Jujutsu Kaisen: I Have A Gardevoir

Yuki Tsukumo was no pushover.

She wasn't the kind of woman to weakly cry, "Please stop fighting!" while watching people duel in the rain.

To her, breaking up a fight meant either knocking both parties flat or forcing one to bow out if that wasn't feasible.

Between Suguru Geto and Akira, it was clear which one she found more likable.

Geto understood this well. Knowing Yuki wouldn't side with him, he waved a wide sleeve as he stood:

"For Gojo and Yuki's sake, I'll leave it here. Next time, you won't be so lucky."

Perhaps to intimidate them, the spacious hotel room instantly filled with dozens of menacing eyes, each radiating energy equivalent to Grade 1 or higher.

Akira sneered, summoning Darkrai without hesitation. Darkrai lunged toward the nearest eye, claws poised for a strike.

Only one level away from learning Dark Void, and experience points were sorely needed.

Unfortunately, Geto had no intention of continuing the fight. The curses appeared only briefly before vanishing, leaving Darkrai swiping at empty air.

Having missed his "experience pack," Akira shot back verbally: "Likewise. What I said to Naoya Zen'in applies to you too: worst case, I'll apologize to Gojo-sensei afterward."

Geto smirked coldly, shifting his gaze from Akira to Yuki, Gojo, Yaga, Ieiri, and finally resting on Yuta Okkotsu.

"So, you're the fourth Special Grade…"

"Ah… hello. My name is Yuta Okkotsu."

Yuta's overly normal demeanor felt out of place among such colorful personalities.

Yaga smacked Yuta's back with a resounding clap:

"Idiot! You don't need to be polite to curse users. If you meet him again, just hit him with all you've got!"

"I'll remember your name. We'll meet again."

Geto smiled politely as he spoke, yet Yuta felt a chill crawl down his spine.

What did he mean by "remember"?

Why me? I'm the most innocent one here!

The answer lay in Akira's mind: Rika, the Queen of Curses.

If Pokémon were the foundation of Geto's "new world," Rika was the key to destroying the old one. The difference in importance was clear.

While Geto's clash with Akira might've been opportunistic, his targeting of Yuta had been meticulously planned.

That Geto dared to provoke both Akira and Yuta simultaneously—and openly admit it—was either audacious overconfidence or staggering simplicity.

Having delivered his threats, Geto raised a hand, and the room's outer wall split open, revealing the night beyond.

A never-before-seen curse spirit emerged, its massive mouth wide open as it swallowed Geto whole.

Moments later, the curse fused seamlessly into the surrounding darkness.

"The 'voice' has disappeared. He's gone," Yuki remarked, her ears twitching slightly.

Akira wasn't surprised. Among so many curse spirits, it was only natural for one to have high-speed movement or even spatial transfer capabilities.

Reaching for his phone, he said: "Looks like there's nothing left on my end. Sensei, you—"

"Gardevoir!"

Gardevoir's wide, expressive eyes filled the screen, sparkling with worry.

She had restrained herself during the serious conversation, standing watch without interruption. Now that the discussion was over, she no longer needed to hold back.

Faced with such an endearing Psychic-type, Akira softened instantly. His voice and expression overflowed with warmth:

"Don't worry. I'll be back soon. And I've got a surprise for you."

"Gar…?" (A surprise?)

"It's true! I'm perfectly fine—just some scratches I let Geto see to bait him. Without that, Darkrai couldn't have grown so quickly. He's already a higher level than you. You'll need to catch up."

"Garde?" (What?)

Gardevoir froze, her eyes wide in disbelief.

My position as number one is in jeopardy?

Feeling threatened, Gardevoir used Leer on Darkrai.

It's super effective!

Darkrai, meanwhile, felt just as blindsided as Yuta had earlier.

What did I do?

Boss, I never wanted to compete with Big Sis! This isn't fair!

Sensing Darkrai's distress, Akira apologized telepathically while reaching to end the call.

This time, no one stopped him. Only Gojo left him with a parting comment: "Don't forget to file a report when you're back."

And so, a meeting of the Special Grades—important in implications more than content—came to a close.

As Akira pocketed his phone, he noticed Yuki watching him with a playful smirk. "That last Pokémon was adorable. You two seem really close. No wonder you said it doesn't matter if it's human."

Faced with the XP Police Chief herself, Akira gave a silent nod of acknowledgment, his expression saying: You get it.

Yuki gave him a thumbs-up. The seasoned sorcerer and the rising prodigy reached an instant understanding.

Meanwhile, the old butler and Hayami stood to the side, stunned for entirely different reasons.

The butler: Could it be… Master Akira isn't interested in humans? This won't do—I must report this to Madam immediately. With his extraordinary bloodline, it's imperative we ensure its continuation!

Hayami: Wait, is this for real? You're joking, right? Please tell me you're joking. If not, then what about Nee-san…

Their "normal" reactions didn't escape the sharp eyes of Akira and Yuki. The two exchanged a glance and nodded again.

Mortals and their limited minds.

Out of nowhere, Yuki wrapped an arm around Akira's shoulder: "Your 'voice' is interesting—almost like mine. Don't tell me… should I reconsider and make you part of my research?"

Akira's mouth twitched, his impression of her refreshing yet again.

Are you the female Kisuke Urahara? Or maybe the hero version of Orochimaru?

The mention of "voice" practically confirmed his suspicion about the Sabrina Template.

After a brief pause, he replied: "As long as it doesn't interfere with my life, I'm open to it. Why don't we head to Tokyo and discuss it more?"

If I'm lucky, I might even get some additional inspiration from you. That "bone dragon" of yours is fascinating.

But Yuki shook her head. "Nah, my research just hit a breakthrough, and I've got some unfinished business in Kyoto. I'll come find you if I need anything, Little Bro."

"If you're staying in Kyoto, I'd like to ask a favor," Akira said, ever adept at building connections.

"What's the favor? Speak."

"Can you take Hayami under your wing as a guide?"

Hayami blinked in surprise, while Yuki immediately understood.

"You're worried Naoya might retaliate against her?"

Akira nodded.

The biggest risk of beating Naoya Zen'in was that he would vent his frustrations elsewhere. Given how many people in the Zen'in Clan thrived on exploiting the weak, it wasn't paranoia but pragmatism.

Adding Yuki to Hayami's side changed the dynamic entirely. Coupled with Hayami's participation in the Special Grade meeting, it would force even the Zen'in Clan to tread carefully.

Akira turned to the butler, the one most familiar with such matters. The older man nodded knowingly and bowed: "I will report Miss Hayami's involvement truthfully."

"I'm in too. It's a small matter," Yuki added.

"Akira…" Hayami's voice trembled with gratitude. Tears welled up as she felt truly cared for—something she'd never experienced before.

Yuki nudged Akira with her elbow: "You really do have a wide range of interests, huh?"

The butler, meanwhile, looked relieved. Thankfully, Master Akira is still interested in women. Broader tastes are fine as long as the bloodline continues.

"It's not like that," Akira quickly clarified. "I just don't want Hayami taking the blame for my actions."

Yuki smirked knowingly. "I get it."

The butler smiled warmly. Even Hayami blushed under his gaze.

Akira sighed inwardly. Great, the more I explain, the worse it gets. Do I need to wash this off in Fukushima Bay?