Milotic nodded obediently, its movements graceful as it slid toward the rear of the battlefield. At the same time, it opened its mouth and condensed a blue sphere of water.
The instant the sphere burst, a fine drizzle began to fall from above, blanketing the entire battlefield in a curtain of rain. It was the move Rain Dance.
Meanwhile, Metagross stepped forward with steady, heavy strides. Its silver metallic body gleamed coldly under the falling rain, and its crimson eyes locked firmly onto Solrock and Lunatone across from it, its fighting spirit surging without restraint.
Seeing Theo act so confidently, Tate could no longer suppress his irritation and spoke angrily.
"What arrogance! You want Metagross to take on both of our Pokémon by itself? So what if it's raining? Do you really think that gives you an advantage?"
He turned his head toward Liza.
"Sis, help me! This guy is way too cocky. I'm going to make him understand what real strength is!"
Although Liza was more composed than her younger brother, she was still stirred by Theo's blatant disregard. A competitive spark flickered in her eyes as she nodded.
"Alright."
Through telepathic communication, Liza issued her command. Lunatone's body began to glow with a soft white light, and a stream of energy flowed toward Solrock. This was Helping Hand, a move that boosted the power of its ally's next attack.
With his sister's support, Tate immediately followed up with a shouted command.
"Rain? Hah, I don't even care to compete with you over weather control. Solrock, use Flare Blitz! Let me see how your Metagross handles this on its own!"
Flames instantly erupted around Solrock, blazing fiercely. At the same time, Lunatone intensified its energy output, continuously channeling power into Solrock.
Empowered by the boost, Solrock burned like a miniature sun. The raging flames showed no sign of weakening under the rain. Instead, they grew even more intense, evaporating the surrounding raindrops into clouds of white mist.
Just as Liza and Tate's Pokémon unleashed their moves, Theo slowly raised his left hand.
On his wrist, a metallic bracelet embedded with a multicolored gem began to glow faintly. It was the Mega Evolution bracelet.
Then, from his chest pocket, he took out Metagross's Mega Stone.
"It's time."
A trace of reminiscence flashed through Theo's eyes. Mimicking the battle posture he had once seen in the anime in his previous life, he lightly touched the Mega Stone to his lips, then suddenly threw it toward Metagross while shouting loudly:
"Let the light of the stone become the bond between us! Metagross, Mega Evolve!"
The instant the Mega Stone collided with Metagross, a dazzling white light erupted, instantly engulfing the entire battlefield.
A violent surge of energy formed a powerful gust of wind that swept through the arena, blowing the hair of every spectator. Even the referee at the edge of the field could not help but take a step back.
Everyone in the stands rose to their feet involuntarily, their eyes fixed on the blinding light, filled with shock and anticipation.
Within the radiance, Metagross's form began to change dramatically.
Its body expanded rapidly, its original four metallic limbs elongating and thickening, their tips becoming sharper and more fearsome, forming enormous claws that gleamed with a chilling edge.
Its back suddenly split open, extending four additional metallic limbs that mirrored the original ones, forming a symmetrical structure that guarded its rear.
The golden X-shaped mark on its forehead gradually deepened into a dark blue, and with its immense psychic power, it effortlessly floated into the air, looking down upon the two opposing Pokémon.
When the white light finally faded, Mega Metagross revealed itself before everyone.
It hovered half a meter above the ground, its four massive frontal claws moving slightly, each motion cutting through the air with a sharp sound.
Its crimson eyes shone with an overwhelming sense of dominance, and the pressure radiating from its body silenced the entire battlefield.
"W-what is that?!"
"Metagross… can it evolve again? What kind of monster is that?!"
Shocked cries erupted from the audience.
The livestream chat had completely gone berserk, the screen flooded with countless exclamations and disbelief.
"Oh my god! What am I seeing?!"
"Did Metagross just evolve? That's impossible!"
"This is insane! Absolutely insane!"
On the other side of the battlefield, Liza and Tate stood frozen.
Their eyes were wide open as they stared at the Mega Metagross floating in midair, their mouths slightly open, yet no words came out.
They had heard from their father about Mega Evolution before. It was said to be a special transformation that allowed Pokémon to unleash power beyond their limits for a short time.
The Pokémon League had already mobilized all of its research resources to study this phenomenon, and Devon Corporation had also dispatched many researchers to assist at the League headquarters.
Even projects at their father's space research institute had been delayed because of it.
According to internal rumors, Mega Evolution had only recently been successfully developed, and priority was currently being given to Elite Four members and top Gym Leaders to explore their Pokémon's potential for Mega Evolution.
But how could Theo already possess the means to trigger Mega Evolution ahead of them?
Was this yet another gift from Steven?
That level of favoritism was simply outrageous.
Could it be that the rumors online were true? That Steven favored Theo so much that he treated him like his own child?
In truth, Liza and Tate had misunderstood everything.
The discovery of Mega Evolution had been made possible largely because of the mural Theo had found at Meteor Falls. This information was only circulated among regional champions, professors, and the most elite Gym Leaders.
Chairman Goodshow's intentions were clear. He wanted to reward those who contributed to the League's development and encourage cooperation between regions.
Although Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh had formed the Pokémon League together, each region still had its own interests. By promoting the sharing of advanced technologies, the Chairman hoped to further unify all regions under the League.
Of course, Liza and Tate had no way of knowing this.
For those unaware of the truth, Steven's reputation would simply have to take the blame once again.
After all, he and Wallace were often seen as carefree figures, so taking a bit of misunderstanding for the sake of the League was hardly a big deal.
Liza took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She knew that now was not the time to be stunned. The battle was still ongoing, and hesitation would only make things worse.
"Don't panic, Tate."
She reassured her brother through telepathy, her gaze locked firmly onto Mega Metagross.
"Even Mega Evolution must have its weaknesses."
Then, once again through their psychic link, she issued her command:
"Solrock, attack! Lunatone, increase your energy output and support Solrock!"
The battle continued.
(End of Chapter)