The influence of Hiroshi's "Sermon" was not limited to the Kamisato Estate.
Yoimiya had placed three giant broadcast screens in strategic locations. The first was in Hanamizaka, guarded by the Arataki Gang. The second was at the Kamisato Estate.
But the third screen? Late in the morning, Kamisato Ayato had visited the Grand Narukami Shrine and handed it over to Yae Miko. What Ayato didn't expect was that within a single night, the screen would travel again—through secret channels—all the way to the resistance forces on Watatsumi Island.
Now, a giant holographic screen stood in the square of the Sangonomiya Shrine.
The soldiers and civilians of Watatsumi Island stared in dead silence at the grand scene of Liyue unfolding before them. Their hearts pounded with shock, but also with deep confusion.
"That Fox Envoy..." Gorou muttered, his ears twitching nervously. "Why did she give this to Her Excellency and the resistance? What is she planning?"
Sangonomiya Kokomi watched the screen, her eyes reflecting the fireworks of Liyue. "Perhaps," she whispered, "she is showing us that the world is changing faster than any strategy can predict."
Mt. Yougou – Grand Narukami Shrine.
Under the Sacred Sakura, Yae Miko opened the event livestream on her Pokédex. Even the Guuji of the Grand Shrine marveled at the prosperity of the world outside the storm.
"Truly..." Yae murmured, sipping her tea. "This is the world Ei dreams of, isn't it? A vibrancy that rivals the era of Makoto and Chiyo."
On the screen, the camera zoomed in on the Liyue Arena. The main stage came into view, filled with dignitaries in formal attire. Then, the focus shifted to a young man standing in front of a microphone.
He cleared his throat.
"Hello everyone..."
Yae Miko leaned forward, her eyes narrowing. So, this is the founder of the era? He looks... annoyingly charming.
"Hello everyone! Let me hear your cheers first, okay?"
Hiroshi cupped his hand to his ear.
"AHHHHHHH!!"
"WOOOOH!!"
The roar from the Liyue Arena was deafening. It shook the sky. Nearly 100,000 people inside the stadium, and another 300,000 outside, screamed in unison. It was a tsunami of sound that crossed the ocean.
Boom, boom!
In Hanamizaka, the people of Inazuma felt the vibration in their bones. At the Kamisato Estate, Ayaka clutched her fan. On Watatsumi Island, the soldiers lowered their weapons in awe.
Even in the dead starry sky of the pocket dimension, the Adepti widened their eyes. They hadn't left the mortal world for that long, had they? When did Liyue become this loud?
Liyue Arena – Center Stage.
Hiroshi smiled, satisfied with the response.
"Very good," he said, his voice amplified by psychic energy. "Whether you are from Mondstadt or Liyue, I see your welcome!"
"First of all, I would like to congratulate the 681,234 Trainers who registered! Yes, you heard that right. Over six hundred and eighty thousand participants! That is basically every registered Trainer in the two nations!"
A gasp went through the crowd.
"Our event operators have a headache," Hiroshi joked. "But thanks to the cooperation of Ningguang and Keqing, we are ready!"
"The rules are simple. The Standard Auditions run from 10 AM to 6 PM daily. Matching is random. Check your Pokédex for notifications—if you're 15 minutes late, you forfeit!"
"And then," Hiroshi's voice dropped an octave, "there is the Unrestricted Super Tournament. Eight games a day. High stakes. Total freedom. Stay tuned to the Super Channel!"
"I'm done talking! I, Hiroshi, wish all Trainers good luck in martial arts!"
He waved to the camera and stepped back. Ningguang stepped forward, regal and imposing.
"I represent the Liyue Qixing," she announced. "The First Liyue Trainer Conference is officially... OPEN!"
Fireworks exploded from every corner of the stadium.
The Digital Flood.
As the guests took their seats, the broadcast signal finally enabled the Bullet Chat (Danmaku) mode.
Instantly, the screen was covered in a thick sea of scrolling text.
"Wow! I finally saw the Manager! He's so handsome!"
"Manager Hiroshi! I love you!!"
"I'm crying! I want to battle right now!"
"Look at that guest lineup! Ningguang, Keqing, Jean... it's a history book come to life!"
"We are witnessing history!"
Far away in Inazuma, the people were stunned again. They saw the thoughts of thousands of people scrolling across the giant screens.
"Interesting! So interesting!" Yae Miko laughed. Her fox tail, usually hidden, materialized and wagged excitedly. She tried to type a message on her Pokédex.
Yae Miko: "Manager Hiroshi is handsome~ I love love love..."
She didn't know how to copy-paste, so she just typed it out manually, giggling at her own mischief.
At the Kamisato Estate, Ayaka was struggling with the virtual keyboard.
"Ayaka," Ayato said gently. "You can post whatever you want. No one will know it's you."
"Really?" Ayaka muttered. She finally hit send.
Kamisato Ayaka: "Manager Hiroshi is really handsome... I cried to death..."
In Liyue, Hiroshi checked his system notifications. He saw the messages from the key Inazuma characters.
Hiroshi: "???"
He felt ants crawling on his skin. He could ignore the fox, but Ayaka? Did she know that "I cried to death" was internet slang often used sarcastically? No, she definitely didn't. Never mind! Focus on the match!
Match 1: The Elite vs. The Unlucky.
The beautiful female host took the stage, her voice trembling slightly but projecting power.
"Next is the first opening match of the day! Standard Rules - Audition A - Round 1!"
"The players are Alfie and Heihachi! The rule is 1vs1. The winner advances, the loser goes home!"
The referee blew the whistle.
In the commentary booth, Tian Tiezui leaned into his microphone. "Oops! The whistle blows! Let's see... Amazing! Alfie's main Pokémon is a Rufflet (Little Eagle)!"
"As far as I know," Tian continued, "Rufflets are exclusive to the Mondstadt Guard. But look at his uniform! That's not the Knights... that's the Adventurers' Guild Environmental Protection Bureau!"
The crowd roared. The "Environmental Protection Bureau" was known to be Hiroshi's direct subordinate unit. They were elites who patrolled the dangerous Ecological Zones.
On the other side of the field, the player named Heihachi looked like he wanted to cry.
"I'm so confused!" Heihachi wailed. "What kind of bloody misfortune is this?! I drew an elite government agent in the first round?! F*ck my life!"
Alfie adjusted his glasses calmly. "Target identified. Rufflet, use Aerial Ace!"
The baby eagle dove with blinding speed.
Heihachi: "Go! Rattata! Use... uh... Run Away?!"
The battle ended in ten seconds.
Tian Tiezui: "And it's over! A clean sweep for the Environmental Bureau! This sets the tone, folks! If you didn't train, you won't last a minute in Liyue Arena!"
Tournament Progress:
Total Participants: 681,234.
Remaining: 681,233.