The ocean was teeming with fish and shrimp. After eating in the sea for a full hour, the massive Rhydon finally lumbered back onto the beach.
It rubbed its full belly and squinted in satisfaction. Being able to eat its fill felt wonderful.
With that thought, the big fellow rolled onto its side on the sand. After eating and drinking to its heart's content, it was only natural to take a good nap. Before long, thunderous snores rumbled from its enormous body. Across the entire island, it seemed that no Pokémon dared make a sound—only the booming rhythm of Rhydon's breathing echoed in the air.
It made sense. With a dominant creature like this ruling the island, the other Pokémon had likely either fled long ago or been eaten.
If not driven by hunger, how could a Rhydon—normally so averse to water—have risked venturing into the sea in search of food?
Kael waited patiently behind a rock for about 15 minutes. Once he was certain the giant Rhydon was fully asleep, he slipped out quietly.
He removed his shoes.
Step by careful step, he approached the colossal beast. Every movement was deliberate and cautious.
In his arms, Lulu clutched tightly at his collar, holding her breath, terrified of making the slightest noise. Her mind was fully focused—if the Rhydon showed any sign of waking, she would use Teleport instantly and get them out.
Three minutes passed.
Now Kael stood within arm's reach of the giant Rhydon. Unless you had experienced it yourself, you couldn't understand the sheer visual pressure of standing before a creature that could crush you with a single careless step.
Kael took a slow breath to steady himself. Then he reached out and gently ran his hand over the armor plating along the Rhydon's back.
It wasn't as rough as he had imagined. Instead, it felt smooth—almost like polished marble.
He quickly pulled out a tracking chip he had prepared in advance. Peeling off the plastic backing, he carefully pressed the chip onto the Rhydon's back.
With this little device, he would be able to monitor the giant's movements anytime from his laptop. He then snapped several covert photos and used his precision scanner to capture a full-body scan.
Once everything was done, he gently tapped Lulu's head and whispered, "Time to go."
Understanding immediately, Lulu's eyes flashed blue. The air around them distorted for a split second—
—and they vanished.
When they reappeared, they were already beneath the large tree where they had previously hidden.
...
"Phew."
Kael and Lulu exchanged a glance and both patted their chests. Standing beside the giant earlier had been nerve-wracking beyond words.
No one knew how terrifying a Rhydon of that size would be if it truly became enraged. If a fight broke out, Kael wasn't confident that Weavile could win.
A body far larger than average meant overwhelming defense and brute strength. The giant Rhydon could endure multiple hits from Weavile—but Weavile would not survive a single full-force punch or Iron Tail.
If conflict could be avoided, it absolutely should be.
That was Kael's honest conclusion.
[Rhydon]
Height: 4.25 m
Weight: 1235.8 kg
Tail Length: 2.58 m
...
These were the detailed statistics gathered from the full-body scan. Kael copied the data into his laptop and created a dedicated file. When he had time later, he planned to construct a full 3D six-dimensional model of the giant Rhydon.
Right now, however, he wasn't most interested in the Rhydon itself—but in why it had grown so enormous.
While the giant still slept on the beach, Kael decided to sneak off and investigate its lair.
Finding the lair wasn't difficult. A creature of that size couldn't conceal its trail. By following the broken trees, crushed shrubs, and the enormous footprints scattered along the way, he could easily track its path.
Once he was far enough from the beach, Kael tightened his backpack straps and returned Lulu to her Poké Ball.
Then he leapt onto a tree trunk.
He would use the gaps between trees to traverse the forest by parkour—moving as quickly as possible toward the Rhydon's lair.
No one knew when the giant might wake. Nor did he know how far the lair was. To be safe, he had to move at full speed.
Running quickly through dense forest consumed tremendous stamina—and it was dangerous. One careless step could mean tripping over vines or dead branches. Kael had to remain completely focused.
Back on Earth in his previous life, there had been an extreme sport known as forest parkour. It fit this situation perfectly. Unlike urban parkour, forest parkour was even more challenging—and far more dangerous.
Fortunately, Kael had never neglected his physical training in this life. Moreover, the baseline physical conditioning of ordinary people in this world was noticeably superior to that of humans from his previous world. Combined with years of disciplined training, he could perform high-difficulty movements in the forest that most people would find unbelievable.
...
Time passed minute by minute.
Half an hour had gone by since Kael began tracking the Rhydon's footprints and broken branches.
The deserted island might not look large from the outside, but its interior stretched deep and wide. The terrain was treacherous. Unlike the giant Rhydon, which could simply charge through obstacles without fear, Kael had to navigate carefully—costing him precious time.
Fortunately, his judgment had been correct.
The giant wasn't as clever as he had feared.
Bursting through a dense thicket, Kael came to an abrupt stop.
Before him yawned a massive pit over five meters in diameter.
The giant Rhydon's footprints began here.
Peering downward, the interior sloped at roughly forty-five degrees into darkness, vanishing from sight. The beast appeared to live underground—likely spending most of its time sleeping inside. Maintaining such a colossal body required enormous energy expenditure. Without natural predators, it made sense that it would conserve energy whenever possible—moving only when necessary.