At the time, the program running in the background of his phone was an unconventional Pokémon game. After time traveling, his phone somehow merged with him. It had become a proficiency panel that could display data about Pokémon. It only displayed data and didn't speak, and only he could see it.
Thinking about this situation was a bit unpleasant, and he didn't want to dwell on it any longer. He turned back to focus on fishing.
Although he didn't have any artificial bait, it didn't faze him. He reeled in his hook, removed the grass, and replaced it with a flat leaf. He trimmed the leaf into the shape of a small fish, attached it to the hook, and cast the line back into the water.
He hoped the fake bait would attract carnivorous fish. With no better idea, he had to give it a try. He adjusted the weight to make the leaf move more like a swimming fish. As the weight sank, the leaf appeared to swim, and when he lifted the rod, it moved like a fish chasing after something.
After casting the leaf bait five or six times with no results, he sighed. It seemed he had failed again.
Suddenly, buzz—
On the seventh cast, when he had all but given up hope, the once-slack line tightened instantly. The tip of the rod bent nearly 180 degrees. He jumped up excitedly, gripping the rod with both hands, careful not to pull too hard for fear the line might snap. The key was to maintain control by letting the rod's flexibility absorb the tension.
This was no time to rush. He had to keep his cool, stabilize his stance, and breathe evenly. If he lost control of his breathing, he'd lose the advantage. Keeping his center of gravity steady, he readied himself for the fish's attempts to flee. If the fish darted toward the sea, he had to reel it back before it dragged him in.
The fish on the other end was likely a big one, judging by the strain on the rod. He couldn't pull it in recklessly—he had to "walk" the fish, giving himself room to maneuver. He took a couple of steps back to create more space.
But just as he stepped back, the line pulled taut again, vibrating as it cut through the water. He held his ground, relying on the flexibility of the rod to tire the fish out. No matter how hard it thrashed, he knew that as long as he stood firm, the fish would wear itself out.
When he felt the tension easing, he quickly reeled in more line, giving the fish no time to rest. Each time the fish fought back, the hook pulled at its mouth, causing it pain and prompting another struggle. This was exactly what Ryan wanted.
After several rounds of this tug-of-war, the fish's resistance weakened. He applied more pressure, and the fish's struggles grew smaller and less frequent. Finally, the fish gave one last weak thrash before going limp. Taking the opportunity, Ryan reeled it in and pulled the fish from the water.
The battle was nearing its end. Now it was a matter of keeping calm and focused. Even the nearby Poliwag, usually indifferent, perked up when it saw the big fish. It seemed afraid that Ryan might let the fish escape.
"Hey, stay back and wait for my signal," Ryan called out, noticing Poliwag was ready to jump in. If it entered the water, things might get out of hand.
The Poliwag stopped in its tracks, watching Ryan with its usual blank expression. It didn't fully understand what Ryan was saying but sensed he was serious.
Ryan let out a sigh of relief, regaining control over the situation. Now, with the Poliwag's cooperation, he focused on landing the fish. If he failed, both he and Poliwag would go hungry. If he succeeded, they would have a meal—and the fish would meet its doom.
As the fish neared the shore, Ryan finally saw what it was: a Carvanha. Its official stats said it was about 0.8 meters tall and weighed 20.8 kilograms—a sizable catch.
The Carvanha, angry and defiant, glared at him and thrashed its tail against the water, trying to intimidate him. Ryan felt his arms going numb, but he knew he had to hold on. The human body can push through incredible limits in desperate situations.
After what felt like forever, the Carvanha stopped fighting. Ryan seized the moment and pulled it onto the shore. Exhausted, he could only gasp for air and tell Poliwag, "Quick, smack it senseless before it escapes!"
Poliwag, energized by the victory, bounced toward the Carvanha and delivered a series of rapid tail slaps. The Carvanha, realizing something was wrong, tried to fight back, but it was already too weak. Ryan, barely able to move from exhaustion, could only watch as Poliwag continued slapping the Carvanha until it lay still.
He glanced over at Poliwag's tail, which had several wounds from the Carvanha's Rough Skin ability. Without any healing items, there wasn't much he could do about it, but he vowed to share some extra fish with Poliwag as thanks.
Despite everything, Ryan couldn't help but feel a bit of pride. He might not have much, but he'd ensure that both he and Poliwag survived together. He promised himself that, one day, when they had more resources, he'd repay Poliwag for its loyalty tenfold.