The water erupted outward once more as the crocodile-type animal lunged back up onto the shore, though this time there was no easy prey in range, and as it slithered forward, Erik was able to get his first good look at it. He was surprised to note that it was smaller than the kaprosuchus, but with unusually thick back plates that extended all the way down its tail, and a wide, muscular body it looked more than menacing in its own right. The dinosaurs remaining on the shoreline were in disarray. The team of the triceatops who had been pulled into the water unsure if they should retreat.
“It’s a sub-boss.” Sarah said suddenly, her raptor clicking. Erik focused on the creature, trying to see if he could get identify to work from this distance, and to his surprise the window appeared.
Identify
Species: Platycarchus Megadontos
Status: Sub-boss
Disposition: Hostile
Age: Adult
Species Information: An amphibious predator with exceptional ambush capabilities, Platycarchus Megadontos is distinguished by its reinforced dorsal plating and oversized dentition, adapted for crushing prey. Its territorial nature and ability to hunt both in water and on land make it a dominant force in swamp ecosystems.
Erik was surprised to see that there was actually information available. Almost everything he’d tried to identify up to this point had nothing beyond the bare minimum of information. Though if he was being honest it was nothing he hadn’t already figured out by observing the animal.
The water lapped at the mud-soaked shoreline as Erik dismissed the identify window with a flick of his horns. The Platycarchus Megadontos prowled forward, its thick tail dragging behind it, carving grooves into the muck. Even now, after watching it drag a triceratops to its death, its movements were deliberate, almost lazy, as if it knew it had nothing to fear.
"Well, that's horrifying," Marcus muttered, lowering his T. rex frame slightly. His sharp eyes never left the beast as it approached the teams down below. Eriks brain was moving a thousand miles a minute, and he couldn’t shake the sense that there was an opportunity here, if only he could find a way to grasp it.
“What if we all attack it together.” He said, each word coming slowly.
“I mean… it’s smaller than the Karpo.” Marcus said, but Rex's nose was scrunched up in an expression of doubt. “I don’t know if three of us is going to be enough.”
“No, no I mean all of us.” Erik nodded his nose toward the smattering of terrified dinosaurs on the beach.
“I-” Marcus started to say, but Sarah cut him off.
“We don’t exactly have time for a town meeting.” She turned a fierce yellow-eyed glare on Erik. “Make the call.”
If Erik had lips, he would’ve bitten one. They really had no idea of how tough a sub-boss was going to be and he was risking a lot. If he threw them into this fight, and the other teams didn’t back them up, there was a good chance he and his friends wouldn’t walk away from this encounter.
Hell, even if they do help.
The cynical part of him interjected, but Erik made his decision.
“Go, Sarah, keep it busy.” Before he’d even finished speaking she was off like a shot, brown-green skin blurring as she accelerated. Marcus and Erik followed after, running as fast as they could. Naturally, Marcu’s Rex outdistanced him step by step, quickly leaving him behind.
The croc-boss was oblivious to Sarah until almost the last moment when, with blinding speed it turned toward her, jaw opening wide as its tail swiped to the opposite side, throwing a wave of water high into the air as it acted as a counter weight. It snapped it’s jaws, but too slow. Sarah leapt high over it’s head, easily clearing it’s reach. She landed on the far side, and pivoted on the spot, rushing it again. It’s tail snapped again, this time throwing water in the other direction as it quickly tried to reposition itself to face her.
She feinted from side to side, as if not sure which direction she was going to lunge from and the croc kept moving its head to follow her. Erik realized then that, despite the monster's explosive and terrifying ambush, it was not well equipped to a duel on land.
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Marcus arrived next, surprising everyone present by jumping straight on to the crocodiles back and biting. Mostly this was surprising because Erik probably didn’t weigh even 1/3rd of the crocodile, and wouldn’t be much of an inconvenience, but it was clearly the most armored part of the entire body.
To Erik’s surprise however, he heard a loud crack as Marcus clamped down, and as he got closer, he could see cracks splintering there way through the armor.
Holy hell he’s got a strong bite.
The crocodile hissed, and snapped its tail again this time propelling itself into the turn with its front legs. The force sent Marcus tumbling from his perch to land in the mud. It was clear that the croc was planning to come around on him, but Erik, who was seriously considering evolving something for speed when he reached Adolescent, had finally come close to active his charge ability.
With startling swiftness he crossed the gap and slammed into the side of the croc's body just behind its forelimb with as much force as he could muster.
Which turned out not to be very much. Even this thick skull and crest weren’t enough to shield him from the feeling of having slammed into a brick wall. Still, he had aimed below the thick armor plates on its back, and he could feel the horn on the tip of his nose grinding, where it had lodged up against a rib bone.
The creature only hissed angrily in response to the attack, and Erik was sure it was about to turn on him when suddenly Marcus was on its back again, biting repeatedly at the plates over it’s neck.
Sarah, and to Erik’s relief, both of the other raptors moved to snap at the crocs face, taking it in turns to dart forward, only to split off at the last second and loop back around for another run. Over and over the croc lunged at them, missing again and again. Emboldened by the fact that no one had gotten snapped up, the hatchling Rex’s also began to approach from either side. Though they lacked the agility of the truly get close, the crocs number of potential threats was overwhelming it, allowing the much quicker raptors to get in close enough to apply their razor teeth to crocs sides and neck.
Erik could tell the big monster was tiring, as it hissed in frustration. It wasn’t until Marcus turned his head, and flung away the shards of an armor plate that it seemed to remember he was on it’s back, and by then it was too late.
Marcus bent down again, latching on with uncanny strength of his jaws and the croc lifted it’s head as if it could bend back far enough to seize Marcus in it’s jaws, or perhaps knock him away. Then, then a shudder travelled down the beast's body, ending in its tail, and then slowly, slowly it’s upper jaw began to close as its slitted reptilian eyes stared at nothing.
Notification:
Platycarchus Megadontos defeated:
Team Legacy has defeated it’s first sub-boss, with assistance from Team RizzleBerries and Team [Unamed]
Rewards:
Unique Sub-Boss Mutation Token awarded to: all participants.
360 Evolution Energy Awarded to: Team Legacy (divided)
25 Meteorite Fragments Awarded to: Team Legacy
Reward:
You have gained: 1 Sub-Boss mutation token
You have gained: 120 Evolution Energy
Unlike everything else they’d killed in-game. The sub-boss did not turn into a boneless rubber facsimile of its living itself in death. It sat there, blood dripping from dozens of woods as its own weight caused it to sink into the mud, and around it, all 3 teams, minus on triceratops, stared, breathing heavily.
Still up on its back, Marcus bent down and ripped a large chunk of flesh clean off, holding it in his jaws as he tipped his head up and roared triumphantly. The roar being more of an screechy, enthusiastic yell, his juvenile body unable to make any truly terrifying sound. Still, Erik was gratified by the sight.
“I look so fucking cool right now.” Marcus said to them, his rex growling along.