I Got My First Ribbon Badge

The instant Skitty lost its balance on the slick ice, Feebas had already locked onto its true body before it could adjust its posture.

Blue Water Pulse surged forth, its rushing waters entwined with hazy seven-colored light. The two moves combined into one, streaking straight at Skitty with a sharp whistle through the air!

The thin ice beneath its feet severely limited its dodging speed. Skitty twisted its body in haste, trying to evade, but the attack laden with two layers of confusion energy still struck it squarely.

The confusion effects of Water Pulse and Confuse Ray stacked instantly. Skitty's pupils immediately lost focus, and its limbs began spinning uncontrollably in place as it fell completely into a confused state.

"Skitty, wake up!" the girl cried out toward the center of the arena, her voice trembling with tears.

But Skitty had already lost its senses in its confusion. Its pink little body spun in place as it wildly swiped its paws at empty air.

It was clearly unable to hear any commands, looking both miserable and pitiful.

Feebas focused its gaze, sending out one blue Water Pulse after another. Each one accurately locked onto the out-of-control Skitty and struck without missing.

After the repeated impacts, Skitty shook its fluffy head and finally could no longer hold on. It collapsed onto the stage, its pink tail drooping softly as it went completely still.

Watching Lin Mo's swift and decisive victory on the battle stage, Contesta turned to Wallace and remarked,

"Wallace, this kid's battle style really aligns with your philosophy.

During the judging stage, he executes combination moves flawlessly. When it comes to battle, he defeats his opponent just as cleanly.

He's completely different from those veteran Coordinators."

Contesta paused, recalling past competitions as he continued,

"Coordinators in the past always wanted to trade flashy moves in battle, or else they would keep dodging around, treating the battlefield like a stage for display. They cared more about how pleasing a move looked than how effective it was.

But look at Lin Mo. When it's time to be dazzling, he can amaze the entire audience. When it's time to fight, he never drags things out."

Wallace smiled gently at that. "That's how it should be. Coordinators aren't incapable of battling; it's just that too many people have separated beauty from combat power.

Shouldn't the most perfect Trainer combine brilliance with strength? Being able to show off the beauty of moves while still winning battles—that's the true essence of Coordinator training!"

Sukizo nodded repeatedly from the side, his chubby hand slapping the table.

"Exactly! I used to think Pokémon Contest battles were nothing more than seeing who could dodge more cleverly and use more dazzling moves.

But under your influence, many Coordinators have started valuing battle strength as well.

Take Grace, for example. I remember when she first started participating in Pokémon Contests three years ago, she was so nervous during the third-round Contest Battle that she cried.

But Lin Mo has never neglected his Pokémon's combat abilities from the very beginning. This is only his first competition, and I can't even imagine what he'll accomplish afterward!

More and more viewers have been following Pokémon Contests these past few years, isn't it precisely because battles have become such a highlight? This is truly a wonderful thing!"

Nurse Joy covered her mouth and chuckled, her gaze falling on Lin Mo as he stepped off the stage. Her tone was full of admiration.

"Come to think of it, Lin Mo really is this year's strongest dark horse. And Wallace, don't you think he looks a lot like you?

The same clean temperament, green hair, and preference for white clothes. Even his starter Pokémon is Water-type. He's practically a 'little Wallace'!"

Wallace froze for a moment, then burst into laughter. The admiration in his eyes as he looked at Lin Mo grew even stronger.

At that moment, the referee's voice rang out from the battle stage once more. "Skitty has lost its ability to battle and cannot continue! Number 86, Lin Mo, is the winner!"

The twin-tailed girl held her groggy Skitty in her arms, her eyes red-rimmed. Yet she still held back her tears and bowed to Lin Mo.

"You're very strong. I admit defeat. But I'll work even harder from now on. Next time, I'll definitely beat you!"

Seeing the determination in her eyes, Lin Mo nodded seriously.

"Your Skitty is very cute, and the two of you work together well. Keep it up, and you'll definitely become stronger."

The girl paused, then revealed a faint smile. Carrying Skitty, she turned and left. Her steps were light, yet they carried an unyielding resolve.

As Lin Mo stepped down from the stage, he happened to see Armani and Grace finish their battles one after another.

Armani's Flareon ended its opponent with a perfect Flame Charge.

Grace's Medicham secured victory with a Confusion + Fire Punch combination. Both of their performances were equally flawless.

In the end, the owners of the five Ribbon Badges were decided.

Lin Mo, Grace, and Armani took the top three spots without any surprise.

Meanwhile, the twin-tailed girl who used Skitty relied on the high scores she had accumulated in the first two rounds to take fifth place by a narrow margin, successfully earning a Ribbon Badge.

When she accepted the badge from Nurse Joy, tears of excitement streamed down her face. Hugging Skitty, she bowed again and again as kind applause rose from the audience.

During the award ceremony, Wallace personally presented Lin Mo with his Ribbon Badge.

The cool metal rested in his hand, heavy with its solid weight.

Wallace's voice was gentle yet firm.

"This Ribbon is only the beginning. The Grand Festival in Lilycove City is the real stage. I look forward to seeing an even more spectacular performance from you and Feebas there in the future."

"We will." Lin Mo raised his head to meet Wallace's gaze, his smile sincere and resolute. "We definitely won't disappoint you."

Thunderous applause erupted below the stage. The livestream chat had long been flooded with messages such as "Congratulations, streamer!" and "First step toward the Grand Festival!" The viewer count had surpassed two million.

Grace and Armani stood not far away, watching Lin Mo with different expressions.

Grace's gaze was calm, carrying a trace of recognition for a strong opponent. Armani, on the other hand, frowned slightly and clenched his fists, clearly regarding Lin Mo as a formidable rival for the future.

Outside the Pokémon Contest venue, the setting sun slowly sank behind the distant mountains, bathing the sky in a warm orange-red glow.

Today's Pokémon Contest had lasted quite a while. With Wallace attending in person, it had drawn countless spectators, and Rustboro City's organizers had deliberately added many exciting segments.

Combined with the meal break halfway through and the various Pokémon warm-up performances between events, the whole thing had lasted nearly seven hours. Yet no one found it tedious; instead, they were still wanting more.

Among the departing crowd, many spectators were still excitedly discussing the matches they had just watched. Some waved the commemorative merchandise they had bought, while others held up their phones to take pictures.

Wallace was surrounded at the very center of the crowd. He patiently signed every autograph book handed to him by fans and occasionally smiled as he posed for photos with those holding cameras.

His Milotic stayed obediently by his side, the blue-and-red scales along its tail gleaming softly in the light and drawing quiet gasps of amazement from many children.