I'd be good with either! Just to keep things chronologically Neat for myself, if we wanted to have them do artifact-retrieval together, Akechi would tell her about his and Keith's experience so at least they wouldn't be going in unprepared.

Otherwise, I'm absolutely down for Akechi helping her fight! Without a sword or a Persona, his main strategy is to shoot them in the head and not get hit. He'll also be somewhat less pleasantly polite, considering a) combat and b) Ren is getting kidnapped, so he'll be out for blood lmao.