Practice

On Steven's side, things progressed swiftly. The next day, the Keystone for the exchange with Yuga were promptly delivered to Verdanturf Town.

As soon as Steven received the Keystone, he sought out Yuga, and the exchange was completed.

Simultaneously, the events at the Team Aqua Branch were reported to the Hoenn League by Liliana, with Steven's name kept hidden as agreed upon. Most of the credit for the success fell upon Yuga's shoulders.

Because of this, Yuga's name officially gained the attention of the League's higher-ups.

While Yuga had previously been known to only a small faction within the League as Mr. Kuni'o's disciple, this significant achievement was Yuga's stepping stone into the League's spotlight.

Yuga was only seventeen years old, yet he had captured an Elite level Trainer, Nigra. This led many to speculate about Yuga's true strength.

However, Yuga had never revealed his full power to the outside world, leaving others to guess.

Clearly, the strength Yuga had shown so far wasn't enough to capture Nigra.

Yet, most people found it hard to believe that Yuga possessed Elite level abilities. They suspected he had used some special means, given his young age.

On the other hand, some believed in Yuga's abilities because of his connection to Mr. Kuni'o, one of the four remaining Master level Trainer. This connection made it reasonable to assume that Yuga was exceptionally powerful.

However, assessing Yuga's achievements would take some time. The Team Aqua was not an ordinary criminal organization, and Yuga had managed to dismantle their entire branch, which was no small feat.

Furthermore, he had captured a Elite level executive and a Pokémon professor. Regular Team Aqua branches didn't have executives or Pokémon professors.

Hence, the evaluation of Yuga's contribution would require some time.

Leaving aside Yuga's accomplishments, as soon as Steven got his hands on Mega Evolution Stone for Metagross, he insisted that Yuga accompany him to test his Metagross's Mega Evolution.

Considering that Steven had giving him a considerable merit, Yuga reluctantly agreed. He still remembered the disastrous outcome of Robert's Mega Evolution experiment.

This time, Yuga wisely chose not to bring Steven into the Ecopark, as the repairs after their last visit had cost him a substantial sum.

Steven requested Yuga to engage in a battle with his newly Mega Metagross. So, Yuga and Steven headed to the Gym's training grounds.

Originally, Yuga had been adamantly against this idea, but after Steven repeatedly assured him that his Metagross wouldn't turn out like Robert's Gyarados during its Mega Evolution, Yuga reluctantly acquiesced.

This battle caught the attention of the children at the Gym. After Yuga and Steven had prepared on opposite sides of the battlefield, they gathered around to watch.

Yuga sent out his Lapras, Ordinary Pokémon are not qualified to fight against Steven's Metagross, let alone one after Mega Evolution.

Upon seeing Yuga's Lapras, Beidou, who was observing the battle, became perplexed. Beidou knew all of Yuga's Pokémon, but this Lapras was something new.

"Wow, is this a Lapras? It looks so strange!" exclaimed Anrin, Akihito's little brother. This Lapras was quite different from the one he had seen in books.

"Really? It can even fly!" added Anmu.

"Wait, Lapras can fly?" exclaimed Ayagiri, Ayato's older sister. She seemed thrilled, as if she had discovered something extraordinary.

Arata Sena, who overheard the children's conversation, couldn't help but shake his head. Not all Lapras could fly! Well, at least, this was the only one.

After the incident with the Team Aqua Branch, Arata Sena's biological father, Sena Yuuto, had been sentenced to death for his role in the organization, as well as for taking multiple lives. There was no other possible outcome, given his prominent position within the Team Aqua Branch and the numerous lives he had taken.

After the Arata family learned about this matter, their reaction was surprisingly calm, as they had long anticipated such an outcome.

Subsequently, Arata Hayato and Arata Sena visited Arata Yuuto a few times, but he didn't meet with them. It was unclear whether he resented them or was too ashamed to face them.

Aunt Aoba, on the other hand, was carefree. She went about her daily activities as if Arata Yuuto had never existed. In the past, when Arata Yuuto was absent, he was like a thorn in her heart. Now that she knew his fate, she felt a sense of relief.

Once Steven was ready, the radiance of Mega Evolution appeared, and a completely new Pokémon materialized on the battlefield.

Beidou, who was watching in astonishment, opened his mouth wide. Metagross had undergone Evolution once again! Was the Metagross he knew different from others?

At present, very few people knew about Mega Evolution, and Yuga hadn't informed the people at the Gym. So, Beidou's lack of knowledge was understandable.

Aside from Beidou, Arata Sena, and Akihito, the reactions of the other children were milder because they didn't fully understand what was happening.

Upon seeing the clear gaze of Mega Metagross, Yuga felt relieved. Mega Metagross seemed perfectly normal, without any uncontrollable tendencies.

"Let's stop here, alright? Otherwise, my side might not withstand your enthusiasm," Yuga said with a smile, fixing his gaze on Mega Metagross once again.

...

<<Mega Metagross>>

Type: Steel, Psychic

Ability: Iron Fist

Gender: None

Potential: Indigo

Level: 81

Moves: Meteor Mash, Psychic, Metal Claw, Magnet Rise, Bullet Punch, Zen Headbutt, Psychic Terrain, Agility, Comet Punch, Iron Defense, Hyper Beam, Psyshock, Protect, Earthquake, Return, Gyro Ball, Rock Slide, Flash Cannon, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch.

...

After Mega Evolution, Metagross not only underwent a significant external transformation but also experienced a substantial increase in power.

Its ability changed from Clear Body to Iron Fist, and its level went from 78 to 81, officially reaching the Champion level. Although it was just entering this tier, it was already a remarkable achievement.

The difference between Champion level and Elite level was vast.

How could they battle like this? A Champion level against a Elite level was simply a joke! Yuga rolled his eyes.

"Well, I think we don't really need to spar," Yuga chuckled.

"Ah, let's just have a few moves for fun!" Steven also noticed the tremendous change in his Metagross's aura. He was eager to test Mega Metagross's strength, and Yuga was the only one around who could manage a few rounds.

"Alright, alright, but let's keep it to just a few moves! My Lapras can't compete with your Mega Metagross now."

If Lapras had a 50-50 chance against Metagross before, it was now close to zero.

"Okay, okay, let's get started," Steven urged eagerly.

With their spirits adjusted, Yuga had his Lapras make the first move!

Originally, Lapras stood no chance, so it was essential to seize the initiative.