Chapter 14: Electrifying Path

The cold air of the unknown place whipped Pikachu's fur as he slowly woke up. In front of him, a huge stone door stood, framed by an enigmatic and gloomy environment. The yellow Pokémon blinked, trying to clear his mind. The surroundings seemed completely foreign to him, which increased his feeling of bewilderment. At that moment, a female figure materialized before him. It was a woman of striking beauty, surrounded by a mysterious aura of power. Her serene demeanor and the tranquility in her eyes reflected an unattainable wisdom. It was Tengen.

Pikachu, still disoriented, tried to communicate in the only way he knew how: with sounds. His "Pika, pika" echoed in the air, followed by a sharp "Chu!", but his attempts to express himself were useless. The language barrier was insurmountable. Tengen, without losing his composure, watched him closely, as if he were evaluating each of his movements, understanding that they were facing an obstacle in communication.

Silence took over the scene for a few moments. Tengen, apparently accustomed to complex situations, took out a thin sheet of paper and a pen from her robe, which she used to quickly write on the surface of the paper. Her hands moved deftly, energetically drawing the strokes of the kanji characters. After a few seconds, she delicately approached Pikachu, handing him the sheet.

"Can you read this?" she asked in a soft, calm voice.

Pikachu looked at the paper. At first, his mind was reluctant to connect the symbols there, but after a few seconds, memories of his time observing humans surfaced in his mind. Though he wasn't fluent in the language, he had been exposed to Japanese writing enough to recognize the basic kanji. He nodded, though anxiety at not being able to fully express himself was evident in his eyes.

Tengen, noticing Pikachu's frustration, looked away at the dusty ground and gestured with his hand, indicating the accumulated dust. Pikachu, catching on immediately, used his static-charged tail to trace symbols on the ground. Though he had never written Japanese before, the electricity allowed him to control the strokes precisely. With slow, but determined movements, he began to draw kanji on the ground.

He carefully wrote: 「WHAT'S HAPPENING?」

Tengen smiled, surprised by how quickly Pikachu adapted to the situation. For a being who didn't speak the language, he had found an ingenious way to communicate.

"Good. This will be enough for us to talk," Tengen said, writing on the paper again. "Pikachu, I offer you a unique opportunity. Your power, which until now has been unpredictable and uncontrolled, can be directed towards something greater, towards a greater purpose. In this world, two dark entities, Sukuna and Kenjaku, threaten to destroy everything. Sukuna, the King of Curses, and Kenjaku, the master of soul manipulation, are an immense danger to all living beings. We need your strength to stop them. In exchange, we will allow you to live and give you the freedom you so crave."

Pikachu looked at Tengen with his small eyes, where mixed emotions were reflected. Sukuna's name made a shiver run down his spine. Although he knew precisely who he was, the mere fact of hearing it caused a deep feeling of unease. However, he also felt that this was his chance to finally redeem himself by using his power for the greater good.

With some effort, he wrote on the ground: 「I ACCEPT. I WILL FIGHT」.

Tengen looked at the words with satisfaction, nodding softly. An aura of energy enveloped Pikachu, renewing his strength. He felt his body, weakened until that moment, regain vitality. But it was not just a return of physical energy; he felt that something inside him had changed. It was as if the energy that was once chaotic was now under his control, flowing more harmoniously.

"Well, Pikachu," Tengen continued, his tone firm but warm. "You will not be alone in this battle. I will assign you to Jin Murasame, one of our most skilled sorcerers. The two of you will travel to Hida Province, a place devastated by Sukuna. There you will find more allies, and together you will try to set a trap for this monster.

As he spoke those words, Tengen drew a circle in the air with a simple wave of his hand. A flash of light enveloped Pikachu's body. Before he could comprehend what was happening, his surroundings faded away. He felt as if the ground beneath his feet was disappearing, and his body was being dragged along at an indescribable speed.

When he opened his eyes, Pikachu found himself in a completely different place. The Hida Province was nothing more than a wasteland of desolation. The lands, once that should have been full of life, now lay covered in rubble and ash. A foul air permeated the environment, and death seemed to have taken over every corner. Amidst this devastation, a tall, thin figure stood out among the rubble. Jin Murasame, his face partially hidden behind a mask, watched the horizon with a mixture of sadness and concern.

Noticing Pikachu's presence, Jin tilted his head slightly, assessing him with sharp eyes.

"So you are Pikachu," he said, his deep voice echoing in the stillness of the place. "Tengen has told me about you. Despite your appearance, you seem to possess formidable power. I am glad to have you on our side."

Pikachu nodded solemnly, feeling the weight of the responsibility that now fell upon him. The sky above Hida was darkened by threatening clouds, as if a storm were about to break out at any moment.

Jin Murasame continued, never taking his eyes off the horizon:

"This place…" he murmured in a melancholic tone. "It was razed by Sukuna. He left nothing behind. Every life, every structure… everything was devoured by his curse. Our mission is dangerous, Pikachu, but it is the only option we have. If we manage to set a trap for him with the help of the other sorcerers, we might have a chance to stop him. Don't be fooled, though, Kenjaku will be nearby. He is always lurking, manipulating from the shadows."

Jin's words filled Pikachu with a mixture of determination and fear. He knew that the enemy they faced was not just any adversary. However, he was no longer the helpless Pikachu of before. His power, once chaotic and directionless, was now focused on a single goal: to stop Sukuna and Kenjaku, and protect the world from its destruction.

As time passed, the energy in the air increased. Electricity was building up in Pikachu's body, crackling around him. He felt the tension in the air, as if everything was on the verge of an explosion.

Jin looked at him carefully once more before turning back to the ruins of the province.

"The road to Sukuna will be long and dangerous," he said, his voice grave. "But if we fight together, I am certain that we can face it. Let us continue forward. The fate of the world depends on this mission."

With those words echoing in the air, Pikachu and Jin began to advance, entering into the heart of the destruction that was Hida. Each step they took brought them closer to the inevitable confrontation with the dark forces that threatened to consume everything. The sky grew darker and darker, and the echo of a thunderstorm rumbled in the distance, foreshadowing the imminent clash of powers that was about to be unleashed. Pikachu, electricity coursing through his body, knew the fight would be brutal, but he wouldn't back down.

This was his destiny.

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