The ninth and final regional ticket went to Pasha, a talented Dreamweaver from Penacony who worked on the ship's localized Pokémon Dreamscape zones.
Having initially encountered Pokémon through her design work, she had quickly dove deep into their lore, developing a profound passion for the creatures.
To a Dreamweaver, the Pokémon world was an endless canvas of unrestricted imagination.
While Penacony's own Twelve Moments offered wild, fantastical dreamscapes, they still bound creators to rigid physical logic and societal rules—a frustrating constraint for ambitious artists.
The Pokémon Dreamscapes, by contrast, operated on pure wonder, where any absurd idea could be brought to life through the mysterious abilities of Pokémon.
This freedom had drawn dozens of Dreamweavers to the project, sparking so much chaotic enthusiasm that Sunday had been forced to step in and manage the influx.
Pasha had originally joined the Contest qualifiers simply to show support for Robin and experiment with stage visual mechanics. But seeing the creative routines of early contestants sparked an overwhelming wave of inspiration, leading her to spend weeks refining her routine until the absolute last moment.
Her performance was titled "Footprints to the Underworld."
It told the tragic tale of a young woman attempting to rescue her recently deceased husband, using the power of Ghost-type Pokémon to detach her soul from her body and descend into the underworld.
Setting aside its flawless execution, the sheer conceptual brilliance of the routine sent shockwaves through the audience.
"Using Ghost-type Pokémon to trigger an out-of-body experience?! You can do that?!"
"Wait, why has no one ever mentioned this mechanic before?!"
"Are the veteran players keeping secrets from us again?!"
"Didn't Ash literally do an out-of-body thing with Haunter in the original anime? It makes total sense!"
The revelation that Ghost-types could facilitate astral projection sparked endless debates across global forums.
The community was split between those who were completely mind-blown and seasoned fans who assumed everyone already knew about the mechanic and hadn't bothered bringing it up.
Regardless of the discourse, Pasha's bold concept captivated the audience instantly.
Her actual routine was equally breathtaking. The narrative detailed the arduous descent into the realm of the dead, where Misdreavus and Shuppet guided her fragile spirit past environmental hazards before coming face-to-face with Gengar, the imposing guardian of the underworld.
Though the protagonist and her Pokémon partners eventually earned Gengar's respect through a battle of wills, the immutable laws of the dead prevented her from bringing her husband's soul back to the living world.
Bound by ancient rules, her spirit was snapped violently back into her mortal body, leaving her weeping on the dimly lit stage.
Using shadow-manipulation and Fog moves, Pasha filled the arena with an uncanny, ethereal atmosphere. While constrained slightly by the physical dimensions of the stage, her high-concept storytelling earned her a towering score of 98 in the visual review.
When the battle rounds commenced, her tactical execution proved noticeably weaker—a natural drawback of focusing so heavily on narrative artifice.
However, her commanding lead from the review phase provided a solid score buffer, allowing her to pull off a razor-thin victory in the finals and claim the eighth and final ticket to the Grand Celebration.
With the regional qualifiers officially wrapped up, fan enthusiasm reached a fever pitch. The end of the regionals meant the grandest stage of all was about to open: the Universal Grand Celebration.
Every single champion from the regional circuits possessed unique artistic flair and formidable battle chops, leaving players eagerly anticipating what they would construct when handed unlimited customization tools on the main stage.
Julian didn't keep the audience waiting. Just three days after the regional finals concluded, he published a teaser graphic featuring the silhouettes of the five Grand Celebration judges on the official website.
Aside from Robin, whose full portrait had been revealed during early promotional campaigns, the remaining four judges were shrouded in deep shadows.
The silhouettes revealed just enough to hint at gender and posture, intentionally mimicking the classic "Who's That Pokémon?" segment from the animated series.
Fans immediately jumped into the guessing game, flooding forums with wild theories, absurd jokes, and surprisingly detailed analytical breakdowns.
Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Julian gathered the confirmed judging panel at the project headquarters after confirming everyone's availability.
The five judges were Robin, Himeko, Topaz, Jing Yuan, and Julian himself.
Robin's inclusion was a given; as a star whose voice resonated across solar systems, her aesthetic taste and cultural reach were unmatched.
Himeko, as a veteran Trailblazer navigating the starways, possessed vast cosmic knowledge and an unbiased perspective that made her a natural fit for the panel.
Topaz needed no introduction. As one of the IPC Strategic Investment Department's Ten Stonehearts and a top-32 finisher in the Masters Tournament, her tactical credentials and star power were beyond question.
As for the Xianzhou representative, Julian had originally planned to invite Fu Xuan. Her dual status as the Masters Tournament Champion and Master Diviner made her an ideal candidate.
However, while Phantylia and Dan Shu had been dealt with, the aftermath of the crisis required constant surveillance. The Divination Commission was working around the clock to track down hidden cult cells and calculate future threats to ensure the Luofu's long-term stability.
On top of her divine duties, with Jing Yuan taking time off to stabilize his mind against the lingering effects of the Mara-struck state, Fu Xuan had been saddled with mountain ranges of administrative paperwork. Finding time to judge a galaxy-wide gaming event was entirely out of the question.
Yet when Julian swung by her office, he noted that despite her complaints about the endless stack of scrolls, she seemed quietly satisfied running the ship.
To clear a bit of breathing room for herself, Fu Xuan had unceremoniously shoved the resting General out the door to take her place on the panel—partly to give him something constructive to do, and partly because seeing him drink tea and walk his songbirds all day annoyed her to no end.
Jing Yuan had accepted the assignment with good humor.
Spending time around Pokémon provided a remarkably soothing effect on his mind, and having studied the creatures extensively, he was genuinely eager to participate.
As the General of the Luofu and an Emanator of The Hunt, his authority and fairness were beyond dispute.
Lastly, Julian's position required no justification. As the architect behind the entire phenomenon, if he wasn't qualified to sit in the judge's chair, no one was.
"I certainly didn't expect the General of the Xianzhou to sit alongside us," Topaz admitted, looking at Jing Yuan with open surprise as the group settled into the conference room.
Given Jing Yuan's stature as a head of state and legendary military commander, his presence carried immense weight.
Robin and Himeko, while maintaining their composure better than Topaz, shared a similar sense of quiet awe, briefly wondering if their own presence was grand enough for the table.
Julian, on the other hand, had spent far too much time interacting with Jing Yuan both in-game and in person. To him, the famous "Dozing General" held none of the terrifying, untouchable aura that outsiders usually attributed to him.
"Haha, please, there is no need for such formality," Jing Yuan chuckled, waving his hand with an easy, warm smile. "In the world of Pokémon, titles of state hold no weight. Here, we are all simply fellow Trainers."
His relaxed, approachable demeanor instantly broke the tension, easing the pressure in the room. Jing Yuan knew a single reassurance wouldn't instantly erase their deference, so he smoothly steered the conversation forward.
"I assume Julian didn't gather us early just for a pleasant introduction," Jing Yuan said, turning his keen eyes toward the developer. "Shall we get straight to the heart of the matter?"
Julian nodded, a confident smile playing on his lips. "Of course. The main reason I've brought all of you together today is that I want our judges to deliver an unforgettable opening exhibition performance before the Grand Celebration officially begins."
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