Chapter 485: Ninetales and Feefish

It was not merely a single performance of leaping through rings of electricity.

Led by the "lead bull," the herd stomped in unison; paired two by two, their horns clashed against one another, producing a rhythmic sound as uniform and thunderous as beating drums.

At the finale of the performance, under Pikachu's full-power, wide-range "Thunderbolt," the Tauros, bathed in Lei Ting, revealed bodies as strong as cast bronze and forged iron.

Their gazes were unwavering, their bodies tempered a thousand times, and their synchronized breathing rushed like a surging great river, involuntarily accelerating the heartbeat of all who heard it.

At this moment, the audience, judges, and contestants all felt from them a product woven from pure strength and beauty.

The performance—

Ended!

Applause erupted in unison; including the host Vivian, many eyes turned toward the judges' seats, awaiting their commentary.

"They have been cared for wonderfully; their fur is smooth and shiny, and their eyes are full of love—I like this!"

Sukizo smiled as he gave his score.

8.5 points!

The deducted points were nothing more than the minor mistakes made by Ash, a novice making his debut.

"Subarashi! At this moment, only this voice echoes in my heart: the robust bodies of the Tauros, bathed in Lei Ting, are nothing short of perfect."

Contesta entered the numbers and pressed the button.

8.3 points!

"The lively and agile Pikachu, paired with the Tauros who ought to charge recklessly like wild oxen, displayed an extremely tacit cooperation that was truly surprising."

Nurse Joy of Mossdeep City gave her evaluation and score.

8.8 points!

The venue began to boil over gradually.

If this trend continued, Nurse Nurse Mimosha's leading position would likely be jeopardized.

Clavell and Geeta also gave high scores one after another.

8.5 points, 8.5 points! The current total score had already surpassed Nurse Nurse Mimosha's 35 points, reaching an astonishing 42.6 points.

Even if Wallace gave zero points, Ash could temporarily secure the title of the top-ranking contestant with his current score.

Yet at this moment, Wallace stood up for the first time, spread his arms, tilted his head back, and commented with a look of Tao Zui: "Remarkable! Not only did you perfectly demonstrate the formidable qualities of the Pokémon themselves, but more importantly, their coordination was orderly, and their unique characteristics were displayed without reservation."

"Whether it was Pikachu nimbly weaving through the herd of Tauros, or the collaborative performance of thirty Tauros—a first in history."

"Ash-kun, what a wonderful and dazzling performance; it is hard to imagine this is your first showing. I believe your talent in Contest Spectaculars is no less than mine!"

After giving such high praise, Wallace awarded his score.

A perfect score, 10 points! With a super-high score of 52.6, Ash stood in a league of his own, firmly in first place.

"Thank you, everyone!"

Almost submerged by the Tauros, Ash let out a long sigh of relief, politely thanked everyone in all directions, and then gazed intently at the camera.

Teacher Luo Mu, it's your turn to make your move!

Below the stage.

Shinji found only the cheering of Botan and Shizuka noisy.

Black lines covered his forehead; even now, he could not understand: clearly, that idiot Ash's presentation style was similar to his own, so why was the evaluation so polarized?

One was told to change careers ASAP, while the other was said to possess talent no less than the current world's number one.

Shinji, who always wanted to compete with Ash for first place, never expected that he would lose to him here as well.

After Ash's performance concluded, the next three contestants of Group Seven completed their performances in sequence.

Their scores varied, some high and some low.

The highest was only two points lower than Nurse Nurse Mimosha's, while the lowest had just barely scraped together 10 points.

In the waiting room, Luo Mu, who had been quietly meditating with eyes closed, received a reminder from a staff member that it was time for his entrance.

Opening his eyes, which were clear and bright, Luo Mu smiled gently.

52.6 points, huh? Ash's talent in Contest Spectaculars is indeed very good.

It is a pity that his heart belongs to Pokémon battles; for him, Contest Spectaculars are merely a hobby event he participates in when interested.

As for whether he himself has talent for Contest Spectaculars, Luo Mu was uncertain, but he knew that as long as he successfully completed this performance and earned applause and cheers for Feefish and Ninetales, the exact score did not matter.

He had never come here to compete for the championship.

Thinking thus, Luo Mu slowly stood up and walked toward the exit of the waiting room.

Vivian's enthusiastic voice continued to echo throughout the venue.

"The heated Campus Contest Spectacular continues! Next is the performance of the final contestant of Group Seven; let us welcome—Mr. Luo Mu, the Head Instructor of the Battle Department at Grape Academy!"

Dun! The spotlight immediately shone upon Luo Mu, who was still dressed in his previous attire, as he walked slowly toward the stage.

However, beside him was no longer the petite and cute figure that the audience wished to see.

This also meant that for this performance, Luo Mu would not be sending out Mimikyu, but would most likely send out other Pokémon instead.

There was some disappointment, but the predominant emotion was undoubtedly anticipation.

After all, this was a performance by Luo Mu, who had "directly" defeated the current number one of Contest Spectaculars; everyone had independently raised their expectations to the highest level.

This resulted in many people staring blankly for several seconds when Luo Mu threw out his first Poké Ball.

In the center of the stage, within the sizable pool revealed as the floor receded, the first Poké Ball thrown by Luo Mu opened, and a figure of silver and purple hues plunged into the water accordingly, immediately surfacing afterward.

"."

The cheers gradually ceased, replaced by a silence as dead as a grave.

Dull eyes, strange coloration, coupled with a pockmarked body and tattered fins—even though most people harbored no malice, two words subconsciously formed in their minds—

Shabby.

That was a fish Pokémon whose appearance was extremely shabby, unlike Wallace's beautiful Milotic.

At first glance, one could not even understand why it would appear in a Contest Spectacular.

Compared to the Feebas staring with dead-fish eyes while blowing bubbles in the water,

the Pokémon emerging from the other Poké Ball Luo Mu threw was far more eye-catching.

The Alolan Ninetales possessed excellent bodily balance; its flowing ice-blue fur danced gracefully as it descended, yet not a single strand appeared disheveled.

Just as many worried it would fall into the water, turning its flowing fur wet and tangled, the Ninetales' feet landed on the water's surface first.

With only a faint "Crack!" the previously rippling water froze instantly in a blink, transforming into an ice platform sturdy enough for the Ninetales to stand upon. Simultaneously with the Ninetales' landing, layers of cumulus clouds had gathered above the venue without anyone noticing, and snowflakes visible to the naked eye began to fall.

The fluttering snowflakes captured the audience's attention for a moment; immediately after, they discovered the Ninetales was slowly stepping toward the center of the pool, precisely where the Feebas was located.

With every step it took, the water surface crystallized into ice patterns resembling snowflakes, perfectly highlighting the Ninetales' own temperament.

In comparison, although situated at the very center of the pool, the Feebas had become completely merely a foil to the Ninetales.

Vivian had intended to introduce the Feebas's identity to everyone, but she was interrupted by Wallace.

He had stood up at some point, looked toward Luo Mu, and asked earnestly, "Do you have confidence?"

"Only by going all out; this is the thought shared by me and it."

Luo Mu responded only in this manner.

"."

Wallace let out a sigh, sat back down in silence, leaving many people completely baffled.

Yet Wallace gazed at the stage above with an inexplicable expression, his thoughts myriad.

He had indeed expected Luo Mu to send out that Alolan Ninetales which had caught his eye, but when that shiny Feebas appeared, Wallace understood Luo Mu's purpose.

Wallace believed that, having learned much from his master Juan, he understood the Pokémon Milotic very well; he also knew clearly that it evolved from Feebas and was aware of its evolution conditions, after all, he had contributed considerable effort to related research.

Precisely because of this, he had to ask Luo Mu whether he had confidence.

Regarding the building of self-confidence for a Pokémon like Feebas, even he would only attempt it after repeated special training and when he had complete confidence.

This was a crucial matter concerning their evolution, and even the temperament after evolution.

Yet, he had sent out a Ninetales that completely erased the Feebas's presence; for a moment, Wallace could not figure out what Luo Mu intended to do.

The performance continued.

The Ninetales and the Feebas had already converged at the exact center of the pool.

Whenever a Water-type Pokémon was scheduled to perform, the stage would reveal the pool to facilitate the contestants.

This saved Luo Mu considerable trouble.

After taking a deep breath, Luo Mu issued a command.

"Mist—"

Released jointly by the Ninetales and the Feebas, pure white mist instantly spread out; the environment, already altered by the Ninetales' "Snow Warning" Ability, saw its temperature drop once again.

Many people either hugged their arms tight or rubbed their palms while exhaling clouds of white vapor, attempting to resist the cold.

At this moment, amidst the white mist, the Ninetales emitted a melodious and lilting light chirp, and brilliant ice light bloomed forth.

Ice pillars "rose from the ground," forming an exquisite and clever ice staircase; every step bore snowflake-like patterns, a detail everyone noticed through the cameras arranged around the stage.

The Ninetales tread lightly and elegantly up the steps, arriving mid-air; its ice-blue eyes, seemingly harboring countless secrets, lowered slightly, its gaze piercing through the white mist like an ice fairy overlooking the mortal world from on high.

The mist slowly dispersed; upon seeing the scene within the pool, many audience members with insufficient composure immediately cried out in shock.

"That is—!"

There, above the pool, the water surface had frozen solid, and the Feebas, motionless, was encased within a sphere constructed of ice, firmly embedded into the ice surface.

Undoubtedly, the Ninetales' Ice Beam had not only created this exquisitely detailed ice staircase but had also frozen its partner, the Feebas, along with it.

Many people frowned slightly; was this a performance mistake? In the dressing room, leaning against the wall, Lippy raised an eyebrow upon seeing this and muttered to herself, "No wonder it didn't let the Feebas undergo styling, choosing to appear directly 'bare-faced'; so that was the plan?"

On stage, the atmosphere momentarily became as cold as the temperature; just as many guessed this might be a performance accident, an extremely clear "Crack!" sounded from the center of the stage.

The camera crew quickly zoomed in, discovering that the ice sphere encasing the Feebas was now covered with spiderweb-like cracks.

Immediately after—

It shattered completely!

Although it successfully broke free from the ice, now lacking the pool as a refuge, the Feebas could only flop incessantly on the ice surface like a stranded fish, utterly wretched.

On the ice staircase, the Ninetales timely displayed a change in expression; from initial indifference, a trace of surprise flashed by, followed immediately by a hint of interest.

It found the Feebas capable of breaking free from its restraint quite interesting.

Mysterious energy rose into the sky, transforming in a blink into a magnificent and fantastical aurora curtain, adding several degrees of divinity to the Ninetales' already prominent temperament.

It gently shook its fur; sheets of ice particles formed in mid-air, then expanded under dazzling ice-blue light, and together with the gusting wind, transformed into a blizzard assaulting the Feebas.

Suddenly, colorful light rippled across the Feebas's body surface, resembling the visual effects of a certain move being released.

Wallace, seated at the judges' table, knew very well that this was the move named "Mirror Coat."

"Could it be—"

Wallace widened his eyes slightly, seeming to somewhat understand Luo Mu's intention.

After activating "Mirror Coat," the Feebas used the very ordinary move "Splash" to begin hopping on the ice surface, advancing toward the direction of the ice staircase.

The Ninetales' expression turned cold, and it increased its energy output.

The scroll slowly unfolded.

High in the heavens, a god overlooking the world imposed trials and sanctions via the natural disaster of a blizzard, yet under such calamity, the Feebas, "leaving one footprint after another," steadily reached the front of the ice staircase, leaped up, and remained upon it! Immediately after, the Feebas began climbing the stairs amidst an even more fierce blizzard.

Until it reached the Ninetales, until it stood before the god.

At this moment, the massive energy accumulated by Mirror Coat began to transform; besides training the Feebas's physique and bodily balance, with the help of Lei Guan Wang, Luo Mu had enabled the Feebas to master the technique of converting energy.

Boom!

The frozen pool below became covered in cracks; tides rising like angry waves surged upward, and under the Feebas's control, rolled toward the Ninetales.

Surf!

At this moment, Nine-Tails' entire body ignited with an unprecedented ice-blue radiance, harmonizing with the aurora curtain behind it; it parted its lips slightly, unleashing a chilling current that made hearts tremble, which collided with the towering waves, spreading ice and invading frost wherever it passed, while white mist billowed outward in all directions.

The Ice-type ultimate move: Absolute Zero.

After the white mist dispersed, a vividly lifelike, enormous ice sculpture, bearing a striking resemblance to Feebas, stood erected.

Against this backdrop, Nine-Tails and Feebas landed together before the ice sculpture, released their moves to transform it into a sky-full of glittering ice shards, declaring the performance concluded.

Luo Mu's voice sounded accordingly.

"It is Nine-Tails, the Snow Spirit from Mount Lanakila in the Alola region, a Pokémon once worshipped as a deity."

"It is Feebas, possessing an appearance others might deem shabby, yet endowed with astonishing vitality, adapting to most environments, constantly striving to become better, a Pokémon that will surely become even better in the future."

(End of Chapter)