Evolution begins with an ant colony

Chapter 147 Chaos In The Ant City

Beneath the eerie moonlight's glow, Princess Rinalef and the respected Dryad elders convened for yet another meeting in the heart of the Dryad tribe, within their tree castle.

In the softly illuminated chamber of the Dryad elders, Elder Aelorin's voice resounded with a serene authority as she directed her gaze toward Princess Rinalef. Her words flowed gracefully, akin to a tranquil stream, carrying both wisdom and a sense of prophecy.

"Child," she began, her tone calm and measured, "the time is drawing near. The ancient seed has awakened, and very soon, Akun shall meet his fate."

"Round up your shoulders," Elder Aelorin continued, "for the moment of destiny approaches."

Elder Aelorin's instructions weighed heavily on Princess Rinalef's shoulders, and she accepted her duty with a deep sense of purpose. As she bowed in respect to the elder.

"Yes, Elder," Rinalef acknowledged with a sense of conviction. With that, she left the solemn chamber behind, her footsteps echoing through the hallowed halls of the tree castle. Her thoughts were a silent promise.

"Don't worry, Mother, Father," she whispered softly to herself as she moved forward, "I shall soon put an end to your suffering."

In the midst of the pandemonium, Akun's thoughts whirled like a tempest. He stood at the epicenter of the unfolding catastrophe, his eyes locked onto the monstrous tree with its roots entwined in chaos. The pulsating turmoil had gripped his attention.

"Why," Akun muttered, his voice tinged with a blend of frustration and bewilderment. "I don't understand why this is happening." His dragon eyes, a portal into the complex world of the system, cast a translucent status window over the monstrosity before him. Every piece of information it displayed hinted at the dire situation at hand.

Name: ???

Species: Evolved Dryad ancient tree monster Ant

Grade: Dragon (4th Stage)

Attributes:

- Strength: 2,567

- Endurance: 2,950

- Agility: 2,008

- Wisdom: ???

- Magic power: 12,540

Skills:

-Life stealing

-Regeneration

-Crimson Blossom

-Concentrated life energy blast

[??? - other skills are being eroded and can't be read.]

As Akun studied the mysterious status window, his normally composed demeanor gave way to shock. He muttered incredulously, "How... How did Oliver become... this monster?"

The words hung heavily in the air as he grappled with the baffling revelation. The status window indicated that Oliver had transformed into something akin to a Dryad's ancient tree, raising questions that seemed to have no immediate answers.

Akun's eyes narrowed, his frustration intensifying as he pondered aloud, "Did the Dryads do this? If they did, why? Were they afraid of Oliver regaining his memory?" The multitude of possible motivations danced like elusive shadows in his mind.

Akun then clenched his fists and muttered, "It doesn't matter. What matters now is finding a way to stop him – a way that won't harm him."

Akun's eyes darted around as he assessed the dire situation. The chaos wrought by the rampant roots threatened to engulf the city. But his attention was abruptly drawn to a heart-wrenching sight that sent shivers down his spine.

Amidst the pandemonium, a Kingin mother, her face etched with exhaustion and despair, ran desperately with her young son in tow. Sweat trickled down her cheeks as she clutched her child's hand, his tearful eyes obscured by his trembling fingers. The woman's breath came in ragged gasps as she pleaded with Akun, her voice a quivering supplication.

"My liege, please, you have to save my husband. He has been—" She was abruptly cut off as an insidious root from the menacing tree impaled her, mercilessly splattering her blood across the cobblestone floor. With a swift, ruthless motion, she was whisked away into the air.

"Run Rok! Run!" she screamed, blood spilling from her mouth, her desperate words echoing in the chaos.

The young Kingin boy stood, helpless and terrified, tears streaming down his face. "Mommy!" he cried, the anguish of separation painting his innocent voice.

Without warning, another cruel root pierced the young boy, seizing him from the ground. "My baby!" The Kingin mother's anguished cry pierced the air as she watched her beloved child being wisked away.

The scene unfolded in agonizing slow motion before Akun, and a wave of dread washed over him. He gasped in the face of the unfolding tragedy, his heart heavy with shock.

But Akun was not one to stand idly by, not when lives were at stake. With a lightning-quick motion, he harnessed his raw aspect power, slashing through the menacing roots in a decisive wave of his hand. The woman and her child, suspended in mid-air, began to plummet to the cobblestone ground.

With a mastery of his powers, Akun, like a guardian angel, reached out and caught them, cradling both mother and child gently. As they landed safely on the ground, he acted without hesitation.

"Greater Heal!" Akun's command was swift and powerful. Instantly, the woman and her son felt their injuries mend and their strength return, their wounds vanishing as if they had never been.

"Mommy!" Rok cried out, his tiny arms wrapped tightly around his mother as he sobbed, tears streaming down his cheeks. He held onto her as if he had just found a precious treasure.

The kingin woman, her own eyes glistening with tears, returned the embrace, showering her son's forehead with gentle kisses and patting his head. "Oh, Rok, don't worry, Mommy is here," she whispered softly, her voice filled with the warmth of a mother's love.

She then turned her gaze to Akun, her eyes now filled with tears of joy and gratitude. "Thank you, my liege." Her voice quivered with emotion. However, her gratitude was mixed with concern as she added, "But my husband, he..."

Akun's reassuring smile never wavered as he interrupted her. "Don't worry. I'll save him. Both of you should go and hide inside the castle. Stay safe." His voice carried the authority of a leader and the care of a protector.

The kingin woman stood up straight, her son's small hand securely held in hers. With a sense of gratitude in her eyes, she addressed Akun once more, "We are most grateful, my liege. I wish you luck in battle."

She gently pulled her son along, and they began to run toward the safety of the castle, their figures disappearing into the distance as they sought refuge.

Akun's voice was soft, like a whisper carried by the breeze, as he said, "Assemble, my guardians." In an instant, all the ant guardians, except for Oliver and Gedion, gathered before Akun. Their swift arrival was nothing short of extraordinary. With a shared seriousness in their expressions, they spoke in unison, "You called, my liege."

Akun's voice was firm and determined as he addressed his guardians. "Leona, Mara, Zara, Luna, and Ivy," he said, "you 5 are responsible for ensuring the safety of our people as they make their way to the castle."

"Yes my liege." They replied in unison as they immidatly headed out to fuffil their task.

Akun's gaze then shifted to Ember, Finn, Kael, and Gedion, but there was a notable absence. "Where is Gedion?" he inquired.

Ember's voice was laced with frustration as he replied through gritted teeth, "That tree took him, my liege. It happened so fast that neither I, Zara, nor Leona could stop it."

Before Akun could respond, a voice unexpectedly chimed in, and it was none other than Gedion himself. He coughed weakly as he spoke, "cough cough Come on, Ember, I can't believe you thought that thing would slow me down."

Ember called out in relief upon seeing Gedion, who was making his way toward them despite his injuries. Akun swiftly used his power to heal Gedion, casting "Greater Heal," which worked wonders on Gedion's condition.

Gedion couldn't hide the disbelief in his voice as he spoke, his concern palpable. "My liege, that isn't Oliver, right?" His words dripped with anxiety.

Akun then replied with his tone grim. "Yes, it is," he confirmed. With Akun's statement, Gedion fell to his knees as his thoughts raced. He had originally left for the bar to avoid the sight of his dear friend in pain, and now, seeing Oliver like this had crushed his spirit.

As the chaos of the situation unfolded around them, Akun's voice rang out, a steady beacon of hope amidst the turmoil. "Gedion, stop it," he urged, his words carrying the weight of their mission. "Acting like that won't save Oliver. If anything, you should quickly join the others. Let us all try to stop him, so we can save him."

With Akun's statement, Gedion regained his courage as he realized he now also had to try and save Oliver. He then stood up and said, "Thank you, my liege."

Akun's concern remained evident as he cautioned, "That's enough of that. Let's hurry. I don't think Oliver can bear any more. He seems to have been holding himself back, I don't like watching my people suffer." Their race against time had begun, their mission clear: to rescue their friend from a fate that threatened to consume him.

(A/N: you guys should stick around for a few more chaps, all that's happening is so he will meet a certain 'god' Akun will get everyone back.)