When the host called out "Contestant No. 86," Theo did not step onto the stage via the staircase like the other participants.
Instead, he remained standing below the stage. His fingers gently turned the Poké Ball at his waist—and then with a sudden, powerful motion, he flung it straight toward the center of the stage!
The Poké Ball drew a clean, elegant arc through the air and burst open in a radiant flash of red the instant it hit the ground. Feebas's silhouette emerged from the light.
"Huh? Why is only the Pokémon coming out?"
"Wait—what's going on? Isn't the trainer supposed to go up and introduce themselves?"
"Where's the trainer? Why isn't he getting on stage?"
"This entrance… is actually kind of unique!"
Murmurs of confusion rippled through the audience. Even the judges—Wallace, Mr. Contesta, and the others—raised their eyebrows slightly, curiosity flickering in their eyes.
Just as everyone was wondering what Theo was planning…
Feebas suddenly flicked its tail, and a faint blue glow rippled around its body—it was Whirlpool!
In the blink of an eye, water surged up from the stage floor, swirling around Feebas in a slow, spiraling motion. The rotation grew faster and faster, until the water formed itself into a towering waterspout several meters high!
The spiraling column of water shimmered under the stage lights like a crystalline tornado, wrapping Feebas securely in its center.
Even more astonishing was the hollow center of the tornado. The airflow inside seemed guided by some invisible force, gently lifting Feebas upward until it hovered gracefully within the heart of the swirling vortex.
Its purple body appeared and disappeared between the spinning layers of water—like a scene from a fantastical painting.
"Wooooah!"
"Incredible! This little fish is amazing!"
"That waterspout looks so cool!"
The audience burst into applause and excited shouts. Even Mr. Contesta, who had seen countless grand performances, sat upright, eyes locked firmly on Feebas.
But the surprises weren't over.
Just as the crowd was still mesmerized by the waterspout, Feebas flicked its tail again. A ring of water appeared quietly before it—Water Pulse!
However, the way Feebas executed the move was unlike anything seen before.
There was no explosive burst or projectile attack. Instead, the moment the water ring formed, it seemed to awaken with intelligence. It slowly extended outward… flowing directly toward Theo, who remained below the stage.
The path of the water weaved into a transparent, shimmering trail—glowing faintly blue like a ribbon of liquid crystal—forming a pristine bridge between the stage and Theo.
Standing beneath the stage, Theo wore a calm and confident smile. Under the gaze of the entire hall, he stepped lightly onto the water-made path.
The water road gently rippled with each of his steps, as though responding to him, holding him steady as it carried him toward the towering waterspout.
When Theo reached the edge of the swirling column, the waterspout suddenly opened a narrow passage—almost as if welcoming him.
Theo stepped directly into the vortex's center, walked up to the hovering Feebas, and brought out his left arm to gently scoop the little fish into his arms.
Then he turned toward the crowd, his right hand lifting slowly—pointing toward the sky.
At that moment, Feebas's body glowed brilliantly, and a colorful orb of light materialized above its head—Confuse Ray.
The multicolored light orb circled Theo gracefully at Feebas's command, its soft radiance reflecting off Theo's snow-white suit in shimmering hues.
Then the orb rose upward, finally settling atop Theo's raised fingertip.
With a slight sway of his hand, the brilliant sphere danced lightly, twinkling like a lone star in the night sky.
The audience was utterly entranced, whispering unconsciously:
"So cool…"
"How is he even doing this…"
"A water path you can walk on? That's absolutely insane!!"
Suddenly—
Theo clenched his raised hand tightly.
The light orb burst instantly, flooding the hall with dazzling brilliance!
The crowd instinctively narrowed their eyes.
A few seconds passed before the light faded.
The grand, towering waterspout that had dominated the stage was gone—vanished without a trace. Only a faint mist lingered, drifting across the air and refracting the stage lights into an ethereal halo.
It felt as if everything they had witnessed earlier was nothing more than… a dream.
Feebas nestled snugly in Theo's arms, gazing up at him with affectionate eyes.
Holding Feebas in one arm, Theo walked to the front of the stage. His right hand rested gracefully behind him as he bowed politely to the audience.
"Hello everyone, I am Contestant No. 86, Theo Glenwood. This is my partner Feebas. It's our first time here—please take care of us."
The moment he finished speaking, it was like someone hit the unmute button—
The audience erupted!
Thunderous applause and cheers burst forth like a tidal wave.
People stood up waving their arms, others frantically snapped photos, and many shouted Theo's and Feebas's names at the top of their lungs.
The roar grew louder and louder—nearly strong enough to lift the roof.
"That was insane! What an unbelievable performance!"
"Aaaaah! That was so beautiful!!"
"Theo! Feebas! I love you both!!"
The livestream chat exploded even harder, messages and colorful emotes flying past so fast they blurred into a rainbow.
In the waiting area, the other contestants stared at Theo with newfound seriousness, faint caution gleaming in their eyes.
No one had expected a stunning newcomer to emerge so fiercely in this prestigious Contest.
Theo's sudden rise was like a massive stone cast into a silent lake—the entire stage atmosphere tightened in an instant, tension spreading through the air like an unsheathed blade.
Armani and Grace, in particular, stared dead at Theo, pupils contracting, disbelief swirling in their expressions.
The first-round appeal was supposed to be the warm-up stage—yet Theo had already unveiled a performance this overwhelming.
If this was his opening move…
What could he possibly be hiding for Round Two?
At this moment, the host, Kotaro, spoke through the microphone, his voice unable to hide his amazement:
"It's truly hard to believe that this is Contestant No. 86 Theo and his Feebas's first time stepping onto the Contest stage!
Such a magical and dreamlike performance—absolutely unbelievable! Judges, may we hear your thoughts?"
The hall fell into expectant silence. All eyes turned to the judging panel.
Wallace lowered his still-clapping hands, delight lingering in his gaze. His warm voice brimmed with praise:
"Utterly stunning. Theo, I witnessed your skill with Feebas during your Gym battle, and I thought it excellent then.
But I never imagined you could elevate moves into something so creative—turning flowing water into a bridge connecting trainer and Pokémon. Beautiful, dazzling, and wonderfully clever. I adore this idea."
Beside him, Mr. Contesta adjusted his glasses. His stern expression melted into a satisfied smile as he swiftly penned a high score on his board.
"Theo, excellent work. Even setting aside the eye-catching creativity, the skill control your Pokémon demonstrated is simply astonishing.
To perform this well at your age… I can imagine the countless hours of effort you and Feebas have dedicated. Thank you for bringing us such a fantastical performance."
Mr. Sukizo was already too excited to contain himself. With booming laughter and vigorous applause, he exclaimed:
"Fantastic! I love it!
Whether it's the unconventional entrance or the flawless synergy between trainer and Pokémon, I can't find a single flaw!
It makes the blood boil with excitement—full score! Absolutely full score from me!"
Finally, Nurse Joy smiled softly, her crescent-shaped eyes warm and gentle as she looked toward Theo.
"Everything the others said is true—creativity, technique, synergy—all impeccable.
But what touched me even more was the way you looked at Feebas from beginning to end—with such sincerity and affection.
A Contest's beauty isn't just in radiant moves… but in the bond shared between trainer and Pokémon. You two did wonderfully."
Kotaro's cheerful voice rang out again:
"Well—judging from this, it seems the panel is in complete agreement about Theo and Feebas's outstanding performance!"
He lifted a hand toward the audience:
"Everyone, let's give another round of warm applause to thank Theo and Feebas for bringing us such a breathtaking show—and let's look forward to what else they will display!"
The hall erupted again, cheers rising violently enough to shake the very air.
The livestream chat detonated in sync:
"That entrance was phenomenal—I'm obsessed!"
"Feebas and Theo are locked in! What a gorgeous performance!"
"Champion! Champion! Feebas is going to be champion!!!"
Theo lifted Feebas high above his head.
The little Pokémon shimmered under the spotlights, sparking another wave of explosive cheers.
After a moment, Theo gracefully accepted the audience's overflowing admiration before returning Feebas into its Poké Ball.
He walked down the steps, surrounded by surging cheers and countless heated gazes, a calm yet proud smile tugging at his lips.
He knew that his grand debut in the Contest…
had achieved exactly what he intended.
(End of Chapter)