"Since you're back, let's go. Lucas has been waiting for you for quite some time. Ah... it's come to this, after all. I can only say... no matter who wins, let's not let this affect our friendship, all right?"
Marcus Foster looked at Ethan. He opened his mouth as if to say something more, but in the end, he just sighed.
"Don't worry," Ethan replied with a calm smile, patting him on the shoulder. "We'll always be friends."
The two of them walked together, shoulder to shoulder, toward the gym.
Inside the massive hall, silence reigned. Under the dim lights, a lone figure stood—Lucas Silver.
"Ethan, you're finally here," Lucas said, lifting his gaze. When he saw the flame flickering at the tip of Charmander's tail, his eyes gleamed for an instant.
"Yeah, here I am," Ethan replied with a shrug. Using Charmander's tail flame as a lantern, he located the switch and turned on all the gym lights.
"Ethan, you already know why I called you here, don't you?" Lucas said firmly. "Even though you're the champion of the new trainers, as long as I haven't fought you directly... I can't accept that gap between us! So today I want to settle that score. Fight me with everything you've got... please."
Lucas took a deep breath and drew out a Poké Ball, his expression utterly serious.
"I understand," Ethan answered with equal determination. "Let's battle."
Although Lucas said this battle was just to close a chapter, in truth, it meant much more—it was a fight for the position of reserve team captain.
The winner would undoubtedly be the strongest in the group... and the title of captain would rightfully be theirs.
"We'll use the same rules as the starter Pokémon selection tournament," Ethan proposed.
Both confirmed the battle conditions, and with Marcus acting as referee, the match officially began.
"I'll start then! Go, Bisharp!" shouted Lucas.
The flash of the Poké Ball illuminated the air, revealing the armored Pokémon with gleaming blades.
"Dark type, huh?" Ethan murmured. "So you chose it to counter my Slowking."
Indeed, his team was easy to guess. Aside from Bisharp, Lucas's other trump card was undoubtedly Metagross.
"A full Steel-type army, then..." Ethan said with a grin. "Perfect. Time to show the results of our recent training."
He opened his Poké Ball, and the metallic figure of Meltan appeared on the field.
"Meltan...?" Lucas froze. Not even the Devon Corporation's database had records on that Pokémon. It seemed there was only one of its kind in the entire world—an extremely rare Pokémon.
"Then I'll make the first move! Bisharp, Night Slash!" Lucas commanded.
Bisharp's blades were enveloped in dark energy as it lunged swiftly toward Meltan.
"Meltan, Thunder Spin Lash!" ordered Ethan.
A flash surged across Meltan's body, releasing an intense electric charge. Its nut-shaped body twisted, coiling like a metal spring.
As Bisharp drew near, Meltan suddenly released the built-up tension, spinning at high speed. Electric currents swirled around it, spreading like dozens of crackling whips lashing out in every direction.
Zzzzt!
Crack!
The air filled with lightning that struck Bisharp mercilessly mid-charge, hurling it violently through the air.
"Zzzt!"
After the impact, Meltan narrowed its eye and began to wiggle proudly, its body trembling with excitement.
"Meltan, now use Headbutt!" Ethan shouted.
The tiny Pokémon nodded, its body glowing again with electricity. Manipulating the magnetic fields around it, it floated upward—like using Magnet Rise—and then propelled itself like a projectile toward Bisharp.
"Bisharp, block with Metal Claw!" Lucas countered.
Bisharp crossed its blades before its body, both shining with metallic light.
Clang!
The metallic crash echoed throughout the gym as the two Steel-type Pokémon collided head-on, sending vibrations through the floor.
"Grab him, Meltan!" Ethan ordered.
Meltan's liquid metal body immediately spread out, wrapping around Bisharp like a mass of mercury. In an instant, it solidified, forming a metallic ring that immobilized Bisharp completely—its arms, legs, and torso all trapped.
Bisharp began to struggle desperately, writhing on the ground like a silver caterpillar, but it couldn't break free.
"Bisharp, Metal Burst!" Lucas shouted, a flash of strategy in his eyes.
Boom!
A powerful Steel-type energy exploded point-blank, violently separating the two Pokémon. When the smoke cleared, Meltan and Bisharp were standing face-to-face once again, both covered in scratches and sparks, visibly damaged from the close-range blast.
"Using that move to break free... clever," Ethan thought, frowning slightly. "Lucas really is a formidable opponent."
"Let's keep going... Meltan, Magnetic Control!"
At Ethan's command, Meltan's body began to glow with a blue light. Under the interaction of its electricity and magnetic power, it floated into the air, positioning itself right above Bisharp.
A powerful magnetic field burst outward, filling the stadium with an electric hum.
Bisharp immediately felt an invisible force pressing down on it. Its body sank, its legs trembled... it was as if an entire mountain had been placed upon its shoulders!
"This is... the ability Magnet Pull!" Lucas exclaimed in shock.
As a trainer specializing in Steel-types, he knew that ability well.
In modern times, the concept of "abilities" had been completely deciphered, and Magnet Pull was among the most well-known—an ability capable of affecting Steel-type Pokémon, restricting their movements.
But... this was too much!
For Bisharp to be unable to move even an inch—this went far beyond anything Lucas had ever seen.
(End of Chapter)