The instant Skitty slipped on the slick ice beneath its feet and lost its balance, Feebas had already locked onto its true body, for it was the only one unable to adjust its posture in time.
A glimmering-blue Water Pulse surged forth all at once, the churning waves wrapped in a hazy, multicolored shimmer. The two moves, Water Pulse and Confuse Ray, intertwined perfectly, forming a spiraling blast that cut through the air with a sharp whistle as it rushed straight toward Skitty.
The thin layer of ice beneath Skitty severely limited its ability to dodge. No matter how desperately it twisted its body in an attempt to evade, it simply couldn't escape. The attack, laden with two overlapping effects, struck Skitty squarely and without mercy.
In that exact instant, the confusion effect of Water Pulse and the disorienting power of Confuse Ray stacked atop each other in rapid succession. The moment Skitty was hit, its pupils instantly lost focus, and its limbs began stumbling uncontrollably. It spun around in place, wobbling aimlessly—completely consumed by confusion.
"Skitty, please wake up! Skitty!"
The girl cried, her voice trembling with tears, desperate as she called to the center of the battlefield.
But the confused Skitty no longer had the faintest trace of awareness. Its pink, fluffy body spun helplessly, its paws swiping wildly at empty air in random directions, hitting nothing at all.
It was completely unable to hear any commands—its appearance was both pitiful and heartbreaking.
Feebas remained unshakably focused. One Water Pulse after another surged outward, each wave of blue energy spiraling with perfect precision.
Every attack locked directly onto the disoriented Skitty. Every shot landed cleanly, with not a single miss.
Under the relentless barrage, Skitty's fuzzy head wobbled more and more with each impact. Finally, it could no longer stay upright. It collapsed onto the stage with a soft thud, its pink tail drooping weakly as it lay still—completely defeated.
Mr. Contesta watched the crisp, decisive victory and let out a low whistle. He turned to Wallace with admiration in his voice.
"Wallace, this boy's battling style aligns perfectly with your philosophy.
His combinations during the performance stages are flawless, and once he enters an actual battle, he defeats his opponent efficiently and without hesitation."
Mr. Contesta paused, recalling competitions he had judged in the past.
"Back then, Coordinators always tried to clash with flashy moves during battles or they spent the entire match dodging endlessly, treating the battlefield like a second performance stage. They cared more about visual appeal than the actual effectiveness of their moves."
He gestured toward the ongoing match as if emphasizing the point.
"But look at Theo, he can amaze the audience with beauty when needed, yet he never lets that get in the way of decisive combat."
Wallace smiled softly, warmth in his voice.
"That's exactly how it should be. Coordinators aren't incapable of battling, many have simply separated beauty from strength. But true mastery… comes from combining them.
Power layered atop elegance, form intertwined with effectiveness, that is what creates the perfect Coordinator. One who can display beauty through their moves and still achieve victory in battle. That is the true essence of Coordination."
Mr. Sukizo nodded repeatedly beside them, his round cheeks jiggling as he slapped the table.
"Well said! In the past, Contest battles were mostly about who dodged the most gracefully or who fired off the flashiest moves. But thanks to your influence, Wallace, many Coordinators have started taking actual battle capability seriously."
He laughed heartily.
"Take Grace for example. I remember three years ago, when she first participated in a Contest, she was so nervous during the third-round battle that she cried!
But look at Theo, he's never neglected the battling ability of his Pokémon. And this is only his very first competition! I can't even imagine what he'll achieve in the future."
He gestured broadly to the crowd of excited spectators.
"And these days, more and more people follow Contests precisely because of this growing emphasis on battles. It's fantastic—absolutely fantastic!"
Nurse Joy covered her mouth with a soft giggle, her eyes drifting toward Theo as he stepped off the stage. Admiration filled her voice.
"To be honest, Theo is definitely this year's strongest dark horse. And Wallace, don't you think he looks a lot like you?
He has the same clean, gentle temperament, green hair, and even a preference for white clothing. Not to mention, his starter Pokémon is Water-type, too. He's practically a little version of you!"
Wallace blinked in surprise, then burst into laughter, the fondness in his gaze deepening as he watched Theo.
Meanwhile, on the battlefield, the referee's voice rang out again:
"Skitty is unable to battle! Contestant No. 86, Theo—wins!"
The twin-tailed girl clutched her groggy Skitty, her eyes red, but she still forced back her tears. Lowering her head, she bowed deeply to Theo.
"You're really strong… I admit defeat. But next time, I'll work even harder. I'll definitely beat you someday!"
Theo saw the determination in her eyes and nodded seriously.
"Your Skitty is really adorable and you two work very well together. If you keep training, you'll definitely become stronger."
The girl froze for a moment, then a faint smile blossomed on her face. Carrying Skitty in her arms, she turned and left the stage, her steps light yet filled with steadfast resolve.
As Theo stepped down the stage, he saw that both Armani and Grace had already finished their battles as well.
Armani's Flareon had delivered a flawless "Stored Power Flame Charge" to finish the match in spectacular fashion.
Grace's Medicham used her precise combination of "Psychic + Fire Punch" to secure victory.
Both performances were flawless.
And so, the distribution of the five Ribbons was decided.
Theo, Grace, and Armani unsurprisingly secured the top three slots.
Yet surprisingly, the twin-tailed girl who used Skitty, thanks to her high scores from the first two rounds, managed to clinch fifth place by a narrow margin, earning the final Ribbon.
When Nurse Joy handed the badge to her, she burst into tears on the spot. Hugging her Skitty tightly, she bowed again and again as the crowd offered her warm applause.
During the award ceremony, Wallace personally presented Theo with his Ribbon Badge.
The cool metal settled into Theo's palm with a satisfying weight.
Wallace's voice was gentle yet powerful.
"This Ribbon is just the beginning. The Grand Festival in Slateport City, that is the true stage. I look forward to seeing even more remarkable performances from you and Feebas in the future."
"We will."
Theo lifted his head, meeting Wallace's gaze with a bright, unwavering smile.
"We definitely won't let you down."
The audience erupted into thunderous applause.
The livestream chat was already overflowing with messages like "Congratulations!" and "First step toward the Grand Festival!"
Online viewership surged past two million.
Standing not far away, Grace and Armani both watched Theo—each with their own emotions.
Grace's gaze was calm, filled with recognition for a formidable rival.
Armani, however, frowned slightly and clenched his fist—clearly already treating Theo as a future opponent he must surpass.
…
Outside the Contest Hall, the sun was slowly sinking behind the distant mountains. The entire sky was painted in warm hues of orange and red.
Today's Contest had taken quite a long time. With Wallace's personal attendance attracting massive crowds, the Rustboro City organizers packed in countless special segments.
Combined with the meal break and various intermission performances, the entire event had lasted nearly seven hours—but no one felt bored. If anything, they still wanted more.
Among the dispersing crowd, spectators were still buzzing with excitement as they discussed the battles. Many waved their newly purchased souvenir merchandise, while others filmed the venue with their phones, capturing memories of this spectacular day.
Wallace, surrounded by fans in the center of the crowd, continued signing autograph books with patience and grace. Occasionally he paused to pose for photos with the people holding out their cameras.
Beside him, his Milotic rested quietly, its blue-and-red tail scales glowing softly in the fading light—drawing awed whispers from the children nearby.
(End of Chapter)