Chapter 8: The Fisherman Never Goes Home Empty-Handed

One week later.

To the east of Luke's so-called "farm"—a barren stretch of land he shamelessly named as such—a small stream meandered by, neither too wide nor too narrow.

The crystal-clear water revealed countless fish of varying sizes swimming beneath the surface.

If one looked closely, they could even catch glimpses of the occasional red-scaled silhouette darting past.

"Not you again! I'm not running an all-you-can-eat buffet. Stop eating already, I beg you."

A voice filled with both anger and helplessness rang out as Luke held his fishing rod, his face twisted in frustration as he stared into the lifeless eyes of a Magikarp.

Neither the smug text of his system mocking him nor the exasperated flicking tail of his Serperior helped.

Both seemed to suggest that Luke had completely lost it—after proudly declaring he wouldn't go home empty-handed, he had not only failed to catch a single fish but also ended up feeding the Magikarp in the stream. Now, he was reduced to pleading with them to leave.

The Magikarp dangling from Luke's fishing rod seemed utterly indifferent, lazily swishing its tail as though it knew Luke was powerless to do anything to it.

In reality, Luke wasn't bad at fishing. Before being transported here, he often spent holidays fishing by himself at a nearby river. He might not have always caught something, but he rarely went home completely empty-handed.

His sudden idea to fish today was sparked by an early-morning craving for grilled fish.

With a bucket of bait specifically designed to attract ordinary fish—not Pokémon—he ventured to this newly discovered stream.

Unfortunately, Luke hadn't accounted for the persistence of the Magikarp.

These shameless Pokémon not only devoured his bait but also used their extraordinary abilities to chase away the normal fish.

The audacity of it all!

Serperior sighed silently at its trainer's reddening face, clearly angry enough to burst a blood vessel.

Despite its disdainful expression, Serperior released a small amount of its innate pressure, targeting the Magikarp lingering in the stream.

The oppressive aura was perfectly controlled, only affecting the Magikarp while sparing the normal fish.

The Magikarp that had been defiantly staring at Luke suddenly panicked. Its dead-eyed stare was replaced by visible fear as it spat out the bait and used Splash to leap back into the stream with unprecedented speed.

"Thank you, kind Serperior!" Luke exclaimed, moved to tears. He dropped his fishing rod and spread his arms, intending to give his Pokémon a grateful hug.

However, before he could embrace it, Serperior disdainfully wrapped two emerald-green vines around him, binding him tightly and suspending him mid-air like a marionette.

"Snivy!" Serperior huffed. (How many times do I have to tell you? Call me Queen!)

Luke didn't understand its words, but he could tell from its tone that Serperior was in a prideful mood.

Knowing his Pokémon well, Luke expertly flattered it.

In no time, Serperior, charmed by his endless praise, raised its head in satisfaction and magnanimously allowed Luke to hug its warm, smooth body.

Out of Serperior's sight, Luke's lips curled into a triumphant smile.

Hah! Dealing with a tsundere snake is nothing. Don't underestimate a veteran otaku like me!

After some playful antics, Luke noticed that there was still enough bait left for one last attempt.

This time, he vowed not to fail!

Though he could ask Serperior to shock the fish out of the water, that would defeat the purpose—what he truly enjoyed was the thrill of catching fish himself.

Luke's expression turned resolute as he prepared for one last cast.

"All my people, all my people~"

Before he could start, his phone, tucked into the pocket of his floral-patterned shorts, began ringing with a cheerful ringtone.

His shoulders slumped as he pulled out his phone and saw the caller ID.

Sighing, he answered, "Hello? Is there something wrong?"

On the other end of the line, a hearty middle-aged man's voice came through.

"No problem at all, Mr. Luke. Construction is on schedule. But some of my crew members have a request—they need your approval."

"Approval?" Luke asked, tilting his head in confusion.

"Well, you know how the child abduction gang hasn't been caught yet? There've been cases of missing kids in the nearby towns, and with school out for vacation, some of my guys are worried about leaving their kids home alone.

"They're asking if they can bring the kids to the construction site so they can keep an eye on them."

Before Luke could respond, the man hurriedly added, "Don't worry! The kids will be supervised at all times. I'll personally make sure they don't wander around. Please consider it!"

That's all?

Luke chuckled. With most of the farm still lying fallow, he didn't care if the kids turned the place into a dance floor. All that mattered to him was the final result.

"No problem," Luke said with a laugh. "Just make sure they stay safe and don't wander off."

Relieved, the foreman thanked Luke profusely, promising to keep the kids safe and even offering a discount on the project.

After hanging up, Luke shook his head, marveling at the foreman's concern for his workers.

Why didn't I ever have a boss like that?

"Snivy!"

Serperior tapped Luke's hand with a vine, urging him to finish fishing so they could leave.

"Alright, alright, I'm on it," Luke said, attaching the bait and casting his line with a practiced motion.

Unfortunately, without enough bait to lure the fish, the chances of success were slim.

Luke silently cursed the Magikarp. Next time they showed up, he'd bring Luxray and electrify the stream!

Minutes passed, and Luke sat motionless, his bloodshot eyes glued to the water, willing a fish to take the bait.

The earlier disruption from the Magikarp seemed to have scared off the fish, leaving even the most opportunistic ones uninterested.

Just as Luke was about to give up, the bobber suddenly plunged underwater.

Got something!

The grogginess in Luke's mind vanished as he prepared for a battle of strength with the fish.

Even Serperior, who had been lounging idly, glanced at the water in surprise.

It hadn't expected Luke to actually catch something.

But as Serperior caught sight of what was hooked, its eyes narrowed in alarm.

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