Mayumi froze.
She had been the one planning to step in.Hadn't Leon said he lacked the qualifications to be a proper sorcerer?Hadn't he promised to stay behind her and prioritize his own safety?
And yet, the child once labeled "untalented" had just crushed a near–first-grade curse with a single punch.
"Leon, you—"
He waved lightly toward Gardevoir, signaling that everything was under control, then turned back to his mother with a small smile.
"I didn't inherit a cursed technique," he said, "but I still have cursed energy. That's the foundation of everything, isn't it?"
Cursed Techniques were specialized expressions of cursed energy—but the raw energy itself could still be used. Reinforcing the body, enhancing strikes, channeling power directly into attacks—simple methods, but effective when trained long enough.
Back when he still lived within the Kamo estate, Leon had quietly learned the clan's physical reinforcement exercises. After leaving, he never stopped training. It had always been part of his long-term plan.
With Gardevoir at his side, he rarely needed to fight personally—but being too weak as a trainer could also become a liability. Some Pokémon, especially strong-willed ones, would refuse to obey trainers they considered incompetent. Leon had no intention of ever facing that situation.
Besides, physical strength was useful in every part of life. Work, survival, even simple enjoyment of daily living all depended on having a capable body.
Watching Leon stand calmly after delivering that devastating strike, Mayumi let out a slow breath.
"The Kamo family truly made a mistake letting you go."
Leon only smiled.
A mistake? Not really. Keeping distance from the clan had been the best outcome for everyone. As long as the sorcerer world continued valuing inherited techniques above all else, friction between him and the Kamo family would have been inevitable. Separation preserved both dignity and peace.
Nearby, Gardevoir finished eliminating the last remnants of the curse swarm. A faint glow pulsed around her as the Trainer System quietly registered her growth—another small step closer to the next level.
Leon crouched and picked up something glittering among the cracks left by his earlier strike.
Mayumi leaned closer. "What is that? Something for Gardevoir?"
"Not exactly," Leon said, examining the shard thoughtfully. "But it's valuable."
The interface only he could see displayed a message:
Z-Crystal Fragment (Fire)
A fragment alone wasn't enough to activate anything yet, but its presence confirmed something important: advanced Pokémon battle mechanics existed in this world as well. If Z-Moves were real, then other phenomena—Mega Evolution, Dynamax—might also exist.
If all those systems could eventually be combined…
Leon's eyes lit with anticipation.
"We're heading home," he said, straightening. "Tokyo really does live up to its reputation."
He took Gardevoir's hand, both of them energized by the night's results, and began walking back along the embankment. Behind them, Mayumi dispelled the barrier and followed with a quiet smile. Her son and daughter were already stronger than she had imagined—an unexpected surprise, but also a source of deep pride.
What none of them realized was that only minutes after they left, another group arrived at the shrine.
Three figures stepped onto the embankment: a tall panda-shaped being, a girl with a high ponytail carrying a long weapon, and a short boy with distinctive markings around his mouth.
The panda sniffed the air. "Something's off. The curse presence is almost gone. I can still smell a Curtain, though."
"So someone beat us to it?" the ponytailed girl said, raising an eyebrow.
The shorter boy pointed toward the cracked pavement. "Salmon."
The girl hopped down beside the fracture, studying it carefully. "Definitely done by a person. Either a blunt weapon… or a bare fist. Whoever did this is strong."
"No curses left," the panda added. "What now?"
"What else? We call that useless teacher and complain."
She pulled out her phone and dialed.
A cheerful voice answered immediately. "Hi~ Hi~ Your favorite teacher Gojo here. Let me guess—did the Yoshihara Shrine curse mutate, and now you need the great Gojo Satoru to save the day?"
"No," the girl said flatly, holding the phone away from her ear.
"So you already knew something was wrong with the mission?" the panda asked.
"Not at all," the voice replied casually. "I just guessed based on how incompetent the higher-ups can be."
The girl snorted. "Then you guessed wrong. Someone already cleared the entire area before we arrived."
A brief pause followed.
"…Really?" Gojo said. "That assignment was supposed to be under my jurisdiction."
"You mean you dumped your own mission on us," she shot back.
"I requested it for you as training. That's the kindness of a loving teacher."
"Go to hell."
"Already did. Came back."
The girl rolled her eyes. "We're staying to investigate. This was our first independent mission—we're not walking away empty-handed."
The panda nodded. The short boy added, "Salmon."
"…Fine," Gojo said after a moment. "Be careful. If anything unusual happens, call me immediately."
The call ended.
The girl slipped her phone away and stared down the direction Leon had gone, a faint grin forming on her face.
"Whoever you are," she murmured, "we'll find you."