"It's daybreak..."
Hiroshi opened the curtains of his room and looked towards the skyline of Liyue Harbor, with a thick expectant smile on his face.
After the Mondstadt arc concluded, almost all key characters there now have their initial Pokémon.
And unexpectedly, he even connected with the Adventurers' Guild on a continental scale.
"It's time to fully return to Liyue and launch the first Pokémon Ecological Zone (Safari Zone) in the history of Teyvat."
"But before that, we have to meet the Old Man first!"
"After all, if you are causing huge changes in other people's territory, you have to tell the landlord."
At the dining table, after breakfast, Hiroshi smiled at Mona, the new Intern Branch Manager on her first day on the job.
"Don't panic. If anything happens, feel free to contact me using the Pokédex video call function."
After Mona signed the contract yesterday (which effectively sold her soul for debt relief), she drew a baby Abra.
A Psychic-type Pokémon with immense potential but a habit of teleporting away from danger. It suited the elusive astrologist perfectly.
"I will!"
Mona values this job very much.
In short, just look at the sour discussions among those people in the group chat to see how enviable the job remuneration is. "Three or four zeros" in salary!
Whoosh!
When Hiroshi, Meloetta, and Cresselia teleported away together in a flash of light...
Mona raised her head, looked around the quiet Pokémon Home store filled with all kinds of super instruments and supplies, and took a deep breath.
"Soon the Steambird newspaper will publish a Pokémon Knowledge Column written by me. I have to recharge my batteries quickly. Maybe I can get the royalties of becoming the first Pokémon Scholar in the new era..."
At this time.
Clang-a-lang!
The doorbell chime rang.
In the early morning, just as she took down the "Closed" sign and hung the "Open" sign on the door, a customer pushed in.
It was a tall man with blond hair, a black cloak, and a starry eyepatch.
Dainsleif!
"...Isn't the Store Manager here?"
Hearing Mona say that Hiroshi had just left Mondstadt for Liyue, Dainsleif's voice was full of regret.
Mona adjusted her hat professionally. "Manager Hiroshi is not here, but I am the Branch Manager. You can also draw and purchase the initial Pokémon according to the standard process."
"Good!"
Dainsleif nodded and took over a blank Pokédex.
...
Ding!
Early in the morning, another "Riddler" suddenly appeared in the group chat because of this guest.
[System Notification: 'Bough Keeper' has joined the group chat!]
His Highness (Aether): It's you, Bough Keeper. Long time no see.
Bough Keeper (Dainsleif): Your Highness. I guessed that you had some kind of connection with Manager Hiroshi.
His Highness: I'm just curious... Dain—no, Bough Keeper. What initial Pokémon did you draw?
Venti: Excuse me? Your Highness, you joined the group yesterday. And you, Bough Keeper... how can you both actually get around the default group chat rules and not show your real names?
His Highness: Venti, do you really not know who we two are? Haha!
When several Riddlers were testing each other, the atmosphere was strange, and the others did not dare to interrupt the conversation between these heavyweights.
Hiroshi: I'm back in Liyue.
This piece of information from the Store Manager surprised many Liyue characters and shifted the topic instantly.
Wuwang Hill.
Just coming out of the intersection of Yin and Yang.
Hu Tao, the Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, who had completed a commission to transfer souls, looked at her Gible (Land Shark), who was sleeping soundly in an open-air camp outside.
The Gible was now a lot bigger than when it was first adopted.
Hearing the footsteps, Gible jumped up and wanted to jump into Hu Tao's arms for a hug.
Gible!
Hu Tao was startled, with cold sweat running down her forehead, and sternly refused Gible's tackle.
"You are not a baby now! You weigh dozens of kilograms, and your skin is like sandpaper! I won't hold you!"
"Walk~"
"Manager Hiroshi is back. I'll take you to the Pokémon Home, scan you with a healing device, and heal all the hidden wounds from your special training during this period at once!"
Gible!
Gible ran quickly on its two stubby legs and followed Hu Tao diligently.
Hu Tao looked through her Pokédex and saw that her baby shark had been upgraded to Level 14 due to her hard training during this period, so she nodded secretly.
This time when I go back, I have to specifically ask about the evolutionary conditions of Gible. I already feel that my Round Land Shark is gradually approaching the peak of its initial form!
...
Another Place. Springvale, Mondstadt.
Xiangling, who had traveled all the way from Liyue to Mondstadt to find ingredients, packed her backpack.
"Let's go, Larvesta (Insect Baby)!"
On the way back, Xiangling, who had gained both cooking skills and Pokémon training experience, spoke in the group chat and issued a challenge with confidence.
Xiangling: @HuTao, there are two things for me to do when I go back this time. The first thing is to educate you in a battle! The second thing is that it's time to draw my second Pokémon!
Hu Tao: Oh? I can tell you that this Director's Shark Treasure is probably the highest level in this group. I haven't even issued a challenge yet, and you're going to send yourself to be slapped in the face? OK, the time to avenge my shame has come!
...
The Jade Chamber, hovering in the sky of Liyue Harbor.
In a luxurious office palace.
Ningguang looked at the group chat message with joy on her brows. She immediately said to her three secretaries—Baiwen, Baixiao, and Baishi:
"You all go separately and inform Ganyu, Yanfei, and Yelan."
The head secretary, Baiwen, was shocked.
"Lady Ningguang... Ganyu and Yanfei are easy to find, but according to Yelan's last report, she is probably exploring deep under the Chasm..."
Ningguang waved her hand decisively. "Then use our special contact channel to send an urgent message to Yelan. Tell her that she has to come back to Liyue first no matter what, and let the matter of the Chasm wait..."
"Yes!"
After the secretaries all hurriedly left.
Ningguang opened the member list of the Customer Group Chat, counted them, and sighed.
"There are nearly twenty people in the Mondstadt area!"
"We, Liyue, were the first to take care of Manager Hiroshi's business, so we received the initial favor... but there were only five of us—Keqing, Hongyi (Millelith), Hu Tao, Xiangling, and myself—here!"
She didn't include Tartaglia (Childe) and Andrei (Fatui). They were foreigners.
As the representative of the Liyue Qixing, the Tianquan, Ningguang has more to consider and a bigger picture.
Even if Pokémon become popular in the future, the Seven Nations will not be unified immediately. The relationship between regions will be more complicated.
In this way, the overall strength of the "Pokémon League" in each region will be a key link in the reshuffling of power and voice on the continent.
Liyue cannot fall behind Mondstadt in terms of Trainer numbers!
...
Liyue Harbor.
When the "Closed" sign of the Pokémon Home store was taken off, it was finally open to receive customers from all walks of life again.
Feiyun Commerce Guild.
"Young Master!"
"Young Master!!"
Xu, a servant of the Feiyun Commerce Guild, couldn't breathe as he ran, reporting to the Second Young Master Xingqiu in the mansion.
"That... that store..."
Xingqiu, who was studying an ancient book of martial arts, looked up calmly.
"You can take a breath and speak slowly, Xu."
After a moment, Xu took a sip of water and shouted:
"Manager Hiroshi from the Pokémon Home Store is back!"
Bang!
Xingqiu slammed the book shut and stood up instantly. "Let's go! Join me!"
The Docks.
Workers were busy. A batch of exotic cargo from Inazuma was being unloaded by the Crux Fleet.
On the deck of the flagship, the Alcor. This ship does not transport ordinary cargo; it is an armed combat ship.
Beidou, the Captain, held her hand on the railing and looked at the bustling dock below.
"The scene in Liyue Harbor is the same every day and every year."
Next to the Captain, Kaedehara Kazuha said softly.
Even though he had escaped from Inazuma and stayed in the fleet for some time, seeing the prosperity of Liyue was always impressive.
But every time he came back from the sea, looking at this magnificent scene in the world, Kazuha always had a different perception.
He glanced at the dead Electro Vision hanging on his waist... and then his gaze shifted to something new happening near the city entrance.
"Captain Beidou, the wind brings news of a change."
"A new presence has returned to Liyue."