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The sunlight filtered through the thinning canopy, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow across the forest floor.
Heading south, Jack and Gray finally emerged from the depths of the primeval forest.
Ahead stretched a vast, open wilderness—lush green grass swaying gently in the breeze, dotted with wildflowers in a riot of colors. It was a stunning sight.
This was the herbivore park—home to a variety of gentle giants.
Towering Brachiosaurus and Apatosaurus lumbered peacefully across the plains.
Herds of Triceratops and Parasaurolophus grazed in groups, while Ankylosaurs clad in heavy armor plodded along.
Stegosaurus displayed their iconic plated backs, Gallimimus darted through the open fields, and more—all faithfully recreating an era lost to time over 65 million years ago.
But to Jack, this wasn't just a marvel of nature—it was his hunting ground.
Although he had already integrated many animal genes, enhancing his genetic capabilities significantly, it still wasn't enough.
He had weaknesses.
Defense, in particular, was his biggest shortcoming.
The delivery team they'd encountered earlier had only used non-lethal weapons, so they hadn't posed much of a threat.
But if they had been armed with live ammunition, things could have ended very differently.
After all, Jack was still made of flesh and blood.
Bullets—let alone artillery—could kill him.
To survive, he needed to evolve further.
He had to absorb more animal traits, strengthen his body, and overcome his vulnerabilities.
"You're the first target," Jack muttered.
His eyes locked onto three Ankylosaurs ambling through the grass.
Each one measured about six meters long and weighed around four tons.
With their squat, thick limbs and massive bodies, they were like living tanks.
Their most distinctive feature was their natural armor—hundreds of hard, bony plates covered every inch of their body.
Not only did they boast formidable defense, but their bodies were lined with sharp, protruding spikes, making them dangerous to attack.
And their heavy, clubbed tails could smash bones with a single swing.
Still, Jack wasn't fazed. With his massive size and power, he didn't see the Ankylosaurs as real threats.
"ROAR!!"
With a deafening roar, Jack slammed his hind legs into the earth.
The ground quaked beneath him as he launched forward, his enormous body cutting through the wind at a staggering 30 meters per second.
"Garrulous!"
The Ankylosaurs, slow to react, finally noticed the looming threat.
Jack's immense shadow terrorized them, and they panicked, scattering in all directions.
But their heavy bodies and sluggish speed meant they didn't get far.
Bang—
The earth trembled as Jack closed the distance in two powerful strides.
He crashed into the rear of the Ankylosaur with a devastating blow, sending it sprawling.
Its vulnerable underbelly—unprotected by armor—was exposed.
Without hesitation, Jack sank his jaws into it.
His sharp, steel-like teeth tore through flesh and muscle.
Hot, steaming entrails spilled out onto the ground.
"Mmm~~"
Even with its legendary durability, the Ankylosaur couldn't endure.
Though it didn't die immediately, its strength drained rapidly.
As blood poured out, its life flickered away like a candle in the wind.
But Jack wasn't done.
He turned, eyes locking onto the next fleeing Ankylosaur.
"Garrulous!!"
Even a cornered rabbit will fight back, let alone an Ankylosaur.
Seeing that Jack was still chasing them, the remaining two Ankylosaurs stopped running.
Instead, they turned to fight, violently swinging their thick, powerful tail clubs toward Jack's legs.
The destructive power of those bone-crushing tails couldn't be underestimated.
A solid hit could shatter bones or rupture tendons.
But Jack reacted swiftly by drawing on the agility inherited from Velociraptor genes.
As soon as he saw them preparing to strike, he retreated just in time to evade.
"Tear!"
As their attacks missed, Jack lunged forward again.
With the same brutal technique, he slammed one of the Ankylosaurs onto its side, then slashed its exposed abdomen with his steel-like sickle claws.
The thick skin split like fabric, blood gushing out. The last Ankylosaur tried to flee but couldn't escape Jack's wrath.
Moments later, all three lay motionless, their bodies still and lifeless.
[You hunted an Ankylosaur and gained 50 gene points.] ×3
[150 gene points obtained]
[Ankylosaur gene "Bone Armor Lv1" can be extracted. Do you want to extract it?]
"Extract!" Jack answered without hesitation.
This was why he hunted Ankylosaurs—their genes were perfect for reinforcing his biggest weakness: defense.
Boom—
A searing heat surged from within his bones, spreading through his blood and skin, igniting every cell.
Deep within his nuclei, his DNA twisted and restructured as the new gene integrated.
His appearance changed quickly. The gray-white scales on his body thickened and hardened, their texture becoming more like dense bone.
A layer of keratin coated the surface, and dagger-like thorns began to protrude along his limbs and spine.
[Ankylosaur gene fusion is successful]
The natural armor of the Ankylosaur was formed by dissolving internal bone to harvest calcium, which fused into bony plates.
These were layered into an impenetrable shield across the body.
Now, Jack had the same protection—bone armor covering him from head to tail.
Its hardness rivaled the strongest bones in his body, and it would only grow tougher as the gene evolved.
"Give me more"
With no time to waste, Jack allocated all his remaining gene points to upgrade the newly acquired ability.
[Ankylosaur gene "Bone Armor Lv1" has been upgraded to Lv2. Hardness increased twofold.]
[Ankylosaur gene "Bone Armor Lv2" has been upgraded to Lv3. Hardness increased threefold.]
[Ankylosaur gene "Bone Armor Lv3" has been upgraded to Lv4. Hardness increased fourfold.]
He had maxed out the skill in one go, using up all his stored gene points.
Jack looked down at his now gleaming armor.
The scales had undergone a complete transformation—no longer just thick, but dense as steel, with a faint metallic sheen.
"Roar~~"
After finishing the upgrades, Jack called Gray, who had been following behind eagerly.
The two of them began feeding.
But Ankylosaurs, with their bony structure and thick hides, offered little edible flesh.
What meat there was tasted rough and dry, with little flavor.
Jack focused on the organs instead, which are rich in fat, calories, and gene value.
They were ideal for rapid recovery and energy replenishment.
Once they had eaten their fill, he and Gray continued their journey, scanning the wilderness for the next target.
The next human assault could come at any time, and Jack knew he had to evolve faster.
He needed more gene points, more power, and more defenses.
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Meanwhile, at the Dinosaur Gene Research Center in the core of Jurassic World...
Masrani had placed an urgent call to Dr. Henry Wu—the geneticist responsible for creating the two Indominus Rex.
"Henry," he snapped, voice tight with urgency.
"Tell me—what exactly are those monsters you created?!"