Chapter 50: Preparing for Independent Living? Challenging the Hell Aquarium!
Time flies, and another two months have passed since Chu Xu and his family settled into their new territory.
The Mother Dragon had long since recovered from the injuries sustained in her battle with the juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex, and she had resumed taking Luna and Meteor—neither of whom had yet mastered the full range of survival skills—out on hunting expeditions.
As for Chu Xu, he still hunted alone, though his returns home became increasingly infrequent. He would often linger away for two or three days, or even longer.
For reasons unknown, as his age and physical development progressed, the independent mindset within him grew to take dominant control.
Independence is a path that the vast majority of animals are forced to walk during their growth; many species must even rely entirely on their own abilities to survive the moment they are born.
Chu Xu was fortunate. A newly reincarnated Tyrannosaurus rex hatchling possesses no strength to truss a chicken, being so fragile that a random, disparate rat in a drainage ditch could easily kill him.
It was solely under the nourishment and protection of the Mother Dragon that he managed to grow to his current state in just over a year.
Normally, Tyrannosaurus rex cubs are driven away by their mothers to begin independent lives once their infancy ends, around the age of four or five.
Although Chu Xu's true age was barely over one year, his actual physical development had long since surpassed the infant stage.
Failing to comprehend the reasons behind this anomaly and uncertain whether she should continue to feed and protect him or chase him away, the Mother Dragon simply gave up trying to figure it out, leaving Chu Xu to come and go as he pleased.
There is no banquet in this world that never ends. Chu Xu knew that sooner or later he would have to leave the Mother Dragon and the others to live a life of independence.
Yet, feelings of reluctance were inevitable; after all, many animals sever all ties with their parents after gaining independence, sometimes even becoming enemies upon their next encounter.
"Never mind, let nature take its course. The most urgent priority right now is to gather 1,000 evolution points and complete the second evolution."
Chu Xu shook his head, casting his chaotic thoughts aside, and with a flick of his mind, brought up his attribute panel.
[Name]: Chu Xu
[Age]: 1 year and 2 months
[Race]: Agumon (Male)
[Growth Stage]: Juvenile
[Four-Dimensional Attributes]: Strength 1000, Agility 1000, Constitution 1000, Spirit 1000
[Evolution Points]: 100
[Skills]: Baby Flame, Claw, Flamedash, High-Speed Movement
[Ultimate Move]: Pepper Breath, Petit Blaster
[Achievements]: Tyrannic Potential (Primary), Psychic Perception (Primary), Fluid Armor (Primary)
[Next Evolution Form]: Greymon
……
Compared to two months ago, Chu Xu's four-dimensional attributes had more than doubled again, all breaking past the four-figure mark and finally reaching the upper limit of the Juvenile stage, temporarily locking him out from further point allocation.
He only needed to spend another 1,000 evolution points to complete his second evolution!
By now, Chu Xu's physique had reached the physical developmental level of a fourteen-year-old juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex: his body length had reached 5 meters, his height at the head was 2.5 meters, and his weight had surpassed 2 tons!
Once he stepped into the sub-adult stage, his body would officially welcome the golden age of a Tyrannosaurus rex's savage growth, and a whole new world would open up before him!
Over the past few days, Chu Xu had not returned home. Instead, he continuously hunted in the wilds, gathering evolution points in hopes of accumulating the required 1,000 points as quickly as possible.
Perhaps due to Chu Xu's aggressive rampages, the herbivorous dinosaurs within the Mother Dragon's new territory had fled in terror, leaving very few viable targets to be found.
"Chasing luck in such a aimless manner is simply too inefficient... If I want to collect evolution points rapidly, it seems I have only one place to go."
After a moment of contemplation, Chu Xu made a decision—
He would head to the shallow sea beyond the horizon, the notoriously perilous Western Interior Seaway!
When it came to sheer numbers, marine life far surpassed terrestrial creatures; naturally, the level of danger was correspondingly higher, but Chu Xu had already mentally prepared himself.
Fortune favors the bold. He believed in his self-preservation capabilities. As long as he remained cautious and did not venture too deep, there shouldn't be any major problems.
Having made up his mind, Chu Xu departed directly from the Mother Dragon's new territory, following the main channel of the Missouri River all the way toward the edge of the horizon.
……
As evening approached and the sun sank in the west, the afterglow of the setting sun draped over the surface of the shallow sea, dyeing it in a layer of amber twilight.
A gentle breeze stirred up rolling waves, and amidst the undulating swells, a flock of Hesperornis floated upon the water.
These Hesperornis were less than 2 meters in length and at first glance bore a striking resemblance to modern penguins, likewise lacking the ability to fly with wings that had completely atrophied.
Yet, Hesperornis were consummate diving and fishing experts. Their pair of paddle-like hind limbs and streamlined bodies allowed them to swim rapidly through the seawater, while their large eyes utilized the fading light to keep track of the movements of fish schools beneath the clear water.
"Splash!! Splash!! Splash!!"
Accompanied by one splashing sound after another, the Hesperornis plunged headfirst beneath the surface, scattering the mixed schools of fish and swallowing small fish one after another with wide-open beaks.
At that moment, a flash of dazzling silver cut through the seawater not far away. Upon seeing this, the diving Hesperornis hurriedly abandoned the meals almost within their reach, paddling desperately toward the shoreline.
The Hesperornis swam swiftly, but that streak of silver moved even faster. As it drew closer, it became clear that it was a ferociously ugly Xiphactinus!
Xiphactinus, the notorious top bully of the hellish aquarium, a large carnivorous teleost fish of the family Ichthyodectidae.
Its overall form resembled a fusiform torpedo, with a body length exceeding 5 meters and a weight reaching up to 500 kilograms, rivaling large modern sharks.
Its pair of pectoral fins extended straight to the sides like sword blades, and its wide mouth was filled with jagged, nail-like teeth that projected outward, rendering its appearance exceedingly savage.
"Plop!!"
A Hesperornis that had almost reached the shore was nevertheless overtaken by the astonishingly swift Xiphactinus. With a snap of its jaws, the horrifying fangs pierced completely through the bird's body, staining the surrounding seawater a pale, bloody red.
With no escape left, the Hesperornis was dragged back into the depths by the Xiphactinus, swallowed whole from head to toe into the predator's belly.
"Tch! Is it this thrilling right after arriving?"
Having just arrived at the shallow sea coast, Chu Xu had witnessed the exact moment the Hesperornis was hunted by the Xiphactinus, the latter's savage and hideous visage vividly prominent.
Truly worthy of being called the aquarium of hell; such life-and-death struggles were played out amidst the seemingly calm waters almost every single moment!
Standing upon the shore and gazing into the distance, the ocean dyed by the sunset's afterglow resembled a boiling expanse of golden liquid, vast, boundless, and stretching from the edge of the shore to merge with the evening clouds.
Above the sea, pterosaurs and birds soared across the firmament; beneath the waves, marine reptiles and fish swam and leaped through the currents.
This was indeed a bizarre and kaleidoscopic melting-pot paradise—one that even the apex tyrant of the land, the Tyrannosaurus rex, would not dare to casually trespass upon.
And now, this paradise was the target Chu Xu had chosen to challenge!