**Food? Isn't There Ready-Made Nutrition?**
Pokémon eggshells were packed with nutrients, helping every newborn Pokémon survive their most vulnerable stage—and Bell was no exception.
From his earlier experience eating his own shell, Bell knew these fragments could accelerate his growth and trigger level-ups. For a lowly Caterpie, this was irresistible temptation.
Around him, other Caterpie who'd finished their own shells now eyed their siblings' leftovers with hunger...
They were newborns, acting purely on instinct. Unsatisfied hunger demanded more food...
A brutal but simple logic of nature—either outcompete others or be eliminated. Survival of the fittest. The strong prey on the weak...
With this realization, Bell inched his green body toward a broken shell.
*Crunch!*
Mandibles chewing rhythmically, Bell devoured the fragments as his hunger pangs subsided.
Soon, the shell was gone.
"Good! More..."
Though nearly full, Bell pushed himself to keep eating. He crawled to another shell and took a bite.
**[Ding! Level Up! Current Level: Lv. 2]**
A warm surge flooded his body—stats improving.
"I leveled up!
Bell thrilled at the discovery. If he kept eating, he could shorten his defenseless larval stage faster.
Then, his gaze fell on the other Caterpie scrambling for scraps. A glint of ruthlessness flashed in his eyes.
*Limited resources. I must seize them first.*
Slow down now, fall behind forever.
With a thought, Bell spat a glob of white silk from his mouth—String Shot, a universal Bug-type move with endless uses. Right now, its sticky strands perfectly immobilized a Caterpie guarding another shell.
Before the trapped Caterpie could break free, Bell lunged—
*Thud! Thud!*
Two quick Tackles.
*Poof!*
Newborn Pokémon were fragile. The defeated Caterpie spiraled into dizzy-eyed unconsciousness—the universal sign of fainting.
"Huh. Fighting actually made me hungrier again. Exercise aids digestion..."
Bell mentally noted this before claiming his prize: the conquered eggshell.
After another feeding frenzy, warmth surged through him again.
**[Ding! Level Up! Current Level: Lv. 3]**
The System's chime delighted Bell. He immediately set his sights on the remaining shells—claiming them all.
A few rebels challenged him, but these were just Level 1 hatchlings. Against Bell? No contest. One by one, they fell.
Once full, Bell used his silk to bundle the remaining shells for later.
"Ahh... Life's good."
But as he turned to leave, the other Caterpie stared hungrily at his stash, slowly encircling him.
Bug-types had swarm instincts hardwired into their DNA. Though Caterpie eventually lived solitary lives, their evolved forms—Butterfree—would regroup. This was nature's selection: the weak perished in the wild, like the Caterpie eaten earlier. A harsh parental test.
"Hand over the food!"
The lead Caterpie hissed. Others drooled at Bell's bundle.
Bell tensed, analyzing the challenger:
Pokémon: Caterpie
Type: Bug
Potential: Orange
Level: Lv. 1 Moves: String Shot, Tackle
Higher potential than me, but still just Level 1. And the rest? Not even leveled. No threat.
Bell reared up, making himself appear larger, and adopted a battle stance.
The cold calculation in his eyes made the swarm hesitate.
They were newborns—timid by nature. Facing Bell, a Caterpie with a 25-year-old human's strategic mind? They faltered.
Even the lead Caterpie wavered, torn between fear and hunger.
Seeing their hesitation, Bell struck first!
*Ptooey!*
String Shot immobilized one Caterpie as Bell's body glowed white—
*Tackle!*
*Wham!*
The silk-bound target was launched backward. Bell immediately layered more webbing.
"Gah—!"
The leader's weak cry scattered the swarm. Caterpie fled into bushes, trembling.
No mercy. Bell charged again—
*Crunch!*
This time, the leader spun dizzy-eyed, defeated.
**[Ding! Level Up! Current Level: Lv. 4]**
Stronger again. Bell almost regretted not keeping more opponents around for grinding.
But the clearing was empty now—his would-be challengers long gone.
"Now, to find shelter."
Bell knew his victory came from ambush tactics. In a fair fight, that Orange-potential Caterpie might've won.
The forest suddenly felt hostile—every shadow potentially hiding a Pidgey ready to strike.
"Gotta move!"
Using silk to tow his shell stash, Bell crept toward cover.
As a Caterpie, his worst predators were avian Pokémon like Pidgey. Ground-level hiding spots were risky—too exposed to aerial scouts.
But the ground wasn't safe either. Pokémon like Rattata also preyed on Caterpie.
"Best option: the trees."
Bell craned his neck, spotting the lushest oak in the vicinity—his new target.
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