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An Anguirus wandered the lower depths of the Coral Highlands searching for fresh prey. Though the Rotten Vale was inundated with meat, it was usually as old and foul as its name implied. While a local scholar might note the creature's superficial resemblance to the herbivorous Apceros given the carapace, Anguirus was a strict carnivore and a fearsome hunter. A closer look would reveal many more differences.
It had many sharp teeth to catch and hold prey, and a pair of elongated canines to deal killing blows; a sharp contrast to the beak–like mouth of an Apceros. The differences to the head were not limited to the mouth either. Anguirus's eyes were set forward to grant binocular vision, not spread out for a wider field of view like an Apceros. Apceros also lacked the inward curving horns protruding from the back of the head, and the short nasal horn at the front. Furthermore, the carapace that would point to such a connection was covered in so many spikes as to more closely resemble a Nergigante.
No, an Anguirus was a very different beast to an Apceros. The Hunter's Guild had rarely encountered them, but their terrifying ferocity and unrelenting tenacity in battle had given them the alarming title "Fierce Dragon Monster." But those few hunters who had managed to escape an encounter gave them an even more ominous nickname.
The Killer of the Living.
As for this Anguirus, it had almost crept up on a pack of Shamos, but by unfortunate chance a Tzitzi-Ya-Ku had walked down from the opposite direction, been startled by the sight of the larger predator, and blinded all of them.
Once Anguirus's eyes had recovered, all the other creatures had been gone. It began to sniff the ground, trying to pick up their trail — or any trail really.
Its loud snuffling muffled the sounds of another predator on the hunt for far more ambitious prey.
Odogaron normally kept to the Rotten Vale, content to sniff out fresher meat amidst the effluvium, but they did venture up to the Coral Highlands from time to time, whether due to territorial squabbles or a simple craving for something that didn't reek of rot.
And this Odogaron spotted Anguirus and saw something akin to Radobaan in its mind — large and slow, but without the foul–tasting tar all over it. Perfect prey.
It sprinted along the ground before leaping to the coral beside Anguirus and using it as a launch point to go for the throat. The only warning Anguirus had was the sound of a claw scraping against a coral formation.
Unfortunately for Odogaron, it was wrong. Anguirus, though larger than it, was by no means slow. At least, not to the extent of Radobaan. With an angry howl it whirled around, slamming its attacker against the coral it had just pounced from and flinging it to the ground, suffering nothing more than minor scratches on its neck.
The Fierce Dragon Monster roared at the Cruel Claw Wyvern and charged — the battle was joined and to the victor would go the spoils!
Odogaron recovered quickly and jumped to the side, avoiding being gored by the larger beast's horns, but before it could capitalize on the opening it was struck by Anguirus's spiny tail and sent sprawling in front of its jaws. Anguirus snapped at his smaller opponent, but Odogaron was still faster, rolling away from the jaws and swinging its claws across the side of his face, staining brown scales red.
Undaunted by the spilling of his own blood, Anguirus pressed the attack, swinging his own claws at Odogaron even as he continued to bite at it. Even for a creature as agile and nimble as Odogaron, the surprising speed and frenzied nature of Anguirus's attacks lead to it being struck hard across the face, breaking one of its fangs.
Enraged, Odogaron snapped at the offending claw, tearing off a strip of flesh. In response Anguirus stood on his hind legs to use his forelimbs more dexterously to grab and throw Odogaron against the coral.
Odogaron landed with a yelp, but then swallowed the meat it had bitten off of Anguirus, and it entered its own frenzy. Its every pant let out steam, red light seemed to shine out from between the scales on its back, and it extended its secondary set of claws. With seemingly enhanced speed, it descended on Anguirus, who was more dexterous in his bipedal stance, but also slower to move.
This allowed Odogaron to slice at his flanks and now-exposed belly with near impunity, every slash drawing more blood and further emboldening its attacks. Odogaron felt that his prey was now slow and weak enough for him to properly go for the kill, and with one more slice to the hind leg to keep the prey from fleeing, Odogaron darted behind him and began to clamber up the spiky shell—
Only for it to feel the world shift as Anguirus leaped backward, smashing Odogaron between the coral behind it and the many points of his carapace. It squealed in pain and slashed ineffectually as it felt itself be crushed and further stabbed. But Anguirus repeated the motion, hoping to crush or impale Odogaron and feast on his pulverized remains!
However, Anguirus's own strength worked against him and his foe. On the third leap backwards, the coral wall gave way and both Anguirus and Odogaron fell, howling and warbling in distress as they dropped into the Rotten Vale below.
Thunderous impacts scattered aging flesh and bones, and temporarily dispersed the vale's noxious fumes. Odogaron whimpered as it tried to stand. It had managed to land on its feet, but the impact seemed to have broken many of its bones. Odogaron's whimpering intensified as it heard Anguirus groan and then saw him roll to his feet.
Anguirus had landed on his back, and though he would be sore for a while, the sheer durability of his carapace had allowed him to survive with minimal injury. But what it had also done was maximize his fury. He had been hunting above the Vale to avoid fouling his meal with its odor, and now all he had to show for it were bleeding wounds and a stinking soon-to-be carcass!
He lunged at Odogaron, and with the wyvern no longer fast enough to dodge with its numerous injuries, he struck true. His teeth pierced the Odogaron's jugular and he reveled in the taste of his enemy's blood. Odogaron let out a last screech and fell silent. The Anguirus briefly dropped his prey's corpse to roar in victory, and then picked it back up as he dropped back into a quadrupedal stance. He began dragging his hard-earned meal to a spot higher in the vale, away from the stench and the many Girros and Raphinos already hoping to scavenge the spoils of battle.