Evolution begins with an ant colony

Once Darius regained his footing, clutching his sword tightly, Akun swung his silver hammer against Darius’s broadsword. The impact created a strong shockwave that echoed through the surroundings. The sheer force of the clash propelled Darius backwards, causing him to tumble onto the forest floor once more.

Darius clenched his teeth, his hands shaking as he fought to stand steady. "You... you monster!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with a mix of fear and anger.

Akun, now towering in Dalamute’s form, looked down at Darius with a mix of amusement and annoyance. His movements were like a dance of grace and power, each step deliberate and controlled. He took five calculated steps backward, effortlessly dodging all of Darius’s attacks before they could make contact.

Letting out a powerful shout, Darius charged towards Akun, putting all his strength into the swing of his sword. However, Akun moved like a shadow, nimble and hard to catch. He effortlessly spun around Darius, moving with a grace that seemed beyond human, his body gliding through the air with remarkable agility.

"You can’t run forever," Darius growled, his heart pounding in his chest.

Akun let out a low chuckle. "Who said anything about running?" he replied cryptically.

With a fierce yell, Darius lunged at Akun, swinging his sword yet again. But Akun was like a shadow, his body fluidly moving to evade the attack. It was as if he could anticipate every move before it even happened, his instincts honed to perfection.

"Is that all you’ve got?" Akun taunted, his voice echoing in the forest.

Darius gritted his teeth, his heart pounding with frustration. "I won’t let you win!" he shouted, determination in his eyes.

Each time Darius tried to strike, Akun countered with a devastating blow. He struck with precision, aiming for weak spots in Darius’s defense. It was as if he knew exactly where to hit to cause the most damage.

"You’re going to have to do better than that," he said coolly.

With a sudden burst of speed, Akun closed the distance between him and Darius, landing a powerful punch that sent the warrior sprawling to the ground, falling back down yet again. Darius groaned in pain, struggling to get back up.

But instead of delivering a finishing blow, Akun simply stood there, his eyes fixed on Darius. "Come on, pick up your sword, we’re not done!" he commanded, his voice intense.

Darius’s party members watched in awe and fear. Lyra’s hands trembled as she tried to summon her magic, but she had already depleeted her mana with her last attack, and the suppression of her stats made it difficult to cast even the simplest spell.

Elara notched an arrow, her aim steady, but she hesitated to release it, unsure if it would have any effect on the formidable opponent before them. "What are we going to do?" she whispered to Gromm.

Gromm clenched his fists, his muscles tensed with the desire to rush into the fray. "We can’t just stand here," he said, his voice determined.

"I’m going in!"

Gromm’s words rang out amidst the tension, his muscles bunching as he charged forward. His powerful legs propelled him with a thunderous force, his boots carving furrows in the forest floor.

Akun’s attention shifted momentarily. He saw Gromm approaching, his gaze then shifted back to Darius, still recovering from the previous attack, a vulnerable target in his current state.

"Sorry, Darius."

With a swift movement, Akun spun around, his silver hammer glowing with power. He swung it in a wide arc, a controlled strike aimed at Darius.

The impact was precise, the hammer connecting with Darius’s side. A brief flash of pain crossed Darius’s face before his eyes rolled back, and he crumbled to the ground, unconscious.

"Rest for now."

With Darius incapacitated, he could focus his attention solely on Gromm and the other adventurers.

"Here I come!"

Gromm’s voice broke through the tension, his massive frame charging forward like a boulder. His boots slammed into the ground, leaving deep marks in the earth.

"Alright, let’s do this."

Akun’s reply was cool and collected, his grip on the silver hammer steady. His eyes locked onto Gromm’s approach, ready for the clash.

Gromm’s battleaxe sliced through the air, sunlight glinting off its edge. His forehead creased with determination, muscles bulging as he aimed the strike.

"Take this!" He said.

Akun sidestepped the attack smoothly, his muscles shifting with practiced ease. He flashed a smug grin, his body poised for the next move.

Akun’s silver hammer swept down in a sweeping arc, the force of his swing causing the air to whistle around him. Gromm’s abdominals tightened instinctively as he leaned back, narrowly avoiding the hammer’s impact. Splinters of wood flew as the forest floor bore the brunt of Akun’s powerful blow.

You’ve got skill, I’ll give you that."

Akun’s voice held respect, a grin tugging at his lips.

"I’m not finished!"

Gromm’s face contorted in a fierce scowl, his deltoids and pectoral muscles straining as he lunged forward again. His boots dug into the earth, propelling him toward Akun with a burst of speed. Akun responded with a swift sidestep, his quadriceps contracting with controlled strength as he evaded Gromm’s attack once more.

"You’re persistent."

Akun’s voice remained calm as he responded to Gromm’s assault. His legs carried him backward, his quads contracting with each calculated step.

"I won’t back down!"

Gromm’s voice was a fierce growl, his muscles quivering with exertion. He swung his battleaxe with unwavering determination, his core engaged to maintain his balance.

Akun’s silver hammer descended with a swift arc, the air whistling around the weapon. He targeted Gromm’s weapon arm, aiming to disarm his opponent.

"Not this time!"

Gromm’s resolve blazed in his eyes as he brought his battleaxe up in a desperate block. The impact sent shockwaves through his forearm, the muscles absorbing the force of the blow.

Their weapons clashed again and again, the sound ringing out like thunder. Each movement was precise, each attack calculated as they engaged in a battle of strength and strategy.

"You won’t defeat me!"

Gromm’s voice was a fierce proclamation, his teeth gritted as he poured every ounce of his energy into his strikes. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Is that all you’ve got?"

Akun’s retort was met with a flash of annoyance in his eyes.

"Ugh, this is dragging on," Akun muttered to himself. His impatience was evident. "I’ve got stuff to do back at the anthill. Time to finish this up."

Akun’s words reverberated in the tense air. "Alright, no more holding back," he declared, his purple eyes blazing with newfound determination. Extending his hand toward the surroundings, his aspect power responded eagerly to his command.

A sizeable boulder, nestled amidst the forest undergrowth, trembled and was hoisted into the air. With a powerful sweep of his arm, Akun propelled it toward the adventurers.

Gromm, his towering physique serving as a bulwark, braced himself to counter the incoming projectile. The impact reverberated through him, a grunt of effort escaping his lips.

Gromm’s voice rang out. "Ugh! We can’t let him overwhelm us like this!"

In a swift display of agility, Elara, the elven archer, darted aside. Gracefully, she rolled to the ground, narrowly evading the boulder’s weighty descent.

Elara’s urgent call filled the air. "Move! Find cover!"

Raela, the nimble rogue, took advantage of a nearby tree to nimbly vault over the boulder’s path. Her lithe form landed in a crouch, her sharp eyes scanning for an opening.

Raela’s voice was tense. "He’s using the environment against us!"

Torin, the sagacious cleric, raised his staff, channeling energy to create a radiant shield of light. Just in time, the shield deflected a smaller fragment hurled their way. The impact jolted his stance, but he stood firm.

Torin’s determined command followed. "Stay vigilant! Don’t let your guard down!"

Akun’s aspect power seemed boundless, nature itself bending to his will. Grasping a fallen tree trunk, its coarse texture under his grip, he wielded it like a battering ram against the adventurers.

Gromm’s formidable muscles flexed as he charged at the incoming trunk, meeting it with a thunderous collision. Though the force staggered him, he stubbornly held his ground.

Gromm’s voice strained. "Not gonna... give in...!"

Elara’s lithe form weaved a dance of evasion, her arrow drawn. She released it in an attempt to disrupt Akun’s focus. Yet, her shot veered off target as debris from the battlefield deflected her aim.

Elara’s frustrated words echoed. "We need a strategy... to counter his attacks!"

In the midst of the chaos, Raela kept up her acrobatic moves, trying to survive. She aimed to flank Akun, to take him by surprise.

But suddenly, a whirl of debris blocked her view, leaving her momentarily confused.

Raela’s voice showed her concern. "This isn’t... going according to plan!"

Torin used light magic to create a barrier, to shield from Akun’s continuous attacks. Despite his shield holding up, each projectile’s impact tested his resilience, echoing through him.

As the adventurers fought to defend themselves against the relentless onslaught, exhaustion started to slow down their movements. They felt desperate as they struggled to stop Akun’s attacks.

Akun’s tone was resolute. "Time to bring this to an end."

Infusing his aspect power into his attack, Akun conjured an array of swords. Instantly, they surged forward, aimed at the adventurers. They tried their best to defend, but the wounds they sustained and the blood they lost inevitably led to them losing consciousness. And with that, Akun lifted up their unconscious bodies with his aspect power and took them all back to the anthill.