Metagross decided to take the offensive. However, to the Ghost-type Pokémon, that motion was nothing short of blatant provocation.
The spectral horde grew even more frenzied, rushing forward at an even faster pace.
Nozomi noticed that many Team Rocket members had already turned pale, collapsing to their knees in despair. Some clasped their hands together, praying desperately to Ho-Oh or Jirachi to spare them from the oncoming ghostly assault.
Even as they prayed, they knew full well such pleas were useless. For villains like them—who had committed countless misdeeds—even if Jirachi or Ho-Oh could hear their prayers, they would likely look away in disgust, watching coldly as the ghosts tore them apart.
But unlike those trembling cowards who could only beg for mercy, Nozomi remained calm—so calm, in fact, that he still had the composure to plan his next strategy.
After evolving into Mega Metagross, his partner's power had risen dramatically.
Its base stats had shot up from six hundred to seven hundred—every aspect enhanced except perhaps stamina.
"What move should we use…" Nozomi mused. Against Ghost-types, Normal-type moves like Hyper Beam or Take Down were useless.
Fighting-type moves such as Brick Break wouldn't work either.
After some thought, Nozomi formed a plan.
"Metagross, use Psychic!"
Buzz—!
Metagross's boosted Special Attack stat made its special moves far deadlier than before.
Psychic was nearly instantaneous to cast—and against the Poison-type Ghost line, it was devastatingly effective.
The psychic blast swept through the ranks of Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar, felling a vast swath of spectral foes in an instant. The front line of Ghost-types dropped like dumplings into boiling water, tumbling from the sky one after another.
"Tch… what a sight!"
Watching the ghosts plummet in droves, Nozomi felt an undeniable thrill.
But excitement alone wasn't enough—the offensive couldn't stop there.
"Metagross, charge in!" Nozomi shouted.
The Mega Metagross drew in its four limbs, jets of invisible propulsion surging from behind it like phantom flames, blasting it forward with explosive force.
BOOM!
The air itself split open with the impact as Mega Metagross slammed straight into the heart of the ghostly swarm.
Upon mega evolving, the greatest changes in Metagross were its speed, defense, and—most importantly—its ability.
Originally, its Ability was Clear Body, which prevented its stats from being lowered by enemy attacks or abilities.
That was useful in standard one-on-one battles, but not very meaningful in a chaotic free-for-all like this.
After mega evolving, however, its Ability changed from Clear Body to Tough Claws!
Tough Claws enhanced all moves that made physical contact—significantly boosting the power of close-range attacks.
That was exactly why Nozomi had ordered Metagross to use Psychic to clear a path first, then charge straight into the middle of the ghostly horde.
"Metagross, Hammer Arm!"
In the center of the ghosts, Metagross was immediately "welcomed" with open arms.
The normally clever Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar were now in a berserk state—charging at it like brainless beasts.
The silver titan stood alone in a sea of swirling purple phantoms, a lone steel island in a raging spectral ocean. It looked as if any moment the tide might swallow it whole.
But appearances were deceiving. In truth, Metagross's situation wasn't as dire as it looked.
The Gastly line were Ghost/Poison-type Pokémon.
Poison-type moves couldn't harm Steel-types at all, and in this cramped melee, Ghost moves like Shadow Ball lacked homing precision. A single Shadow Ball fired from the back would need to pass through at least five or six allies before it could even reach Metagross.
And as for those attempting to use Curse—Metagross's psychic awareness detected them long before they could complete their ritual.
A single Hammer Arm was enough to crush those frail, low-defense ghosts in one blow.
Mega Metagross rampaged like a juggernaut through the enemy ranks—unstoppable, invincible, untouchable.
"Beautiful work, Metagross! Keep it up!"
Seeing the tide of Ghost-types thinning fast, Nozomi felt increasingly sure that choosing Metagross's Mega Stone had been the right call.
Metagross truly was his ace!
Nozomi commanded Dragonite to assist from afar, mopping up stragglers. Before long, the number of Ghost-types had dwindled sharply. As their numbers fell, so too did their frenzy—they began to regain their senses.
"Kyehh—!"
A piercing shriek echoed—a massive Gengar, clearly the leader, floated forward.
At its cry, all the Ghost-types abruptly stopped their attacks and backed away from Metagross.
"So… you've come to your senses?" Nozomi asked, watching the spectral army retreat.
Now, only half of the original Ghost-types remained.
In just ten minutes, the ground was littered with fainted Gastly and Haunter.
"Geh-heh-heh—!"
The towering Gengar that had halted the battle floated forward, gesturing animatedly toward Nozomi.
From its motions, Nozomi roughly grasped its meaning.
"You're proposing… a truce?" he said, surprised.
That was unexpected. Gengar weren't known for good tempers—in fact, there had even been recorded cases of Gengar attacking their own Trainers.
Yet this one was voluntarily asking for peace.
Glancing up at the remaining Gastly and Haunter hovering in the air, Nozomi noticed their expressions—they looked terrified, eyes darting warily toward Metagross. He figured they were probably too frightened to continue, which was why the Gengar had stepped forward to surrender.
Still, Nozomi was in control now. Agreeing to a truce without gaining anything in return? That would make all his effort pointless.
Through telepathy, he projected his thoughts to Gengar.
The ghost grinned wide, baring its sharp teeth in an attempt to threaten him—but when it saw Nozomi's unfazed expression and the menacing gleam of Mega Metagross beside him, it faltered.
Finally, with a defeated sigh, Gengar reached into its own shadow. After rummaging around for a moment, it pulled out… something.
(End of Chapter)