The moment Theo heard the news that the Jaw Fossil was about to be successfully revived, his heartbeat quickened along with his footsteps.
As he followed Steven down the corridor, even his breathing unconsciously grew lighter.
Inside the inflatable fishtank hanging on his chest, Feebas seemed to sense his nervousness. It bumped its little head gently against the tank's wall, as if telling him, "Don't worry."
When the metal door of the resurrection laboratory was pushed open, a scent mixed with nutrient solution and ozone rushed toward him.
The laboratory was even quieter than before. Every researcher's gaze was fixed on the third revival chamber at the center.
Inside the semi-transparent cylindrical container, the pale green fluid had turned completely clear. At its center, a tiny figure was slowly stretching its body.
"It's awake."
The elderly researcher's voice carried an excitement he could no longer suppress. He pointed at the life-sign curve flickering on the chamber's monitor.
"Life signs are stable. Gene sequence expression is complete. There are no signs of rejection!"
Theo quickly stepped up to the chamber, staring unblinkingly at the little creature inside.
It was a small dinosaur, about half a meter tall. Its entire body was covered in deep gray scales, the edges of those scales shimmering with a faint metallic sheen, as though wrapped in a tight rocky armor.
Its head was large and round, and on its forehead grew a protruding bony ridge.
Its amber-colored eyes were wide and bright, now curiously observing the world outside the chamber. The laboratory lights reflected in its pupils, like two dancing flames.
But the most striking feature was its enormous mouth.
Its lips curled upward slightly, revealing two rows of fine, sharp baby teeth—carrying a mix of childish innocence and the domineering air of an ancient predator.
Its limbs were short yet sturdy, the tips of its claws shining white. Even a light swipe left faint scratches on the chamber wall.
Its tail was short and thick, and at this moment, it was restlessly swaying side to side, stirring ripples in the fluid.
'So, this is… Tyrunt?
Theo murmured the name silently in his heart as he looked at the little Pokémon.
Its appearance was exactly like the Tyrunt he had once seen in the anime, the one raised by Bonnie.
But compared to the cute look from the anime, the real Tyrunt before him possessed an additional sense of majestic, budding dominance.
The elderly researcher pushed up his glasses and brought up a three-dimensional projection report.
"According to the ancient Pokémon database, the revived Pokémon before us is formally known as Tyrunt.
It has the dual typing of Rock and Dragon, currently the only Pokémon species known to naturally possess both attributes."
"Beneath its scales lies a bone-plate layer with a density one and a half times that of ordinary Rock-type Pokémon. It maintains rock-like hardness while retaining the toughness typical of Dragon-types."
In the projection, the skeletal structure of Tyrunt was clearly displayed.
Its jawbone, in particular, was nearly one-third thicker than that of Pokémon of similar size, covered in dense muscle attachment points.
"This gives it astonishing bite strength. Once fully grown, it can even crush steel."
Inside the chamber, Tyrunt seemed to sense Theo's gaze.
It suddenly opened its mouth and let out a high-pitched babyish "Tyrrr!"
The sound wasn't loud, but it carried unquestionable authority.
It lifted a claw and tapped at the chamber wall, as if urging someone to hurry.
"Can we open the chamber now?" Theo asked, the tip of his finger already itching to touch the transparent barrier.
"Hold on a moment. Let's examine the evolutionary data encoded in Tyrunt's DNA first."
The elderly researcher pointed at another section of data on the monitor.
"Here is information extracted from the DNA, its evolutionary form."
As he spoke, the three-dimensional projection abruptly shifted.
A massive dinosaur Pokémon appeared before everyone.
It was nearly two meters tall, its entire body covered in reddish-brown rocky scales.
Bone spikes protruded from its back like a range of jagged mountains.
The bony ridge on its forehead had evolved into a pair of crown-like, razor-sharp horns, gleaming with a cold metallic light.
But the most terrifying part was its jaws.
Its upper and lower jaws resembled two giant battle-axes, with exposed fangs exceeding thirty centimeters in length. The sight of them opening and closing made it seem capable of tearing the very air apart.
"This is its evolved form, Tyrantrum, the king of ancient Pokémon, and one of the strongest land predators of ancient times—"
The elderly researcher's voice trembled with awe.
"Upon evolution, its Dragon-typing becomes even more pronounced. Its rock armor can withstand the vast majority of physical attacks, while its bite force reaches staggering levels. It is, quite literally, a 'mobile crusher.'"
In the projection, Tyrantrum roared skyward.
A dark red energy wave burst from its jaws, striking a virtual boulder and instantly obliterating it into dust.
The destructive aura was so overwhelming that everyone in the lab subconsciously held their breath.
Theo's heart thumped wildly.
Tyrunt alone was amazing enough. But Tyrantrum… that form perfectly embodied the word "dominance."
He could almost see the future—this little one, under his care, growing into the majestic figure shown in the projection.
The laboratory lights focused on the holographic Tyrantrum.
Its outline was sharp and vivid, every scale pattern and the white fur around its neck rendered with lifelike clarity.
Steven crossed his arms, admiration shining in his eyes.
The surrounding researchers also nodded repeatedly, unable to hide their appreciation.
"Congratulations, Theo,"
Steven said first, his tone sincere.
"You've got incredible luck. You picked an exceptionally powerful fossil Pokémon. Its potential for future growth is immeasurable."
The rotating hologram cast shifting shadows across the room.
Theo looked up at the image of Tyrantrum and replied with deep gratitude,
"This is all thanks to you, Mr. Steven. It's only because of your generosity that I had the chance to choose Tyrunt."
Steven let out a hearty laugh and waved his hand lightly.
"Hahaha! Don't forget—you earned this reward by passing the test!
I hope you raise that Tyrunt well. Once it grows stronger and you gain enough experience, I want a formal battle with you!"
"Mr. Steven, I'll definitely raise Tyrunt with everything I've got. I won't let you down," Theo answered firmly.
"Mr. Glenwood, step forward first. Get ready—I'm going to release Tyrunt now."
The elderly researcher held a small bag of finely packaged Pokémon food.
He gently instructed Theo while motioning for him to stand near the chamber.
"This is nutrient food specially formulated for carnivorous Pokémon. Hold it, greet Tyrunt with the food, and you'll be able to build bond much faster."
Theo thanked him quickly and stepped forward to take the food.
Once he stood beside the revival chamber, the researcher pressed the release button.
With a soft click, the door of the chamber slowly opened.
The pale green revival fluid trickled down the inner wall, flowing into the collection trough at the bottom.
Inside, Tyrunt shook off the remaining droplets clinging to its scales.
It swayed its round head, then cautiously lifted its short legs and took small, tentative steps out of the container.
The moment it stepped out, it instinctively turned its head alertly, glancing around.
Its little nose twitched as it sniffed the air.
Then its gaze landed on Theo and especially on the food bag in his hand.
Its amber eyes instantly lit up.
Much of its earlier vigilance faded.
It suddenly began trotting toward Theo with slightly wobbling steps.
Theo instinctively crouched down.
He gently tore open the package and took out a small piece of food, slowly offering it with an outstretched hand.
Tyrunt did not hesitate at all.
It leaned close, sniffed his palm, then rubbed its head lightly against his hand.
Immediately after—
It opened its large mouth and gulped the food chunk in one bite.
After swallowing, it licked its lips reflexively, clearly not satisfied.
It leaned in again, tilting its head up at him and letting out two soft growls—obviously asking for more.
Theo continued feeding Baby Tyrunt.
At that moment, Tyrunt's status information appeared before his eyes:
[Pokémon: Tyrunt]
Type: Rock and Dragon
Category: Royal Heir Pokémon
Ability: Strong Jaw (Biting-type moves gain increased power due to its powerful jaws)
Moves: Tail Whip, Roar, Charm, Tackle (Proficient), Ancient Power (Beginner), Bite (Proficient), Dragon Tail (Proficient)
(End of Chapter)