Tack-tap, tack-tap, tack-tap... Thump, thump, thump...
The deer darted past with light, nimble steps, a gust of wind trailing in its wake that sent the surrounding grass and flowers into a gentle sway.
Ten seconds later, massive talons followed. Heavy, booming footsteps descended, completely obliterating the hoofprints left on the meadow just moments before.
Fifteen minutes had passed.
Carlo’s focus remained razor-sharp. The deer had tried everything—obstacles, jagged turns, dense thickets—to throw him off, but time and again, Carlo’s nose locked onto its scent.
Its maneuvers had achieved nothing but narrowing the gap between predator and prey.
The deer glanced back, seeing Carlo still in relentless pursuit. Panic flared in its eyes. It had never encountered a predator capable of maintaining such a high-speed chase for this long. Its breathing, already labored from the exertion, grew frantic.
It was terrified.
Terrified that its stamina would give out first, terrified of becoming a meal on a plate, terrified that this monster would tear the very organs from its belly.
Its breath hitched for a micro-second, then resumed a jagged, desperate rhythm.
Carlo, mid-hunt, caught the shift in the air. He realized instantly...
It's got a stitch in its side.
Diverting his attention from the tip of his snout, Carlo took a massive, lung-filling breath.
"ROAARR—!"
Carlo let out a thunderous bellow and immediately lunged into a frantic sprint.
Hearing the roar from behind, the deer’s heart skipped a beat. It didn't dare turn its head; it feared that if it saw him, it would lose even the courage to keep running. It was overextending its body now, ignoring the stabbing pain in its side, desperately commanding its legs to keep moving.
Tack-tap... tack-tap...
Its speed faltered.
It was that sensation from a long-distance run: your mind commands your feet to lift, but your body rebels, forcing your leaden legs back down.
It had reached its limit.
The... the noise behind me stopped... maybe... maybe he couldn't keep up either... that was just a loser’s final roar... haha...
The deer comforted itself internally, but its legs never stopped. It didn't dare stop. It didn't dare look back.
Tack-tap... tack-tap...
Wait... is my leg stuck on a rock? Why is the rock in the air? How strange...
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Suddenly, a massive, backward-tugging force hit. Alarm bells screamed in its mind.
Having closed the distance, Carlo had seized the perfect opening, clamping his jaws onto the deer’s raised left hind leg. With a gentle tug backward, the deer’s delectable neck was brought into the perfect strike zone.
Crunch—
The sound of sharp teeth piercing flesh rang out. Carlo latched onto the deer’s throat, turned, and braked hard while lifting his head. The entire deer was hoisted into the air, spinning in a 200-degree spiral!
The deer was fortunate; its body was so numb from exhaustion that it didn't feel the agony of the teeth sinking in. As it flipped through the air, its neck snapped instantly, sparing it the despair of being eviscerated alive.
Huff... huff...
Carlo was tired, but not from physical exhaustion. It was the mental fatigue that follows the release of extreme concentration.
He quickly opened his status panel. He needed to confirm one thing.
[Name: Carlo]
[Family: Giganotosaurus carolinii]
[Available Points: 33 (Grayed Out)]
[Health: 13150.7 / 80960]
[Stamina: 750 / 750]
[Oxygen: 510 / 510]]
[Food: 9890 / 10600]
[Weight: 0 / 898]
[Melee Damage: 180%]
My stamina really didn't drop...
(Note: The classic ARK mechanic—unridden dinos don't consume stamina; they even regenerate it while moving.)
About ten days ago, when the goats were replaced with deer, Carlo had begun his true training. He had failed several times initially, usually requiring Caroline to finish the job. But during those days, he noticed something "wrong" with himself.
Despite chasing for ages, his body felt like it had an infinite reservoir of energy. Aside from a bit of mental drain, he felt no physical fatigue.
Over the last two days, he’d confirmed it: he truly did not consume stamina.
Am I... really a monster?
Picking up the deer, Carlo began the trek back to the nesting grounds. He didn't know why his abilities were so terrifying, but since things had turned out this way… first, it was time for some milk.
…
[Giganotosaurus Exhibit Official: Baby Giga’s first successful White-tailed Deer hunt! A 23-minute high-speed pursuit! The perfect fusion of stamina and power! (Videos x2)]
There were two videos: a 22-minute full-length version (with a few gaps where cameras missed the action) and a highlight reel featuring the best parts. The way the deer tried to lose Carlo and how Carlo countered every move was condensed into the second video, leaving viewers in awe.
[How long?!]
[Holy crap, did he just run that deer to death?]
[What a joke, 23 minutes to catch a deer and the official account is proud of it?]
[Could your 10-year-old kid outrun a deer in a marathon?]
Simon Masrani watched Carlo on the screen, feeling more satisfied by the second. He was becoming captivated by the little guy. The beauty of the power displayed in the hunt, the predator constantly improving through failure… was this not exactly what he envisioned for a dinosaur?
Bigger. Scarier. Cooler.
Though he was still a child, he would eventually grow into a titan. And as an adult, he would surely be the crown jewel of the upcoming Primeval Ecological Zone.
In fact, it was Simon’s decision to switch the prey from goats to deer. If the boy wanted to learn to hunt, he deserved better quarry.
It was a total win-win!
Knock, knock.
Claire’s voice drifted in from the door. "Mr. Masrani, the experts' plane is expected to arrive in 30 minutes."
"Understood. I'll head out to meet them now."
Simon grabbed his custom-tailored suit jacket from the chair and the files from his desk, heading for the door.
…
"Gentlemen, ma'am, would any of you like a drink?"
"No, thank you," Grant replied, waving a hand.
"I’ll have an orange juice," Malcolm added.
"Certainly, sir. One moment."
A claw holding a glass of orange juice passed before Grant’s eyes.
Grant’s half-closed eyes snapped wide open. He whipped his head to the side.
"Is something wrong, sir?"
A "person" wearing a flight attendant’s uniform, but possessing the head of a Velociraptor, asked with genuine concern.
Grant’s face turned pale with horror, looking worse than if he’d seen a ghost. He turned to look at Malcolm, only to find he also had a Raptor’s head!
"What is it?" Malcolm asked.
"Are you okay, Alan?"
Hearing Ellie's voice, Grant froze. He turned stiffly, only to find that she, too, was sporting a Raptor’s head!
"Oh, God."
At this moment, Grant wholeheartedly agreed with Malcolm: he should have stayed at his dig site studying skeletons, rather than coming face-to-face with this!
