chapter 118
Takumi pressed the pause button on the conflict between Jue Yunjian Immortal and the Seven Stars, and the news that the Trainer Competition would be held as scheduled the next day spread throughout Mondstadt and Liyue at the same time.
A closed archipelago in the far east of the Teyvat continent was known as the "Islands of Thunder and Eternity." The ruling god who governed this archipelago was called Raiden Shogun, also known as Ei or Beelzebul.
Currently, Inazuma is under the reign of Beelzebul (Ei), the younger sister of the previous ruler, Raiden Makoto, who is also known as the "Raiden Shogun." Among the archipelago, Narukami Island, as the main island where the Inazuma Shogunate is located, has the most prosperous and lively Inazuma City in this closed region of the Far East.
Hanamizaka is the lowest and most peripheral commercial street in Inazuma City. As is well known, Inazuma Castle is very tall, and the overall geographical topography is distributed toward the mountains. The castle tower, where the Raiden Shogun lives and symbolizes the authority of the shogunate, is located at the highest point. It triggers thunder from the sky from time to time, watching over all living beings under its rule.
The Naganohara Fireworks Shop, run by the Yonomiya family, is located on Hanamizaka. Just a few steps away, you will find the countryside of Inazuma City. In the dark alley behind the fireworks shop, the leader of the Arataki Gang, Arataki Itto, who has a mixed reputation, can be found.
A young man from the Oni tribe, Arataki Itto, hangs around Hanamizaka all day long with nothing to do. At this moment, Itto was in a dark alley, in a state of mixed pain and excitement:
"Ahhhhh! As long as this egg hatches, can I get a partner Pokémon? But... so expensive! Two million Mora!!"
Itto, lacking ambition, clasped his palms together, pleading on his face, and his tone was extremely soft. He begged Yoimiya, who was standing opposite him:
"Naganohara Yoimiya, please~~ Is it okay to pay on credit? Just sell me an egg on credit!"
Yoimiya sighed. This week, her business was only in the early stages of growth, and every step she took, Yoimiya was very cautious. Instead of expanding her stall as soon as she returned to Inazuma, she focused on the promotion of the Pokémon Era. With Inazuma's current tense situation, as long as Sangonomiya Kokomi made a special move, Kujou Sara, the general of the Tenryou Commission, would come to inquire the next day. Kokomi didn't want her ambitions to remain unfulfilled by being thrown into prison.
Yoimiya, thinking about the "missionary work" she had been entrusted with by the head of the Grand Narukami Shrine, wanted to bring the dawn of the new era to Inazuma. So, this week's work was crucial, and Yoimiya had a specific list of initial contacts.
Because of her fireworks sales business, Yoimiya had a good relationship with the Kamisato siblings, especially Kamisato Ayaka, also known as the "Shirasagi Himegimi." After a summer festival fireworks display, Yoimiya once invited Kamisato Ayaka to take a bath together, and Ayaka's face had turned bright red. Yoimiya realized that the Kamisato Estate had its own hot spring, so the eldest daughter didn't need public baths.
Next, there was Thoma. Yoimiya and Thoma had a better relationship, and there were many things that Yoimiya couldn't handle on her own, so she often sought Thoma's help. In Inazuma City, Thoma was known as the biggest socialite. He was excellent at dealing with people, and even Kujou Sara couldn't do anything to him.
Yoimiya also had connections with Kuki Shinobu, the true second-in-command of the Arataki Gang. The gang's activities included legal consultation, business negotiation, banquet hosting, and customized clothing and accessories—all carried out legally. Even the Tenryou Commission couldn't find any fault with Shinobu's work. Not long after Shinobu returned to Inazuma, she embraced the new Pokémon Era, despite having studied law in Liyue under Yanfei.
Considering this connection, Yoimiya's initial target for her "preaching" had been Shinobu, but a few days ago, the process fell on another pair of eager eyes—Arataki Itto, the boss of the Arataki Gang.
Itto had come to beg for credit multiple times, and Yoimiya sighed, covering her face in hesitation. No matter what, Itto was someone blessed by the Vision. However, he was too unpredictable—he didn't have a stable job, only did part-time work for three days at a time, and spent most of his days having fun with the kids of Hanamizaka, always showing off his unique talents: eating ramen upside down, playing the harmonica through his nostrils, swatting flies with his hair, and so on.
The more she thought about it, the more Yoimiya became conflicted. Such an unreliable person—could he really become a qualified Pokémon Trainer? If she entrusted a Pokémon egg to him, wouldn't it end up turning into the ruffian of Hanamizaka?
In terms of "credit," it was indeed feasible. When Takumi handed her these ten Pokémon eggs, he told her that each would cost 2 million Mora, and he would accept payments in installments.
"Please, Sister Naganohara Yoimiya!" Itto, the Oni youth who often declared himself as a good guy, sat down on the ground, palms together. "I really need to train a Pokémon! The Tenryou Commission took away my Vision and embedded it in the Statue of the Thousand-Armed Hundred-Eyed God... Without my Vision, every time I challenge someone or seek revenge, I get beaten up! If I had a Pokémon, it would be different! That day, your Galarian Ponyta was amazing!"
How about selling him an egg? There was enough supply, and though Itto was a bit of a troublemaker, he was someone who stood against the Vision Hunt Decree. People like him were rare in Inazuma.
Trainers with a firm heart, who could break through the fog in Inazuma and bring about a new dawn with the Pokémon Era… Whether or not they had money was another matter entirely. At least, this kind of undying fighting spirit was exactly what the current situation required.
Just as Yoimiya made her decision...