One contestant after another took the stage, with dazzling combinations of moves and seamless coordination between Pokémon unfolding in succession, pushing the atmosphere of the venue to wave after wave of excitement.
As yet another performance came to an end, Vivian held the microphone, her voice carrying an unmistakable sense of anticipation.
"Next, please welcome contestant number 66, Theo!"
With a sharp sweep, the spotlight shone toward the entrance of the contestant passage, clearly outlining Theo's figure.
He stepped onto the stage with calm composure.
The moment he appeared, the audience below erupted into enthusiastic cheers. Fans waved glowing signs that read "Go Theo," while colorful light sticks merged into a flowing sea of shimmering light across the stands.
The livestream chat exploded instantly, lines of text rolling endlessly across the screen.
"He is here, he is here! Finally the streamer is on stage! I have my snacks ready and I am all set!"
"My expectations are maxed out! What kind of surprise will he bring this time?"
"I just ran back from the bathroom at full speed. This time I will not blink, I am watching every second!"
Theo stood at the edge of the stage, giving a slight nod toward the audience and the cameras. Then he threw out the two Poké Balls at his waist.
"Tyrantrum, Larvesta, come out!"
Two flashes of red light appeared as Tyrantrum and Larvesta landed steadily on the stage.
Both of them seemed to sense the heated atmosphere of the venue and became especially excited, moving energetically as if responding to the audience's cheers.
"Begin!"
Theo gave the command.
Tyrantrum and Larvesta exchanged a glance, as if silently reaching an understanding.
In the next moment, a yellow aura began to shimmer around Tyrantrum's body. Fine grains of sand appeared as if summoned, swirling around it before gradually forming a faint vortex.
Tyrantrum slowly raised its head, locking its gaze onto the spotlights hanging above the stage.
The sand around it seemed to be pulled by an invisible force, rushing toward those light sources all at once.
Tap, tap—
After a series of crisp sounds, countless grains of sand covered the lights completely.
The venue's illumination was instantly blocked, and the entire arena fell into darkness. Only faint outlines remained at the center of the stage, as if everything had been swallowed by an endless night.
"What just happened?"
"Why did the lights suddenly go out?"
Confused voices rose from the audience as some leaned forward, narrowing their eyes in an attempt to see what was happening on stage.
At that moment, a faint spark of fire suddenly lit up at the center of the stage.
Then a second, a third… five small points of light appeared one after another in the darkness, gradually growing brighter.
In the end, they formed a curved arc of light, resembling the edge of a rising sun.
It was the glow from Larvesta's five horns.
The orange red light was not blinding, yet it stood out vividly in the dim environment.
"It is Larvesta!"
A spectator quickly reacted, shouting excitedly.
At that moment, Larvesta flicked its five horns lightly, and five small blue flames drifted gently out from their tips.
Will O Wisp had been activated.
The small fireballs hovered around Larvesta, emitting a strange yet soft blue glow. Under their illumination, the stage gradually brightened, just enough for the audience to see the scene clearly.
"Wow, those are Will O Wisps!"
"Such beautiful blue flames…"
Voices of admiration rose from the crowd.
The five ghostly blue flames slowly floated upward, circling above Larvesta's head, weaving together and separating in a mesmerizing, dreamlike pattern.
At that moment, Larvesta's body suddenly glowed with an intense red light.
The radiance from its five horns grew increasingly fierce, like five blazing torches, releasing waves of heat.
At the same time, the five blue fireballs seemed to be infused with new energy.
Their cold blue color gradually faded, transforming into a scorching red as they grew larger and rose higher into the air.
The temperature within the arena began to rise noticeably. Even those seated in the front rows could clearly feel the heat, their cheeks tinged slightly red by the glow.
In the end, the five fireballs lined up across the sky above the stage, each radiating dazzling red light.
From a distance, they looked like five miniature suns suspended across the venue.
"What… what is this supposed to be?"
A spectator could not help swallowing nervously, gripping their glow stick tightly while staring at the five fireballs, afraid to miss even a single moment.
At that moment, Tyrantrum on the other side of the stage moved.
The sandstorm around it suddenly became violent. Countless grains of sand gathered and spun rapidly, forming a small but intense vortex.
Accompanied by sharp cracking sounds, the sand and small stones fused and compressed together, eventually forming five massive black rock fragments.
Rock Blast had been activated.
Each of these dark rocks was nearly half the height of a person. They rotated rapidly around Tyrantrum, generating whistling winds like five meteors poised to be launched, brimming with immense power.
"Tyrant!"
Tyrantrum let out a low growl and lashed out with its thick tail like a steel whip, striking one of the rocks with precision.
The rock shot through the air with a tearing sound, heading straight toward the leftmost fireball.
BOOM!
The moment the rock collided with the fireball, the flame suddenly expanded violently, as if fuel had been added. The red glow became even more dazzling, and the surrounding air began to ripple with distortion.
"Again!"
Theo's voice rang out at just the right moment, carrying a hint of excitement.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Tyrantrum swung its tail repeatedly. With four thunderous impacts, the remaining four rocks were launched toward the other four fireballs.
In the end, the original five fireballs grew enormously, each reaching a diameter of over two meters. The black rocks inside burned fiercely within the flames.
They circled and danced across the sky above the stage, sometimes colliding and scattering sparks, sometimes passing each other and leaving behind brilliant red trails.
If one looked closely, it would become clear that fine beads of sweat had already formed on Tyrantrum's forehead.
At this moment, those five massive fireballs were entirely under its control. Every movement, every rotation required an immense expenditure of strength and focus.
The audience below was already completely stunned. Many unconsciously clenched their fists, their hearts pounding in rhythm with the swirling fireballs, caught between tension and exhilaration.
Under everyone's gaze, the five fireballs gradually began to draw closer together as they spun.
One merged into another, then another followed.
In the end, they combined into a single gigantic fireball, occupying nearly two thirds of the stage as it hovered steadily in midair.
The heat radiating from it carried an overwhelming pressure. Even those seated in the back rows could feel the scorching waves, instinctively pulling their heads back in response.
(End of Chapter)