"However, to avoid any perception of favoritism, I will award 98 points, matching Ms. Topaz," Himeko said with a warm smile, raising her scoring paddle.
Her words were far from empty courtesy; they reflected her genuine evaluation.
The Path of the Trailblaze belonged to those who cast aside old burdens to pursue boundless horizons. The crew members aboard the Astral Express were living proof. Regardless of the circumstances that had parted them from their former homes, every one of them shared that same restless drive to press onward.
Without lingering attachments to weigh them down, they met every unknown with fearless curiosity. That pure, forward-looking courage was the true essence of the Trailblaze.
Yet throughout the vast cosmos, finding souls who possessed such resolve and crossed paths with the Astral Express was remarkably rare.
Serval had yearned to board the train, yet her deep ties to her homeland kept her anchored in Belobog. Scholars across the Herta Space Station often dreamed of riding the silver rails, but the deadly perils of deep-space exploration inevitably gave them pause. After all, exceptional intellect often brought an acute awareness of danger.
Furthermore, true Trailblazers could not be consumed by bitter vengeance; those driven solely by retribution found a far more natural home among the Galaxy Rangers.
The audience saw nothing unfair about the score. March 7th had earned every bit of praise through sheer execution. Even if Himeko had awarded a perfect hundred out of sentiment, few in the stadium would have raised genuine objections, though critics online would have inevitably stirred up debates.
Robin leaned into her microphone next.
"Miss March's routine was truly dazzling," Robin praised. "Her vocal delivery was wonderfully clear, and her vision of an icebound kingdom was thoroughly captivating."
"While the foundational concept followed a more traditional fairytale arc than some of our more abstract contenders, the visual execution and sheer stage impact were easily the most spectacular we have seen all evening."
Robin held up her paddle: 98 points.
From Robin's perspective as a seasoned performer, classical fairy-tale storytelling was familiar ground. Even so, the sheer scale of the palace construction commanded total respect.
Jing Yuan rested his chin on his palm, his golden eyes filled with thoughtful appreciation.
"What impressed me most was how Miss March presented her partners' techniques," the General noted. "Many contestants strive for flashy visual flair, yet if you observe closely, you can often see the deliberate, calculated seams in their movements."
"Balancing grand spectacle with natural grace is exceptionally difficult, yet Miss March manifested an entire frozen sanctuary with effortless fluidity, without a trace of artificial strain."
After a brief, deliberate pause, Jing Yuan raised his paddle: 97 points.
In terms of cultural resonance, the General naturally held a personal fondness for Guinaifen's ink wash showcase. Yet when judging raw stage presence, Guinaifen's choreography carried slight hints of tension that March's routine lacked. Balancing the scales, he awarded March the exact same score of 97.
"General Jing Yuan awards 97 points!" Owlbert called out, his feathers rustling with excitement. "Right now, Miss March sits just one single point behind Little Guinaifen! Can she seize first place? Everything comes down to Boss Julian's final verdict!"
Julian looked down at the stage, a calm smile touching his lips.
"To be completely honest, I thoroughly enjoyed both Guinaifen and March 7th's routines," Julian began. "As someone living on the Luofu, Guinaifen's performance resonated deeply with me, showcasing a proud cultural identity with absolute confidence."
"However, as the founder of Pokémon, my duty is to remember that the Contest stage belongs first and foremost to the Pokémon. The judging must remain centered on their partnership."
"Both Trainers demonstrated exceptional care in raising their teams. Yet compared to Guinaifen's stage, March's routine captured an even deeper sense of unspoken trust and mutual synchrony between Trainer and partner."
"While Guinaifen achieved this as well, March's presentation brought that emotional connection to a more complete, polished height."
"For that reason, I award 98 points!"
Julian held up his paddle: 98 points.
Across the virtual stands, spectators immediately began crunching the math. Sharp-minded viewers gasped in realization as the numbers settled, sparking an eager wave of chatter.
Owlbert glanced down at his telemetry display and beamed, his voice echoing across the arena:
"Congratulations to Miss March 7th for earning a final score of 97.8 points, tying Little Guinaifen for first place on the leaderboard!"
The announcement sent a ripple of amazed murmurs through the stadium.
No one questioned the validity of the result; both routines had been breathtaking masterpieces in their own right, making a dead heat at the top feel entirely justified.
However, since visual scores directly determined starting points for the second-round battle bracket, viewers immediately began debating how the system would handle a tie at the summit.
Noticing the confusion spreading through the chat, Julian caught Owlbert's attention with a subtle gesture, clarifying the tournament rules.
"Everyone, please rest easy!" Owlbert announced promptly. "Boss Julian has clarified the official ruling: in the event of a tie during the review phase, both contestants will enter the battle bracket with the exact same starting point bonus!"
"And now, let us prepare for our next contestant!"
A tie in the review phase had been accounted for during system planning, and the resulting score distribution would have little negative impact on the tournament's integrity.
During the earlier regional qualifiers, less experienced players had occasionally relied on a strong initial review score to coast through the battle rounds on pure point attrition. But on the stage of the Grand Celebration, every finalist had fought their way through grueling regional brackets. Basic tactical blunders were out of the question, and any point deficit from the review phase could easily be wiped out through a decisive knockout in the ring.
The point bonus was designed primarily to give artistic specialists a fighting chance against pure combat veterans. By managing the clock and avoiding knockouts, a performer with a massive opening lead could potentially defend their advantage until time expired.
Yet tonight's finalists proved that the most formidable battlers were equally brilliant performers.
On a world-class stage broadcast across the galaxy, no finalist stood alone. Behind each contender lay the backing of powerful factions, planetary guilds, or commercial sponsors eager to showcase their cultural reach. With top-tier resources poured into stage design, every performance reached extraordinary heights of polish.
Julian welcomed the investment with open arms. The more effort different factions poured into their stage presence, the greater the cultural footprint and popularity of the Pokémon world grew.
"And now," Owlbert declared, raising his wings to direct the spotlights toward the entrance tunnel, "let us welcome the champion of our very first regional qualifier—Miss Sushang of the Xianzhou Luofu!"
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