"Research suggests that the Giganotosaurus possesses a unique social structure, vastly different from the organisms we previously understood that drive their near-adult offspring directly out of the habitat."
"A Giganotosaurus will drive its young out of the nesting site, yet still permit them to linger within the broader territory."
"Previously, we mentioned the distinction between a 'habitat' and a 'territory.' A habitat is where a creature sleeps and lives, think of it as a home. A territory? That is the creature's high-frequency activity range, more like a neighborhood."
"Often, only the weaker or more average Giganotosaurus individuals will establish a new habitat within the original territory. The stronger individuals are more inclined to venture beyond the borders to carve out entirely new territories and homes."
"And this particular Giganotosaurus is, evidently, strong enough."
(Note: The above content is fictional lore. In reality, research on Giganotosaurus is still scarce. Seriously, what do you mean there are only three incomplete skeletons? And one of them is just a tiny fragment of bone?! Argentina, when are you finally going to dig up the rest of the Gigas?)
As the documentary narrator explained, the video showed Carlo walking to the edge of the Great Lake and slowly lying down.
"This is an incredibly difficult path. In the days to come, countless challenges await him."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the documentary gave Carlo one final close-up before fading to black.
["Difficult" refers to expanding his territory into the herbivores' Safe Zone.]
[Watching it on the livestream, the separation between the little Giga and his father was so sudden. I really didn't know what was happening for a second.]
[Me too. The little guy was still acting like a kid, asking his dad a million questions, and then the next day he's on his own. My heart aches for him.]
[Actually, I think you should feel bad for the herbivores. So far, the Giga's win-loss record is undefeated.]
[Speaking of which, why hasn't the official site given the little Giga a name yet?]
[Don't. The leading name for Ankylosaurus Three was "Grassy." The officials didn't even know how to handle the PR disaster.]
Unlike the worried Carlo, the commenters below the documentary had already begun fantasizing about his total reign over the Primeval Ecological Zone.
…
The sun rose as usual, bringing a new day to the Primeval Ecological Zone.
Lying under a tree by the lake, Carlo felt the warmth of the sun on his hide. He gave a low grunt and opened his eyes. A little fellow suddenly appeared in his line of sight.
It was a Simosuchus.
The corners of Carlo's mouth twitched upward. He gave a soft huff of air from his nostrils, startling the Simosuchus so much it scrambled to turn and flee. He remained prone, watching the creature retreat until it vanished completely, before lifting his head to scan his surroundings.
There was no sign of Mom or Dad.
The answer seemed obvious now.
[Name: Carlo]
[Family: Giganotosaurus carolinii]
[Available Points: 98 (Greyed out)]
[Health: 32802.1 / 80960]
[Stamina: 750 / 750]
[Oxygen: 510 / 510]
[Food: 10500 / 10600]
[Weight: 0 / 898]
[Melee Damage: 180%]
[Torpidity: 0 / 143800.5]
But have I really grown up?
Even he couldn't wrap his head around that question. This was perhaps the first time the information in his mind didn't quite match reality. Judging by his health pool, he was still just a child, right?
Whatever. Better focus on what to do next. Well... the good news is, I have a very high food capacity.
Though Carlo tried his best not to think about his parents, his gaze involuntarily drifted toward their old nesting grounds.
Next... I'll go hunt a Diplodocus. That'll secure a food source. And if Mom and Dad fail a hunt, they can just come and eat the carcass.
Yeah. That's the plan.
…
The climate of Isla Nublar isn't actually ideal for a theme park; tropical storms are frequent visitors.
The last wave of dark clouds had barely cleared before the next arrived. The newly risen sun was swallowed by mist, causing the sky to darken prematurely.
The carcass of "Miss Diplodocus" was no longer in its former glory. The skeleton was scattered across the ground, with only scraps of gristle clinging to the bone. Even so, it remained a paradise for the Compsognathus.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, the Compys scattered in all directions, vanishing into the undergrowth.
Carlo appeared, walking slowly toward the skeleton, or rather, the rack of bones. He offered a silent greeting to Miss Diplodocus in his heart.
Gasp! Miss Diplodocus! Look at you!
He tried to find her skull to have a proper "chat," but he failed. Some scavenger had likely dragged it off.
Sigh, forget it. Rest in peace, Miss Diplodocus. I'm going to go play with your kin now.
Carlo tilted his head back, sampling the chemical data lingering in the air. His sense of smell could now cover half the Primeval Ecological Zone; he was basically a living radar.
Rumble—
Suddenly, lightning arced across the sky, followed immediately by a deafening roar of thunder. Carlo looked up and began to ponder.
Will that lightning strike me directly? Did the humans install lightning rods nearby? Should I stay low to the ground?
Rumble—
Eek!
A Diplodocus juvenile, startled by the noise, ducked beside its mother. The mother simply let out a low "aunng" of reassurance and went back to eating nuts. They were back in the same nut grove as before.
Though they had lost a companion here previously, there were only two groves of high-altitude nuts in the entire Primeval Ecological Zone. One was by the Great Lake, occupied by the Brachiosaurus. The other was here.
They had no choice; it was as if fate had intentionally placed them in harm's way.
Rumble—
The thunder rolled again. Aided by the flash of light streaking across the sky, the little Diplodocus seemed to spot something in the woods. It stopped eating and let out a sharp cry to its mother before running into the very center of the herd. It wasn't about to stick around out of curiosity; for its own safety, caution was the better part of valor.
The mother Diplodocus watched her offspring's movements with confusion, but a prickle of unease washed over her.
"Aunnnng—!"
She let out a high-pitched bellow, drawing the rest of her companions together. They huddled close, staring warily into the shadows. Ever since they had lost one of their own, they had become exceptionally cautious.
Carlo emerged from the treeline with a sense of helplessness. This weather was just rotten luck. Even though he had activated his Clumsy Stealth, he had still been spotted. It was unavoidable, really; with black osteoderms covering his upper body and ash-grey skin, he wasn't exactly built for concealment.
Looking at the Diplodocus herd already locked in their defensive formation, Carlo felt a twinge of frustration. Hunting these giants alone was going to be a nightmare.
He moved a few steps closer.
Crack!
The Diplodocus nearest to him whipped its tail, lashing the grass in front of Carlo and sending a spray of green stalks flying. It was a clear warning.
Carlo recalled the damage his mother had taken previously, then looked at his own health bar. A bold, reckless idea suddenly took root in his mind.
———————
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