Its speed was even faster than when it had fought Magnemite earlier, so fast that it left behind a faint silvery afterimage in the air.
"Voltorb, dodge!"
Wattson had already anticipated this.
Voltorb bounced sharply to the side like a nimble red-and-white rubber ball, narrowly evading the Iron Head attack.
Beldum's strike smashed into the empty ground instead, kicking up a thin cloud of dust.
And so it went: propelled by magnetic levitation and the precise control of Psychic power, Beldum pursued relentlessly, while Voltorb relied on its astonishing mobility to dodge left and right.
The two Pokémon launched into a dazzling chase across the battlefield.
Beldum's silver figure clung close like a shadow, while Voltorb's red-and-white body moved like a ghost—suddenly accelerating one moment, then stopping and sharply changing direction the next.
It had to be said that its Psychic typing were truly a bit "bugged" in real combat.
In games from his previous life, Psychic-types weren't much different from other types, but in reality—paired with Beldum's steel body and innate magnetic talent—they became an almost perfect support.
Through Psychic sensing, it could anticipate Voltorb's turns, ensuring that the pursuit always remained under its control.
During the chase, Voltorb would occasionally fling out thin arcs of electricity from its body, attempting to disrupt Beldum's rhythm.
But each time, they were either sensed in advance by Beldum's Psychic power or deflected by invisible barriers it erected.
The electric currents crashed against those barriers, producing only a few scattered sparks, utterly incapable of getting close to its body.
"This can't go on like this."
Watching the stalemate unfold, Wattson frowned slightly.
He could clearly see that with Psychic power assisting it, long-range attacks were extremely unlikely to have much effect on Beldum.
"In that case, Voltorb—use Spark!"
Wattson issued the command in a deep voice. "If Magnetic Flux can't deal with you, then let's try Static combined with Spark's paralysis effect. I refuse to believe we can't seal off your speed!"
"Volt—"
Voltorb let out a sharp hum as its entire body was instantly wrapped in blazing electric light.
Crackling currents hissed loudly, forming a flickering membrane of electricity across its surface.
If Beldum dared to collide with it head-on, the move's attached electric current would very likely be conducted directly into Beldum's body, coupled with Voltorb's own Static ability.
There was a high chance that Beldum would be paralyzed on the spot—this was Wattson's trump card for locking down Beldum's speed.
Wrapped in golden lightning and accompanied by the howl of tearing wind, Voltorb charged straight at Beldum, the air on the battlefield warping slightly under the intense heat of the energy.
"Now! Beldum—Zen Headbutt!"
A sharp glint flashed through Theo's eyes. He had been waiting for this direct confrontation.
Beldum's body immediately lit up with a rich blue glow. Psychic energy surged out like a tide, coating its silvery-white body in a layer of radiant blue light.
Without the slightest hesitation, Beldum charged straight into the blinding electric light and launched a fearless counterattack!
BOOM!
The blue Psychic glow and the dazzling golden lightning collided violently at the center of the battlefield, erupting in a fierce wave of energy.
What shocked everyone was that Voltorb's electric light was forcibly blocked by the blue aura surrounding Beldum.
Those currents that should have caused paralysis slammed into what felt like an invisible wall, unable to penetrate in the slightest—let alone trigger any paralysis effect.
After the collision, Beldum gently swayed in midair. In its red crystalline eye, there was even a hint of relaxed amusement, as if it were saying, "That's it?"
It even deliberately spun in place, its posture so casual it was almost insulting.
In contrast, Voltorb was shaken back repeatedly by the recoil of the clash. Its body trembled slightly, and the electric glow around it dimmed considerably.
It had clearly suffered a significant loss. The mischievous grin on its face was long gone, replaced by visible pain and exhaustion.
Wattson stared intently at Beldum's body, his gaze filled with confusion and gravity. "Something's not right—how can it be completely unharmed?
Even if Beldum is a Steel-type Pokémon, in a direct move collision like that, it shouldn't have taken no damage at all!"
As he scrutinized Beldum's silvery body, doubts spread wildly through his mind like creeping vines. Everything felt strangely off.
Then, suddenly, Wattson's pupils shrank as he finally caught that subtle, easily overlooked detail.
The Beldum on the battlefield looked even more radiant than before.
A layer of extremely faint silver sheen was quietly swirling around it, blending seamlessly with its natural coloration—so subtle that it was nearly impossible to notice without careful observation.
"It's Iron Defense! It's been secretly maintaining Iron Defense this whole time?!"
Wattson blurted out, his voice filled with stunned realization.
"So that's how it is!"
Watt, who also served as the commentator, finally reacted as well. He hurriedly brought the microphone to his lips and explained clearly to the audience, "Everyone, take a close look! Challenger Theo's shiny Beldum has been quietly maintaining Iron Defense from the very beginning!"
Watt's voice echoed across the stadium through the speakers, brimming with excitement. "Steel-types already possess naturally formidable defense, and when stacked with Iron Defense, its defensive power has climbed to a truly terrifying level!
What's even more brilliant is that this shiny Beldum's body is naturally silver-white, perfectly blending with the glow produced by Iron Defense.
No wonder Voltorb's close-range assaults seemed to do practically no damage—this is the reason!"
The explanation instantly enlightened the spectators around the field. One after another, they craned their necks and stared toward Beldum at the center of the battlefield.
"That's true! I thought it looked a bit brighter earlier, but I assumed it was just the arena lights reflecting—who would've thought it was secretly running a move? That's way too sneaky!"
The livestream chat exploded as well, text flooding the screen so densely it nearly filled the entire display, scrolling at a speed that left viewers dizzy:
"Damn! I knew something felt off earlier—turns out it secretly activated Iron Defense!"
"This is insane! Hiding a move this perfectly—absolute master of tactical deception!"
"No wonder Voltorb's attacks felt like scratching an itch. How is anyone supposed to fight this?!"
"Do shiny Pokémon come with double buffs or what? Good looks and high IQ—this is ridiculous!"
On the sidelines, Theo watched the increasingly smug Beldum on the field, the corners of his mouth unconsciously curling into a gentle smile.
This little Beldum had always been a clever trickster.
Back when it used to play headbutting games with Tyrunt, it loved secretly activating Iron Defense to gain the upper hand. After training in the desert, it had honed this trick to near perfection.
Its silver-white steel body already blended seamlessly with the faint glow produced by Iron Defense, making it incredibly easy to overlook if one wasn't paying close attention.
Steel-types were already naturally gifted with exceptional defense. With Iron Defense added on top, Beldum at this moment could only be described as a moving steel fortress.
For Voltorb to dare engage it in close combat was nothing short of asking for trouble.
(End of Chapter)