His sleeves were rolled up.
Although his appearance had changed, the signature bracelet on his wrist and the Poké Ball hanging from his neck were still there.
Let alone a diehard fan like Zoe—even an ordinary passerby who paid a little attention could recognize him.
"Alright, handsome, go greet the whole country on stage—ah pfft, I mean, say hello!"
The makeup artist, clearly pleased with Nathan's outstanding look, smiled in satisfaction.
To this, Nathan could only respond with a dry chuckle. Was this a New Year's Gala or the National Tournament?
But that's just how things were.
In this world, the National Tournament was just as prestigious as the New Year Festival Gala.
Especially in recent years, as the New Year Festival Gala's reputation steadily declined, the National Tournament's status had only risen higher.
Countless celebrity Trainers strived to appear, even if just briefly, in the main event of the National Tournament.
When Nathan walked out of the dressing room and arrived at the open plaza of the Skyrend Arena, the performance segment was already halfway through.
Even though he had watched it many times on TV and computers before, Nathan still found it fascinating.
Each performance, blending Pokémon, technology, and even magic, never ceased to amaze, no matter how many times one watched.
Still, once the performance ended, it was time for Nathan to leave and prepare for his appearance.
And it wasn't just him.
Twelve champion-seed contestants, carefully selected from eight regional divisions, would appear at the same time.
How much attention and support they garnered depended entirely on the Trainers and their Pokémon!
Very soon—
The host, standing under the spotlight on stage, picked up the microphone and spoke with polished professionalism:
"An absolutely spectacular performance has just concluded. Now, let's welcome our highly anticipated genius Trainers!"
"They don't just represent talent—they represent power!"
That wasn't an exaggeration. Anyone who achieved good results in the National Tournament—
If not already an Elite, they were close to becoming one.
And the champion? Without question, destined to become a future Elite Guardian!
Of course, even among Elite Guardian members, there were major differences in strength.
But those differences only became clear during the World Tournament.
At the very least, within the National Tournament, it was rare for any contestant to already be at the true Elite Guardian level.
"Ohhh! Mira! Mira! Mira!"
"Seth Cole all the way! Mommy will always love you!"
"Go Griffin Zorn! You're the fattest and the best!"
"Carrying the name of the Blue Flash, Nathan Vesper will never lose!"
…
As soon as the host's words fell, the entire open-air arena was nearly drowned in cheers.
After all, being invited wasn't just about strength—you had to have a solid fanbase, too.
Among them, the most popular was a young woman.
She looked to be under twenty-five, but had already revealed two Elite-level Pokémon in the regional matches.
A stylish powerhouse with a fantastic public image.
Although she didn't have many female fans, eight out of ten male fans had been completely won over by her.
"Let's go—it's our turn to appear. We can't embarrass ourselves now!"
Seth, a slightly older contestant, gave a hearty smile and said kindly.
But despite his gentlemanly appearance, his partner Pokémon was a fiercely aggressive Aerodactyl.
"Aeroo!"
With a wild roar, Seth stood atop the Aerodactyl as it flew into the sky.
The spotlight graciously followed him upward.
"Tch, hypocrite."
Griffin scoffed and directly summoned his signature Pokémon—a giant Snorlax!
Snorlax was already enormous, and when gigantamaxed, it looked like a full-blown kaiju.
Standing atop its back, Griffin also basked in a spotlight and loud cheers.
"Then I'll go ahead as well, my apologies."
The purple-haired girl, Mira, seemed a bit shy. She quietly summoned an incredibly rare Milotic and traveled by water to the stage.
The remaining contestants followed, each showcasing their unique entrances.
It was clear they had rehearsed these entrances thoroughly.
Someone like Nathan—who had arrived in the capital on the very last day and spent the daytime training—was definitely an outlier.
But—
"Flygon, take me up into the sky!"
Nathan summoned his Flygon and rode it into the air.
Just as everyone assumed he'd descend on his mount like Seth—
Flygon suddenly returned to its Poké Ball mid-flight!
With an excited smile on his face, Nathan began freefalling from the sky, his coat flapping wildly in the wind.
This immediately caused an uproar among both the audience and the host.
"So this… is what the sky feels like? Just like in my dreams…"
Thinking back to his dreams of defeating legendary Pokémon and standing unbeaten, Nathan felt his blood boiling.
Adrenaline, hormones, even dopamine surged wildly in response to the stimulation.
This was why so many people pursued extreme sports—even in his previous life.
"Now! Zeraora, Volcarona—it's all up to you!"
As the stage rapidly approached and even the host started to panic, Nathan laughed and shouted.
Suddenly, lightning and blazing white flames burst from his body.
The electricity and fire intertwined behind Nathan, forming a pair of dazzling wings several times larger than his body!
Under countless shocked, awestruck, and slack-jawed gazes—
Nathan gracefully landed on the stage.
Then the twin wings of lightning and fire dispersed, and Zeraora and Volcarona appeared at his side.
Spectacle — Full Marks!
Showmanship — Perfect!
After recalling both Pokémon into their Poké Balls, Nathan smiled even more brightly.
Maybe only in moments like these did he truly look like a teenager—
Rather than an old monster with a youthful face but an unknowable mental age.
Meanwhile, the other seeded contestants also began sizing up Nathan.
This boy, who looked so young, was definitely not someone to take lightly.
…
Unlike the casual audience members there just to enjoy the show—
The other seeded Trainers were no pushovers. What they cared about was the strength revealed through each contestant's performance!
For example, Seth—his Aerodactyl radiated such a violent aura that no one dared underestimate it.
As for Nathan, even though his entrance was flashier than theirs, it only further demonstrated the strength of Zeraora and Volcarona!
If their power was weak, there's no way lightning and fire could have formed such refined wings.
Let alone allow Nathan to slow his fall and land so precisely from such a high altitude.
To the audience, it looked as if the twin wings were directly projected from Zeraora and Volcarona.
They didn't even notice Nathan's little trick.
"Nathan is a god!"
"Angel boy, I'm in love! Those alternate-color wings are everything!"
"I just became a fan for life!"
…
Even while standing on the stage, Nathan could clearly see that most of the audience had been completely captivated by his performance.
Especially the ones watching the livestream.
With the drone's high-definition footage, the moment Nathan transformed into a Thunderfire Angel mid-fall was broadcast in stunning clarity.
Every feather was visible, and his handsome face and striking eye shadow were seared into the hearts of every appearance-obsessed viewer.
No doubt, many people would start cosplaying Nathan's look from today.
Onstage, the host continued introducing the seeded contestants.
Aside from Seth, Griffin, and Mira, the other eight were also formidable.
One, named Liam Signs, had an elite-level Lucario.
Another, Micah Blue, showcased dazzling battle tactics in the regional matches.
Just like Nathan, he had a perfect win record!
Of course, even among all the seeded contestants, Nathan was the youngest.
And not by a small margin.
Even Mira, the second youngest, was still six or seven years older than him.
"I have to say, as the youngest championship contender in the history of the League, Nathan Vesper is truly remarkable!"
Flipping through his notes—even though he had memorized them—the host still couldn't hide his admiration.
What was he doing at Nathan's age?
Getting his first Pokémon, then getting crushed at his second gym challenge.
That marked the end of his journey as a Trainer.
It sounded simple, but it reflected the blood, sweat, and tears of countless underprivileged Trainers.
"Oh, it's nothing. I've just been lucky… and I really love Pokémon."
With the microphone suddenly shoved in his face, Nathan could only respond modestly.
But the host didn't let up: "Speaking of your love for Pokémon, those who know you well are surely aware—Nathan truly cherishes his Pokémon."
"This was fully displayed during the regional matches in Magic City…"
After a long elaboration, the host finally smiled and asked:
"Nathan, is that your secret? Treating Pokémon like indispensable family—is that what makes you such a genius?"
(End of Chapter)