In the evening.
The setting sun slowly set in the direction of Qingyun Peak.
Brilliant fire clouds spread over the Ecological Zone and the newly built Research Institute, painting the sky in hues of orange and violet.
Nowadays, except for the main building, the Institute grounds are very open and have a variety of micro-geographical features deliberately set up to facilitate research—rocky outcrops, small ponds, and grassy plains.
The Lurantis, which had just recovered from its injury, stood on a patch of green grassland.
Its whole body was bathed in the warm sunset light.
It tirelessly swung its sickle-blade forelimbs, practicing its forms with elegant precision.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Hiroshi walked up the slope and picked up Hu Tao and Xiangling, who had just returned from their adventure in the Ecological Zone, at the intersection of stone steps leading to the Research Institute.
"Howling in the mud! Lurantis!!"
Xiangling saw the elegant and beautiful figure training alone from a distance.
She came trotting over with excitement on her face, waving her arms vigorously towards Lurantis.
"Lura?"
Lurantis paused slightly, glanced at the unknown girl with a cool, detached expression, and then continued training indifferently.
"Wow!"
Xiangling acted like a girl checking in at an internet celebrity attraction. She held up her Pokédex and took pictures desperately. Click, click, click!
"So beautiful!"
"The color of its body and arms looks like it's wearing a long-sleeved dress!"
"With its bright body and elegant movements, it is indeed recognized as the most gorgeous Pokémon in this group!!"
Xiangling muttered to herself while filming.
She didn't notice that Lurantis heard and understood these words perfectly.
This bunch of "rainbow farts" (excessive flattery), said right in front of its face... even a thick-skinned human couldn't stand it, let alone... The Lurantis has an arrogant and tsundere personality.
Its light red eyes revealed a mix of shame and anger.
"Lura!!"
(Shut up, you turtle!)
(I'm so shy!)
The sickle-blade forelimbs of the Overlord Lurantis suddenly glowed with a dazzling golden light.
This was its unique move to store sunlight—Solar Blade.
Tear!
The beam of light and the bright color of Lurantis's body turned into a stunning afterimage, cutting a small patch of forest in front of it into flat ground instantly!
BOOM!
"Gulp!"
The crazy Xiangling felt as if the pause button had been pressed on her life. Her expression froze, and her eyes went blank.
Following behind, Hu Tao, who was not so crazy, couldn't help but swallow hard when she saw the Overlord Pokémon's skill was as terrifying as cutting wheat.
"Lura!"
(Finally quiet.)
Lurantis was quite satisfied with the "silence" effect of the Solar Blade special move.
It's very good.
The air has returned to quiet.
I can train alone again.
After this episode, Hu Tao and Xiangling did not dare to go near Lurantis again and nervously followed Hiroshi into the Institute.
Xiangling wiped her tears quietly: "Store Manager... Lurantis works so hard... I really cried to death!"
Hiroshi's mouth twitched.
You cry... Mud Girl! You almost died just now!
The sense of crisis in wild Pokémon makes it impossible for them to stop training.
If they are unfamiliar with their skills, they will be eliminated by cruel laws of nature and lose their lives or territory!
Hu Tao pinched her chin and looked back at her butt. The Gible, who had already turned over and was sound asleep, snorting with a snot bubble, suddenly became very annoying to her.
"You're still sleeping!"
"Look how hard they are working, even though they are already Overlords!"
"You don't even have the first level of evolution! Why are you greedy for pleasure?"
"Get up! Cultivation for me!"
Gible?
The Gible, whose head was hit by a "chestnut" (knuckle knock), burst its snot bubble. It sat up, dazed, and scratched its head cutely.
Hearing Hu Tao's voice, Xiangling suddenly had an idea. She released her Larvesta and Scyther from their balls and pointed at the elegant figure training alone under the sunset.
"Go find this Big Sister to become a disciple!"
"Lar?" The Larvesta was very obedient but dull.
Hiroshi watched with great interest and wanted to know how things would develop.
As a result, Lurantis only glanced at the Larvesta and ignored its bleating cries.
But then... the cool and handsome little Scyther flew up to the Lurantis.
"Scy!"
(Master!)
"Lura——!"
(I am a Mantis.)
(You are also a Mantis.)
(I have sickle blades.)
(You also have sickle blades.)
(So there is no problem for me and Big Sister to learn sickle blade skills together?)
Hearing this, Lurantis couldn't help but stop. Her light red eyes looked deeply at this green guy.
There is one thing to say... indeed.
She also knew that the Scizor, the evolved form of the Scyther, had a red body that looked more like hers.
Well, in order to make this guy more "pretty" and more pleasing to the eye in the future, I simply let him practice with me.
"Lura!"
Lurantis nodded her head slowly.
So, the Scyther acted like an apprentice in a martial arts dojo. How Lurantis wielded the sickle blade, it learned how to do it, mimicking the movements.
Xiangling didn't expect that things would develop like this.
"Meow meow meow?!"
"Pokémon can really learn from other Pokémon!"
"Oh my God!"
"Big discovery——"
Xiangling excitedly took out the Pokédex, shot a short video, and sent it to the group chat.
Xiangling: [Video Attachment: A Pair of Masters and Apprentices Training Under the Sunset.avi]. With tears in my eyes!
Hu Tao: I was stunned when I stepped on the horse! I couldn't believe my ears and eyes... Let me tell you, this is what happened...
Zhongli: From a general perspective, the Lurantis and the Scyther both have the same name as "Mantis" and have sickle blades. Their attack skills are indeed similar in principle.
Venti: Hey, based on common sense, you said a lot of nonsense, Old Man.
Lisa: Pictures of Lurantis and pictures of Scyther... do you dare to say they are close relatives? One is obviously a flower mimic, and the other is a dinosaur-like green mantis. How are they the same...
Hiroshi: In fact, there is indeed a mechanism for Pokémon to teach skills and moves to each other. It's called Egg Moves or Tutoring.
Hiroshi just typed an explanation on the Pokédex group chat.
In reality, on the grass of the Research Institute, the Scyther had just learned the sickle blade technique from Lurantis.
Suddenly, it trembled all over.
Beep!
Xiangling stared blankly at the message that popped up on her Pokédex:
[System Notification: Your Scyther is learning 'Slash' from a powerful Pokémon!]
Xiangling: ? ? ?
How can it be so fast!
...
Nightfall.
Before it got completely dark.
Another guest came to the Institute.
Ningguang came late, looking tired but elegant. She said apologetically: "Due to the large-scale emergence of the Ecological Zone and Pokémon, the Jade Chamber has been very busy recently."
She took out a Premier Ball and released the Shiny Beldum worth One Billion Mora.
Compared to when she first adopted it...
The body of this Beldum had grown a bit.
In the Pokédex, its level has also been upgraded to Level 10.
This level, before the arrival of the Ecological Zone, was considered good, and it had already reached the primary level of combat capability.
But these two days when the Ecological Zone arrived, these Vision-bearing Trainers on Teyvat have shown amazing bravery. They are very courageous and adventurous.
With their respective Pokémon babies, they even set foot in various hidden scenes in the deepest places where Overlord Pokémon exist.
Such a crazy adventure rate...
What this brought about was that the average level of the Customer Group Chat Pokémon skyrocketed.
For example:
Xiangling's Larvesta is already at Level 20, and the Scyther she just adopted is also rapidly growing toward Level 10.
Hu Tao's Gible is Level 22 and is on the verge of its first evolution into Gabite.
Therefore...
Ningguang felt the pressure. Her Level 10 Shiny Beldum was falling behind. If she couldn't cultivate and train it around the clock because of her busy schedule as the Tianquan...
In one or two days, the second batch of Pokémon in the group chat will catch up and surpass her.
"I will leave this Beldum to your care, Brother Hiroshi."
Ningguang sighed.
"I will foster it in the Institute."
"I hope you can take good care of it and nurture it!"
Hiroshi stretched out his hand with a professional smile.
"The foster care fee is settled on a daily basis. Because it is the unevolved form, the fee is at the lowest level. One Million Mora per day. We will charge you a month's fee first, which is 30 Million Mora!"
Ningguang knew that it was useless to rely on their "good relationship" for discounts, so she had no choice but to hand over a deposit receipt from the Northland Bank.
Hiroshi saw off the busy rich woman and took the Beldum for various physical inspections before deciding to introduce it to Lurantis, who had just moved in today.
"Lurantis, as the Big Sister of the Institute, you have to take good care of it."
"Lura~~?"
Just sent away the Scyther, and now another follower has arrived?
Overlord Lurantis glanced at Hiroshi with a sharp look, but nodded quickly, her voice filled with some kind of virtuous assurance of a housekeeper.
"Lura!"
Hiroshi then put his hands in his pockets and watched the Beldum levitating around in the empty Research Institute hall.
This kid must be so depressed.
The Jade Chamber is very gorgeous, but the area is not big enough for fun or battle training.
Then, Hiroshi looked at the deposit certificate with a denomination of 30 Million Mora.
"Well, there is really no need to make the Pokémon Fostering business public yet."
"Those who can afford such high fees will always find out through various channels like Ningguang."
Hiroshi looked back at the main building of the Research Institute in the night.
The Pokémon Home store is also managed by Meloetta and Cresselia.
But for the Research Institute, Hiroshi plans to recruit actual people.
Here...
He wants to train the first batch of Teyvat's local staff: Breeders, Coordinators, and Researchers.