"Kuki Shinobu did not expect that the missionary network would develop so quickly."
Shinobu had only made up her mind to buy a Pokémon egg today, driven partly by professional curiosity and partly by the need to keep her idiotic boss, Arataki Itto, out of trouble. But as she watched the group chat light up with messages from the Kamisato Clan, she realized she had boarded a vehicle that was moving much faster than she anticipated.
"The Kamisato Clan... the Yashiro Commission..." Shinobu murmured, staring at the glowing screen of her new Pokédex. "In the hierarchy of the Shogunate, their status is second only to the Raiden Shogun herself."
In all of Inazuma, aside from the three great commissions—Hiiragi, Kujou, and Kamisato—there was only one other force capable of checking and balancing these wealthy families: the white fox shrine maiden of the Grand Narukami Shrine.
Inazuma – The Kamisato Estate
While Shinobu pondered the political landscape, Kamisato Ayato had just returned from his "Panoramic Visit" to the Liyue main store. He sat down with Ayaka and Thoma, his expression serious but his eyes burning with a new resolve.
"Brother, have you decided?" Ayaka asked softly.
"Certainly," Ayato replied. "The more I browse the apps, the forums, and the videos on the 'Teyvat Cheers' platform... the more urgent I feel. Inazuma is too closed. Too backward."
He gestured to the scrolling feed on his Pokédex. "Look at this video from Mondstadt. Ordinary people—butchers, florists, even children—are harnessing extraordinary power through their Pokémon. Their lives are completely different now."
Ayato was not a radical reformer by nature. He was a man who believed that Inazuma's stability relied on the protection of the Electro Archon. He was conservative because stability guaranteed the survival of his clan. But the Pokémon Era was a torrent, a flood that would wash away any stone stubborn enough to block it.
He thought of his mother's teachings about the cypress tree. Old leaves do not wither until new leaves have grown lush and strong.
"The Shogunate and the Vision Hunt Decree are the old leaves," Ayato mused. "But the Pokémon Era is the new growth. If we try to prune it, we will only kill the tree. Instead, we must let it grow."
"Just do it... embrace the era!" Ayato declared, standing up.
"Great, Brother!" Ayaka beamed. Unlike her cautious brother, her heart was already set on change. The Pokémon Era was the perfect opportunity to resist the suffocating atmosphere of the Vision Hunt Decree.
"I'm with you all the way," Thoma laughed, his smile sunny and reassuring. He wasn't just a retainer; he was family.
Ayato's gaze turned sharp. "Yoimiya gave us two of those large holographic screens. I plan to install one at the Yashiro Commission headquarters so our staff can watch the Liyue tournament tomorrow. Thoma, you are in charge of defending it. Don't let anyone destroy the signal."
"Understood, my Lord," Thoma saluted.
Ayato then grabbed the second screen, packaged in a sleek, dimensional capsule. He walked toward the door, the moonlight casting long shadows across the tatami mats.
"Brother?" Ayaka asked, surprised. "Where are you going so late?"
"To get the one person whose support is indispensable," Ayato replied, looking up at the distant peak of Mt. Yougou. "With her character, she will be fascinated by this. Creatures that move mountains? A network that connects nations? It sounds like a light novel plot come to life. She won't be able to resist."
Ayaka and Thoma exchanged knowing smiles. The "adult" he was referring to could only be one person: Yae Miko, the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, the descendant of the Hakushin bloodline, and the Electro Archon's familiar.
If Yae Miko supported the Pokémon Era, the "heavy rain" of change would flood Inazuma in an instant.
Ayaka looked down at the sleeping Phione in her arms. She poked its squishy, crown-like head and smiled. "Manager Hiroshi really understands cuteness," she whispered.
Mt. Yougou – Grand Narukami Shrine
It was well past midnight. The Sacred Sakura tree glowed with an eternal pink luminescence, its petals drifting softly in the night breeze.
Ayato climbed the mountain path swiftly. He expected to wait, but a shrine maiden led him directly to the inner courtyard. There, sitting on a vermilion bench under the sacred tree, sat Yae Miko.
She was wide awake, completely engrossed in a light novel.
"Haaa~" Yae yawned, marking her page. "The Yashiro Commissioner disturbing a lady's sleep? It's not time for the Summer Festival yet. What could be so urgent?"
Ayato didn't waste words. He placed the items he had procured from Yoimiya on the table: a Pokémon Egg, a blank Pokédex, a spatial backpack full of resources, and the holographic screen capsule.
Yae Miko put down her book. "???"
Ayato explained everything. The egg he bought for two million Mora. His sister's Phione. The group chat. Manager Hiroshi.
Yae Miko's ears perked up. The concept of the "Internet" and the "Teyvat Cheers" app fascinated her instantly.
"Eh? Eh, eh, eh?!" Yae laughed, her eyes sparkling. "People from Liyue and Mondstadt surfing freely in a digital world? A site full of gossip and videos? It's weird, but I love it! Hurry, teach me how to register!"
Ayato guided her through the setup. Within minutes, the Guuji of the Grand Shrine was addicted. She scrolled through the video library, her face illuminated by the screen's glow.
So this is how it spreads, Ayato thought, feeling a strange sense of accomplishment. From Yoimiya to me, from me to Yae Miko. We are all missionaries now.
"I'll leave the screen with you," Ayato said, preparing to leave. "Tomorrow is the Liyue Trainer Competition. I believe you'll find the broadcast... entertaining."
Yae Miko waved him off, her eyes glued to a video of a Snorlax blocking a road in Mondstadt. "Go, go. I have research to do."
As Ayato walked back down the mountain, he formulated his plan. Yoimiya and the Arataki Gang would set up a public screen in Hanamizaka. That would draw the attention of the Tenryou Commission.
"I need to dispatch the Shuumatsuban," Ayato murmured. "Sayu and the ninjas will need to delay Kujou Sara's patrol just long enough for the match to start. Once the people see the dragons and the battles... no decree can make them unsee it."
Liyue – The Void Space
While Inazuma prepared for its digital awakening, three ancient beings were having a very bad night.
In a dark, lifeless pocket dimension filled with distant, cold stars, the three Adepti of Jueyun Karst sat in silence.
Cloud Retainer flapped her wings indignantly. "One is furious! To be trapped in such a place! That Hiroshi... he has no respect for the illuminated beasts!"
Mountain Shaper sighed, his amber form glowing dimly. "We have been here for hours. There is no exit. His psychic barrier is absolute."
Moon Carver looked at the distant stars. "Perhaps... we should just wait. If he truly intended to harm Liyue, he would have killed us. This feels more like... a timeout."
"A timeout?!" Cloud Retainer squawked. "One does not get put in a timeout! One is an Adeptus!"
Dawn of the Tournament
The sun rose over Liyue Harbor, casting golden light on the newly built arena. The air buzzed with excitement. Thousands of spectators filled the stands—humans and Pokémon alike.
In the center of the arena, Hiroshi stood on a floating platform. Zekrom hovered above him, a massive silhouette against the morning sun.
"Citizens of Teyvat!" Hiroshi's voice was amplified by psychic energy, reaching every corner of the stadium and every screen across the continent. "Welcome to the first Pokémon Trainer Sword Trial Conference!"
In Inazuma, Yae Miko watched on her screen, a sly smile on her lips.
In Hanamizaka, Arataki Itto and the gang cheered at the public screen.
In the Tenryou Commission headquarters, Kujou Sara frowned as reports of "illegal gatherings" flooded her desk.
The era had arrived.