As the semifinals arrived, excitement surrounding the tournament reached an unprecedented peak.
The hype that Leon alone had once sustained had now been stolen entirely by Mingyou. With Keldeo and the purple Cyclizar unbanned, everyone eagerly awaited how Uva would handle this crisis.
Amid the referee-commentator's excited cries, Mingyou and Uva emerged from the competitors' tunnels on opposite sides of the grassy battlefield, which had been fully restored.
In the stands, Cynthia had yet to leave. Sitting with Shali and Akari, she was also eager to see just how far Mingyou could go in this match.
Arven and Nemona shouted encouragement to both competitors. Far away in the Paldea Region, Geeta and the others were watching the live broadcast too.
Ash and his friends had finally arrived at the venue today as well. They should have come the day before yesterday, but every flight had been full, and they had been unlucky enough to miss out. After learning this, Dawn had specifically mentioned it to Cynthia, whose help had secured them a private plane.
"It's such a shame we didn't get to see Mingyou battle Miss Cynthia in person."
Ash and Pikachu both looked disappointed. Just then, however, he suddenly noticed that Serena, who had come with him, and Dawn, who sat beside her, seemed to be sizing each other up. The atmosphere was gradually turning strange.
"What's wrong with you two?"
"N-nothing."
"???"
On the battlefield.
Mingyou and Uva had both taken their positions. Thinking back to their first meeting, a chance encounter outside the Rotom Phone Company in Levincia, perhaps neither had ever imagined a day like this would come.
"Enough talk. Let's battle!"
The battle they had both awaited for so long erupted in an instant. As their Poké Balls flew, a cat's claws and a dog's