Pokémon Contest Draws to a Close

The afterglow of the second-round performance judging had yet to fade, and the four judges were already quietly discussing the upcoming Contest Battles.

Contesta adjusted his glasses, his gaze sweeping over the names on the advancement list as a trace of regret entered his voice:

"I wonder if Lin Mo and Grace will draw each other in battle. Come to think of it, it would have been great if this competition were Lilycove City's Grand Festival.

Then we could have used a single-elimination format and let the top contestants face off one by one until the final champion was decided. Now that would have been exciting."

He paused, tapping the names "Lin Mo," "Grace," and "Armani" on the list with his fingertip.

"There are five Ribbon Badges this time. If those three don't meet in battle, that would truly be a shame.

I'd really like to see just how well they can blend the splendor of moves with practical combat in a battle."

At that, Sukizo's chubby face immediately broke into an approving smile as he picked up the conversation.

"Exactly! But if you ask me, although Lin Mo and Grace both earned perfect scores in the first two rounds, I still favor Lin Mo a little more.

Grace's combination moves are certainly impressive, but we already saw them at last year's festival. They were wonderful, sure, but they lacked a little freshness.

But Lin Mo is different. From that unexpected entrance at the start to the aurora that stunned the whole audience in the second round, every appearance has brought a new surprise!

Among the newcomers of recent years, no one can match that kind of genius creativity."

Nurse Joy nodded gently, unconcealed anticipation gleaming in her eyes.

"Mr. Sukizo is absolutely right. With a newcomer like Lin Mo standing out, this year's Grand Festival is sure to be especially exciting.

I'm truly so curious about what astonishing combination moves he'll bring to future Pokémon Contests.

I enjoyed today's match so much, especially that aurora. Even now, whenever I think back on it, the surprise in my heart still hasn't settled."

Wallace quietly listened to Contesta, Nurse Joy, and the others discussing it enthusiastically. A gentle, composed smile remained on his lips as his gaze drifted toward the contestants' waiting area, an inconspicuous expectation hidden in his eyes.

He did not particularly care about clashes between strong opponents. After all, Lilycove City's arena saw plenty of those every year.

To him, the ingenuity and coordination that collided within Pokémon combination moves were the true heart of the Grand Festival.

That unrestrained genius creativity in Lin Mo, that ability to always think beyond convention, was precisely what Wallace admired most.

Before long, the drawing ceremony for the Contest Battles began.

The twenty advancing contestants stepped forward in turn and drew their opponent numbers from the lottery box.

Lin Mo drew number fifteen. His opponent was the girl who had woven a miniature flower field with Oddish earlier.

"Contestant number fifteen, please take the stage!"

As host Kotaro's voice fell, Lin Mo stepped onto the battle stage and released Feebas. The little Pokémon flicked its tail on the field, its eyes brimming with eagerness to fight.

Across from him, the girl gripped her Poké Ball so tightly that her knuckles turned pale. Her voice carried an almost imperceptible tremble. "Oddish, let's do our best."

A red flash passed, and a lush green Oddish landed in the center of the stage. Its leaves swayed gently, as if answering its Trainer's encouragement.

"Battle start!" As soon as the referee's voice fell, the girl called out somewhat hesitantly:

"Oddish, use Leech Seed!"

The leaves atop Oddish's head instantly spat out several green seeds wrapped in a faint glow, drifting slowly toward Feebas.

Lin Mo's expression remained calm as his command came clear and decisive. "Feebas, Whirlpool."

Feebas violently flicked its tail, and rushing water abruptly surged around it, instantly gathering into a spinning miniature waterspout.

The drifting Leech Seeds were sucked into the powerful vortex the moment they touched the water, vanishing without a trace in an instant.

"Now, Icy Wind!" Lin Mo's next command followed immediately.

A biting wind suddenly swept across the battlefield, white frost carrying tiny shards of ice with it.

Oddish, which had been trying to approach, had no time to evade. Most of its body was frozen by spreading frost, its leaves stiffly drooping as they could no longer move.

"Oddish is unable to battle! Contestant number eighty-six, Lin Mo, wins!" The referee raised his flag and loudly announced the result.

A hint of disappointment crossed the girl's face, but she still hurried forward and gave Lin Mo a deep bow. "Your Feebas is really amazing."

Lin Mo nodded lightly in acknowledgment. After recalling Feebas, he turned and walked off the stage.

He had won this battle with exceptional ease. After all, most Coordinators focused more on the dazzling display and pairing of moves, so they naturally held less of an advantage in such direct practical combat.

In the battles that followed, Armani's Flareon performed brilliantly.

It first trapped its opponent in a scorching Fire Spin. Amid rolling orange-red flames, it suddenly transformed into a crimson bolt of lightning.

Quick Attack, carrying the momentum of flames, ended the battle in an instant. The combination move was crisp and decisive, earning thunderous applause.

Grace's Medicham displayed equal composure. Its icy blue Ice Punch blasted out with biting cold, immediately followed by a Vacuum Wave that tore through the air.

The opponent's opening was exposed in an instant, allowing her to claim victory with ease.

As the battles concluded, the accumulated scores from the first two rounds left only ten contestants in the competition, competing for the five advancing Ribbon Badges.

When the draw results were announced, Contesta stared at the matchups and could not help letting out a soft sigh.

"What a pity. It looks like we won't get to see Lin Mo, Armani, and Grace face each other this round."

Lin Mo's next opponent was the twin-tailed girl who had easily advanced in the first round with Skitty's cute performance.

She hugged Skitty in her arms even tighter, her cheeks puffed up and her eyes full of stubborn determination. Looking up at Lin Mo, she said seriously:

"I know you and Feebas are both very strong, but I definitely won't surrender so easily!"

"Battle start!"

"Skitty, Double Team!" the girl commanded Skitty.

Skitty's body flickered, instantly splitting into six identical figures.

Their pink bodies swayed fluffy pink tails as they darted and crisscrossed across the stage. Their real and fake paths tangled together, making it impossible to tell truth from illusion.

"Flash!"

At the girl's next command, all six Skitty figures lit up with blinding white light. The brilliance suddenly burst forth like the direct glare of the midday sun, and the audience instinctively narrowed their eyes.

"Now, Double Slap!" the girl shouted, seizing the moment.

Shielded by the white light, the six Skitty figures lunged at Feebas together like six pink bolts of lightning.

Their soft little paws carved blurry afterimages through the air, accompanied by a dense rush of wind-splitting sounds as they instantly closed in on Feebas!

"Feebas, Icy Wind."

Lin Mo's voice remained steady.

Feebas suddenly puffed up its plump body and unleashed a fierce blast of Icy Wind!

A thin layer of gleaming white ice spread across the stage floor at a visible speed, ice crystals glinting coldly beneath the arena lights.

The instant Skitty's paw pads touched the ice, it slipped hard. Its front paws staggered forward while its hind legs kicked uncontrollably, its once nimble body immediately slowing to a halt in an utterly bedraggled state.

The several copies it had created, however, were unaffected by the ice and continued darting about. That stark contrast completely exposed the flaw in the previously indistinguishable paths.

"Found it. Feebas, Water Pulse layered with Confuse Ray!"

Lin Mo suddenly pointed at one of the figures and loudly signaled Feebas.