The next day.
At the finals venue.
It was noon, with more than an hour until the match began, but the vast stadium was nearly full.
The blazing sun beat down on the uneven sea of heads surging back and forth. They rolled like waves of heat, dizzying to watch.
"Drinks! Lunch boxes! Badges! Dolls! Anyone interested?"
Vendors hawked snacks and merchandise along the stairs and aisles. Iced drinks and fan-made badges of Baimu's Pokémon sold especially well, often selling out after just a lap or two.
Inside the arena.
Groups of staff were making their final checks.
The equipment had never caused trouble in all these years, but with a final this important, everyone wanted to make absolutely sure.
Besides, both trainers had exceptionally powerful Pokémon. If something went wrong, the field's durability would be put to the test.
And then there were the defensive systems.
"Chief! Everything's good over here!"
"Same here!"
"Defensive systems are normal! They can be activated without a hitch!"
The reports coming over the radio brought a smile to the face of the man in charge of the tournament—the man everyone called Chief.
He called out, "Excellent, everyone! Let's get ready for the strongest final between two contestants we've seen in years! I'm sure this will set a record we can be proud of, especially in the ratings!"
"Yeah!"
Cheers erupted over the radio.
For trainers, the Ever Grande Conference was the first stage on which they fought to reach the pinnacle of their dreams.
For the workers of the Contest Affairs Bureau, it was a heavy responsibility. The stage that carried so many dreams would decide countless futures, and it also represented a point of pride for them—
The ratings.
Whenever the tournament opened, it topped the television ratings in Hoenn.
But beating