Soon, photos of the eight contestants appeared on the big screen. Liu Yuan and Harley, whom Liu Qing considered a creep, were both among them, as was Tuanbu, the last contestant to perform.
Next came the battle pairings. Liu Yuan was in the final match of the first round of the second judging stage, facing a portly middle-aged man. According to Vivian's introduction, he was a local chef from Mauville City who used a Snorlax. Snorlax was a Pokémon with tremendous stamina, sturdy defenses, and great strength, so Liu Yuan wisely avoided a head-on clash with his Leafeon. Instead, he used Leafeon's agility to continually counter Snorlax's attacks and chip away at his opponent's score. In the end, he won and advanced to the second round.
Liu Yuan's opponent in the second round was none other than Tuanbu, the last performer, who used a Pinsir. Tuanbu had also won his first match by an overwhelming margin, so their matchup immediately drew the audience's attention. When Vivian announced the start, both contestants threw their Poké Balls.
"Leafeon, Seed Bomb!"
"Pinsir, X-Scissor!"
Onstage, Leafeon gathered the energy for Seed Bomb, then flicked its head and launched the attack at Pinsir. Hearing its Trainer's command, Pinsir calmly crossed its arms, then sliced the incoming Seed Bomb into four pieces in an instant. The fragments dissolved into green motes of light that drifted down, costing Liu Yuan points. But while Seed Bomb distracted Pinsir, Leafeon had followed up with Aerial Ace. The moment Pinsir cut the bomb apart, Leafeon's attack arrived and struck it squarely, knocking a large chunk off Tuanbu's score.
"Leafeon, Leaf Blade!" Liu Yuan ordered, pressing his advantage.
"Pinsir, use Vice Grip!" Having made it this far, Tuanbu clearly wasn't someone who gave up easily. He immediately issued a command.
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