"Is this the split evolution Steven was talking about?"
Theo's pupils contracted slightly. Just as he was about to carefully observe this rare evolution process, he saw the two figures of Beldum briefly separate within the white light—only to suddenly merge back together in the next instant.
The radiance abruptly intensified, dazzling like a miniature sun rising before his eyes. Even the surrounding air seemed to twist under the surge of energy, emitting a faint buzzing tremor.
"Tyrant!"
Tyrantrum immediately stepped in front of the blinding light, its massive body forming a solid barrier. It vigilantly scanned the surroundings, preventing the evolutionary energy from drawing the attention of wild Pokémon.
Milotic also swam closer, gently flicking its tail fin to lay down a curtain of water around them. The soft ripples not only helped stabilize the energy but also served as a defensive warning.
Holding his breath, Theo stared fixedly at the center of the white light.
The glow of evolution lasted for about half a minute. When the light finally receded like a retreating tide, a brand-new figure appeared where Beldum had been.
It was a Pokémon several times larger than Beldum. Its main body was still composed of silvery-white metal, but its form had undergone a dramatic transformation.
The once rounded body had elongated, and a pair of cold-gleaming metallic claws extended from both sides.
The single red eye on its head had become a pair, the pupils sharper and keener, like two crimson crystals.
A steady, weighty aura interwoven with Steel- and Psychic-type energy emanated from its entire body.
Theo's system interface automatically popped up with information:
[Pokémon: Metang]
Type: Steel / Psychic
Category: Iron Claw Pokémon
Ability: Clear Body (Prevents stat reduction from opponents' moves or abilities)
Moves: Metal Claw, Bullet Punch, Hone Claws, Magnet Rise, Flash Cannon, Take Down, Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Earthquake, Rock Slide, Brick Break, Agility, Psychic…
When he saw the move list clearly, Theo couldn't help but inhale sharply in surprise. A large number of new moves had appeared on the list.
What delighted him even more was that all the TMs he had previously saved through system draws, originally intended to be taught to Metang after its evolution—had already been learned automatically during the evolution itself.
"As expected—"
Theo's heart surged with excitement.
No wonder it came from Steven's shiny Metagross—its foundation is completely different!
These moves were probably just like Iron Head and Confusion during its Beldum stage—innate instincts rather than learned techniques. As long as it familiarized itself with them, its proficiency would increase rapidly!
Metang was clearly still adapting to its new body. It flexed the metallic claws on both sides, producing crisp clanking sounds as they rubbed together, then attempted to hover and move.
Perhaps due to its increased size and weight after evolution, its levitation speed was noticeably slower than when it was a Beldum, and its movement carried a slight unsteadiness.
It lowered its head to look at its claws, then raised it to gaze at Theo. Its red eyes were filled with novelty and excitement, and a deeper, louder hum resonated from within its metallic body.
"Congratulations, Metang."
Theo stepped forward and gently patted Metang's cool metallic back, feeling the faint vibrations running through its steel frame.
Metang let out a louder hum than before and lightly tapped Theo's palm with one of its claws.
At this moment, Tyrantrum and Milotic also approached, curiously examining the newly evolved Metang.
Tyrantrum sniffed its body and let out an inquisitive low growl, while Milotic lightly brushed its side with her tail fin, a smile evident in her blue eyes.
Metang seemed a little shy. It reached out with its claws to lightly touch Milotic's tail fin and Tyrantrum's snout in turn. Before long, the three Pokémon became familiar with one another, the atmosphere warm and harmonious.
Just then, Milotic suddenly froze, her tail fin snapping to point toward a small magma pit not far away. Inside the pit, the magma was still slowly churning, continuously releasing bubbling "gurgle gurgle" sounds.
Almost at the same time, Metang also turned its body.
Its red eyes locked tightly onto the magma pit as its psychic power quietly spread outward. The surrounding air seemed to be stirred by invisible hands, and the energy fluctuations became exceptionally sensitive.
Theo's heart stirred. He immediately stood up and followed their gaze.
Yet the magma pit appeared completely calm. The lava that had been churning moments earlier had somehow gone still.
Even the bubbling sounds had vanished, leaving only a faint orange-red glow at the bottom of the pit, as though it were nothing more than an ordinary magma depression.
"What is it?" Theo asked softly, remaining alert as he surveyed the surroundings.
Milotic swished her tail in confusion, while Metang withdrew its gaze and exchanged a look with her, seemingly wondering whether their perception had been mistaken.
Frowning slightly, Theo walked over to the magma pit to inspect it closely.
The pit walls were made of cooled black volcanic rock, and the magma at the bottom had solidified into a dark red mass, with only a small orange core still faintly glowing.
"Maybe a Slugma moving inside," Theo muttered to himself.
Not thinking too much of it, he turned around and began packing up his gear.
Metang and Milotic, however, continued to glance toward the magma pit from time to time, cautiously probing it with their abilities—but the pit showed no reaction at all.
Only after Theo folded the tent neatly and stored it in his backpack, then turned to call his partners to set off, did Metang and Milotic reluctantly withdraw their attention, ending their continued probing of the magma pit.
Theo's gaze lingered on the magma cavity for a moment longer. After a brief pause of thought, he decided not to dwell on it for now and recalled Tyrantrum and Milotic into their Poké Balls.
The former was too large for climbing steep mountain paths, and the latter was ill-suited to prolonged exposure in a hot, arid environment. He left only the newly evolved Metang by his side.
At the same time, Theo distributed all the skill machines he had accumulated in the system that were suitable for Metang, giving them all to it at once.
"These moves were meant for you after you evolved anyway. Turns out you learned them all by yourself," Theo said with a chuckle as he patted Metang's back. "Try Magnet Rise. Use magnetism to control your body and get used to the new way of moving. We'll practice while traveling."
Metang blinked its red eyes, understanding Theo's meaning. A faint bluish magnetic aura spread across its body as it wobbled slightly and began to hover.
Sometimes fast, sometimes slow, its speed was still inferior to its Beldum days, and it occasionally swayed as its magnetic force shifted.
Theo walked alongside it, offering reminders from time to time. "Adjust the magnetic distribution—keep it steadier… yes, maintain that rhythm."
About fifteen minutes after Theo left, the seemingly tranquil magma pit suddenly stirred.
Gurgle—
A soft bubbling sound broke the silence. The faint orange glow at the center of the pit abruptly brightened, like a flame being lit.
Immediately after, a small white head emerged from the magma.
This tiny Pokémon had five red, sun-ray-like antennae growing from the top of its head. The tips of the antennae flickered with faint points of light as they trembled slightly.
This was precisely the presence that Milotic and Metang had sensed earlier.
Its movements were extremely cautious. It first extended its antennae above the magma's surface, and only after confirming that there was no activity around did it dare to reveal its entire head.
A pair of clear blue eyes carefully scanned the surroundings. The whites of its eyes glowed faintly, forming a stark contrast with the crimson magma.
Once it confirmed that Theo and the others had gone far away, it fully stretched out its body.
It resembled a moth-like larva, with a dark brown lower body. Three pairs of small black legs clung tightly to the magma wall.
Its head and upper body were covered in fine white fluff, which drifted gently in the heat rising from the magma.
If Theo were here, he would have recognized it instantly—this was the Larvesta he had long yearned for!
Yet what was even more eye-catching than Larvesta itself was the flat, red, square stone embedded on its back.
The edges of the stone were smooth, as if carefully polished. Under the glow of the magma, golden-red patterns surfaced across its surface.
These patterns flowed like living things, intertwining and overlapping, faintly forming a shape resembling the letter "Q," like a flame frozen in stone, shimmering with a mysterious and ancient luster.
Larvesta's antennae turned toward the direction Theo had departed. The red tips glowed faintly, and under the influence of the mysterious "Ω" stone on its back, its perception became extraordinarily sharp.
Earlier, when Beldum evolved, the advanced energy orb Theo had taken out from the system space had emitted an incredibly pure aura like a lighthouse in the dark night which Larvesta had sensed instantly.
That energy fluctuation was exceptionally clear—warm, vast, and brimming with vitality capable of accelerating growth.
Larvesta's instincts told it that this energy was the perfect nourishment for evolution!
Enough to free it from remaining deep within the volcano, day after day absorbing thin magma energy while painfully waiting for a chance to evolve.
It was precisely because of its excitement that it had revealed itself. Otherwise, relying on the mysterious stone on its back, no one had ever been able to detect its presence.
Larvesta gently swayed its body within the magma, its red antennae trembling with excitement. After taking one last look in the direction Theo had gone, it suddenly plunged deep into the magma.
The red stone on its back briefly flashed with an "Ω"-shaped glow on the magma's surface before vanishing together with its body into the darkness at the bottom of the pit.
The magma gradually returned to calm, with only occasional bubbling sounds remaining, as though everything that had happened was merely an illusion.
Meanwhile, Theo was fully focused on guiding Metang in practicing Magnet Rise. It was improving rapidly, its magnetic control growing smoother and smoother, and its movement speed increasing by the moment.
"Not bad—keep it up!" Theo praised with a smile, completely unaware that a faint energy fluctuation was following them from within the magma layers behind, silent and persistent like a shadow clinging to bone.
That Larvesta carrying the mysterious stone was moving swiftly within the magma.
It was intimately familiar with the geological structure of Mt. Chimney, knowing every interconnected magma tunnel and cavern by heart.
Its target was clear and direct—Theo's advanced energy orb.
A silent "robbery," centered around that energy orb, was quietly brewing deep within the volcano.
And Theo remained completely oblivious to it all. His attention had already been captured by a cave entrance ahead.
That was one of the cave entrances marked on the map—a pitch-black opening that resembled the mouth of a colossal beast, waiting for them to step inside.
TN: Nooo! I want a Magmortar.
(End of Chapter)
TN2: The update of this story is really slow guys I'm sorry. The site updated like only 2 chapters last week.