"Yes. I plan to compete."
Paul nodded. His gaze didn't waver in the slightest. With a stiff, earnest expression, he spoke in a respectful tone that left absolutely no room for negotiation.
Lucas asked, "…Who are you sending?"
"Torterra. Ursaring."
Paul's eyes were firm, like he was ready to swear an oath.
"T-then do whatever you want."
For once, Lucas was at a loss for words. He waved a hand and shooed Paul away.
Penny and Shizuka smoothly jumped into the conversation, giggling. "Teacher, we're not competing."
Penny's reason was simple.
She had social anxiety.
Even though she had an Eevee team well-suited to contests, and even though she herself had mastered a set of impressively skilled "otaku dance" moves, with top-tier flexibility—she still didn't want to enter.
Shizuka had a moment of temptation.
But—
When she saw that among the invited judges there was even a distant Hoenn-relative Nurse Joy, she withdrew her application overnight.
No other reason.
She just didn't want to embarrass herself in front of a relative—she'd become the entire Joy family's tea-time joke!
Seeing the two of them "declare loyalty," Lucas didn't know what to say.
In most cases, wasn't it usually girls who liked contests more?
Why was it the reverse here?
Then the two of them, looking eager for gossip, asked, "Do you know why Paul wants to compete?"
Lucas honestly shook his head.
"Because he saw your name on the registration list!"
…
"Ladies and gentlemen—no, dear friends of Naranja Academy!"
"Welcome to this contest venue, officially led by the Pokémon Contest Association in cooperation with the Paldea League and Naranja Academy!"
"I'm your host, Vivian. Please take good care of me!"
A charming woman with long blond curls and a delicate, charismatic face held a microphone. Smiling brightly, she waved her right hand and greeted the crowd filling the seats around the stage.
She was Vivian—a professional contest host. Her usual workplace was Hoenn. Right now, she was on a business trip.
Many of the academy's students and teachers graciously responded with enthusiastic cheers and applause.
Most eyes shone with curiosity—clearly, they were looking forward to this contest.
A small number of contest fans swallowed hard.
If Vivian was here… then the guest lineup for this campus contest would likely be more extravagant than ever!
"Next, please allow me to introduce our judges for today's campus contest!"
Vivian's gaze moved to the empty seats to one side of the stage.
A rectangular judges' table stood there with microphones. In front, display screens were installed—presumably for showing scores.
And the number of seats was—
Six!
As Vivian's voice fell, several people emerged one after another from behind the curtain.
"First, the president of the Pokémon Fan Club—Mr. Sukizo!"
Under Vivian's introduction, Sukizo stepped out. He had a buzz cut, a slightly short build, and a gentle smile, dressed formally. He swept his gaze across the audience, narrowed his eyes, and spoke his catchphrase.
"I like that!"
Unfortunately, most students didn't know it was a catchphrase and instead looked puzzled.
Luckily, Vivian's hosting skills were solid. Without changing expression, she explained, "It seems Mr. Sukizo likes the venue's atmosphere very much!"
Sukizo nodded and said again, "I like that!"
This time, what he liked was Vivian's hosting.
Then the second judge entered.
He wore a red suit and slicked-back hair. He looked somewhat older than Sukizo.
"The Contest Bureau Director—Mr. Contesta!"
"Please take good care of me."
Contesta smiled and waved to the surroundings.
"Third judge—everyone's beloved angel nurse, Nurse Joy from the Lilycove City Pokémon Center!"
A Nurse Joy with pink hair and strikingly refined features stepped out smiling.
"I'll be looking forward to everyone's performances."
With the three seated, Vivian's voice suddenly rose as if she had confirmed something.
"These three are the regular judges for contests."
"Next, it is my honor to introduce the remaining three invited judges—"
"First, Naranja Academy's principal, the one who has made meticulous preparations for this campus contest—Director Clavell!"
Among the previous three judges, if you compared their welcome by the scale of cheering, it was Nurse Joy > Contesta = Sukizo.
But when Clavell appeared, the cheers surged.
Clearly, the students were satisfied with and respectful toward their new principal.
People kept calling out "Director!" Clavell instinctively pushed up his glasses, his face full of happiness.
But next, an even more heavyweight figure appeared.
Just as Clavell sat down, Vivian's voice rang out as if timed to the second.
"The fifth judge—"
Vivian raised her tone.
"She is the Chairwoman of the Paldea League, the Top Champion, the Chairwoman of Naranja Academy's board—an iconic figure known throughout Paldea: Ms. Geeta!"
Geeta, still dressed in her perfectly proper outfit, gently swung her gloved right hand as she walked to the judges' seats. Her smile was warm yet dignified.
The cheers froze for a split second.
Then the uproar that followed nearly lifted the roof.
Many students widened their eyes, shouting excitedly:
"Even Chairwoman Geeta is a judge!"
"Does that mean contestants might get her comments and guidance?"
"Is it still possible to register now!?"
When they heard registration had already closed, many people lamented bitterly, regretting not signing up "just for fun."
Not for anything else—if Chairwoman Geeta noticed you for even a minute or two, that alone would be worth it!
Compared to those excited students and teachers, Lucas—currently suffering at the hands of a makeup artist—heard the commotion outside and twitched at the corner of his mouth.
He'd realized something.
Geeta really did love serving as a judge at all kinds of competitions.
Clavell would have been enough. By showing up personally, wasn't she openly signaling the Paldea League's stance to the Contest Association?
Lucas had just about to exhale when a powder puff slapped his mouth corner, and loose powder almost made him cough.
He shot an accusing look at his makeup artist, Tulip. She responded coolly, "Don't move your face. You'll make me redo it."
Lucas could only speak in a muffled tone. "Changing into formal wear is one thing, but I think going onstage bare-faced would've been fine. Why do I need makeup…"
Tulip glanced at him, her hands never slowing. "The Chairwoman said contests emphasize more than just strength. I don't understand everything, but the trainer's appearance and the Pokémon's appearance matter too."
"Since you agreed to represent the League and do an exhibition match with that person, you're Paldea's public face. You can't lose to him—"
"And besides, I'm doing natural makeup. Your bone structure is good; a little refinement is enough. You've been working on a farm every day, right? No wonder your skin is much darker than during the Champion Assessment."
"Getting darker is unnecessary. Also, this is healthy wheat-colored skin—you wouldn't understand—"
Lucas tried to argue.
"You can call it whatever you want."
Tulip finished the final step, examined her "work," and showed a satisfied expression.
"Good. You look much more pleasant now. As expected of top-tier me."
"'Pleasant' is unnecessary."
Lucas muttered a habitual complaint, stood up in the slightly restrictive formal outfit, and posed in front of the full-length mirror as if admiring himself.
"One word: handsome!"
Then he looked at the cape over his shoulder and his eyebrow twitched.
A deep, mysterious black fabric fit perfectly as a base, with gold thread embroidery forming an "expensive, grand, high-class" pattern.
The length was about the same as Lance's usual cape.
So why did everyone like capes so much—?
This outfit—and the cape—were formal attire the Paldea League prepared for each Champion-level trainer, meant for serious occasions.
The League simply hadn't had time to deliver Lucas's already-tailored set before Lucas ran off.
If this hadn't been an exhibition match with "contest" flair, Lucas probably wouldn't have worn it at all.
At that moment, Tulip spoke: "Stop admiring yourself. Wallace is making his entrance."
Her eyes moved to the TV streaming the academy's internal live broadcast.
Lucas followed her gaze.
Sure enough.
Vivian's expression was now even more animated and excited as she introduced:
"Next, please allow me to present—"
On the giant screen in the temporarily constructed enclosed venue, the figure of a handsome man with teal hair and a white hat appeared. The background was the Sootopolis Gym in Hoenn!
"Sometimes, he is a Gym Leader!"
The image seamlessly switched. The man now stood at the end of Victory Road, surrounded by four shadowy figures, wearing the Champion's cape that marked his status—free and effortless.
"Sometimes, he is the League Champion!"
Now he held aloft the trophy representing the highest honor in contests, with countless identical trophies displayed behind him.
"Sometimes, he is also a top coordinator!"
The image switched again, Vivian's face taking up two-thirds of the screen.
"And yet, his true identity is—"
Center stage—
With a boom, a massive water tornado suddenly surged upward.
"Mii-lu—"
A clear, ethereal cry like heavenly music rang out.
Amid the exploding spray, a Milotic emerged in radiant splendor—water rings flowing around it, scales shimmering under the lights. The Pokémon praised as the world's most beautiful took the stage!
At the same time, directly beneath Milotic, the teal-haired man knelt on one knee. Bathed in glittering droplets, he rose elegantly, flicked his cape open, and announced with confident clarity:
"Friends of Naranja Academy, Good Morning!"
The moment his voice fell, Milotic moved again.
It glided gracefully to his side, sang softly, and released white mist tinged with chill. Every falling droplet along its path froze, turning into countless ice crystals—each reflecting the iridescent beauty of Milotic's scales.
The camera zoomed in several times over. Inside those crystals, Wallace's face was also reflected as if displayed within them!
Vivian's soaring voice followed:
"The super-genius Top Coordinator—Master Wallace!"
Excitement—
Even for those who didn't understand contests and had never watched a match, Wallace and Milotic's brief entrance alone made it obvious how high their coordination skills were.
More than that, through Wallace's entrance, the audience gained a clear understanding of what contests truly were—and their anticipation for the performances to come rose sharply.
"So amazing…"
In the audience, Shizuka sat with Penny, staring in astonishment.
That dazzling presence that drew every eye—was that what a Top Coordinator was like?
Penny, meanwhile, used her laptop to pull up some basic information.
Staring at one suffix in Wallace's long list of titles, Penny's eyes widened.
"No way…"
In the reflection on her glasses, the words "World No. 1" were clearly visible.
Wallace's achievements in contests were recognized as the undisputed, rightful best in the world. It was incredible.
Compared to that, his titles as Gym Leader and League Champion almost seemed less eye-catching.
Shizuka leaned in to "peek," then covered the lower half of her face, lips parting slightly.
"That means… Teacher Lucas is going to battle him in the field Wallace dominates?"
"Yes—and a normal coordinator might not be great at battling, but Wallace is also a League Champion."
"Trying to brute-force with overwhelming strength probably won't work either."
After checking more information, Penny nodded, looking worriedly toward the stage.
Teacher Lucas… can you win?
After Wallace's entrance, the atmosphere remained heated for a long time. Riding the momentum, Vivian announced that Wallace would serve as the sixth invited judge, then said mysteriously, "And what's more—"
"Top Coordinator Wallace will face Naranja Academy's Battle Studies lead instructor, Teacher Lucas—formerly a Champion-level trainer of the Paldea League—in a gorgeous friendly exhibition match!"
"Now, please welcome Teacher Lucas to the stage!"
Thump!
A spotlight immediately illuminated Lucas as he walked steadily onto the stage.
Unlike Wallace, he didn't use a flashy entrance. He simply walked up in an extremely plain manner.
At Naranja Academy now, no one would underestimate him—his identity was known to all.
Besides, the second, smaller figure walking beside Lucas drew even more attention.
At the judges' table, Geeta—arms crossed, smiling—paused, blinked, and said in surprise:
"That is… Mimikyu?"
At Lucas's side, Mimikyu had completely changed into a brand-new look, happily and contentedly stepping forward!
…
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