A strange silence enveloped them, heavy and oppressive. They stood frozen, their eyes darting around, trying to make sense of their surroundings.
Kaito's voice shattered the quiet, sharp with panic. "Where the hell are we? Are we still on Earth, or did that tunnel teleport us to another planet?"
Nora's calm voice cut through his hysteria. "We're still on Earth."
Kaito's brows furrowed, his skepticism palpable. "You speak so sure. Got any proof?"
Nora's lips curled into a faint smile. "I don't speak without evidence. The Earth's radius, from surface to core, is about 6,371 kilometers. I have a device—the [Deep Meter]. It measures our depth from the surface. Right now, we're roughly 6,365 kilometers down. That means we've teleported to the heart of the Earth."
They stared at her, awestruck by her revelation. Gratitude flickered in their eyes, but the moment of wonder shattered as Evan's voice rang out. He tore off his oxygen mask, took a deep breath, and shouted, "There's oxygen here! I can breathe!"
One by one, they followed suit, removing their masks. Albert's voice joined in, tinged with disbelief. "He's right. I'm breathing just fine."
But ryan gaze fell on Mr. Jackson. His face was etched with deep unease. Ryan approached him, concern creeping into his voice. "Mr. Jackson, are you okay?"
He nodded slowly, his tone grave. "I'm fine. But if we're truly on Earth, how is there a sky down here? And where's the sun?"
His words sent a chill through him . He was right—how was this possible? Questions swirled in his mind, but answers were nowhere to be found.Then—
Kaito's scream pierced the air. "Look! Over there, to the north! Is that a giant?"
All eyes turned northward. Their breaths caught in their throats. Two colossal Brachiosauruses loomed in the distance, their long necks swaying, their massive bodies casting shadows that seemed to swallow the ground. Even as herbivores, their sheer size was terrifying.
Evan collapsed to the ground, his voice a mix of despair and fear. "I can't take this anymore. This mission… it's too much. From the moment we entered that tunnel to now, it's been one danger after another. And now this?"
Albert rushed to his side, offering quiet words of comfort. Evan wasn't a fighter—not like the rest of them. His only strength lay in his ability to tame animals, a gift that let him control wolves or giant bats. But against the likes of giant pythons or centipedes, he'd been nothing more than a bystander. His fear was understandable.
Grace stepped beside ryan, her voice trembling with unease. "Dinosaurs went extinct long before humans existed. So where did these come from?"
No one could answer her. They scanned their surroundings, and the sight only deepened their dread. Triceratops, Diplodocus, Stegosaurus—creatures they'd only read about in books now roamed before their eyes.
After a tense silence, Evan stood, a spark of determination in his voice. "We need to get out of here. We have to tell the General about this… this new world at the Earth's core. Then we'll come back with a stronger team."
Mr. Jackson's calm voice cut through his resolve. "You're forgetting something, Evan. Our oxygen masks are nearly depleted. We can't make it back to the surface with what's left."
Evan's confidence didn't waver. "I knew you'd say that, Mr. Jackson. That's why I have a plan."
Mr. Jackson raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Let's hear it."
Evan's voice grew firm. "Those of us who are stronger stay here. The weaker ones—like me—take the remaining oxygen masks and head back to the surface."
Mr. Jackson gave a wry smile. "First, no one wants to stay in this unknown world. We know nothing about it, or what dangers lurk here. And you think the 'weaker' ones can make it through that tunnel? You saw what it was like."
Evan's face paled. He opened his mouth but found no words.
Mr. Jackson continued, his tone softening but firm. "Listen, Evan. I know you're scared. We all are. But we have no choice. We stick together. Wherever we go, we go as a team. That's our only chance of survival."
But then—
A bone-chilling roar echoed from the tunnel behind Them. They were standing in front of the teleportation gate, its entrance still open. They peered inside, and their blood ran cold. A pack of monstrous pythons slithered toward their. their eyes glinting with hunger.
Panic gripped them .ryan's mind raced. Killing one of those things was hard enough. Now there are four or five? What do they do?
Before anyone could act, Daniel stepped forward. With a swift motion, he pulled two grenades from his pocket and hurled them at the tunnel's ceiling.
BOOM!
The explosion sent chunks of rock crashing down, sealing the tunnel's entrance. The pythons were cut off.
They stared at Daniel, stunned. He grinned, brushing off the tension. "What are you all gawking at? You think hunters are the only ones with guts? You might have physical strength, but I've got the brains."
His smug words sparked irritation, but they held their tongues. He'd just saved their . Those grenades, carefully stashed away, had bought thier time.
But their relief was short-lived.
A deafening roar erupted from the jungle behind them . they spun around, and their hearts stopped. A Tyrannosaurus Rex—massive, ravenous, and unstoppable—burst through the undergrowth, its eyes locked on them.
Before they could react, it charged at the Special Forces team. Daniel barked orders, and gunfire erupted. Bullets rained on the beast, but its thick hide shrugged them off like raindrops. With a single swipe, it sent the soldiers sprawling.
Daniel turned and fled. The hunters braced for a fight, but fear rooted them in place. Even Ryan couldn't muster the courage. He'd taken down a giant python, but this… this was five times stronger.
Mr. Jackson shouted, "Run! Get out of here!"
They scattered, desperation driving them into the jungle. The T-Rex locked onto Evan, its massive jaws snapping as it pursued him. Evan sprinted, his handgun trembling in his grip. He fired, but the bullets bounced harmlessly off the beast's hide.
Ducking behind a tree, he tried to outmaneuver it, firing wildly. But in his panic, he tripped over a rock and crashed to the ground. The T-Rex loomed over him, its jaws parting in a guttural roar.
Evan's body shook, his eyes wide with terror. In that moment, his past flooded back to him.
*Evan's Past (Evan's pov)
Rain poured down on that cold, desolate evening. My little brother Lian and I shivered in the biting wind. Lightning illuminated the sky, revealing a car speeding away in the distance. Inside were our parents. They glanced back one last time, their faces devoid of remorse, only a chilling silence.
"Mama… where are we going?" My voice trembled, but the only answer was the storm's roar.
Hours later, we stood before the rusted gates of an old orphanage. The car was gone, leaving us alone in the freezing darkness.
I gripped Lian's tiny hand tightly. "Don't be scared, Lian. I'm here."
That night marked the beginning of our new life.
Years passed in the orphanage, a place of hunger, cruelty, and survival. I adapted, growing tough to protect myself and Lian. My younger brother was frail, often sick, and I'd give up my own food just to see him smile.
One day, in the forest behind the orphanage, a terrifying incident changed everything. A child was trapped, cornered by a monstrous creature. I rushed to help, and as I grabbed the child, a strange energy surged through me.
Time seemed to stop. The air grew thick, and darkness clouded my vision.
BOOM!
A wave of energy erupted, knocking the creature to the ground. I collapsed, unconscious.
When I awoke, I knew something had changed. A strange, otherworldly power coursed through me—a gift to bend the life force of creatures to my will. I hid it, knowing the world had no mercy for the weak. I vowed to grow strong, no matter the cost.
But fate was cruel. Lian fell gravely ill, struck by a rare disease. The doctors said treatment was possible—but the cost was astronomical, far beyond an orphan's reach.
I refused to give up. I turned to the Hunter Association, a dangerous world where people risked their lives for power and wealth. For me, it was the only path to save my brother and prove that even an abandoned child could forge his own destiny.
-
Back to the Present
--
Evan's blood surged, fear giving way to defiance. As the T-Rex lunged, he dove aside, firing his handgun. A bullet struck the beast's eye, and it roared in pain, thrashing wildlRyan van scrambled back, gasping in relief. But the moment was fleeting. The T-Rex charged again, faster this time. Evan was thrown to the ground, blood streaming from his mouth, his body broken. He couldn't move.
And then, in one horrifying moment, the T-Rex devoured him.
From a distance, Ryan watched, helpless. Rage and guilt burned in his chest. Why couldn't they save him?
But there was no time to mourn. The T-Rex turned toward them, its eyes gleaming with hunger. Ryan didn't understand how it sensed them from so far away.
Grace, Daniel, and ryan bolted, but the beast was faster. Daniel tripped on a rock, crashing to the ground. Grace reached to help him, but he shoved her away, scrambling to flee.
Grace stumbled, too slow to recover. The T-Rex loomed over her, its jaws wide. Her voice trembled, barely a whisper. "Is this… the end?"
-
To be continued…