Pokémon Detective Case Files.

Wanlong clapped his hands suddenly, and exclaimed with delight—

"The bizarre column in that Paranormal Science Gazette in the Padia region mentioned—'A Terakion variant modified by an evil organization'! But when that magazine was published, even the Plasma Group hadn't emerged yet... Where did those editors get that information?"

Unfortunately, the novelist's scholarly research was abruptly interrupted—

Because the Iron Rock lowered its head.

Its glowing orange horns pointed forward, and its hind feet pushed off the ground, causing the entire corridor floor to tremble.

Without a roar or any warning, the Iron Rock silently charged straight in with the momentum of a collapsing mountain.

Chapter 464 And Metals Don't Think

The name "Iron Rock" comes from vague records in some ancient exploration notes in the Padia region—adventurers claimed to have witnessed a strange creature "shaped like a legendary Pokémon, but made entirely of steel" deep in the forbidden area.

As this account was passed down through various channels, the vague image gradually overlapped with that of Terakion from Unova legends. Some even embellished the story, fabricating a "reason" for the spirit's arrival in Padia—claiming that an illegal organization modified it, and the sacred beast escaped to the Padia region after breaking free of its cage.

However, Terrakion is one of the "Three Musketeers" in Unova legends who saved the Old Kingdom alongside Cobalion and Virizion. It is a regional symbol deeply rooted in Unova mythology. How could it possibly cross the ocean to appear in Padia? In the eyes of novelist Wanlong, the so-called story that follows is clearly a second-rate creation that imitates the Mewtwo legends of the Kanto region.

However, the creature before them bore a striking resemblance to a hastily drawn yet distinctive sketch in the academically scorned "Supernatural Science Bulletin."

Could it be that... Team Plasma really used Terrakion as a model to create their own artificial Pokémon—just like Team Rocket in the Kanto region?

But if that's the case, why did this artificial Pokémon appear in rumors on another continent years ago? Could it be that Team Plasma's plans are far earlier and deeper than anyone imagines?

In the blink of an eye, the battle allowed no room for hesitation.

This unusually wide castle corridor seemed to have been designed specifically for duels by the "City Defense Masters." Before Lila could speak, Lei Gong had already transformed into a golden bolt of lightning and charged out, unleashing his "Divine Speed" technique first!

Unexpectedly, the Iron Rock reacted much faster than its heavy appearance suggested.

The iron hooves, radiating an orange-red glow, left afterimages in the darkness. With a speed no less than that of the Thunder God, it lowered its head to meet the attack. Its giant horn, carrying a fierce "horn ramming" move, collided head-on with its opponent, who was wrapped in lightning!

boom--!

The gold and orange light clashed, creating a shockwave.

In the clash of pure power, Ironrock actually gained a slight advantage, while Raikou, a true legendary Pokémon, was forced back half a step.

But Lila is not fighting alone.

The moment the iron hoof of the rock landed, the handsome guy's bad frog had already pounced on him like a ghost.

Dark energy condensed into a pair of black gloves on its webbed hands, and the "Fraud" move viciously stabbed straight at the opponent's waist and abdomen!

Bang!

The dull thud of metal clashing.

Iron Rock didn't even glance at it. Its giant horn swung out horizontally like a battle axe, "splitting" the bad frog away and smashing it back to the handsome guy's feet.

Nevertheless, when the handsome guy saw the gesture that the Croagunk made when it landed, his eyes suddenly lit up: "Dark-type moves are incredibly effective!"

"Terrakion's original type should be Rock/Fighting. Dark-type moves are very effective, which means it has at least lost its Fighting type. Since it is super effective against Dark, and doesn't seem to be Ghost-type, then..."

Ghost-type Elite Four member Wanlong's mind raced, and he spoke rapidly—

"The remaining one is most likely a Psychic type! Chandelure, watch out! Since this Pokémon is imitating Terrakion, its other type is probably still Rock!"

Before the words were even finished, several sharp rock pillars suddenly pierced through the ground beside the Iron Rock, as if they had foreseen it – "Rock Blockade"!

Fortunately, the trainer gave a warning, and the move narrowly missed the flame of Chandelure's candle, which was about to flank and attack from behind.

Despite the fact that the three Pokémon had already exhausted some of their energy, this mysterious creature was able to withstand the combined attacks of Raikou, Croagunk, and Chandelure, the Elite Four's main Pokémon, without being at a disadvantage, demonstrating its formidable strength.

"Thunder God, use 'Electric Net' to bind it!" Seeing that the battle had reached a stalemate, Lila decisively changed tactics.

Wanlong on the other side also shouted at the same time—

"Crystal Chandelier Spirit, use 'Night Shadow' to block its retreat!"

However, the combined attack of the Brain of the Pioneer and the Ghost King was still not successful. Iron Rock raised its front legs and slammed its feet into the ground with the Ground-type move "Stomp"!

The shockwave generated by this skill not only disrupted the formation trajectory of Raikou's "electric net," but also propelled the heavy body of the Iron Rock forward with incredible explosive force.

Before the dust had settled, the giant metal shadow had already pierced through the double blockade and appeared right in front of Lila, who was charging at the forefront!

Unlike its counterfeit counterpart, Iron Rock shamelessly used "Quick Attack," targeting the trainer who had lost the protection of his Pokémon!

"Lila!"

The handsome guy's warning was synchronized with the actions of the freak. The freak flashed in front of the trainer, and the "Protect" barrier was instantly activated.

But Tie Panyan merely tilted his head slightly and changed his moves.

Suddenly, the orange-red light on its two giant glowing horns contracted and extended, eventually fusing into a huge, semi-transparent shovel-shaped light blade above its head.

Due to the highly concentrated energy, the space at the blade's edge was even slightly distorted.

"Strong Blade Attack!"

The light blade fell silently.

The Bad Frog's "Guard" barrier was pierced through instantly, like butter being cut by a hot knife! The remaining light blades were still unstoppable, continuing to slash at Lila!

At the critical moment, the Poké Ball in Lila's hand burst forth with a red light.

"Lucario - Close Combat!"

The waveguide warrior leaped out, its steel-like body taking the blow head-on, sparks flying everywhere! Without pausing, it spun around, its fists raining down on its opponent's face.

Since defense is ineffective, let's take the offensive!

At the same time, a sharp, metallic hissing sound came from within the Iron Rock.

The light on its horn changed from orange-red to deep purple, signifying that the attribute of the move was changing from rock to psychic. This power was highly compressed and extended, finally transforming into a powerful "psychic blade"!

Boom—!

The purple light blades collided violently with the chaotic fighting currents created by the "close combat".

Behind them, the other two Pokémon didn't stop either. Raikou's "Thunderbolt" and Chandelure's "Flame Vortex" had once again intertwined into a devastating combined attack, sweeping in from both sides of Iron Rock.

In the explosion, the figures of the four Pokémon were instantly engulfed by the energy storm, the metal corridor trembled with a roar, and the lights flickered.

This intense and chaotic battle has reached a boiling point.

"Something's not right."

Wanlong's brows furrowed deeper and deeper, his gaze fixed on the Iron Rock in the center of the battlefield, which remained as steady as a mountain despite the siege.

Raikou's golden lightning, Lucario's steel fist shadow, and Chandelure's eerie purple flames intertwined to form a web of destruction, yet they could never truly trap it. Ironhide always managed to evade or block with the most economical and precise movements, its counterattacks timed with a chilling cunning.

"This is not just a matter of attack power or speed."

The Ghost King's voice was deep and resonant.

"This Pokémon's overall perception and reaction in the midst of the chaos... is too perfect. Generally speaking, if a Pokémon is fully engaged in battle, its vision and attention will inevitably have blind spots, which is why a trainer is needed to provide external guidance. But in this situation, who is actually guiding it?"

"Could there be hidden surveillance cameras nearby?" The handsome man stopped applying medicine to the freak frog's wounds, looked up, and surveyed his surroundings.

“That’s impossible,” Lila’s voice was firm and resolute. “When the battle began, I had Raikou cover the entire area with ‘electromagnetic waves.’ No electronic device could possibly function properly under such pulse interference.”

"Then... perhaps it's some kind of remote link related to superpowers?" the handsome guy speculated.

Beside him, the Frog, seeing that the trainer had finished healing, immediately roused itself to continue the battle, but was stopped by Captain Lyra.

“The Bad Frogs’ old wounds from the Giant’s Cave haven’t healed yet, so it’s not time for you to fight to the death.” Her tone left no room for argument.

On the other side, Wanlong's eyes sharpened as she looked at the handsome man—

“Even with superpower manipulation, achieving this level of immediacy requires some kind of amplification or relay device. Handsome detective, you know Jero's mechanisms best—find a way to control them now. I have a feeling that solving this puzzle might be more important than winning this battle.”

At that very moment, a sudden change occurred at the heart of the battlefield.

Suddenly, the Iron Rock, locked in combat, unleashed its power, its giant horn swung up and knocked Lucario back. At the same time, it sidestepped Chandelure's tricky Shadow Ball, and instead of dodging, charged straight into the center of Raikou's Thunderstorm!

The skill hit its mark, of course; the blinding bolt of lightning struck the mysterious elf's metal body, but strangely, it caused no explosion or scorch marks.

The violent electric currents, as if guided by a lightning rod, flowed along the iron hooves of the Iron Rock and into the ground beneath its feet.

The next instant, a dazzling golden halo suddenly spread out from it, and fine electric currents flowed and intertwined like living snakes in the cracks of the floor, covering the entire corridor area in the blink of an eye.

“Could this be… an ‘Electrical Field’?!” Lila’s pupils contracted.

Logically, Ironrock's attributes are Rock and Psychic, so this terrain should be more advantageous to Raikou. So why...?

The answer will be revealed in the next second.

"Its speed is increasing!"

Wanlong cried out, her keen senses as a Champion Trainer allowing her to be the first to detect that subtle yet deadly change in rhythm. Iron Rock's movements became noticeably smoother and faster, each step leaving afterimages.

"It's a property! It can activate a property that amplifies itself in an electrical field!"

As if to prove her words, the purple light on the Iron Rock's twin horns, which were standing on the electric field, intensified again, and a fully charged "Mental Blade" was suddenly unleashed, its speed indeed increased by 50% compared to before, and it slashed straight at the Thunder God's face!

The balance of power in the war has begun to shift.

Chapter 465 Though Millions of People

If you were to hold a poll among trainers worldwide: If you had the chance to improve one of your Pokémon's stats in a Pokémon battle, what would you most like to improve?

Excluding those who focus on specific tactics or specialize in training other Pokémon abilities, the vast majority of people would probably answer with the same word—

speed.

Although no single ability can completely determine the outcome of a battle, if we were to force a choice among the six basic attributes of HP, Attack, Defense, Special Attack, Special Defense, and Speed ​​to find the lever that can most influence the course of a battle, then that attribute would undoubtedly be "Speed".

Although this ability does not directly manifest as destructive power or durability, it determines something more fundamental in combat: the order in which attacks are made.

Even if a Pokémon is mediocre in all other attributes, as long as it is fast enough, it can make its move before its opponent does—whether it's unleashing firepower, setting up control, strengthening itself, or turning the tide of battle. This preemptive "half-step" is often the first weight that tilts the scales.

Even for Pokémon known for their impenetrable defense or immense stamina, greater speed translates to more efficient survival. This is especially true for defensive Pokémon with recovery moves; a faster turn means they have an extra health bar compared to other Pokémon of similar roles—a luxury that's almost a luxury in high-level, fast-paced battles.

At this moment, the Iron Rock standing in front of the group was no match for them that could win by speed alone.

On the contrary, Iron Rock's physical attack and durability are already comparable to those of legendary Pokémon.

Even more terrifying is that its speed is already astonishing even before "Electric Terrain" is triggered—enough to easily outmaneuver Raikou's "Extreme Speed," Lucario's "Close Combat," and Chandelure's "Flame Vortex."

Now, this electrical field that it has actively summoned is giving its already terrifying speed a whole new dimension.

More initiative means a more frequent attack rhythm, shorter decision gaps, and a more precarious survival space. When your opponent's every move is a fraction faster than yours, the battle will gradually slide into a one-sided torment—you will always be reacting, always chasing, and always a step behind.

In a battle, half a beat often means the difference between life and death.

"This can't go on."

Lila's voice cut in between the clashes of attacks, her calm demeanor masking a rare tension.

She had already released her Metagross into the battlefield. But the addition of this heavy steel fortress to the fray did not effectively compress Ironbeam's mobility; instead, it subtly made the already crowded corridor even more chaotic.

Faced with that orange-red afterimage that kept leaping and shifting in the lightning, more friendly units only meant more mutual obstruction, not an accumulation of firepower.

She turned to Wanlong and asked, "Can we use other areas to cover it, or use 'Trick Space' to reverse the order of attacks?"

"It doesn't give us a chance at all."

Wanlong's gaze was fixed on the battlefield. The Crystal Chandelier Spirit's Ghost Flame had attempted to set up control moves several times, but each time it was interrupted by the Iron Rock's surprise attack, as if it had anticipated it.

"The moment our offensive falters—even for just half a second to charge up a non-attacking move—it immediately pounces to disrupt us. Not just moves that change the terrain, but even attempts to boost speed like 'Agility' are precisely intercepted. This is definitely not the battle instinct of a wild Pokémon… someone is definitely directing it from behind, and that person's battle instincts are terrifyingly sharp!"

As if to confirm her words, the Iron Rock, amplified by "Electric Terrain," had transformed into an orange streak of light tearing through the darkness. Each of its returns created a deafening sonic boom, and each flash left new wounds on Raikou, Lucario, Metagross, or Chandelure.

It had just used "Rock Block" to block Raikou's lightning when, in the next second, its figure emerged ghost-like from the shadow of the rock pillar. Its heavy iron hooves propelled it into the air with the rebound force of Metagross, and the "Rock Blast" it unleashed forced Chandelure in the distance to retreat repeatedly like shrapnel.

Even though Lucario's "Aura Missile" finally hit its target from the blind spot, the metal body only paused for a moment before lunging at the next target with even greater ferocity.

Even more deadly is that the "Strong Blade Attack" that ignores defense is like a guillotine hanging over everyone's heads, making any tactic of trying to restrain them with "Defend" or "Substitute" seem fragile and laughable.

"Its battery life is also abnormal."

Lila ducked to avoid a piece of rock falling from above—in the midst of the chaos, Iron Rock managed to throw a "falling rock" at the trainer—

"Even a legendary Pokémon like Raikou can't maintain this frequency of high-powered attack bursts for long. I've seen countless strong Pokémon in the Battle Frontier, but in terms of individual strength and battle endurance... none are as extraordinary as it. It's almost like..."

She stared at the still-bright orange halo beneath Iron Rock's four hooves, and a chilling thought surfaced: "It's almost as if you can draw energy from the castle itself through the halo beneath your feet."

“And this may only be the first hurdle in the ‘City Defense Division’ defense system.” Wanlong smiled bitterly and lowered his voice. “Although I have a trump card up my sleeve, if there’s something more troublesome hidden in Jero’s core area… I don’t want to reveal it prematurely unless absolutely necessary.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Lila noticed a stone embedded in the cap of a fountain pen on a page of the other person's notebook. A colorful glow, familiar to her pioneering mind, was faintly flowing on it.

"I understand." She nodded knowingly. "So now, we can only hope for progress from the handsome guy's side, and..."