Chapter 270

Chapter 270: Will the Tiger Jump in the Water to Test the Zecrocodile?

“This is…”

Trilobite narrowed his eyes warily as he watched the creature charging toward him…

Well, his eyes were still calcite crystal clusters, so he couldn’t actually squint. He kept that detached, almost "clueless" look.

But even with his pixel-like vision, Trilobite instantly recognized the beast.

“A Moschops!”

Though the name sounded like a herbivorous animal, it was anything but…

Just listen—its name hinted at fierceness! How could it be tame?

They were true meat-eaters.

These creatures lived in the Early Triassic Period, after the great extinction that wiped out trilobites. In that wasteland, lizard-like reptiles hadn’t yet risen, and Moschops still guarded the last remnants of the beast empire alongside their Permian predecessors.

They could grow up to three meters long, with skulls stretching about 30 centimeters.

Modern tiger skulls measure 28 to 36 centimeters.

Clearly, Moschops were massive predators rivaling lions and tigers!

Among archosaur predators through history, they weren’t the absolute strongest but still ranked high.

Their legs were thick and stubby, making them slower and less agile than modern big cats.

This likely suited their prey—small "Triassic reptile-pigs" like Water Lizards—which didn’t require speed to catch.

But Water Lizards were tough, thick-skinned beasts hard to kill.

So Moschops evolved for raw power.

They might’ve been bulkier than lions or tigers—ambush hunters relying on strength over speed!

The one facing Trilobite was a muscular Moschops over three meters long, weighing nearly as much as a cave lion!

“Yet its weapons aren’t just its skull and strength!”

Remembering the Moschops’ traits, Trilobite’s gaze fixed on its jaws.

“Clang—!”

He almost heard blades clashing between its teeth.

“Moschops were predators with saber teeth!”

“Though less extreme than Lystrasaurus’, theirs were still deadly.”

Unlike Lystrasaurus, which bared long fangs, Moschops’ shorter saber teeth hid beneath fur around their snout and jaws.

But a sheathed blade strikes sharper!

Their fangs worked the same!

“Hmm…”

“This one could crack my armor!”

“Better stay alert!”

“I just fired off five taunts in a row; though I temporarily crippled his hunting strategy and forced the guy to face me head-on.”

“But going head-to-head like this…”

“Those saber teeth could easily wound me!”

“What a nasty opponent.”

“So then…”

“Run!”

Without hesitation, Trilobite turned and sprinted!

“Roar—!”

The Moschops chased relentlessly behind him, unleashing terrifying bellows.

The effect duration of the skill “Flip the World Off” varied by target. Trilobite had just spammed it five times to successfully taunt the Moschops.

This meant the creature had strong resistance to “Flip the World Off.”

Naturally, the effect wouldn’t last long.

“Hmm…”

“Guess this guy appeared in the Triassic period and never saw a trilobite.”

“The effect won’t hold beyond thirty seconds.”

“But it’s enough!”

Thirty seconds was time enough for many things.

Like fleeing from shallow water into the depths!

“Splash—Splash—!”

The splashing grew louder as the Moschops’ pace slowed.

This wasn’t due to weakening magic or curses—it was the water’s resistance and buoyancy fighting against him!

“Roar—Gasp—Choke—!”

Without anyone kneeling on its neck, the hulking Moschops was already choking, struggling to breathe.

His four legs couldn’t touch the bottom now, leaving him to thrash like a dog paddling through the swamp’s deep waters!

“Heh…”

“Moschops lived in the arid wastelands after the Permian Mass Extinction.”

“Their body structure makes them hopeless swimmers!”

“But even if they could swim, so what?”

“Tigers drive off or kill Zecrocodiles on land—but try jumping into water to fight a Zecrocodile its own size!?”

“Catamounts hunt Caiman crocodiles lurking by the shore, but diving in to face them…”

“Well… fine, Catamounts can hunt Caiman crocodiles in water too…”

“Damn, what an embarrassment for crocodiles!”

"In any case…"

"I am the air sac crocodile!"

"Though I mainly live on land, we lizard-like creatures swim far better than archosaurs!"

"Splash—!"

Trilobite turned around, twisting his massive body and swinging his enormous tail as he swam toward the Moschops.

Just then, the Moschops finally broke free from the taunted state.

—-

"What… just happened to me!?"

"What on earth occurred!?"

Through Trilobite’s eyes, the Moschops—Agareth, the Third Seat of the Chaotic Forces—suddenly realized he was trapped deep in the Sea of Ether.

He seemed utterly unaware of how he’d moved from the "shallows" to this place.

"Right!"

"I recall feeling inexplicably furious, then charging blindly ahead until…"

"Damn it—!"

"You cunning fiend!"

"So your colossal, clumsy Divine Body was merely a disguise!?"

Agareth roared curses as the pieces fell into place.

But it changed nothing.

Being trapped in the Sea of Ether spelled disaster for Agareth—it might even prove fatal!

Here, he couldn’t harness his Divine Body’s agility and struggled to maintain basic balance.

Worse, the Sea of Ether severely disrupted magic. With the enemy closing in, he’d have no chance to cast any spell!

And the despair deepened!

His foe swam through the Sea of Ether with eerie ease.

Though not particularly fast, its movements were fluid and precise—clearly an experienced hunter in these depths!

It drew nearer by the second!

"Curse it!"

"Some bizarre Ether Dragon?"

"Or… wait, that aura making chaotic Magic Power recoil, that gargantuan form…"

"And those eyes—cold, ruthless, utterly soulless!"

"Heh, for once the blood octopus Outer God’s intel was right—this is the Giant God!?"

Learning the enemy’s true identity horrified Agareth more than the trap itself!

"How… how did he know I’d be here!?"

"Lady Gimmerly invaded my nest to lure me out, then seized the authority of the void to provoke my magic array. When the Fantasy Tree’s branches shattered from our battle…"

"The Giant God appeared!?"

"Too convenient!"

"This… points to one truth…"

"The Giant God… Lady Xidi… Gimmerly and Barbatos—all conspired!?"

"Combined with Lady Xidi’s earlier failure to bait me against the Giant God…"

"This is a plot targeting me!"

"Orchestrated by Lady Xidi… no, not her."

"Such a prideful deity would never admit defeat and surrender the Twelfth Seat willingly!"

"A greater power commands her! Controls her!"

"Only one being fits—the Giant God engineered everything!"

"What an impossibly complex, flawless scheme!"

"Yet it worked!"

"By the abyss—!"

Agareth’s Soul quivered, dizziness overwhelming him.

He couldn’t fathom a deity powerful enough to subdue two core councilors of chaos and a core councilor wielding the authority of the void—all while possessing unmatched cunning!

"Hopeless. I can’t win!"

Fear seized the Third Seat—only escape remained!

But…

"Agareth!"

"Fleeing?"

"Did you forget about me!?"

A mocking, triumphant voice rang out.

Gimmerly plunged from the heights above!