Chapter 18: Liquid Armament! Struthiomimus!
Evolution complete. Chu Xu had ceased to be an ordinary Tyrannosaurus rex and had transformed into an Agumon. Unlike the petite and delicate Agumon depicted in animated works, Chu Xu retained most of the original Tyrannosaurus features, with localized enhancements on his forelimbs and claws.
Moreover, Chu Xu’s growth stage had progressed from infancy to adolescence, finally emerging from the most vulnerable and perilous phase, now capable of standing on his own.
Typically, a Tyrannosaurus’s infancy lasts from birth to four years old, followed by adolescence from five to fourteen years, during which growth is slow. By the end of adolescence, a Tyrannosaurus rarely exceeds two tons in weight.
After fourteen, they enter their prime youth phase, a golden period of rapid growth lasting until eighteen. During these few years, a Tyrannosaurus can gain four to five catties daily—nearly a ton annually—so by the end of youth, their weight reaches six to eight tons, peaking at this size. Exceptional individuals can even surpass ten tons.
Though Chu Xu was only half a year old in actual age, his development, boosted by attribute points, matched that of a five-year-old adolescent Tyrannosaurus.
[Notification: You have successfully completed your first evolution and earned the golden achievement—Fluid Armament (Basic).]
[Fluid Armament (Basic): Golden achievement, upgradable. This ability allows you to solidify a special fluid on your body, which can harden to form an invisible armor enhancing defense, or flow outward to boost attack power and lethality.]
Another achievement unlocked!
Overjoyed, Chu Xu felt invincible with his tyrannical nature, spiritual perception, and the newly acquired fluid armament—capable of offense and defense, sensing and intimidation—a truly versatile set of abilities.
“Unstoppable!”
Savoring the strength and transformation brought by this evolution, Chu Xu brimmed with confidence, eager to take on even the fearsome Pteranodon or the mighty Mosasaurus with his fists and feet.
However, his excitement soon tempered with reason; he knew he was far from invincible.
In the Hell Creek Formation of the Late Cretaceous, ferocious predators abounded: Tyrannosaurs, Dwarf Tyrannosaurs, and Dakotaraptors on land; Pteranodons in the sky; crocodiles in rivers and lakes; and shark-like Mosasaurs in the inland seas.
Cautiously continuing his gradual growth, Chu Xu believed the day he would dominate the Late Cretaceous was not far off.
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Upon waking, when Dragon Mother, Long Yue, and Liu Xing saw the evolved Chu Xu, they sensed some subtle changes but paid little mind.
After all, Chu Xu was still Chu Xu—the familiar scent remained unchanged, and their limited intellect prevented deeper contemplation.
The prey from yesterday’s hunt was enough to feed the family for days, so Dragon Mother decided to stay home and rest, a rare lazy day for her.
Energetic Long Yue and Liu Xing played around the house, honing their combat and hunting skills.
“Roar~~”
At that moment, Chu Xu let out a roar imbued with special meaning.
His message was simple: he wished to hunt alone.
Having fully mastered the hunting techniques and experience passed down by Dragon Mother, and with his greatly enhanced combat power after evolution, Chu Xu felt confident he could hunt independently and protect himself.
Even if he encountered an unbeatable foe, he was capable of retreating safely.
Constantly trailing behind Dragon Mother and relying on her strength could never foster true growth.
Perhaps soon, Chu Xu would leave Dragon Mother and begin an independent life, so he intended to train his survival skills alone.
Instinctively, Dragon Mother wanted to forbid this, but seeing Chu Xu’s determination, she consented, watching as her increasingly strange and unfamiliar leader disappeared into the dense forest.
Seeing his elder brother heading out, Liu Xing eagerly tried to follow but was promptly tripped by Dragon Mother’s tail and left behind, sulking at home.
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Without Dragon Mother’s protection and free from Long Yue and Liu Xing’s mischief, Chu Xu wandered alone through the lush larch forest.
Within the range of his spiritual perception, he noticed far more animals around than before.
Previously, with Dragon Mother present, the mere sight of a fully grown Tyrannosaurus would scare animals into fleeing. Now, Chu Xu’s smaller stature meant animals nearby were not so easily frightened and stayed put.
This was certainly to Chu Xu’s advantage.
Feigning harmlessness and innocence, he carefully observed the behavior of the surrounding creatures.
Perched high in the treetops was a Bayornis, a primitive bird belonging to the order Reptilia, subclass Archaeornithes. Ecologically akin to later raptors, it preyed on insects and small amphibians and mammals.
Suddenly, a small mammal resembling a groundhog emerged cautiously from its burrow, looking around for danger.
This was a Shuo Moon beast, a distant relative of the multituberculates, belonging to the order Multituberculata, with a pair of specialized incisors like rodents.
Unlike its more ferocious relatives that preyed on small dinosaurs, the Shuo Moon beast was herbivorous and often preyed upon by other predators.
Once it confirmed safety, the Shuo Moon cautiously crawled out, followed by several plump baby Shuo Moon beasts, foraging among the bushes.
“Whoosh!”
Suddenly, the Bayornis, which had been watching the Shuo Moon beasts, spread its wings and swooped down swiftly.
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“Chirp chirp chirp!”
The adult Shuo Moon sensed impending danger and sounded an urgent alarm.
The baby Shuo Moon beasts heard their mother’s warning and hurriedly fled back into their burrow.
However, one gluttonous baby was too far from the entrance and lagged behind.
The Bayornis targeted this lone young Shuo Moon, diving and seizing it with its spiked talons.
No matter how it struggled, the baby was trapped in the Bayornis’s grasp.
“Clatter clatter clatter!”
Just as the Bayornis was about to enjoy its catch, a sudden burst of rapid footsteps approached. Three ostrich-like Ornithomimids charged in, forcing the Bayornis to release the baby Shuo Moon and flee in panic.
A classic case of the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind.
“Gugugugu!!”
Having scared off the Bayornis, the Ornithomimids proudly uttered their hoarse calls. Unfortunately, the baby Shuo Moon had escaped one danger only to fall prey to another, torn apart and devoured by the trio.
The Ornithomimid, a medium-sized omnivorous dinosaur of the Ornithomimidae family, measured nearly four meters long and weighed about 300 jin (approximately 150 kilograms).
As the name suggests, its appearance resembled that of an ostrich.
With a small triangular skull, toothless beak similar to birds, a slender and flexible neck, a lightweight feathered body, and tibiae much longer than femora, its long, stiff tail maintained balance.
It could run like the wind, reaching speeds of up to seventy kilometers per hour, making it the undisputed sprint champion of the Hell Creek Formation.
A target!
Not far off, Chu Xu spotted the Ornithomimids’ tracks and brightened. Stealthily, he crept toward their location.
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