Chapter 13: Hunt (Part 2)

As Ren’s body moved through the jungle, the sound of running eater became more and more distinct and clear.

The thirst that he was feeling seemed to grow.

His desire for water ran rampant inside of his mind.

He could see the trees around him getting lusher and the vegetation on the forest floor growing thicker.

‘There is definitely water here…’

Ren’s body sped up.

The sound of the water increased exponentially with every slither he took.

Eventually, Ren reached a clearing.

From the tree line of the forest, he observed the situation.

He did not let his desire for water get in the way of everything that he had learnt. This world was a bloody, cruel game of survival.

The trees gave way to a treeless space around 5 to 6 meters wide.

It was a typical river of water, a few meters wide.

Pebbles lined the water’s edge gradually disappearing the further one got away from the river.

What drew Ren’s eyes was the clarity of the water.

‘It’s so clear…’

His memories told him that clear water was the safest and tastiest to drink. He did not care about safety. He was a snake. He was biologically equipped to deal with contaminated water. What he cared about was the taste of the water.

On the opposite side of the river, he could see another line of trees.

Ren observed the trees closely.

‘No… why is this…?’

Ren noticed some differences.

The trees were bigger on the other side of the riverbank. It was not a small difference in size that could be brushed away as some type of feeling. No… it was a clear disparity in size. The trees on the opposite side of the tree trunk were more than a few meters taller.

Even Ren, a short, ground slithering Ekans could see the difference.

The trunks of trees were thicker, their bark a deeper shade of brown.

Ren did not dwell on this any longer.

It was not the time to be wondering about some ecological difference. He had neither the strength nor time to go and explore the reason for this difference.

It was time to drink.

He had observed the clearing for long enough.

There were no monsters within sight. No monsters came to drink water.

‘They probably all gather further downstream or near the source where this water gathers…’ Ren concluded.

Ren’s body slowly moved to towards the banks of the river.

He could feel the wet cold surface of the pebbles against the bottom of his body.

He kept alert, putting his utmost focus onto his own senses.

Ren’s body tensed.

He could smell it.

Blood.

Ren carefully observed the pebbles around him.

His eyes zoned in.

About four meters from his current position near the edge of the water, he could see it.

Blood stains. Droplets of blood about as large as raindrop were scattered on the pebbles.

‘There was a fight here…’ Ren concluded.

His head turned frantically to the sides, looking for any Pokémon.

He did not see any.

The sound of water flowing across rocks and the occasional loud roars in the distance.

Paranoid thoughts began to enter his mind.

‘No… calm yourself Ren!’

Ren circulated his breathing technique. Almost instantly, his mind felt a little calmer.

‘There was probably a battle here…’ Ren reached a simple conclusion.

‘It has nothing to do with me…’

Ren slithered to the water’s edge a few meters away from the bloodstains.

He observed the river water.

He could see leaves and twigs flowing down the current of the river.

His eyes pierced the water surface and into its depths.

Just pebbles.

There were no hidden fish Pokémon.

Just pebbles. The same pebbles that he wound on the riverbank.

‘See there’s nothing to worry about…’ Ren thought comforting himself.

His body remained tense.

His senses were working at full capacity. His heart beat rapidly in his body, conducting blood and energy around his body.

Energy slowly gathered on his tail ready for an attack.

He quickly dipped his head and took a quick gulp of the water before raising his head again.

The pure and refreshing spring water flowed down his throat, revitalizing his dry body.

‘It’s good…’

Ren observed the river again.

Twigs and leaves were carried by the current. He even witnessed a few small logs passing him.

‘Hmmm… a Lili pad…?’

Ren caught sight of a small Lili Pad no larger than a common plate flowing down the river, parallel to the riverbank.

‘Nothing odd…’

Once again, he dipped his head down and started to drink.

After a few gulps, he raised his head again.

The Lilli pad was now in front of him.

Ren’s body slithered backwards unconsciously.

It did not continue down the river.

It remained in place.

‘Wha-‘

The water exploded!

Water sprouted in the air, sprinkling down on the ground like rain.

Out of the torrent of water came a Pokémon.

Like a torpedo, it came after Ren. Its wide-open jaws filled with layers of white teeth.

Ren’s tense body was ready.

The energy that he had prepared on his tail activated.

The red aura surged.

His tail struck the ground at a weird angle.

[Acceleration: Quick movement]

His skill activated.

Ren’s body did not spring forward. It sprung back!

He landed a few meters away.

The Lili pad Pokémon did not experience the sweet taste of flesh that it expected. Rather it felt the taste of pebbles against his tongue.

It took a few seconds for it to understand.

It had failed!

Ren stared at the fallen Pokémon.

His body started shaking.

He had been a fingers length away from dying.

His eyes turned to the Pokémon.

A stubby blue-skinned creature stared back. In its bill like mouth were sharp, white teeth. Six stubby legs supported its large round body.

Its eyes were wide like an owl. A hungry owl.

The most eye-catching feature of the creature was the Lili-pad on its back.

Ren combed through his memories of Pokémon, trying to identify its species.

‘A Lotad,’ Ren identified.

[Ding! Criteria has been met. Knowledge of Pokémon is sufficient. Energy control and concentration is sufficient. Wisdom is sufficient. Pokémon Appraisal acquired.]

[Target: Lotad can provide four bioenergy points]

The system’s monotone voice rang out in his head waking him up from his thoughts.

‘What does this do…?’

Ren immediately activated the skill.

Aura immediately traveled to his eyes.

His stilt like pupils took on a red tinge.

[Pokémon Appraisal]

A screen appeared in the corner of his vision.

Species: Lotad

Potential: Blue (low)

Level: 1/5

He was shocked!

'Fuck...'

He could see a brief status of the Lotad. More than that, it was a blue tier Pokémon.

‘Why the hell did my level up take so long…?’

Ren knew that he could run. The risks were high.

Still, Ren wanted to fight.

‘I’ve been itching to test out my skills…’

Since the last time he had fought against the Charmander, he had improved himself immensely.

From his new [Spirit manipulation] skill to his experience with the Scyther. 

Was he good enough to defeat it with his current abilities?

This was the type of opponent that he could truly test himself with!

‘Besides… I haven’t forgiven you for nearly killing me!’

He could not keep on running.

That was not a long-term solution.

In this dog, eat dog world where only the fittest survive, he had to fight and level up.

Ren was determined.

Red aura began to condense around his body.

The Lotad slowly raised itself of the ground.

The humiliation of its loss made its blood boil with anger.

Over the last 2 days, it had ambushed and hunted many Pokémon.

It was superior.

The very thought of its prey escaping disgusted it.

It wanted to kill!

*Roar*

The Lotad’s roar resounded out.

As if sensing its determination, green aura began to slowly congeal on the Lotad’s body.

The green aura concentrated itself on the Lotad’s legs.

Slowly the green aura became more and more condensed.

[Charge]

The Lotad’s body charged across the pebbles. Its six legs were working in conjunction. Like a train, its body accelerated at Ren.

Energy gathered on its jaws.

It was preparing to use [bite].

Ren clamed himself down.

He entered a state of absolute concentration.

He channeled his spirit into his tail.

Pure red aura began to congeal around his tail.

The Lotad rapidly approached him. Its charge continued to accelerate.

‘Not yet…’

The Lotad drew closer.

Three meters…two meters.

‘Now!’

He smashed his tail onto the ground.

[Acceleration: Small Quick movement]

Ren leaped to the side.

The Lotad charged past him, carried by its momentum.

Midair, Ren prepared another skill. Red aura once again gathered on his tail.

[Acceleration: Quick movement]

Once he hit the ground about one meter from his starting point, he activated [Acceleration] once again.

He had used continuous acceleration!

It would not have been possible without the newfound mastery of spirit that he had gained through his skill [Spirit manipulation].

Ren’s body accelerated towards the back of the Lotad.

The wind brushed past his ear.

Three meters… Two meters… One meter,

Red aura concentrated on his jaws.

Noticing that it had not clashed with the snake, the Lotad begun slowing down.

‘Perfect’ Ren thought.

Ren’s jaws pierced into the leg of the Lotad.

He could feel its flesh against his tongue. It was a divine taste.

Ren’s jaws locked on. He wanted to fully pierce through its leg!

‘RoooooAAAARRRRRRR!’ The Lotad screamed in pain.

The Lotad began to wildly shake its body.

Ren’s body swung from side to side.

His fangs continued to pierce deeper and deeper into the Lotad’s skin.

[Poison Sting]

A purple rash began to slowly spread from the location that Ren’s fangs had pierced the Lotad’s skin.

The skill percentage of poison sting was gradually increasing!

Sensing the danger, the Lotad green aura wildly surged.

The Lotad instinctively knew… if it lost its leg, it would lose. It would not be able to use [Charge] against the snake. Without [Charge] its [Bite] would no longer be effective.

The snake would easily dodge it.

It needed to protect its leg at all costs!

It needed more durability.

More strength!

It had to stop the snake’s fangs from piercing deeper.

But how would it do this?

The snake’s fangs pierced deeper and deeper into its leg.

It screamed out in pain.

This inferior Pokémon… this lowly common snake dared to injure it.

Its wildly surging green aura began to calm itself.

All this time, it had use aura to cover his outer body. What it needed to do was to integrate its aura with its flesh!

It slowly condensed its green aura.

The green aura moved into its body. It travelled through the bloodstream towards the injured leg.

The green aura began moving into the muscle cells around the injury.

Integration.

Its cells were surrounded by a green luster.

The Lotad’s racial skill activated.

[Iron Defense!]

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