Julian held up his scoring paddle: a clean 100 points.
Four perfect scores and a single 99 from Robin settled the math at an astounding final average of 99.8 points.
With that near-flawless mark, Argenti decisively secured first place in the opening showcase.
"Congratulations to Argenti for seizing first place in our exhibition showcase! And let us once again give a thunderous round of applause to all eight finalists for sharing such unforgettable art with the cosmos!"
Owlbert handled the transitions smoothly. The conclusion of the showcase signaled the end of the artistic review phase, shifting the tournament immediately into the live bracket draw for the Grand Battles.
Up at the panel, the judges shared their thoughts on the performances while the draw processed.
Julian felt genuinely pleased with the exhibition round.
In the original Pokémon games, Contest showcases were simple visual routines, and even the later Master Rank shows lacked the cinematic depth of what he had organized here. With so much advanced virtual stagecraft available across the cosmos, limiting contestants to basic moves would have been a massive waste of resources. The fans simply would not have accepted it.
Even so, Julian harbored a slight, lingering wish.
If traditional Contests were simple stage acts, the format in this universe felt more like short films.
Within such a narrative medium, Julian had hoped to see more emphasis on raw emotion and the bittersweet bonds between humans and their partners. Deep storytelling was far more resonant than flashy particle effects or high-difficulty acrobatics.
Take James and Chimecho from his past life: when Chimecho fell ill, was it in peak condition to perform? Far from it.
Yet James loved his partner dearly, and Chimecho was equally heartbroken to part. For the sake of Chimecho's recovery, James put his own feelings aside, leaving his beloved friend behind in the care of his grandparents.
If adapted to this three-minute format with proper narrative setup, such pure emotional weight would outshine the most dazzling pyrotechnics imaginable.
Unfortunately, among the eight finalists, only Sushang and Argenti had begun grasping that deeper emotional resonance, and neither had explored it to its fullest potential.
Perhaps the name "Contest" led Trainers to assume the judges only wanted sparkling visual flair?
While Julian reflected on the format, the bracket draw wrapped up.
The quarterfinal matchups were locked:
Match 1: Rappa vs. GuinaifenMatch 2: Angel Fetter vs. March 7thMatch 3: Argenti vs. AstaMatch 4: Sushang vs. Pasha
Unlike the exhausting, drawn-out six-on-six gauntlets of the Masters Tournament, the Grand Battles demanded less prolonged physical strain. After a brief intermission, the tournament rolled straight into the quarterfinals.
The entire single-elimination bracket—quarterfinals, semifinals, and the grand finals—would conclude today. Even the eventual champion would fight only three single-round matches, keeping total fatigue relatively low.
Of course, maintaining high-level tactical execution while balancing visual artistry made each match a fierce mental workout.
The match format was determined by the automated roulette: 2v2 Doubles.
Compared to single battles, doubles raised the coordination floor significantly. Yet the format held a distinct advantage: combining two distinct Pokémon moves made generating dazzling visual combos far more efficient.
"And now, let us welcome Miss Rappa and Little Guinaifen to the stage for our first quarterfinal clash!"
Owlbert's voice rang across the arena. "One is a Galaxy Ranger boasting sharp instincts and a bold, wild style, while the other is a former top-eight Masters contender and a reigning regional Elite Four member!"
"Can Rappa weave her street combat instincts into the delicate art of the Contest? Can Guinaifen translate her tournament pedigree into stage victory? Let us find out!"
The central stage transformed into a battle arena reminiscent of the Masters Tournament.
Rappa and Guinaifen emerged from their respective tunnels, stepping up to the Trainer platforms and readying their Poké Balls.
"Both competitors are in position! Let the battle begin!"
"Go, Shiftry! Blaziken!" Rappa called out, launching her capsules.
"Take the field, Blaziken! Gardevoir!" Guinaifen countered smoothly.
Seeing that Rappa had opted against sending out Smeargle, Guinaifen let out an inward sigh of relief.
It made sense. While Rappa possessed a bold fighting spirit, she was relatively new to Pokémon training, lacking deep knowledge of niche move pools. Had Rappa deployed a wildcard like Smeargle, its unpredictable, frustrating move combinations could have derailed Guinaifen's game plan completely.
Guinaifen had specifically brought Gardevoir as a safety measure against that exact scenario.
With standard combatants on the field, the matchup felt much safer. Real-world combat instincts were invaluable, but adapting them to Pokémon type interactions and move synergies required study and practice.
"Blaziken, Flamethrower! Gardevoir, Psybeam!"
Guinaifen struck first. Blaziken unleashed a roaring pillar of crimson flame, while Gardevoir fired a shimmering beam of psychic energy that coiled around the fire. The blend of pastel psychic light and blazing fire sent her Charm meter climbing instantly.
For Guinaifen, doubles was much more forgiving than singles.
In a single battle, a Trainer had to choreograph solo flourishes on the fly or spend precious seconds giving complex instructions to their partner. In doubles, creating stunning visual combos was as simple as weaving complementary elemental moves together, so long as the typings didn't cancel each other out.
"We can do that too! Blaziken, Flamethrower! Shiftry, Razor Leaf!" Rappa countered without hesitation.
She knew her own partners' capabilities inside and out.
Blaziken released a torrent of fire, while Shiftry launched a spinning vortex of sharp leaves around the column. The swirling wind currents whipped the flames into a spiraling vortex, and the foliage caught fire mid-flight, fueling the blaze into a roaring cyclone that rivaled Guinaifen's combination in pure visual power.
Rappa's Charm score surged in tandem.
Boom!
The two opposing columns of fire met at the center of the field, exploding into a dense wall of smoke and heat that obscured the arena floor.
"Blaziken, Quick Attack!" Guinaifen commanded instantly, before the smoke could even clear.
Zor!
Battlefields were naturally chaotic. Guinaifen had trained her partners to memorize an opponent's exact spatial coordinates prior to visual obstruction, allowing them to strike blind through smoke. To avoid being caught by the same tactic, she had also conditioned her team to reposition the instant a cloud formed.
"Gardevoir, Dazzling Gleam!"
A brilliant flash of fairy light pierced the veil of smoke.
Hearing the commands ring out through the haze, Rappa froze for a split second. She realized Guinaifen's team was targeting their last known positions, and with the attacks already closing in, dodging in the dark was impossible.
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