The fourth and final round of the competition had officially begun.
Ash and Lumina had been the first to take the stage, but nine contestants still remained.
This was the last round of the Cerulean Water-Type Pokémon Beauty Competition.
The rules were simple.
The ten finalists would perform in the order determined by the draw.
After all performances were complete, the audience vote totals would determine the champion, runner-up, and third-place finisher.
With Ash and Lumina opening the finals with a devastating performance and securing another perfect score of 5,000 votes, the outcome was already beginning to look inevitable.
Even if another contestant somehow managed to earn a perfect score afterward, the best they could do was tie him.
It wouldn't change the fact that Ash had already locked in a championship-level performance.
Still, while Ash's results were effectively secured, the competition itself was not over.
The remaining contestants still had to perform.
Their rankings had yet to be decided.
The finals continued.
After a few more contestants took the stage, it was finally Misty's turn.
She had drawn Number 4.
"Misty, good luck!"
"Go get them!"
"Misty, we're rooting for you!"
"Misty, give it your all!"
"Thank you!" Misty replied energetically.
"Marill and I will do our best!"
Filled with fighting spirit, she headed toward the entrance tunnel with Marill.
Outside, the referee robot's voice echoed through the stadium.
"Next, please welcome Contestant Number 4, Misty, and her Pokémon, Marill, for a one-minute performance."
The crowd immediately erupted into discussion.
"Wow! It's Gym Leader Misty!"
"Gym Leader? What do you mean?"
"Misty is the Gym Leader of Cerulean City's Water-Type Pokémon Gym. She's also one of the organizers and founders of this beauty competition."
"The organizer can compete too?"
"Of course. They're not competing in Pokémon battles. This is a beauty contest."
"And during the first three rounds, Trainers didn't even appear on stage."
"Exactly."
"Besides, you outsiders might not know this, but Gym Leader Misty is only six years old."
"She isn't gaining any unfair advantage by participating."
"So that's it."
"I had no idea that adorable yet powerful Marill belonged to Gym Leader Misty."
"Marill is really amazing."
"Tell me about it. Maybe Marill isn't as shocking as Ash's Feebas and Milotic, but she's been incredible throughout the competition."
"If I remember correctly, Marill scored over 4,900 votes in every single round."
"That's seriously impressive."
"Looks like Gym Leader Misty is a training prodigy just like Ash."
"Absolutely."
"She's young, but she's incredibly hardworking."
As the conversations spread throughout the audience, something subtle began to change.
Many Cerulean City residents had originally held reservations about Misty becoming Gym Leader at such a young age.
But now, hearing outsiders praise her so highly, they couldn't help feeling proud.
Their lingering doubts gradually disappeared.
After all, Misty represented Cerulean City.
Her success reflected well on everyone.
Soon, under the brilliant stage lights, Misty rose onto the stage atop the elevator platform.
Meanwhile, Marill appeared atop the diving platform above the Water Cube pool.
Even though Trainers could now perform alongside their Pokémon in the finals, the time limit remained one minute.
There was no time to waste.
With a simple glance from Misty, Marill immediately began its performance.
Just like in the semifinals, Misty intended to showcase two completely opposite sides of Marill.
First—
Its adorable, harmless appearance.
Then—
Its overwhelming power.
The stark contrast between the two had produced tremendous results during the semifinals, and Misty intended to use the same formula again.
But repeating it exactly would be boring.
This time, she planned to strengthen both aspects.
Make Marill even cuter.
Make Marill even stronger.
The performance reflected that perfectly.
During the semifinals, Marill's cute phase had simply involved acting adorable.
This time, however, it incorporated actual moves.
Standing at the edge of the diving platform, Marill tilted its head shyly.
"Marri~ (❛ᴗ❛)/"
"Miilu (3)"
Then it unleashed a combination of moves:
Charm.
Attract.
Captivate.
A perfectly coordinated display of helpless innocence and irresistible cuteness.
The audience immediately fell apart.
"AAAAAHHHH!!"
"So cute!!"
"Marill! Marill!!"
"Marill! Marill!!"
The cheering grew louder and louder.
Seeing the crowd completely enchanted, Misty judged that the timing was right.
She didn't say a word.
Instead, she leaned forward slightly, clasped her hands behind her back, and gave Marill a playful wink.
Marill instantly understood.
High atop the diving platform, while the audience was still drowning in its adorable charm, Marill suddenly launched itself into the air.
Its body spun and twisted gracefully.
Like a comet falling from the heavens.
Like a meteor descending toward earth.
It plunged toward the Water Cube below.
Just before hitting the pool—
Misty's clear voice rang throughout the entire stadium.
"Marill, use Ice Punch!!"
The audience, still lost in Marill's cuteness, snapped back to reality and looked toward the descending Pokémon.
The next moment—
BOOOOM!!
Marill's fist smashed into the surface of the pool with overwhelming force.
A scene remarkably similar to the semifinals unfolded once more.
Towering waves erupted skyward.
Water surged in every direction.
But this time—
The outcome was completely different.
The freezing power of Ice Punch exploded outward.
The massive waves froze instantly.
Layer upon layer of crystal-clear ice spread through the air.
Within moments, the towering water column transformed into a gigantic ice flower.
A breathtaking sculpture of frozen beauty.
Its petals sparkled beneath the stadium lights.
Every crystal edge reflected dazzling colors.
The entire scene looked like a masterpiece crafted by nature itself.
"Whoaaaaa!!"
"No way!!"
"That's incredible!"
The crowd was stunned.
The overall structure of the performance wasn't drastically different from the semifinal version.
But everything had been elevated.
Marill was cuter than before.
Stronger than before.
More impressive than before.
During the semifinals, Marill's Mega Punch had created an enormous wave.
But that wave quickly collapsed back into the water.
The impact was fleeting.
This time, however, Ice Punch preserved the moment.
The towering wave became an eternal frozen blossom.
The power.
The beauty.
The contrast.
Everything was frozen in place for the audience to admire.
And the audience absolutely loved it.
The deafening cheers throughout the stadium proved it.
Soon, the referee robot announced:
"Contestant Number 4, Misty, and Pokémon Marill have completed their performance. Audience voting will now begin."
The voting period passed quickly.
Moments later, the results appeared.
"Voting has ended."
"Final Round — Contestant Number 4, Marill."
"Total votes received: 4,995."
Only five votes short of perfection.
Another astonishing score.
Another performance that left the audience speechless.
And once again, Misty and Marill had proven why they belonged among the strongest contenders in the entire competition.
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