Mu Li didn't see any of the National Team members the next day, not even Ling Fei.
Mu Li guessed they must have gone for early training.
After all, although this event didn't award medals, it was a good opportunity for athletes to showcase their strength, especially for rising trainers; this could be their best stage to show themselves to the world.
As night fell, the walls of the Star Colosseum flowed with eighteen colors of light bands, representing the eighteen types of Pokémon. From a distance, it looked like a giant diamond.
The audience inside the venue had already entered, but the crowd outside still hadn't dispersed.
To allow more spectators to experience the atmosphere, live broadcasts of this All-Star Game were being shown on large screens in every city in France.
Inside the opening ceremony performance venue, all 100,000 seats were filled.
Even though the performance hadn't started yet, people were already shouting.
Some sang the national anthem, others cheered the names of their favorite Champions, or held high flags with Pokémon images.
Thanks to the National Team, Mu Li and the others also got tickets to watch from the front row.
"What should I do, I'm so excited!" Song Ling'er looked at the venue nervously, muttering, "This is my first time watching a live game, why is it so lively here!"
Mu Li showed a disdainful expression: "Haven't you watched Pokémon battles before?"
"Of course I have!" Song Ling'er retorted, "But this is a stadium for 100,000 people! To battle here, that's the highest honor in the world."
"Is that so?" Mu Li didn't feel much, even though he hadn't battled in such a venue.
"I wonder if Uncle Long will come..." Song Ling'er murmured.
"He should come! I really want to see him live too!" Fu Peiyao also said excitedly.
"What? You've never met him?" Mu Li asked in confusion, "Isn't he an actor? Haven't you had a chance to work together?"
Even Zhang Ruoyun couldn't help but complain: "Are you misunderstanding Uncle Long's popularity? Do we look like people who can talk to him?"
Cai Ming, however, nodded: "I've met him a few times, but we're not very close."
"Look, this is the network of an older generation artist!" Mu Li immediately praised.
Cai Ming pouted, retorting: "Even if you say that, I won't take you to see him."
Mu Li pretended to be indifferent and said: "I was going to say that if it was appropriate, I could ask Zhu Yudao to take us to see Uncle Long, but since that's the case..."
"Really?" Before Mu Li could finish speaking, Fu Peiyao leaned closer to him, "You know Uncle Long too?"
Mu Li nodded: "What? Haven't I told you?"
Fu Peiyao asked incredulously: "No, you should have told me earlier! He's my idol!"
Mu Li couldn't help but roll his eyes: "You actually have an idol?"
"He's my idol too." Song Ling'er also giggled and moved closer.
"+1" Zhang Ruoyun, Li Xian, and Xin Zilei echoed.
"How come I didn't realize you had such connections?" Cai Ming also said with some surprise.
"Hehe..." Mu Li chuckled, "I met him when I was in the National Team. He's a Dragon-type Champion, and I just happen to have a Dragonite..."
"I didn't expect the most well-connected person among us to be you!" Zhang Ruoyun could hardly believe it.
"Those are all connections outside the entertainment industry..." Mu Li explained, "I don't really know many people in the entertainment industry..."
Fu Peiyao retorted: "It's just because you're not acting anymore. If you were acting, you'd probably be a resource hog too."
At this point, the program crew members weren't allowed in, and only Director Li Chao was nearby, so everyone chatted more openly, without any reservations.
As everyone was chatting animatedly, the audience suddenly started to get noisy.
Mu Li and the others also stopped talking and looked towards the center of the venue.
The entire venue was built on the scale of a battle arena, very large, and at this moment, lights were shining on the entire battle arena.
Mu Li also saw some movement around the battle arena, and before he could see clearly, the lights in the entire venue suddenly dimmed.
Through the faint residual light, Mu Li could only see the silhouettes of his companions around him.
After the lights dimmed, everyone's enthusiasm was not extinguished, but instead burned even more intensely.
Cheers rose and fell, one after another, and even Mu Li and the others couldn't help but shriek and shout.
Just then, a beam of light shot straight up from below, illuminating the clouds in the sky, outlining their shapes.
Everyone subconsciously looked up at the sky, and just as they were wondering what would happen, there was suddenly some movement in the clouds.
"Look up!" Cries of surprise kept erupting, various languages mixed together, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
At the spot where the light shone, a head suddenly emerged from the previously calm clouds.
It was the head of a giant bird, mostly covered in crimson, with a crest of colorful feathers on its crown.
"It's Ho-Oh!!!" The screams rose again.
And the virtual Ho-Oh in the sky, like a deity wanting to peer into the world, quietly glanced before disappearing.
Just as everyone was still somewhat unsatisfied, that fiery red figure burst out of the clouds, circling in the air, with a seven-colored stream of light trailing behind its tail.
"It's a holographic projection," Mu Li realized that the figure was not a real Ho-Oh, but even so, the appearance of the virtual Ho-Oh brought the atmosphere to a climax.
Following Ho-Oh, various Flying-type Pokémon flew out from the clouds: Pidgeot, Staraptor, Charizard, Skarmory...
All sorts of colorful Pokémon instantly occupied the entire sky.
And Ho-Oh, flying at the very front, was like the king of a hundred birds, leading all the Flying-type Pokémon to descend upon this world.
After these Flying-type Pokémon circled the venue a few times, they dispersed, and Ho-Oh, having completed its leading role, gracefully retreated, turning into a seven-colored stream of light and disappearing into the sky.
Before the audience could savor the previous scene, a Pokémon burst through the clouds in the sky.
This Pokémon was like a white cloud, its entire body composed of white feathers, and its torso was the blue of the sky.
"It's Altaria!" The audience couldn't help but exclaim, "There's someone on its back!"
Sharp-eyed audience members had already clearly seen the person's appearance: "It's the Master of Grand Displays, Mikailuo!"
Altaria descended from the sky, emitting a pink glow. Wherever it flew, it left a pink stream of light.
After Altaria circled the sky, the entire venue seemed to be bathed in a pink rain curtain.
"As expected of a Master of Grand Displays, when it comes to performances, they're the best!" Mu Li couldn't help but sigh.
Amidst this magnificent rain curtain, Mikailuo, riding Altaria, landed on the platform that rose in the middle of the battle arena.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Pokémon All-Star Exhibition Match!!!"
That short sentence was enough to ignite the entire Star Colosseum!