"That's right," Giovanni nodded.
Then he turned his head toward Nozomi.
Though his nature as a calculating mastermind prevented him from displaying gloating arrogance, a cold smirk still crept across his lips.
As Mewtwo's creator—and its temporary master—Giovanni knew its power better than anyone else.
Mewtwo's strength was terrifying. Even with its limiter installed, it still possessed enough power to easily defeat an Elite Four member.
To Giovanni, dealing with someone like Nozomi was child's play.
Clack.
The sound of metal clashing echoed as Mewtwo's armored plates shifted. It stepped forward, its aura flaring violently.
An immense pressure descended like a crushing wave. Nozomi felt as though invisible chains had bound his entire body.
"Is this… Pressure?"
Nozomi was familiar with Mewtwo's Ability, but as he felt the overwhelming might pressing down on him, he quickly shook his head.No—this wasn't just Pressure. The sheer force went beyond what the Ability could create. Mewtwo was reinforcing it with psychic power, exerting its will directly onto reality.
Metagross and Dragonite tensed instinctively.
Both fixed their eyes on Mewtwo, instantly aware of the danger it represented.
The gap between a pseudo-legendary and a true Legendary Pokémon wasn't as simple as a few stat points. It was a gulf between worlds.
Feeling Mewtwo's aura, Nozomi realized his earlier caution had been completely justified.
Even though his Mega Metagross's base stats technically surpassed Mewtwo's—seven hundred to six hundred eighty—he couldn't guarantee victory after sensing the creature's true power firsthand.
"But… we won't know until we fight."
Under Giovanni's puzzled gaze, Nozomi raised his arm high and shouted, "Metagross!"
"Wooooom!"
Metagross responded with a deep metallic buzz.
In that instant, a radiant seven-colored light burst simultaneously from Nozomi's wrist and Metagross's body, the two resonating in perfect harmony.
"What's that?"
From afar, Oka's eyes widened as the strange phenomenon caught his attention.
"It's starting," Sabrina murmured, the corners of her lips lifting. Watching Oka's bewildered face, she couldn't help but feel a sense of pride—though Metagross belonged to Nozomi, she shared in that pride herself.
"What's going on?"
Giovanni frowned, his gaze snapping back to Nozomi.
He had no idea what the boy was doing, but an ominous premonition began to rise in his chest.
He wanted to order Mewtwo to interrupt whatever was happening—but Mewtwo didn't act.
It wasn't that it disobeyed out of malice. Rather, it was… curious.
Its partnership with Giovanni was temporary at best; obedience wasn't something it valued.
Instead, it watched intently, its piercing eyes gleaming with interest. From the moment of its creation, countless fragments of knowledge had been implanted into its mind—but this phenomenon was unlike anything it had ever learned.
It was… new. Fascinating.
And in the face of curiosity, Giovanni's commands meant little.
The light between man and Pokémon intertwined and flared.
A brilliant white glow enveloped Metagross.
"GROOOOH!"
With a metallic roar, the light sphere around it shattered like glass. Emerging from the glow was a massive four-armed creature of gleaming silver steel—Mega Metagross.
Though it lacked Mewtwo's oppressive aura, its sheer presence was equally formidable, standing tall and unyielding before the Legendary Pokémon.
"What… is that?"
Giovanni's pupils constricted sharply.
He had never seen—nor even heard of—a Metagross like this. It looked as if it had evolved beyond evolution itself.
"A new technology… or some kind of artifact?"
He muttered to himself, before barking an order: "Mewtwo, destroy it!"
He needn't have bothered. Mewtwo was already on the move.
Since its birth, no opponent had ever stirred such anticipation within it. Unlike the countless foes it had crushed with ease, this strange Pokémon before it radiated genuine power—and Mewtwo was eager to test it.
"Go! Metagross—use Iron Arm!"
The massive steel titan lunged forward, all four arms swinging as one, delivering a devastating punch straight toward Mewtwo's head.
Mewtwo caught the strike midair, a psychic shimmer flashing. A giant spoon materialized in its hand, meeting Metagross's attack head-on.
CLANG!
Sparks exploded as metal and psychic force collided.
Both Pokémon—floating in midair—were blasted backward from the impact.
But Mewtwo wasn't done.
While still sliding back, it raised a hand, a black sphere of condensed energy forming instantly—Shadow Ball.
With a flick of its wrist, Mewtwo hurled it at blinding speed.
Metagross didn't panic. A shimmering barrier materialized before it—Light Screen.
The Shadow Ball smashed through the wall in an instant, but it was enough. Metagross had already shifted aside, narrowly evading the blast.
Then, its eyes gleamed as its mouth opened wide. A silvery-white beam erupted forward—Flash Cannon.
Mewtwo, still extended from its throw, couldn't dodge in time. Its eyes flashed blue, and a psychic barrier of condensed energy enveloped it.
The sphere gleamed—more solid than a typical Light Screen, almost crystalline.
From afar, Nozomi squinted. "That looks like Light Screen… but it's more complex."
The Flash Cannon slammed into the barrier with a thunderous crash.
Light and sound rippled across the battlefield.
The Flash Cannon surged like waves against a cliff, and Mewtwo's psychic shield stood firm—unyielding yet trembling.
Neither side gave an inch.
But cracks soon began to spiderweb across the blue barrier, faint crack-crack sounds escaping beneath the roar of colliding energy.
To Nozomi, who was deeply attuned to psychic energy, those sounds were unmistakable.
"Metagross! Give it everything you've got!"
Because of training habits, Metagross often held back a portion of its strength—Nozomi had taught it to never overcommit, to always leave power in reserve in case of a counterattack.
But this time was different.
Upon hearing its trainer's command, Metagross unleashed its full might.
The Flash Cannon flared brighter, the beam thickening as its power surged.
Mewtwo, straining to maintain its defense, grimaced. It wasn't built for pure defense—holding back the force of the enhanced Flash Cannon took everything it had.
"Mewtwo—Teleport! Evade it!"
Giovanni's voice rang out at the perfect moment, sharp and decisive—