Evolution begins with an ant colony

Chapter 156 There Is Hope.... Or So We Thought

As the blinding light finally subsided, Akun's breath came out in ragged gasps. He turned his gaze back to Ivy, witnessing the once-red flowers that had covered her body wither away. A profound sense of relief washed over Akun as he watched this transformation take place.

Akun then shifted his gaze toward the enormous tree. It had been completely obliterated, leaving behind a colossal, gaping crater. The ground where he and his comrades stood seemed like a towering mountain compared to the depth of the crater that stretched nearly endlessly. In reality, the impact had reached the other part of the barrier that enclosed the godforsaken forest.

Fortunately, none of the major tribes were near the point of the blast. However, lower-grade monsters who had been unfortunate enough to be in its path were utterly obliterated by the immense destruction.

As Akun stood at the front of the castle, gazing down into the enormous crater left by the railgun at 100%, he mumbled to himself. "So... this is railgun at 100%. I guess I should refrain from using such destructive power unless I'm up against a god... But how many more times can I manage an attack like that... I'll figure that out later."

As Akun stood at the edge of the colossal crater, his gaze shifting downward. Within the vast depression, a figure gradually came into view, and with a jolt of recognition, Akun realized it was Oliver. Lying amidst the rubble at the bottom of the crater, Oliver's body was battered and bruised, with the roots surrounding him completely obliterated, leaving only his form and tattered clothing.

Without hesitation, Akun summoned his aspect power and descended into the crater. He landed gently at the bottom and approached Oliver's prone figure, his heart heavy with concern. Kneeling by Oliver's side, Akun cradled his friend's head in his arms, relief and sorrow washing over him.

Akun, overwhelmed with worry and doubt, activated his dragon eyes to assess Oliver's condition. His voice trembled as he mumbled, "I need to know if he's dead or not."

In response, Oliver's status window materialized before Akun, providing valuable information:

Name: Oliver

Species: Evolved monster Ant

Grade: Dragon (4th Stage)

Attributes:

- Strength: 2,667

- Endurance: 3,950

- Agility: 2,108

- Wisdom: 0

- Magic Power: 9,800

Skills:

- Thousand Shot

- Silent Steps

- Inventory

- Inspect

- Precise Marksmanship

- [Other skills could not be read]

Akun's heart sank as he analyzed Oliver's status. He muttered, "His wisdom stat is zero, and he doesn't have a pulse either; he must be dead now." The weight of the situation and the pain of what he had done settled on him. Nevertheless, he cradled Oliver in his arms, using his aspect power to lift them both up towards the castle.

As he carried Oliver's lifeless form, his legs swaying gently, the other guardians watched in somber silence. The wind rustled through Akun's long silver hair as he stared at Oliver's face.

Internally, he couldn't help but reflect, "Although I know I will be bringing him back soon, it still hurts to know I'm the one who killed him." The mixture of hope and sorrow weighed heavily on him as he approached the castle, a bittersweet journey to bring back a fallen comrade.

Akun continued on his path, passing by Gedion, Ivy, and Oliver. With his aspect power, he gently lifted their lifeless forms from the ground, carrying them to the main hall. The other guardians and guards followed somberly behind him.

In the main hall, he carefully set Gedion, Ivy, and Oliver down, then called out with a cold, resolute tone, "Xalender, come forth."

Suddenly, the god of death, Xalender, materialized beside Akun. His skeletal form was shrouded in black, tattered robes that seemed to sway slowly. In his right hand, he held his ominous scythe. Xalender knelt with reverence, presenting his scythe upward, as he said, "You called, master." His voice held an air of absolute loyalty.

Akun's determination was unwavering as he looked upon the somber scene in the grand hall. He addressed the god of death, Xalender, with a firm and resolute tone, "I want you to bring back the souls of everyone in this room."

Xalender hesitated briefly before he replied, "I'm sorry, master, but I cannot complete that order."

In response, Akun's powerful aspect power exerted itself, forcing Xalender to prostrate on the ground. His purple eyes seemed to glow intensely as he turned to face the subdued god of death. With a stern voice, he questioned, "Are you going against my orders, Xalender?" The atmosphere in the room grew tense as Akun's resolve became clear.

Xalender, still prostrated, quickly replied, "I wouldn't dare defy your command, master."

Akun, with an imposing presence, approached Xalender and asked, "Then why do you hesitate? What could be the reason for going against my order?"

Xalender answered, "Master, it's because the souls of these individuals never reached the underworld." Xalender's statement cast a heavy shadow over the room, leaving a grim realization in its wake.

Akun released the force he was exerting on Xalender, and with a voice trembling with emotion, he implored, "Xalender, please understand, I'm not in the mood for this right now." Xalender stood up, and Akun continued, "I ordered you to bring them back. What do you mean their souls never reached the underworld?"

Xalender spoke, trying to convey the grim truth, "Master, I empathize with your pain, but I can only tell you what I sense. Their souls, for some reason, never made it to the underworld. They seem to have been used as a source of power for something ominous." Before he could complete his explanation, Akun, overwhelmed by frustration and disbelief, interrupted him with a forceful outburst.

"Do you expect me to believe that?" Akun clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, pointing at the sorrowful scene in the grand hall. "These people have died. Where else would their souls have gone if not to the underworld?" Tears welled up in his eyes, reflecting his inner turmoil.

The other guardians in the grand hall, overwhelmed by grief and despair, began to tear up. Finn, unable to hold back his emotions, fell to his knees, pressing both hands against the floor. He clenched his fists as tears streamed down his cheeks, muttering, "Gedion..."

One by one, the other guardians followed suit, each dropping to their knees as tears welled up.

Xalender continued with a sense of urgency, "Master, please, think back. Something catastrophic must have happened to them recently, something that drained them of all life."

Akun's features tensed, and a surge of realization coursed through him. He muttered to himself, "The red flowers..." His thoughts rushed back to the descriptions he had seen in their status windows. With that horrifying revelation, he sank to his knees, finally comprehending the grim fate that had befallen the people in the hall.

Tears welled up in Akun's eyes, his face contorted in anguish. His body, once resolute, now slumped as the weight of the situation pressed down on him. His hands trembled, clenching and unclenching, as if searching for something to hold onto. He sank to his knees, the cold floor beneath him a stark reminder of the harsh reality he faced.

His voice cracked as he spoke, each word heavy with emotion, "Is this how it ends? Am I really going to lose them all over again?" His shoulders slumped as he looked down, his gaze fixated on the ground, unable to meet the eyes of those he couldn't save. His fingers dug into the fabric of his clothes, the pain of helplessness driving him to squeeze tightly.

He continued, his voice filled with despair, "It feels like fate has a knack for giving me something only to cruelly take it back." He couldn't hold back his tears any longer, and they streamed down his cheeks, their salty tracks glistening in the dim light.

With trembling breaths, he went on, "But I can't just blame fate. It's my lack that got us here." He clenched his fists as if trying to physically force himself to bear the unbearable weight of his own choices. His brows knitted together, forming deep furrows of regret.

"And now, I can't just give up without searching for any other way," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked up, his eyes red and swollen, scanning the room in a desperate quest for hope. His resolve had been renewed; he would fight to find a solution, no matter how dire the circumstances.

Akun pondered deeply, his brows furrowing as he stared into the distance, lost in thought. "But how do I bring back someone who doesn't have a soul and can't be resurrected..." His hand clutched his chin in frustration, and his eyes were filled with a hint of desperation. Experience tales at empire

After a few moments of contemplation, he suddenly slapped his thigh, his eyes lighting up with newfound hope. "Time... That's it, time travel! If I can go back in time and stop Oliver from ever going to the Dryad tribe, this disaster would never happen." A triumphant smile slowly spread across his face.

Internally, Akun shouted, "System, show me skills in the shop related to time and time travel!"

The system complied, and the shop displayed three skills: "Clockwork Rewind," "Clockwork Hands Stand Still," and "Clockwork Fast Forward." Akun's eyes widened with a mix of disbelief and excitement.

In response to the discovery, Akun couldn't contain his enthusiasm. He pumped his fist into the air and exclaimed, "Yes!" His sudden shift from a pensive mood to pure excitement caught everyone, even Xalender, off guard.

With determination in his eyes, Akun continued to think aloud, "So, out of all these three, the one I need is 'Clockwork Rewind,' but it costs 1 million Evolution points... How will I gather that much?"

Then, a realization struck him, and a sly smile curved his lips. "I've got it! I'll kill two birds with one stone. I will eradicate the dryads and use those Evolution points to go back in time." The glimmer of a plan brought a calculating and resolute expression to his face.