Chapter 31: Deinonychus
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 31: Deinonychus
When you think of a swamp, it's easy to imagine stagnant, rotting water, but that's a misconception.
A swamp has its own unique environment. Mangrove trees and lily pads floating on the water. Insects gather to live there, and small animals prey on them. Then come other beasts that hunt those smaller animals. And finally, large beasts that ignore them all, coming only for a drink of water.
This place was its own ecosystem.
A place where various creatures gathered, each with its own purpose.
For some, it was a home. For others, a source of food. For others still, a place to drink.
Swaaaa.
In my case, all three applied.
And right now, I was after food.
The first rule of hunting is to wait.
I waited calmly for my prey.
Beneath the surface, I kept my eyes wide open, spreading my body as much as possible to feel the faintest vibrations.
Plink.
A small ripple spread across the water.
Something had arrived.
Judging by the size of the ripples, it wasn't very big.
Based on my experience, it was probably a Microraptor.
Splash.
The creature dipped its head to the water's edge.
A novice hunter would have lunged impatiently.
And they would have lost their prey.
The moment an animal drinks is when it's at its most alert.
It wasn't time yet.
I waited longer.
Splash.
Just as it finished drinking and was about to lift its head—now!
KRAKOOM!
“Kieeeek!”
The Microraptor let out a shrill cry, flapping its forelimbs.
But it was too late.
There was no way it could react to my speed, which was faster than a caiman's.
“Kigigik! Kieeeek!”
The prey was already in my mouth.
It struggled to escape, but it must have realized it too.
Resistance was futile.
CRUNCH!
Gulp.
Swallow.
I crunched it down, bones and all.
It tasted pretty good. So good it felt wrong to even compare it to the insects.
The bones gave it a nice, savory crunch.
The successful hunt was nice, but it was also a little disappointing.
The commotion I'd made while catching it had scared off all the other potential prey in the area.
That's it for today's hunt.
Next time, I'll aim for something bigger.
I'd once managed to hunt a Protoceratops by chance, and it had been quite satisfying.
The Microraptor tasted better, but the sheer amount of meat was on a different level.
After shaking the blood from my snout a couple of times, I stood up on two legs.
Even after evolving, I had to keep practicing moving on two feet.
Hunting like a crocodile had the highest success rate, so I used that method often, but the problem was that my behavior was starting to resemble a crocodile's too. I'd even found myself unconsciously trying to use a Death Roll.
I needed to re-establish my identity.
Tatadat!
I pushed off the water's surface and ran.
Despite my increased size, I made no more noise than necessary.
This was thanks to my near-perfect mastery of the Little Dragon's Heaven-Ascending Steps.
I arrived at a large mangrove tree.
This was the new nest I'd built after the caiman destroyed my old one.
Originally, crocodile monitors are creatures that live in trees, not water.
Reflecting that trait, I had chosen a tree with wide branches to build my new home.
A natural bed woven from spider silk and leaves.
A canopy to shield me from the warm sunlight.
The caiman's hide, laid out like a trophy.
Toad jerky, prepared for when I got hungry.
And two spiders, greeting me warmly.
“Kieek!”
Yeah, good to see you too.
It was a stable life.
You could even call it a successful one.
There were no immediate threats to my life, and my hunts were always successful.
…At this point, wouldn't it be okay to take a quick peek at the upper part of the swamp?
How different could it be, really?
Yeah, let's go take a look.
If it looks manageable, a little northern expedition wouldn't be a bad idea.
Tus, Pus.
I'm heading out for a bit.
“Gek gek.”
If you get hungry, help yourselves to the toad jerky. The poison should be all gone.
“Kiiiek!”
Tus and Pus waved their short legs, seeing me off.
And so, I headed for the upper swamp.
I had a certain degree of confidence.
After all, I was a creature that had eaten several dinosaurs.
Sure, they were smaller than me, like the Microraptor and Protoceratops.
But I'd even defeated that monstrous caiman. What was there to fear?
My body had grown a lot, too, and I was now on par with the caiman in size.
Come at me, new world.
My childish ambition vanished with a whoosh the moment I crossed the hill.
“Kigigigik!”
An eerie cry.
【Deinonychus LV9】
【Deinonychus LV4】
【Deinonychus LV6】
【Deinonychus】
A small carnivorous dinosaur, 3 meters in length and weighing 60-100kg.
It is a highly intelligent hunter that forms packs to hunt large dinosaurs.
The second claw on its hind legs is extremely sharp, and it prefers a hunting method that involves piercing its prey's belly to induce massive blood loss.
Deinonychus.
Everyone knows the smart Velociraptors from the movies.
These guys are what they were based on.
A single one of them had better stats than me.
And creatures like that were moving in a pack.
“Krrrrrraaa!”
My shock didn't end there.
It was because I saw another dinosaur fighting them.
【Baryonyx LV22】
__________________________
【Baryonyx】
A medium-sized carnivorous dinosaur, 7-10 meters in length and weighing 1.2-2 tons.
Its long, crocodile-like snout filled with dense teeth and its long claws, exceeding 30cm, are specialized for hunting fish.
However, it is a skilled hunter that does not hesitate to attack and hunt other dinosaurs as well.
To put it simply, this creature was a lesser version of a Spinosaurus.
Take away the sail on its back and shrink it down a bit, and you get a Baryonyx.
That's why I'd underestimated it.
But seeing it now with my own eyes, I regretted that thought.
How was that a medium-sized carnivorous dinosaur?
The ground trembled with its every step.
If the Piranha Caiman had met this thing, it would have been nothing more than a single meal.
That's how overwhelming it was.
A battle between Deinonychus and a Baryonyx.
Normally, I should have fled immediately, but my feet wouldn't move.
Thump.
My heart pounded.
To think I'd get to see dinosaurs fighting in person.
And this wasn't just any fight; it was a life-and-death battle between creatures with some renown.
I had to watch this, even if it was dangerous.
Just by watching such masters fight, there would be something to learn.
A question did arise, though. Why would the Deinonychus, even with six of them, attack a Baryonyx? Besides, wasn't this swamp the Baryonyx's territory?
The Baryonyx's massive foreleg swung toward a Deinonychus.
SWOOOOSH!
Just the sound sent a shiver down my spine.
The Deinonychus dodged the attack with its swift movements.
“Kraaaaaak!”
The Baryonyx roared and charged at them with incredible speed.
Thud.
Thud.
Tadadadat!
The Deinonychus scattered at once.
As the one in the lead dodged the attack, the others aimed for the now-defenseless tail.
“Krrrrrrk!”
Wait a minute.
Something about the flow of this fight was strange.
Pack hunting was a natural instinct in the wild.
It was this species' greatest weapon.
But why did their movements look so unnatural to me?
To be precise, they didn't look like the movements of dinosaurs.
I realized the source of my unease.
The positioning of their feet.
And the pattern of attacking and retreating at regular intervals.
They were using a formation.
Moreover, seeing the lead attacker constantly changing, it seemed they were even employing the principles of a wheel battle.
So that's why they dared to attack that monster. They had an ace up their sleeve.
As time passed, the Deinonychus gained the upper hand.
A wheel battle.
Like the turning of a cart's wheel, they rotated their lead attacker to conserve stamina while draining the enemy's.
The Baryonyx was tiring, while the Deinonychus were still fresh.
At this rate, it was clear the behemoth would fall.
But the Deinonychus were being careless.
They had forgotten that they were fighting right by the water.
“Kwaaaaaak!”
Having figured out the Deinonychus's formation, the Baryonyx anticipated its opponent's position and swung its tail.
KRA-KOOM!
As a result, one of the Deinonychus took a direct hit.
The result was instant death.
A natural outcome, considering the size of its attacker.
“Krrrrrrrk….”
The Baryonyx glared, seeking its next opponent.
“Kiik! Kiikiiik!”
The Deinonychus shrieked.
“Kraaaaaa!”
The moment the Baryonyx charged again, they turned and began to flee.
It was a quick decision.
They had determined that with one member down, they could no longer face the monster.
Instead of chasing them, the Baryonyx chose to chew on the dead Deinonychus.
Crunch, crunch.
…What did I just see?
It was a battle that far surpassed my imagination.
I had expected a simple brawl between dinosaurs, but what I witnessed was on a higher level than any fight I had ever seen.
Feints and real attacks. Formations and wheel battles. Analysis through learning and cold, swift judgment.
How could this be a fight between beasts that couldn't speak?
Right.
I should stay far away from here for the time being.
So there was a reason the caiman was stuck down there.
Fortunately, perhaps due to the terrain, they didn't seem to have any intention of crossing over to my side. If they had, the caiman would never have been the master of the swamp.
Phew.
I shouldn't even look in that direction.
I'll have to warn Tus and Pus, too.
If I foolishly wander in there and attract their attention, they might cross over.
…Surely no fool would willingly walk in there, right?
“Huff….”
The eight Third-Rate martial artists gasped for breath.
“What is this mess!”
They were men who had followed Namgung Yeon after hearing they could score big.
But instead of a spirit beast, the leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult had appeared before them, and they had been scattered to the winds.
“Hmph… Still, those Demonic Cult bastards weren't all that, were they? We survived, plain and simple.”
“Heh heh. You're right about that. That's the Demonic Cult for you. Thanks to them, we've ended up in the middle of the 100,000 Great Mountains.”
They had no way of knowing how much effort the Left Guardian had put into not killing them.
After all, they were Third-Rate martial artists who hadn't even reached the Second-Rate realm.
To put it bluntly, they were street thugs.
Greedy men Namgung Yeon had brought along to use as disposable pawns.
As they chuckled amongst themselves, they heard a sniffling sound from somewhere nearby.
“Uwaaah….”
It was the dumpling-haired girl who had escaped with them.
“Which bastard is making that unlucky…”
“Wait.”
The red-haired man stopped another who was about to curse.
Then, he strode over and stood before the girl.
“Come to think of it, aren't you from the Tang Clan?”
“Hic… Y-yes, I am….”
The men's faces brightened.
To think, someone from one of the Five Great Families was in their group.
Truth be told, they had been worried, since they were all of similar, mediocre skill. But with someone from the Tang Clan, it was a different story. Her basic internal energy would be exceptional, and they could expect her to handle poisons that would be fatal to spirit beasts.
They could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
At the same time, a question arose.
Why on earth was she crying so sorrowfully?
“Why are you crying so?”
“Hero Dal is gone… sob…”
Hero Dal. The red-haired man thought hard.
He remembered a spirit beast trapped in a cage.
When the Thunderclap Bomb had exploded, the cage had shattered, and the spirit beast had gotten out.
That must have been the Tang Clan's spirit beast. The aura of poison was palpable just by getting close to it.
“Haha. Don't you worry, milady. If you just pull yourself together, I'm sure you can find him again.”
The red-haired man decided to get on the girl's good side.
Befriending an expert was always a good investment.
He fantasized that after escaping this place, he might form a connection with the Tang Clan.
“B-but…”
“But?”
“My role is to serve Hero Dal, I don't specialize in combat…”
So much for that.
A few of the men spat on the ground.
Looking at her, she was no different from an ordinary young woman.
The internal energy they could sense from her wasn't very strong for someone from the Five Great Families, either.
They couldn't expect her to fight.
In other words, they had another piece of baggage.
But even so, they couldn't show it.
No matter what, she was definitely from the Tang Clan.
If they treated her poorly here, they might disappear without a trace even after they returned.
The red-haired man, however, saw this as an opportunity.
It would be a little tough, but if he protected this woman, he would forge a definite connection with the Tang Clan.
“Haha. Milady, do not worry. You must have heard of the alias 'Bloody Lion'.”
The dumpling-haired girl, Tang Soyeong, tilted her head.
“Huh? B-Bloody Lion, you say?”
The Bloody Lion nodded silently.
It seems bribing those beggars from the Beggars' Sect paid off.
To think a young lady of the Tang Clan would know his alias.
“D-do even Third-Rate martial artists g-give themselves aliases these days?”
Even while sniffling, Tang Soyeong spoke her mind.
“…Milady, what did you just say?”
“Eek! I-I'm sorry… It's just quite pathetic how Third-Rate martial artists walk around with such ridiculous aliases. Th-that's what I said…”
Tang Soyeong blew her nose loudly.
For a moment, the Bloody Lion couldn't tell if his ears or his eyes were deceiving him.
How could she say something so scathing with such a timid attitude?
“Y-you…!”
Just as the Bloody Lion was about to fly into a rage, the other martial artists restrained him.
“Hey, man. What's with you? Keep that up, and you won't even be able to drink a sip of water without their permission.”
Don't mess with the Tang Clan.
It was a warning from his companion.
It also carried another meaning.
If you're going to mess with her, make sure you finish the job.
“Ahem. Now that things seem to have calmed down, why don't we all share our opinions? I am the Black… no, I am Jang Bong.”
Jang Bong almost stated the alias he had paid a hefty price to create, but he bit his tongue.
It was because Tang Soyeong's green eyes flashed.
He had no idea what kind of insults he'd hear if he said his alias.
“Hmph. What is there to discuss? We've stumbled into the garden of those stupid Demonic Cult bastards, so we should grab as many elixirs as we can.”
“It would be better if we moved together. Even if we find elixirs, we can't use them if they don't suit our constitutions. Here's what I think…”
Some were busy talking amongst themselves, some were stewing over the insults they'd received, and others were quietly hatching their own plans.
Their focus was commendable.
“Kigigik! Kigik!”
They were so engrossed that they didn't notice the pack of hungry Deinonychus—who had just lost one of their own—approaching.