Isla Nublar.
The volcano that had ravaged the land was settling into a restless peace; flowing magma had hardened into fresh stone.
The deathly fog that once blotted out the sun had dispersed, though wisps of blue smoke still drifted from the charred remains of the forest.
The verdant land was no more. Every blade of grass and branch Carlo once knew was now buried deep within the fragments of his memory.
But life, persistent as ever, would return to this soil once more.
The Primeval Ecological Zone, a place that, while small, had once held a multitude of lives, was welcoming its newest guests.
Tender green sprouts poked through cracks in the rock. Small mice scurried from their burrows, feasting on delicacies that could only be tasted in the wake of total destruction.
Snap.
"Squeak?"
The heat-blasted branches were as brittle as tissue paper, liable to turn to ash at the slightest touch. Still, they weren't the sort of thing that would break from a mere breeze. The little mouse peered warily toward the source of the sound.
There was nothing there.
Then again, after a catastrophe like that, how could any living thing still be…
"Hiss... hck-tui!"
A harsh, explosive sound erupted nearby, sending a shiver down the rodent's spine.
…
"Aunnng!"
Big brother, he's coming... no, they're coming! Big brother!
"Aunnng..."
Don't move. Don't look them in the eye. Don't ripple the lake. Don't do anything out of line... move slowly, very slowly. Make them think we aren't a threat.
Slurp. Splash.
Katyusha, Kafka, Karl, and Giga Dad stood in a row, heads lowered, savoring the cool relief of the lake water as it soothed their throats.
Carlo sat behind them, leisurely thumping his tail against the ground. He was quite enjoying the "silent theater" performance being put on by Dread One and Dread Two a short distance away.
"Aunnng..."
Big brother... is... is he looking at us?
"Aunnng..."
No. You're overthinking it.
The two massive sauropods kept their "voices" so low they were barely audible. If not for their skyscraper-sized bodies, Carlo might have actually lost track of them.
"Roar?"
Boss, what are you looking at?
Feeling a bit uncomfortable under the intense desert sun, Kafka had quickly finished drinking and retreated into Carlo's shadow.
"Roar…"
I'm watching the reincarnation of a certain mimetic organism.
????
Mimetic? Reincarnation? What kind of niche vocabulary was this now?
Kafka was thoroughly confused, but he wasn't particularly surprised. His Boss frequently spat out strange new terms. Even if Carlo explained them, they were usually beyond comprehension.
Well, as the Boss usually put it, just assume he's having a "moment." So...
"Roar?"
Boss, are you having a mental breakdown?
Pfft!
Katyusha, still in the middle of drinking, couldn't hold it in. She sprayed lake water everywhere before she could swallow. Her sinuses stung, but she figured holding back a laugh was the appropriate response right now.
Carlo turned to look at Kafka, who was still huddled in his shadow, his expression one of utter shock.
How could such wicked words come out of your mouth?
Looking at Kafka's innocent, curious eyes, Carlo opened his mouth several times but couldn't find his voice. Finally, he gave in and responded:
"Roar…"
Yes. I'm having a breakdown.
"Roar…"
I see.
Seeing Kafka's "I understand everything now" expression, Carlo wanted to roll around on the ground and scream: Why did you have to inherit Dad's traits in this specific area?!
Giga Dad lifted his head and looked toward Carlo, tilting his head. It was clear he hadn't followed the conversation from the start... but that wasn't the worst part. The worst part was that Karl, standing right next to Giga Dad, was wearing the exact same expression.
So you all just decided to inherit everything from Dad, huh? At least the traits that were inherited are...
Carlo was almost laughing from frustration, but the occasional lighthearted atmosphere among his family felt comforting. Then, a sudden silence fell.
"Roar!"
Suddenly, Katyusha let out an involuntary, high-pitched roar, snapping everyone's attention to her.
She shook her head, looking a bit dazed. A wave of warmth, accompanied by a strange sense of control over her own body, surged through her. It felt incredibly soothing.
"Roar!" x2
Carlo was about to ask what happened when Karl and Kafka let out the same high-pitched roars. The whole family was stunned.
Carlo hesitated, wondering if he should roar too, and looked to Giga Dad for help.
Giga Dad, already confused, looked back at Carlo as if to ask if he should start yelling as well.
[Giganotosaurus — Katyusha has reached Adulthood]
[Giganotosaurus — Karl has reached Adulthood]
[Giganotosaurus — Kafka has reached Adulthood]
It was the UI! The interface that had been missing for who knows how many chapters!!!
Carlo's dazed expression shifted to pure joy. Adulthood meant the UI functions were unlocked. UI functions meant he could start "stacking armor," and "stacking armor" meant a much higher guarantee of safety.
Not one of them will be left behind.
[Katyusha]
[Health: 2370 / 10800]
[Melee Damage: 115%]
[Natural Leader: When in a pack, the coordination of all Giganotosauruses is increased; every attack is guaranteed to inflict Gnashed (Bleeding).]
[Karl]
[Health: 2063 / 9999]
[Melee Damage: 105%]
[Scholar: Can learn a trait from a teammate he has observed and use it perfectly for a certain period.]
[Kafka]
[Health: 2550 / 11500]
[Melee Damage: 118%]
[Night Hunter: Stealth during the night produces no sound; once a target is locked, it cannot be lost.]
Alright, now everyone's a monster.
In addition to the stat points Carlo had given them, the three youngsters each had a unique trait like Carlo's, though they still seemed to fall within the realm of "normal" biological entities.
Wait, why doesn't Dad have a trait?
Carlo stood up and looked at Giga Dad, who was still trying to ask the three "kids" what had just happened.
No, perhaps Giga Dad had one too, and Carlo just couldn't see it. Even if he hadn't known about the youngsters' traits, it wouldn't have mattered, as they had all been displaying behaviors consistent with these traits in their daily lives anyway.
Still, a celebration was in order.
"Roar—"
Carlo huffed softly, calling for his family to follow him.
…
The Dreadnoughtus herd is merciful; a large family can accommodate many members. The White King did not deny the weak their right to exist. But the Dreadnoughtus herd is also harsh; a young challenger who fails to topple the leader loses his place, often dying in some forgotten corner for any number of reasons.
The failed young challenger limped across the wasteland, heading toward another oasis outside the White King's reign.
For creatures of this size, a single struggle could exhaust their entire life force; a single fall resulted in an irreparable fracture.
As the sun dipped toward the horizon, the failed challenger looked back at the sunset and saw five silhouettes, one large and four smaller, racing toward him.
Without a moment's hesitation, he turned to face the incoming threat. Those who dared challenge a king were never cowards.
"Aunnng—"
Goodnight, beautiful world.
He let out one final cry.
…
Thud. Thud.
The wandering Dilophosaurus sat perched on a hillside, a scrawny mouse clamped in its jaws. Beside it lay the skull of its own kind.
Yes, it had unfortunately survived. It had survived on this dead, silent land. Being alone wasn't easy, but fortunately, it had long since grown used to the feeling.
Watching the sunset, it swallowed the mouse and gave the companion's skull a light tap with its tail.
"Aenng…"
Goodnight, Boss...
Goodnight, cruel world.
…
A well-dressed young man watched as a ragged drifter was lowered into a grave.
A single funeral buried two hearts. The young man took great care in the burial of the old drifter, offering flowers.
After standing before the grave in silence for a long time, he finally pulled a business card from his pocket.
[Security Specialty Shop! Any weapon! Any caliber! Any ammunition! We satisfy every need!]
The young man's gaze shifted from the card, and with a look bordering on obsession, he spoke softly to the master of the headstone.
"Goodnight, Old Nick."
———————
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