"Isn't that a lion? And its typing seems to be the same as Metagross..."
"Solgaleo?" Metagross seemed to hear the name for the first time.
"If the Pokémon you saw could emit light and had something like stars on its face, then without a doubt, that must be Solgaleo."
Upon hearing this, Metagross didn't hesitate at all. "That's definitely it. Solgaleo, huh? I'll remember that name."
"Uh…"
Nathan showed a helpless expression and asked, "What makes you think I can find it?"
He himself had no confidence at all.
Why did this Metagross seem to have so much faith in him?
And yet...
This Metagross didn't just have ordinary confidence in itself—it wanted to challenge the Emissary of the Sun. Wasn't it afraid of being blasted away?
"No. Compared to me, your chances of finding it are much higher," Metagross said with certainty. "I can feel a familiar aura from you—just like the sun."
"A familiar... aura?" Nathan frowned slightly, confused.
The sun?
The only thing remotely related to the sun he had was Volcarona—
After all, Volcarona was known as the incarnation of the sun.
"Yes, the same aura I felt when I saw Solgaleo—vast and magnificent," Metagross said. "You must've encountered a Pokémon on par with Solgaleo, haven't you?"
"I have."
With Metagross saying that, Nathan immediately remembered—
Ho-Oh.
Even though it was just a projection,
It didn't change the fact that Ho-Oh was incredibly powerful.
Perhaps that projection had left a trace of Ho-Oh's aura on him?
If that were the case, then it would all make sense.
"Even if I have seen one, I can't guarantee I'll really be able to find Solgaleo," Nathan said seriously.
"That's fine," Metagross replied calmly. "I just want to challenge that guy. As long as there's hope, it's enough. And even if you can't find it, you can take this child with you. It'll grow stronger by your side. If it stays here, it will eventually be rejected by the group and forced to leave alone."
Among Pokémon, once rejection starts, it's hard to undo—
A common issue among many Pokémon clans.
Nathan looked at the Beldum floating beside Metagross and asked, "Beldum, would you like to leave with me?"
"I would—but you have to defeat me first," Beldum said as it wobbled in the air.
"No problem."
Hearing that, a smile appeared on Nathan's face. He agreed without hesitation.
This was something many Pokémon did before being captured—testing firsthand whether the Trainer was truly a match for them.
Only after that would they willingly be caught.
Seeing Nathan agree, a fighting spirit instantly lit up in Beldum's eyes.
Nathan didn't hesitate. "Pangoro, I'm counting on you."
Pangoro nodded. Although Metagross was standing nearby, it still stood up, stared at Beldum, and took a battle stance.
A faint shimmer ran across Beldum's body—Nathan recognized it as the Iron Defense move.
It would harden its outer shell and raise its defense.
Immediately after, Beldum launched itself toward Pangoro—
Head first—Iron Head.
"Pangoro, dodge it with Kami-e, then use Hammer Arm!"
"Roar!"
Hearing the command, Pangoro twisted its body with ease, dodging Beldum's Iron Head.
Then, just as Beldum was about to pass by, Pangoro threw a sudden Hammer Arm with tremendous force.
With type advantage and the level difference,
Just one punch sent Beldum flying—crashing to the ground and unable to get up.
"You okay, Beldum?" Nathan walked over and asked, placing his right hand on Beldum.
A soft white light appeared in his palm, healing Beldum—it was the Viridian Power.
Seeing this, Metagross was visibly stunned.
It didn't expect a human to possess such a mysterious power.
Perhaps that was why Nathan could communicate with it in the first place?
"I'm fine. You're amazing—and your Pokémon is amazing too," Beldum said sincerely. Despite being hurt, it looked rather happy.
"So, are you willing to come with me now?" Nathan asked.
"Mm-hmm."
Beldum wobbled its body, as if nodding.
A joyful smile appeared on Nathan's face as he pulled out a Luxury Ball, tapping it lightly against Beldum.
In an instant, Beldum was enveloped in a red light and taken into the Poké Ball.
The ball didn't shake even once—
Beldum was successfully captured.
After the capture, Metagross spoke again.
"If you ever find yourself in trouble, come find me. I'll help you. Of course, it'd be better if you come when facing a powerful opponent—I enjoy battling strong foes."
Although most Metagrosses behaved like machines, this one was clearly a battle maniac.
Still…
"No problem," Nathan agreed without a second thought.
No kidding—this was like gaining a powerful backup.
This Metagross's strength was likely at the very least peak Elite level—possibly even Champion level.
Even on a global scale, it was undoubtedly a formidable existence.
"I'll be waiting for you here—waiting for your good news."
"I'll do my best to help you find Solgaleo. Also…"
Nathan scratched his head and asked with a smile,
"Can I use my Pokémon to battle others nearby? That way they can quickly gain experience and level up."
. . . . . .
Metagross had a strong sense of territory.
Given its presence here, it meant that this part of the Silverpeak Mountains was its domain.
Since he had finally made it here—and more importantly, made allies with this powerhouse—it'd be a waste to leave without leveling up.
Metagross nodded approvingly.
"Sure. That's a great idea. To become stronger, constant battles are necessary. I completely agree."
"Thanks a lot!" Nathan beamed with gratitude.
With Metagross's permission, even if he encountered other powerful wild Pokémon he couldn't handle, he could just call for help—
No more worries.
And this place could be considered a training paradise.
Though it wasn't suitable for Trapinch, both Volcarona and Pangoro could gain significant levels here.
If he stayed a few more days, his Pokémon would undoubtedly become stronger.
…
Poplar City
Inside the League sub-division office.
Vice President Cloud sat in his office, legs crossed, grinning at his phone.
"The rule changes for the World Tournament? That's a problem for next year—what's the rush?"
"Besides, we've got so many outstanding rookies in our country. What are you so worried about?"
"Let's not even talk about others—just look at our Poplar City's very own Nathan. A rookie Trainer who already raised a Volcarona to Elite level—can other countries match that?"
"And on top of that, he's developed several practical fighting techniques as a rookie. Other rookie Trainers around the world? They can't compare!"
"What? Bragging? No, don't slander me—I'm just speaking facts. I swear I'm not trying to get extra resources from HQ or anything. Stuff like Berries or high-grade evolution stones—I'm really not interested."
"What? You're going to force me to take them? Wow, you're way too generous… I guess I'll reluctantly accept."
"Alright, I'll make sure to keep pushing Nathan forward."
"Oh right—don't forget to reserve a few slots in the secret realm for us before the National Tournament."
"Okay, got it."
After hanging up, Vice President Cloud smirked proudly.
"Nice. These old geezers finally remembered Poplar City. From now on, I'll be squeezing more resources out of them every year—or else it wouldn't be fair."
Although he was still Vice President, the current President of the Poplar City League was old and about to retire.
He was the clear front-runner to succeed him.
So now, most of the League's affairs, especially negotiations with HQ, were already handled by him.
Thankfully, Poplar City now had a star like Nathan—
And with next year's World Tournament changes, he was confident that Poplar City would soon be full of powerful Trainers.
"I gotta keep that Nathan kid on track. Can't let him slack off," Vice President Cloud muttered, picking up his phone and sending Nathan a message.
But there was no way Nathan could receive that message right now.
Deep in the Silverpeak Mountains, there was no cell signal—especially in Metagross's territory.
Between Metagross, Beldum, and Metang, the whole area was filled with magnetic fields, naturally disrupting any communication signals.
…
Two days passed in the blink of an eye.
Currently—
Silverpeak Mountains, deep within Metagross's territory
"Pangoro, finish it—Aura Sphere!" Nathan shouted.
Pangoro roared, taking a step forward, dashing toward the heavily injured Scyther ahead.
A ball of energy formed in its palm and blasted directly into the Scyther.
Boom!
Scyther collapsed, completely losing the ability to fight.
[Your Pokémon 'Pangoro' won the battle! Gained 98 EXP. Level increased to 45!]
In just two days, Nathan had been grinding levels within Metagross's territory.
While Metagross had a strong sense of territory, it only applied to Pokémon it considered worth noticing.
If weaker Pokémon wandered into its area, it wouldn't bother.
As a result, there were plenty of Pokémon in the area—many of them quite strong, ranging from Advanced level to Commander level, with occasional gym-level opponents too.
Over these two days, Nathan's Pokémon had leveled up significantly:
Volcarona: Level 53 (Elite Level)
Pangoro: Level 45 (Gym Level)
Trapinch: Level 23 (Advanced Level)
Beldum: Level 27 (Advanced Level)