ANT CAVE

""The team had successfully cleared the first floor of the dungeon. A voice echoed in their heads, announcing their victory and the imminent appearance of the stairs leading to the lower floor. Slowly, a circular staircase materialized, descending into the depths of the dungeon.

Before they ventured further, the team decided to rest and replenish their supplies. They took this opportunity to check their equipment. Lilly, with her metal attribute, repaired Opdu's gauntlet, earning his gratitude.

Grey, the team leader, initiated a discussion about their next steps. Prior to the practical exam, Jisuka and Lilly had extensively researched the types of monsters, dungeons, and dungeon anomalies. They had also studied Mulvise, the dungeon they were currently in, as it had been the site of the previous year's practical exam. They knew they needed to be prepared for the creatures that lurked within.

Jisuka shared her knowledge, "The second floor is home to ant-type monsters, controlled by the 'Crimson Ant Queen'. The worker ants, known as Armored Ant Soldiers, form various sub-colonies under the command of General Ants. There's also a place for Slave Ants."

"Slave ants?" Grey asked, intrigued.

"Yes," Jisuka explained, "These are a different type of ant. The Crimson Queen uses them as fodder and breeds them to create more slaves. Even if we defeat the queen, the slaves won't be eradicated. That's how the dungeon works."

Grey nodded, "That's fascinating. It reminds me of the ants on Earth. I once watched a documentary about them on a science channel. Despite their complex social structure, they play a crucial role in our ecosystem."

His teammates looked at him in surprise. "You sure know a lot, Grey!" one of them exclaimed.

Grey shrugged, "I just enjoy science shows."

Their conversation lightened the mood. They chatted about various topics, including food. Michael, who was an excellent cook, prepared a soup from their dry food and meat. They usually ate energy bars, but those wouldn't suffice in real 'Rifts' and larger dungeons. Heroes often had to stay for more than a year, so they couldn't always rely on energy bars. They would always bring along individuals with the 'Gift' of subspace manipulation, one of the most desired and lucrative abilities.

"Alright, team, get ready. We're descending to the second floor," Grey announced. They all prepared for potential ambushes and traps, knowing that the crimson ants possessed a certain level of intellect and always fought in groups, unlike the wurms.

After 14 hours in the dungeon, battling constantly, they were all exhausted. They hadn't even completed a full day, so they decided to take it easy for now. Upon reaching the second floor, they set up a small camp to rest and eat. Michale cooked the food, and they arranged a watch duty, with one person staying awake every hour.

They all slept soundly, but Opdu woke up to find himself enveloped in darkness. Panicking, he flailed his limbs until he managed to free himself, only to find himself surrounded by crimson ant larvae. He sighed in relief when he realized there were no adult ants around. He then noticed nine other cocoons and hurriedly opened them, freeing his teammates.

"Hey, what's going on? Do we have to keep going?" he asked, but received no response. "Hey, guys, wake up! We're stuck in an ant nest! Are you all deaf?" Opdu yelled, his voice echoing throughout the cave.

Grey quickly covered Opdu's mouth. "Are you crazy? Why are you yelling in a monster's den?"

"You were all sleeping like goats! That's why I yelled!" Opdu retorted.

"Yeah, Mr. Genius! You're definitely winning this year's Big Brain competition!" Grey sarcastically replied.

"Do you really think so?" Opdu asked, completely missing the sarcasm.

Grey facepalmed in disappointment and confusion. "Good grief," he muttered.

Slowly, each member of the team woke up and assessed their situation. Nanthagopal proposed that they should find a safe location and eliminate the scent left by the ants, which could potentially be used to track them. Julie, who possessed the ability to control water, attempted to wash away the scent. However, it proved to be a challenging task. Ultimately, they were able to remove it using mud.

The area was swarming with larvae. Considering each larva was worth points and they had already gathered a significant number, they decided to exterminate all of them before departing. Yet, they were perplexed by the absence of any crimson ants guarding the larvae. Despite their thorough search, they couldn't find any explanation for this anomaly.

As they continued their exploration of the area, they found it odd that they didn't encounter any other monsters. The absence of threats allowed them to proceed with their mission without any interruptions.