Magnemite's whole body erupted in blinding sparks; propelled by the flash, it shot straight at Beldum.
It planned to lean on Quick Attack's paralysis chance to seize the upper hand, but the instant the two Pokémon were about to collide, Beldum's Confusion flared to life!
It didn't shift course—Confusion merely nudged its strike angle by a hair.
That hair-breadth tweak let Iron Head skim past the crackling Magnemite.
Magnemite's single eye flickered in bewilderment; its Quick Attack fizzled for want of a target.
Using the momentum of that feint, Beldum curved like a returning boomerang and slipped behind its foe.
Bang!
Another deafening impact—Iron Head slammed square between Magnemite's shoulders.
This time Magnemite couldn't hold on; its round frame flipped mid-air and crashed to the floor.
Its lone eye spiralled into swirls—battle capability lost.
A hush fell, then thunderous applause.
Spectators cheered the crisp finish, while on the referee stand Walter exclaimed in surprise, "Magnemite is unable to battle—Beldum wins!"
The live-chat exploded:
Total domination! That Beldum's a monster!
Of course it's easy—look, it's shiny, same as Champion Steven's!
Gym challenge? More like a highlight reel!
Gym Leader Wattson recalled Magnemite, yet instead of dismay he grinned in excitement, clapping. "Astounding Beldum! That Confusion control plus magnetic thrust pushes Agility to the limit."
"Looks like I'll need to get serious."
He plucked another Poké Ball from his belt and flung it high. "Let's go, Electrode!"
Bang!
The Ball burst open in red light; a Pokémon the size of an upside-down giant Poké Ball landed lightly.
Red-and-white body, mischievous smirk on its face—Electrode.
The moment it appeared, faint crackles danced round it, leaving the air faintly scorched.
Lionel's mind instantly pulled up its data:
[Pokémon: Electrode]
[Type: Electric]
[Category: Ball Pokémon]
[Ability: Static (may paralyze contact attackers)]
[Moves: Charge, Eerie Impulse, Magnetic Flux, Rollout, Charge Beam, Electro Ball, Magnet Rise, Self-Destruct, Thunderbolt——]
Electrode with Static," Lionel thought, heart tightening; Beldum would have to watch its close-range moves.
This Electrode was the polar opposite of Magnemite—blisteringly fast, impossible to handle as casually as before.
Fortunately, it was a pure glass cannon; Defence and Sp. Defence were only average. If Beldum seized its chance, victory was likely.
Only that "Self-Destruct" in its move list made him wary—an all-or-nothing nuke.
Though Beldum's Steel typing offered resistance, caution was mandatory.
"Electrode, Magnetic Flux!" Wattson ordered.
Electrode bounced cheerfully; ripples of warped energy spread outward.
Unlike ordinary electricity, the pulses bent the field itself.
The move was meant to pair with Plusle and Minun and their Plus/Minus Abilities, boosting their defences under the right field.
Wattson, however, had another trick in mind.
Sure enough, Beldum wobbled mid-air, its stable levitation faltering, crimson eyes flashing in Confusion.
Wattson laughed heartily. "I know your Beldum's speed is scary, but with the field's magnetics scrambled, let's see you dodge!"
Beldum's no lightweight; without magnetic aid, keeping Agility up with Confusion alone won't be easy!"
Yet before Wattson finished, Beldum righted itself.
It hovered, body glowing faint silver as it fought the twisted field.
Within seconds the shaking stopped; it even twirled nimbly, as if to say, "No big deal."
Wattson's grin stiffened; he stared, stunned.
Lionel understood: Chairman Stone had sent over nickel-iron alloy harvested from a mighty Magneton's body.
That ore, dense with magnetic energy, had reinforced Beldum and pushed its own magnetic control to uncanny levels.
Even with the arena field scrambled, it could tap its stored magnetism to cancel the interference.
Devon Corporation was a titan of steel and energy; many staff owned powerful Magneton.
Resources lavished on this shiny Beldum—Steven's twin—were naturally top-tier.
Tempered by those rare ores, it could no longer be judged by ordinary standards.
The veteran Gym Leader composed himself after a moment.
"Interesting—you can adapt to field distortion. No matter! Electrode, Thunderbolt!"
Buzz! Buzz!
Electrode ballooned, lightning blazing around it.
Thick silver serpents of electricity lashed toward Beldum, the air sharp with ozone.
"Dodge!" Lionel barked.
Beldum was ready, crimson eyes bright amid the glare.
With precise Confusion it threaded through the lightning like an arrow.
When a bolt proved unavoidable, a faint psychic barrier nudged it aside, letting it graze past and explode on the ground in sprays of sparks.
Viewers gaped at their screens:
"My God—ballet in a thunderstorm?"
"Thunderbolt didn't even scuff it!"
"I want a Beldum too!"
Lionel never liked taking hits without hitting back.
Beldum's earlier pause had been to gauge the warped field; now it had the measure of it.
"Beldum, Iron Head again—go!"
At his crisp command, Beldum shot forward, silver body turning into a cannonball, propelled by both Confusion and its own magnetism like a streak of light toward Electrode.
۞۞۞۞
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