Chapter 19: Triceratops: "So Sorry for Failing to Amuse the Great Giganotosaurus"

"What? The whole family moved to a new exhibit?"

A young tourist looked at the new official update, a peculiar expression crossing his face. In Jurassic World, dinosaurs rarely changed enclosures; usually, an asset stayed in one paddock from "hatch to harvest."

He quickly scrolled through the comments, finding hundreds of others discussing the anomaly.

[Two young Ceratosaurus from Sector 4 were moved too. Anyone have a lead?]

[A lot of the older dinosaurs have disappeared. There was a Triceratops I’ve watched since I was a kid—gone overnight.]

As the comments piled up, the "Missing Dinosaur Mystery" began to trend.

[Is the park management cooking up something big?]

…

Carlo wove through the undergrowth, currently in Stealth Mode. He had caught an unusual scent, an interloper in their territory. After a brief "discussion" with his parents, he had set out as a scout.

Branches snapped and leaves rustled ahead, but the noise didn't come from Carlo. He remained perfectly silent. Through the thicket, he spotted a creature nearly ten meters long and 2.8 meters tall, sporting a massive bony frill and two formidable brow horns.

Triceratops. The information in his mind identified the beast immediately.

This individual seemed aged, its skin etched with deep wrinkles, but its advanced years hadn't dampened its appetite for ferns. Carlo wasn't just shocked that humans had placed him in an area with herbivores; he found it utterly absurd.

Seriously, buddy? You’ve got grass-brain? You’re eating right at my front door!

Carlo didn't think for a second that the humans had made a mistake. It was nearly noon, and no "iron rice bowl" feeding had occurred. That spoke volumes. If the park staff wanted to protect the other dinosaurs, they would be overfeeding the predators to suppress their hunting instincts.

So... The humans have gone mad? My government-sponsored meal plan is cancelled?! Brain? Say something, Brain!

Carlo stepped out from the bushes and let out a piercing shriek, entering the Triceratops' field of vision.

The Triceratops' internal alarm bells went off. Primal fear, etched into its genetic memory, surged to the surface. Its eyes went wide, and the half-chewed shrubbery in its mouth tumbled to the dirt.

Wh-What the hell are you?!

It had never seen a creature like Carlo. Instinctively, it lowered its forequarters and tucked its chin, leveling its massive horns toward the predator.

Seeing the defensive stance, Carlo didn't rush in. He crouched low, emitting a constant, guttural growl while keeping his eyes locked on the herbivore. He was waiting.

After a tense standoff, the woods behind him shifted. Two silhouettes, much larger than his own, stepped out and stood flanking him, their roars shaking the air. Carlo’s mouth curled into a faint smirk. Hearing his call, Debby and Caroline had arrived.

The Triceratops bellowed again to bolster its courage, but its legs began to shuffle backward, its gaze darting frantically between the three giants.

"Roar!"

"Roar!"

The bellows continued, mostly from Carlo. To a human observer, it looked like a tactical discussion. In reality...

What is this thing? (Caroline)

Looks like food, but looks pointy. (Carlo)

Where is our usual lunch? (Debby)

I don't know! (Carlo)

The adults were equally confused by the situation. They weren't used to their "meals" fighting back. Finally, driven by the sharp pangs of hunger, Debby charged.

The Triceratops focused, lunging forward with a sudden head-toss, a move with enough force to flip a Jeep or gore a predator. But the old herbivore lacked combat experience and was half-blind with age; it telegraphed every move through its horns.

Debby might have been hungry, but he wasn't stupid. He dodged the strike with an easy sidestep. Looking at the shield-like frill, he was curious.

What’s this? Let's try a bite.

He clamped onto the top of the frill. The Triceratops’ horns were trapped beneath his neck, unable to reach him. It could only bellow and struggle, trying to shake his loose. Blood seeped from the frill, but Debby couldn't crush the bone. It was exactly as Carlo expected.

The Giganotosaurus bite force isn't a bone-crushing pressure like the Tyrannosaurus rex. While the Rex specializes in obliterating skeletons, the Giganotosaurus is a specialist in slicing, tearing away chunks of flesh to cause rapid blood loss and exhaustion. This evolved because they hunted the sauropod titans of South America.

So... Carlo decided to play the "Opportunist."

The moment Debby engaged, Carlo circled to the rear. He had learned this from his mental archives, a tactic used by creatures called "hyenas." It was a dirty move, but effective.

The Triceratops’ tail blocked its vitals, so Carlo changed his target to the hind legs.

Rip—!

Razor-sharp teeth sliced through the hide, leaving a massive, bloody gash. The Triceratops buckled under the sudden agony. Debby saw the opening and pinned the animal's horns down with his full body weight.

Carlo understood the assignment. He continued to tear at the wounded leg. Caroline, who had been waiting for her moment, struck from the opposite side. Working together, the two adults applied a lateral force, slowly tilting the Triceratops until it toppled onto its side.

Carlo, the expert opportunist, didn't waste a second. While his parents pinned the beast down, he circled to the throat. He aimed for the soft tissue of the neck and tore away several large sections of hide and muscle, severing the windpipe.

In its final moments, a single tear leaked from the Triceratops' eye. It closed its eyes and accepted its fate. It didn't know why its world had ended this way, but it had lived a glorious life within its herd.

Caroline looked at the carcass, appearing slightly unsure where to start; she had always been hand-fed pre-cut meat before. Finally, she ripped into the underbelly, exposing the viscera. Debby joined her, abandoning the bony frill to enjoy the softer organs.

Carlo was much more “refined.” He walked to the nape of the neck, just behind the frill.

He wanted the tenderloin first.

…

[Currently Revealed Traits]

[Giganotosaurus: Carlo]

[Clumsy Stealth]: While in Stealth Mode, your movements will not disturb flora, and your breathing is silenced. However, your scent and physical presence remain detectable by other forms of observation.

[Gnashed]: Attacks apply a bleeding effect for 5 seconds. Over the duration, the target loses 5% of its maximum health.