A Dominating Victory—Advancing in Style!

The third round of the Pokémon Contest was the Performance Battle Round, where Coordinators had to engage in Double Battles until a final winner was determined.

Here, simply defeating the opponent wasn't enough—it was all about graceful execution, strategic teamwork, and showcasing the beauty of Pokémon through battle.

For this crucial match, May had carefully selected Kirlia and Wartortle as her partners.

On the other side stood May's rival, Harley, sending out Wigglytuff and Ariados with a wicked smirk.

"Alright, folks! The Top 16 Performance Battles are about to kick off! Here we go!" the announcer's voice echoed across the Contest Hall.

May stood confidently. "Kirlia, Wartortle—take the stage!"

Harley sneered. "Hmph! Time to teach you a lesson! Go, Wigglytuff! Ariados!"

As their Pokémon took their positions, Harley's eyes glinted with malice.

"You're going down, May! I'll make sure to crush you with my flawless style! I can't wait to see you cry after losing!"

May ignored his taunts. With Kirlia's psychic abilities at her disposal, she was more confident than ever.

"Kirlia, use Calm Mind! Wartortle, Withdraw!"

From the start, May prioritized stat boosts, setting up for a devastating counterattack.

However, in a Pokémon Contest, simply hiding in your shell wasn't a good look—the judges preferred bold and beautiful performances over pure defense.

But May wasn't worried—she had a plan.

Harley cackled. "Hah! You're too scared to fight back, aren't you? Perfect! Ariados, Poison Sting! Wigglytuff, get ready to assist!"

Ariados spat out a flurry of poisonous needles, aiming straight for May's Pokémon.

Meanwhile, Wigglytuff charged forward, ready to follow up with a combo attack.

From the audience, Brock analyzed the situation.

"Harley's still holding a grudge from his last loss… he's attacking aggressively, hoping to take out both of May's Pokémon at once."

Ash nodded. "Yeah… but he's seriously underestimating her!"

Anabel, Solidad, and Brock cheered May on from the stands.

Anabel, watching the vibrant battle atmosphere, smiled to herself.

Traveling with Ash… was the best decision I ever made.

Meanwhile, May remained calm and collected.

"Wartortle, Withdraw again! Get in front of Kirlia and block the attack! Kirlia, keep using Calm Mind!"

May wasn't rushing in—she was waiting for the perfect moment.

Harley's grin twisted. "You think I'm just gonna sit back and let you power up? Ariados, keep firing Poison Sting! Use Pin Missile too! Wigglytuff, Double Slap!"

The commentator, Lilian, chimed in.

"Oh no! May is still on the defensive! She needs to start attacking soon, or she'll lose points in this Performance Round!"

May thanked Lilian with a glance before turning her gaze back to the battle—her confidence never wavered.

Two rounds of Calm Mind—that was enough.

Now, she just needed Harley's Pokémon to get a little closer…

Almost there…

NOW!

"Wartortle, Aqua Tail on Ariados! Kirlia, Psychic—grab Wigglytuff!"

BAM!

Before Ariados could react, Wartortle's water-coated tail smashed into it, sending it flying!

Kirlia's Psychic power glowed as she lifted Wigglytuff into the air, completely immobilizing it!

Harley's face twisted in shock.

"No way—both of them at once?!"

As a Coordinator, Harley was skilled at performances, but his battle strategy paled in comparison to May's.

May had treated this battle like a real double battle, rather than just a Contest match.

Her goal? Total domination.

Wigglytuff struggled, but Kirlia's enhanced Psychic strength was too much to escape.

Ariados, having grass-typing, resisted water attacks, but Wartortle's powerful Aqua Tail still stopped its attack mid-air.

With Ariados helplessly flailing, May went in for the finishing blow.

"Wartortle, Water Gun—now!"

A powerful jet of water blasted both opponents backwards!

May's eyes gleamed with determination.

"Kirlia—slam Wigglytuff into Ariados! Use their own impact against them!"

Kirlia nodded, her blue psychic aura flaring.

BOOM!

Ariados' sharp spikes dug into Wigglytuff's soft body.

Harley's Pokémon screeched in pain—not only were they damaged by the collision, but Wigglytuff also took extra damage from the spikes!

May saw her chance to end it.

"Kirlia—Magical Leaf on Ariados!"

At the same time, Wartortle spun, releasing a Water Gun upwards.

The sunlight caught the water droplets, creating a dazzling rainbow over the battlefield.

Under the prismatic glow, Kirlia and Wartortle shined like stars.

And as the enhanced Magical Leaf struck Ariados head-on, both of Harley's Pokémon collapsed—completely defeated.

BEEP! BEEP!

A red "X" flashed on the judges' screens.

Harley was eliminated.

For a moment, the entire Contest Hall fell silent.

Then—

ROARING APPLAUSE!

At first, the audience had been confused by May's strategy—why wasn't she attacking? Was she too scared to fight back?

But then—she struck.

And when she did—it was an absolute, overwhelming victory.

Even more spectacular was the final rainbow effect, as water droplets reflected in the sunlight, casting an ethereal glow over Kirlia and Wartortle.

It was flawless.

A masterpiece of both strategy and style.

"Unbelievable! May has completely dominated this match!" Lilian announced.

Harley stood frozen in shock—completely outclassed.

May, meanwhile, smiled with pride.

This was just the beginning.

Her real battle would be against Drew and Solidad.

But for now—she had proven her strength.

And she had done it in style.

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