The stadium lights had dimmed slightly, casting golden halos around the upper ring of the coliseum. The sun had dipped beyond the Ravios skyline, streaking the sky with soft purples and dusky gold.
The tag battles were done.
Only echoes of cheering remained in the walls, and the chill in the air was no longer from tension but from the breeze drifting through the stone corridors.
Shion stood quietly in the healing chamber, crouched beside Raku, who now lay curled up in the warm glow of a Chansey's healing pulse. Its breathing had steadied, the bruises on its limbs already fading beneath the gentle hum of restoration.
"You were amazing," Shion whispered, brushing a hand along the Grovyle's shoulder. "You really were."
Raku cracked an eye open and gave a tired, prideful grin.
Kiba barked softly from beside them, looking somewhat miffed he hadn't been in the spotlight this time. But his tail swayed with approval.
"I didn't think we'd make it through that one," Shion said, letting out a long breath as he leaned against the bench. "Sharpedo was brutal… but you kept going."
Bidoof, who'd woken up just long enough to cheer once and then fall asleep again during the victory walk, now sat beside the healing table, munching slowly on what appeared to be his third Oran berry. "Told you it had potential," he muttered between bites. "Should've put bets on it."
Shion chuckled.
"I think Raku surprised all of us."
The healer gave them the go-ahead to leave after a short while. Raku, though sore, was recovered enough to walk on his own. As they left the chamber, Shion stepped back into the inner halls of the Grand Coliseum, where the tournament staff were ushering remaining competitors toward the field.
A robed attendant stopped him.
"Competitor Shion, you and your Pokémon are to report to the arena floor. The final fifty contestants are being presented for the audience."
Shion blinked. "Right now?"
"Yes. Ceremony display. Please move along."
The corridor opened once more to the roaring crowd of Ravios.
This time, it wasn't a battlefield.
The central platform of the coliseum had been cleared. No obstacles, no trenches or terrain advantages just a wide, polished stage in the shape of a radiant sunburst, with the sigil of Ravelle Kingdom glowing faintly beneath their boots.
All across the field, trainers stood in neat formation some relaxed, some posing dramatically, some clearly overwhelmed.
Shion felt his throat tighten.
"I'm not used to this many eyes…" he muttered to himself.
To his left, Ren stood tall, hands behind his back, expression unreadable as always though Shion could sense his calm confidence.
To his right, Vince was already waving to the audience, flashing a grin that screamed "look at me," completely at ease in the spotlight.
Belle was somewhere nearby, likely standing off to the side with her arms crossed, quietly annoyed at the entire display.
Shion swallowed.
Fifty competitors remained.
From the thousands who entered, all the rounds, all the chaos, and now... it was just them.
He shifted his eyes upward toward the audience and spotted her.
Mila, seated at the edge of the viewing platform with other students from the academy, was waving down toward the field.
When her golden eyes locked on his, she raised both arms and cupped her hands around her mouth:
"Let's go, Shion!!"
He blinked.
And smiled.
His shoulders eased, just a little.
The announcer's voice rang out, echoing across the coliseum.
"Citizens of Ravios! Warriors, nobles, scholars, travelers from across the continent thank you for bearing witness to the greatest tournament in the realm!"
Cheers erupted. Flags waved. The Ravelle crest shimmered from magical projections in the air.
"From thousands, only Fifty remain! Each one has proven themselves worthy not just in power, but in resilience, skill, and spirit!"
Shion tried not to fidget.
"But the real test begins tomorrow! For the next week, these fifty shall face off in 25 one-on-one matches fierce, unrelenting combat! They'll battle until only 25 remain… and from there, the Main Bracket begins!"
The crowd roared even louder. Children waved carved wooden Poké Balls, and adults shouted the names of their favorite fighters.
"Matchups for tomorrow's battles shall be posted at sundown on the city boards and at the entrance to the coliseum! Let the Ravelle Grand Festival Tournament Top 50 Stage BEGIN!"
With one final wave of applause, magical bursts of light exploded into the sky above the coliseum bright crimson and silver arcs that painted the night with festivity.
Shion let out the breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
The ceremony ended shortly after, and the competitors began filing back toward the inner chambers.
As they made their way down the hall, Vince clapped a hand on Shion's shoulder.
"Well," he said with a grin, "now it's real."
Shion smiled faintly. "It was real when I got hit by Earth Power."
Ren stepped beside them, nodding toward the grand staircase ahead. "We'll see the pairings tonight. Rest while you can."
Belle passed them by with a soft "hmph," her ninetales walking silently at her side.
Shion turned back once more toward the coliseum, just in time to see the lights fade from the arena and feel the weight of the next stage settle in.
He didn't know who he'd face.
He didn't know how much stronger the others would be.
But he knew this much:
He'd made it this far.
And he wouldn't stop now.
The moon had risen fully above Ravios by the time the group left the coliseum. The city lights glittered along the broad streets, lanterns swaying gently in the breeze. Merchants were still out, shouting about roasted skewers, sugar-glazed Pecha buns, and glittering trinkets blessed by "minor forest spirits" for good luck in battle.
It was the first time all day Shion could hear himself think.
They walked together Shion, Ren, Mila, Vince, and trailing behind slightly, Bidoof, licking berry juice off its paw while waddling like it owned the kingdom.
"So," Vince said, hands laced behind his head, "we made the Top 50. We're officially impressive."
Mila snorted. "Vince, you've been calling yourself impressive since before the tournament even began."
"True," he replied shamelessly. "But now I have proof."
Shion laughed quietly. "It still doesn't feel real. All those people... the crowd's so loud."
"You get used to it," Ren said simply. "Eventually, the crowd becomes background noise. The only thing that matters is your Pokémon and your opponent."
"And not falling on your face," Vince added. "That matters too."
They stopped at a quiet street corner, where an open plaza overlooked one of the glowing canals that crisscrossed Ravios. A musician was playing a wooden flute under a streetlamp, his Pokémon an Altaria perched beside him humming in harmony.
The soft music gave the moment a peaceful edge.
Belle had walked with them up until this point, but now she stopped and turned away.
"I'll head off," she said, voice low but direct.
Shion blinked. "You sure? You could"
"I'm fine," she said quickly. "I don't do well in crowds."
She paused just long enough to add, "...Good luck tomorrow."
Then she was gone, vanishing into the narrow side-streets with Yuki gliding like a ghost behind her.
Vince watched her go and let out a long breath. "She's... intense."
Mila elbowed him lightly. "She's just used to being on her own."
Shion nodded slowly. "She's always like that. But... she's a good person. Helped me more than once."
They kept walking until they found a little open-air café tucked between two ivy-covered buildings. It wasn't anything grand, but it had space, food, and lights strung like stars above the tables.
They ordered small plates: sizzling meat skewers, sweet fried dumplings, bowls of hot stew, fresh bread with melted cheese, and pitchers of spiced juice.
Even Bidoof had a seat. Though, to be fair, he made one by climbing into an empty bread basket and declaring it "perfect."
The group talked. They ate. They laughed.
Mila told the story of how Ren fell into a pond trying to impress a visiting noble during one of the academy's class trips. Ren said nothing, face perfectly stoic as always, but the faintest twitch of a smirk betrayed him.
Vince challenged Shion to an eating contest only to lose spectacularly when Kiba (sneakily summoned) stole two dumplings from his plate mid-round.
Shion felt his nerves easing for the first time in days.
It didn't feel like a battlefield.
It felt like Riverleaf again.
Like the warm light of home.
As the meal wound down, they made their way to one of the nearby plazas where a glowing board had been set up magically on a tall platform. Floating letters scrolled across the surface as the official Top 100 bracket slowly loaded, section by section.
Dozens of competitors some recognizable, some not had gathered to see who they'd be facing in the first round of the Main Tournament.
Shion stepped closer.
There it was:
Match 8 – Shion vs. Hagan Stonebrand
His eyes lingered on the name. He didn't recognize it. But the name sounded… heavy. Like it belonged to someone who lifted boulders for fun.
He stepped back and let Vince through.
Match 3 – Vince vs. Lariah of Obelia
"Obelia?" Vince said aloud. "That's a neighboring kingdom, right? Ohhh this is gonna be interesting."
Mila turned to Ren. "You?"
Ren scanned the list calmly.
Match 5 – Ren vs. Tovren of the Silent Gale
Shion raised an eyebrow. "That's...a name."
Ren nodded. "He's a known battler from the Southern Isles. Wind-style combat."
"You're calm for someone about to fight a guy with a dramatic title."
Ren looked over at Shion. "I trust my team."
Shion nodded, quietly taking in that answer.
It was so simple and so absolute.
He turned back to the board.
Tomorrow, it would be one-on-one.
No teammates.
No crowd support to rely on.
Just him and Kiba… and whoever this Hagan was.
As they walked back toward their separate inns, the group grew quieter.
Not from fear.
But from focus.
The next day, the real war would begin.