Chapter 340: VS Sabrina's Metagross
First Match in Ultra Ball Tier — Sabrina?!
The moment news broke that Asahi's very first match after moving up to the Ultra Ball tier was against Sabrina, it spread like wildfire through the entire Kanto Division.
Sympathy for Sabrina poured in from all sides.
To draw Asahi in your very first Ultra Ball match? That's luck of the absolute worst kind.
Especially Gary, who, based on his own painful experience, said bluntly, "Miss Sabrina, there's no shame in losing to Asahi!"
Sabrina: "..."
The match hasn't even started, and you're already saying I lost?
Sabrina couldn't help but feel a twinge of understanding for Asahi now.
Clearly, Gary needs some stricter training.
As for forfeiting…? No way. That's absolutely out of the question! She'd been preparing for this battle against Asahi for a long time!
...
Battle Pyramid
One of the six Battle Facilities in Hoenn's Battle Frontier, the Battle Pyramid was originally under the command of the Pyramid King—Brandon.
But with the World Championship in full swing, the Battle Pyramid had been repurposed to host matches for the Ultra Ball tier.
Brandon himself was invited to serve as guest commentator.
"Good morning, afternoon, and night! We're casting the net with electric vibes and catching your eyeballs—this is Iono, live and wild!"
Iono twirled her oversized sleeve dramatically, grinning into the camera lens.
"This is the one and only official World Championship stream—brought to you by Denden Stream, with your host Iono!"
Beside her, Brandon was far more reserved. "I'm Brandon, Frontier Brain of the Battle Pyramid."
"We'll be your commentators for this exciting match!"
The live broadcast, carried via satellite, was being streamed to every corner of the world.
The thought that every Pokémon battle enthusiast worldwide was watching made Iono nearly giddy with excitement.
Brandon glanced sideways at Iono, who showed zero signs of nervousness.
Now he finally understood why the higher-ups chose a streaming personality like her for such a critical role in the official commentary team.
It wasn't just fangirling.
No, she was born for this.
"Some of you might have missed the pre-show preview, so let's start with an introduction of today's trainers!"
"First, the challenged trainer—ranked #91 in the Ultra Ball tier—Sabrina, Gym Leader of Saffron City. A Psychic-type specialist known for her own supernatural abilities, she's earned the nickname Psychic Beauty!"
Above Iono's head, her Magnemite companion spun in place. Next to her, a top-of-the-line hologram projector—fresh from the Lysandre Labs—projected a battle clip of Sabrina.
In the footage, Sabrina stood with lazy poise, casually commanding her Alakazam, effortlessly defeating her opponent with a flick of the wrist.
[Miss Sabrina!]
[Miss Sabrina for the win!]
The live chat exploded with supportive comments. It was clear Sabrina had a loyal fanbase as the Gym Leader of Saffron City.
Then Brandon took over. "The other trainer is Asahi! Previously featured in the opening ceremony, where his Gardevoir defeated Cynthia's Garchomp!"
As his words landed, a hologram of Asahi riding on Rayquaza descended dramatically from the sky.
The crowd response was instantaneous, far eclipsing even Sabrina's intro.
[Every time I see this, I get chills! What a legend!]
[He's cruising through the Masters Eight like it's a warm-up!]
[When's Asahi going to arrest Iono already?]
Iono: "?"
Some suspicious messages just snuck into the chat, didn't they?
---
Back at the Battlefield
While Iono and Brandon introduced the trainers, Asahi and Sabrina had already stepped onto the battlefield.
"You really want to do a 3v3?" Asahi asked.
He'd thought Sabrina would go with a simple 1v1 just for show—but she was dead serious about this battle.
Seeing the determination in her eyes, Asahi sighed.
This was all Gary's fault!
If he hadn't opened his big mouth and riled her up, today's battle could've been a light and friendly spar!
Yes, blame Gary. 100%.
In the stands, Gary—who had just advanced to the Master Ball tier and came to watch during his break—sneezed.
...
Though the Ultra Ball tier featured new rules, the referee remained the same: a hovering Drone Rotom.
After selecting the 3v3 format via the app and submitting their teams, Asahi gave a small wave to the sky.
Rotom sprang into action.
[The format has been confirmed: 3v3!]
[Both trainers can switch Pokémon throughout the match. Victory goes to the trainer whose opponent has all three Pokémon faint. Let the battle begin—Rotom!]
As Rotom's voice faded, both Asahi and Sabrina threw out their Poké Balls.
In front of Asahi stood a dazzling Milotic, its radiant glow pulling in every gaze.
And from Sabrina's side…
"Metaaang—!"
A harsh metallic screech rang out.
A massive Metagross landed on all fours, shaking the ground.
Asahi blinked.
Wait—wasn't this the same Beldum Sabrina picked up from the Hoenn League after the incident?
She'd never used it in battle before—he thought maybe she hadn't raised it at all.
Turns out she'd been quietly training it in secret this whole time!
Catching the flash of surprise on Asahi's face, Sabrina smiled and gracefully tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "Since joining the International Police, I've been working hard~"
"Metaaa!"
Her Metagross echoed her with a deep metallic growl.
But instead of the shock Sabrina expected, Asahi looked heartbroken.
"You said we'd slack off together, and you secretly went full try-hard?!"
Asahi stared at her, full of betrayal.
Sabrina: "..."
Come on, not in front of the global livestream...
Asahi clearly remembered the cameras, quickly regaining his composure.
Back to serious battle mode—before he even gave an order, Milotic had already launched its first strike.
With a flick of its tail, a ring of Aqua Ring formed around its body. It then reared its head and launched a shimmering, vibrating blast of water
Water Pulse!
Brandon chimed in, "Asahi's Milotic takes the initiative! Its moves are incredibly fluid—the transition from Aqua Ring to Water Pulse is flawless. That shows deep battle experience!"
Of course it does, Asahi thought.
This Milotic survived the Groudon–Kyogre incident!
The Water Pulse shot forward, reaching Metagross in seconds.
But Sabrina didn't panic.
"Light Screen!"
A wall of psychic energy shimmered into place, blocking the attack. Water exploded into mist as Metagross swiftly repositioned, giving Milotic no chance to follow up.
Then—
"Metagross, use Magnet Rise!"
Tiny arcs of electricity sparked across Metagross's frame as its massive body lifted effortlessly into the air.
Normal Metagrosses, even with Magnet Rise, wouldn't be that agile. There was only one explanation—
"Light Metal?" Asahi narrowed his eyes.
Pokémon with the Light Metal ability weigh half their usual mass!
That's the only way this flying tank could be this nimble.
And just as he thought that, Metagross lunged at Milotic without warning.
A sneak attack?
Asahi had already anticipated it.
"Milotic, Surf!"
Before the words were even fully out of his mouth, Milotic's tail whipped downward.
A massive wave surged into existence.
Whooosh!
The water swept toward Metagross midair.
"Milotic used Surf, but Metagross—Metagross is rising higher into the sky!"
It quickly ascended, hovering above the incoming flood.
Higher altitude meant dodging the attack… but at a price.
It was clear the higher Metagross flew, the more strain it took.
After dodging the first wave, it quickly descended back to its original altitude.
Right into Asahi's trap—
"Hydro Pump!"
A high-pressure jet of water, thick as a barrel, roared toward the descending Metagross.
It had no time to gain height again.
Sabrina's eyes narrowed. "Metagross, Metal Claw!"
Metagross's eyes flashed blue. Its four brains, working like supercomputers, instantly analyzed the incoming Hydro Pump—
Trajectory. Angle. Weak points.
In a flash, Metagross raised one claw glowing with a sharp, icy sheen.
Swish!
A white streak cut through the air as Metal Claw cleaved the Hydro Pump into a spray of harmless mist.
But that didn't mean it got away unscathed…
Metagross was sent reeling through the air, pushed back more than ten meters by the impact. More importantly, it was now soaked from head to toe.
And Asahi didn't give it a moment to recover.
"Icy Wind!"
"Huh? An Ice-type move against a Steel-type?" Kiki blinked in confusion.
Ice-type moves weren't effective against Steel-types like Metagross. What was Asahi thinking?
But of course—this was no random choice. He had a plan.
Before Kiki's words even faded, Milotic opened its mouth, releasing a bone-chilling gust of frost.
The Icy Wind swept out in a massive arc toward Metagross.
The water on Metagross's surface instantly froze. The high humidity on the battlefield—thanks to Surf earlier—only made the process faster.
Crack! Crack!
Ice rapidly formed on the soaked floor and on Metagross itself. Though the move didn't deal much damage, that wasn't the point.
The real target: mobility.
The extra ice buildup increased Metagross's weight and severely restricted its once-fluid motion. Particularly around its spherical joints, the accumulating frost became a major hindrance, locking its limbs and stiffening its entire frame.
"This was your strategy?" Sabrina asked, her tone calm.
"What do you think?" Asahi replied with a faint grin. "Milotic, press the attack! Use Muddy Water!"
Milotic's tail swept through the air, and a surge of muddy, sand-laced water erupted from the ground, hurtling straight at Metagross.
Already sluggish and struggling, Metagross couldn't dodge in time. It was hit full-on, the dirty water splashing across its face, blinding its vision with silt and grime.
Immobilized. Vision obscured.
From the commentator booth, Brandon furrowed his brow.
"Interesting… Sabrina doesn't look nervous at all. Could it be—she still has a trump card left?"
Of course she did.
As a powerful psychic herself, she hadn't even started using her strongest Psychic-type tactics.
She raised her hand lightly. "Metagross, Psychic!"
A sharp glint of blue flashed in Metagross's eyes.
A surge of overwhelming psychic power exploded from its body, sweeping out in all directions. Ice shattered. Muddy Water dispersed into harmless droplets. All obstacles were blown away by the raw, unfiltered might of Psychic.
The audience collectively gasped.
So this… this is the power of a true Psychic-type!
The devastating psychic shockwave caught Milotic mid-move, sending it skidding across the frozen field, shards of ice spraying up in every direction.
Milotic winced in pain, and for a moment, its expression stirred something primal in the audience—a strong urge to protect this elegant, suffering Pokémon.
But if it had been any other male Pokémon watching Milotic like this, it might've been distracted by its natural allure.
Unfortunately for Milotic…
Metagross had the heart of a machine.
Its brain was basically a supercomputer. Things like "Charm" or "Attract" might as well have been aimed at a toaster.
Its eyes glowed again, and it charged forward, claws glowing.
"Is Miss Sabrina… actually going to win?" Gary muttered in shock from the stands, thinking back on how loudly he had trash-talked earlier.
Just then, Milotic's pitiful, soft expression twisted into something else—mischievous and strange. A flash of eerie light burst from its eyes, striking Metagross head-on.
Confuse Ray. A Ghost-type move that causes confusion.
The good news: Metagross has four brains. The move wasn't particularly powerful, and it only managed to affect one of them.
The bad news: Those four brains were tightly connected through a neural network.
And now—with one of the processors glitching…
Metagross suddenly spun mid-air and smashed its own face with one of its own arms.
CLANG!!
Sparks flew in every direction as the metallic clang rang through the stadium.
Metagross was sent crashing onto the icy battlefield, sliding back more than ten meters in a heap of its own confusion.