Evolution begins with an ant colony

Darius’s heart echoed like a thunderous drumbeat within his chest, rendering him immobile as his gaze remained fixated on the enigmatic presence of Akun. His life as an adventurer had acquainted him with formidable beasts and treacherous adversaries, but none had ever exuded the sheer awe-inspiring intensity that Akun radiated.

A thin sheen of sweat appeared on Darius’s forehead as he grappled with this unprecedented encounter. "This is an entirely new league," he muttered, the weight of the situation bearing down on him. He had faced daunting adversaries before, but Akun was an entirely different level of formidable.

The overwhelming pressure threatened to crush him, making each breath a laborious endeavor. Fear gripped his heart, and doubt crept into his mind. Could he truly confront an adversary of such staggering strength?

"I must face reality," Darius conceded, his trembling hands a testament to his unease. "This is unlike anything I’ve ever encountered. We’re talking about power on a divine scale. One wrong move, and I may not come out of this alive."

Awe and terror intertwined in his gaze, making it impossible to avert his eyes from Akun’s mesmerizing, glowing purple orbs.

Meanwhile, Oliver’s voice quivered as he reached out to Akun, his desperation and fear palpable. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and his heart raced with concern for his wounded companion.

"Boss, please help!" Oliver pleaded, his voice cracking. "Leo is badly hurt, he’s bleeding... I don’t know what to do!"

Akun’s expression softened as he heard the distress in Oliver’s voice. He immediately flew down to where Leo was lying, surrounded by the aftermath of the explosion.

Thanks to the memories he had absorbed from the dark dragon, Akun casted "Greater Heal" spell. A brilliant aura of light enveloped Leo’s wounded form, and the deep cuts and injuries slowly began to mend.

Leo’s pain started to subside, replaced by a sense of relief and gratitude. "Boss, you saved me... Thank you," he said, his voice filled with appreciation.

Akun smiled warmly. "It’s all right, Leo. I learned this spell from a dragon’s memories. I’m just glad I could help."

Oliver and the other evolved male ants watched in amazement as their comrade’s injuries were healed before their eyes. They knew they were witnessing something extraordinary, and their admiration for Akun grew even stronger.

"That’s incredible, boss," Oliver exclaimed.

"Yeah, boss, you’re getting stronger every day," Jake added.

"Alright, everyone, let’s take a moment to calm down," Akun said reassuringly. "I still need to heal the burns you all got."

One by one, the evolved male ants gathered around Akun, their trust in him unwavering. As they stood close to him, Akun cast the healing spell on each of them, soothing their burns and easing their pain. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

As Akun was occupied with healing his comrades, Darius’s party members huddled together, they whispered urgently to each other, their faces tense with uncertainty. Elara, the elven archer, was the first to speak up.

"We can’t take on that... thing," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Did you all feel that pressure from earlier? It’s like he’s on a whole different level."

Gromm, the half-orc barbarian, grunted in agreement. "I don’t fancy being turned into dust by that guy. We should get out of here while we still can."

Lyra, the sorceress, seemed torn. "But what about the monster cores? We came here for a reason, right? We can’t just leave empty-handed."

Raela, the rogue, chimed in, her eyes darting between her companions. "It’s too risky. We’ve already slightly tried out from the battle we fought earlier, so we’re not at our best. We should come back another time when we’re better prepared."

Torin, the cleric, considered their options. "Perhaps we can go find some other monster cores without angering that... thing. We don’t want to make an enemy of him."

Darius, their leader, remained silent for a moment, weighing their words. He knew that facing Akun head-on would be suicidal, especially with their weakened stats. But he also understood the importance of obtaining the monster cores for their quest.

Finally, he spoke, his voice firm and resolute. "We’ll leave for now. It’s not worth risking our lives for a few monster cores. We’ll retreat, find some other prey, we obviously can’t take that guy down."

As Akun was almost finished healing his comrades, his eyes blazed with determination and anger. He had heard the whispers of Darius’s party members, and he wasn’t about to let them escape without a confrontation.

"Shut up and wait right there!" Akun’s voice boomed, echoing through the forest. "Running away won’t save you from the consequences of your actions!"

Darius’s party members froze in their tracks, startled by Akun’s sudden outburst. They turned to face him, their expressions a mix of fear and defiance.

Darius then spoke up, voicing his astonishment.

"I can’t believe it," he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "That monster understood what we were saying, even responded."

Elara nodded in agreement, her eyes wide with surprise. "Monsters have their own language, completely different from ours. How can he understand us?"

Gromm scratched his head, still trying to process what had just happened. "I don’t know," he admitted. "But it’s like he can communicate with us on a whole different level."

Lyra chimed in, her curiosity piqued. "Could it be some kind of magic or skill he possesses?" she wondered aloud.

"Darius, he’s coming this way!" Elara whispered urgently, her eyes widening in fear.

The party members quickly silenced themselves, their hearts pounding with a mix of anxiety and anticipation.

As Akun walked steadily towards the adventurers, they could feel the weight of his presence bearing down on them. His purple eyes seemed to pierce through their souls, leaving them feeling exposed and vulnerable.

Darius took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves. "Stay calm, everyone," he whispered to his party members. "Let me do the talking."

As Akun approached, Darius stepped forward and cleared his throat. "We didn’t mean any harm," he began, his voice slightly shaky but resolute. "We were just passing through the forest, and... we got caught up in the explosion."

Akun smirked sarcastically at the adventurers. "Oh, I bet you were just innocent bystanders caught in the explosion, right? Clearly, you’re just victims here," he replied.

Darius, trying to defuse the situation, nodded hastily. "Yeah, yeah, that’s right. We didn’t mean any harm," he stammered.

But before anyone could say anything else, Akun’s form shifted into the majestic Dalamute. He conjured a massive silver hammer and swung it swiftly towards Darius. The warrior managed to raise his broadsword just in time to block the attack, but the force behind it still sent him flying backward. "Whoa!" Darius exclaimed, trying to regain his balance.

His concerned party members rushed to his side, asking if he was alright. "I’m okay, I’m okay," Darius replied, shaking off the shock of the impact. But inside, he knew they were in a dangerous situation, facing a being of immense power.

Akun couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the adventurers’ feeble attempt to play innocent. "Seriously? You think I’m that oblivious? It’s clear you guys caused that explosion," he scoffed, not buying their act for a second.

Darius, feeling a bit uneasy, tried to salvage the situation. "Look, we didn’t mean to cause any harm. It was a misunderstanding," he offered, hoping to reason with Akun.

Akun’s eyes narrowed, and a sly grin spread across his face as he addressed the adventurers. "Considering how weak you all are, I’ll go easy on you. Feel free to make a futile attempt to fight for your freedom," he taunted.

"So don’t worry," Akun continued, his tone almost playful. "There are some questions I want answers to, and I can’t get those from your lifeless bodies."

Darius and his party exchanged nervous glances, realizing they were hopelessly outmatched. They tightened their grips on their weapons, trying to gather their courage.

His words sent a chill down their spines. It was clear that their lives were in his hands, and they had no choice but to comply.

"Enough talk!" Darius yelled, trying to put on a brave front. "We won’t go down without a fight!"

The adventurers charged at Akun with all the strength they could muster, but it was futile. Akun effortlessly dodged their attacks and countered with precise strikes. Despite his promise to limit his power, he was still far more skilled and powerful than they could handle.

As the battle ensued, the adventurers soon found themselves knocked to the ground, their weapons scattered around them. They gasped for breath, their bodies bruised and battered.

"Give up yet?" Akun asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.

Darius gritted his teeth, refusing to admit defeat. "We won’t... back down...," he managed to say between labored breaths.

Akun approached Darius’s fallen sword, the silver blade gleaming in the dappled sunlight filtering through the forest canopy. With a swift kick, he sent the sword sliding across the ground, stopping just a few feet away from Darius.

"Pick it up!" Akun commanded, his voice firm and unwavering.

Darius hesitated for a moment, eyeing the weapon warily. He knew he was no match for Akun, and the idea of picking up his sword to continue the fight seemed futile. But Akun’s unwavering gaze left him with no choice.

"I said, pick it up!" Akun repeated firmly, his purple eyes locked on Darius.