"Golduck is unable to battle! Claydol wins!"
Inside the private box, President Charles Goodshow said with a warm smile,
"Steelix isn't afraid of flames, and Claydol withstood Waterfall and Aqua Jet? No wonder you call him 'Rock Solid'! That kind of defense and resistance to weaknesses certainly isn't easy to train..."
"Exactly! Beyond Steelix's destructive power and Swampert's strength, this kid's Pokémon all have one thing in common: they can take a beating!"
Wallace elegantly raised his wineglass, took a light sip, and replied with a smile,
"Steven told me before that he'd met an interesting kid. It wasn't until this boy came to the Sootopolis Gym that I understood what he meant."
Wallace looked at President Charles Goodshow and asked softly,
"What do you think, old man?"
The old man stroked his beard, still smiling warmly.
"Ah... truly remarkable..."
President Stone suddenly spoke up.
"Do either of you know anything about that transformation Swampert underwent earlier?"
Glacia of the Elite Four searched her memories and said softly,
"I remember the Kalos Region seems to be researching a mysterious power... but according to their current findings, that power, which they call 'Mega Evolution,' still can't be used at will..."
She paused, then looked down at the central battlefield and continued,
"They're missing an essential medium..."
"A medium?"
"Yes! Research into certain documents and ancient sites indicates that 'Mega Evolution' does exist, but its most important component is missing. Perhaps something like a 'ritual' or a 'necessary catalyst'..."
Wallace's gaze grew thoughtful as he murmured,
"So they're missing a 'key'..."
"A key?"
Glacia glanced at him and nodded in agreement.
"That's a good way to put it! Perhaps they really are missing a 'key'! Of course, the change between Yong and Swampert wasn't actually the same as the 'Mega Evolution' recorded