Rhydon didn't dare go any farther out to sea.
Although it had once overcome its instinctive fear of water in order to find enough food, it was still a Ground-type Pokémon. Fishing in the shallows was already its limit.
If it went any deeper, its immense weight would drag it straight to the ocean floor. And that would be dangerous.
All living creatures instinctively seek benefit and avoid harm. Unable to catch any fish, Rhydon could only trudge back to the beach in dejection.
It dropped down heavily onto the sand—
the ground trembled slightly beneath its weight.
It began thinking about how it could fill its stomach. It wanted meat. It didn't want to go back to the cave and chew on those hard, gritty stones.
The Rhydon line was omnivorous. They did eat minerals from time to time, but the habit was mainly to help grind and digest the food in their stomachs—not because they particularly enjoyed the taste.
Only when truly desperate and starving would a Rhydon gnaw on mineral-rich rocks to replenish trace elements.
It wasn't like Tyranitar or Aggron.
The former preferred high-energy ores as its staple diet; the latter was even more extreme, happily devouring all kinds of metal.
Rumor had it that for Larvitar to evolve into Tyranitar, it first had to consume minerals equal to the weight of a small mountain. The story was likely exaggerated—but it illustrated just how terrifying the appetites of these massive Pokémon could be.
"Grr… grrr…"
"I'm still so hungry…"
Rhydon rubbed its belly, then lumbered over to a coconut tree. This time, instead of shaking it, it simply used brute force to uproot the entire ten-meter-tall tree.
The large coconuts had already been eaten yesterday. Only small, unripe green ones remained.
The big fellow treated the whole tree like a giant candied hawthorn skewer—crunching through the immature coconuts and leaves alike, chewing them into rough fragments and stuffing them into its mouth.
...
"That big guy must really be starving."
Kael watched Rhydon's exaggerated eating display with mild shock. But when he thought about it… he was the one who had caused all of this.
He let out a sigh.
Seeing Rhydon so miserable made him feel a little guilty. Pokémon possessed intelligence far beyond ordinary animals, but emotionally, they were often simple—almost childlike. Watching Rhydon now felt like watching a four- or five-year-old being bullied.
Kael decided to prepare some food for it.
Consider it compensation for taking its treasure.
His own meat supplies and Pokémon rations were running low. Even if he gave everything he had, it probably wouldn't be enough to feed a giant Rhydon for a month.
He needed a better solution.
High-Concentration Pokeblock.
These had been developed by researchers specifically to solve the feeding problems of large domesticated Pokémon.
Otherwise, when traveling with something like Snorlax, would a trainer really have to prepare 400 kilograms of food every single day? Never mind the cost—there wasn't enough time or carrying capacity. Even a space-folding backpack had weight limits. Exceeding them could damage the spatial structure inside.
Fortunately, Kael held a Level Four Pokeblock Production Certificate. High-concentration cubes were relatively simple; even someone with a Level Two certificate could attempt them.
For Ground- and Rock-type Pokémon, the primary ingredient was Salac Berry.
Kael rummaged through his berry case and found only two Salac Berries.
They mainly grew in desert regions with long hours of sunlight. Artificial cultivation required simulating arid conditions, which made them expensive in places like Viridian City, where forests surrounded the region and desert farmland was scarce.
"That's not nearly enough…"
He clicked his tongue and decided to substitute with Pinap Berries and Figy Berries instead. Rhydon ate bark and leaves without complaint—slightly lower-quality cubes would surely be acceptable.
With the help of his expensive Pokeblock processor, Kael only needed to carefully control the key heating stages. The diced berries and other materials had to be added at precise intervals.
About 15 minutes later, a toasty aroma—similar to freshly baked bread—wafted from the machine's vents.
Kael leaned in and fanned the scent toward his nose.
Rich fragrance. No burnt smell.
The batch was complete.
High-Concentration Pokeblocks lacked the additional stat-enhancing effects of standard cubes. Their sole purpose was simple: rapid satiety.
For example, a Tauros only needed three one-centimeter cubes to sustain a full day's energy expenditure.
This batch yielded twenty-five cubes.
Even for a monster as massive as Rhydon, that should be more than enough to fill its stomach.
Additionally, Kael decided to splurge a little. He pulled out the remaining Wagyu beef from his cooler, seasoned it generously, and began pan-searing it in oil.
...
Thud!
A bright red apple fell from the sky and struck Rhydon on the head as it lay dozing on the beach.
"Urgh…"
Rhydon let out a muffled sound and opened its golden eyes, scratching the spot where it had been hit.
Then its eyes widened.
A red fruit the size of an adult's fist lay in the sand before it.
It didn't question where the apple had come from. It simply picked it up with three thick fingers and shoved it into its mouth.
Crunch!
The crisp sweetness burst across its tongue. Its expression turned blissful.
Apples weren't tropical fruits. This was the first time in its life Rhydon had tasted something grown inland.
"Just… not enough…"
It even shook its head in a strangely human-like sigh.
"Urgh—"
Another apple landed nearby, this time missing its head and hitting the sand instead.
Then more followed—fruits of various colors falling one after another, forming a straight line that stretched toward the depths of the forest.
"Wow… food really can fall from the sky…"
In Rhydon's simple mind, that was the only conclusion.
It began following the fruity trail—
step by step, picking one up, eating it, then moving forward again—
Slowly making its way into the forest.