Ch.140 Feebas and Zenin Maki

Having a sour expression seems to be a traditional skill of the Zenin family. 

Fushiguro Megumi, needless to say, just had one. 

Zenin Naoya isn't much better—during their brief encounter, he's already had two sour moments, though both were caused by two Special Grade sorcerers. 

As for the twin sisters, Maki and Mai… Mai tends to get upset whenever her sister is involved, while Maki is slightly better, but the moment her mood sours, it's immediately reflected on her face. 

Just like now. 

Out of the nine Pokémon eggs "produced" by Geto Suguru, seven have already hatched, so the last two are naturally accounted for. 

Seeing everyone else happily bonding with their Pokémon, Maki couldn't help but feel excited too. She grabbed Akira and headed to the pool used to speed up the hatching process. 

Then, her face fell. 

It was comparable to Mai's mood when Akira was filming his MV. 

Other people's Pokémon.jpg 

My Pokémon.jpg 

Akira's Pokémon had a blue-and-white body, elegant and slender, with black pearl-like eyes and a white nose and mouth that added a touch of cuteness. 

In contrast, Maki's Pokémon—its body was a dull yellow, with blue fins and tail, covered in bumps and rough patches, its large eyes looking unusually dull, like a literal salted fish. 

Even the infamous janitor fish looked majestic compared to it. 

This wasn't just judging by appearance; its behavior was the same. 

After Akira's blue serpent opened its eyes, it leisurely swam around in the water. 

Meanwhile, Maki's salted fish could only flop its tail, bouncing up and down—couldn't it at least sway side to side or swim a little? Wasn't this just a fish on a chopping board? 

Since she had witnessed the hatching process firsthand, there was no chance of a mix-up. How could Maki possibly be in a good mood? 

The feeling of disparity is always the most torturous. 

Maki had been discriminated against since childhood for lacking cursed energy, so she never experienced the kind of pampered life Akira had. As a result, she didn't yearn for such a life, but it was hard to tolerate being the only one getting beaten up while others weren't. 

The same applied to Pokémon. 

Judging by appearance and behavior, her salted fish seemed to be at the bottom of the barrel. 

Especially after hearing Akira's Gojo-esque remark: "Wow, this is a huge win. Thank you, Geto Suguru. You truly are the number one 'male mom' in the Jujutsu world. Maki, why do you look like that… Oh, I get it. Is it because of Feebas's appearance?" 

"No," Maki frowned. "Well, not just that. It seems like its brain isn't all there either. Being ugly isn't the problem, but if it's not smart…" 

Fushiguro's Gastly looked weird, but a Pokémon that could pull pranks right after hatching couldn't possibly be stupid. 

"So, do you want to give up? I don't mind trading my Pokémon with you." 

Regardless of Akira's intentions, just the Gojo-like tone of his words was enough to make Maki snap. 

"No need. I'll raise my own Pokémon." 

"Not going to reconsider? Dratini becomes incredibly versatile as it grows. Close combat, long-range attacks, summoning thunder, setting fires, creating storms—it can do it all. It wouldn't even lose to Darkrai." Akira was far more skilled at this than Gojo. 

And Dratini truly lived up to that reputation. 

Dratini, the Dragon Pokémon, is the first-generation Pseudo-Legendary, predating even the second-generation Tyranitar line. It's the beginning of the Pseudo-Legendary legend, both beautiful and powerful, and it once dominated an era. 

Its initial form, Dratini, its evolution, Dragonair, and its final form, Dragonite, all enjoy immense popularity. 

Yuuta got lucky with Larvitar? Sorry, but Akira hitting the jackpot with Dratini was the real stroke of luck. 

If it weren't for Dratini's restless nature, Yaga's request would have been fulfilled right then and there. 

Faced with Akira's temptation, Maki still refused. To show her determination, she didn't even mind getting wet as she picked up Feebas, ignoring the tail slaps. 

"I've been used to bad luck for a long time." 

Could her luck be worse than being born into the Zenin family? 

Hearing this, Akira couldn't hold back his laughter: 

"Bad luck? In the short term, sure. But Maki, in the long run, your luck isn't bad at all—it's actually great. Because the Pokémon you chose is the one that suits you the most. Even Fushiguro can't compare to you in this regard." 

After all, Gastly only becomes a Shadow Pokémon after evolving into Gengar, while Feebas has been a perfect match for Maki from the very beginning. 

Feebas, the Fish Pokémon. 

Though unremarkable in appearance, it possesses a tenacious vitality that allows it to survive in any region. It can live in polluted water and even survive by eating dirt. 

And once Feebas survives the initial struggle, it will undergo a carp leaping over the dragon gate transformation, turning from a salted fish into a majestic creature. Its evolution, Milotic, is said to be the most beautiful Pokémon, and its strength grows from being the weakest to becoming incredibly powerful. 

Saying it's like an ugly duckling turning into a swan doesn't even do it justice. 

After hearing Akira's explanation, Maki was deeply moved. She gently stroked the bumps on Feebas's body, her expression unusually tender. 

"Is that so? You're like me too, never giving up, holding onto everything you can, striving to survive, and finally proving yourself to the world and to those who looked down on you?" 

This was the very portrait of Zenin Maki's life and her ultimate goal in her struggle. 

In that moment, the disparity turned into a strong sense of resonance. 

"Thank you, Akira. I'll work hard with Feebas—such a fitting name for us—and together, we'll take on the whole world." 

"I look forward to your glorious transformation," Akira nodded, then smirked. "But do you know how to raise a Pokémon and make it evolve?" 

"By fighting cursed spirits and treating it with sincerity? Like how you raised Pancham?" Maki had been observing Pokémon closely. 

"Not just that. Accumulating experience and building a bond are the two most important aspects of raising a Pokémon, but that's not enough. Pancham's evolution wasn't just due to its own efforts—it also needed to fight alongside Darkrai and draw strength from its darkness." 

"So, my Feebas needs…?" 

"Something similar, but the specifics are different. Feebas and Milotic—you can tell from their names—they need beauty." 

"Beauty? Really?" 

"Why not? You became who you are because you had the desire to grow stronger. Feebas, of course, needs the desire to become beautiful to transform—I'm really looking forward to seeing you help Feebas with its makeup." 

"…" 

Maki was speechless. While a change in mindset was important, something about this felt off. 

She wondered if Akira was messing with her, but when she looked into Feebas's eyes—those eyes full of admiration as it stared at Dratini—she believed it truly had a heart that yearned to become beautiful. 

I… might really need to learn how to do makeup properly. 

There's no reason Mai can do it, and I can't.