Chapter 76
"Phew."
Mike let out a breath as he stood inside the contestants’ waiting room, feeling slightly nervous.
This was the first competition he had entered since arriving in this world, and it was a famous Pokémon Contest at that.
His heart was pounding rapidly.
"Huh? Mr. Mike, you’re entering the Pokémon Contest too?"
Dawn spotted Mike sitting in a chair and cried out in surprise before running over to him.
"I thought I’d come experience the appeal of Pokémon Contests."
Mike patted the seat beside him, inviting her to sit down.
Dawn sat down beside him with Piplup in her arms and watched Ash’s performance on the screen.
"Ash is amazing..."
Onscreen, Ash had Aipom use Focus Punch while spinning at high speed, smashing through the Double Team copies one after another to finish the performance.
Mike couldn’t help applauding.
It really did resemble Ash’s usual battle style.
Even in a Pokémon Contest, he could still make his performance feel like a real battle.
When Mike saw the next contestant, he burst out laughing.
The familiar red hair.
The familiar Bite attack.
Watching Gabite clamp its jaws around Jessie’s head to finish the performance, Mike couldn’t help sucking in a sharp breath.
Jessilina...
’Damn... That has to hurt.’
As expected, Ash’s group and Team Rocket were practically superhuman in this world.
"That looks so painful..." Dawn shuddered.
"Piplu..."
"It really does," Mike agreed with a nod.
"Mr. Mike? You’re entering the Pokémon Contest too?"
Only then did Ash notice Mike in the contestants’ waiting room and ask in surprise.
"Mr. Mike has been here this whole time. Ash, aren’t your reactions a little slow?"
Dawn stared at him and poked him repeatedly with one finger.
"I just didn’t notice..." Ash replied sheepishly, scratching his head.
"It’s my turn! It’s my turn!"
Dawn heard the announcer call her name and hurried toward the contestants’ tunnel.
"Good luck," Mike and Ash called after her.
In the tunnel, Dawn ran into her Contest rival, Zoey.
Zoey gave her a high five and told her to do her best.
Mike remained in his seat and watched Dawn’s performance.
He had been scheduled to appear last.
He had initially felt rather nervous, but after watching the other performances for a while, he gradually began to relax.
When Dawn’s performance ended, she returned to the waiting room, high-fived Ash, and sat down.
Finally, the announcer called Mike’s name.
Mike stood and headed toward the contestants’ tunnel.
"Good luck, Mr. Mike!" Dawn and Ash called.
Mike nodded to them before leaving the waiting area.
...
When he stepped onto the Pokémon Contest stage, Mike looked out at the densely packed audience.
He also spotted Nicole, Marill, Gengar, Snivy, and Glameow sitting among the spectators.
Mike bowed slightly, then took a melodica from his clothes.
With a flick of his wrist, he sent a Poké Ball high into the air.
The Ball opened amid an effect of drifting leaves.
Beedrill slowly descended in front of Mike with his head lowered and both stingers crossed over his chest.
Mike raised the melodica to his mouth and blew gently.
A complex, constantly changing melody began echoing across the stage.
Beedrill raised the stingers crossed before his chest and stared coldly into the empty air ahead.
As the music continued, Beedrill began to fight.
His Fury Cutter flowed smoothly from one strike into the next.
The pressure generated by his attacks sent the three judges’ hair fluttering, and Nurse Joy’s hat nearly flew off.
Though one of the judges appear to be bald..
Mike continued playing the melodica while moving through a slow, elegant dance.
He never gave a verbal command.
Rather, the melody itself served as his instructions.
When the music became powerful, Beedrill displayed an overwhelming presence.
When it softened, Beedrill acted as though he had suffered terrible wounds but continued fighting despite them.
No matter where Mike moved, Beedrill remained perfectly in step with him, always guarding the space directly in front of him.
He repeatedly attacked the empty air as though a vicious dragon truly stood there.
At last, the melody rose toward its climax.
Beedrill beat his wings and released an equally spirited cry.
"Bee—!"
He fired Pin Missile high into the air.
The glowing needles reached their peak and began falling vertically toward the stage.
Mike stood directly beneath them.
Beedrill moved in front of him and thrust his stingers again and again.
His attacks were so fast that he shattered every falling needle before any could reach Mike.
Tiny motes of light drifted gently through the stage lights.
Mike lowered the melodica and bowed.
Beedrill floated to his side, crossed his stingers over his chest, and bowed as well.
There was a brief silence.
Then thunderous applause erupted through the venue.
Mike looked toward the three judges and waited for his score.
Whether the result was good or bad, he had come here to enjoy the stage.
"That was a very elegant performance," Mr. Contesta said first. "From Beedrill, I felt the loyalty, determination, courage, and gallantry of a true knight!"
"Contestant, may I ask what kind of opponent Beedrill was fighting just now?"
"An evil dragon," Mike answered.
"A knight battling an evil dragon. An excellent choice! It gave the performance the feeling of a fairy tale."
Mr. Contesta praised him without reservation.
"I look forward to your next performance."
The second judge to speak was Mr. Sukizo, the bald president of the Pokémon Fan Club.
"Remarkable!"
Mr. Sukizo followed up with another sentence.
"I would also love to have a Beedrill willing to fight an evil dragon to protect me. That was incredibly cool!"
The final judge was Jubilife City’s Nurse Joy.
"Beedrill’s Fury Cutter was very smooth and controlled. He remained calm and continued attacking even while facing an evil dragon, showing everyone a different kind of charm from a Bug-type Pokémon."
"The Pin Missile and Poison Jab that followed were both excellent as well. I look forward to seeing what you do next."
As expected, all three judges gave him positive reviews.
The announcer was stunned.
"I never expected this contestant to receive praise from all three judges! Please return backstage and rest for now. We’ll announce the contestants advancing to the next round shortly."
Mike nodded and left the stage with Beedrill.
"Wait, It’s Mike! Didn’t you say you were going to upload the video? Where is it? Why are you here competing in a Pokémon Contest instead?!"
Mike’s footsteps froze.
Then he immediately quickened his pace.
’Damn it. I forgot again yesterday...’
’Why are there fans here too?’
"I knew he looked familiar! It really is Mike!"
"You bastard! Didn’t you say the video was already edited? Why haven’t you uploaded it yet?!"
More and more people joined the shouting and Mike hurriedly escaped into the waiting room.
...
"Mr. Mike, that was amazing..."
The moment Mike entered, Dawn stood with both hands clasped against her chest and looked at him with open admiration.
"You were amazing too," Mike replied with a smile.
While they waited for the results, Dawn and Ash were so nervous they could barely sit still.
Mike, meanwhile, looked at his phone.
His fan group was filled with people tagging him and condemning his behavior!
The group had been created by the wealthy viewer, who had also dragged Mike into it.
Wonderful.
After this incident, Mike had officially earned the nickname "Deadbeat Uploader."
A friend request appeared in his private messages.
Mike opened it and saw that it came from someone named I Really Don’t Want Overtime.
He froze when he saw the familiar Bronzong profile picture.
’Lucian?’
Mike accepted the request.
A message arrived immediately.
[I Really Don’t Want Overtime: Hello, Assistant Mike. My name is Lucian, and I’m the Psychic-type member of Sinnoh’s Elite Four.]
[Mike: Hello, Elite Four Lucian. Is there something you need my help with?]
[I Really Don’t Want Overtime: Hmm... I wouldn’t exactly call it asking for help. I only wanted to ask when the next episode of The Wide World of Pokémon will be uploaded.]
???
’Seriously?’
’You dm me just to nag me for an update?’
Mike stared at his phone with question marks practically covering his face.
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Sorry guys 1 Chapter for today and tomorrow since i have things that i need to do today.