The Hisuian Arcanine, the Noble King of the Cobalt Coastlands, unleashed a barrage of skills that felt like concentrated machine-gun fire. In an instant, Palina's last two main Pokémon lost their fighting power, and she was forced to recall them into their Poké Balls. Her hands trembled as she reached into her satchel.
"King! This is a tribute! Please, enjoy it!" she cried out, throwing a balm sachet made of the Pokémon's favorite foods. In the original legends of the Hisui region, these tributes were the only way to quell a Noble's rage.
Hiroshi, hovering in the sky with Zekrom and Jirachi, watched the scene with mild curiosity. He wondered if the "frenzy" of the Kings in this world was more severe than in the games. Indeed, the Arcanine let out a deafening roar, blowing the tribute sachet away with a single breath of scorching wind. With a fierce, bloodshot gaze, it pounced toward the defenseless Palina.
"The King Pokémon in this region are in a much worse state," Hiroshi noted. "Is it because Dialga and Palkia have already started their temporal distortion? The space-time rift is leaking real fire into their hearts. These Kings, once blessed by the 'Sinnoh Great Lord,' have become victims of violent corruption."
Hiroshi looked at Palina, who stood at the rank of a Heavenly King but now appeared incredibly fragile. He realized that the "Second Set of Rules"—Unrestricted Combat—wasn't just for show in Teyvat. A Trainer needed their own toughness. Not everyone was an Ash Ketchum-style superman who could survive a direct hit from a literal deity.
"Jirachi, exchange venues!" Hiroshi commanded.
Just as Palina felt the cold shadow of death loom over her, she suddenly felt her body grow light. She floated into the air, surrounded by a gentle blue aura. She blinked in surprise, looking down at the shrunken lava battlefield beneath her feet. The King Arcanine, which had just pushed her entire team to the brink, was now being stared down by a tiny, star-headed Pokémon.
"Doom Desire!" Hiroshi's voice was faint but carried the weight of absolute authority.
Almost the entire lava battlefield was suddenly bathed in a blinding, rhythmic light. A meteor shower of silver-white energy slammed down from the sky like a rain of precision missiles. The Noble Arcanine was struck repeatedly, its golden frenzy flickering under the onslaught. When the light subsided, the King lay at the bottom of a deep crater, fainted.
"Let her down," Hiroshi said softly.
Palina landed back on the rugged volcanic rock and immediately bowed. "Thank you, powerful traveler of the Royal Beast! Thank you for your help!"
"You can call me Hiroshi," he replied, landing beside her.
Palina had heard whispers of this name from Professor Laventon and the Galaxy Team. She looked at the mysterious Pokémon in his arms—Jirachi—and felt a chill. This man wasn't just a Champion; his strength surpassed even Irida, the leader of the Pearl Clan.
Once Palina realized Hiroshi had no intent to harm or capture the fainted King, she relaxed her vigilance. "I am a Warden. My duty is to care for the King. Since you saved us, how can I repay you?"
"Talk to the Arcanine," Hiroshi said. "Now that I've beaten the frenzy out of it, it should be sane. Tell it I want to take a group of Growlithe with me—about two hundred."
Palina's breath hitched. "Two hundred? That is a massive portion of the tribe's future!"
"It's not for wholesale," Hiroshi countered with a smile. "They will find elite trainers in Liyue. They'll be public officials with an 'iron rice bowl'—guaranteed food, medical care, and a respected status. It's better than living in a volcanic den."
Palina relayed the message to the waking Arcanine. The King stood up unsteadily, trying to bark with some dignity.
"Woof! (Impossible! You ask too much!)"
Hiroshi didn't speak. He simply let Jirachi's eyes flash with a silver glow.
"Woof... (I can give you a hundred...)"
Jirachi's aura expanded.
"WANG! (Two hundred! Take them all!)" the King barked frantically, wagging its tail in a flattering manner. It realized that if it didn't give in, the next meteor shower would be its last.
The King Arcanine even went to its hidden treasure hoard and brought back a shimmering stone slab, offering it to Hiroshi with a submissive whine.
Item Found: Flame Plate (SSR)
Description: Increases the power of Fire-type moves by 20%. One of the legendary plates of creation said to contain the power of Arceus.
"Hold the grass?" Hiroshi muttered, staring at the golden legendary item. "I already have the Dragon Plate. Now the Flame Plate? This King really did give up its most precious treasure."
He tucked the plate away. He had no Pokémon suited for it yet, but he knew exactly who would want the Dragon Plate—the Dialga that was currently destined to be "in his bowl."
"Thank you," Hiroshi waved to the King. "If you ever get that 'frenzy' again, come find me. I'll give you another good beating and you'll be cured."
The King Arcanine let out a whimper of relief as the "vicious man" finally left. It felt like it had survived a meeting with a demon.
The Crisis in the Ecological Zone
While Hiroshi was busy in Hisui, the group chat was exploding.
Ningguang: Hiroshi, the first batch of Growlithe is here? Excellent!
Hongyi: I've reached the Ecological Zone. The situation is tense!
Keqing: Standing by! We're setting up a perimeter.
Hiroshi: What's the emergency?
Paimon: (Be cautious.jpg) Lumine and I... we might have accidentally abducted the child of an Overlord! The parent is a Chesnaught, and it's gone into a blind rage! It's destroying the forest and heading toward the city!
Hiroshi sighed. Standard protagonist plot. Lumine always finds a way to trigger a boss battle.
Hiroshi: I'm busy catching Braviary in another dimension. Keqing, Hongyi—go to the Research Institute. Find Cresselia. Tell her to take Lurantis and Goodra to intercept the Overlord Chesnaught. It's time for Lurantis to get some revenge for its previous losses.
With Hiroshi's directive, the panic subsided. Keqing, leading the Liyue Pokémon Guard, knew they weren't ready for an Overlord yet. But with Hiroshi's "guardians" on the way, Liyue was safe.
Outside the forest, Lumine and Paimon looked at the Chespin playing at their feet with the Partner Cap Pikachu. The little thing was blissfully unaware that its father was currently leveling a forest to find it.
"He has such a big heart," Paimon whispered. "He doesn't even know we're in trouble! But... he's officially our Pokémon now, Lumine!"
The Diamond Settlement and the Sky Warriors
Hiroshi, led by Palina, arrived at the Diamond Clan settlement. He needed to find the Warden of the Braviary to fulfill Jean's order for Mondstadt's Flying Guard.
"Palina, take me to Sabi," Hiroshi said. "I need at least five hundred Rufflet."
As they traveled, Hiroshi snapped a photo of his backpack, stuffed with two hundred Poké Balls containing the Hisuian Growlithe, and sent it to the group chat to show off his progress.
"Manager," Zekrom spoke, its voice deep and resonant. "The people of this land believe in 'Sinnoh.' They worship Time and Space, yet they do not realize the gods they pray to are currently tearing the sky apart. Why do you help them?"
"Because, Zekrom," Hiroshi replied, looking at the distant Space-Time Rift pulsing with purple energy. "Truth and Ideals are only as strong as the bonds that support them. If I give them Pokémon, they grow stronger. If they grow stronger, they can protect their own future. Besides... it's good business."
Zekrom let out a low rumble that might have been a laugh. "An honest answer, Manager. The lightning of truth follows your lead."
They reached the Alabaster Icelands. The wind was biting, but the sight of hundreds of Hisuian Rufflet soaring above the cliffs was majestic. These were the "Sky Warriors" Mondstadt needed.
"Hiroshi!" Jirachi chirped, pointing toward a small girl standing on the back of a massive Braviary. "Is that the one who plays hide-and-seek?"
"That's Sabi," Hiroshi said. "Let's go. We have a lot of work to do before the Trainer Competition starts."
The Dawn of the Tournament
Back in Teyvat, the countdown to the Trainer Sword Trial Conference had officially entered the single digits. Liyue Harbor was no longer just a city of commerce; it had become a city of Pokémon.
In the newly constructed Liyue Arena, workers were installing the holographic projectors Hiroshi had provided. Keqing oversaw the security drills, her Luxio sparks crackling with discipline.
"Ten thousand contestants," Ningguang murmured, looking out from the Jade Chamber. "Liyue has never seen an event of this scale. Manager Hiroshi... you've truly changed the world."
"And the best is yet to come," Zekrom's voice echoed in the room, though only the Manager and those he permitted could hear.
In the Mondstadt cathedral, Jean was briefing the Favonius Knights. "We leave for Liyue in three days. Eula, Amber, Diluc—you are the front line. Show them the pride of the Knights of Favonius."
Lumine, sitting on a hill overlooking Liyue, patted her Chespin. "Are you ready? We're going to be the champions."
"Pika!" Pikachu cheered, adjusting its hat.
"Well~!" Chespin rolled around happily.
The stage was set. The players were ready. The first grand event of the Pokémon Era was about to begin, and the echoes of truth and ideals would be heard across the entire continent of Teyvat.