Under the eyes of the crowd, Baimu and Ilima climbed onto the platforms from opposite sides.
Cheers rolled through the main stadium in waves.
Plenty of spectators supported Ilima, and their shouts rang out loud and clear.
But the crowd was still overwhelmingly behind Baimu. Nearly half the stands chanted his name and cheered him on.
Already dressed in cheerleading outfits, Lisia and Dawn stared around them in shock.
"Amazing! It's just like when my uncle comes out!"
"Even more than before..."
After the donation incident spread and several battles built on his reputation, Baimu's fame had clearly soared. The reception dwarfed anything in the earlier rounds.
Brock said gravely, "Ilima is said to be from the Alola Region, and he made a name for himself as a Trainer years ago! He probably won't be easy to beat!"
Wally had every confidence in Baimu, but he wasn't one to argue with others. He quietly waited for the match to begin.
"Baimu and Ilima have taken the field! As two of the hottest contenders in this year's Ever Grande Conference, what kind of match will they give us? Let's find out!"
The commentator's voice was a little hoarse but carried powerfully through the stadium. He sounded just like the voice often heard in the background when Ash challenged tournaments early on. He might even have been the same person.
He carefully explained the rules of the Victory Tournament. Portraits of Baimu and Ilima appeared on the main stadium's largest screen, with six circles beside each to record the Pokémon they used.
Between the portraits was a wheel divided into yellow, blue, green, and gray, each color representing a different type of field.
"Let's see what field we'll have for the first half—"
Bright light flashed across the wheel's sections.
Beep!
The