"Yes, there is a very important matter for which I came looking for you."
Lucas nodded very seriously. He did not explain it directly, but seemed to want to find a more appropriate place to speak calmly.
Ethan nodded, and the two of them, mounted on their respective Metagross, headed toward the exit of the Secret Kingdom.
Once there, Ethan also intended to officially register Metagross and pay with resources to redeem it.
But what surprised him quite a bit was that Lucas directly took out that enormous sum of resources from his own pocket.
That left Ethan quite bewildered.
He had the feeling that Lucas had truly come looking for him for something important. And it did not seem to be a small matter.
With many things on his mind, the two soon arrived at the Ferraria City Gym.
Seeing them arrive, the Gym Leader led them to a room that had already been prepared.
"Tell me, what business do you have with me?" Ethan asked, after taking a sip of his nutritious juice.
"Registeel."
In response to Ethan's question, Lucas spoke only one name.
Upon hearing that name, Ethan's whole body stiffened for a moment.
Registeel!
One of the three legendary titans, the steel pillar!
He had never imagined that the name of a Legendary Pokémon would come from Lucas's mouth.
"Just as I thought, you know Registeel."
Seeing the change in Ethan's expression, Lucas immediately obtained the answer he was looking for.
Legendary Pokémon were extremely rare, and most information about them came from records in ancient ruins.
But with Ethan being a Pokémon Professor, it made no sense for him not to know of the existence of Legendary Pokémon.
"Yes."
Ethan answered in a low voice, while huge waves rose in his heart.
In his own hands, he had a stone door related to Regirock.
And now, suddenly, he was hearing news about another of the three legendary titans.
It was inevitable that he would connect the two things.
He did not know how the Silver family had discovered Registeel, nor whether the situation was similar to Regirock's.
If Registeel was in similar circumstances, then did that mean the Silver family possessed some method for opening stone doors like that one?
Of course, all of that was nothing more than fleeting thoughts. Regirock and Registeel were not necessarily unique, and he could not be sure that both cases were identical.
But then, why had Lucas come looking for him, so clearly showing an attitude of needing his help?
Although Registeel was a Legendary Pokémon, with the Silver family's strength, it should not be impossible to face it.
A family as powerful as the Silvers... Ethan did not believe for even a second that they did not have Elite-level trainers among them. Adding several Quasi-Elite-level trainers and technological support as well, they should be capable of dealing with Registeel.
And even if the Silver family could not handle Registeel, Ethan was not so arrogant as to think that adding himself would solve everything.
Now, although he also had Quasi-Elite-level strength, he was still far lacking in accumulation and experience. He was still very far from the Elite level.
"If it were only a matter of defeating that Registeel, naturally my family could do it. But what my family wants is to defeat it head-on, in direct combat and by ourselves, in order to truly earn its recognition."
As if he had read the doubt in Ethan's eyes, Lucas decided to explain himself.
"Defeat it head-on and on your own?"
Ethan narrowed his eyes.
Although it was still a matter of "defeating it," the difference between the two things was enormous.
Moreover, Ethan did not believe for even a second that what Lucas called "defeating it head-on and on your own" would necessarily mean a completely fair battle.
Even by resorting to external advantages or the environment, it was also possible to create conditions to defeat Registeel "head-on."
And at the same time, suddenly, a possibility crossed Ethan's mind.
"Do you want to take advantage of Meltan's Magnet Pull ability?"
As soon as he opened his mouth, Ethan directly voiced his suspicion, which made Lucas freeze for a moment.
It was evident that Ethan had guessed correctly: the Silver family intended precisely to use Meltan's Magnet Pull ability to suppress Registeel.
"When the time comes, we will use special instruments to strengthen Meltan's Magnet Pull ability."
"In addition, we will construct a magnetic storm field in a certain area to restrict Registeel as much as possible."
Lucas explained the entire plan to Ethan without hiding anything.
Under those favorable conditions, Lucas would send into battle a Pokémon specially prepared for him by his family, with the goal of facing Registeel in frontal combat and by himself.
In that way, if he managed to defeat it and successfully capture it, there would be a great possibility of obtaining Registeel's recognition.
"If that's the case, there really is a possibility of capturing Registeel."
Ethan nodded, although he still did not immediately express that he was willing to help.
"Meltan should be able to absorb that kind of special nut, right?"
Seeing that Ethan said nothing, Lucas suddenly spoke.
"Yes, that's true."
Ethan nodded, and with a flash from the Poké Ball, Meltan appeared.
After absorbing Meltan nuts, the changes Meltan had undergone were very evident; anyone with eyes could see it.
"We still have some of those nuts. If you agree to help us capture Registeel, we will hand them all over to you. And furthermore, we will first let Meltan absorb those nuts, and only afterward will we begin the Registeel capture operation."
"Once Meltan increases its strength, our chances will also be greater."
Lucas immediately put all his cards on the table; he knew that Ethan would hardly be able to reject such an offer.
"Really?"
Ethan's eyes lit up.
He had been trying for a very long time to gather Meltan nuts and still had not obtained great results.
If he could obtain them just by helping capture Registeel, it would undoubtedly be a perfect deal.
"Of course it's true. But we need to record the entire process by which Meltan absorbs those nuts."
Lucas nodded and stated his other condition.
It was evident that, after discovering that Meltan was related to that legendary Pokémon, this was actually their true objective.
"Observe the process of Meltan absorbing the nuts?"
Upon hearing that, Ethan remained silent for a moment. However, he did not immediately agree, but instead changed the direction of the conversation: "Can you first tell me what exactly is going on with Registeel?"
Lucas thought for a moment and then nodded. After all, if they were going to cooperate, Ethan had the right to know the information about Registeel, as well as the concrete details of the plan.
"So it really is that... although this time it's an iron door, huh?"
"The stone door sealing Regirock, the iron door sealing Registeel. I wonder what method the Silver family used to open the sealed iron door, and whether that same method could also work with the sealed stone door."
After thinking for quite a while, Ethan finally accepted Lucas's proposal, although he added one condition: that Professor Harris and Professor Reynolds also participate in the operation to release Registeel.
With those two professors' knowledge, perhaps they could discover within that process the method for opening the sealed stone door. And furthermore, Professor Reynolds, as a researcher of Steel-type Pokémon, would undoubtedly be extremely interested in Registeel, the legendary steel Pokémon.
(End of chapter)