If Akira's hunch was right, could the Ainu clan's mysterious power stem from Pokémon DNA too?
Sure, jujutsu and cursed spirits share a root—curses born from negative vibes, that's the consensus. But Pokémon legends linger too—Pokémon jutsu isn't out of the question.
They're just rarer and more cryptic than cursed spirits, so samples are scarce.
And the jujutsu world's old-school clan mentality doesn't help—"Study my family's technique? What if you use it against me later? No way!"
Plus, the Ainu and Yamato clans have beef going way back.
Akira's mind drifted to the Bear Priestesses under the Sacred Mountain.
At first, their bond with bears just screamed Trainer and Pokémon. What if that was their origin?
Even if the Ainu never became full-on Pokémon Trainers, they might've drawn inspiration from Unown.
Their bears might not match legit Pokémon, but they slug it out with cursed spirits and sorcerers—hardly pushovers.
Still, exploring this underwater cave threw Akira some curveballs.
First off, it was huge—way bigger than Tapu Fini's digs on Poni Island.
Time had worn it down, but it held up well, with clear signs of long-term human habitation. Yet, Akira couldn't figure out its purpose.
Early on, the beefy auto-doors and next-level 3D projectors screamed "research lab."
But trekking deeper, opening doors, he found no more high-tech goodies—just a stronger "lived-in" vibe.
Beds, tables, chairs—lots of them.
He tested them—sat, touched—and hit a snag.
Too cramped. Beds and chairs too hard. Personal space worse than a Beijing basement dweller, a Shanghai shoeboxer, or Tokyo's famed "net café tribe."
For human living? Brutally inhumane.
If this was a lab, the researchers must've been zen as heck not to riot.
Plenty of empty rooms around—why squeeze in so tight?
Or… did those empty rooms once hold something, now gone?
The penny dropped when Pignite zipped past, crackling with excess juice.
Rolling with sparks was its overflow vent—unique flair. But it'd been balanced before entering, not primed to zap around. Something must've jazzed it up.
Akira bolted after it, spotting green crumbs on Pignite's mouth.
He rubbed them—gritty, like matcha powder.
Sniffed—nothing distinct.
Finally, licked it.
Not some weird foodie awakening—daring to taste anything fearlessly. No, Pignite showed no bad reactions beyond energy spikes, and with Reverse Technique, Akira could break down toxins.
The taste proved it wasn't nasty.
First vibe: compressed biscuits or chocolate bars—starving folk staples. But chewing deeper, it hinted at something extra, faintly boosting mental and cursed energy.
Subtle, easy to miss—especially from scant crumbs.
These weren't ordinary crumbs.
Paired with those Sacred Beast holograms, Akira'd believe they were mythical elixirs.
Most legends start like that, right?
Tough as nails, he slapped Pignite to a stop. "Where'd you snag this stuff?"
"Maru maru maru~" Pignite flipped, rolling back to an unvisited room.
Exploration had taken hours—no threats so far. To speed up, Akira had ditched follow mode, letting his Pokémon roam within range.
First find went to the zippiest, energy-sensitive Pignite.
It barreled into a corner, crashing out a half-gone box.
Green crumbs dusted the edges, with a wet smear dead center.
If memory served, Pignite's half-tongue swipe could do that.
"Buddy, you're not just a power-plant thief—you're a greedy foodie too."
Pignite caught the jab, stuck out its tongue, and grinned—arc matching Gojo's to a T.
Akira couldn't resist bonking its round head. "Learn the good stuff, not the bad!"
"Maru~ (I learn good!)" it protested, zapping a small bolt to blast the box's other side, revealing a clear container wedged in.
Rectangular, palm-high, roughly square base, split into tiny cubes by dividers—each holding more green powder.
Unlike the fine outer dust, these were chunkier, sharp-edged crystals, likely sealed tighter.
Seeing them, Akira clocked what he'd tasted.
Psychic Crystal Green Cube (X)
Poké (Energy) Block (√)
In games, they boost friendship or contest stats—key for Grand Festivals. In the anime, Pokémon's fave chow, made from unique berries via high-tech gizmos.
Higher craft, better blocks, pricier goods—rare and hot in the Pokémon world.
Akira once mused: if he crossed to that world, mastering Poké Blocks would be step one. Top-tier blocks? No Pokémon could resist.
And this underwater site's purpose clicked.
Spacious rooms with Poké Block traces, cramped living quarters, dense 3D projectors, Unown guardians, and surveillance tech.
It all pointed one way.
Not a lab, barracks, or dorm.
A shelter!