The Research Institute, perched on the high slope adjacent to the Ecological Zone, buzzed with a different kind of energy as the sun began to dip.
"Come out, everyone——"
Hiroshi threw out several Poké Balls in rapid succession. A dozen Hisuian Growlithe materialized on the grass. There were males and females in a balanced ratio, along with a few playful cubs.
The Overlord Lurantis and Cresselia stood nearby like elite sheepdogs on guard. These Pokémon from the Hisui region were wild and difficult to tame; they were alert, ferocious, and lacked the natural affinity for humans that their Kantonian cousins possessed.
"Lura!!"
The Lurantis blurred into motion, cutting off a Growlithe that tried to bolt for the treeline.
Woof! The Growlithe bared its teeth and lunged, actually attempting to bite the Overlord. Lurantis didn't flinch, but her expression turned stern. The flower-like appendages on her back flapped once, and a flurry of Petal Blizzard erupted, covering the group like a sudden, colorful snowstorm.
The aggressive Growlithe was sent tumbling by the whirlwind. When it scrambled back up, the ferocity in its eyes had been replaced by a healthy dose of fear. It whimpered and tucked its tail.
"Wang...!" (Scary Lady...)
Seeing the group settle down, Lurantis retracted her petals and looked at Hiroshi with her light red eyes, as if saying, "Tiny job done."
Hiroshi and Cresselia shared a smile. With such powerful guardians, the Institute was becoming the safest place in Liyue.
The Arrival of the Heavenly King
Next, Hiroshi released the rare ancient Pokémon captured during his Hisuian trip: Hisuian Braviary, Hisuian Zoroark, Hisuian Voltorb, Wyrdeer, Overqwil, and Kleavor.
Finally, he released the ancient form of Goodra from the Hisui region. She was a female and—to Hiroshi's secret delight—she was a Level 75 Heavenly King rank Pokémon!
As soon as she emerged from the Poké Ball, the Hisuian Goodra looked around, spotted Hiroshi, and happily slid forward. She wrapped her slimy, metallic body around him in a tight hug.
Hiroshi sighed, wiping a thick layer of mucus from his face. "Okay, okay, I missed you too."
Goodra slimes aren't toxic, but they are incredibly sticky. These Dragon-types are famously friendly and hate being alone; without company, they turn into "crying monsters." It had taken quite a bit of high-grade Energy Cubes and Aura communication to convince this high-level beauty to join him.
"Lurantis, your sister is here. Give her a friendly hello!" Hiroshi said.
The Goodra, despite her massive level advantage, had no ego. She trotted up to the Lurantis and sang a soft, melodic note, her two head tentacles swaying with joy. Lurantis, ever the tsundere, glanced sideways and let out a huff, though she didn't move away.
"Very good! One Overlord and one Heavenly King. These two are enough to protect the Institute from anything."
The Dilemma of the Iron Dumbbell
Hiroshi checked on the fostered Pokémon. He clicked on the data for Ningguang's Shiny Beldum and frowned.
Beldum Statistics:
Level: 15 (Up from Level 10)
Status: Healthy but stagnant.
Growth Rate: 0.8 levels per day.
"Improved by only 5 levels... The speed isn't slow for a normal person, but compared to the 'Pioneer' Trainers in the group chat, it's humiliatingly at the bottom."
Lurantis let out an aggrieved cry. Through the power of Aura, Hiroshi understood her: she was a Grass/Bug specialist. Raising a Steel/Psychic Beldum was like asking a botanist to fix a clock.
"You're right," Hiroshi muttered. He looked at the Hisuian Goodra. "Wait! Hisuian Goodra is Steel and Dragon! She has plenty of Steel-type moves in her skill column."
He decided to assign the Level 75 Goodra as the personal tutor for the Beldum. "From an Overlord-level trainer to a Heavenly King-level coach... I'm only charging 30 million Mora a month for this? I'm definitely losing money here!"
The Gods and the Gate
After checking on Jean's Eevee, which was currently napping in a corner of the park, Hiroshi walked out to the lawn where Venti and Zhongli were waiting.
"How are you? Satisfied with your stay?"
"Hey! My Lapras loves the pond here," Venti said with a grin.
"My Kubfu (Apprentice Bear) can train anywhere," Zhongli added calmly. But then, the Wind and Rock Gods fixed their gaze on Hiroshi, their expressions turning earnest.
"We want to know," Zhongli began, "Where is the door to the Hisui region?"
"What do we need to pay to pass through it?" Venti asked. "What are the conditions?"
Hiroshi was stunned. He could clearly perceive the Space-Time Gate in the Institute's underground ruins. With the power of two Archons, it should have been impossible for them to miss it.
Unless... the unique power of the System's card was blocking all "eyes," "perception," and "peeping" from everyone except the Store Manager.
"It seems even gods have things they cannot see," Hiroshi thought with a smirk.
"Tell me, Manager," Zhongli prompted. "What is the contract for the ancient world?"