"Why aren't you eating?" Kael set down a small bowl filled with highly concentrated pokeblocks in front of Rhydon.
"Roar~ roar~"
Rhydon shook its head and used a finger as thick as a dead branch to gesture at the tiny one-centimeter cubes in the bowl. It snorted dismissively.
Kael laughed. "Well, look at you — pretty picky, huh?"
"Lulu, tell it what this is. Don't underestimate them. Ten or so of these and it'll be stuffed."
Lulu conveyed Kael's meaning directly into Rhydon's mind via telepathy.
At first, Rhydon didn't believe him. But curiosity won out. Carefully, it pinched one cube between its fingertips and rolled it into its mouth with its tongue. Before it could even taste anything, the cube dissolved instantly, mixing with saliva and flowing into its stomach.
"Hic!"
An involuntary burp escaped its throat. Warmth spread through its belly, and the faint hunger it still felt diminished immediately. Its eyes lit up in surprise. So this tiny thing really was powerful.
Without hesitation, Rhydon grabbed a whole handful and tossed them into its mouth.
...
Under the shade of the great tree, Rhydon leaned against a trunk so wide that two adults couldn't encircle it with their arms. It rubbed its stomach, burping from time to time. Its belly was visibly rounder than it had been minutes ago.
For the first time in its life, Rhydon experienced what it meant to be stuffed.
Kael couldn't help laughing. "Overate, didn't you?"
"Roar~"
Rhydon stubbornly shook its head. It pointed at the bowl, now reduced to crumbs, insisting it could still eat more.
Three high-concentration pokeblocks were enough to sustain a Tauros after a full day of intense exertion. There had been 25 pokeblocks in that bowl. Rhydon had already eaten plenty beforehand — it would've been strange not to be stuffed.
Kael had assumed 10 pokeblocks would be more than enough. But Rhydon didn't chew — it swallowed. Especially with something small and unassuming like pokeblocks.
Soon, so full it could barely move, Rhydon lay against the tree and drifted into a deep sleep.
Watching the giant Pokémon sleep so defenselessly before him, Kael's gaze grew thoughtful.
A bold idea had taken root.
He decided to capture this towering Rhydon — over four meters tall. His envisioned team still lacked a true tank, and this colossal Rhydon was a near-perfect candidate.
Its size was imposing. Its physical defense astonishing. Its offensive power equally formidable — borderline monstrous.
Most crucially, it had some affinity with water. Not enough to completely negate its Ground-type weakness, but enough to significantly mitigate its vulnerability.
Sure, it ate a lot. And raising something this massive would mean heavy daily expenses.
But that wasn't a problem.
From Rhydon's cave, Kael had collected a sack of gemstones. Once they left this deserted island and sold them in human society, they'd likely fetch around nine million. That was more than enough to sustain Rhydon's training for a year or two.
This giant Rhydon had lived its entire life isolated on the island. It didn't even understand what "capture" meant.
So Kael would first build a bond — become friends.
Perhaps he wouldn't even need a battle to recruit this promising powerhouse.
After just a short time together, Kael had realized Rhydon's heart was like a blank sheet of paper. He would be the one to paint upon it.
Whether the plan succeeded would depend entirely on his execution.
With that thought, Kael clasped his hands behind his back and walked toward a cluster of bushes. At the same time, he subtly beckoned Weavile behind him.
Weavile was clever. With a quick flick of her eyes, she immediately followed.
Kael crouched down, one knee touching the ground, and leaned close to her ear, whispering instructions. Weavile nodded repeatedly.
"Find any bird's nest or cave on the island and place it inside… But don't stray too far from it. Keep watch at all times…"
"Wea-vile~"
Clutching the black cloth bundle Kael handed her, Weavile bent her knees and sprang onto a tree trunk. Agile as ever, she moved through the forest as though walking on flat ground. Within moments, she vanished from Kael's sight.
Watching her depart, Kael's lips curved into a faint smile.
The plan was riddled with loopholes. Any reasonably intelligent person would see through it instantly.
But for Rhydon — that pure blank page — it was the most suitable method.
There was no such thing as a foolish strategy. Only the strategy best suited for a particular target.
...
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
After establishing initial trust, Kael and his companions spent those days together with Rhydon from dawn till dusk. With Lulu acting as a top-tier chef, Rhydon tasted delicacies beyond anything it had ever imagined — though it inevitably ate until it couldn't walk every time.
To gather enough food, Kael and Lulu had racked their brains. The deserted island was barren; there were barely any land animals.
Their only option was seafood. After three straight days of fish and shrimp, even Kael was tired of it.
Rhydon, however, didn't mind. It lived off fish and shrimp normally anyway — and after Lulu's preparation, they tasted far better than usual. It ate with immense delight.
In the shallows, Rhydon carried a bamboo basket custom-made for its back and strode along the coastline. Seawater that would completely submerge a two-meter-tall man only reached its abdomen.
A rope was tied around its waist, extending backward to a crude wooden boat. The front of the boat was secured to the rope.
Kael stood aboard the small boat, holding a handful of red balls roughly the size of golf balls. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled one onto the sea's surface.
Boom!
A column of water shot upward, spray scattering everywhere.
A few seconds later, rings of fish and shrimp floated to the surface, eyes rolled back.
Rhydon let out a pleased roar. Stretching out its massive arm, it scooped up the stunned seafood and tossed it into the bamboo basket on its back.