Chapter 602

Chapter 602: The Odd Creature with a Small Head and Horns

“This thing had small horns and bone-like skin…”

“Just looking at the head and neck, one might mistake it for a carnivorous dinosaur with uniquely shaped horns.”

“But observing its limbs…”

The "monster" before them measured over five meters long, with some specimens even reaching six meters; its bulk seemed nearly comparable to the "Plateosaurus."

Their numerical advantage allowed them to dominate.

Visually, however, the horned creature appeared much smaller than the Plateosaurus.

The reason was simple—a common trait among early lizard-like and archosaurs: an exceptionally low chassis!

Their limbs, though relatively long, still extended sideways from the body in a lizard-like, "folded" posture.

They moved similarly to giant lizards.

Their necks were also elongated, evoking some short-necked Sauropod Dinosaurs.

These creatures were massive, nearly six-meter-long behemoths rivaling an "ancient giant lizard" in size.

“So, it’s straightforward.”

“These creatures must be ‘Indian Horned Dinosaurs.’”

“Just… a bit oversized…”

Indian Horned Dinosaurs lived during the Anisian stage of the Permian period, specifically within the Denwa Formation of Madhya Pradesh’s Satpura-Gondwana basin.

Fossils of lungfish, ichthyosaurs like the "big-headed salamander," and basal true dragon forms such as ancient crocodiles suggested the Denwa Formation was once a lush, water-crossed wetland.

Ample resources nourished these Indian Horned Dinosaurs into five-meter-long giants.

Despite sporting bull-like horns, their tiny, peg-like teeth revealed a primarily herbivorous diet.

Ecologically, they likely occupied a niche closer to ceratopsians than carnivorous dinosaurs.

Yet these creatures shared almost no relation to dinosaurs. They belonged to a primitive lizard-like lineage adjacent to true dragon forms—archosaur relatives without being true archosaurs.

This primitiveness explained their persistence in "giant lizard"-style, low-postured crawling.

Primitiveness, however, didn’t imply inferiority.

A low chassis risked vulnerability to elevated attacks but ensured remarkable stability, making them hard to topple.

Their horns became weapons during charges, slamming into Plateosaurus and forcing panicked retreats.

Occasionally, Trilobite witnessed Plateosaurus with poorer combat capabilities being flipped by Indian Horned Dinosaurs.

“True…”

“Oversized Indian Horned Dinosaurs over six meters long weren’t much smaller than Plateosaurus.”

“Their relatively shorter necks and tails meant comparable tonnage.”

“In herbivore clashes…”

“Such weapons rarely prove decisive.”

“Plateosaurus claws, though sharp, couldn’t sever throats like a Great Thief Lizard’s talons—inflicting only skin injuries at best.”

“The horns of the Indian Horned Dinosaurs couldn’t pierce the Plateosaurus’ body; at best, they just made their opponent uncomfortable…”

“Neither side showed much skill—a clash of brutes where size meant everything.”

“What if a fighter who could tip the scales joined?”

“Huff…”

Trilobite blew out a wisp of white smoke and vanished from the high ground once more.

Within the dense curtain of rain, nothing could track his movements now.

Except…

—-

“Whoosh—!”

“Swoosh—!”

Amid the downpour, several odd-looking deities resembling “giant rats” slowly crawled from a tiny “City of Dimensions.”

Just then…

“Roar—!”

Massive “false wings” dropped from the sky, landing beside the small creatures.

“Screech—!”

The owner of those “false wings” was naturally the "Outer Predator," in whom Barbatos placed great hopes.

The “giant rat” deities were mere insignificant Secondary Chaos Demon Gods.

The wild kind—barely useful, with weak magic power and feeble divine bodies. They couldn’t fly or glide through the void, only scurry on the ground. Even their swimming was mediocre, laboriously paddling across the Ether Sea.

Simply put: poor fighters, sluggish movers, confined to the borderlands between the Chaos Swamp Realm and the Primal Wilderness.

Yet these “giant rat gods” had one strength—clear minds knowing their limits.

They kept low profiles, forever digging to survive.

Their sprawling Cities of Dimensions dotted the boundary between the Primal Wilderness and Chaos Swamp Realm; over time, even forming a vast underground network.

For ages, they eked out existence by drawing energy from the Primal Mud around their cities.

Barbatos hardly noticed them, permitting their presence near the Chaos Swamp Realm. Though lacking official status, they counted as part of the “Chaos Council” system.

And system members obeyed its rules.

Or else the First Demon God could raze their Cities of Dimensions and banish them to the merciless Primal Wilderness.

Now…

Their time to prove loyalty had come!

“Hey!”

“You lot!”

“Hssss—!”

The Outer Predator spread its “false wings,” puffing itself up to seem bigger, swaggering with arrogance.

This was perfectly normal.

As the Envoy of the First Demon God, one needed proper authority!

"Go!"

"Follow the Giant God!"

"The Giant God is cunning! He’ll surely take a detour for a flank assault!"

"Report the Giant God’s movements to those ‘Vast Dragon God · Horned Species’!"

"We must sabotage this ambush!"

The "Rodent Gods" exchanged glances, then simultaneously turned to the Outer Predator.

The meaning was plain—why don’t you go yourself!?

"Bang—!"

"Boom—!"

"Rooooar—!"

Beyond several "Primordial Stone Mountains" and "Primordial Hills," the dragon clan’s war raged on.

These behemoths bellowed savagely, clashing as draconic power quaked across the Primordial Earth. Divine winds whipped through the air from their fury.

Charging into that chaos now…

One misstep—no, even with utmost caution—a sliver of bad luck would see them flattened into "divine body pancakes" by raging wyrms.

But the Outer Predator was different. He could glide!

Riding the "void stream," he’d soar straight onto the Vast Dragon God · Horned Species and warn them of the Giant God’s scheme. Wasn’t that safer than sending gods who could only scrabble through the "Primal Mud"?

Seeing the Rodent Gods’ stares, the Outer Predator erupted.

"You… you scum!"

"My luck’s rotten enough already!"

"And you want me to risk more!?"

Originally, two Outer Predators patrolled this universe.

The senior one raced back to inform the First Demon God—bearing glad tidings!

Rewards always followed good news; every deity serving Barbatos knew that.

The junior one stayed behind, stuck monitoring events.

If things soured, it meant delivering ill tidings…

Ill tidings…

Barbatos might not retaliate deliberately, but the divine fury radiating from his rage alone would be more than enough for these weaker deities to handle.

Good news was possible, but given the Giant God’s track record, unlikely.

In the end, the Outer Predator could only… embellish the battle report.

But even if one was to embellish battle reports, they still needed factual foundations. While selectively editing intelligence was acceptable, outright fabrication was not!

Barbatos was proud, but He was no fool.

Pure fiction would unravel instantly under His questioning!

Regardless, the task assigned to the "Outer Predator" left behind was thankless labor.

Its current mission was aiding the "Vast Dragon God · Horned Species"—defeat was permissible, but not a crushing defeat leaving nothing to embellish.

Yet direct involvement in combat…

Its frail form offered little advantage.

Thus, intelligence gathering became its only recourse!

However, any battlefield entanglement was perilous. This Outer Predator needed to preserve itself to "embellish reports" and claim rewards from Barbatos!

It couldn’t perish here!

Therefore, perilous tasks fell to these "Rodent Gods."

Besides, the Outer Predator doubted they’d refuse.

"Hmph…"

"Don’t forget—this is your chance to enter the First Demon God’s sight!"

"Consider this!"

"The etheric storm descending from the void’s depths has already spawned more Ether Rivers and Ether Lakes across the Primordial Earth."

"And I know the subterranean Ether River keeps expanding."

"Soon enough, it’ll flood the ‘City of Dimensions’ you tirelessly excavated!"

Seeing the Rodent Gods’ stunned expressions, the Outer Predator understood.

"Oh…"

"Or has it invaded already?"

"Regardless, relocation should occupy your thoughts."

This struck a nerve.

Sudden shifts in "circumstance" forced them to change their way of life: either dwell upon the Fantasy Tree of Subspace or seek mountains of Primal Mud beyond the Ether Sea’s reach.

Both options seemingly required the First Demon God’s aid.

Yet why would He help them?

He didn’t ascend as First Demon God to uplift rodents; why would Barbatos assist useless drains on His resources?

This logic was clear not just to demon gods, but even mortals.

"Enough…"

Seeing the Rodent Gods’ anxious hesitation, the Outer Predator decided bait was needed to spur action.

Further delay…

and the Giant God might charge out to start fighting!

"Listen—good news means rewards from the First Demon God!"

"Perhaps 500 shards of divine rank."

"I’ll grant you 300. Agreeable?"

Finally, swayed by threats and bribes, the Rodent Gods squeaked agreement. They scurried forth, darting toward the perilous battlefield!