'Something's definitely there.'
He scanned the area, a single bead of sweat running down his face. He stepped back, still facing the potential threat, waiting for something to happen.
A bush rustled to his left.
He turned toward it immediately, mentally preparing for whatever came out.
A rabbit hopped out of the bush, its nose twitching as it sniffed the ground.
He didn't relax.
Instead, he snapped his gaze back toward the original source of his unease.
'I ain't falling for that.'
He stood there, ready for anything that might happen.
'I ain't gonna get caught lacking.'
He waited.
And waited.
But nothing happened.
He eased up slightly, confusion creeping in. After a moment, he exhaled and shrugged it off.
"I guess they felt my aura and decided they didn't want the smoke."
Then, he continued his search.
He spotted a whole batch of herbs near a tree. He slowly approached them, setting the basket on the ground.
"I really am built like that, aren't I?"
A self-satisfied smirk appeared on his face.
He continued plucking at the herbs and nodded his head. "Yeah… makes sense. Why would anyone want to mess with—"
He paused.
He felt it.
Eyes.
Watching him.
He didn't turn. Didn't react. He just kept harvesting as if nothing were wrong.
Suddenly, he had an idea. A smirk slowly formed on his face as he continued harvesting.
"You know, if you're trying to scare me, I just wanted to let you know… I'm absolutely terrified of boobs and thighs.
He shook his head in agreement as he continued. "Yep. Absolutely horrified of them. I really hope you don't use that against me."
He finished his harvest and shot up, basket in hand. Satisfied with the amount he had, he began making his way back to camp.
Then–
The ground trembled.
Leaves detached from trees as cracks split through the earth. A low rumble resonated beneath him.
Omari's eyes widened.
The ground burst open.
A massive worm erupted out from the hole, launching into the air as it lunged at him.
He was caught way off guard.
He couldn't dodge.
The worm slammed into him and sent him flying, crashing through multiple trees.
He skipped across the dirt and slammed into a tree. Covered in a few bruises, he stood up and looked at the creature.
'What the hell?'
The worm was roughly 20 meters long. Rows of teeth were drenched in saliva as it advanced toward Omari.
'The hell does this ground dih want from me?"
It lunged forward, aiming to latch onto his chest.
He stepped aside, easily dodging it. His fist struck mid-air, the creature's soft body absorbing part of the blow.
It was sent flying, but instead of crashing, it twisted with the momentum and dove straight into the ground, burrowing beneath the surface.
'It's going for a sneak attack.'
Omari jumped up and landed on a branch. He scanned the ground, searching for any sign of movement.
He grabbed a branch nearby, snapped it off, and dropped it.
It fell on the ground…
Nothing.
He looked around and spotted a squirrel nearby. He grabbed it and threw it to the ground.
The worm burst out instantly, gobbling it up. Its teeth shredded the small mammal into strips, making it easier to swallow.
Omari stayed perched on the branch, thinking.
A few seconds passed.
'I really don't need to fight that thing… do I?'
His reasoning?
'I'm too lazy.'
Simple.
He had no motivation to deal with a giant carnivorous worm.
So he didn't.
He hopped from tree to tree, searching for his basket.
He found it near the last tree he'd been at, still filled with herbs.
He jumped down and slowly approached it, still on high alert.
The ground beneath it shifted.
Just slightly.
Omari froze.
"…Yeah, no."
He slowly stepped back onto the branch.
The moment his weight lifted—
The ground exploded.
The worm burst out, its massive body tearing through the earth as its jaws snapped shut where he'd been standing. Dirt and roots flew into the air as its body twisted, searching.
"OH COME ON—"
Omari kicked off the branch, flipping backward as the creature lunged again. Its body slammed into the tree, splintering bark as it coiled and redirected itself toward him mid-air.
"Bro?! I'm not that tasty!"
He threw his hand out.
"No, no—don't touch me there—"
A translucent barrier flared into existence.
The worm crashed into it.
The impact rang out like a bell.
Omari was sent flying backward anyway, the barrier flickering as he skidded across the forest floor.
"—this is my NO NO SQUARE!"
He rolled onto his feet, wincing.
"Damn… okay, you got a little power behind you."
The ground bulged.
Then stilled.
Omari's eyes narrowed.
"…Right. Ambush merchant."
He jumped just as the worm erupted beneath him again.
Its jaws snapped shut inches from his legs.
"NOPE—"
Mid-air, he twisted and thrust his palm downward. A blue glow gathered instantly.
"BIDEN BLAST!"
The beam slammed into the worm's head, forcing it back into the ground with a violent burst of dirt and debris. The forest floor cratered from the impact.
Smoke curled into the air.
Silence.
Omari landed lightly on a branch, breathing steadily.
"…Okay."
He squinted at the crater.
"…Did that work?"
The ground trembled.
"Ah."
It exploded again.
The worm shot upward, its body scorched but far from done. Its maw opened wide, revealing rows of jagged teeth glistening with saliva.
"WHY ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?!"
It lunged.
Omari didn't dodge this time.
He stepped forward.
"Alright… you're actually starting to annoy me."
The air around his hand warped as energy condensed—brighter, denser than before.
The pressure shifted.
Leaves rustled violently.
"Let's try that again."
He aimed straight into its open mouth.
"BIDEN—"
The worm twisted mid-lunge.
Too fast.
It crashed into him before he could fire.
Omari's eyes widened as he was sent flying through two trees, his body skidding across the ground before slamming into a third.
"…Okay."
He coughed, pushing himself up slowly.
"…now I'm definitely not fighting you."
The ground beneath him began to rise again.
"Yeah, nah—"
He turned and bolted.
"THIS IS NOT MY PROBLEM ANYMORE!"
—
He moved through a different part of the forest now, basket in hand, searching for more herbs and spices.
'Glad I grabbed it while I ran… though, some herbs fell out.'
He quickly found some near a rock.
This time, his harvest was peaceful.
For the most part.
The eyes were still there.
Watching.
Now, he couldn't tell where the gaze was coming from.
A faint unease crept in as he continued searching.
'Who the hell is watching me? They want an autograph or something?'
He quickly finished harvesting and began heading back to camp—this time, in a light sprint.
"I ain't tryna run into that thing again—"
He felt it.
The ground was trembling.
"YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"
The worm burst from the ground, its jaws snapping towards his left arm.
He shifted to the right, raising his arm to dodge—
Then he realized it.
That's the arm holding the basket.
Before he knew it, the worm was now falling towards the basket.
'Shit—!"
He couldn't move it in time.
The worm slammed into the basket, tearing through it as both crashed to the ground.
Omari stumbled back, staring at his left hand.
Only the handle remained.
His gaze snapped to where the worm had landed.
The creature's teeth had shredded a lot of the harvest—and completely destroyed the basket.
His brows furrowed.
Irritation turned into something colder.
"Now you gotta die."