60. The Mechanical Herrerasaurus
A few seconds later, the two finally stood face to face.
Major Deri studied Rangga's face for a moment.
"Rangga... right?"
Rangga immediately broke into a wide grin.
"Yep, Major. It's me."
Major Deri continued looking him over from head to toe.
The scale armor covering Rangga's body. The large longbow slung across his back. The five neatly arranged javelins. Even the way he carried himself had completely changed.
He no longer looked like someone barely surviving. He looked like a hunter.
Major Deri slowly shook his head with a smile.
"I honestly can't believe you've come this far."
Rangga chuckled as he scratched the back of his head.
"Hehe... I've managed somehow, Major. Oh, right."
He immediately opened his ship's inventory.
Several flashes of light emerged, transforming into the equipment he had prepared.
"Here... I made these for you."
One by one, he placed them on the sand.
A full set of Simosuchus Armor. A one-handed sword with a sleek, futuristic silver blade. A sturdy round shield with a reinforced metal boss at its center, designed to deflect and redirect incoming attacks. And a long spear with a much sturdier shaft than an ordinary spear.
Major Deri stared at the equipment with widened eyes.
His hand even stopped halfway before touching the armor.
"...These... Are they really for me?"
Rangga nodded casually.
"Yeah, Major... It's fine. Just try them on."
Major Deri still looked hesitant. Equipment like this was far beyond anything he had used until now.
Rangga then pointed toward the far side of a large rock formation nearby.
"You can change over there... I won't look."
A small smile appeared on Major Deri's face.
"Alright."
He carried the equipment behind the rock.
Not long afterward, the sound of splashing water could be heard.
Major Deri took the opportunity to wash himself in the seawater first, cleaning away weeks' worth of dirt and grime.
Afterward, he began putting on the new armor Rangga had given him.
Each piece fit into place perfectly.
It was more comfortable, far sturdier and much lighter than he had imagined.
A short while later, Major Deri stepped out from behind the rock.
The moment Rangga saw him, he grinned from ear to ear.
"Whoa... Damn, Major... You look awesome."
The Simosuchus Armor fit him perfectly. The dark synthetic scales gave him an imposing appearance.
A long spear was now strapped across his back. A one-handed sword hung at his right hip. His left arm carried the sturdy round shield.
Rangga gave him a thumbs-up.
"Perfect... It suits you."
Major Deri rolled his shoulders several times before lifting each arm in turn.
He swung the sword. Raised the shield then gripped the long spear.
His expression slowly turned into one of admiration.
"It's comfortable... Lighter than I expected."
He rotated his shoulders again.
"It barely restricts my movement."
Rangga laughed.
"Told you... Just use it."
Major Deri nodded gratefully.
"Thank you, Rangga... This will help tremendously."
Back on Earth, the moment Major Deri reappeared wearing armor identical to Rangga's, the comment sections of both livestreams exploded.
THAT LOOKS SO COOL!!
Now there are two of them!
Now that's a real squad!
Major Deri looks like a monster hunter commander!
That armor is insane!
Garuda keeps getting stronger!
It wasn't only ordinary viewers.
Inside Garuda's Presidential Palace monitoring room, the atmosphere changed as well.
Several analysts exchanged glances, smiles appearing across their faces.
President Prabu watched the screen quietly before speaking.
"Excellent..."
Beside him, General Suryo nodded.
"With equipment like that... Their chances of survival have increased dramatically."
His eyes remained fixed on the two figures on the screen.
Rangga and Major Deri. Two Garuda Pioneers standing side by side. Armed with equipment far superior to that of any other Pioneer.
General Suryo smiled faintly.
"It seems... Garuda has taken a step ahead of the other nations."
Rangga nodded in satisfaction as he looked at Major Deri, now fully equipped for battle.
"So, Major? Wanna test it out?"
Major Deri turned toward him.
"Test it?"
"Yeah."
"Let's head inside... Let's see what this island's got."
Major Deri looked toward the dense tropical jungle ahead.
"Are you sure? We have no idea what's in there."
Rangga simply grinned.
"Come on, Major... That's exactly why we need to find out... Now there are two of us and our gear's way better."
"So? You in?"
Major Deri remained silent for several seconds. His gaze lingered on the dark forest beyond the towering trees.
Finally, he nodded.
"Very well... I'll take point."
Rangga's grin widened.
"Nice... I'll cover you with the bow."
He unslung the longbow from his back. An arrow was immediately nocked. Together, they stepped into the forest.
Major Deri walked in front. His shield was already raised to chest height. His sword was ready to swing at a moment's notice.
Rangga followed several paces behind. His bow remained raised. An arrow was always ready to fire.
The deeper they ventured into the forest, the larger the trees became.
Their massive trunks stretched so high that their tops were impossible to see.
Gigantic roots snaked across the ground. Broad leaves almost completely blocked out the sky. Only thin beams of sunlight managed to slip through the canopy.
Major Deri looked around before speaking quietly.
"This... It reminds me of the forests in Kalimantan."
Rangga looked over.
"Are the forests there really like this?"
Major Deri nodded.
"Yes... This is a tropical rainforest."
He raised his sword, pointing toward the canopy.
"See? The trees are incredibly tall... Their canopies overlap, so very little sunlight reaches the ground."
Rangga tilted his head upward, following the direction of the sword. High above them, perched on a thick branch.
A pair of mechanical eyes stared back. The creature crouched silently among the leaves.
The moment its gaze met Major Deri's, It jumped.
"LOOK OUT!"
Major Deri shouted instinctively. His shield shot upward.
BANG!
The mechanical creature slammed into it with tremendous force.
At the very same instant—
TWANG!
Rangga released his arrow. It shot past Major Deri's side but the creature had already bounced away the moment it struck the shield.
It landed several meters away before nimbly leaping back onto a nearby tree trunk. Within seconds, it was perched on another branch.
Still watching them from above.
The once-quiet forest instantly became tense.
As the creature landed gracefully on the ground, a golden screen appeared before Rangga's eyes.
Mechanical Herrerasaurus
[TYPE: MECHANICAL CARNIVORE]
Description:
An agile mechanical predator that inhabits dense tropical forests. It relies on tree-climbing and aerial ambushes to hunt its prey. Its lightweight frame allows rapid movement through the canopy, while its claws can firmly grip both tree trunks and targets.
Weakness:
Vulnerable immediately after landing from an ambush attack. Its balance stabilization system requires a brief moment to recalibrate.
Drops:
Zincorium Ingot
Reinforced Anchor Bolt
Rangga scanned the information quickly. His eyes immediately stopped at the weakness section.
...
He knew exactly how to beat it. The problem was, he couldn't just blurt out,
"Major, attack now! It's off balance!"
Because Major Deri would immediately ask how he knew that.
Meanwhile, Major Deri kept his eyes fixed on the Herrerasaurus, now perched in the trees once again.
"What is that thing? Damn... It ambushes from above."
He tightened his grip on both sword and shield.
"We need to fall back."
Rangga remained silent. His eyes never left the Herrerasaurus. His mind raced.
How do I explain this...?
If I mention its weakness now... the Major's definitely going to get suspicious.
Meanwhile, the Herrerasaurus continued moving slowly along the branches.
As if patiently searching for the perfect moment to strike again.
Rangga tightened his grip on his bow.
His eyes tracked every movement the creature made.
Searching for a way to exploit the Herrerasaurus's weakness, without ever having to explain how he knew it.