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In just a few moments, Linoone's physique had expanded significantly; its entire musculature bulged, its fur stood on end, and its gaze grew even fiercer.
This was an ability that boosted its offensive power—achieved at the cost of expending a massive amount of physical stamina!
Having completed its Belly Drum, Linoone's aura was now more than twice as potent as before; simply standing there caused the spectators in the stands to instinctively hold their breath.
"I am here—and I break it now!"
A voice rang out from a thousand paces away.
Having successfully executed Belly Drum, Linoone was now capable of unleashing Extreme Speed twice in succession.
This time, its progress was even swifter than before.
Linoone's figure slammed against the opposing barrier; the transparent shield—already riddled with cracks—shattered completely, dissolving into a myriad of shimmering light particles.
Just as Linoone breached the Reflect barrier, Metagross successfully executed its combined technique: a fusion of Magnet Rise and Agility.
The two Pokémon stood on opposite sides of the battlefield—one to the left, one to the right—staring intently at one another, their eyes burning with an unyielding determination to win.