"Obtaining an unknown stone seems to be of some value," Lumine thought, her fingers brushing the cold, jagged surface of the mysterious ore she had just unearthed.
Just when Lumine was about to take out her Pokédex to take a picture and send it to the group chat to ask Hiroshi for an appraisal, a sudden "rustle——" sounded from the tall grass not far away.
Little Paimon, who was still cheering for their sudden fortune, turned pale instantly. "...Ah, this? Overlord! Is it an Overlord Pokémon?!"
After saying this, Lumine was also a little panicked. Although she had left Mondstadt and come to Liyue to pay homage to the Statue of the Seven, activating the power of the Geo element, she was still cautious. Fighting-wise, she could defeat elite monsters and even compete with elemental lords if she put in the effort, wearing them down with the unlimited medicine of the pharmacy and her own refined sword techniques.
But if it was an Overlord Pokémon! Lumine felt that if she took one direct hit, her health gauge would be instantly emptied. In short, it was a hopeless gap with no room for maneuver.
"Paimon——Prepare!" Lumine commanded. Immediately switching her elemental resonance to Anemo, she intended to use the acceleration of the wind to make a quick getaway.
Paimon, being very sensible, grabbed the ribbon behind Lumine's back. The Pikachu wearing the hat was already perched on top of Lumine's head, his little paws tightly grabbing a lock of her blond hair.
"Well~?"
At this time, a grass-type Pokémon emerged from the rustling trees. There was no sense of pressure or crushing weight. There were no scenes of huge bodies snapping ancient trees. Lumine, who was about to apply oil to the soles of her feet to run, suddenly relaxed because of this soft, young cry.
Paimon also let go of the ribbon, floated in the air, and patted her chest with her small hand: "Hey, it's not an Overlord Pokémon! It's such a small one. He's on par with our Pika-God~"
Paimon, ever the creature of mood swings, immediately returned to a relaxed state. She floated toward the grass-type Pokémon. The little creature, which looked like a green-hooded hedgehog mammal, unexpectedly wasn't afraid at all. On the contrary, it was full of curiosity and stared at Paimon.
"Well~!"
The cry of the young Pokémon seemed to be saying hello, reflecting a certain kind of cheerfulness engraved in its genes. Lumine had already taken out the Pokédex and scanned this unexpected visitor.
"Beep~"
"Chespin, the Spiny Nut Pokémon. Type: Grass. Level: 8. Ability: Overgrow. Hidden Ability: Bulletproof. Skills: Vine Whip, Rollout, Growl, Defense Curl... The head and back are covered with a hard carapace, so even if it were hit by a truck, it would remain unharmed...."
"Oh!!" Lumine's eyes lit up. Although this Pokémon was only level 8, it already knew 6 skills. She often watched the group chat and had learned a lot; she knew that for wild Pokémon, more starting skills meant higher potential!
Besides... Chespin looked a bit familiar. Lumine continued to read the Pokédex entry, and when she saw a specific line, her eyes went wide: Kalos Region Grass-type Starter!
"Hold the grass! A starter?!" Lumine secretly gasped. She quickly opened the group chat history and found that a recent starter Pokémon drawn by a dignitary in Liyue had a market valuation of eight million Mora!
"Grass-type!" "Think about it, Lumine! Where did your wit go?" Lumine's palms were sweating, her thoughts racing. She put down her trainer's backpack and dug out a box of high-end energy cubes she had originally bought for the Partner Cap Pikachu. These resources were her last savings, but she couldn't care about the heartache now.
"Little one, do you want to try some?" Lumine knelt down, trying to speak in a soft, sweet voice, pouring a few grains into her hand.
"Well~?" The curious Chespin came up sniffing. "Well!!" After eating a piece, Chespin looked at Lumine with a friendly gaze. Soon, Lumine, Paimon, and the Partner Cap Pikachu were all familiar with the new friend.
"Pika! Pika pika!" (Little brother, I will protect you from now on!)
"Well~" (Can you give me an extra share of your ration?)
"Pika?!" (No problem!)
Lumine quickly picked up Chespin, afraid this wild starter would regret its decision. Paimon understood perfectly. Without a word, they strode away! They didn't plan to stay in the deep forest anymore. Anyway, the ecological area had multiple landforms—beaches, rocky areas, and underground caves. It was better than staying in the woods where they felt a cold chill on their backs.
Sure enough, just as they were leaving the forest area: "ROAR!"
An angry roar erupted from the depths, and a large number of Pidgey and Fletchling flew up in fright. Some timid Pokémon fainted from the sheer violence in the sound. The group chat immediately became a hot topic.
Xingqiu: I was scared to death! [horror.jpg]
Chongyun: Xingqiu and I were training in the middle area of the forest. Who knew we'd encounter a tide of monsters?!
Hu Tao: Hey, what's going on! I'm at the entrance and I want to take my Pokémon to experience rapid upgrades!
Paimon: Well, well, the Traveler and I may know why...
Lumine and Paimon looked back at the forest from a rocky hill with lingering fear. They had essentially abducted the child of an Overlord!
Lumine: [Chespin Pokédex.jpg] Just caught a Pokémon.
Hu Tao: ???
Yelan: Is it weird to catch a wild starter baby?
Ningguang: (Wry smile) Go and find out how many people have caught wild starters. Maybe two or three. If those lucky ones are willing to sell, the price would be double that of the store!
Tartaglia: Because not everyone is lucky enough to draw a starter! I drew a Fennekin once!
Meanwhile, Hiroshi had passed through the secret space-time gate and arrived in the Hisui Region.
"Jirachi," Hiroshi said, holding the small star-beast. "Zekrom, stay alert. Jirachi, use your prayer power to help me find the Growlithe and Arcanine pack with the largest number!"
Jirachi, lying comfortably in Hiroshi's arms, stood up. "Okay, Hiroshi~" The "Eye of Truth" on its belly opened. "Found it! Let's go!"
They teleported to the Cobalt Coastlands, a volcanic area.
"Huh?" As soon as they arrived at the crater, Hiroshi saw natives from the Pearl Clan fighting a huge Hisuian Arcanine that shone with a terrifying golden light.
"Is this a 'Lord' Pokémon unique to the Hisui region?" Hiroshi was interested. This Arcanine was special. It was level 79! Just one level away from the Champion rank. Its size was massive, and its body shimmered with an aggressive golden aura.
The native trainer fighting it was Palina of the Pearl Clan. She was a high-level trainer, but her situation was dire. Four of her Pokémon had fainted. The two remaining were in bad condition.
"Bite!" "Rock Slide!" "Fire Fang!"
The Lord Arcanine was in a "frenzied" state, pouring skills toward Palina's team.
"Zekrom, what do you think?" Hiroshi asked.
The great black dragon materialized behind him, its voice echoing with a deep rumble. "This beast is consumed by a chaotic energy, Hiroshi. It is strong, but it lacks the 'truth' of a balanced heart. Shall I intervene?"
"Not yet," Hiroshi replied. "I want to see how the people of this era handle a Lord in a frenzy. But be ready. If that volcano starts to react to its power, we'll have to act."
Zekrom's tail began to glow with a deep blue light, electricity crackling along its wings. "As you wish. The lightning of truth is ready."
Hiroshi watched the battlefield. He knew that Ningguang wanted these Growlithe for Liyue's security, but he couldn't just take them. He had to understand the "frenzy" first.
Below, Palina shouted to her remaining Pokémon, "Don't give up! For the sake of the Coastlands!"
The Lord Arcanine let out a roar that shook the very foundation of the volcano. The golden light intensified, and the air became thick with heat.
"It seems," Hiroshi muttered, "that the 'Great Sinnoh' these people believe in—be it Dialga or Palkia—has left quite a mess behind."
"Hiroshi," Jirachi whispered, "I feel a very sad wish from that big doggy. It doesn't want to be angry, but the gold light is hurting it."
Hiroshi's expression softened. "In that case, let's change our plans. Zekrom, use a controlled Fusion Bolt. Neutralize the frenzy, but don't hurt the King."
Zekrom roared in response, a sound that rivaled the Lord Arcanine's. The black dragon took to the sky, a living storm.
"Understood, Manager. Witness the power of Ideals!"
A massive sphere of blue electricity formed at Zekrom's tail. Below, Palina looked up in shock at the legendary dragon appearing out of nowhere.
"What... what is that?!" she gasped.
"That," Hiroshi said, standing at the edge of the crater with Jirachi on his shoulder, "is the future of Pokémon."
The battle in Hisui was just a prelude. Back in Teyvat, the news of the Trainer Competition had reached every corner. In Mondstadt, Jean was reviewing the applications.
"Over ten thousand applicants already?" Jean sighed, rubbing her temples. "The security for this will be a nightmare."
"But think of the wine!" Venti chirped, leaning against her desk. "A grand festival brings the best dandelions!"
Jean ignored him, looking at the registration for the 'Second Rule'—the unrestricted combat. "The Vision holders are all choosing the second set. They want to fight alongside their Pokémon. Eula, Diluc, even Kaeya... This will be more than just a game."
Hiroshi, through his Pokédex, monitored the registration numbers. The popularity of the "Pokémon Era" was reaching a tipping point. He looked at the Origin Ball he had recently acquired from the system.
"The stage is set," Hiroshi whispered. "Liyue, Mondstadt, and even the ancient lands of Hisui... they are all connected now."
"Manager," Zekrom's voice boomed in his mind as it finished neutralizing the Arcanine's frenzy with a spectacular display of lightning. "The beast is calmed. The 'Lord' acknowledges your strength."
"Good. Tell Palina we're here to help, not to conquer. We have five hundred Growlithe to gather, after all."
The story of the Pokémon store was no longer just about selling pets. It was about forging a new world where humans and Pokémon stood together against the shadows of the past. And Hiroshi, with his talkative dragon and wishing star, was the one holding the lead.