Chapter 303: Dance of Cold Mist

Going late doesn't just have disadvantages; it also has advantages.

For example, it's very convenient to roughly estimate whether you have a chance to advance based on your score.

In the blink of an eye, the time came to the afternoon.

Although the performances of most contestants looked relatively simple and funny, those with real substance also existed.

The second contestant after Dawn to get 29.4 points used a Pokémon considered the most fitting for a Pokémon Contest—Milotic, relying on the three moves Refresh, Aqua Ring, and Safeguard to create a beautiful scene that made people feel relaxed and happy.

What made Huang Tie care more was that, not to mention Nurse Joy, the first two seemed to have never given a perfect score? The highest was only 9.9.

But judging from their expressions, their fanatical love for some performances didn't seem fake, which really made people curious about the judging criteria in these two people's hearts.

What kind of performance was a performance that completely satisfied their wishes?

The question lingered in his heart.

And as the contestants who knew they couldn't advance left one by one, the atmosphere in the gradually emptying preparation room became somewhat solemn; Dawn and Piplup were both affected, unable to help but clench their hands tight.

"Don't be nervous, here, take this."

Huang Tie took a small cloth bag out of his pocket, "Spirit-Awakening and Dryness-Removing Sachet, I promised to give it to you before."

"Thank you!"

Dawn's eyes lit up, and she hurriedly took it.

She had known for a long time that Huang Tie possessed the ability to make aromatherapy, and she admired his talent for having multiple skills; hearing that the latter was willing to make a sachet for her, she had been looking forward to it for a long time.

"It's still this comfortable fragrance~" She hugged the sachet, unable to put it down, and Piplup beside her was also attracted by the scent of the sachet.

After all, this scent often came from Mawile as well.

"It's about time."

Huang Tie suddenly tidied up his clothes, "I'll go first."

Dawn came back to her senses and waved her fist, "Good luck!"

"Piplup, Piplup!"

Piplup waved its wings excitedly.

He smiled, nodded, and walked toward the contestant tunnel.

——

"Let's have the next contestant!"

Vivian's voice was still quite passionate.

But the audience, who had been watching for almost an entire afternoon, couldn't quite get their spirits up; many were thinking about finishing the first screening quickly and getting into the Contest Battle round as soon as possible.

The judges, however, appeared very calm; they were all extremely professional individuals.

Especially the first two, who traveled back and forth between various cities in the Hoenn region every day to be judges for Pokémon Contests, and their willpower had already been honed.

Not to mention Nurse Joy; you never know how she treats so many Trainers' Pokémon both efficiently and swiftly.

After Chansey returned from advanced studies at the Pokémon Center, she used two words to describe them—

"Immortals!"

In other words, it perfectly matched that famous saying: people of the Joy family are all monsters!

What kind of performance would the next contestant bring?

They still maintained their smiles.

Afterward.

Huang Tie walked out of the tunnel.

Raoul Contesta and Yuzo had their eyes light up at the same time; after exchanging a look, they calmly rubbed their Jingming acupoints and touched their ears to keep their hearing sharp and eyes clear.

Nurse Joy: "?"

What's wrong with these two?

Many fanatical Pokémon Contest lovers in the audience saw Huang Tie and also became excited one after another.

"It's him!"

"It's that Coordinator Trainer who uses Mawile!"

"Honey, look! He's in Slateport City!"

"Holy crap, I have to hurry and notify the girls in the fan club—ah! Can't we enter the venue anymore at this point? What a pity!"

The arena gradually became noisy.

Countless audience members stared fixedly at the familiar figure appearing below, unable to help but make all kinds of sounds.

The host, Vivian, wanted to soothe the audience; unlike a battle tournament, a Pokémon Contest mostly requires the audience to remain quiet to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

But just at this moment.

Huang Tie raised his hand with a calm expression, facing the gaze of all the audience members, and suddenly swung his clenched fist from right to left!

In an instant.

As if an orchestra conductor had given a command for silence, the people in the audience who were closely watching him suddenly quieted down; the silence spread to many audience members who were still talking, and they looked at the entire venue that had suddenly fallen silent, subconsciously following suit and quieting down.

Then.

Bang!

Accompanied by snowflakes like ice crystals flying, Mawile slowly appeared.

It was seen holding two folded wooden fans, its posture swaying as it danced gracefully; when the soft bell sounds slowly spread, it opened the wooden fans with a 'swish', brought them to its cheeks, and swayed them slightly, revealing that cute and charming face as if pulling back a screen.

The eyes contained a certain indescribable bright and beautiful color, instantly plucking the heartstrings of everyone present.

With just one movement, it had completely displayed Mawile's cuteness!

"How pitiful and lovable!"

The host, Vivian, wanted to exclaim, but for fear of ruining this atmosphere, she hurriedly kept quiet.

Some knowledgeable audience members recognized that the dance Mawile was performing at this moment was exactly the fan dance that the Kimono Girls of Ecruteak City were best at, a dance symbolizing the beautiful heritage of Johto!

Just at this moment, Huang Tie snapped his fingers.

Snap~

The swaying Mawile leaped up with immense lightness, and its toes touched the ground just like a dragonfly skimming the water.

Whoosh—

Ethereal light blue clouds and mist rapidly covered the entire venue.

Mawile, who was in the midst of it, suddenly became a fairy in an earthly paradise, appearing and disappearing as the mist rolled; the Soothe Bell shook lightly, and a fragrance that made people relax from the heart spread out.

Under multiple blessings, this intermittent, hazy dance not only didn't make the audience and judges feel bored, but even made them develop a certain sense of anticipation.

Without a doubt.

Mawile had combined mystery and dance to the extreme.

Light blue clouds and mist, crisp bell sounds, mysterious hazy dance steps, and a spirit-awakening faint fragrance.

The audience might not have felt the last point, but the three judges definitely smelled it; the fatigue and heat from sitting in their seats for a long time were swept away by seven or eight parts.

Afterward.

With a light sound, Mawile's dance changed.

The clouds and mist drifting in all directions were suddenly guided by a cool breeze, slowly scattering toward the surroundings, accompanied by countless twinkling starlit ice points, dispelling the heat in the bodies and hearts of the audience in the arena.

While the judges' hearts trembled, they also paid more attention to Mawile in the arena.

They saw that at some unknown time, Mawile had already been dancing while arriving in the air, moving toward the sky just like Chang'e flying to the moon.

The icy cold airflow paired with the Misty Terrain's smoke and clouds revealed even more of a sense of seclusion and coldness; this hazy beauty like a mood didn't look as gorgeous as fireworks and explosive light, but it carried a unique charm.

It made people unable to stop watching, and they didn't dare to take their eyes off it for even a second.

Finally.

The bell sounds stopped.

The clouds and mist attached to the Misty Terrain were also blown by the cool breeze until only a thin layer remained; at some unknown time, a swirling ice staircase had been constructed in the arena.

Mawile stood at the very top of the ice staircase, maintaining its final pose.

Is it over?

Has the performance already ended?

This thought flashed through everyone's mind.

And the next moment.

The ice staircase suddenly shattered, turning into gorgeous light spots and the wisps of clouds and mist from the Misty Terrain, forming a final wave of wind that made people feel relaxed and happy, blowing toward all the audience members present.

Mawile spun like a falling leaf and landed steadily.

Snap!

The wooden fans closed.

It lowered its head and closed its eyes, bowing slightly to the audience together with Huang Tie.

The entire venue was so silent that you could hear a pin drop.

Immediately after.

Cheers and shouts that seemed capable of flipping the dome of the entire venue pierced through the clouds!

The applause was like thunder, and it was also like a sea tide, continuous and endless!

Countless audience members stood up to applaud for Mawile and Huang Tie, and many fanatical Pokémon Contest lovers were so excited they couldn't control themselves, bursting into tears. ===== CHAPTER 304 =====