"That's it? A new mission to publish a work? Or entertainment/games?"
Hiroshi laughed out loud.
What does "wise and mighty" mean? It means he had already predicted the nature of the System and why it deliberately threw so many miscellaneous skills like [Programming] and [Game Design] at him. His mind was very clear.
"[Pokémon Auto Chess] will be launched next week."
"Isn't this mission just a freebie? A delivery quest?"
"Well..."
However, there is something to be said for this 1,000,000 Popularity Value.
Hiroshi's expression changed slightly as he calculated.
No way, no way... is the number of registered game players required to exceed one million?
His mind spun rapidly.
If this is the case, then Pokédexes will have to be supplied and sold in large quantities.
After all, if the terminal equipment is popular enough, more Trainers (and non-Trainers) can be attracted to register as Auto Chess game players.
"Looking at it this way, the Mondstadt Branch really needs to continue operating."
"I can't close the shop when I return to Liyue!"
The candidate for the Intern Branch Manager will have to be decided within the next two days.
Hiroshi pondered these business strategies and took Cresselia back to the Pokémon Home store in Mondstadt via Teleport.
But he had just returned to the main hall and hadn't even hung up the "Closed" sign yet when the store door was pushed open.
Ding-dong!
A bearded middle-aged man wearing a standard Adventurer's uniform entered the store with a boisterous energy.
When he saw Hiroshi, the bearded man immediately greeted him politely but loudly:
"Hello! I am Cyrus, Branch President of the Mondstadt Adventurers' Guild!"
Behind Cyrus was a group of members of the Mondstadt Adventurers' Guild.
They included Bennett, Fischl, and several other Association cadres.
Hiroshi looked at Cyrus's classic adventure costume. Except for the famous playable characters, the members of the Adventurers' Guild almost all wear this dark green and white uniform.
Of course, Teyvat's "Adventurers' Guild" is spread across the Seven Nations, and its original purpose was to be a mutual support organization.
Miss Katheryne's slogan: "Ad Astra Abyssosque" (Towards the Stars and the Abyss).
I guess all the players (Travelers) were dumbfounded when they first realized the receptionist in every city was Miss Katheryne.
This style had the flavor of Officer Jenny and Nurse Joy in the Pokémon world.
However, Katheryne has been clearly confirmed to be a bionic puppet or a robot made in Snezhnaya. Considering that the headquarters of the Adventurers' Guild is located in the Snezhnaya (Winter Country), it is not surprising that they have the relevant technology.
Hiroshi thought to himself:
A doll or robot Store Manager like Katheryne is also good. A perpetual motion machine, no wages, no overtime allowance, and no need for leave when sick...
Should I exchange related technologies with the Adventurers' Guild?
Ahem.
Seeing that Hiroshi was lost in thought, Cyrus, the bearded man, coughed and said in an exclamatory tone:
"Manager Hiroshi! Your reputation has spread to the Liyue area! Lan, the Branch Master of the Liyue branch, has sent us information about you."
"In fact, our Mondstadt branch has also been watching your store opening in Mondstadt closely these days!"
Hiroshi nodded.
"I remember that the Adventurers' Guild has a special Intelligence Department, right?"
He glanced at the blonde girl with the eyepatch behind Cyrus—Fischl (Amy).
He remembered that Fischl's background was technically an investigator affiliated with the Intelligence Department. If she wasn't so... eccentric (Chuunibyou), she might have been a very important cadre.
Beside Fischl was another adventurer, likely a senior investigator.
As for Bennett... he's the legendary "Six-Star Pyro Archon" (in gameplay utility).
Leader of Benny's Adventure Team... and the only remaining member.
The other members of the group were implicated in Bennett's supernatural bad luck and misfortune, suffered huge psychological damage, and quit the group one by one.
Hiroshi was also curious about what kind of Pokémon such an unlucky "Bennett" could drive.
"So, when you come here today, are you ready to embrace the Age of Pokémon?"
Cyrus nodded solemnly.
"That's right!"
"This is an order directly from the Headquarters!"
"Fortunately, you are currently in Mondstadt, so our branch has benefited from it. I brought the cadres and elite members of the Mondstadt branch here to assess the potential."
Cyrus, the bearded man, has a tendency to become a comedic relief character in the game, always complaining about recruiting.
But his personal deeds and achievements are real.
He killed three evil dragons, wiped out two transnational robbery organizations, and it is said that he also saved the continent of Teyvat once in his youth.
Naturally, Hiroshi would not refuse the Adventurers' Guild's goodwill.
He even wanted to deepen cooperation further.
He even cooperated with the Abyss Order just now (sort of). Not to mention the Adventurers' Guild, where there is no harm in working together.
It can be said that this organization spread across Seven Nations has a big family and a big business. Even if we don't talk about the famous characters who belong to each country, the elite operators in the organization alone are enough for Hiroshi to greatly promote the popularity of Pokémon.
"Deep cooperation?"
"All our members are provided with a free [Pokémon Pokédex]?!"
Cyrus was shocked after hearing the cooperation conditions suddenly proposed by Hiroshi.
Hiroshi smiled, his eyes gleaming with the intent of a capitalist aiming for user acquisition.
"I can even provide a 'Civilian Edition' (Lite Version) of the Pokédex technology."
Cyrus did not expect that as soon as he came to the door, the Store Manager, who was becoming famous for expensive goods, would have such a generous hand.
Boom! This wave!
Can those old guys at Headquarters still sit still?!
"Then your cooperation requirements are..." Cyrus asked cautiously.
"Cooperation. Mutual benefit and a win-win situation."
"Let me tell you openly, my goal is for every person in Teyvat to use the Pokédex."
"Hmm... at least the Civilian Version must be used as a standard communication device."
The "Civilian Version" is actually what Hiroshi thought of—cutting off the Trainer-related scanning/storage functions and leaving only the mobile smartphone aspects.
Such a "Pokédex" would be more appropriately called a Rotom Phone or simply a Poké-Phone.
Play Auto Chess. Play card games. Watch live streams.
Even run some small but exquisite non-masterpiece RPG games.
Performance is absolutely no problem!
The most important thing...
Hiroshi plans to launch live broadcast software and a video station (like Bilibili/YouTube) in the future, so that every user can watch the upcoming "First Trainer Sword Trial Conference" (Pokémon League).
Don't underestimate the power of images, audio, and video to spread the word. Once they see the exciting Trainer competitions one after another...
I don't know how many wise young men will be determined to embark on the path of Pokémon Masters.
"You take these sample Pokédexes back and give them to the senior officials at your Association Headquarters."
Cyrus nodded vigorously and hurried away to send a report, leaving behind the Association members he brought to actually buy Pokémon.
Hiroshi looked at "Prinzessin der Verurteilung" Fischl and "Six-Star" Bennett, and handed the standard Trainer Pokédexes to them and the remaining Association members in turn.
"Does it work this way?"
Bennett wiped his hands on his shorts. There were sweat stains on his forehead, and his fingers were hovering nervously over the [START] option on the screen.
"Yes, just click on it."
Fischl and the members of the Association came closer, intending to watch Bennett's extraction process first.
On the Pokédex screen, the silhouette of the Pokémon kept flickering.
[WHO AM I?]
Spin... Spin... Stop!
An image of a Pokémon with thick white hair appeared.
It had a dark blue face, a scythe-like horn on the right side of its head, and a look of solemn warning in its red eyes.
"This is..."
Bennett swallowed.
"It looks... kind of ominous?"