The older Allosaurus charged at me, teeth bared, eyes locked on its prey. And by prey, I mean me.
"NOPE. Not today!"
I turned tail and bolted, my stubby legs working overtime as I zigzagged through the underbrush. The sound of snapping branches and heavy footsteps followed close behind.
[Quick Sprint Activated.]
Suddenly, my legs moved faster—like, way faster. I wasn't just running; I was zooming.
"Oh, this is amazing! I'm like a tiny, scaly race car!"
Quick Sprint's effect didn't last long, though, and I felt it fade just as I burst through a dense patch of ferns. I stumbled into a small clearing, panting like crazy.
Behind me, the older Allosaurus skidded to a stop at the edge of the clearing. It glared at me, but instead of charging, it let out a frustrated growl and stomped off.
"Yeah, you better run! Wait, no—that's my line..."
I flopped onto the ground, completely out of breath. My heart felt like it was going to explode, but at least I was alive.
[Quest Failed: Defend Your Position. Penalty: -3 Evolution Points.]
"What? Penalty?! I'm a baby! What do you want me to do, bite his leg and hope for the best?"
I groaned as the system's message faded away. Losing points wasn't ideal, but I'd take that over being a snack for my big brother any day.
The system chimed again, but this time the tone was more celebratory.
[Quest Complete: Survive Your First Hour. Reward: +10 Evolution Points.]
[New Skill Unlocked: Primitive Bite.]
I blinked. "Wait, I still get points? And a new skill? Sweet!"
Curious, I focused on the new skill, and a simple description popped into my mind:
Primitive Bite: A basic attack that deals moderate damage to prey. Effective against small creatures and weak enemies.
"Alright, this I can work with! No more flailing around like an idiot—next time, I'm biting my way out of trouble."
With that thought, I stood up, feeling a strange sense of pride. Sure, I'd lost a few points, but I'd survived my first hour in this crazy dinosaur world.
I stretched my little legs and looked around, the forest suddenly seeming a bit less terrifying.
"Alright, what's next, system? Bring it on."
The system didn't respond, but the sound of distant growls and screeches reminded me that this was just the beginning.
If I was going to survive here, I'd need to keep eating, keep growing, and keep running when things got too tough.
Because, let's be real—I might be a baby Allosaurus, but I wasn't stupid.