The Plane of Euthymia.
A pure mind. A world of red skies and silent torii gates.
This strange, suspended space was the sanctuary where the contemporary God of Inazuma retreated to contemplate the philosophy of Eternity. It was a place disconnected from the mortal realm, a stagnant reality where time held no sway.
However, today, the silence was broken. Yae Miko, the Guuji of the Grand Narukami Shrine, had deliberately made some provocative remarks outside to disturb the meditation, and then boldly intruded into the Pure Land of consciousness.
This was the prerogative of the familiar spirit and close friend.
For the current ruler of Inazuma, she was already the only "relative" left in the world. Yae Miko was not just her familiar, but a close friend who had grown up with her, becoming sensible and mature together through the ages.
Therefore, the Plane of Euthymia did not reject the visit of the fox envoy.
In the center of this desolate mental landscape, a female Archon floating cross-legged in the air slowly opened her noble purple eyes.
Her real name was Beelzebul. However, after ascending to become the ruler of the seven nations on earth, the twin gods both preferred the names Raiden Makoto and Raiden Ei.
Thunder and lightning, the God of Thunder who commands the skies.
If the "loyal dog" Kujou Sara were here, she would definitely find that the Raiden Shogun in this Pure Land was far more agile and spiritual than the puppet Raiden Shogun sitting in the Tenshukaku outside.
In other words, this was the real Raiden Ei. She possessed divinity, but she also possessed humanity. She could think, she could reminisce, and she could feel deep sorrow.
Her mind drifted to the past, to the disaster in Khaenri'ah five hundred years ago.
She had lost her sister, Raiden Makoto. Before that, she had lost the former Kitsune Saiguu, the Tengu General Sasayuri, and the Oni Chiyo.
Too many relatives and friends had lost their lives to the erosion of time and war. She deeply felt that life was fading, transient like the morning dew, and realized that even the body of a God cannot last forever without change.
From this trauma, Raiden Ei fell into the obsessive thought and entanglement of reversing the cycle of life and death, seeking an Eternity that would never fade.
"Miko... what did you just say?"
Opening her eyes, after fluctuations of confusion appeared in her glowing irises, Raiden Ei's face showed a rare expression of helplessness.
Yae Miko chuckled, her voice echoing in the empty space. "Oh? Do you really need me to repeat it again? Ei?"
Raiden Ei fell silent. "..."
Never mind, she thought. That statement was too crude.
She was a little shocked when she heard Miko's voice piercing her meditation just now. It forced her out of her thinking retreat.
With a sigh that sounded like distant thunder, Raiden Ei floated down from mid-air, her feet touching the invisible floor of the mental realm.
Yae Miko seemed to be visiting an old friend, but she did not continue chatting with Raiden Ei about philosophy or eternity. Instead, she smirked and quickly took out a device from her sleeve.
It was a Pokédex, a high-tech device provided by the [Pokémon Popularization System] that functioned similarly to a smartphone.
Miko glanced at the green signal display in the upper right corner of the screen. Suddenly, she feigned surprise and exclaimed, "Hey! There is actually a signal in this strange space? It's so amazing! The technology from this 'Hiroshi' is truly terrifying."
Having said that, she quickly tapped the screen and opened the event live broadcast room that she had temporarily closed before she was on her way.
When the screen lit up, the barrage of comments passed by in thick streams. The noisy, vibrant sound of the arena came pouring out of the small Pokédex, filling the silent Pure Land.
Yae Miko, who had been a little bored because of the interruption of her viewing experience during the travel, immediately felt her mood clear up. A smile of genuine joy came from her heart.
Seeing the charming, almost mischievous smile of the Guuji, Raiden Ei was puzzled.
"What is this?" Ei asked, tilting her head. "How can the Guuji of the Shrine be so fascinated by a small box?"
Raiden Ei wondered. She knew Yae Miko just as Miko knew her. This fun-loving fox liked novel and interesting things most in her life, often at the expense of others' dignity.
Curiosity piqued, Raiden Ei came closer. She looked at the illustrated book—the Pokédex—and whispered a question.
On the screen, a scene played out. The first match of the Pokémon Tournament had just ended. Through the movement of the camera, the prosperity and bustle of the virtual space appeared in high definition.
Raiden Ei's pupils shrank slightly. "This is...?"
Yae Miko waved her hand casually. "It's at the competition site in Liyue. A grand tournament for these creatures called Pokémon."
She swiped her finger, cutting the live broadcast room to a view of the more spectacular regular season venue.
"Is this Liyue?" Raiden Ei was stunned. The architecture was familiar, yet the atmosphere was completely different from the Liyue she remembered.
...
Meanwhile, in the Liyue Virtual Arena.
La la la~
The Director of the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor, Hu Tao, was in a good mood. She wanted to compose one or two limericks from the "Dark Alley School" poets on the spot before leaving the stage.
However, the spatial intelligence of the System predicted her poetry boom and decided to spare the audience.
Boom—
The ground cracked open, and Hu Tao was quickly sunk by the lifting platform, removing her from the battlefield.
"Eh?" Hu Tao yelped as she descended. "...My ad!!"
She quickly shouted towards the closing gap, her voice amplified by her microphone: "The Wangsheng Funeral Parlor Blood Loss Discount Event has begun! During the Liyue Trainer Competition, all funeral expenses are discounted by 30%! Blood horse fractures are at the same price, and group discounts are even available! Buy one coffin, get the second one free!"
In the commentary booth, Hiroshi facepalmed. "..."
Next to him, the massive black dragon Zekrom let out a low, vibrating rumble. "This human female... she speaks of death with such commerce. It is... efficient, yet unsettling."
Hiroshi sighed, patting Zekrom's armored leg. "That's Hu Tao for you. Don't mind her."
The guests and viewers in the stands made a collective gesture: ╮(▽)╭
It really allowed this Hu Tao to take advantage of every opportunity and create a wave of shameless advertisements!
Leaving the venue and returning to the guest seat with victory, Hu Tao's footsteps were quite bold and high-spirited, like a female general returning from a triumphant victory.
"How about it? Have you seen clearly the strength of this Hall Master?"
Flicking her twin ponytails, she stood with her hands on her hips, laughing.
The guest seats were all acquaintances in the group chat. You looked at me, I looked at you.
Tartaglia (Childe) was merciless. He crossed his arms and scoffed. "I don't believe you didn't take the risk just now. Look at that cold sweat. The car was about to overturn, were you panicking?"
Hu Tao hummed, sticking her nose in the air. "What panic! You don't understand my Hall Master's tactics!"
She wagged a finger. "The Vibrava grazing the edge of the storm, and even the Garchomp, are just disguises! My Main DPS is always Exeggcute!"
She leaned in, whispering conspiratorially. "The leader of this Hall will play dirty tricks and use Hypnosis to determine the outcome. I just want to ask you—are you afraid?"
Hypnosis... mentions of superpowers and Psychic-type skills.
A group of people suddenly felt a headache. This type of skill was too threatening to be used directly against Trainers in an unlimited Super Competition.
No matter how high the so-called martial arts skill is, one is still afraid of kitchen knives. A peerless master can be knocked down with a brick if they aren't looking. That's the truth.
Skills like Hypnosis... as long as there is a probability, its shock and effect cannot be denied!
At the same time, many people's eyes also revealed countermeasures and deep thinking.
"In this case," someone muttered, "Aren't Psychic-type Trainers invincible?"
"No," Zhongli said calmly, sipping his tea. "There is no invincible formula in this world. Every strategy has a counter."
At this moment.
Suddenly, a "Ding Dong" message notification sound came from the table.
Everyone gestured and looked at the source of the sound.
The Traveler, Lumine, was stunned. She immediately picked up her Pokédex and saw a battle notification message flashing on the screen:
[Player No. 96, please arrive at the Pokémon House Arena before 11:45 to participate in the first battle at 12:00 PM. In order to ensure the smooth progress of the event, please arrive at the venue as soon as possible to register and prepare.]
Paimon's eyes widened, and she floated up, shouting excitedly: "Eh? It's our turn next time, Lumine!"
Jean, sitting nearby, smiled encouragingly. "Traveler, come on. Represent the Knights well."
Venti, holding a bottle of apple cider, winked. "Hey, I believe in you, Traveler. May the wind guide your Poké Balls!"
Hu Tao came up to impart her freshly gained experience. She patted Lumine on the shoulder.
"I tell you, Traveler. Be cautious, and cautious again."
She narrowed her eyes seriously. "Those who dare to sign up for the Super Competition are those who have the goods. Do you know the saying 'A lion fights a rabbit using all its strength'? You must understand. If our Hall Master hadn't used a dirty trick wisely just now, I probably wouldn't have been able to end the battle in one piece."
Lumine and Hu Tao had a very good relationship. After all, they had teamed up with Hu Tao and Xiangling in the past.
A while ago, the team was in the Ecological Zone provided by the System. Except for the Overlord Pokémon's territory, everything was lawless wildlands. The Vibrava that Hu Tao used was defeated and conquered by their joint efforts. Of course, Lumine and Xiangling also got what they wanted, and also tamed a Pokémon from the Ecological Zone.
...
Back in the Plane of Euthymia.
At this time, the corner of Yae Miko's mouth was twitching as she watched the side-screen displaying the "Audition" matches in the Liyue Arena.
After a few rounds of the main event, the stream had switched to highlights of the lower bracket. The auditions here were gradually starting to feel a bit like the "Master of Cooking Competition"—chaotic and uneven.
No matter how you operate in the dark or rig the brackets, it is impossible to arrange all elite and seeded players on the first day. Therefore, external auditions inevitably involve the beautiful, yet tragic, painting style of "Bug Catcher Boy VS Bug Catcher Boy."
On the screen, two young trainers were screaming.
"Caterpillar, use String Shot! (Full of energy!)"
"Weedle, we also use String Shot! (Gnashing teeth!)"
It turned into a silk-spinning battle.
Two worms came and went, and the competition and battle turned into a record war to see who had longer and more durable silk. The worm silk was just a control technique; there was no damage at all!
The Caterpie and Weedle looked menacing, but nothing was happening. The Trainers on both sides were glaring and roaring with passion, but the Pokémon were just staring at each other.
"There is something subtly wrong with this style of painting!" Yae Miko's eyebrows twitched. She couldn't stand it anymore and sighed.
"Dinner?" Raiden Ei asked, pointing at a user comment (barrage) scrolling across the screen. "What does this mean, Miko?"
Yae Miko cut out of the audition live broadcast room and answered with a twitching corner of her mouth: "Literal meaning. The viewers are being sarcastic. They mean the battle is so 'salty' and common that it goes well with rice, like a side dish."
Raiden Ei tilted her head. "Well, I still can't understand these mortals."
Miko switched back to the live broadcast room of the Super Game (the main event), and the barrage style was completely different.
Yae Miko felt like she was breathing fresh air, and her spirits were lifted immediately.
"I just escaped from the auditions, the showdown between the strong ones over here is terrifying~"
"Shock! What a breathtaking battle!"
"That's right, the duel during the Bug Catcher years even wiped out my brain cells..."
"Forgive me and other mortals who have shallow eyesight and really can't understand that kind of duel between high-ranking beings!"
There was a barrage of ridicule and jokes in the Super Tournament live broadcast room regarding the lower bracket matches. Who doesn't know that in today's Pokémon world, the "Bug Catcher Boy" belongs to the bottom of the contempt chain? Even the "Youngster" with a Rattata is more popular than your bugs.
Yae Miko felt the same way, and couldn't help but type out a barrage on her Pokédex: [My eyes are hurt, escape +1!!]
Raiden Ei watched, becoming more and more interested in the scrolling text. "Miko, I saw your operation. It turns out that the words crossed on the screen all represent a living audience?"
"Shhh!"
Yae Miko suddenly raised her finger to her lips.
Because the screen changed. The match list for the next battle was displayed in bold, fiery letters:
Lumine (Traveler) VS Wang Ping'an (Starsnatcher Chen Tianjun)
"Traveler?" Raiden Ei murmured.
Inazuma had contact with businessmen from Mondstadt. Yae Miko, as the Editor-in-Chief of the Yae Publishing House, had authors and editors under her who collected the latest materials from all over Teyvat. Therefore, from these channels, Yae Miko had heard about the story of the Honorary Knight of Mondstadt.
"This 'Starsnatcher Chen Tianjun'..." Miko narrowed her eyes. "It's very similar to the name of a certain Liyue Immortal."
"Eh! No way, no way?"
Raiden Ei was also surprised.
And when Lumine and Wang Ping'an came on stage one after another, it was like a bomb was dropped in the live broadcast room. Many viewers were stunned.
This Wang Ping'an was wearing a Yaksha-style mask—specifically, a mask that looked suspiciously like the one worn by the Conqueror of Demons, Xiao. He came on stage with a dramatic flair, his robes fluttering.
He also held an "Immortal Talisman" in his hand, waving it solemnly. Therefore, there was an ancient, mystical aura lingering around him.
The barrage began to discuss wildly:
"Holy crap!"
"Liyue Immortal? Is that the Guardian Yaksha?!"
"I'm such a good guy, even a Yaksha has become a glorious Trainer??"
"Is the Adeptus descending to beat up children?"
The guest group in the stands was also extremely surprised. Of course, except for Xiao himself, Zhongli, and Venti. They saw through Wang Ping'an's true identity at a glance.
In the commentary booth, Hiroshi's face was as weird as it seemed.
"Wang Ping'an?" Hiroshi muttered into the mic, though he checked to make sure it was muted first. "The one who pretended to be an Adeptus, the Starsnatcher? The guy who was scolded by Xiao, then corrected his evil ways, and built the Pervases Temple?"
Zekrom, sensing Hiroshi's confusion, scanned the man on the screen with his red eyes. "This human's energy signature... it is weak. He is mimicking the strong. It is a deception."
"Exactly," Hiroshi nodded. "The last game was the incarnation of Azhdaha, a true dragon. This time, he is a 'liar' who is cosplaying."
Hiroshi was a little speechless. He looked at Zekrom, who let out a puff of electric smoke.
"It was obviously such a technical Super Game," Hiroshi lamented to his legendary dragon partner. "Why does it have the style of a group of demons dancing! First a Funeral Parlor ad, now a fake Adeptus!"
Zekrom's telepathic voice resonated with a hint of amusement. "Humanity is full of... variety. This 'comedy' you speak of seems inherent to their nature."
Hiroshi unmuted the mic, ready to introduce the strange matchup to the world. "Ladies and gentlemen, for our next match, we have a clash of... distinctive styles!"