Ch.135 Jujutsu High (X), Pokémon Training Center (√)

Although everyone knew that Akira wouldn't play favorites—after all, even the eccentric Satoru Gojo had received a Pokémon egg, so there was no reason others wouldn't get one. But when Akira actually brought out so many eggs, everyone still gasped in surprise. They looked at each other, hesitant to make the first move.

Fushiguro Megumi hesitated for a moment before asking, "Aren't you going to assign them to us, senpai?"

"Because I'm not sure which Pokémon will hatch from which egg, I'll leave it to fate," Akira replied.

As the saying goes, three parts depend on destiny, and seven parts depend on effort. Fate is ultimately decided by the heavens.

On the way back, Akira had already decided to leave the initiative to the would-be trainers. This was the fairest approach. Even if problems arose later, no one could complain.

"Uh, what about my fate?" Gojo protested.

"That is your fate. Who told you to pick it yourself?"

Akira's retort left Gojo speechless, but he wasn't ready to admit defeat. His eyes darted around as he scanned all the eggs, then he said with a grin, "Hehe, I've already seen through the true nature of these Pokémon. If you all call me 'the most handsome, strongest, and cutest Gojo-sensei,' I'll tell you everything I know."

Logically, this was a no-lose deal, but unfortunately, the students were more focused on their feelings.

"Gross."

"Who would call you that?"

"Can you not embarrass yourself?"

"I'd rather trust my own luck."

"Salmon, salmon."

With this commotion, even if someone wanted to ask, they couldn't bring themselves to do so.

Left with no other option, Gojo had to carry his egg to the corner of the room, facing the wall. He even pulled out two metal wires and plugged them into a socket, starting to charge the "unborn" Voltorb.

The "Six Eyes" certainly had its advantages, but the people he encountered were just too bizarre.

After a moment of silence at the table, Hayami was the first to step forward. "Akira, can I choose one too?"

"Of course," Akira nodded happily.

"I hope it's a good child. If it's cute, that would be even better," Hayami clasped her hands together and whispered a prayer.

Her reason for wanting a Pokémon was simple.

Her child had grown up, spread their wings, and was ready to carve out their own path in the world. She fully supported this, but it also meant the house would inevitably feel lonely. She hoped to have a companion.

Cuteness was, of course, the most basic aesthetic for women. Even if the Pokémon wasn't cute, someone like Hayami would still raise it with care.

After her prayer, she walked to the table and picked up an egg.

Coincidentally, it was the one containing a Vulpix.

Akira secretly marveled at how fate truly worked in mysterious ways.

If someone like Gojo were to raise a Vulpix, Akira would definitely be worried. But with Hayami, there was nothing to fear. Her attentiveness and love would surely raise the Vulpix well.

What a shame this world didn't have Pokémon Contests. Hayami would definitely have a place there.

With the first example set, the others began to follow suit.

"I'll go next. I hope to get a partner who can work hard with me and cover my weaknesses."

Maki was the second to choose. From her onward, Akira had no idea what would hatch, as the eggs were all mixed up in the chaos, leaving no time for analysis.

The third was Inumaki Toge, who remained silent throughout, embodying the spirit of Red with his "..." demeanor.

The fourth and fifth should have been Panda and Itadori Yuuta, but both hesitated slightly.

Panda said, "I already have a little brother, so maybe I'll pass. There aren't that many eggs to go around."

The Pancham let out a playful "Pan-Pan~" cry, clearly moved. The black-and-white brothers hugged, creating a scene that was both comical and touching.

"As for me, I also…" Yuuta had similar thoughts. He already had Rika, a cursed spirit who acted as his stand-in, so he wasn't worried about his strength.

Unexpectedly, Rika materialized halfway, grabbed a Pokémon egg, and said, "Yuuta, Yuuta, I want this one. It's definitely going to be a good child."

Yuuta's expression froze. It didn't matter what he thought—Rika had her own ideas.

Just as he was about to try to convince Rika to give up, Akira spoke up. "It's fine. If Rika likes it, that's what matters. Rika, make sure to treat your new friend well, just like you do with Shoko."

"Okay, okay!" Rika held the egg high, her voice filled with excitement.

Seeing this, Yuuta didn't say anything more. He bowed to Akira while silently vowing to keep a close eye on Rika to ensure nothing went wrong.

The sixth was Fushiguro Megumi. As the "zoo keeper" and "Disney princess on the run," he didn't really need a Pokémon. But in the end, he still walked to the table and whispered, "I hope to use the Pokémon's power to wake Tsumiki up."

Although the curse had been lifted, Tsumiki's brain had been affected, and she still hadn't regained consciousness. This weighed heavily on Megumi's mind.

With the students mostly done, there were still some eggs left for the teachers. Akira turned to Ieiri Shoko. "Shoko-san, would you like to choose one?"

"I didn't expect to have a share. But I'll pass. I'm afraid I might not be able to resist dissecting it someday."

Shoko poured herself a glass of wine and swirled it in front of her. As the school's doctor and part-time coroner, she had no qualms about getting her hands dirty, much like Yuki Tsukumo.

"Don't say that. It might even help you with your work," Akira said, unfazed. Come on, there are no bad people at Tokyo Jujutsu High.

"That's a good point," Shoko nodded seriously, then casually picked up an egg. "Then I'll take one that can heal."

Finally, Akira turned to Yaga Masamichi. "Principal, what about you?"

Akira had skipped Panda earlier because he had been subtly signaling that he had other plans. As for Yaga, his parenting skills were beyond reproach—surpassing even Hayami's.

"I do want a Pokémon, but not just as my child…"

Yaga waved Akira over and led him to a secluded corner before explaining the situation.

Near the school, there was a forest protected by a barrier. Only Yaga and a few others, like Gojo, knew about it.

This was Yaga's true home and a sanctuary for his "children"—cursed corpses similar to Panda.

The higher-ups in the Jujutsu world weren't wrong. "Fully autonomous" cursed corpses could indeed be mass-produced, but Yaga didn't want to turn them into weapons of war. That's why he had hidden them away.

Although the barrier had been set up by Tengen, the greatest barrier user in history, Yaga, as a father, still wanted to provide more protection and companionship for these children who could never see the light of day.

As he put it—

"I'm not young anymore, and my job is dangerous. Who knows when I might… If something happens to me, I hope the Pokémon can protect my children. So my requirements are a bit higher."

"You're a great father," Akira said sincerely. "I'll keep that in mind and help you find the right one. Until then, you can leave it to Pancham and Panda."

"That's what I was thinking."

Yaga's expression softened. He had devoted most of his life to his children, even divorcing over it, but he had no regrets. This was the path he had chosen.

"Akira… Aren't you going to ask? About Tengen-sama?"

"Because I'm not sure if I should," Akira replied bluntly. "Does he have some issue with me?"

Tengen, the first ancient sorcerer, a legend who had lived for over a thousand years. Some said he was the true guardian of the Jujutsu world, while others called him a living god, even establishing a church in his honor.

Perhaps because he had lived so long, Tengen rarely involved himself in worldly affairs, residing instead in the "Star Corridor." Only those of significant stature could gain an audience with him.

Given Akira's current status and position, he certainly qualified, but he had yet to receive an invitation. This was suspicious, to say the least.

It could be Tengen's issue, or it could be Akira's. With Tengen's insight, he might have already seen through Akira's lack of cursed energy.

"Tengen-sama does have some reservations about you, but the bigger reason lies with you," Yaga admitted, seeing no point in hiding it now. "You seem to have some issues with him."

"Was it that obvious?"

Akira shrugged, not particularly surprised. Tengen's barrier enveloped all of Japan. If he wanted to, he could monitor the entire country. Spying on Akira was child's play.

"I do have issues with him. I've talked to Yuki about it. Around the world, cursed spirits and sorcerers aren't as active as they are in Japan. Coincidentally, I've looked into the timeline of when Tengen was revered by sorcerers and when the decline of Jujutsu began. For sorcerers, this might not be a bad thing, but for ordinary people, it's definitely not good. What do you think?"

Yaga fell silent for a long time before finally saying, "You're not wrong, but… this is no longer something Tengen-sama's will can control. Don't forget, his technique is 'Immortality.' No matter what, he cannot die, not even by his own hand."

"Isn't that like weaving your own cocoon?" Akira chuckled. "Regardless, let's find a chance to meet. Some things can't be resolved without a face-to-face conversation."

"Understood. I'll relay your request to Tengen-sama."

"I look forward to it."

Both to unraveling the deepest mystery of the Jujutsu world and to the potential memes Tengen might bring.

What kind of Pokémon would this strongest being in another sense create?

At this rate, Jujutsu High might soon be renamed the Pokémon Training Center.