Since there was no other choice, Rex didn't dwell on it too much. After picking up a sturdy stick from under the tree, he ventured into the jungle.
As Rex delved deeper, he encountered more Pokémon.
Caterpie were nibbling on leaves, while occasionally, bird Pokémon like Tailow and Starly would hop out from the canopy.
Fortunately, these Pokémon didn't pay him much attention, perhaps because Rex was not within their hunting range!
As long as Rex didn't provoke them, they wouldn't attack him.
After searching for a while, Rex finally found a tree bearing some fruits. After observing for a while, he noticed a Tailow pecking at one of the fruits before flying away.
This discovery indicated to Rex that the fruits were safe to eat. He hurriedly picked a few and then moved away from the tree.
Rex didn't dare to linger in the jungle for too long. He retraced his steps back to the tree near the beach, panting slightly for breath. Only then did he have the chance to inspect the fruits he had picked.
The fruits resembled oranges from his previous life, but they were blue in color with some spots on the skin.
In his previous life, Rex never paid much attention to the shapes and effects of fruits while playing Pokémon games, so he didn't know what these fruits were.
However, he was now tired and hungry. Without much consideration, he broke open the tough skin and started eating the flesh inside.
As he ate, a unique flavor, indescribable in words, burst in Rex's mouth. It was slightly sour, bitter with a hint of spiciness, but overall, not unpleasant.
After devouring one fruit, Rex's unbearable hunger and thirst alleviated slightly, and he even felt a bit stronger.
In the end, Rex only ate two fruits, saving one for when he got hungry again at night.
Seeing the sun setting, Rex knew he needed to act. At the very least, he needed to start a fire to ward off danger at night.
After collecting enough firewood, Rex ignited the fire using the friction method. Perhaps due to the summer season and the intense heat, it didn't take much effort to start the fire.
By now, the sky had darkened gradually. Rex could only lean against the tree, recuperating. Today's events were too bizarre, and he needed some time to process them.
Lost in his thoughts, Rex suddenly heard something crashing through the forest, approaching him.
Before long, Rex saw a badly injured Tailow stumbling out of the forest and falling onto the beach.
After crashing onto the beach, the Tailow attempted to struggle to fly but failed due to its severely injured wing.
Seeing this, Rex approached the Tailow slowly.
"Squawk, squawk!"
Upon seeing a human getting closer, the Tailow struggled even more vigorously. It didn't know if this human intended to harm it. Its instincts from living in the wild told it to fly back to the trees.
"Don't be afraid, I won't hurt you, Tailow!"
After stopping a few steps away from the Tailow, Rex tried to calm the bird's emotions.
Seeing that the human didn't rush to catch it, the Tailow gradually calmed down, but it kept its eyes on Rex.
"I can help you, but I need to touch your body. Do you agree?"
Rex didn't dare to touch the Tailow rashly. Although it was badly injured, he couldn't be sure if it still had the strength to attack.
While the humans in this world were generally healthier than in his previous life, they were still no match for Pokémon. Rex didn't want to waste another healing opportunity.
After hearing that Rex could help it, the Tailow pondered for a moment before nodding.
With the Tailow's permission, Rex approached it and placed his right hand on its back.
"Heal!"
As Rex silently recited in his mind, a green light emitted from his palm, shining conspicuously in the darkness.
The Tailow could feel a force entering its body, rapidly repairing its injuries.
After a short while, the light faded away, and Rex withdrew his hand, stepping back a few paces.
Feeling its condition, the Tailow sensed that it was in its best shape since birth.
Rex's healing not only repaired its current injuries but also healed any past hidden wounds. Now, it felt completely revitalized with endless energy.
Even if it encountered the Staravia that had injured it again, it would have no problem fighting back.
After flapping its wings a few times, the Tailow flew up into the air.
After flying a few circles in the sky, the Tailow landed on Rex's shoulder, nuzzling his face with its head.
At this moment, Rex also felt the gas-like substance in his lower abdomen decrease by half.
"It seems I only have one healing opportunity left, and I don't know if it can be restored!"
Rex was unsure if the gas could be replenished, but saving the Tailow was his only choice.
On one hand, he couldn't bear to see the Tailow die like this. On the other hand, he needed the Tailow's help to navigate the jungle and find traces of human settlements.
Rex reached out and stroked the Tailow's back, and the Tailow didn't refuse, instead closing its eyes comfortably.
"Here, have this!"
Rex took out the fruit he had intended to eat as a midnight snack and offered it to the Tailow.
He noticed that although he had healed the Tailow, its stomach was still growling.
Presumably, it had been injured while competing with other Pokémon for food.
After giving Rex a glance, the Tailow didn't hesitate and quickly pecked at the fruit in front of it.
Rex placed the fruit on the ground for the Tailow to eat while he added more wood to the fire to prevent it from going out.
After finishing the fruit, the Tailow didn't leave but instead flew into Rex's arms and fell asleep.
Rex was also exhausted. Before long, he fell asleep too.
The next morning,
Rex woke up to the sound of chirping. Opening his eyes, he saw a somewhat terrifying sight—a Weedle with half of its body eaten lying in front of him.
Meanwhile, the Tailow was perched on a branch above him, chirping.
In an instant, Rex understood what the Tailow meant—it wanted him to finish the remaining bug meat.
At the same time, memories about Tailow flashed through Rex's mind. He must have seen them in his previous life, but he wasn't sure why the memories were so vivid now.
Tailow resembled a barn swallow, with most of its body covered in deep blue feathers, while its belly feathers were pure white. It had red feathers on its head and neck. It had gray eyes and a yellow beak, and its feet were also yellow.
Tailow was small in stature but incredibly brave, capable of facing off against much larger Pokémon like Skarmory. It struggled in cold weather and could fly up to 300 kilometers a day in search of warmer lands.
Being newly hatched, it sometimes cried out of loneliness at night. Regardless of its opponent's strength, Tailow would bravely challenge them and wouldn't be discouraged even if it lost. Its main food source was Weedle found in forests, but when hungry, it would become weak and cry loudly.
Weedle was indeed Tailow's primary food source. In the real world, survival of the fittest was the norm.
After understanding this, Rex didn't hesitate anymore. If he wanted to survive, he had to eat the bug meat in front of him. Rummaging around, he found a sharp stone and began preparing the Weedle near the seashore, discarding its organs and skin into the sea.
Instantly, this attracted the attention of many Magikarp, fighting over the discarded parts.
(End of this chapter)