Idealism is often full and lofty, but reality is far from it.
Despite Akira's hope that three days plus one extra day (four days in total) would be enough to hatch the third Pokémon, things didn't go as expected.
For four days, he cradled the egg, sleeping with it, yet there wasn't even the slightest movement.
In fact, it couldn't even be called an egg.
It was more like a mass composed of black and white, surrounded by a unique energy that resembled black flames or black mist.
If not for the system explicitly indicating otherwise, Akira would have thought it was a "Cursed Womb"—a cursed spirit embryo.
It was clear that anything obtained from a Special Grade Cursed Spirit's essence would be out of the ordinary.
The way this egg existed was different from his previous two Pokémon eggs. It could exist both in a solid and an ethereal form, meaning Akira could carry it with him at all times.
What kind of Pokémon could possibly emerge from such an extraordinary egg?
If he were to align it with Rika's level, could it be a pseudo-legendary? A mythical Pokémon? Surely it couldn't be a deity?
The thought amused Akira, making him laugh at himself.
Regardless of what it was, Akira was determined to raise it well, adhering to the "Trainer of Trainers" standard.
Before that, Akira had to honor his agreement with Gojo Satoru. He had to go meet someone—a reliable adult man.
A cup of coffee, a newspaper, and a crisp white suit without a single crease.
A neatly tied necktie, golden hair combed perfectly in place, and aside from the gadget on his nose—whether it was a scanner or sunglasses—it was like seeing a Wall Street elite, handling million-dollar deals by the minute.
As soon as he saw Akira, the man stood up to greet him, with none of the usual Japanese formalities of seniority and rank:
"You're Akira? I'm Nanami Kento. Pleased to meet you."
"Pleased to meet you."
Akira bowed slightly, feeling as if he had stepped back into his past life in the corporate world.
However, Nanami's next reaction wasn't so corporate-like.
"What exactly was that guy thinking? Learning 'Black Flash' is one thing, but why send such a young kid to face Curse Users?"
Akira pondered for a moment before replying, "Maybe he thinks we're reliable? Nanami-san, and me."
"No, maybe he's just lazy." Nanami shook his head seriously. "Akira, how did Gojo introduce me?"
"Nanami Kento, twenty-seven years old, lives in Tokyo, unmarried. Formerly a regular employee at a securities firm, often working overtime until 8 PM. Doesn't smoke, only drinks occasionally. Goes to bed at 11 PM, ensuring eight full hours of sleep each night. Before sleeping, drinks a glass of warm milk and does twenty minutes of stretches. Once in bed, he falls asleep instantly and sleeps soundly until morning. He never carries fatigue or stress into the next day. Even his doctor says he's in perfect health..."
That was Gojo Satoru's exact wording. Akira knew Gojo was referencing something, though it flew over Nanami's head, being more grounded in reality.
Nanami frowned, correcting him, "I don't do stretches, and back when I worked, I didn't stop at 8 PM, but that's not important. What is important is this: work is trash! Overtime is trash!"
In the most serious tone, in the most refined attire, Nanami spoke the most relatable truth.
Akira almost applauded; it was a legendary moment. Nanami had voiced what every working person felt.
Nanami, unaware of Akira's internal amusement, continued, "So, no matter what Gojo thinks, working with me will be strictly from 9 AM to 6 PM. Absolutely no overtime."
"Sounds a lot like regular work," Akira muttered under his breath.
"Exactly. During my brief time at Jujutsu High, I realized being a jujutsu sorcerer is trash! Since it's all trash, I might as well stick with what I'm used to. That's why I came back. Don't mistake me for having the same mindset as Gojo. I trust him, I rely on him, but I don't respect him!"
Second and third iconic moments, secured. It was a shame Nanami wasn't a godlike character like DIO-sama. If he had been, he would've realized the limits of jujutsu sorcerers and surpassed them entirely.
"In short, Akira, let's tackle this trash job together. I hope you're not as trash as the job."
"If you're comparing me to Gojo, I'm pretty confident. First, I'm never late. Second, I don't mess with people for fun."
"That's the bare minimum for a decent person. Please don't use Gojo as a standard." Despite his words, Nanami nodded approvingly.
Akira smiled slightly. Tough on the outside, soft on the inside—that was Nanami Kento's true nature.
"I understand. So, what's next?"
"I originally wanted to spend one or two days training you to adapt, but we've received an urgent notice, so we'll be teaching you as we go. This happens often in the jujutsu world, and it's the worst part of this job."
"That's fine. Without a worthy opponent, there's no point in using 'Black Flash' anyway."
Hearing this, Nanami's expression darkened.
"Akira, our opponents this time aren't cursed spirits; they're Curse Users—humans. Don't take this lightly. A human's mind and the weight of a human life are entirely different from a cursed spirit. Be prepared."
"Yes, Nanami-san."
Akira knew Nanami was looking out for him. However, Nanami didn't realize that Akira's mental age was much older, and he had long since prepared himself, both for fighting humans and taking lives.
If he couldn't cross that line, he wouldn't be standing here, much less entering the jujutsu world.
"It's not for my sake. It's for your own. In the end, whatever happens to you doesn't affect me."
Akira's smile didn't fade. If Nanami truly didn't care, he wouldn't even need to say it. In a high-risk job like being a jujutsu sorcerer, death was almost expected.
So, Nanami, the hard-working king, you're doing well, really well!
The only regret was that this reliable adult man had everything except Pokémon or Trainer-related abilities. Maybe that's just how life is—nobody's perfect. Even Gojo Satoru, who excels in almost everything, has a terrible personality.
"So, who are we facing? Gojo didn't give me any details about the mission."
"Of course he didn't. That's typical of him." Nanami's expression didn't change. "We're up against the Curse User group, Q."
"What a simple name."
Given Japan's penchant for overly dramatic names, Akira would have expected something like the "True Justice of Curses Sect."
"A name is just a label. This Curse User group is quite formidable. Have you heard of Master Tengen? Their goal is to cause Master Tengen to go berserk and overthrow the entire jujutsu world."
"With such a 'grand' goal, are just the two of us enough?"
"At their peak, of course not. But Q was destroyed once, ten years ago. This time, it's just their remnants."
Hearing that, Akira recalled the background of the Star Plasma Vessel incident—crushed by two Special Grade sorcerers.
Time can bury many things, but it can also cause many things to resurface, like a cycle.
Tengen "-sama", huh?
Akira narrowed his eyes, his expression leaving Nanami unable to read his thoughts.