Consume

The sun shined down, its rays once again illuminating the den.

The body of the coiled snake began to twitch.

Ren's eyes slowly opened.

He was not confused this time.

He was aware of his situation; he was an Ekans.

Ren's immobile body began to move, slowly slithering out of the den and into the sun's rays.

He lay there for a while, bathing in the hot rays. It energized his tired muscles and made his mind sharper.

It was a feature unique to cold-blooded Pokémon.

'Ok… let's go!' Ren pumped himself up.

It was going to be a big day.

Ren decided not to go in the same direction that he had gone the day before. The Red tier Pokémon's presence scared him.

'One day… I'll hunt you down.' Ren promised himself.

Ren's body slithered in the opposite direction; to the left.

His body moved across the jungle floor.

His ears were active focusing on the sounds around him. All around him, he could hear the loud roars and screams.

Some Pokémon roared out at their victories while others screamed in pain.

Ren's mind had long become numb to the screams.

Sympathy had no use in this bloody world. The weak could only blame themselves for not becoming strong.

Ren's ears picked up the roars of a nearby battle.

'Let's check it out…'

Ren would never have taken such risks the day before but his battle with the Lotad had changed his thoughts.

He was still weak.

However, he was stronger than before. He should not have any trouble protecting himself in most situations.

'As long as it is not a red or yellow tier Pokémon I should be safe…'

Ren's body slithered in the direction of the roars.

Eventually he got to small clearing.

His eyes peered out of the thick foliage and stared at the battle.

Before him were two Pokémon.

Ren analyzed their features.

On one side stood a green bi pedal hedgehog like creature. Green spikes covered the top of its head and its back.

Its enemy was a four-legged dark green monster. Dark green spots decorated its body.

'Is that a plant…?' Ren's eyes were immediately to the plant on the back of the monster. Ren recognized them as two of the most popular Pokémon in the franchise.

Aura travelled to Ren's eyes.

[Appraisal]

Species: Chespin

Potential: White

Level: 0/5

[Target: Chespin can provide one energy point]

Species: Bulbasaur

Potential: White

Level: 0/5

[Target: Bulbasaur can provide one energy point]

Two screens appeared above the two creatures, indicating their potential and their levels.

'I can manage them…'

Ren continued to observe them.

Both Pokémon were injured.

The Bulbasaur's body had a few claw marks on its body.

The Chespin was doing worse. Blood had already begun to pool together on the floor. Lacerations covered its body.

The Bulbasaur had also noticed this.

Vines extended from the plant on its back.

[Vine whip]

The Vines struck down.

The Chespin dodged to the side. The whips followed it.

The two vines struck down on the middle of the Chespin's chest.

The Chespin screamed in pain before collapsing onto the ground.

It had lost too much blood.

The Bulbasaur charged forward.

The Chespin desperately tried to get off the ground.

It was too late! The Bulbasaur reached the Chespin and clawed down. Its sharp claws pierced into the Chespin's eyes and into its brain.

The Chespin stopped struggling.

Noticing that its prey was dead, the Bulbasaur's mouth reached down and began to consume the flesh of the Chespin.

Ren watched the scene unfold from behind the trees. He was not surprised. The Bulbasaur had dominated the fight from a distance, gradually inflicting wounds on the Chespin.

The Bulbasaur began to tear into the flesh of the Chespin.

'This is an opportunity…'

Red energy began to gather on his tail.

At the same time Red aura began to gather in front of him.

He struck down on the ground.

[Acceleration]

His body shot forward.

Spirit manipulation was working at maximum capacity.

Red aura in front of him began to take shape.

'Spear' Ren willed with his mind.

It contorted and morphed itself into the shape of a sharp spear. Although still a bit crude, it had improved dramatically from yesterday.

The spear shaft was longer and the blade was sharper.

The Bulbasaur's instincts began to ring.

It turned its head to the sight of a snake flying through the air towards it.

Immediately its body began to act.

[Vine Whip]

Its two whips struck out towards Ren.

Ren could the whips rapidly approach him.

He had to do something! He could not evade as he was flying through the air.

He used the spear that he had generated to block one of the vines. The other vine was heading towards his body!

Ren's mind worked quickly.

Spirit madly circulated around his body.

'A shield.' Ren decided.

Red aura congealed quickly.

[Spirit Manipulation] skill percentage began to rise.

The red aura took the shape of a shield. No… it would be more accurate to call it an uneven block of spirit.

It was crude. But it was effective.

He was using two weapons at once.

Both the vines were deflected.

'Got ya.'

Ren's body quickly traversed the distance between them in a second and his spear pierced into the Bulbasaur's head.

The Bulbasaur's screamed out.

Just like it had killed the Chespin, Ren had killed the Bulbasaur.

Such was the law of the jungle!

The Bulbasaur's body fell onto the ground.

Ren landed next to its corpse.

'That was too close…'

Still he felt exhilaration. The joy of developing his skills through battle. Battle was unpredictable. All plans had their faults.

Ren learnt an important lesson.

Adaptability was the most important thing that he needed to survive.

Ren stared at the two bodies.

It was time to feast.

***

[Gained 2 bioenergy. Body has grown longer.]

Ren quickly left the area, searching for his next prey.

His body quickly moved in between the trees of the jungle. Thick ferns spread out above him, blocking out some of the sun's rays.

'My spirit manipulation…'

It was his most important skill. Rather than mindlessly depending on skills, he was able to manipulate the source of skills, spirit, to create new methods of attack.

'I need to improve it.'

His [Spirit Manipulation] was nearly at 50 percent.

His instincts told him that this skill would allow him to truly get strong.

After more than 30 minutes of searching his eyes finally caught onto something.

it was hard to see through the trees and plants but Ren could identify it.

'A rodent…'

Before him was a Pokémon that resembled a squirrel. Its fur was grey; its bipedal body was quite stubby.

Its cheeks were fat and chubby. Its appearance did not capture Ren's attention. He had been in this world long enough to understand that behind the cute façade was a bloodthirsty monster.

Like the Rattata, this was a scavenger Pokémon.

Energy flowed into his eyes.

[Appraise]

Species: Skwovet

Potential: White

Level: 0/5

[Target: Skwovet can provide one energy point]

Ren carefully observed the Skwovet's body from under the plant.

It was feasting on the corpse of another Pokémon. Probably the remains of one.

'I have to entrap it…'

This was not an enemy that he could beat with brute force. If he charged at it, the Skwovet would easily escape.

'I have to go up.'

He had to get above it.

That would ensure that he would not be seen. It would also help train his skills!

A plan began to formulate in his mind.

Red aura gathered on his tail. He struck down on the ground.

[Acceleration]

He did not move forward.

Rather his body moved up!

It was not enough. He had to go higher!

Red aura gathered on his tail once again.

His tail pressed against a nearby tree.

[Acceleration]

He rebounded of the tree!

[Acceleration] skill percentage began to rapidly increase. His [Spirit Manipulation] began to increase.

He rapidly continued using [Acceleration] and [Spirit manipulation] to climb high.

'This should be enough'

Ren was now ten meters above the surface and directly above the Skwovet. He pushed off a branch on a large tree towards the ground.

His body dropped down head first, rapidly accelerating.

Two spears manifested around him.

6 meters… 5 meters…

The Skwovet noticed something wrong. It looked up.

'Now!'

[Terrorize]

Ren activated his skill.

The Skwovet was frozen.

That was all Ren needed. The two spears pierced into the Skwovet's body and into the ground below it.

In an instant, its body went limp.

It was dead!

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Chapter 17 done!

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