Two Pokémon emerged from the space-time rift, both noticeably larger than ordinary Pokémon.
The first resembled a massive bell. Its bronze body was covered in rust and age, heavy and ancient, with an air of mystery that made it feel almost unsettling. A horizontal beam ran across its upper surface, with a loop hanging down on either side. Its mouth faced downward, and its body was etched with intricate, winding patterns that gave off a faint purple glow.
Bronzong.
One of the oldest Steel and Psychic-type Pokémon in existence, Bronzong was once worshipped by ancient peoples as a god of bountiful harvests. Even now, it remained a rare and mysterious Pokémon, typically found only deep within ancient ruins.
Floating beside Bronzong was a Pokémon that looked every bit as unsettling, if not more so. Its Dark-type form resembled a giant infant, yet its head was ringed with a circle of cold, unblinking red eyes that stared straight at Jacob and Metagross. Its expression was blank — completely empty of any emotion. Strange, carved patterns ran across its body, flickering faintly with that same eerie purple glow.
Claydol.
A mysterious Ground and Psychic-type Pokémon that levitates using Confusion, Claydol's origins have long been debated. It is said to be an ancient clay figure, brought to life after being struck by a mysterious light in the distant past.
Despite how threatening both Pokémon looked, the moment Jacob sensed their strength, he nearly burst out laughing.
Gym Leader Level?
Ha. Gym Leader Level.
All this atmosphere, and they're only Gym Leader Level?
They had floated into the room looking enormous and ominous, and yet their actual power was nothing remarkable. Jacob relaxed his shoulders.
The two Pokémon hovered in the air, Psychic energy rippling around them as they spoke in slow, deep, echoing voices.
"Challenger… defeat… us… to… enter… the next level!"
Jacob's mouth curved into a slight smile. Two Pokémon at Gym Leader Level? That was hardly a challenge worth worrying about.
"Metagross, use Comet Punch. Finish this."
For a King Level Metagross, using anything more than a single move against two Gym Leader Level Pokémon would have been almost disrespectful.
Metagross launched forward with startling speed. Its blue metallic forelegs lit up with a sharp silver glow, cutting through the air as it hurtled toward Claydol.
"Earth Power!"
Claydol responded immediately, channeling Ground-type energy from beneath and unleashing it directly against Metagross's metallic body. The attack collided hard — and to Jacob's surprise, it actually dealt some damage. More than that, it briefly slowed Metagross's charge.
Wait. That's not right.
Before Jacob had time to think further, Metagross pushed through the Earth Power and slammed into Claydol with a full-force punch.
Boom!
The outcome Jacob had expected — Metagross instantly knocking out both Claydol and Bronzong — did not happen. Instead, Claydol erupted with Psychic energy the moment the punch landed, pushing back against Metagross and bringing it to a stop. The Gym Leader Level Claydol had absorbed the hit. It was pushed back slightly and at a clear disadvantage, but it was still standing.
What's going on?
Jacob stared at the scene in disbelief. But before he could think it through, Bronzong made its move.
"Shadow Ball!"
Ghost-type energy gathered rapidly in front of Bronzong, condensing into a dark orb that shot straight into Metagross. Metagross flinched, its expression tightening in pain.
Something is wrong here.
Jacob's brows knitted together. How could a King Level Metagross be taking real damage from a Gym Leader Level Claydol and Bronzong? He looked more carefully at Metagross — and his eyes went wide.
Metagross's strength had dropped. Somewhere between releasing it and now, it had fallen from King Level down to Gym Leader Level.
Then Bronzong's slow, resonant voice came again.
"Human… you can… send out another Pokémon… to fight!"
"Two… together!"
Jacob's expression went serious. He looked at the two Pokémon floating before him and felt a growing unease settle in.
What's happening here? Does this place have some way of restricting Pokémon strength?
He took a slow breath and decided to test his theory. He reached to his belt and unclipped Gengar's Poké Ball, then threw it out.
His reasoning was clear: Bronzong was Steel and Psychic-type, and Claydol was Ground and Psychic-type. Both shared a common weakness — Dark-type and Ghost-type moves. His best options were the Ghost-type Gengar, Dragapult, or the Dark-type Darkrai.
But the sudden drop in Metagross's strength gave him pause. He wasn't ready to commit another powerful Pokémon just yet, so he chose Gengar for now.
Ghost-type energy surged, and Gengar materialized in the arena — light purple skin, a round silhouette, and sharp red eyes that fixed on Bronzong and Claydol without blinking.
Jacob watched Gengar closely after its release. The moment it entered the circular arena, its strength — which had registered at King Level when it first came out of its Poké Ball — instantly dropped down to Gym Leader Level.
So that's it.
It was the circular arena. The space itself was suppressing their strength. Any Pokémon that stepped into it would have its power capped at below Gym Leader Level.
That explained why Bronzong and Claydol had looked so imposing — their actual fighting power here was being limited to Gym Leader Level, just like every other Pokémon in the arena. In that sense, they weren't all that frightening after all.
Jacob's eyes narrowed in thought. This arena wasn't just a battlefield — it was a level playing field. The influence of raw power had been stripped away. What would matter here was something else entirely: natural talent, type matchups, battle awareness, move coordination, and the ability to work as a pair.
"Challenger… battle… has… begun… are… you… ready?"
Both Bronzong and Claydol seemed to register that two Pokémon had now entered the arena, satisfying whatever condition they required. Bronzong's deep, bell-like voice rang out slowly as the two massive Pokémon floated forward, their eyes fixed on Metagross and Gengar, battle energy rising between them.
"Wait — I'm switching. Metagross, come back!"
Jacob acted quickly. Metagross had already taken some hits and didn't have a type advantage here. More importantly, Jacob still wanted to confirm one more thing about the arena's rules.
Metagross stepped out of the circular arena and returned to Jacob's side.
The moment only one Pokémon remained in the arena, Claydol and Bronzong both went still. They floated in place, unmoving, waiting.
Jacob gave a small nod. The pattern was becoming clear.
The circular arena functioned like a formal battle stage. It could suppress the strength of every Pokémon inside it, limiting them all to below Gym Leader Level. Bronzong and Claydol were its guardians. He was allowed to send in two Pokémon to face them, and the only way to advance to the next level was to defeat both defenders.
But... what if he sent in more than two?
The thought crossed Jacob's mind before he could stop it. He reached for Darkrai's Poké Ball and released it.
Now he had three Pokémon at his side: Metagross, Gengar, and Darkrai.
"Darkrai, Metagross — into the arena, together!"
Jacob wanted to test whether he could exploit the rules — a three-on-two advantage wasn't something most challenges expected. If there was a shortcut, he wasn't one to ignore it.
As Darkrai and Metagross stepped into the arena's range, their strength was immediately capped, dropping to below Gym Leader Level just like before.
But in the same instant, something unexpected happened. Claydol and Bronzong's power surged — jumping all the way up to King-level in response. A full major rank higher, just like that.
"Stop… it! Challenger… you… are… making a mistake!"
The warning in their voices was unmistakable. Jacob didn't hesitate.
"Metagross, Darkrai — pull back."
Both Pokémon stepped out of the arena without argument.
Jacob exhaled slowly.
It seemed the only real option was to play this one straight.