Now mega evolution during a match wasn't unheard of.
But for both Pokémon on the battlefield to mega evolve at the same time? That was a first.
Some sharp-eyed spectators also noticed a particular detail: it seemed that Metagross's transformation was under Nathan's control.
Back in domestic competitions, Nathan had already made his Metagross mega evolve once—just once. Since then, no one had seen it happen again.
Now that it appeared again, many suspected that Nathan had some special method to induce a unique kind of evolution.
"Why can you evolve too?!"
The Sunderlander female contestant looked at Nathan's Mega Metagross in shock.
She had originally thought that once her Gyarados Mega Evolved, she would at least be able to take out one or two of Nathan's Pokémon. After all, that Champion-level Volcarona was way beyond what she could handle.
But she never expected that Nathan's Metagross would also Mega Evolve, just like her Gyarados.
Before evolving, Nathan's Metagross had already defeated her Gyarados once. Now that both Pokémon had evolved simultaneously, could she still beat Nathan's team?
"If you can make your Pokémon mega evolve, why can't I?"
Nathan replied with a smile.
Seriously—her Gyarados had just become Mega Gyarados, and if he didn't Mega Evolve his Metagross too, there was no way he'd stand a chance.
"Let's go, Gyarados! We can still win!"
Taking a deep breath, the Sunderlander trainer shouted encouragement to her Mega Gyarados.
Gyarados responded with a loud roar, full of energy.
There was no denying it—after evolution, Mega Gyarados looked amazing.
Its once long, blue whiskers had turned white and extended by about a third in length. The fins on either side of its head had tripled in size, resembling wings. Behind its head, a new set of fin-like structures had grown, and even its tail—once fish-like—was now completely transformed. It had become a set of sharp, spike-like structures arranged in a triangular pattern.
Its body had changed from blue to a pale red, giving off an intensely aggressive aura.
But Mega Metagross was in no way inferior.
Previously, its fingers were white, pointed spikes. After Mega Evolution, all four arms now ended in metallic claws, brimming with a sense of mechanical power facing forward.
A white spike had also emerged from under Metagross's jaw, and its overall coloration had darkened—as though a layer of metal had been added to its skin.
…
After Mega Evolution, all of Gyarados's injuries were gone, and its stamina had been completely restored.
This sudden turn of events was something even Nathan hadn't anticipated.
"Mega Gyarados, use Twister!"
Facing a Mega Evolved Metagross, the Sunderlander trainer quickly launched her attack following her moment of surprise.
"Metagross, use Psychic!"
Nathan responded immediately—he wasn't going to just let his Metagross take the hit.
Mega Gyarados coiled its body, forming a small tornado that rapidly expanded until it was about ten meters wide, hurtling toward Metagross.
But as Metagross activated Psychic, it swiftly lifted off the ground and ascended into the sky.
From Gyarados's perspective, however, Metagross was still standing in the same place, unmoving.
The Twister struck the illusion, causing no damage.
Meanwhile, Metagross had already maneuvered to Gyarados's flank.
"Now! Metagross—use Reflect, then follow with Gyro Ball!"
Seeing Metagross reposition itself, Nathan gave the command.
Metagross emitted a faint white glow that floated over to Mega Gyarados.
As soon as it used its second move, the illusion shattered, revealing Metagross's true location.
Gyarados finally spotted it—but the Reflect had already taken effect.
Gyarados tried to turn and counterattack but found its body extremely stiff, like it had been holding a single pose for too long. It couldn't move swiftly to strike back.
Then Metagross began spinning rapidly.
Its high-speed rotation made it look like a giant spinning ball of steel.
The centrifugal force added tremendous power and speed to its attack.
Compared to Metagross, Mega Gyarados was in a rough spot. Normally, with its speed, dodging a Gyro Ball might be difficult but not impossible.
But after being hit by Reflect, Gyarados could only watch helplessly as Metagross slammed into it.
BANG!
Metagross came to an abrupt stop—but poor Mega Gyarados had been knocked flying.
At that moment, Mega Gyarados had essentially become Metagross's brake pad.
Metagross was already heavy, and after Mega Evolution, it weighed even more.
With equal speed, the heavier the body, the stronger the impact.
Mega Gyarados crashed violently into the ground. Though there were no visible wounds, the pain was excruciating.
It was fortunate that it had Mega Evolved—had it still been in its normal form, that hit would have seriously injured it.
Struggling back into the air, Mega Gyarados's eyes still burned with rage—but now, there was a deep fear hidden behind that anger.
That last hit had felt like getting run over by a train.
The area of impact still ached, and while nothing seemed broken, there was likely a bone fracture.
"Metagross, Flash!"
Nathan quickly gave the next command.
Mega Gyarados still had some fight left, and Nathan didn't want to give it another chance.
Metagross emitted a sudden burst of blinding white light.
Caught off guard, Mega Gyarados was temporarily blinded.
"Now! Use Giga Impact—follow it up with Brick Break!"
With Gyarados stunned, Nathan launched a coordinated assault.
Metagross, gleaming with metallic energy, slammed into the disoriented Gyarados. Immediately after, its two pairs of claws came down hard.
"Don't let up! Follow with Pursuit and Zen Headbutt!"
Blow after blow rained down on Mega Gyarados. It barely had a chance to retaliate—and the few counterattacks it managed were ineffective.
The battle was already decided.
With a final flash of white light, the Sunderlander trainer recalled her unconscious Mega Gyarados.
After Gyarados was defeated, her third Pokémon also fell quickly.
For the rest of the match, Metagross was substituted due to stamina loss, and Nathan rotated in Mewtwo and Pangoro.
By the end of the final match, Nathan had once again soloed an entire national team.
"Nathan! Nathan!"
"Nathan! Nathan!"
Amid the roaring cheers, Nathan left the battlefield and returned to the spectator stands.
Meanwhile, over in the prep area of Valar's team, everyone wore dark expressions as they stared at Nathan.
If Nathan had been willing to cooperate, he might already be part of their national team.
Unfortunately for them, Nathan had rejected their offer.
A trainer as powerful as Nathan, they believed, shouldn't be participating in the tournament—he should've been dealt with before it began.
"Let him bask in the spotlight for now," sneered Fujiwara Taka. "Once he faces us, we'll show him what it means to be humbled."
Taka was confident he could take Nathan down—after all, his Pokémon were no slouches.
After the match, Nathan didn't bother staying at the Murakami Arena to watch the rest of the battles.
Rather than wasting time, he decided to go train his own Pokémon.
Now that he had caught Frosmoth, he would need to rely on it in the future matches against Valar team.
Back at the hotel, Nathan was surprised to find signs that his room had been searched.
Although most traces had been carefully erased, he still noticed subtle clues—small details he had memorized beforehand.
"As expected of Valar—there's nothing they won't do to win," Nathan snorted coldly.
Fortunately, all of his Poké Balls were on him at all times. He had only left a few spare clothes in the hotel room.
He took out Frosmoth's Poké Ball and released it.
The moment Frosmoth appeared, the temperature in the room plummeted several degrees.
It was autumn, and the sudden drop made Nathan shiver.
"Fros~"
Frosmoth chirped softly.
Gently stroking Frosmoth's soft wings, Nathan smiled.
Let's show them what real power looks like.
(End of Chapter)