"Wow!!"

Electivire charged straight toward Metagross, his fists blazing with incandescent golden electricity that crackled through the air.

Metagross's crimson eyes flashed an intense blue. With a low metallic growl—"Meee…taa…!"—it unleashed a pulse of psychic energy. A wave of Confusion erupted outward, rippling through the rocky valley and enveloping Electivire.

"Discharge!" Gary ordered sharply.

"Viiire!"

At once, Electivire roared, releasing a torrent of electric energy from his entire body. Golden lightning danced wildly around him, branching like tree roots and striking indiscriminately in every direction. Several of those arcs slammed into Metagross, bursting with explosive static.

Metagross groaned metallically and hurled Electivire away, the heavy creature thudding against a nearby rock wall. "GROOOOSS!"

But Metagross wasn't done. It opened its mouth slightly, concentrating immense power. A glowing orange orb of pure energy began forming and condensing at the center of its core.

Gary's eyes widened in awe. "Hyper Beam!?"

He knew that move. It was one of Metagross's signature techniques—but usually accessible only to those who had reached an exceptionally high level of strength. The fact that this wild, shiny Metagross could already unleash it meant it was truly a powerhouse.

Electivire rose again, shaking off the dust and debris. When he saw the orange beam gathering in Metagross's mouth, he grinned fiercely. "Viiire!"

Gary smirked. "Alright, let's show them what we've got. Electivire—use Ion Deluge!"

Electricity surged along Electivire's fur, forming a living armor of blazing blue current that shimmered around his muscular frame.

Metagross's eyes gleamed. "Meta?"

The steel giant appeared momentarily puzzled, but it did not release the accumulated energy just yet. Then, with a sudden roar, it fired the Hyper Beam straight toward its opponent.

"BWOOOM!!"

The orange blast cut through the air like a blazing comet, slamming directly into Electivire. The impact exploded in a flare of white light, shaking the valley.

Metagross gave a low, mechanical chuckle. "Metagross…" It thought the battle was over.

But from within the smoke, the glow of blue electricity began to mix with golden light. Electivire stood firm, the charge from the Hyper Beam coursing into his own body. The energy veins across his hide lit up in streaks of brilliant gold.

Gary's eyes shone. "He absorbed it… Perfect!"

Electivire's twin antennae stretched outward, sparking violently. The absorbed energy had supercharged his system—his voltage soaring to dangerous levels.

"Dynamic Punch!" Gary commanded.

Electivire's fist ignited in radiant gold. With a mighty roar—"VIIIIRE!!"—he launched forward, streaking like lightning itself.

"Bang!!"

He struck Metagross square in the chest, the blow detonating in a burst of energy so intense that it carved deep gouges in the surrounding rock. The metallic titan staggered backward nearly ten meters, its limbs screeching against the stone, leaving claw marks as it skidded to a halt.

Even with its incredible Steel typing and durability, the impact from Dynamic Punch caused significant damage—and worse, it left Metagross disoriented. Its eyes flickered erratically as confusion set in.

Gary clenched his fist. "Now's our chance! Finish it—Thunder!"

"VIIIIRE!!"

Lightning erupted from Electivire's entire body, surging upward into the dark clouds above. A second later, multiple colossal bolts cascaded down, engulfing Metagross in a storm of blinding electricity. Thunder boomed across the mountains as gold arcs danced wildly over its silver body.

Metagross roared in agony, "METAAAAA!" before collapsing, battered and exhausted, smoke rising from its scorched armor.

Seeing the opportunity, Gary pulled out a Poké Ball. "Go, Poké Ball!"

He hurled it forward.

The red-and-white sphere hit Metagross's head with a soft plink!—then burst open, drawing the massive Pokémon in with a bright beam of red light. It shook violently on the ground once… twice… three times—

Click!

The ball stopped moving.

Gary stood still for a heartbeat, then grinned widely. "Yes! Gotcha! Shiny Metagross captured!"

Electivire raised his fists victoriously. "Viiiiiiire!!"

Gary walked over and carefully picked up the Poké Ball, holding it up with admiration. "A Shiny Metagross—Level 60, Champion-tier potential. You'll be my trump card."

He connected his Pokédex to check the data that appeared on the screen:

Pokémon: Metagross (Shiny)

Type: Steel / Psychic

Level: 60

Potential: Champion

Ability: Clear Body (Not affected by stat-lowering moves.)

Known Moves: Tackle, Confusion, Bullet Punch, Zen Headbutt, Magnet Rise, Flash Cannon, Take Down, Psychic, Meteor Mash, Hyper Beam

Learned Technique: Gyro Ball

Friendship: 85 (out of 255)

Gary nodded approvingly. "So it really awakened Hyper Beam early… That's impressive."

He recalled Electivire and smiled. "Alright, let's head back to Windvale Town."

Riding his loyal Magnezone through the roaring updrafts, Gary returned to the Pokémon Center.

"Nurse Joy, thank you for your help again," he said politely, handing over the Poké Balls for Electivire, Magnezone, and Metagross.

Nurse Joy smiled warmly. "You're welcome, Gary. You seem to come back every time with more and more powerful Pokémon."

Gary chuckled modestly. "Just doing what a Trainer does best."

By capturing the Shiny Metagross, Gary had now caught nine Shiny Pokémon in total—just one more to complete his personal goal of ten.

As he waited at the counter for his team's treatment, Nurse Joy cautiously approached. "Did you really capture that Metagross everyone was talking about?"

Gary nodded casually. "Yeah. It put up a good fight, but in the end, it joined me willingly."

Nurse Joy gasped softly. "That's incredible. I didn't expect someone your age to accomplish what so many strong Trainers couldn't."

Gary gave a small shrug, though a proud grin tugged at his lips. "I've only beaten the Pokémon League Champion a few times, after all."

Her eyes widened. "Only a few times? That's… not something most Trainers can say so casually."

"Haha," Gary laughed. "You underestimated me before. Now you know—I'm not some rookie kid anymore."

Once his Pokémon were fully healed, Gary stretched and adjusted his backpack. "Alright, time to move out. Next stop: the Gracidea Fields."

Nurse Joy waved him off. "Be careful out there, Gary!"

The Gracidea Fields were located to the north of Floaroma Town, an area famous for its floral scents and vibrant meadows. The path required cutting through a forest trail, though one could also take a small ferry around the area by water.

Gary decided to travel overland—he preferred seeing new terrain up close. Along the route, he planned to stop in Eterna City and challenge the local Gym.

If he wanted to participate in the Lily of the Valley Conference, he needed the official Gym Badges of Sinnoh. The Eterna Gym was the second in the regional sequence.

It took him a day and a half of steady travel before the spires of Eterna City came into view. The ancient city was deeply entwined with vegetation; vines crawled across the stone walls, and the air carried the earthy scent of wildflowers.

At the Pokémon Center, Nurse Joy greeted him again as he handed over Magnezone for rest before the Gym challenge.

Eterna Gym was one of Sinnoh's oldest and most aesthetically unique arenas. Its walls were covered in twisting ivy and flowers carefully cultivated by its leader, Gardenia—the renowned Grass-type specialist.

As Gary pushed open the heavy wooden doors, he marveled at the interior—natural sunlight filtered through the leafy ceiling, dappling the polished wooden floor with patterns of green.

"Handsome boy, are you doing something sneaky here?" suddenly a teased playful voice come from behind him.