The tension in the air was as thick as the silence that settled over the group when the team leader of the gatherers gave the order:

"Take the cart back to camp, now!"

But they'd barely started pushing when a tremor rippled through the ground.

Everyone froze, their eyes fixed on the earth, where the vibrations grew stronger by the second.

Before anyone could react, the ground burst open in a torrent of dirt and stones.

A monstrous creature, its skin dark gray and its segmented body worm-like, emerged from the earth.

Its size was massive, and the stench of rot and acid filled the air.

'You've got to be kidding me…,' thought Leonar, staring in disbelief as the worm raised its grotesque body, its circular, tooth-filled mouth trembling, ready to attack.

The hunters, already on guard, didn't waste a second.

Just as the worm sprayed a stream of acid, a girl from the team raised her hands, forming a shield of energy in front of them, blocking the corrosive spray that sizzled against the barrier.

'So that's magic… first time seeing it up close,' thought Leonar.

"Quick, stay behind the cart!" she shouted, her voice steady and clear, though the strain made it tremble.

Not missing a beat, a hunter wielding a massive axe dashed to the side, circling the worm.

Leonar followed his movements, impressed.

'How can he move so fast with all that weight?' thought Leonar, amazed as the hunter raised the axe and struck it hard against the worm's side.

The impact resonated, and a piece of the creature's armor cracked, though it wasn't enough to stop it.

Then, another tremor shook the ground, and the hunters quickly realized the source.

More worms, just as massive as the first, began emerging around the group.

This time, they surrounded them, cutting off any escape routes.

With adrenaline pumping through his veins, Leonar turned to Damian, who was pushing the cart.

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"Aren't we going to help?" Leonar asked, watching as the hunters struggled to hold back the assault.

Damian let out a bitter laugh.

"Didn't you see that even an experienced hunter's axe barely did any damage? With our weapons, we wouldn't even scratch them. This is their job."

"Then… why do we even carry weapons?" Leonar asked as he continued walking alongside the cart, his fingers gripping his pistol tightly from the tension.

But he didn't have time to hear an answer. One of the worms broke through the defensive line, slipping past the hunters and lunging straight at the gatherers.

The enormous creature rose from the ground only to plunge back in, tearing up the surface around them.

Leonar felt the ground beneath him give way; in the blink of an eye, he and the others were falling into the darkness of a massive hole.

'Wait, this isn't what I meant!'

Screams of terror and surprise filled the air as the group descended.

The wind whipped at his face, and although fear gripped him, he could feel his heart racing wildly.

'Is this the end?' thought Leonar, as the dark pit swallowed them and the red light of the sky above grew more distant.

Beside him, he spotted Damian falling, his face resigned, in stark contrast to the general panic.

"Do you think we're dead already?" Leonar shouted to him.

Damian laughed, his voice mocking even in that moment of peril.

"Today's definitely not a good day at work."

Just as he was about to add something else, they both crashed into the water of a gigantic underground pool.

The impact was hard, but the water cushioned their fall.

Leonar felt his feet sink as his body's weight pulled him downward, while the cart and the crystals also began to descend.

With effort, he swam toward the surface, dodging the cart and other companions struggling to avoid being hit by the falling objects.

Finally, he emerged and took a huge gulp of air.

Wasting no time, he swam to a nearby shore, helping those who made it to the edge.

Damian was one of them; as Leonar helped him up, the man gave him a surprised look.

"Wow, didn't think you were such a good swimmer," Damian remarked, shaking the water off his clothes with a laugh.

Leonar shrugged, panting.

"Come on, help me get the others out."

Soon, almost everyone in the team was on solid ground, and the leader conducted a quick headcount.

"Is anyone missing?" he asked seriously as everyone tried to catch their breath.

Someone counted softly and looked up.

"We're missing two…"

The leader clenched his jaw, frowning.

"They probably… the worm must have fallen on them before they got here."

The news cast a heavy sense of loss over the group, and they all fell silent for a moment.

'Damn, I really could have died… I guess… I got lucky…'

Leonar looked around, his nerves making his hands tremble.

He realized he hadn't seen the worm since they fell and felt a chill run down his spine.

'Where is that thing…?'

Acting on instinct, he activated his detection ability and scanned the surroundings.

To his surprise, the ground and the walls were emitting a yellow glow.

'Damn… we're still in danger… how are we going to get out of here? We're trapped in a giant pit…'

But it wasn't just the ground. On one of the cavern walls, an unusual glow caught his attention.

A door, seemingly metallic and surrounded by glowing runes, stood out in the darkness.

"Look at that!" someone else in the group shouted, pointing at the door in astonishment.

Everyone turned toward the strange structure, staring at it with a mix of distrust and curiosity.

"What's that doing here?" murmured one of the gatherers.

Leonar swallowed, feeling his body still shaking from everything that had happened.

For now, the only thing he could do was wait for the leader’s instructions.