Chapter 139: Jurassic Spark and the Laser-Raptor Grand Prix
The Empire of the Violet Star was no longer traveling through space; it was drifting through the "Wait, This Shouldn't Happen" layer of the multiverse. After leaving the Victorian Londoners doing backflips over Big Ben on their starlight jet-skis, Volt checked the dashboard of the Obsidian Spire. The influence meter was glowing a bright, frantic pink, vibrating at a solid 95 Million Points.
"Father," Anos said, adjusting the "Anachronism Frequency" on the control panel. "We have arrived at the Prehistoric Sector. The data indicates a high concentration of giant lizards, zero Wi-Fi, and an overwhelming lack of 'Zazz.' The inhabitants are currently busy being extinct or eating each other in a very un-cinematic fashion."
Akuto, who was currently trying to teach a 2-D ninja how to play a holographic electric guitar, jumped up. "Dinosaurs! Finally! I've always wanted to see if a T-Rex can handle a steering wheel with those tiny, pathetic arms!"
Volt stood up, his Author's Mark projecting a neon blueprint of a race track onto the jungle canopy below. "Alright, everyone. The goal today is simple: Evolution is taking too long. We're going to give these lizards a 65-million-year head start. Pack the cybernetic enhancements and the nitro-glycerin!"
The spire landed with a thundering crash in a prehistoric swamp. A Tyrannosaurus Rex emerged from the ferns, letting out a roar that would have terrified any normal man. But Volt just looked at his watch.
"Three out of ten for the roar," Volt said, tapping his sunglasses. "Too much bass, not enough melody."
The T-Rex charged, but Volt didn't move. He simply tapped the Author's Mark. In a flash of violet light, the T-Rex's tiny arms were replaced by high-tech, robotic appendages equipped with Dual Plasma Cannons. A pair of aviator goggles snapped onto its face, and a leather racing jacket materialized over its scaly back.
"There," Volt nodded. "Now you're a protagonist."
The T-Rex looked at its new arms, fired a plasma blast that vaporized a nearby volcano, and let out a roar that sounded suspiciously like a heavy-metal guitar solo.
"Akuto! Anos! Let's get the rest of the crew ready!" Volt shouted.
For the next three hours, the Prehistoric Sector became a Cybernetic Workshop.
Velociraptors were given neon-lit rollerblades and laser-pointer eyes.
Triceratopses were upgraded into "Tank-Dinos" with 360-degree turret horns.
Pterodactyls were fitted with jet engines and became the "Air-Force of Awesomeness."
The Grand Overseer, holding a bucket of popcorn and wearing a "I Love Chaos" hat he'd been forced to put on, looked at his clipboard in despair. "Volt, you've given a Stegosaurus a DJ booth. Do you have any idea what this does to the fossil record? Paleontologists in the future are going to find a fossilized glow-stick and have a mental breakdown!"
"The future is just a draft, Overseer!" Volt laughed.
The climax of the day was the "First Annual Pangea Grand Prix." The track was a river of liquid neon that snaked through the jungle. The T-Rex (now named "Rexx-Vegas") lined up at the start, revving his plasma cannons.
"On your marks! Get set! GENESIS!" Volt roared.
The race was absolute madness. A pack of rollerblading Raptors zoomed past a Brachiosaurus that had been turned into a moving skyscraper with a disco ball on its neck. Akuto was riding on the back of a Pterodactyl, shouting, "Eat my stardust, you scaly losers!" while throwing "Exploding Confetti Bombs."
Anos was at the finish line, using his God-Slayer blade to slice the fabric of reality every time a dinosaur crossed, creating a "Victory Firework" that could be seen from three neighboring galaxies.
By the time the race ended, the Prehistoric Sector was no longer a place of survival; it was a high-tech paradise. A T-Rex was seen using its robotic arms to flip burgers for a group of Cavemen who had been given iPhones and fashionable sweaters.
The 95 Million Influence Points suddenly ticked over to 99.9 Million. The "LOL" symbol in the sky was replaced by a giant, golden "ADMIN" crown.
"We're almost at the limit, Father," Anos noted, looking at the vibrating reality around them. "One more big change and we'll hit the Absolute Influence Cap."
Volt looked at the "ADMIN" crown, then at his happy, chaotic family. Vanessa was laughing as a baby Triceratops tried to eat her hair, and Sasha was teaching a Raptor how to do a "Peace Sign" for a selfie.
"Then let's make the last point count," Volt said, his voice dropping into a tone of pure, creative joy. "Tomorrow, we aren't just visiting a genre. We're going to the End of the Book. We're going to visit the Original Author's Office and tell him we're taking over the lease."
The system notification popped up: [Achievement Unlocked: Dino-Drifter]. [Status: The Meteor has been cancelled due to lack of interest].
The influence count hit 100 Million. The 'Applying' phase was officially deleted from existence. The Demon King had won. Not just the war, but the story itself.