Chapter 80: Have You Ever Been a Dinosaur? Talking Nonsense and Taking Things for Granted
(T/N: Hello everyone. Many people are asking about the MC's appearance—does he look like Kuzan/Aokiji? Nope. You know how it is with Chinese novels: they usually just say the MC is handsome and leave it at that. Actually, the MC's original name is "Qiao Yi." I changed it to Aokiji for a better reading experience.Hope you like it, bye~)
Lifting up.
Dust and gravel clung to the air as they flew.
Falling down.
The ground shattered, triggering a strong tremor.
Like a moving mountain, a gargantuan Monster resembling the image of a dinosaur was striding toward the human city.
"I have waited too long for this moment, humans."
"The kings of the sky, the deep sea, and the underground are all gone. We, the Dinosaur Clan, shall rule this planet once more!"
The Ancient King, awakened from the glacier, issued his proclamation.
Upper and lower rows of sharp fangs and blood-red gums were exposed.
Thick body armor covered his back, enveloping his entire thick tail.
To his size, trees weren't even as significant as fallen twigs, swaying in the wild winds kicked up by his falling claws or sweeping tail.
The air rippled with the force of the Ancient King's declaration.
Amidst the various loud noises resembling a natural disaster passing through...
A voice rang out from atop the Ancient King's head:
"Actually, your dinosaur descendants have partially ruled over humans already."
"Hmm?" The Ancient King's red vertical pupils shifted upward. "Who are you!?"
"A collector for fun."
Aokiji sat on a spot with a strange symbol on the Ancient King's head.
He sat in a relaxed posture, one leg crossed and the other bent, with one hand resting on his knee.
His gaze overlooked the continuous snowy mountain scenery around them.
It was as if he wasn't on top of a massive Monster...
But rather sitting on a sightseeing bus in a tourist area, leisurely enjoying the scenery along the way.
Aokiji knew that after the three kings of sea, land, and air died, the Ancient King would awaken, so he had the Association monitor for abnormal changes early on.
That was why he could arrive at the scene so quickly.
"Collector? Nonsense."
It was hard to say if the Ancient King had a good temper or simply didn't care about humans, but he hadn't made a move yet.
Instead, he asked again about what Aokiji had said earlier:
"What do you mean by our dinosaur descendants ruling over humans?"
"Partially ruled," Aokiji corrected.
Then he began to narrate with great solemnity:
"In my hometown, a great horror descends one day every week!"
"On that day, the dinosaur descendants will set out with their whole families to lay traps, making humans enter them willingly."
"Some even go as far as to try every means to demand the necessary items to enter the trap from those around them, murmuring a strange incantation—"
"V-me-50, V-me-50..."
"That day is fixed as Thursday. Because of the crazy scenes that play out, people call it—Crazy Thursday."
The Ancient King was surprised yet gratified, saying:
"I didn't expect the descendants of our Dinosaur Clan to achieve such results. Not bad."
"It seems you are here on behalf of humanity to completely surrender to our Dinosaur Clan."
"No, I told you."
"Ho—human."
"It seems you are very confident in your strength. However, to destroy us, there is no way other than a meteorite!"
"Why would I use such a crude method? I'm here to collect."
Aokiji pointed toward the sky and said:
"Fight him first. Mecha vs. Kaiju is a classic trope, a segment that must be appreciated."
"Hmm??" The Ancient King's raised claw stopped as he looked toward the sky.
The thick cloud layer broke apart.
A silver-gray giant mecha fell heavily and slowly!
The moment its feet touched the ground, a wide area of earth suddenly shattered and erupted, an explosive airwave swirling dust into a hundred-meter-high circular shockwave!
Just the momentum of its landing...
Was enough to make the Ancient King understand that this metal creation, even taller than himself, possessed extraordinary power!
To support such terrifying weight, its structural strength must be extremely high.
"So this is the final struggle of you humans. Do you think building such a weapon can allow you to contend with us?"
"Ridiculous!" Disdain seeped through the Ancient King's booming voice.
"Once I destroy this humanoid weapon, you humans will give up your pointless resistance and obediently welcome the renewed rule of the Dinosaur Clan!"
Aokiji jumped down, landing on a nearby hilltop convenient for watching the battle:
"Think whatever you want. BT, auto-combat mode. Target lock: this fat dinosaur."
[Acknowledged, Pilot]
The chainsword and thrusters quickly deployed!
—Ronin Mode!
"Fat dinosaur..." the Ancient King murmured, repeating the words.
"What an insolent human, to call the Ancient King's strong body such a thing. After I scrap this pile of metal, I will make you die in despair immediately!"
The Ancient King opened his giant fanged mouth.
Crimson light surged from his throat, converging into a searing sphere of light!
It instantly turned into a thick laser beam shooting toward the machine!
The surging energy laser tore through and scorched the air! The light between heaven and earth dimmed in comparison!
The thrusters on the back and sides of the giant robot fired simultaneously!
Flames with multiple Mach rings erupted, providing massive power that allowed the robot to sidestep and dodge the laser!
Immediately after, the thrusters shifted direction.
Wielding the giant chainsword and taking heavy steps that shook the ground, it charged rapidly toward the Ancient King!
"You want to engage me in close combat? Arrogant!"
The Ancient King snorted out billowing hot air.
Lowering his massive body and raising his thick tail for balance, he also launched a charge!
The gargantuan entities carried their respective terrifying mass and potential energy!
The earth wailed and shattered under their trampling!
The giant chainsword and the massive claws encased in biological armor...
Collided violently!!
It was like the movement of geological mountain ranges measured in tens of thousands of years, compressed into a single instant—the massive energy that erupted!!
A pale white shockwave mist instantly swept across this wilderness of mountains!!
"This scene is way more exciting than watching a movie."
Aokiji took out a bag of snacks and ate peacefully amidst the impact of the hurricane.
Mecha and Kaiju.
Metal and flesh.
Two completely different gargantuan entities began their true battle!
High in the sky, an Association aircraft was filming and broadcasting the footage.
The atmosphere inside the combat briefing room...
Was far from being as leisurely and relaxed as Aokiji, who was eating snacks at the scene.
Cadres from all combat command departments of the Association were gathered in this room.
In the aerial footage...
They could clearly see the massive range of collateral damage caused by the battle!
Just that heat-line laser had easily pierced through a mountain peak!
The close-quarters combat, where every strike contained incredibly powerful potential energy, made the ground shatter like a spiderweb!
Even from the high-altitude shot with the mountains as a backdrop...
The cracks from the aftermath were clearly visible!
If the battle had occurred in a city, one couldn't imagine what kind of destruction and casualties it would have caused.
Many people felt quite heavy-hearted.
The Monsters appearing in recent years were becoming increasingly terrifying, and their combat power was clearly rising.
Now, Monsters like this, which could destroy a city at a whim, were appearing one after another.
Can the current Association really protect human civilization in the future?
McCoy, who had just been promoted to Chief of the Second Combat Section, was the first to speak and break the silence:
"Minister Sitch, why hasn't Mr. Aokiji made a move yet? Could it be that even he doesn't have full confidence against this Monster?"
The other cadres also leaned in to listen.
If the Association's current strongest combatant was also in trouble, it would surely shake the confidence of the entire Association and the public.
Sitch, sitting in the front row, shook his head and said:
"No, based on my understanding of Mr. Aokiji, he is most likely... playing."
"Blast him with missiles! Just like that! Then slash his belly with the sword!"
"Ancient King, that's a tail, not a tumor! If your claws miss, just swing your tail and whip him!"
Aokiji, outside the battlefield, shouted commands repeatedly.
He was like a spectator watching a giant cricket fight.
He didn't take sides.
If something was done poorly, he'd even throw in a few taunts.
"Shut up, human—!!"
"Have you ever been a dinosaur?! Talking nonsense and taking things for granted!!"
The Ancient King couldn't take it anymore and turned his head to roar at him.
Crimson energy converged into a laser.
It would be better to eliminate this annoying guy first!!