Jujutsu Kaisen: I Have A Gardevoir

Fifteen minutes later.

All participants from Kyoto and Tokyo schools gathered in front of the training building, lined up in rows.

Kyoto's team, despite their orderly formation, looked utterly defeated—injured, disheartened, with some even questioning their own worth.

In contrast, Tokyo's team, though appearing casual and laid-back, had everyone in high spirits. The only injured member was Hakari Kinji, and even their uniforms remained mostly intact.

Much of the Tokyo team's success could be credited to Yuta Okkotsu, who had borne the brunt of the fighting and the heaviest pressure.

As for Hakari Kinji, who had fought the most intensely, he and Todo Aoi had stripped off their shirts even before the battle started, engaging in bare-chested combat.

The most relaxed of them all was Akira. His clothes and hairstyle were immaculate as he leisurely held Gardevoir's hand.

To an outsider, it might have seemed as though he was on a pleasant holiday outing.

The stark contrast and infuriating disparity even made Yaga Masamichi, who usually didn't meddle in student matters, feel uneasy. He remarked, "Isn't this a bit much? You could've left them some room to breathe. After all, we're sister schools."

"I did leave them some room," Akira responded, looking innocent as he pointed at Hakari and then at Todo.

Though Todo Aoi was the toughest opponent among Kyoto's students, Akira could have eliminated him if he had wanted to.

In today's Japan, other than Satoru Gojo, no one could withstand Akira and Yuta Okkotsu teaming up.

The reason Akira hadn't done so was partly because he admired Todo's unwillingness to align with the higher-ups and partly out of respect for strength.

In some ways, Todo Aoi was like Akira—they both emerged stronger through battles with curses.

And then... there was also an old tradition. In sports like ping-pong, even when the Chinese team could sweep their opponents, they'd often let the other side score a couple of points. Coaches would scold them if they didn't. Legends like Wang Nan and Zhang Yining had been reprimanded for this very reason.

"That's not the kind of room I meant... Might as well have gone all out," Yaga Masamichi muttered, even though he had his sunglasses on.

He realized that despite Akira's seemingly calm and approachable demeanor, he was just as eccentric as Satoru Gojo. It was no wonder the two got along so well.

And, of course, over there, that guy was starting to act up too.

"They shouldn't have been so focused on troubling Yuta instead of dealing with the cursed spirits. If they had concentrated like we did, they wouldn't have missed out on all the points. Back when I and Shoko participated in the exchange event, Meimei and Utahime did a pretty good job. Blame the ones who put you up to it. So, Akira, good job!" Satoru Gojo cheered, high-fiving Akira while casting a provocative glance at Principal Gakuganji.

The team competition, which involved a lot of luck in scoring, ended with a complete shutout. What chance did they have in the individual battles, where raw strength mattered most?

Ban Yuta's Rika? Ban Akira's Pokémon?

Even if they agreed to such terms, the odds were still against them. And what a blow that would be.

Heh.

Being humiliated like this, with no recourse, made Gakuganji fume inside. But with his years of experience, he knew that reacting now would only play into Satoru's hands, so he stayed silent, letting Satoru do his thing.

Satoru would eventually tire of talking if no one engaged him.

Meanwhile, Akira's attention shifted to Noritoshi Kamo.

He carefully observed Kamo's expressions and demeanor, trying to discern whether he had learned anything from this experience.

The result was disappointing.

When their paths crossed again, most of Kamo's focus was on Yuta.

True, Yuta had caused a significant setback for him and his team, but their struggles in this event weren't just because of Yuta.

Being bested by a non-cursed Maki Zen'in was one thing, but to ignore the true core of Tokyo's strategy, Akira himself, was another.

Even though Akira had mostly stayed in the background, Gardevoir's intervention to stop Todo and Hakari's brawl, along with the expertly timed deployment of Pokémon to monitor their ambush on Yuta, should have been more than enough to catch his attention.

You're supposed to be Kyoto's commander!

If he couldn't see the bigger picture and only fixated on the strongest fighter, it likely meant... that the plan to target Yuta wasn't just Principal Gakuganji's idea, but also a result of Kamo's own intentions.

This was the outcome Akira least wanted to see.

It suggested that Noritoshi Kamo, under the influence of the Kamo family's teachings, was gradually becoming the kind of leader Akira and Hayami despised—a traditional head of a Great Family and a pillar of the conservative faction.

Of course, this didn't necessarily mean he had forgotten his mother, Hayami. Perhaps he believed that solidifying his position as an heir could allow him to bring her back once he became the head.

But time can change people, and habits shape behavior.

Once Noritoshi Kamo grew accustomed to thinking and acting like a traditional heir of a Great Family, what would he become?

If the clan asked him to take a concubine, would he agree?

If that concubine bore a child with Blood Manipulation while the main wife did not, leading to a potential child swap, how would he respond?

Yes, he might find it painful. He might resist such ideas.

But what if the main wife's family wielded considerable influence?

And to be more direct, he wasn't even the head of the clan yet.

Regardless of his true intentions, if he went down that path, what would Hayami, who still held hope for him, think? What would she feel?

By then, she might not even want to see him anymore. And we, as brothers, would find ourselves on opposing sides.

Akira admitted he was a selfish person.

When it came to things that didn't concern him, he was willing to respect different opinions and seek common ground. But when it involved his principles, he would not compromise, even if it meant hurting or fighting others.

"Gardevoir (What's wrong)?"

"What is it?" a gentle voice asked by his ear.

"Nothing much. Just that someone's not looking too promising," Akira replied in a low voice.

"Is it Noritoshi?" Maki asked, catching on. "What's wrong with him? Need me to give him another beating tomorrow?"

"This isn't the kind of problem that can be solved with a beating," Akira sighed. "He needs a wake-up call, and you're not the right person for that."

"After all, all I'm good at is punching and kicking." This kind of blunt honesty was their usual dynamic, which was also the standard for Tokyo's group interactions. "Who else can reason things out with him, besides you, Panda?"

"Panda doesn't have enough connections with him, so he might not listen," Akira admitted.

"Did someone call for me?" Panda's head popped up. As a cursed corpse, his hearing was far better than that of humans.

"No, we didn't," Akira and Maki replied in unison.

Panda acted as if he'd been struck down, sulking as he crouched on the ground. "Do you guys... not like me anymore?"

Akira, Maki, and Gardevoir were all speechless at this familiar scene. This was another part of Tokyo's daily life—Panda, who was always worried about being disliked, despite being well-loved. It was hard to tell if he was serious or just putting on a show.

Because—

"Pancham~ Pancham~" A shorter version of Panda came over to comfort him.

"Oh, little bro, you're the best." And that was the usual conclusion.

With the two pandas' antics, Akira's mood lifted a bit.

"Maybe this is what sibling relationships are all about. What do you think, Maki?"

He called her name but received no response.

When he looked over, he saw that Maki was also observing someone—her twin sister, Mai Zen'in.

Every family has its own struggles.