Aspiring to become a Pokémon trainer

Seeing her pet's fur disheveled by the airflow, she abandoned her composure and ignored the constraints of the competition, bending down and gently combing the little beast's appearance with her fingertips.

Even though there were many familiar faces around, such as Musashi disguised as Sweet Lina, Ruby, Michael's apprentice, and the first Dojo Master Brock, Nanin didn't care at all and focused solely on holding the child.

"Buy~"

Unconcerned about what others might think, Sylveon gently wrapped its arm around the girl's delicate hand and then buried its face lightly in the mountains, just like the tranquility of countless mornings and afternoons.

Logically speaking, the first stage of the Pokémon Contest tests the Pokémon's condition, and most participants would be quite nervous, sitting upright and stiff. Few would be as calm and composed as this girl.

Attracted by this peculiarity, Conkenstein's eyes gleamed after careful observation.

He noticed that Sylveon stood out from other Pokémon. If the clothing could highlight the Pokémon's cuteness or beauty, then the girl and the little beast would possess a unique charm.

There was no artificial extravagance or elegance; they simply stood there, bringing comfort and clarity to the eyes and mind.

Leaving aside the glossy coat and the graceful form, if one had to find a word to describe it, it would only be—

natural.

As if it were a natural creation, under absolute focus, its exquisiteness was easily highlighted, surpassing the embellishment of clothing and the contrived movements, and stealing the attention of many judges.

"very."

The applause was undoubtedly a heartfelt response from Conkenstein after so many years.

"Full marks."

Raising his scorecard, he also glanced at Ruby. Mikoli's feelings were even stronger than the former's. If the other contestants were creating an atmosphere, then Nan Yin and Sylveon had a complementary temperament from the start.

This is no longer a comparison on the same level.

The third judge, Melissa, also raised her right hand, which was covered by a veil, and awarded the same number of ten points.

As for Master Fu, from the very beginning, he smiled, feeling proud of everyone's amazement and even more gratified by his disciple's excellence.

Regardless of personal relationships or biases, he would still give the highest score.

With the results of the first round of judging already finalized, there is no doubt that Nanyin, who scored forty points, will be the winner.

"It seems that not only is that Sylveon a remarkable creature, but the breeder himself is also exceptional."

There was no resentment, nor was there any narrow-mindedness; Ruby simply valued the exceptional talent his master spoke of even more.

This brief moment of lingering gaze drew a sharp shout from Safia in the stands.

"Ruby, try keeping an eye on it a little longer!"

After the young couple's argument, Xiao Gang, who looked mature for his age, stroked the back of his neck and didn't seem to care about being at the bottom in the first round. In his opinion, mastering the moves and making blocks were his strengths.

"Such a young girl has already reached this level. Am I a disgrace to the vast number of middle-aged breeders?"

Perhaps the only ones who will be of more concern are the players who didn't score well and Musashi who barely passed.

"That damned old man only gave me two points. Besides, isn't this the girl who bought ice cream at the stall earlier? I should have given her that Sylveon beforehand..."

"Sonam Si~"

It was unclear what the woman was saying, but the old man who had come along with her still echoed her sentiments.

The audience continued to chatter, and during intermission, Mikoli inquired about the girls' order of appearance.

"Nanyin, the second round of judging is about showcasing the splendor of Pokémon through combinations of moves and teamwork. Since you are the winner of the first round, you can decide your own order of appearance."

Without much deliberation, Nan Yin parted her lips and gave an absolutely definite answer in an instant.

"first place."

These two words alone encapsulate absolute will. In her view, the order of the middle section is meaningless; one must either be the head of the show to outshine all others or the finale to crush the competition.

Compared to the latter, the girl prefers to settle the score decisively and cleanly, making the subsequent performance dull and uninteresting.

She wouldn't hesitate, because she believed in herself and, even more so, in her children.

Close your eyes and rest, waiting for the clock to stop. It's still the same stage, but now, Nan Yin alone will bear the gaze of all the audience.

The curtains closed, casting darkness overhead, and a long, melodious tune began, conveying tranquility—a setup she had made in advance.

Taking a deep breath, as the lights illuminated the starry sky that transformed into a world of its own, the white-haired girl, with her hands on her hips, stepped onto the stage with an air of dignified composure.

"Ibrahimovic."

Without any specific instructions, the gentle moonlight rose from Eevee's forehead, pouring outwards and inwards, gradually fading, giving one a feeling of profound tenderness.

The power of the moon.

The event did not end there. As the bright arc of light was about to dissipate, it broke apart and fell, turning into fluffy cotton-like flakes, which became the evening snow.

The ultimate control over force allows each snowflake, composed of energy, to perfectly form an integral part of the snowscape.

"Scatter water chestnuts."

It was a series of interconnected events. Scorpio King timely unveiled the starry sky, scattering butterfly-shaped powder from above to further enhance the scene.

At the same moment, Nan Yin herself slightly tiptoed, spread her five fingers, and carefully gathered the crystal flowers and dancing butterflies into her palm. Then she gently exhaled and blew them away, letting them become part of nature.

It is a painting, and also a scene, a scene that fully reveals itself.

A butterfly from another world, having weathered countless storms... has now become the prelude to life.

The performance should have ended there, but a touch of pink light landed on my fingertips, giving them a slight weight.

It was a flawless diamond, and also an eternal vow.

One grain, one piece, one pool...

The storm of pink diamonds merged into the snowy night at just the right time, demonstrating what true beauty is and filling in the gaps.

[Nanyin.]

It is a girl's name, an ethereal voice, and a long-lasting call.

Draped in a pure white gauze dress, with a heart-shaped crown on their foreheads, they have reunited after all this time.

Unable to utter any more words, Nan Yin simply murmured softly as she spoke to that lovely figure.

"Dianci."

Chapter 132 Confession? A Lifetime?

As the snow gradually faded and the moonlight scattered in my palm, only the figures of the girl and the little animals remained on the stage, huddled together.

Without elaborate speeches, Nanyin simply bent her waist, lightly lifted the hem of her skirt with her fingertips, and bowed deeply to bring the performance to a close.

"My performance has come to an end."

His tone was flat and straightforward, lacking any respect or sincerity, yet possessing a cool and aloof quality, like a summer shaved ice.

Unexpected surprise, puzzled doubts, joy of reunion... No matter how many emotions she had, all she wanted was to greedily whisper and caress the little ones in her own time.

For an unknown newcomer, the Grand Contest is indeed important, and the audience's attention is focused on it for a long time. But how can the attention of others compare to it and to them?

Those children were fond of the young girl, enjoying the tranquility of her days and nights, and even wanted to monopolize her attention. Nan Yin was no different; she loved these little darlings too. It was their companionship that added rich color to her dull past.

If I were to leave them, I would certainly be unable to resist loneliness and forget the relatives and friends I knew well in my past life but have lost forever.

"...She's actually the legendary Diamond Princess."

Setting down his intertwined legs and abandoning any leisurely thoughts, Mikkel was not entirely ignorant of Carlos's epic.

His pursuit of magnificence and harmony often led him deep into valleys to witness breathtaking scenery. How could such a person not know about the world's most beautiful diamond, the Dianthi diamond?

In the past, he regarded Nan Yin as a junior with both virtue and talent, but now, that perception is outdated.

"However, speaking of which, if Daigo were to be on the judging panel for this competition, who knows how excited he would be to see Diancie?"

With their thoughts in turmoil, the remaining judges also gave their evaluations.

"The moves were executed with exceptionally smooth transitions, and the coordination between the Pokémon and the player was so seamless that it was almost unspoken understanding. The snowy scenery and the gestures complemented each other perfectly, making it a truly admirable scene."

Setting aside Diancie's stunning and noble aura, Melissa gave the highest praise to Nanyin and the little beasts for their tacit understanding.

"very."

"Indeed, Sylveon's agility, Gliscor's litheness, the legendary Pokémon's willing companionship, and besides, this child is so young."

Conkenstein had to admit that he had misjudged the girl; she was not only a talented woman, but also a fortunate one with a deep and loving relationship.

Champions, kings, masters—all those who possess these titles are talented and diligent. However, to truly climb to the top of a field, one also needs a bit of luck.

There is no shortage of hard-working people, but what is truly rare are the lucky ones, like Michael, who came from the Glass Dojo and was trained by Adam, the top Coordinator and Dojo Master. Under such influence, coupled with his own talent, he became a magnificent master who stands at the pinnacle of three fields.

Just as she had told her mentor back then, Nan Yin did indeed see the Hoenn Championship as her goal. If she had chosen a different path half a year ago... she would have been a trainer, like countless other children, traveling with Eevee, challenging gyms, and participating in the League Conference.

Perhaps, with her familiarity with Pokémon characteristics, her mature approach to life, and the boost from the tech tree, she could achieve some success and stand at the top of the competition rankings... but that's nothing special, because there are just too many people like that.

As people age, the initial glory of their achievements will eventually become less noticeable, until they are completely forgotten by the crowd.

Fortunately-

Nan Yin was fortunate to meet Dr. Blatano and Mr. Fu. They generously gave her their kindness and guidance along the way, helping her to move forward in the initial direction. This was the key to her turning point.

Yes, he became Master Fu's last disciple, using all the resources to try and fail, reading all kinds of books to enrich his knowledge, and using the old man's reputation to communicate with many capable people on an equal footing, so that they treated him like a guest.

Human relationships and social interactions are nothing more than this.

It is precisely for this reason that Nan Yin never regrets choosing the path of nurturing family members first. Even though she started slowly and has not yet achieved anything, the past six months have given her a wealth of experience.

Correcting battle strategies, filling knowledge gaps, achieving the pinnacle of coordination, and as for the trainer's abilities... defeating Ash twice, thwarting the Gym Leader, and overcoming Lysandre—these achievements have become her calling card and an affirmation of her own stature.

If Nan Yin had gone on her journey at the beginning of the six-month period, she would have been too busy to improve her skills due to the lack of resources, and she would have missed the opportunity to fill in the gaps in her knowledge. She might even have missed the chance to meet those lovely children.

Shellder Dragon, Gliscor, Snorlax, Zapdos, Reshiram, Magearna, Grimmsnarl, and... Diancie.

These are all treasures that have formed a bond with her. When the original direction changes, will Nanyin still be able to meet these children?

I'm afraid no one knows the exact answer.

Lacking any background and with a lowly status, even with the support of the technology tree, it would be difficult for him to gather connections, participate in numerous events, and quickly accumulate initial resources to develop the foundation for telekinesis and waveguides.

A slow start leads to a slow finish, but things are different now. Mr. Fu and Bratano have given her a platform to fully demonstrate her abilities. She has accumulated enough experience, and although it took a lot of time before she started, it's not too late.

She was still young, and when she looked up, she saw the vast, boundless blue sky, where she could roam freely.

Such sentiments were expressed both on and off stage, and those offstage were equally moved.

"The legendary Pokémon, Diancie, the princess of the Diamond Kingdom."

He murmured in a low voice. Ruby had witnessed the collision between the primordial land and the original ocean, and had even been there himself, trying his best to stop it. Therefore, he was all too aware of the heavy weight of this word.

Just as Master said, there are truly people beyond people and heavens beyond heavens in this world.

Honestly, with Diancie's jade bead already in front of him, how can he possibly impress others with his moves? It's obvious that he might fall behind again in this round.

With a relieved smile, even though he was prepared to lose, the boy still stepped onto the stage without hesitation and began his solo performance with the Psychic Queen Gardevoir. It didn't matter who else was involved; he only needed to show himself.

Having witnessed the reversal of Diancie's trump card, most contestants, even if unwilling, know that they have no hope of winning first place and will adopt a "participation is the most important thing" mentality.

As the view shifted, the white-haired girl stood tall and proud, facing the gazes of the crowd, and walked into the passageway without fear.

Amidst this, there was the shock and astonishment of the living, the exclamations of Kerni overwhelmed by the sights, and the gentle smile of relief on Grandpa Fu's face.

"As expected of my friend Nan Yin, I knew that when Diancie returns, who can win this magnificent tournament!"

"Well done, son."

Without evasion, I will respond to those who deserve my attention with my peripheral vision. My current performance is the starting point for repaying the kindness of my teachers.

When you truly have confidence, you no longer need to worry about those covetous eyes.

A purple arc of light lingered around her brows, and the Dragon God's thoughts remained constant; this was the girl's reliance.

Anyone who dares to provoke the tiger will only face absolute subjugation.

Pushing open the door to the lounge, Nan Yin found a nearby seat and sat down. Ignoring the astonishment of those around her, she simply lowered her eyelashes, bent her waist, and looked at the Pink Diamond Princess with tenderness.

"Tianci, I..."

The rising and falling of breaths is a cautious call.

It's no wonder the girl stumbled. Even though she assured the princess of her safety on the eve of their parting, Nan Yin still felt a deep emptiness in her heart because of the princess's departure.

Just like the original Eevee, Diancie, with whom she could confide and get along, was also a very special person to her.

Unable to form any coherent words, she, who was usually composed, could not suppress the ripples in her heart and could only awkwardly express herself, trying to convey the pent-up emotions.

Just as she was racking her brains trying to figure out how to form a sentence, a pleasant chuckle accompanied a warm, damp hand brushing against her ear, leaving a trail of moisture.