Hearing the discussions of passersby around him, Theo smiled slightly. It seemed that his battles over the past few days in North Petalburg had indeed drawn quite a bit of attention.
Following the crowd forward, his gaze settled on the Petalburg Gym not far away.
The Petalburg Gym was far more imposing than he had imagined.
Wind chimes hung beneath the eaves, ringing crisply in the breeze, while the walls were covered with neatly trimmed vines, revealing four bold and vigorous characters that read "Petalburg Gym."
It was said that the gym had undergone three expansions. From its original size that could only accommodate a few dozen people, it had grown to a scale where the main battle arena alone could seat over a thousand spectators. Even the second floor had been fitted with circular viewing stands. Even from outside, one could faintly hear the lively noise within.
The continuous expansion of the Petalburg Gym was not merely for accommodating battle audiences.
Every Saturday and Sunday, Gym Leader Norman would hold Pokémon training lectures here, covering breeding techniques and communication methods tailored to different Pokémon types. The content was detailed and highly practical.
Over time, not only local trainers but also people from nearby cities would come specifically to attend these lessons. Naturally, the gym had to expand again and again to accommodate the growing number of knowledge-hungry trainers.
Guided by a gym apprentice, Theo entered the building, passed through the bustling front hall, and pushed open the doors to the battle arena. The sight before him made him pause slightly in surprise.
The spectator stands surrounding the main field were already filled with people, occupying nearly two thirds of the seats.
Although it was not as packed as during weekend lectures, for a normal gym challenge, this turnout was already far beyond usual.
The air was filled with a mixture of excitement and tension, as waves of chatter rose and fell like tides.
"Do you think we'll really get to see Slaking today? I heard there's a really strong challenger. Gym Leader Norman might send it out."
"Definitely. My brother challenged him before. His Tauros got taken down in one move. What do you think?"
"That strong?"
Someone nearby asked in disbelief.
"One move to defeat Tauros? Your brother Allen trained in the gym, right? Losing like that is unbelievable…"
Amid the chatter, the gym apprentices and their Pokémon quickly cleaned up the battlefield. Before long, the arena was ready.
"Mr. Theo, it's your turn."
The apprentice who had guided him stepped forward and gestured politely.
Theo nodded, then walked onto the battlefield with his three Pokémon.
The moment he stepped into position, a wave of applause erupted from the stands. Besides supporters of Gym Leader Norman, there were also quite a few of Theo's fans present.
Many people waved signs that read "Good luck," while the livestream camera locked firmly onto him.
At that moment, Norman walked out from the opposite side of the field.
He wore a brown jacket on top, paired with dark gray jeans and black work boots, giving him a clean and capable appearance.
In the front row, a young boy wearing glasses shouted excitedly, "Go, Dad! Go, Dad!"
Norman smiled gently and gave him an encouraging gesture before turning back to Theo.
"Theo, I've heard about you for quite some time. I've been looking forward to your challenge."
"Same here, Gym Leader Norman," Theo replied with a smile. "I hope I can receive some guidance from your Slaking today."
"No problem, but first let me see your strength. Spinda, you're up."
Norman nodded, stepped back to create some distance, and threw out a Poké Ball.
A flash of red light appeared, and a Pokémon covered in cream and brown spots emerged onto the field.
It was Spinda, the same one Theo had seen before in the Spinda forest.
However, after landing, it did not stagger around like ordinary Spinda. Instead, it moved with a peculiar rhythm.
Its body swayed gently with each step, as if it were walking to an invisible beat.
Theo had already studied this beforehand. Norman's Spinda was different from others.
It had perfectly integrated Teeter Dance into its movements. Just watching it was enough to make opponents dizzy.
Moreover, it could also use Flash and Double Team. Combined with its erratic dance steps, these techniques often caused opponents to fall into confusion immediately, putting them at a disadvantage.
"Theo, who will you send out?" Norman asked with a smile, his gaze falling on the three Pokémon beside Theo.
Theo did not hesitate at all. He had already discussed this with them beforehand. Today belonged to Metagross.
"Metagross, it's your turn."
As his voice fell, Metagross stepped forward and entered the battlefield.
Its silver metallic body shone brilliantly under the lights, while its crimson eyes locked firmly onto Spinda.
Behind Theo, Larvesta swayed its head, the small fireball hat on it gently bobbing as it chirped enthusiastically, cheering for Metagross.
Milotic stayed beside it, gently swaying its tail fin and letting out a soft, melodious hum, cheering together with Larvesta.
Across the field, upon seeing Metagross, Spinda's movements grew faster.
The cream and brown spots on its body flickered rapidly, and its swaying became more exaggerated.
In the next instant, with a soft sound, more than a dozen identical figures split off from its body.
Each clone looked exactly the same, moving in chaotic, erratic patterns while emitting faint flashes of light as they slowly approached Metagross.
Spinda was attempting to overwhelm Metagross with a dazzling illusion, trying to confuse it.
Many spectators instinctively rubbed their eyes, already feeling dizzy just from watching.
But to Metagross, these tricks were insignificant.
It did not even bother to look directly at Spinda. Instead, an invisible psychic force spread outward from its body.
The powerful psychic energy instantly enveloped the entire battlefield.
Under its psychic perception, the energy fluctuations of the clones were hollow and chaotic, while only one stood out as different.
Metagross effortlessly distinguished the real body.
A faint white glimmer flashed across its form as Iron Defense activated.
Norman, unlike some other Gym Leaders, had been watching closely the entire time. He immediately noticed the subtle change and gave his command without hesitation.
"Spinda, take this chance and use Brick Break!"
Spinda, along with its clones, shifted positions in a confusing pattern as it rushed toward Metagross, attempting to disrupt its judgment.
But Metagross remained unmoved. With precise psychic sensing, it continuously tracked the real Spinda.
Just as the real Spinda slipped behind Metagross under the cover of its clones, preparing to strike from its blind spot, Metagross had already anticipated its move.
Its four metallic limbs lowered slightly, and its massive body spun around like a released arrow, surging forward with a powerful burst of speed, crashing straight toward Spinda's true body.
Bang!
The moment the attack landed, the Fighting-type move Body Press struck with absolute precision.
All of Spinda's clones vanished instantly, as if they had never existed. Its real body was sent flying backward by the overwhelming impact, tumbling across the ground several times before it struggled weakly and then lost the ability to battle altogether.
The entire exchange happened so quickly that no one could properly react. From the moment Metagross made its move to the instant Spinda collapsed, not even a full minute had passed.
For a brief moment, the audience fell into stunned silence. Then, like a dam breaking, thunderous cries of shock erupted from the stands.
"That fast?!"
"I did not even see what happened and Spinda already lost?"
"That was Gym Leader Norman's Spinda!"
The livestream chat exploded as well.
"Metagross is way too strong. It completely ignored Spinda's clones and flash tactics!"
"I was worried it would get confused by Spinda's strategy earlier, but now it looks like that was completely unnecessary…"
After recalling Spinda, Norman fixed his gaze on Metagross with clear interest.
"Very good. Your use of psychic power is extremely precise, and your composure is steady. You were not misled by appearances. You have not disgraced a Metagross like Steven's. Now, let us try this next one. Linoone, you are up!"
As the Poké Ball burst open with a flash of red light, a creature resembling a mix between a honey badger and a ferret appeared on the battlefield.
Its body was covered in light brown fur with darker stripes running across it. Its limbs were thick and powerful, and its claws gleamed with a sharp, dangerous sheen. The moment it landed, it bared its teeth in a low growl, its icy blue eyes locking onto Metagross with fierce, combative intent.
Information about it appeared before Theo:
[Pokémon: Linoone]
Type: Normal
Category: Rushing Pokémon
Ability: Quick Feet, which increases speed when afflicted with a status condition
Moves: Tackle, Slash, Pin Missile, Headbutt, Hone Claws, Rock Smash, Fury Swipes, Double-Edge, Belly Drum, Facade, Extreme Speed…
Theo's attention was immediately drawn to one particular move.
Extreme Speed.
A move described as attacking at an unimaginable velocity, so fast it was often likened to short-distance teleportation.
"Linoone, use Extreme Speed!"
Norman's command rang out sharply.
Before the words had even fully settled, Linoone let out a low growl. The muscles in its limbs bulged instantly, and its fur stood on end.
In the next instant, its figure vanished as if erased from existence, transforming into a blurred streak of brown lightning.
It reappeared beside Metagross almost as if it had teleported, its claws slicing through the air with a sharp, tearing sound.
Clang!
A crisp metallic sound rang out as Metagross was struck, its massive body tilting slightly to one side. A faint white mark appeared on its steel surface.
Meanwhile, Linoone had already used the recoil to spring away, its figure disappearing once more into the air. Even Metagross's psychic perception could only barely catch fleeting traces of its energy.
"So fast!"
Gasps of astonishment spread across the stands.
Linoone attacked again.
Metagross's four metallic limbs lit up with white light as it unleashed Bullet Punch at a speed almost too fast for the naked eye to follow.
But every strike hit nothing but empty air.
Compared to Extreme Speed, Bullet Punch simply was not fast enough to connect.
Realizing this, Metagross abruptly ceased its attacks and steadied itself in place. Faint white glimmers began to flash repeatedly across its body.
Iron Defense was being used continuously.
Its defensive capability skyrocketed in a short span of time.
Linoone moved like a phantom, darting around Metagross and launching sudden ambushes. Each collision caused Metagross's massive body to sway slightly.
Although it was continuously struck by Extreme Speed, the immense defensive boost from Iron Defense significantly reduced the damage it sustained.
But passive defense alone would not win this battle.
Theo quickly formulated a plan and issued his command without hesitation.
"Metagross, deploy Reflect Barrier around yourself. Execute Strategy No. 1!"
The moment the order was given, the red glow in Metagross's eyes flared intensely. Invisible psychic power surged outward like a tide, weaving and converging around its body.
In an instant, four transparent barriers, as clear as glass, materialized out of thin air.
Under Metagross's precise control, the four panels aligned perfectly, forming a cube-shaped protective shell that completely enclosed its body.
Screech—
Linoone's figure flashed into existence again, its claws slamming heavily against one of the barriers.
The transparent wall trembled violently, a faint crack appearing on its surface.
But that brief moment was enough.
Taking advantage of the buffer provided by the Reflect Barrier, Metagross began executing Strategy No. 1.
It completely ignored Linoone's relentless attacks and focused entirely on itself.
Golden electric currents began to flicker across its body, spreading like a fine web while emitting a low, crackling sound.
At the same time, powerful psychic waves surged from within, intertwining with the electricity to form a unique and complex energy field.
This was the combination technique of Magnet Rise and Agility.
As the psychic fluctuations intensified, Metagross's floating body began to sway slightly, its speed increasing at an astonishing rate.
Its previously heavy steel frame now carried an unexpected lightness, almost reminiscent of its earlier form as Beldum, when it moved like a high-speed flying projectile.
Seeing this, Norman's expression grew serious, and he immediately changed tactics.
"Linoone, Belly Drum!"
Linoone abruptly halted, breathing heavily. Its body began to swell visibly.
Within moments, it had expanded in size, its muscles bulging, its fur standing rigid, and its eyes turning even more ferocious.
This was a move that sacrificed a massive amount of stamina in exchange for an extreme boost in attack power.
After using Belly Drum, Linoone's presence surged dramatically. Just standing there, it made the audience instinctively hold their breath.
"Now, break it!"
Norman's voice rang out.
Linoone launched forward once more with Extreme Speed, this time even faster than before.
Its brown figure slammed into the already cracked Reflect Barrier.
The transparent structure shattered instantly, breaking into countless fragments of light that scattered and disappeared.
At that exact moment, Metagross successfully completed its Magnet Rise and Agility combination.
The two Pokémon stood on opposite sides of the battlefield, facing each other.
Their gazes locked.
In their eyes burned fierce, unyielding fighting spirit.
The next exchange would decide everything.
(End of Chapter)