Formidanle Rival

After leaving the store, Yuga hastily rode Absol towards the Pokémon Contest venue. Wallace, Robert, and Kris had already returned early after finishing their lunch.

Upon reaching the entrance of the Pokémon Contest venue, Yuga stepped out on Absol and rushed inside, only to collide with someone at the corner.

"Gym Leader Shimizu!" The person opposite him also took a sharp breath after the collision and then exclaimed in surprise.

Yuga rubbed his shoulder, feeling the impact was not light. "Sora? Oh, I should call you Gym Leader Sora now."

Yuga hadn't expected to encounter Sora here, but upon reflection, Sora was also a Pokémon Coordinator. After he became a Gym Leader in Johto, Yuga hadn't heard much about his participation in Pokémon Contests.

"It's been a while!" Sora said with a smile.

They knew each other but weren't particularly close. After going their separate ways in the Gym Challenge, they hadn't seen each other or stayed in touch.

"It's been a while indeed. But since you're here, why didn't I see you participate in the Wallace Cup?" Yuga asked curiously.

Sora let out a wry smile. "I originally planned to participate, but there was a sudden issue at the Gym. By the time I got here, it was too late."

He had been dealing with Gym-related matters, having just arrived in Verdanturf Town today. He didn't even make it in time to watch the morning contests, let alone register for the competition.

The conditions in his hometown were far from ideal compared to Verdanturf Town. After becoming a Gym Leader, he had a lot to handle, and there was simply no time for Pokémon Contests.

But it was still his hometown, and he couldn't just leave it unattended. That was why he had agreed to participate in the Gym Leader selection in the first place, hoping to see his hometown prosper and escape its past poverty.

Yuga nodded in understanding. The responsibilities of a Gym Leader went beyond just battling challengers; they were also responsible for town development and defense. When they were free, they were really free, but when they were busy, they were extremely busy.

Comparatively, Mayor Ishida of Verdanturf Town was very supportive. He took the lead in everything, trying not to trouble Yuga too much, even though Yuga still ended up dealing with various matters. Otherwise, Yuga wouldn't have had such a relaxed schedule.

Sora's situation was different. His hometown needed him, and he couldn't neglect it. This was why he had agreed to participate in the Gym Leader selection in the first place—to help his hometown develop and escape poverty.

Yuga nodded in understanding and said, "I see. It's important to take care of your hometown. I hope everything gets sorted out for you."

Sora appreciated Yuga's understanding and nodded in response. "Thank you. I'll try to participate in the next contest if I can manage my schedule better."

They exchanged a few more words before parting ways, each heading towards their respective destinations within the Pokémon Contest venue.

Yuga: "So, are you here as a spectator now?"

Sora nodded, "Yes, it's been a while since I participated in a contest. Watching others compete and gaining some experience is important."

After a few more words, Yuga realized it was getting late and said, "I have to go now; otherwise, I might be late. Feel free to visit Verdanturf Gym when you have the time."

Sora nodded in agreement, "Sure, go ahead."

He understood that Yuga was one of the judges for this contest, so he didn't want to delay Yuga any further.

Their paths diverged, with Sora heading to the spectator seats and Yuga making his way to the preparation room. After saying their goodbyes, they went in opposite directions.

Yuga rushed to the preparation room, and when he arrived, he was out of breath. The other judges were already there, so he quickly apologized.

The competitors' preparation room and the judges' preparation room were separated, so aside from the host, Vivian, and a few accompanying staff members, there were only a few judges on Yuga's side.

Yuga sat down for a moment to catch his breath, and a staff member soon informed them, "It's almost time for the contest. The host and judges should get ready."

Everyone got up, and Joyka appeared by Yuga's side, handing him a bottle of water. She asked in a low voice, "Where were you? You arrived so late and out of breath."

Yuga and Joyka were old friends, so their interactions were casual. Joyka could ask Yuga questions without the usual reservations.

Yuga opened the bottle and took a sip of water before answering, "There were customers at the store, and I ran into someone I knew, so we chatted for a bit."

Joyka nodded and then added, "After the afternoon contest, come to the Pokémon Center. I have something to discuss with you."

Yuga inquired, "What's it about? Can't you tell me now?"

Joyka playfully gave him a pat and said, "It's not something we can cover in a few sentences. Just come when you can. Don't waste time talking."

Yuga acknowledged and, since he was already at the judges' seat outside, he didn't say anything more.

As the time arrived, Vivian's melodious voice echoed in the arena.

"I'm sure you're all eagerly anticipating the results of the first round's initial segment. Now, without further ado, please look at the big screen!"

As Vivian spoke, the large screen in the venue displayed pictures of the participating contestants.

"These thirty-two contestants have advanced to the latter part of the first round. Please prepare for the upcoming matches."

From nearly two hundred contestants in the first round, only thirty-two remained on the big screen.

After the second segment of the first round, these thirty-two contestants would be further reduced by half, leaving only sixteen participants for the subsequent exhibition battles.

Inside the contestants' preparation room, there was a synchronized screen that displayed the results of the matches announced on the big screen in the venue. The names of the contestants advancing to the next round were also shown on the preparation room's large screen.

Seeing this outcome, the contestants in the preparation room had mixed emotions. Some cried and left directly, while others, more resilient, chose to stay and watch the matches of the remaining contestants.

Contestants like Robert, Kris, Solidad, and Violet had successfully advanced.

"Now, we will announce the match order for these thirty-two contestants," Vivian's voice came through the large screen. The advancing contestants nervously watched the big screen in the preparation room.

The pictures of the thirty-two contestants were turned face down on the big screen, shuffled around, and then flipped over again. The order of their appearances had been determined.

Kris was the eighth contestant to perform, Violet the eleventh, and Robert the fourteenth.

The first contestant to perform was a familiar face to Robert, someone he had competed against for the championship at the Pokémon Contest's Grand Festival—Suzuye.

While Suzuye's performance in the first round's initial segment hadn't been overly impressive, those who knew her understood that her skills were definitely not limited to what she had shown. She had deliberately concealed her true abilities.

Although Suzuye hadn't won the championship in the Pokémon Contest Grand Festival that Robert participated in, in subsequent editions, including last year's when Megumi, Akihito's travel companions, had competed, Suzuye had claimed the championship each time.

Currently, Suzuye was a bona fide Top Coordinator. As the official representative of the new generation of Pokémon Coordinators highly promoted by the Pokémon Contest official, some even referred to her as the successor to Wallace.

In terms of fame and reputation, she surpassed Robert, who had disappeared for two years. She was indeed Robert's biggest rival in the Wallace Cup.

"Now, we invite the first contestant of this afternoon's competition, Miss Suzuye."

Vivian's voice echoed through the big screen, and all the contestants in the preparation room focused their gaze on Suzuye, including Robert.

Suzuye was quite accustomed to being in the spotlight like this, feeling no pressure at all. Instead, she made eye contact with Robert through the crowd, saw that he was looking at her, nodded gently in his direction, and flashed a sweet smile. Then, she walked out of the preparation room's door.

Suzuye wasn't particularly tall, but she had a sweet and cute appearance rather than a conventionally "beautiful" one. Describing her as pretty or beautiful didn't quite do her justice; "adorable" was a more fitting term. In fact, her smile just now had melted the hearts of the other contestants who saw it.

However, Robert's perception was different. When their eyes met, he sensed a strong sense of determination in Suzuye's gaze.

Seeing his cousin lost in thought, Kris nudged him and asked, "What's wrong?"

Robert snapped back to reality and shook his head, "Why? Your performance is ahead of mine. Focus and get yourself ready."

Kris nodded. Being the eighth performer was quite an early slot, and she was indeed feeling a bit nervous.