"Hank Fowler, now that you've seen what we're capable of, are you still gunning for the captain's seat?" Zara Vance asked with a sly smile.

"I'm out," Hank sighed, defeated.

These three women were each more formidable than the last. He didn't stand a chance competing against them, so he might as well not even try.

"Alright, with Hank out of the running, let's choose from among the three of us," Zara declared.

"I vote for Zara!" Luna Lovelace said without a moment's hesitation.

"Same here," Willow Frost chimed in.

Hank, having anticipated this outcome, simply shrugged. "Fine by me."

"Since everyone's chosen me as captain, let's lay down some ground rules," Zara said, clearing her throat with an air of authority. "First, from now on, no matter what resources you find, they're to be handed over to me for redistribution. Second, you all follow my orders. Anyone who breaks the rules will face the consequences. Finally, I expect everyone to work together, united in our goal to make this team stronger."

Hank wasn't having any of that. "What? Whoever finds something gets to keep it. Why should I hand over my loot to you?" he protested.

With his ability to talk to stuff, he was sure he had an edge when it came to gathering resources. If everything was split equally, he'd be getting the short end of the stick. No way was he going to be a sucker.

Zara's eyes flickered for a moment before she responded, her voice laced with a hint of condescension. "We're a team, Hank. That means certain things need to be standardized. If you can't follow the rules, then you're not welcome here."

"Fine, I'm out then!" Hank said without hesitation.

"Hank, don't be rash!" Luna pleaded, desperately trying to make eye contact with him.

Zara frowned. "You know how dangerous this island is, Hank. Stay with the team, and you'll have our protection. Go it alone, and how long do you think you'll last?"

"Don't worry about me. I've got my ways," Hank said, raising an eyebrow.

He was a man, dammit! He didn't need three women to protect him. What a joke that would be.

"Just don't come crawling back to us later," Willow scoffed.

"Don't you come crawling to me," Hank retorted, turning on his heel and walking away.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"Maybe I should go talk to Hank?" Luna suggested.

"Don't bother. He's just being stubborn. You'll see. In less than two days, he'll come running back. He's nothing without our carry on this island," Willow said coldly.

Luna: "..."

Zara: "..."

...

After parting ways with the three women, Hank made his way to the beach at a brisk pace. After walking for about a hundred meters, he arrived at his destination. The vast, boundless ocean stretched out before him, its surface sparkling under the sunlight. It was a breathtaking sight.

The sea was unusually calm, not even a ripple disturbing its mirror-like surface. It reflected the clear blue sky perfectly.

Hank scanned the area before shifting his gaze to the beach. It, too, was eerily still, as if time itself had frozen.

Hank didn't carelessly step onto the sand. Instead, he stood still, carefully observing his surroundings. He knew that this apparent tranquility could be masking hidden dangers.

His sharp eyes scanned every inch of the beach, searching for any sign of danger.

Suddenly, a patch of sand began to shift, slowly sinking as if pulled by an unseen force, eventually forming a funnel shape.

Thunk!

A massive claw, over eight inches (20 centimeters) long, shot out from the hole, clutching a large clam.

"Is that a crab?" Hank muttered, surprised.

If the claw alone was this big, how enormous was the creature itself?

As he was still in a daze, a gigantic blue crab emerged from the sand. It was over half a meter long, about the size of a washbasin. Its two massive claws waved menacingly in the air, as if declaring itself the ruler of this beach.

Crack!

One of the claws suddenly snapped shut, crushing the clam into pieces.

Hank couldn't help but gulp. He was glad he hadn't rushed onto the beach earlier. If he had stepped on this monster, his foot would have been crushed for sure.

The giant crab, after crushing the clam, didn't immediately eat it. Instead, it called out, "Honey, dinner's ready!"

Rustle rustle...

A strange sound came from the nearby sand, and another large crab emerged. This one was slightly smaller than the first, probably a female.

"What are we having, dear?" the female crab asked as she scurried over to the male crab.

"A big, juicy clam I just caught. Come and get it," the male crab said, handing the crushed clam to his mate.

"Clam is my favorite! You're the best, hubby," the female crab cooed.

"Eat up. I'll go catch some more," the male crab said before disappearing back into the sand.

"Seriously? PDA in public? Gross," Hank muttered, a plan forming in his mind.

If he could take down these two monsters, he'd not only have food but also a hefty amount of experience points.

Hank glanced down at the entrenching tool in his hand. It was his only weapon at the moment. He wondered if a good whack with it could take down a crab.

The entrenching tool: "Dude, are you crazy? Look at that crab's shell! It's as hard as a rock. There's no way you can break through that, let alone kill it. I'd seriously advise against this."

Hank thought for a moment and realized Digger had a point.

But he couldn't just go back empty-handed. That would be too embarrassing.

"Aha!" Hank suddenly remembered something. There were clams on the beach. They were surely less dangerous than crabs. He could catch a few and make some soup.

So, Hank moved away from the lovey-dovey crabs and went to another part of the beach.

It was just as quiet here. But who knew what dangers lurked beneath the surface?

Hank didn't start digging right away. Instead, he stared at the sand and whispered, "Hey, Sandy, got a question for you."

The sand: "What is it?"

Hank: "Are there any clams or crabs around here?"

The sand: "Why should I tell you?"

Hank's lips curled into a wicked grin. "You don't tell me, and I'll take a piss and a dump right on you! I'll make you so disgusting you'll wish you were never born!"

The sand: "..."