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The other contestants in the preparation room sensed the tense atmosphere and stopped... They chatted briefly, then looked over curiously.
"Sorry, they're a little excited."
Shirley quickly restrained the eager Flareon, narrowly avoiding a fight.
A beautiful apologetic smile appeared on her face, then she turned to Lionel and extended her hand:
"I'm Shirley. I've watched your matches before, and I'm super excited. I'm so happy to meet you in my first match."
Lionel took her hand, feeling the cool touch on her fingertips.
"Your performance was outstanding, and your Flareon and Jolteon were also..."
"Very impressive! The combined thermal power technique was very creative. A perfect score is well-deserved."
Shirley's face flushed slightly, clearly not expecting Lionel to be so direct in his assessment:
"But I know, perhaps it's because it was my first performance, and the judges gave me encouragement, which is why I got a perfect score. It's still a little behind your Milotic,"
She paused, her eyes becoming serious:
"But in the upcoming competition, I will give it my all."
"Me too," Lionel replied.
She smiled, glancing down at the Metagross beside her.
"Next round, we'll see Metagross, that'll be a true display of strength, so be careful."
Metagross walked over cooperatively, its metallic claws gleaming in the light, the cross mark on its face slightly glowing, its usually calm and imposing aura suddenly dissipating.
It started to sing.
Shirley's Jolteon instinctively shrank back.
Flareon pointed in front of it, baring its teeth at Metagross, but was somewhat worried by Metagross's calm gaze.
"Bite bite bite!"
Just then, Larvesta suddenly ran to the middle, barking cheekily at Shirley and the two Pokemon.
Looking at it's expression, it seemed to be declaring, "We'll definitely get a perfect score!"
It even ran over to Metagross and slammed its metal arm against it, as if cheering on its companion.
"Looks like the next round will be interesting."
"It just loves to stir things up."
Lionel sighed and said to the voles:
"Don't mess things up. We still need to prepare for the next match."
Larvesta snorted and returned to the side of the Vulpix, looking at Vulpix and Ice Vulpix like a doting parent.
Lionel was at his wit's end with Larvesta. After a quick conversation with Shirley, he took them aside.
Shirley watched Lionel's retreating figure, then looked down at the two Pokemon beside her, and whispered, "See that? That's our next opponent. We can't let our guard down."
Flareon and Jolteon nodded simultaneously, their excitement replacing their previous provocation. For them, facing a strong opponent only fueled their fighting spirit.
The competition progressed steadily amidst tension and anticipation, the spotlights on the stage illuminating faces filled with excitement and determination.
Some contestants successfully reached new heights with clever skill combinations, excitedly interacting with their Pokémon.
Others were eliminated due to skill errors, their eyes reddening as they silently carried their Pokémon away. The aura emanating from the train fluctuated wildly.
Lionel found a seat by the window and let the Fire Vulpix andIce Vulpix rest on his seat.
The Fire Vulpix had completed its task and was now comfortably enjoying Lionel's massage.
Meanwhile, Ice Vulpix leaned against Metagross's metal back, intently watching the other players' battles on the broadcast screen with Metagross.
Then, the big, fat worm, was constantly on the go. It would run to the broadcast screen every now and then, mimicking the moves of the Pokémon on screen; then it would run back, poking the Fire Vulpix's tail with its antennae, trying to whisper something to it.
"Stop messing around." Lionel pressed down on the worm's head, took out his phone, and opened the chat window with Steven.
The message reminding him to watch the Metagross show was still on the screen. He thought for a moment, then typed another line:
"Intermission. The second round of auditions is about to begin. Metagross's appearance is almost here."
Not two seconds after sending the message, Steven replied, attaching a photo.
In the photo, Steven was sitting in what looked like a laboratory, his Metagross energy sac pressed against the screen, its cross mark clearly visible under the light.
The text reply was simple and direct:
"I've been watching. My Metagross and I are waiting. Don't let Steven down." Lionel chuckled and replied with a "Don't worry" emoji, then put away his phone and looked at the broadcast group.
On the screen, Kotaro was on stage, microphone in hand, announcing the end of the intermission:
"Dear viewers, the short break is over!
Next up is the second round of judging, which will be even more challenging for trainers and Pokémon. Let's welcome the first contestant to stand out, and his partner!"
Accompanied by rousing music, the first top-tier contestant, with his Alek and his partner, walked onto the stage, beginning the second round of performance.
Unlike the first round, the second round focused more on the multiple combinations of skills and visual impact, creating wave after wave of climaxes. The audience seats were packed.
One group of advancing contestants took turns on stage, their spectacular performances eliciting continuous cheers from the crowd. Even the contestants preparing for their matches were glued to the screen.
Time ticked by, and finally, Kotaro on the broadcast screen pointed to the entrance:
"Next up is contestant number 47, Lionel!"
Kotaro's voice carried a deliberately suspenseful tone.
He pointed to the contestant's information on the big screen.
The screen immediately switched to the information cards of Lionel's Metagross and Ice Vulpix, accompanied by their photos:
Metagross was using psychic powers to support Ice Vulpix, while Ice Vulpix created a small snowflake cloud above its head, a warm yet powerful expression.
"Look, everyone. Lionel's Pokémon lineup has changed this time; he's replaced Vulpix." The team sent out was a combination of Metagross and Ice Vulpix!!
A combination of steel and ice?
This pairing is truly unexpected. I wonder what kind of performance they will deliver? Let's get excited!
The eyes of the entire audience instantly focused on the contestant's entrance, cheers and whispers mingling together:
A Metagross! Lionel finally revealed Metagross
"Paired with a small Ice Vulpix?"
Will this combination work? One is a Steel-type, the other is an Ice-type, they don't seem like a good match...
"Metagross is here! It must have seen Shirley's performance and decided to use its spare strength!"
The live stream chat was flooded with comments again:
[Here it comes! Metagross's debut!]
[A straight man (?) paired with an Ice Princess? This combination is... I'm hooked!]
[Larvesta: In the end, I was wrong ]
[Is Steven's Metagross lighting up in front of the screen? Hahaha!]
The spotlight instantly shone on the exit of the contestants' tunnel. Lionel took a deep breath and nodded to the Metagross and Ice Vulpix beside him:
"Ready? It's our turn."
As soon as the person and two Pokemon appeared on the balcony, the cheers from the audience reached a new climax.
Lionel stood in the center of the stage. To his left was a massive Metagross, its metallic body gleaming silver under the spotlight.
To his right was a small, exquisite Ice-Vulpix creature, its snow-white fur like frosting under the lights, the bell around its neck jingling softly with its breath.
One gentle, one cold, one hard, creating a striking contrast, yet strangely exuding a sense of harmony.
"Metagross, Vulpix, let's begin."
Lionel's command was clearly transmitted through the microphone to the arena.
"Woo~"
Metagross and Ice Vulpix nodded at Lionel, responding with a sound.
Ice Vulpix acted first, nimbly running to the edge of the arena, its little face slightly flushed, and instantly emanating a chilling aura.
As it exerted its power, fine snowflakes began to fall. At first, there were only a few, but soon they became denser.
In an instant, the entire arena was enveloped in a blanket of swirling snow.
A thin layer of frost quickly formed on the ground, and even the air was filled with a chilling aura.
The spectators in the front rows felt the cold and instinctively shrank their necks.
But the performance of Ice Vulpix wasn't over yet.
It tilted its head back and opened its mouth, and a crystal-clear blue water sphere condensed within. This was the "rainmaking" technique that Milotic had specially used to save it a few days earlier.
The water sphere traced an arc in the air, soaring upwards with a "whoosh," exploding in the snow and transforming into fine raindrops that drifted down.
Surprisingly, these raindrops weren't frozen by the snow; instead, they intertwined with the snowflakes, forming a misty vapor.
This softened the otherwise clear snowscape, veiling it in a light mist, adding a touch of dreamlike beauty. The monster in the center of the arena moved.
It closed its eyes, and the metal joints around its body emitted a soft "crowding" sound, which grew louder and louder, as if it were gathering some kind of power.
All eyes were focused on it, and they saw that its four metal arms were gradually tinged with an icy blue light.
At first it was just a faint glimmer, but it quickly became intense, like four icebergs operating at full power in the misty snowy weather.
Metagross suddenly opened its eyes, its previously dark red pupils now displaying astonishing power. It raised one of its metal arms, the metal back gleaming with an icy blue light, and swung it fiercely towards the sky—"Freeze!"
Then, the second, third, and fourth its four golden arms swung alternately, each wielding a chilling energy, the rhythmic "thump, thump, thump" echoing across the arena.
With each swing, the wisps of hair, strands of hair, and water vapor in the air seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, instantly rushing towards Metagross.
The white expanse of ice and snow that had previously blanketed the arena began to churn and spin violently, as if being kneaded into a ball by an invisible hand.
It rose up.
"Look! What's that?" someone in the audience exclaimed, pointing to the center of the arena.
The expanse of ice and snow, constantly battered by Metagross's icy palms, was gradually changing shape.
Snowflakes and water droplets in the mist rapidly condensed and solidified under the influence of the icy energy, their previously indistinct outlines gradually becoming clear.
It was a gigantic shape, resembling that of Metagross. The exact same outline!
The frozen body, the four thick, powerful arms, even the iconic cross mark on the face were identical.
As Metagross unleashed its final swing, the ice and snow in the arena solidified completely, transforming into an enormous Metagross ice statue, hovering in the center of the arena.
This ice statue was enormous, almost the entire width of the arena. Hovering in mid-air, surrounded by light snowflakes and mist, it resembled a small iceberg.
"Every single one!" The entire audience gasped in unison. Sighing, some people even subconsciously stood up, looking up at the enormous Metagross ice statue, their eyes filled with astonishment.
"My god, how did they do that?"
Some couldn't help but rub their eyes, wondering if they had overlooked something.
On the judges' panel, Raoul Contesta adjusted his glasses, his tone filled with surprise:
"Such formidable strength, such powerful ice fists, such amazing skill control! As expected of a Shiny Metagross like Steven, its strength is astonishing!"
Lionel stood at the edge of the arena, looking at the platinum figure in the air... The icy figure smiled slightly.
This was an idea he had conceived during his training with Rem from Fallorbar own.
If creating the icy flower for Rem was "exquisite and delicate," then Metagross's skill control was "powerful and imposing."
Add to that the icy environment created by Ice Vulpix, allowing Metagross to fully concentrate on mastering its Ice Punch skill;
This was the magnificent combination technique Lionel had tailor-made for Metagross.
But... The surprises weren't over yet.
Lionel wasn't satisfied with just having Metagross create a giant ice sculpture. Metagross's four-in-one brain, comparable to a supercomputer, and its powerful telekinesis hadn't even been used yet.
Just as everyone was still marveling at the ice sculpture in the air, an even more astonishing scene unfolded.
A strong blue light emanated from Metagross's dark red front eyes in the center of the arena—a manifestation of telekinesis being used to its fullest extent.
The next second, something that made everyone gasp happened; the giant ice sculpture floating in air...
But then...it moved!
As Metagross raised its right arm, the ice sculpture's right arm slowly followed suit; Metagross took a step, and the ice sculpture followed with heavy steps.
The footsteps, like booming thunder, echoed through the arena. The massive ice sculpture of Metagross moved through the snow-covered landscape, its shadow gradually covering the audience below.
Under Metagross's powerful psychic control, the frozen Metagross, step by step, seemed to come alive, reaching the airspace above the audience.
"A huge shadow pressed down from the sky, the oppressive feeling was overwhelming."
A little girl tugged at her mother's hand, timidly asking,
"Mommy, is it alive?"
"This is amazing! Metagross is using telekinesis to control the ice sculpture!"
Miss Joy stood up excitedly. The shells upstairs jingled:
"So ingenious! Combining telekinesis with freezing power not only creates a stunning visual effect but also perfectly controls the ice sculpture's movements. How much telekinetic control does that require?!"
The audience's discussions and exclamations rose and fell.
Even the live stream chat briefly froze, as if even the server was stunned by this breathtaking scene.
[Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap! I'll say it three times! This ice sculpture can move?!]
[So it's not just that it can fight, Metagross, how many more surprises do you have that we don't know about?]
[Steven's inner thoughts: Metagross, look at him! ]
[Upstairs, you're so arrogant, I've already taken a screenshot of Steven's performance~]