The competition moved quickly. Once the sixty contestants ranked below him had finished their performances, Drew, who had placed third, finally took the stage. He used Masquerain, bringing out its radiance with Hidden Power before finishing with a combination of Bubble and Silver Wind. The dazzling performance perfectly showcased his Pokémon's charm and earned the first perfect score of the round. The second-ranked contestant was a young female Coordinator who used an Espeon. Her performance was excellent too, earning a high score of ninety-four.
"And now, we've finally reached the two contestants tied for first in the Preliminary Round! First, please welcome Liu Yuan!" As Vivian introduced him, Liu Yuan had already walked onto the stage and tossed out a Poké Ball with a stylish flick of his hand. "Leafeon, come on out!"
As the Poké Ball opened, Leafeon curled into a ball, performed several forward somersaults, and landed steadily on the ground. Liu Yuan immediately commanded, "Use Seed Bomb!"
At Liu Yuan's command, Leafeon swiftly gathered a vivid green Seed Bomb, tossed its head, and launched it high into the air. Following his next command, the leaflike fur on its forehead rapidly lengthened into a bright green blade, and it leaped after the Seed Bomb. Once it caught up, it swung its Leaf Blade, slicing rapidly across the bomb. Only after Leafeon landed firmly on the ground did the Seed Bomb burst into a hazy green mist that drifted slowly down, bathing Leafeon in a dreamlike glow.
"Leafeon, Grass Whistle!" Liu Yuan gave his final command with a smile.
The leaflike fur on Leafeon's forehead immediately shone with a soft green light and swayed rhythmically. Green musical notes emerged with the clear sound of Grass Whistle, carrying the mist from Seed Bomb across the arena in rippling waves. Under