Among those who know Terrance, some had complex feelings, while others felt excited.
Those who didn't know Terrance were all curious about who this Coordinator was, and why his Pokémon was receiving such live-synced coverage across all the big screens, with the focus locked solely on him.
However, at this moment, the most important thing was still the outcome of the battle.
Beautifly's transformation had captured the attention of every Pokémon present.
At the front of the group, Drifblim turned its head slightly. Although it couldn't sense any powerful aura from Beautifly, an inexplicable sixth sense sent a chill through its body—it dared not underestimate the threat Beautifly posed.
Fantina, wearing a long purple evening gown, always maintained her poise and grace as one of Sinnoh's most popular actresses. But now, she could no longer afford to worry about appearances.
"It's... a Coordinator," she murmured softly, watching Beautifly's performance, a hint of disbelief in her voice.
Other than Wallace and Juan, she had never encountered another Coordinator who made her feel a sense of threat.
Beautifly... had reached a level of speed that was simply inconceivable.
It was the wind, and the wind was it.
The wind was everywhere, and under the rapid vibration of its wings, the intense wind pressure swirling around Beautifly acted like a powerful energy source, allowing it to reach speeds even greater than those of Pokémon larger than itself!
One had to know—Terrance's Beautifly was not originally known for speed in terms of flying maneuvers, but rather for its evasive maneuvers.
Now, this evolution of flying maneuvers granted Beautifly an entirely new bearing.
"From here on... it's your stage," Terrance lowered his head.
Only he knew that, although Beautifly's improvement hadn't been the largest, it possessed a burning desire to grow stronger, along with an unwaveringly strict standard for itself. Beautifly probably understood as well: to follow in Terrance's footsteps, it had to give even more than the others.
It would have to work harder than Gallade had during its time as a Ralts, and train more rigorously than Altaria, who excelled in every field.
Terrance didn't know exactly how Beautifly had trained with the Totem Vikavolt during those four months, but judging by the results, it must have poured in a level of effort and sweat even Terrance himself couldn't imagine.
"It was my good fortune to meet the most amazing you on that day..."
…
…
All the Pokémon were charging forward to seize the "victory item."
This final stretch of distance was also the hardest to cross, as countless flying devices were unleashing concentrated attacks on the area.
Chisana's Crobat, which had barely made it this far by sheer luck, didn't even survive the first round of attacks—let alone race down the path toward the win. By now, there were only a handful of people left who could still manage to smile.
Aerodactyl roared in fury. As the number of Pokémon continued to dwindle, it found itself increasingly overwhelmed by the relentless beam attacks.
Winona's Altaria and Falkner's Pidgeot had also given up on the fight, instead racking their brains for ways to break through the chaos and seize the victory item at fastest speed.
Speed or evasion—regardless of which aspect the remaining Pokémon excelled in, they each had a chance at clinching victory.
The evasion master Drifblim, the lightning-fast Aerodactyl…
And the Coordinators and Trainers, each showcasing their own talents with a dazzling array of tactical combinations—at this moment, their hearts were pounding in unison.
Because the end of the event… was just within reach.
But then, something despair-inducing happened for all the participants, a monster appeared halfway through.
This monster was not only astonishingly fast, but it's evasion skills reached a level that would infuriate both humans and gods; in an extremely short time, it caught up to Drifblim, who was in the lead. Then, with an indomitable presence—as if holding off an army single-handedly—it charged headlong into the endless barrage of beams. Beams that even the Flying Gym Leaders or a Top Coordinator would face with utmost caution.
This wonderful state… Beautifly itself couldn't quite describe. It was the fourth time it had entered such a state.
Compared to the first time's confusion, the second time's awkwardness, and the third time's familiarity, this time it felt a deeper, more profound enlightenment.
This feeling of merging with the wind—it was deeply pleasant to Beautifly. Yet, at the same time, the signals coming from every part of its body were clear warnings.
If it stayed in this state for too long, it would absolutely be torn apart.
So, Beautifly had to seize victory in the shortest time possible!
"Final phase of the event…" the three announcers said in unison.
"We can see that after displaying flying maneuvers far superior to all the other Pokémon, Beautifly has rushed to the very front, becoming the prime target of the beam attacks!!"
"But…"
At this moment, Beautifly was like a pneumatic drill one second, a chain of lightning the next, then a jet-propelled rocket, and then...
Beautifly maneuvered through the intricate web of beams, controlling its body with a finesse that was at once elegant and strenuous to execute a dazzling array of techniques using Aerial Ace, Acrobatics, U-turn, and more.
Aerial Ace, Acrobatics, U-turn, Double Team… All sorts of moves that could be integrated into flying were seamlessly fused into Beautifly's flying. One incredible maneuver after another appeared, and its speed of advancement was now far faster than Fantina's Drifblim had ever achieved.
The remaining participants looked at their own Pokémon, swallowing hard, anxiety rising in their hearts. But when they saw the endless barrage of beam attacks, all they could do was shake their heads helplessly.
Albus waved his hand and said to Fujiki beside him, "He's won this round."
"You weren't saying that before," Fujiki replied, glancing at him.
Fantina watched her Drifblim trying its hardest to catch up to Beautifly, and gave a small shake of her head. She knew—Drifblim had already done everything it could.
Who would've thought that it wouldn't be a Dragonite or a Salamence who took the win, but rather... a Beautifly, a species so common in Hoenn?
In Fantina's eyes—as a Top Coordinator—the outcome had already been decided.
"Let's go," Terrance called out to his Assistant Sharan, who stood there dumbfounded.
"Go… go where?"
"To greet the winner, of course," Terrance said with a smile.
Under the gaze of thousands, with people across Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh watching the event unfold on their TV screens—and as the crowd at Sootopolis City stared wide-eyed at the competition taking place before them—Beautifly darted through countless attacks. One by one, the Pokémon behind it fell, while others chased with all their might.
But Beautifly… claimed the victory item for itself—
Declaring its triumph!
Raoul Contesta and Sukizo exchanged a look, both of their eyes filled with surprise and delight.
"This kid…. is just too awesome."
Raoul Contesta burst out in hearty laughter. He knew now—he hadn't bet wrong.
As the first event came to a close, thunderous applause erupted like a tidal wave. Terrance and Beautifly's information replaced the event broadcast and appeared on screens all over the various regions.
At that moment, Terrance's reputation soared.
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