After recalling Feebas, Theo stepped down from the stage, and the eyes of the entire audience clung to him like magnets.
The lingering echoes of that fantastical performance still swirled in every person's heart.
Along the pathway, the gazes from other contestants had completely changed.
Some were filled with rising astonishment, some couldn't hide their envy, and others displayed undisguised wariness.
The livestream's popularity had already broken past its previous peak.
Online viewership had firmly surged past the one-million mark—and was still climbing rapidly.
Barrage comments swept across the screen like an unending tide, flooding the chat with blessings, exclamations, and cheers.
"That was insane! This performance should be framed in the Hall of Legends!"
"The streamer has both looks and skill—instant fan here!"
Theo offered the camera a gentle smile, his eyes carrying a warm shimmer. He thanked the viewers softly:
"Thank you all for the support. I'm only in the lead for now, there are still two more rounds to go. We'll keep doing our best."
On stage, the host Kotaro was trying his hardest to pull the spectators' attention back to the competition.
"Next, contestant number 87, please take the stage!"
A boy clutching his Poké Ball nervously stepped forward, his legs trembling slightly.
He sent out a Cottonee, and had originally prepared a performance involving "Cotton Defense + Spinning" as an interactive routine.
But perhaps due to being overwhelmed by Theo's earlier performance, the boy's commands kept going awry.
When Cottonee used its skill and was just about to spin gracefully, the boy accidentally shouted, "Defend!"
The little Cottonee froze abruptly, and the cotton it had gathered for the spinning effect all dropped to the ground at once, completely ruining the rhythm.
"Aiya…"
A wave of sympathetic sighs rippled through the audience.
The boy's face flushed red, and he scrambled to direct Cottonee again, but his nerves only made him slip up even more.
In the end, Cottonee simply stood helplessly in the center of the stage, ears drooping, ending the performance in a messy, lackluster finish.
…
At the judges' table, Mr. Contesta shook his head and gave a rather low score.
"He was way too nervous…"
"Probably got scared stiff by Theo's performance earlier."
"Cottonee is really cute though… what a pity."
Whether from the audience below or the barrage in the livestream, the atmosphere was full of sympathy and understanding.
And so, under the lingering shockwave of Theo's performance, the first round of reviews continued stumbling forward.
In the following performances, quite a few contestants showed varying degrees of nervousness.
Some Pokémon refusing confused commands.
Some misfired their moves, causing obvious missteps.
Some simply forgot their entire rehearsed routine and stood stiffly on stage with no idea what to do.
"It seems the earlier performances put quite a bit of pressure on the ones appearing later,"
Mr. Sukizo commented with a sigh.
"But that's the charm of Pokémon Contests. What's being tested is not only skill, but also the coordinator's mindset."
When the final contestant finished, the first round review finally reached its conclusion.
Staff displayed the advancement list on the big screen.
The red numbers rolled rapidly before stabilizing at sixty-two names—among them were Theo, Grace, and Armani, all listed prominently at the top.
The audience glanced at the list as murmurs rose once more:
"Theo, Grace, and Armani all advanced, this is going to get exciting!"
"That girl with the Cherrim also made it. Her performance was so pretty!"
"That poor Cottonee contestant… I saw his rehearsal a few days ago, and it was actually really good. What a shame."
After a short break, host Kotaro once again strode energetically onto the stage.
His voice echoed through the microphone louder and clearer than before, brimming with energy:
"Welcome back! Now, we officially enter the Second Round – The Advanced Performance Stage!"
He raised his arm, pointing toward the spotlight at center stage.
"In this round, trainers may no longer take part in the performance itself.
They may only give commands from the sidelines.
All move demonstrations will be performed solely by the Pokémon!"
Theo listened to Kotaro's explanation and pondered silently:
Many people might assume the first two rounds of Contest reviews are similar—but their core elements differ drastically.
The first round focuses on the bond and interaction between trainer and Pokémon.
Whether it's singing, dancing, skill displays, juggling, or playful acts—
as long as the trainer and Pokémon can show harmony, understanding, and heartfelt synergy,
and as long as no major mistakes occur, passing the round is relatively easy.
But the second round belongs entirely to the Pokémon's individual performance.
Judges focused on mastery of moves, creativity in combinations, and whether the Pokémon could display its own unique "elegance."
More importantly, trainers may switch Pokémon for the second round!
This is why many coordinators in the first round choose cute and obedient Pokémon such as Eevee, Skitty, or Clefairy—
high-affection, adorable partners that guarantee a smooth collaboration and earn goodwill points.
Then, in the second round, they switch in partners skilled at move combinations to aim for higher scores!
Of course, Theo had no such considerations.
For both rounds, he would give it his all—this was the perfect chance to push the livestream's popularity to its peak!
Winning battles in gyms through clever tactics earned the respect of trainers.
But the beauty and charm displayed when performing alongside Pokémon in a Contest—
that direct, heart-piercing impact—was just as powerful.
For every live broadcast performance, Theo would always give his full effort.
"Alright! The second round officially begins! Contestant No. 1, please take the stage!"
Kotaro's voice rang out again.
…
The spotlight illuminated Contestant No. 1— the same Skitty that had charmed the crowd with Double Slap earlier.
The twin-tailed girl stood at the stage edge, her voice filled with anticipation as she issued the command:
"Skitty, use Double Team!"
Skitty leaped lightly, its body glowing faintly.
In the next instant, five or six identical copies appeared onstage.
Each one of them swished its pink curled tail as they scampered adorably across the platform like a group of mischievous little cuties.
Gasps of "So cute!" rose instantly from the crowd.
Even Nurse Joy at the judges' table couldn't help curving her lips into a smile.
"Now—Flash!"
At the command, every Skitty—real and illusion—burst into a soft white glow.
Their pink tails shimmered like pearls under the light.
They simultaneously tilted their heads, staring round-eyed at the audience.
Then, all at once, they toppled over and rolled onto their backs, exposing their fluffy white bellies.
Their tails tapped the stage rhythmically as they mewed sweetly.
"Ahhhh! My HP just dropped to zero!"
"Who can survive this?! This is lethal-level cuteness!"
"Double Team with Flash is cheating already—and now belly-up cuteness attack?!"
The livestream chat was instantly flooded with heart emojis.
Mr. Sukizo laughed with delight and nodded repeatedly.
"Fantastic! The moves are simple, but the performance brings out Skitty's charm to the absolute extreme. Very nice!"
In the end, Contestant No. 1 earned a rather high score thanks to this devastatingly adorable routine.
(End of Chapter)