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One Week Later
On the eastern side of Eric's so-called "farm" — little more than an overgrown plot of land a modest creek wound its way through the terrain.
The water was crystal clear, and fish of various sizes swam lazily beneath the surface. Occasionally, a flash of red scales betrayed the presence of Magikarp.
"Why is it always you guys? I'm not running a buffet! Stop eating everything!"
Eric's frustrated voice echoed along the creek as he glared at the Magikarp flopping on his fishing line, its vacant, deadpan eyes meeting his exasperated gaze.
To make matters worse, the system's text appeared in his vision, practically vibrating with schadenfreude, and his Serperior stood beside him, lazily flicking its tail and staring at him with utter disdain.
It was as if they both shared the sentiment: "This guy must be out of his mind."
The Magikarp dangled on Eric's line, looking utterly unbothered. It flopped slightly, waiting for him to toss it back into the water.
In truth, Eric wasn't a bad angler. Before his reincarnation, he often spent his holidays fishing by a nearby river. While his catch wasn't always bountiful, he usually went home with something.
This morning, on a whim, Eric had decided he wanted grilled fish for dinner. Armed with bait designed to attract ordinary fish and specifically not Pokémon he had set out to this newly discovered creek.
But what he hadn't accounted for were the persistent Magikarp. They had used their extraordinary abilities as Pokémon to scare off all the normal fish and were now greedily devouring his bait.
Serperior, watching her trainer's mounting frustration, let out a soft sigh. Her expression remained one of disdain, but with a flick of her tail, she released a small wave of pressure.
The controlled burst of her Intimidate ability rippled through the creek, targeting only the Magikarp.
The Magikarp froze, their deadpan eyes wide with panic. In unison, they released Eric's bait and flung themselves back into the water, vanishing with a flurry of splashes.
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"Thank you, O great Serperior!" Eric exclaimed, dropping his rod and moving to embrace his Pokémon in gratitude.
But before he could wrap his arms around her, Serperior used her vines to bind him tightly, hoisting him into the air like a wriggling marionette.
"Serp! (Hmph! I've told you to call me Queen!)" she hissed in irritation.
Though Eric couldn't understand her exact words, he had long since learned to interpret her moods. Right now, she was clearly in her "tsundere" phase.
Knowing just how to handle her, Eric immediately began showering her with compliments.
It didn't take long for Serperior to relax, lowering him back to the ground with a slight blush as she allowed him to hug her warm, soft body.
'Gotcha. You can't fool this seasoned anime fan, my little tsundere snake!' Eric thought, smirking to himself.
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After their playful back-and-forth, Eric noticed there was still some bait left. Determined, he said, "This time, I'm not leaving empty-handed!"
Ignoring Serperior's unimpressed look, Eric prepared his line and cast it into the water.
Just as he was getting into position, his phone rang from the pocket of his floral-patterned shorts, its ringtone blaring a cheerful melody.
Deflating like a balloon, Eric sighed and answered the call. "Hello? What's the issue now?"
On the other end, the cheerful voice of a middle-aged man replied, "No issue, Mr. Eric! Construction is on schedule, no worries there. I just have a small request from some of my workers."
"A request?" Eric asked, tilting his head in confusion.
"Well, with all the recent news about the gang abducting kids in the area, some of the workers are worried about leaving their kids at home alone. Since school's out for the holidays, they were wondering if they could bring their kids to the construction site for safety."
The man quickly added, "Don't worry, we'll keep them close at all times and won't let them wander off. I'll personally make sure they don't cause any trouble. Would that be alright with you?"
Eric chuckled. "That's all? Sure, go ahead. Just make sure they stay safe and don't get lost."
Relieved, the man thanked him profusely, even promising a discount on the project once it was finished.
Hanging up, Eric shook his head in amusement. 'If only I'd had such considerate bosses in my past life'
"Serp!"
Serperior tapped his hand lightly with one of her vines, urging him to focus on fishing.
"Alright, alright, I'm on it!" Eric replied, casting his line into the creek once more.
Unfortunately, with no bait left to chum the waters, the fish weren't biting. Eric vowed that the next time those Magikarp tried stealing his bait, he'd bring Luxray to electrify the water.
Minutes passed, and Eric's bloodshot eyes stared unblinkingly at the float, willing it to dip.
When he was just about to give up, the float suddenly sank. A surge of adrenaline coursed through him as he tightened his grip on the rod.
"I've got one!"
Even Serperior looked surprised, her sharp eyes turning to the water. She hadn't expected Eric to actually catch anything.
However, as the fish emerged from the water, Serperior's pupils narrowed in shock.
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