Chapter 91: Fishing Gear

The more Rex thought about it, the more he felt it was worth a try. He summoned Swellow directly and flew towards Slateport City.

Upon arriving in Slateport City, Rex headed straight to the department store. In his experience, this place was well-stocked with everything he needed. Every visit had been satisfying, and he believed this time would be no exception.

Rex first visited a fishing tackle shop, intending to pick out a suitable fishing rod. He was quite interested in fishing, whether in this life or the previous one, and considered himself a complete novice at it now.

In the Pokémon world, fishing came in two forms. One was ordinary fishing for regular fish, a process similar to what he knew from before—using a hook and bait to catch fish, a popular pastime for most ordinary people.

The other form was fishing for Water-type Pokémon. This was typically only done by Pokémon trainers, as before reeling in the line, one couldn't predict what type of Pokémon might be caught. Often, Pokémon caught in this manner were quite angry. If one lacked Pokémon protection, the chance of trouble was significant.

There were risks associated with fishing for Pokémon. Legend had it that a trainer once reeled in a Kyogre while fishing in the sea. This was like winning a grand prize, but if the trainer's skill wasn't sufficient, it could end badly. It was said that this unfortunate fisherman was severely injured by the enraged Kyogre's Origin Pulse and never dared to fish again.

Of course, Rex treated this story as a joke when he heard it.

However, it illustrated the risks of fishing for Pokémon. Even if one didn't reel in a Kyogre but instead a Gyarados or Sharpedo, it could easily overwhelm most ordinary trainers. Though the probability was low, the possibility still existed.

Therefore, Rex viewed experienced Pokémon fishermen as true experts, certainly possessing the strength needed to survive in this dangerous pursuit.

The fishing rods and lines used for Pokémon fishing were specially made to withstand the strength of Water-type Pokémon. Specialized bait was used to emit a unique scent in the water, which attracted Water-type Pokémon to bite.

After much deliberation, Rex finally purchased a complete set of fishing equipment. In addition to the rod, there were various types of bait, a sunshade umbrella, a folding stool, and more. The total cost was over 10,000 Alliance Coins, with the rod being the most expensive item.

Afterward, Rex purchased some camping tools and promptly left Slateport City to return to his farm. He was concerned about overspending all the balance in his phone.

"Boss, where did you just go? I sent Taillow to look for you, but couldn't find you. Uncle Henry will be coming over soon. He needs you to designate the location for building the housing."

Upon seeing Rex return, Yui breathed a sigh of relief and spoke up.

Rex had only asked her to contact Uncle Henry before without specifying where to build the housing, so she didn't randomly choose a location for Uncle Henry to build.

"I just went to Slateport City. Let's build the housing for the Hoppip behind our house, to make it easier for them to look after the backyard plants."

Rex smiled and replied.

About half an hour later, a large truck neatly parked in front of the house.

Rex hurried out to greet them and was surprised to find that the driver wasn't Uncle Henry but his companion, Hawlucha .

"Don't look so surprised, young man. Hawlucha here has passed the Pokémon Driver Training in Slateport City. Its driving skills are better than mine, so I usually let it be the driver. Haha!"

After jumping down from the passenger seat of the truck, Uncle Henry noticed Rex's surprised expression and laughed as he explained. It seemed he had encountered this situation before.

"Cough, sorry to trouble you again, Uncle Henry. Let me know if there's anything I can help with."

Rex cleared his throat to dispel his ignorance before speaking.

"You just need to tell me the building location. Hawlucha and I haven't stooped to the level of needing an employer to do our work yet!"

Uncle Henry understood Rex's intentions but adhered to his own principles of doing things, which had earned him many loyal customers.

Building this housing was something Uncle Henry and Hawlucha were adept at. They finished constructing it in just an afternoon, with the materials already prepared, needing only assembly.

With this housing in place, the Hoppip finally had a place to sleep, and there was no need to worry about them being blown away while resting.

After dinner, Rex discussed his plan to go for training for a few days with Yuli.

Yuli wasn't surprised; by now, she had some understanding of her boss's character. She knew he wasn't the type to settle down or stay put at the moment.

Yuli believed her role was to help prepare enough supplies for her boss so that he wouldn't have to worry about these trivial matters.

The next morning, after checking his backpack and finding nothing missing, Rex came to the empty space in front of the house. By then, Swellow, Poliwhirl, and Machop were already waiting there.

Swellow was looking forward to returning to the beach; after all, it was where it was born and where it met its trainer. Without that encounter, it wouldn't have its current life.

After bidding farewell to the two women, Rex rode on Swellow's back, gazing at the scenery below. Although all he could see were trees, he faintly remembered the path he took when leaving the forest.

Back then, he was on edge, accompanied only by Taillow, traversing a primeval forest full of countless dangers. His ability to emerge from it was indeed fortunate.

Feeling a sense of nostalgia, Rex finally arrived at the beach he had once visited. Walking on the soft sand gave him a feeling of revisiting the past. This place could be considered the starting point of his journey in this world.

Under the large tree near the jungle, traces of his previous life were still present. He had relied on the trash collected from the beach to survive the difficult times.

After a moment of reflection, Rex released his Pokémon, making the calm beach suddenly lively.

Aside from Swellow, this place was entirely unfamiliar to the other Pokémon, but they all grew fond of it once they were out.

"Today, everyone is free to do as they wish, but try not to stray too far. Stay safe."

Rex addressed the Pokémon, which were now indulging in their newfound freedom.

Indeed, today was a day for relaxation. After working hard for so long, it was time to enjoy. Training and other activities could wait until tomorrow.

Afterward, Rex busied himself, setting up a temporary camp. Machop came to help, while Heracross happily sucked sap from a large tree.

"Thank you, Machop!"

After setting up the camp, Rex patted Machop's shoulder in gratitude.

"Machop!"

Machop responded casually, then prepared to find a spot for exercise.

"Machop, hold on. I'm going fishing for Pokémon later. I'm not sure what type of Pokémon I'll catch, so stay by my side as a bodyguard!"

Rex stopped Machop, who was about to leave, and explained.

Of course, for his safety, Rex planned to have his top three Pokémon—

Swellow, Poliwhirl, and Machop—guard him.

Following this, Rex, accompanied by Swellow, Poliwhirl, and Machop, arrived at a rocky area near the beach's edge to begin fishing.

With Poliwhirl's exploration, this area was identified as a deep-water zone, over three meters deep.

(End of Chapter)