First Arrival in Tokyo, Heart Ablaze

Tokyo, Taito Ward, a completely ordinary, unremarkable three-bedroom apartment.

The three members of the Akesato family, Akemi, Akesato, and Gardevoir, gathered around the Oak dining table, raising their glasses together.

"To our new home, to our new life, cheers."

It had been about half a month since their late-night talk. Although they had decided to move to Tokyo, they had lived in the countryside for eight years. How to move, where exactly to move, and what procedures to follow all required careful research and planning.

Thanks to the popularization and development of the internet, otherwise, it wouldn't have been half a month, but a month or even longer.

After finally finding a satisfactory apartment and settling down, it was naturally time for a celebration. The three members of the Akesato family worked together to host a small home-cooked meal.

Akemi took charge of the cooking, Akesato did the chopping, and Gardevoir handled everything else.

It had to be said, Psychic was truly a great skill. It could be used for offense and defense in battle, and it was equally convenient in daily life.

Take washing vegetables, for example. Gardevoir could freely use Psychic to control the water flow, ensuring they were washed thoroughly, and it also served as a form of training.

While Akesato's "Pokémon Trainer System" could indeed show the Pokémon's level, reality was ultimately not a game. In games, you select moves and attack directly, but in reality, various factors had to be considered.

A kitchen knife was one thing in the hands of a professional chef and another entirely in the hands of a layman.

Therefore, from the moment Ralts was born, Akesato had been training his partner's control and micro-manipulation skills.

Of course, there was also the factor that there weren't as many wild Pokémon to battle in the countryside, so they had to rely on self-training.

The current Gardevoir was absolutely capable of gracing a hall, cooking in a kitchen, fighting on a battlefield, and... well, those who know, know.

Three hands, three glasses clinked together, making a crisp sound.

Akemi took a small sip, Gardevoir clinked her glasses with both hands and sipped daintily, while Akesato was the least refined, gulping down more than half and letting out a burp.

Seeing this, Akemi frowned slightly, "Mind your manners, you're not a child anymore."

"We're at home, there's no one else here," Akesato smiled, unconcerned.

Although she had left the Kamo family, Akemi still retained many of her habits from there. Akesato, on the other hand, was more influenced by the habits he developed in his previous life.

"Be careful, Little Sa might dislike you." Little Sa was Akemi's nickname for Gardevoir.

"Will you dislike me?"

Akesato asked Gardevoir, who shook her head vigorously, adding an extra syllable to her usual speech.

"Sa~ Sa~"

"Yoshi yoshi yoshi yoshi~"

Akesato also added a few extra sounds, skillfully stroking Gardevoir's head, causing her eyes to narrow into crescent moons.

"Why does it feel like you guys are getting along better now that you're sleeping in separate rooms?" Akemi muttered softly.

"It's like a spring. You can't see it when it's relaxed, but once it's compressed, the rebound will be even more intense."

Akari could feel Gardevoir sticking to him more than before, probably because they spent 8-10 fewer hours together each day.

If it weren't for the system stating Gardevoir's personality was "introverted," it wouldn't feel out of place to call her "lonely." Otherwise, he'd name her "Lena," though that name would be more fitting for the other evolutionary branch of Kirlia, Gallade.

"As long as you're happy," Akemi could only say.

If it were in the past, before leaving the Kamo family, she would have brought up rules like traditional etiquette. But now, she no longer clung to those things, only hoping her child would be alright.

Akari, Kamo Noriki, and even Gardevoir—she had always raised Gardevoir like a daughter.

Thus, Akari once again shouted, "Mom is the best!" Gardevoir obediently nudged her head forward. Akemi skillfully stroked her head and smiled, "Little Sa is so good... Don't worry, Mom won't bother you when you're interacting normally. I'll be going out to work during the day from now on."

"Why would you think that?" Akari felt a little strange.

The Kamo family had given them a severance package, ensuring the mother and son would have no worries about food and clothing. His mom hadn't worked in eight years, spending her days tending to flowers and plants, or practicing calligraphy and tea ceremony, cultivating herself to the extreme.

"Because this is Tokyo, not the countryside of Shikoku."

Once Akemi explained a little, Akari understood.

As the ancients said: Living in Tokyo is not easy.

The Tokyo the ancients spoke of referred to Bianjing, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty.

However, it applied equally well to modern-day Tokyo.

Whether it was ancient Tokyo or modern Tokyo, it was a capital city in the truest sense, an international metropolis.

With ample space, a large population, and prosperity, the cost of living was correspondingly high.

The Akesato mother and son lived in a two-story house in the mountains of Shikoku, with plenty of space to spread out. Upon arriving in Tokyo, they could only afford a three-bedroom apartment.

This expense alone consumed more than half of the severance pay.

The standard of "no worries about food and clothing for a lifetime" was applicable in the countryside, not in Tokyo.

It wasn't that the Kamo family couldn't afford it, but rather a form of indirect restraint and a subtle warning: You should just grow old in the countryside.

For the sake of survival, working was imperative.

"Ari, don't worry about Mom. Mom has a diploma from Kyoto University, so finding a job won't be difficult."

"Mom, aren't you a graduate of Jujutsu High? When did you go to Kyoto University?"

Kyoto University was Japan's top institution, on par with Tokyo University, and considered first-class worldwide. Countless students dreamed of attending, yet he had never heard his mom mention such a glorious past.

"That's a byproduct of graduating from Jujutsu High. For convenience in surface activities and as a livelihood guarantee after retirement due to injury or other reasons, graduates are assigned specialists who arrange for academic certificates and diplomas. Kyoto Jujutsu High defaults to Kyoto University, and Tokyo High School defaults to Tokyo University. If you want other diplomas, you can request them, and it's usually not a problem."

Hearing this, Akesato's hand trembled as he picked up food. A piece of tempura slipped, but Gardevoir, with its quick Psychic abilities, caught it and moved it into Akesato's bowl.

Akesato also picked up a piece for Gardevoir and couldn't help but sigh, "This kind of security is really good. It seems not all the higher-ups are useless."

Giving out top-tier diplomas might seem exaggerated, but upon closer thought, it's quite normal.

Jujutsu Sorcerers are constantly in short supply, and because it's a combat profession, the risks are high. Disabilities and deaths are common. If they don't offer enviable compensation and benefits, who would be willing to do it?

Don't let Akemi's gentle appearance fool you; she was probably quite wild in her youth.

It's not just talk that all Jujutsu Sorcerers are lunatics.

Although Akesato was curious about what kind of lunatic his mother, who embodied the Yamato Nadeshiko ideal, would be, as a son, he hoped he would never have to find out.

"With a Kyoto University diploma, finding a job is certainly not difficult. But Mom, you don't need to push yourself so hard. You can continue to tend to your flowers and plants, practice calligraphy, and drink tea. I'll handle the money-making. This is a man's responsibility. I promised to support you for the rest of my life."

As he said this, Akesato felt a bit fortunate to be in Japan, where the atmosphere of housewives is strong. Here, saying that men should work and women should do housework carries an inherent sense of righteousness, especially since his mother and he came from one of the Three Great Families.

If it were elsewhere, it would be a different story.

His mother was touched by her son's intentions but still shook her head.

"I know your intentions, but you're only sixteen. It's not too late to support me when you're an adult."

"It's not too late, but if I have the ability, the sooner the better. I've already made arrangements for earning money. Little Sa, please get my laptop."

"Sa~"

Gardevoir flicked its finger, and the laptop floated into the air.

Akesato skillfully opened the browser, navigated to the MF Light Novel Web Edition, and clicked on "Infinite Stratos," which ranked high on the charts.

"This is a light novel I wrote. Based on its popularity index, publication by a bunkobon publisher is not an issue. I've already completed the manuscripts for the first ten volumes, which is more than enough to last until I become an adult."

Akemi stopped eating and stared intently at the computer, confirming the website, author account, and work all matched. It was indeed her precious son.

"When did you do all this?"

"When I was in Shikoku. After all, I had nothing but time on my hands."

The so-called forbearance of Asura and the Dragon King was more like self-torment out of boredom.

True forbearance was about hiding one's talents and waiting for the right moment to act.

During his eight years in the countryside, and even when he was Kamo Noritsuna, Akesato had been secretly planning, already having a complete set of strategies.

The light novel was just the tip of the iceberg.

PS: Lena, it should actually be Raina, the male protagonist of "The Legend of the Legendary Heroes," who has half of the "Demon of Loneliness" buried within him, the "lonely one."