Pokémon Home Store.
Because the promotional videos had bombarded Mondstadt and Liyue indiscriminately, the store's business was booming.
The store manager, Meloetta, had temporarily stepped away to the living area, but the business did not stop. Fortunately, the Adventurers' Guild had sent a Katheryne replica machine two days ago. She was designed according to Hiroshi's favorite aesthetic; originally, Katheryne had short black hair, but this one featured long, silver-white hair and deep cyanotic purple eyes.
The standard uniform of the Adventurers' Guild had been replaced by a stylish small dress. Standing at the front desk, the clerk—named Emilia by Hiroshi—was efficiently receiving a dozen customers. Her greeting was clear and constant:
"Embrace the age of Pokémon! Welcome to the Pokémon Home Store!"
"May you continue to make progress on your journey to become a Pokémon Master."
"Believe in the Pokémon, cultivate them, and they will be your lifelong partners."
Miss Emilia was a true perpetual motion machine. She arranged everything in an orderly manner: distributing Pokédexes, facilitating Pokémon draws, and packing goods without a single error.
In the back, Hiroshi and Meloetta teleported into the living room. Xiao was sitting on the sofa, a cup of steaming hot coffee in front of him. Next to him, Jirachi, who was about to wake up, muttered something in its sleep, turned over on a soft pillow, and accidentally tumbled onto the carpet.
Xiao was stunned and reached out to pick up Jirachi, but his hand froze mid-air. A seam on Jirachi's belly slowly opened, vaguely revealing a pair of strange, starry eyes.
Whoosh!
A surge of invisible psychic power enveloped Jirachi, lifting it gently back onto the pillow. Xiao's pupils shrank. After silently withdrawing his hand, he stared at Jirachi solemnly. The moment that "third eye" on the little beast's belly opened, a power that even Xiao could not fully comprehend seemed to descend from the starry sky. Fortunately, when the eyes closed, the strange pressure that made Xiao's scalp numb dissipated.
"Hm?"
Xiao noticed two auras appearing out of thin air. One was Meloetta, and the other... Just as Xiao looked away, Hiroshi greeted him with a smile.
"I've heard your name for a long time! The Conqueror of Demons... the Vigilant Yaksha... Lord Xiao."
Xiao raised his eyebrows. His voice carried no emotion, but his gaze was sharp: "Hello, Creator of the Era."
Since stepping into Liyue Harbor, what Xiao had seen and heard was far more magnificent than the view from Wangshu Inn. Long ago, Morax had liberated him from endless pain, given him the name Xiao, and told him of the ambition to end the Archon War and establish Liyue. Back then, Xiao vaguely saw a vision of a prosperous world. But today, Xiao saw the dawn of a truly great era.
Therefore, Xiao's attitude towards Hiroshi was one of profound respect. No amount of admiration was too much for the founder of an era. After all, in the thousands of years of Liyue's history, who besides the Emperor could end a troubled time and bring forth such change?
Furthermore, Xiao looked at Meloetta, then at the sleeping Jirachi, and finally at Cresselia who was busy in the kitchen. This man was surrounded by and followed by many Mythical Pokémon. He was truly the master of the new age.
Hiroshi, being stared at by Xiao with such intense admiration, was a bit puzzled. The majestic Golden-Winged Peng King, the powerful Yaksha who made countless demons fear his name, seemed to hold him in incredibly high regard.
Xiao spoke slowly: "I saw a Pokémon named Pikachu at Wangshu Inn. It used a bolt of lightning to kill an Overlord Gyarados that was causing chaos in the waters. Manager Hiroshi, I want to know... what kind of Pokémon was that?"
There was a pause, and a hint of hope appeared in Xiao's eyes: "Do I have a chance to draw a Pokémon of that level?"
Hiroshi didn't answer immediately but asked with interest: "Why do you want to draw such a high-level Pokémon?"
Xiao fell silent for a moment before answering: "Before the Seven Archons system was established, I followed the Emperor to quell the demon war. Demons and gods are immortal. Though their consciousness dissipates, their strength and resentment remain, turning into accumulated filth that repeatedly invades living beings. The grudges of the past, the unrealized aspirations, the lamentations of losers... this is the Karmic Debt that accompanies us Yakshas."
"My Yaksha friends either died in battle or, after the war, the resentment of the demons invaded their minds. They went crazy, became possessed, and died painfully. The last time I was almost eroded by evil thoughts, I barely survived. I do not know if I can endure the next time. But the legacy of the Yaksha cannot disappear, and Liyue needs a guardian... I believe that Pokémon with the potential of divine beasts may be able to bear the karma and mission of our lineage!"
Hiroshi couldn't help but sigh. Even though Xiao looked like a young man, he was over two thousand years old. He usually focused only on cleaning up filth, but now, in Pokémon, he saw a new possibility for the Yaksha inheritance.
Of the five most powerful Yakshas—Bosacius, Indarias, Bonanus, Menogias, and Alatus (Xiao)—only Xiao remained. Their lineage had endured so much hatred and filth from fallen gods.
Hiroshi spread his hands: "I cannot guarantee the probability of the draw! I can only wish you luck. However, a Pokémon does not necessarily need an extremely high level from the start. The potential of some ordinary Pokémon is infinitely close to the realm of gods; they only need the right resources and bonds to gain power."
Xiao nodded: "What is the potential closest to the divine realm called?"
Hiroshi answered: "Champion Rank."
"Good."
Xiao took the blank Pokédex from Hiroshi. After authentication and registration, he clicked the screen to start. Suddenly, on the screen, the phantoms of various Pokémon began to flicker rapidly.
Meanwhile, on the Yujing Terrace.
An old woman drinking tea at a long table turned her head as if sensing something. Her cloudy eyes cleared, revealing a smile.
"The wind is blowing very hard," Madame Ping whispered. "Our protector, General Yaksha, has been blown into a realm of the human world he has never dared to set foot in before."
At that moment, a girl with pink hair, wearing a retro judge's hat and a fresh outfit, shouted energetically: "Master! Master!"
Yanfei, the best legal consultant in Liyue, walked up to Madame Ping with a grin. Without explanation, she grabbed Madame Ping's wrist.
"Master, the wind is blowing! What a strong wind! I did the math—Ganyu, Xingqiu, Hu Tao, Ningguang, and Keqing have all gone to the Pokémon Home to adopt their partners. If we, master and disciple, don't go now, we'll be left behind by the times!"