Chapter 232: Elegance Is an Excuse for the Weak! (Power Stone Milestone Extra - )

Chapter 232: Elegance Is an Excuse for the Weak! (Power Stone Milestone Extra Chapter)

The video continued playing.

Cynthia stood off to the side and quietly closed the ancient book in her hands.

She had originally planned to warn Elaria that this Froslass’s Ice Crystal Explosion Dance had once blown up half an ancient village.

But after seeing how happy Elaria looked, she ultimately decided not to mention it.

Elaria was Asher’s daughter, after all.

Anyone could end up in trouble except her.

Elaria put away the Poké Ball and turned toward Cynthia.

"Aunt Cynthia, now that you’re finished investigating the ruins, should we head back to the set?"

"Sure."

Cynthia reached out and ruffled Elaria’s hair.

"But I’ll warn you in advance—I’m not a professional actress. Don’t blame me if I need too many retakes."

Lillie flipped through the folder beside them.

"Um, Champion Cynthia, filming may take quite a while this time. If you could tell me when you’re free, it’ll make scheduling your scenes much easier."

"Ah, that’s fine."

Cynthia tapped a finger lightly against her lips.

"My schedule is pretty flexible. I just need to let Lucian know."

Hoopa rubbed its little hands together.

A golden ring opened in midair above the icefield.

"Let’s go, let’s go!"

Hoopa was the first to float through.

Cynthia recalled Garchomp, then took Elaria by the hand and stepped into the ring.

Lillie followed behind them with the folder in her arms.

Back at the film set.

The moment Elaria stepped out of the ring, something flashed past her eyes.

A figure sprinted right across her path.

She turned her head...

It was Wallace, running forward at full speed as though some terrifying monster were chasing him.

Immediately afterward.

Another red figure shot past Elaria in pursuit.

This one was even faster than Wallace.

He was holding a makeup brush in each hand and muttering nonstop as he ran.

"WALLACE, GET BACK HERE!!!"

Steven’s voice pierced through the entire film set.

"I DESIGNED THIS LOOK ESPECIALLY FOR YOU! HOW WILL YOU KNOW WHETHER IT SUITS YOU IF YOU DON’T EVEN TRY IT?!!!"

"I DON’T NEED TO TRY IT!"

Wallace didn’t even look back.

Instead, he somehow managed to run even faster.

"THAT ISN’T MAKEUP! YOU’RE TRYING TO DRAG ME DOWN WITH YOU AND MAKE ME HUMILIATE MYSELF!"

"It’s called innovation! Avant-garde! ART!"

Steven continued arguing while chasing him.

"You’re a Pokémon Coordinator, and you’re calling innovation embarrassing?! That’s a betrayal of your own profession!"

Elaria stood at the entrance to the dressing room and watched the bizarre game of cat and mouse unfold.

Her expression slowly shifted from confusion—

To complete bewilderment.

She turned toward Diantha, who was standing nearby, and tugged on her mother’s sleeve.

"Mommy, who is that? Why is he chasing Uncle Wallace everywhere?"

Diantha held a cup of coffee in one hand, her expression perfectly calm.

Clearly, she’d already been watching this farce for quite some time.

"That’s your Uncle Steven."

"...Uncle Steven?"

Elaria turned back toward the red-haired weirdo still chasing Wallace.

"Why does he look like that?"

"He says it’s his new character design."

Diantha lifted her cup and took a sip.

"And he also wants to do Wallace’s makeup. Wallace refused, so this happened."

Meanwhile—

Wallace had finally been cornered at the edge of the set.

Behind him was a shelf filled with props.

There were walls on both sides.

He had nowhere left to run.

Steven slowly approached with a makeup brush in each hand.

From Wallace’s perspective, the smile on his face was more terrifying than a full-scale Legendary Pokémon war breaking out across Hoenn.

"Wallace, stop struggling."

Steven’s voice came through gritted teeth, filled with the fanatical determination of a man willing to sacrifice everything for art.

"A villain needs to look like a villain!"

"Look at your face! It’s too pale! Too clean!"

"How is a villain like that supposed to leave a lasting impression on the audience?!"

Wallace crossed both arms in front of his face defensively.

"Steven, calm down. I’m a Pokémon Coordinator. I don’t need visual shock value."

"I only need elegance."

"Elegance is an excuse for the weak!"

Steven thrust one of the brushes forward, nearly jabbing Wallace in the nose.

"A true artist must have the courage to break through their own limits!"

"THEN BREAK THROUGH YOUR OWN LIMITS! WHY DO YOU HAVE TO DRAG ME INTO IT?!"

"Because the Hoenn Iron Triangle has to stay united!"

Steven spoke as though this were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Brother Asher goes without saying. That face of his can pull off any hairstyle!"

"You can’t fall behind!"

[VIP Chat Group]

[Wallace]: It’s bad enough that parallel-world Steven turned himself into that. Why do I have to suffer social death along with him?! @Steven, I’m warning you right now—never come near me with a makeup brush again. Do you hear me?

[Steven]: Oh, come on, Wallace. Why be like that? I think the audience has already gotten tired of your usual elegant image. Trying a completely revolutionary look every once in a while would only benefit your Pokémon Contest career!

[Wallace]: Absolutely not. If I had to enter a Pokémon Contest dressed like that, I’d rather die.

[Steven]: Wallace, that’s where you’re wrong. We’re the Hoenn Iron Triangle! Brother Asher and I are both from the avant-garde school, so why are you the only one insisting on the elegance school? Aren’t you undermining our unity?

[Asher]: Why are you dragging me into this? Since when am I part of your avant-garde school?

[Steven]: Brother Asher, now you’re just being difficult. Did you already forget about Kricketune Man during Tiana’s episode? That mask? That outfit? You dare tell me that wasn’t avant-garde?

[Asher]: ...

[Lorelei]: If I remember correctly, Asher dressed as Kricketune Man to enter Pokémon Contests, didn’t he? And he even became a Contest Master on the same level as Wallace.

[Leon]: Right, right. Didn’t he also win the championship seven years in a row? Just how ridiculous is that record? Even Wallace hasn’t done anything that absurd, has he?

[Steven]: Hahahaha! See?! What did I tell you? Joining the avant-garde school is clearly the right choice!

[Steven]: @Wallace, where’d you go?

[Lisia]: Um... Uncle Wallace just fainted. I’m taking him to the hospital right now.

[Raihan]: Amazing. Did Steven seriously make Wallace pass out from anger?

[Lance]: I think... Wallace fainted because he could no longer see a future for Pokémon Contests.

The video continued playing.

Just as the two sides remained deadlocked, Steven finally noticed Elaria standing nearby and curiously examining him.

He immediately stuffed both makeup brushes into his pockets.

Abandoning his siege of Wallace, he turned around and strode toward Elaria.

Wallace slid down against the prop shelf until he was sitting on the floor.

He covered his face with both hands, his shoulders still trembling slightly.

Clearly, the experience just now had left him with considerable psychological trauma.

"My dear niece Elaria! Perfect timing!"

Steven stopped in front of Elaria and bent down slightly until they were at eye level.

"Help your uncle take a look."

"What do you think of my new style today?"

Truthfully—

Steven’s new look was even more outrageous than his Dark Ore King costume.

Not only had he dyed his hair an incredibly eye-catching bright red, but he’d also styled it into a perfectly shaped cone pointing straight toward the ceiling.

The cone was at least thirty centimeters tall.

It looked like a red signal flare that was about to launch.

Two downward-slanting lightning patterns had also been painted across his cheeks in golden makeup.

Every time he blinked, it somehow looked like he was discharging electricity.

Elaria remained silent for a very long time.

Then she turned toward Diantha with a pleading look in her eyes.

Diantha gave her daughter a tiny shake of the head.

The message was clear.

Mommy can’t save you either.

Elaria slowly turned back toward Steven.

She took a deep breath.

Then a brilliant smile appeared on her face.

"As long as Uncle Steven is happy."