"Mr. Wallace is actually appearing?! This is incredible!"
"I wonder who the Coordinator Trainer on the other side is? Could it be another top-tier Coordinator?"
"Here it comes, here it comes — Milotic!"
"..."
Wallace!
A man of many titles: Gym Leader, Contest Star, and even Champion of the Hoenn Region!
"Miiru~~"
At some point, Milotic had already slipped into the water.
Everyone could clearly see, within the giant pool, a long and elegant shadow swimming gracefully beneath the surface.
If you listened closely, you could almost hear Milotic's mesmerizing voice.
That was Milotic's silhouette!
May and Dawn had already changed outfits and quickly hurried back to the audience stands, rejoining Brock, Lucy, and Anabel.
"Thank goodness, we made it just in time! I can't believe Ash is actually going to have a Contest Battle against Mr. Wallace! Back when I was struggling with Contest appeals, Ash gave me so many great ideas... I can't wait to see how this battle turns out!"
"I told you we'd make it! We're super fast, heh heh!"
Both May and Dawn were now fully focused, their eyes locked on the stage.
Ash was already stepping onto the battlefield.
He had changed outfits specially for this match.
He looked incredibly cool.
BOOM!
Suddenly, Milotic's elegant form burst from the water!
Wallace, too, appeared onstage, stepping into the spotlight.
"Good! Very good! Now, let's begin the stunning Contest Battle between Mr. Wallace and Mr. Ash! Ash has competed in multiple major Pokémon League tournaments and always ranked high — this is a match you won't want to miss!"
After making the announcement, the host Miss Bai An quickly stepped off the stage — she wanted a front-row seat to this spectacle herself!
"Come, Ash! Show me your true strength!"
"Mii~ru!"
Milotic's gaze was locked onto Ash.
"Sceptile, I'm counting on you!"
"Chaamo!"
Sceptile!
Both Pokémon entered the stage, their powerful auras instantly clashing — the tension was palpable!
Ash's Eye of Appraisal revealed that Milotic was at Level 75.
A level befitting Wallace — though among Champions, Wallace wasn't exactly at the pinnacle.
"As the host, Ash, why don't you take the first move?"
"Then we won't hold back! Sceptile, move out — run atop the water!"
"Chaamo!"
Whoosh!
Sceptile shot forward like a streak of emerald light.
The pool was massive, dotted with five large lily pad platforms.
Sceptile's foot tapped the first platform lightly, then — bang! — it darted forward, its second step tapping the water surface like a dragonfly skimming across a pond, moving with breathtaking speed!
Charging straight ahead.
It was as if he was running across solid ground.
Tiny bursts of water erupted with each step, catching the sunlight and creating fleeting rainbows in the air!
Whoosh!
Such a technique?!
The audience was completely stunned!
"As expected! Milotic, dive into the water and use Twister!"
Wallace wasn't flustered at all; he had clearly been prepared.
It was obvious — Ash had serious Contest skills too!
Milotic twisted its body and dove into the pool.
The broadcast screens split into two: one following Sceptile's movements, the other tracking Milotic underwater.
The surface of the pool began to churn violently!
"Sceptile, Leaf Blade!"
A massive waterspout rose from the pool, surging straight toward Sceptile.
With a swift stomp on a platform, Sceptile launched itself high into the air.
Its glowing Leaf Blade slashed downward!
SPLASH!
The raging waterspout was cleaved cleanly in two.
The divided waters crashed down on either side of Sceptile, framing its emerald figure like a scene from a dream — dazzling and surreal.
Milotic swiftly veered aside.
As it moved through the water, countless tiny bubbles began to rise around it.
The bubbles reflected Milotic's beautiful, multicolored scales, making its beauty even more radiant!
"Sceptile! Whip up a Leaf Storm and force it out!"
"Chaamo!"
Sceptile's tail glowed brightly.
The spikes on its tail came alive, shimmering with energy.
WHOOOOOSH!
The Leaf Storm unleashed a fierce gust, so powerful that even the audience felt the pull of the wind — but no one dared blink.
They were fully aware now: this Mr. Ash was no weaker than Mr. Wallace!
In a distant corner, Paul was also watching.
He had come here with hopes of encountering Wallace in the Wallace Cup — to challenge him and gauge his own strength.
But he never expected to witness Ash and Wallace clashing head-on!
"That guy!"
Paul's eyes were glued to the battlefield, completely captivated.
Forced by the ferocious Leaf Storm, Milotic finally emerged from the water!
And in the instant it broke the surface, Wallace snapped his fingers.
Around Milotic's slender form, beautiful rings of water began to appear!
Those shimmering rings wrapped protectively around Milotic, enhancing its already mesmerizing appearance.
It was the move Aqua Ring!
The Leaf Storm had still managed to chip away some of Milotic's strength despite the water's dampening effect.
And now, with Aqua Ring, Milotic was steadily recovering!
"Milotic, use Mist!"
"Mii~ru!"
Milotic unleashed a dense white mist — a sign that Wallace was signaling to Ash: this was the end of the performance phase.
Continuing any further would turn this into a real battle.
"Sceptile, dash into the mist and use Synthesis!"
"Milotic, use Safeguard!"
The thick mist filled the stage, yet the audience still caught glimpses of the Pokémon through it.
The mist blocked much of the sunlight, weakening Sceptile's Synthesis glow.
But even the faint emerald light that filtered through made Sceptile's silhouette appear crystal clear — elegant and powerful!
Meanwhile, Milotic, protected by Safeguard, shimmered with even more brilliant colors within the mist, exuding an even deeper mystery.
This was the climax of their performance.
The battle ended here — no winner, no loser.
Yet to the trained eyes in the audience, it was obvious:
Sceptile had dominated the encounter.
The mist slowly faded away.
This performance had showcased speed, explosive power, and the clever use of moves to enhance both defense and style — blending battle and beauty into a perfect show!
Especially at the end...
Both Pokémon's natural charms were magnified to their fullest!
The audience erupted into thunderous applause!
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T/N:
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