Just as Yoimiya made her decision, a faint, cool voice suddenly drifted from the shadows behind Arataki Itto, who was currently sitting in a dejected "earth-kneeling" position.
"Ah?"
Arataki Itto turned his head slowly, his neck moving with the stiff, mechanical clicks of a rusted gear. His eyes widened as they landed on the newcomer.
"...Shinobu?"
It was the second-in-command of the Arataki Gang, the woman who single-handedly kept the group from dissolving into total chaos: Kuki Shinobu. In Inazuma, Itto feared neither the heavens nor the earth—he would challenge a god to a sumo match without blinking—but he was deathly afraid of this small, masked female ninja.
Shinobu crossed her arms, her gaze lingering on the glowing incubator in Yoimiya's hand. "So, you were following her again? I saw you peeking around the corner of the fireworks shop at least a dozen times."
Itto answered cautiously, his voice dropping an octave in a desperate attempt to sound innocent. "Shinobu, my best deputy! I swear, I'm not following her like some crazy person! I'm just... curious. I've only looked at the shop entrance a million times, strictly for security purposes!"
Shinobu sighed, shaking her head. She turned to Yoimiya, her eyes softening slightly. "In the past few years, I've traveled to various countries and earned a decent amount of wealth through legal consultation and various certifications. Yoimiya, you don't have to be embarrassed about the price. Four million Mora for two eggs—I'll settle the payment right now."
Itto let out a whimper of pure, unadulterated emotion. Tears actually began to well up in the corners of his eyes. "Shinobu... you're an angel! A masked, terrifying angel!"
But Shinobu turned back to him, her voice snapping like a whip. "Don't get comfortable, Boss. You now owe me two million Mora. You have exactly one year to work part-time and pay it off. I will personally supervise every hour of your labor. No more sleeping with your eyes open during guard duty."
Itto's neck shrank into his shoulders. Asking this professional idler to work in a factory or pull shifts at the docks was a fate worse than the Vision Hunt Decree!
Yoimiya laughed, trying to break the tension. "Actually, Itto, being a Trainer is a job in itself! Once your Pokémon is strong enough, you can go to the Ecological Zone in Liyue or the Hisui Region. If you're lucky and pick up a rare item like a Prism Scale or a Dusk Stone, it can easily be worth tens of millions of Mora. One good find could pay off your debt in a day!"
After the transaction was completed via a secure transfer, Yoimiya solemnly handed over two blank Pokédexes to Shinobu and Itto. She guided them through the registration process, their fingers hovering over the sleek, glass screens.
[System Notification: You have joined the 'Pokémon Home' Customer Group Chat.]
Yoimiya looked at them seriously. "In this group, everyone is very talkative. That includes the founder of this era, Manager Hiroshi. Whenever he's free, he replies to questions personally. It's the fastest way to learn."
The Pokédex was a marvel of technology unlike anything seen in Inazuma. Even the most advanced Kanjou Commission communication charms felt like ancient toys in comparison. Shinobu, with her background in law and her experience studying abroad, immediately realized the gravity of what she was holding.
"This group chat... this App Store... 'Teyvat Cheers'..." Shinobu whispered, scrolling through the icons. "And this 'Pokémon Auto Chess'? Each one of these applications is like an entire world contained within a palm-sized device."
She clicked on the message icon, and the group chat interface automatically popped up.
[Group Chat: Pokémon Home VIPs]
Yanfei: "Wait, is that a new notification? Kuki Shinobu?! Hey, isn't this my junior? Shinobu! Didn't you return to Inazuma after graduation? I heard the islands were locked down! How did you get a Pokédex to join the chat?!"
Shinobu's eyes widened behind her mask. "Senior Yanfei?"
She quickly scrolled through the member list. The names were organized by region: Mondstadt and Liyue.
In the Mondstadt section, she saw names like Jean, the Acting Grand Master; Kaeya, Lisa, Eula, and Albedo. Having studied in Mondstadt as well, Shinobu recognized several of them. The Spindrift Knight Eula and Master Diluc were legends even in the far east.
In the Liyue section, the names were even more intimidating. Ningguang, the Tianquan; Keqing, the Yuheng; and Ganyu.
"These people..." Shinobu murmured. "They are the ones who control the fate of nations. And they're all... chatting about Pokémon?"
[System: Group Leader 'Hiroshi' has modified the group member list. Column 'Inazuma' has been added.]
Shinobu pulled the list to the bottom. Under the new "Inazuma" header, her name and Arataki Itto's name occupied the first two slots.
Hiroshi: "@Yoimiya, I was just about to private message you for a progress report, but I see the seeds are already sprouting. Keep working hard! [Encouragement.jpg]"
Shinobu stared at the red-highlighted text of the Group Leader. The font was so bright it felt like it was radiating its own heat. Manager Hiroshi... I never heard of such a man when I was in Liyue. To create something that ignores the Sakoku Decree and connects the gods and mortals of three nations... he is truly terrifying.
She clicked on the file library and began watching a video of a Garchomp using Draco Meteor. Her breath hitched. The destructive power was incredible, and yet the Pokémon looked perfectly synchronized with its human partner.
On the other side of the alley, Arataki Itto—who possessed the sincere, simple heart of a child—had already given up on the instruction manual. Instead, he had somehow stumbled into Pokémon Auto Chess.
"Oho! Look at this little guy!" Itto shouted, his finger tapping furiously on the screen. "He's got a shell! He looks like a little tank! I'm gonna name him 'The Great One'!"
Yoimiya's eyebrows twitched. "Itto, you just got the device and you're already gambling on Auto Chess?"
"It's not gambling, Yoimiya! It's strategy!" Itto declared, though he clearly had no idea what he was doing. "I just synthesized a two-star Geodude! He's as manly as I am!"
Yoimiya sighed, but she felt a sense of relief. Manager Hiroshi had designed Auto Chess to be educational. By playing, Itto would unconsciously learn about type match-ups, abilities, and evolution lines. It was a "fun" way to train his brain—something the leader of the Arataki Gang desperately needed.
"Yo."
A new voice called out from the entrance of the alley. Thoma, the chief housekeeper of the Kamisato Estate, stood there with a friendly wave. He looked at Shinobu and Itto with surprise.
"Shinobu, Itto? I didn't expect to see the Arataki Gang's leadership in an alleyway behind a fireworks shop," Thoma teased. But then his eyes fell on the glowing devices in their hands. A look of deep curiosity—and a hint of suspicion—flashed across his face.
However, Thoma didn't have time for small talk. He turned to Yoimiya, his expression turning serious. "Yoimiya, the Young Lord Kamisato Ayato is free today. He's taking the matter very seriously. He's requested a meeting at the Kamisato Estate to discuss... 'future prospects.'"
Yoimiya's heart skipped a beat. If the head of the Yashiro Commission was getting involved, the mission was about to enter its most critical phase.
"Ayato even mobilized the Shuumatsuban," Thoma whispered, leaning in. "The defense inside and outside the estate is airtight. No one gets in or out without his say-so. It's the most secure conversation in Inazuma's history."
Yoimiya smirked. "I guess he heard about the special delivery I made to Ayaka a few days ago."
In her mind, she remembered the look on Kamisato Ayaka's face when her egg had finally begun to crack. The "White Heron Princess" of Inazuma had been gifted a partner that perfectly matched her elegance and her Cryo element.
The View from Above: Hiroshi and Zekrom
Back in the Pokémon Research Institute in Liyue, Hiroshi was leaning back in his chair, watching the Inazuma data stream. Beside him, Zekrom was staring at a monitor that displayed the signal strength over Narukami Island.
"The signals are holding at 100%," Zekrom's voice boomed, deep and metallic. "The 'Lightning' of the Shogun does not interfere with the frequency of 'Ideals.' My power provides a foundation that her 'Eternity' cannot suppress."
Hiroshi sipped his tea, a mischievous grin on his face. "Thanks for the assist, Zekrom. Bypassing the Sakoku Decree with a satellite-level psychic-electric network was a stroke of genius. Now, the people of Inazuma are no longer isolated. They're part of the global Pokémon community."
"The human with the horns... Itto," Zekrom rumbled, his red eyes focusing on a specific data point. "His soul is unrefined, loud, and chaotic. Yet, he carries an ideal of pure, unyielding joy. He has already lost three games of Auto Chess to a ten-year-old in Mondstadt."
Hiroshi burst out laughing. "That sounds like Itto. But that's the point, Zekrom! Pokémon isn't just for the scholars and the elites. It's for the loudmouths and the dreamers too. When Itto hatches that Larvitar egg I gave him, he's going to realize that power comes from the bond, not just the Vision."
"A Larvitar?" Zekrom mused. "A beast that eats mountains to grow. It is a fitting partner for one who wishes to stand above the peaks. But what of the girl, Ayaka?"
"She's a different story," Hiroshi said, his eyes turning toward a holographic display of Kamisato Ayaka. "She needs a partner that can bridge the gap between her duty and her desires. I gave her an Alolan Vulpix egg—the same species as Tartaglia's. But hers has a special heritage. It will eventually become an Alolan Ninetales that embodies the grace of the Heron."
Hiroshi stood up, looking at the clock. "The Liyue tournament starts tomorrow. The Adepti are still fuming in their starry time-out, and the city thinks the god is dead. It's the perfect stage for the 'Rule of Man' to begin."
"And the 'Rule of Pokémon'?" Zekrom asked.
"They go hand in hand," Hiroshi replied. "Zekrom, get ready. Tomorrow, you and I are going to the arena. We need to remind everyone that even if Rex Lapis is gone, Liyue is still protected by the strongest dragon in existence."
Zekrom's tail flared with a brilliant, pulsing blue light. "I look forward to the challenge, Manager. The 'Truth' of this world is about to be revealed in the arena."
The Evening in Inazuma
Back at the Kamisato Estate, the atmosphere was heavy with anticipation. Kamisato Ayaka sat in a secluded pavilion, a soft, snowy Pokémon resting in her lap. It was her newly hatched Alolan Vulpix, its white fur shimmering like stardust.
"Vulpix~" the little creature chirped, nuzzling against Ayaka's hand.
Ayaka looked at her brother, Kamisato Ayato, who was standing at the edge of the pavilion, staring out at the sea.
"Brother," Ayaka said softly. "This creature... it doesn't feel like a monster. It feels like... a friend. A part of me."
Ayato turned around, a calm, calculating smile on his face. "That is exactly what makes it so dangerous to the Shogunate's status quo, Ayaka. Power that comes from friendship is power that cannot be seized or controlled by a decree."
He looked at Thoma and Yoimiya, who had just arrived through the secret passage.
"Welcome, Yoimiya," Ayato said, his voice smooth and welcoming. "I believe it's time we discuss how your 'Pokémon' are going to help us save Inazuma. But first... tell me about this Manager Hiroshi. I find it hard to believe a simple shopkeeper possesses the power to humiliate the Adepti and mock the gods."
Yoimiya grinned, pulling out her Pokédex. "He's not just a shopkeeper, Lord Ayato. He's the one who's going to show us that the world is much bigger than Narukami Island. Here, let me show you the livestream of the Liyue tournament. It's about to start."
As the four of them crowded around the glowing screen, the first notes of the Pokémon Tournament theme music echoed through the silent halls of the Kamisato Estate. The sparks of the new era were spreading, and even the eternal storms of Inazuma couldn't blow them out.
Next Step: "Would you like to see the Opening Ceremony of the Liyue Tournament through the eyes of the Inazuma characters, or return to Liyue to see Hu Tao's first match?"
Current Tournament Standings:
Hu Tao: Ready (Team: Garchomp, Exeggutor, Litwick).
Xingqiu: Ready (Team: Vaporeon, Gyarados).
Lumine: Ready (Team: Pikachu, Quilladin, Spiritomb, Feebas).
Keqing: Ready (Team: Luxio, Braviary).