"The Jujutsu Alliance has important matters to discuss with me and has invited me to Kyoto. Is that the gist of it?"
In the reception room of Tokyo Jujutsu High, Akira looked at the envoy who had come all the way from Kyoto with a half-smile.
To be fair, the envoy had a decent appearance.
Thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a well-proportioned face—the kind that wouldn't betray the revolution at first glance.
His attire was similar to Ijichi Kiyotaka's: a suit and tie, the most common salaryman outfit.
However, his style was much more refined. Akira didn't know many luxury brands, but he could recognize Armani and Vacheron Constantin.
His demeanor was also unlike Ijichi's cautious and submissive attitude. He was more confident, even bordering on superiority.
"Exactly as you said, Akira. If you have no other arrangements, we can leave now."
Akira wasn't surprised by this.
Not everyone was unlucky enough to have a boss as eccentric as Gojo Satoru.
The Jujutsu Alliance, as the official organization of Japan's jujutsu world, had unified the jujutsu community for many years. Envoys representing the Alliance were like imperial envoys sent by the central government—when they arrived in the provinces, they naturally held higher authority.
The envoy's current demeanor was likely restrained. If he weren't facing a Special Grade sorcerer—one who had beaten Zenin Naoya and Kamo Noritoshi and was known for having a bad temper—he might have acted even more arrogantly.
However, Akira didn't let his guard down just because the envoy was polite. He first pretended to sip his tea, moistening his throat, before leisurely replying, "Now? So urgent?"
"Yes, because it concerns the future development of the jujutsu world."
"But I'm currently tied up."
"What's keeping you busy?"
"Of course, it's taking care of the kids. As you can see, these baby Pokémon are all quite a handful. Even when I'm watching them all day, they still cause trouble everywhere. If I'm not around, who knows what chaos they'll cause?" Akira said with an apologetic expression.
"That is indeed a problem, but I've noticed that the others at Tokyo Jujutsu High are quite skilled at taking care of Pokémon. It shouldn't be an issue for a short period. If necessary, we can also send specialists to assist."
The envoy's words were reasonable and well-founded, but Akira still shook his head.
"Your people probably won't work."
"Why not?"
"Because you haven't seen the destructive power of Pokémon when they get rowdy. They—"
Before he could finish, two large black-and-white figures rushed in. One of them said:
"B-bad news! The cars in the parking lot have been chewed up."
The envoy was instantly dumbfounded. If he remembered correctly, there was only one car in the parking lot—the one he had driven from Kyoto.
Chewed up?
Akira stood up abruptly: "Was it Larvitar?"
"Who else could it be?"
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
As they spoke, Akira and the two Pandas hurried off.
"Wait for me, I'm coming too!" The envoy quickly followed.
When they arrived at the parking lot, sure enough, his high-end Toyota had fallen victim.
One side of the car, including the two doors and the trunk, was covered in irregular bite marks. A small gray-green creature crawled out from under the car, holding a metal part it had somehow gotten its hands on, crunching on it.
Perhaps finding the taste unpleasant, it chewed a few times before spitting it out, then turned its attention to the wheel hub.
This time, it seemed to like the taste, and in no time, it had eaten most of the hub.
The robust envoy had never seen anything like this. He stared for a while before turning to Akira with a dry expression: "A-Akira, what is this…?"
"This Pokémon is quite special. Not only does it have a huge appetite, but it also loves eating rocks and metal. We have to keep the kitchen knives out of its reach, or it'll steal them at any moment," Akira explained helplessly, his face innocent.
"Hasn't anyone tried to stop it?"
"Take a look at its teeth, and then think about where all the metal it eats goes."
The envoy fell silent.
He had initially thought about trying to stop it, but now he figured it was better not to. His small frame wouldn't withstand those steel teeth that could bite through metal car doors.
Before he could gather his thoughts, a plume of smoke rose in the distance.
Panda sniffed the air, then climbed a nearby tree and looked into the distance: "Growlithe accidentally set the forest on fire. Inumaki and Maki are busy putting it out."
The envoy: "…"
"As you can see, we really can't leave right now. The control over Pokémon isn't as strong as over cursed spirits. I need to slowly train them to make them obedient. This is the most critical time."
"But… but the Alliance's matter is truly important. It concerns the future of the jujutsu world." The envoy emphasized the last few words.
"Since it's so important, I have a proposal that could satisfy both sides. How about holding the meeting at Tokyo Jujutsu High?"
Akira's expression was sincere, as if he were genuinely considering their best interests.
"How can that be?"
"Why not? If it's truly so important, shouldn't we start as soon as possible? Tokyo Jujutsu High is also an important part of the Jujutsu Alliance. We have all the necessary facilities, the protection of Tengen-sama's barrier, and two Special Grade sorcerers—me and Yuuta. Even if Gojo-sensei is away on a mission, no one would dare cause trouble here. Don't you agree?"
"This…"
"Or is it that the so-called importance isn't actually that important?"
"Absolutely not!" The envoy shook his head like a rattle drum. He wouldn't dare let Akira pin such a label on him.
"By the way, I have another question. Since this is about the future of the jujutsu world, why only invite me? Gojo-sensei, Yuuta, and I are all Special Grade sorcerers. Besides, there are also the Grade 1 sorcerers who form the backbone of the jujutsu world. Isn't this inappropriate?
If it's about Pokémon, why not bring Yuki? She's also very knowledgeable about Pokémon."
"Well… Yuki-san has always been a lone wolf, operating outside the Jujutsu Alliance. We can't contact her."
"I can contact her." Akira took out his phone and showed his contact list. "We exchanged contact information when we were in Kyoto."
The envoy was dumbfounded again.
Even this? This conversation was impossible.
Helpless, he could only say, "I can't make this decision on my own."
"Sorry, I didn't mean to target you. Please relay this to your superiors. I'll wait at the school for their response, hoping for a good outcome."
Akira's performance was impeccable, giving the envoy enough face. Even a professional diplomat couldn't find fault with it. The envoy could only say:
"Please wait a moment, Akira. I'll report this to my superiors immediately."
"Let me call you a car."
With the wheel hub chewed up by Larvitar, the car was undrivable.
After calling the newly appointed supervisor, Nitta, to pick up the envoy, Akira returned to the reception room.
By then, Hayami, Zenin Maki, Yuuta, Panda, and Inumaki Toge had all gathered.
Akira asked, "What do you think?"
Panda snorted, "There are too many suspicious points. This matter is definitely fishy."