Chapter 3
12:17 AM – Crimson Reef Island, Forest Edge
...
When Jayden and Nincada reacted, they saw a light purple Pokémon in front of them—and the wild rabbit was behind it.
The Rattata bared its fangs and brandished its claws as if declaring the rabbit's sovereignty. One had to know that for this wild rabbit, it had spent considerable effort chasing it out of the bushes. It didn't expect that when it finally emerged, it would see its prey killed by this creature in front of it. Fortunately, it had sharp eyes and fast reflexes, snatching the prize away.
[CIPHER SCAN INITIATED...]
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Pokémon: Rattata (Red)
Gender: Male
Level: 10
Type: Normal
Ability: Run Away (Ensures escape from wild Pokémon)
Held Item: None
Inherited Skills: None
Basic Skills:
Tackle (Power = 40, Normal, Physical)
Tail Whip (Power = 0, Normal, Status, Lowers Defense)
Quick Attack (Power = 40, Normal, Physical, +1 Priority)
Focus Energy (Power = 0, Normal, Status, Increases critical-hit ratio)
Bite (Power = 60, Dark, Physical)
Taught Skills: None
TM Skills: None
...
The Pokémon that appeared in front of Jayden and Nincada was this Rattata. The speed technique that had just snatched the rabbit was the Quick Attack move.
"Nin! Nincada!" , Seeing that the dinner it had just helped kill had been stolen, Nincada naturally wouldn't show any weakness. It chittered at the Rattata in an imposing manner, its claws scraping against the ground threateningly. If it wasn't for Jayden beside it, the Bug/Ground-type probably would have attacked in anger.
The red aptitude Rattata was almost the most common existence on Crimson Reef Island. Although it was two levels higher than Nincada, the difference in strength couldn't be completely reflected by levels alone.
"Since you took the initiative to come out, then I'll let you be Nincada's first real opponent," Jayden said expressionlessly. Actually, when the rabbit had suddenly appeared, he'd had a certain suspicion. Otherwise, the rabbit wouldn't have been stupid enough to jump out of the bushes to become food instead of hiding.
...
"Nincada, use Harden!", With Jayden's order, a faint metallic sheen appeared across Nincada's carapace, making its defense significantly tougher. Harden increased the user's Defense stat.
The corner of Jayden's mouth twitched slightly. Reality was different from the game. There was no such thing as turn-based attacks. As long as you were prepared and positioned correctly, you could dominate the battle. Nincada's Compound Eyes ability gave it exceptional accuracy, and with proper preparation, even the Rattata, which was known for speed, could be outmaneuvered.
"Now, Scratch attack!" A cold voice came from Jayden's mouth. The first law of the jungle was that the strong preyed on the weak. The strong would not show mercy just because you were weak.
Nincada lunged forward, its hardened claws glowing with a faint white light. The darkness of the night provided additional cover for its movements. Before Rattata could properly react, the sharp claws struck its body.
"Squeak!!" It cried out in pain. Only now did Rattata realize that the Pokémon in front of it—whose gray body blended into the shadows—was not someone it could provoke. It quickly turned around and prepared to escape.
"Nincada, Mud-Slap!" Knowing that this Rattata had the Run Away ability, Jayden naturally wouldn't let it flee so easily. Nincada kicked up a spray of wet mud from the ground, flinging it directly into Rattata's face. The Normal-type, who had just received damage and had yet to recover, found its vision immediately obscured by the muddy attack. It was already timid, and now it suddenly didn't know which way to run.
...
Mud-Slap: Using mud to attack and obscure the opponent's vision, lowering their accuracy. In reality, if timed correctly, it could completely disorient a fleeing target.
Of course, in reality, as long as moves were chained properly, the effectiveness was far higher than simple game mechanics suggested. This Rattata in front of him was the first to experience it—and it wouldn't be the last.
"Follow up! Scratch continuously!" Jayden, who was in battle mode, did not have a trace of emotion showing on his face. As long as it was an enemy, no matter how weak they appeared, he could not underestimate them. The second law of the jungle: Don't be merciful because the opponent is weak, because you never know what is hiding behind them.
After another flurry of attacks, Rattata lost its ability to fight and collapsed on the ground. Nincada prepared to back off.
"Continue." However, Jayden's cold voice sounded again. That kind of coldness was like swallowing a piece of ice, chilling from the inside out.
Nincada hesitated, its antennae twitching as it glanced at Jayden and then at the Rattata lying motionless on the ground. A trace of reluctance flashed through its compound eyes, but then it hardened its resolve. The sharp claws struck again until Rattata completely lost its vitality.
...
A trace of gentleness appeared in Jayden's eyes, but it was quickly hidden away. On this man-eating Crimson Reef Island, he definitely could not afford to be merciful. Even the weakest enemy could not be underestimated. Nincada did not disappoint him. Although it had been slightly hesitant, Jayden expressed his understanding since it was the Pokémon's first kill.
Only by killing here would one be able to gain a foothold in Team Rocket. The red of blood was the most frightening color. This was a principle that Jayden had only completely understood after several brutal years in his previous life. Now, he needed to instill that same understanding in his partner.
If he wanted to live : kill. That's right. Kill a bloody path forward.
Silently picking up the wild rabbit, Nincada skittered alongside Jayden's feet as they continued deeper into the forest. The tacit understanding between trainer and Pokémon was gradually forming.
...
1:23 AM – Makeshift Camp
...
"Sizzle... Sizzle..."
Drops of golden oil slid down from the roasted wild rabbit and dripped into the fire, making tantalizing sounds. Although there was no seasoning, the wild rabbit's meat was originally plump and flavorful. Even without any spices, the fragrance of the roasted meat gradually spread through the small clearing.
Nincada stood on the ground near the fire, its compound eyes fixed intently on the roasted meat in front of it. It had never smelled such a tempting aroma before. Its desire to eat made its antennae twitch with anticipation.
Jayden, who was sitting nearby tending the fire, looked at the impatient Nincada and allowed himself a small smile. "It's almost done. Don't worry."
Not long after, the roasted meat was fully cooked. He tore off a hind leg for himself—just enough to sustain his malnourished frame—and left the rest for Nincada. The good ecological environment of the island had caused the rabbit to be fatter than expected. It was more than enough for his small partner.
"Nin... nincada!" The Bug/Ground-type eagerly devoured the meat, its mandibles working efficiently.
It was as if a warm current had appeared in Jayden's body. Finally, after eating actual meat, his depleted frame slowly gained a bit of strength back.
Jayden let out a long sigh as he watched Nincada methodically consume the wild rabbit. His depleted body needed to be slowly replenished. Similarly, Nincada also needed to recover from its malnourishment. If he wanted to speed up the process, he would need to use various herbs, berries, and specialized nutrition formulas.
...
"CIPHER, search for energy cube formulas that can quickly recover depleted bodies and restore Pokémon potential," Jayden mentally commanded.
[CIPHER SEARCHING DATABASE...]
[CROSS-REFERENCING NUTRITIONAL PROFILES...]
[FILTERING BY AVAILABLE RESOURCES ON CRIMSON REEF ISLAND...]
That's right—energy cubes! One of the most valuable skills of a Pokémon trainer. As the user of CIPHER, how could he not make full use of it? In his previous life, Jayden had been an outstanding energy cube creator. It was just that he had never taken a formal certification test with the Alliance. Creating energy cubes was precisely what he excelled at.
Creating high-quality energy cubes required control down to one-thousandth of a gram of material and timing precision to one-thousandth of a millisecond. Ordinary trainers might only be able to grasp this level of control through years of experience, and the quality of the energy cubes they created would often vary from batch to batch.
However, this was effortless for Jayden with CIPHER's assistance. As long as he handed control over to the system, the energy cubes created would be almost exactly identical every time—as if they had been duplicated by a machine.
...
The recipes for energy cubes stored in CIPHER's database were currently one of his greatest treasures. As long as he had enough raw materials, he could rapidly help his Pokémon grow without wasting any of their natural potential.
The moment he gave the command, a holographic list of formulas, materials, and effects appeared before his eyes—visible only to him in the firelight.
[SEARCH COMPLETE]
[DISPLAYING OPTIMAL FORMULA...]
...
End of Chapter 3
"Survival is not given. It is earned with blood, sweat, and the will to do what others cannot."