Evolution begins with an ant colony

Amidst the emotional outpouring of the evolved ants and guardians surrounding Akun, a resounding chorus of "Boss!" filled the air. Tears of joy flowed freely as relief washed over them like a tidal wave. Oliver, overcome with a mix of emotions, clung tightly to Akun, his voice trembling as he spoke.

"You scared me, boss. I thought I'd never get to see you again."

Ember, who had tapped Akun's shoulder, chimed in with a warm smile, though his eyes still glistened with tears.

"Yeah, boss, you gave us quite the scare there."

Mara and Zara, usually fierce and determined, couldn't hide their vulnerability at this moment. They spoke in unison, their voices filled with heartfelt honesty.

"Yeah, boss, we thought we would have to find a way to live without you from now on. It was really scary."

The other guardians joined in the celebration, expressing their relief and happiness at Akun's return. The atmosphere was one of profound joy and gratitude as they basked in the presence of their leader, once again whole and with them.

Leona, who had been lying on the floor nearby, slowly regained consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open, and as she sat up, she couldn't believe what she was witnessing. The sight of the other ant guardians surrounding Akun, tears streaming down their faces, brought a heartfelt smile to her own.

Nadalin, who had also been on the ground not far away, saw her children celebrating and couldn't hold back her tears of joy. The evolved ants by her side mirrored her emotions, their own eyes welling up with tears. Nadalin, with her hands on her chest, let out a relieved sigh and whispered, "Thank goodness."

The scene was one of profound emotion and reunion, a moment where despair had given way to hope, and where the bonds among these creatures had been tested and ultimately strengthened by the trials they had faced.

Keleora, who had been pinned by arrows to a building several structures away, was left utterly dumbfounded by the astonishing turn of events. Beads of sweat trickled down her cheeks, her eyes widened in disbelief as she muttered, "Impossible. I thought his head was cut clean off. I saw it happen."

From her distant vantage point, she had witnessed what she believed to be Akun's gruesome demise, and now, seeing him standing there unharmed and surrounded by his comrades, she struggled to reconcile the reality before her with the horrors she had witnessed moments ago.

Doubt and confusion clouded her thoughts as she tried to make sense of the seemingly miraculous resurrection of the man she had thought was gone forever.

Amidst the heartwarming reunion with his ant comrades, Akun couldn't help but notice a system notification that momentarily pulled his attention away from the jubilation.

[Ding!! The player has received a reward for his great achievement.]

[Does the player wish to open it now?]

However, Akun decided to postpone dealing with the notification for the moment. A genuine smile adorned his face as he watched his comrades' happiness and felt the warmth of their presence. In this moment, he didn't want to think about anything else; his focus was entirely on the joyous reunion with those who had become family to him.

Despite the joyous reunion unfolding around him, the loud, heart-wrenching cries of Memorina mourning the death of Phenor cast a somber shadow over the moment.

Her voice trembled with despair as she sobbed, "Why... Why... Why did it have to end like this?" Her tears mingled with the bloodstains on Phenor's clothes, his lifeless eyes staring into the abyss. Akun turned his gaze towards Memorina, witnessing her profound grief.

In any ordinary circumstances, one would feel sympathy for her, but Akun found himself strangely unaffected. It was as if his emotions had undergone a transformation, as the chaos evolution had altered his mental state. He contemplated this change with a certain detachment, recognizing it as a necessary strengthening of his resolve.

Akun thought to himself, "Guess this is what the system meant during my chaos evolution. My mental state has changed completely, but it's a good thing. Enimies aren't to be shown love, they are either killed or enslaved."

With determination etched on his face, Akun stood tall in front of his guardians, his gaze unwavering as he issued his command. His voice carried the weight of authority, and his body language radiated confidence.

"Guardians," he began, his voice strong and commanding, "gather up all the remaining Kingin survivors in front of the castle."

His words prompted immediate action from his loyal followers. The guardians nodded in acknowledgment, and with swift movements, they began organizing the Kingin survivors, herding them towards the designated location.

Gedion, one of the guardians, stepped forward, his brow furrowed with concern. He looked at Akun and asked, "Akun, how should we handle them?"

Akun's response was resolute and unwavering, his expression conveying his determination. He squared his shoulders and met Gedion's gaze squarely. "They are technically captives of war," he stated firmly, his voice carrying the weight of the decision. "And so, they will be treated as such."

His gesture, a confident sweep of his hand, emphasized his point. Akun's leadership was evident in every gesture and word, and his guardians followed his orders with trust and determination, ready to carry out his directives.

Akun's eyes were fixed on Phenor's lifeless body, his expression a complex mix of contemplation and determination. His gaze remained unwavering, locked onto the fallen Kingin ruler as he pondered the situation.

With a thoughtful look, he began to muse inwardly, his mind racing like a well-oiled machine. His hands, once clenched in resolve, now gestured as if mapping out the possibilities in the air. Akun's body language was animated, reflecting the intensity of his thoughts.

"Kingin ruler Phenor," he murmured to himself, his voice low but filled with conviction. "If this were a game, someone like him would be an SSR character with that charisma and those skills."

His words were punctuated by a slight nod of his head, acknowledging Phenor's prowess. Akun's fingers traced invisible patterns in the air as he continued his inner monologue.

"I have learned from the black dragon's memories, in this forest, there are other powerful tribes," he reflected, his eyes narrowing in focus. "Ones that, if I were to suddenly make an enemy of, my people and my home would be in danger. And so for the other tribes to not be a threat to my people, I will be conquering the other tribes."

Akun's face displayed a fleeting frown as he considered the potential threats lurking in the depths of the forest. His brows furrowed in deep thought, and his lips curled into a determined line.

"And for such a grand goal," he muttered with a firm resolve, "I can't deny the need for extra power."

As if reaching a crucial decision, he turned his gaze upward, staring at the dark canopy of the forest above.

"It's always better to be safe than sorry," he concluded, his voice carrying an air of finality. "As long as I am in control, Phenor won't dare to go against me. I will make sure Xalender teaches him that."

Experience tales at empire

[What dose the player intend to do?]

A determined glint flickered in his eyes as he pondered his options.

"System," he mused inwardly, his voice echoing within the confines of his mind, "bring Xalender here. I'm going to resurrect and enslave Phenor."

Meanwhile, seated regally upon his bony throne in the depths of the underworld, Xalender, the god of death, observed the ceaseless procession of souls. His skeletal features remained serene, but the burden of his eternal duty weighed heavily on him.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

Approaching him, a woman with ebony horns adorned in a flowing black dress, Lourena, a tammed damned soul, delivered the news. "Lord Xalender, the next batch of souls ready for rebirth has arrived at the boat on the River of Sytex."

(A/N: dammed souls can be tammed, only by the god of death, they help him with other activities that would require his presence, because he is one entity so he can't be in two places at once, although they are tammed, dammed souls bear no resemblence to what they were before they became dammed souls and posess no memories of their previous lives )

Xalender rose from his throne, his scythe in hand, and released a sigh that seemed to echo through the vast underworld. "It's a song that never ends," he muttered in resignation. As he began his journey towards the river, something extraordinary occurred.

Inexplicably, Xalender vanished into thin air, leaving Lourena bewildered and calling out after him, "Lord Xalender, where did you go?"

To his astonishment, Xalender found himself no longer in the grim underworld but standing within the mortal world. His bony fingers reached up to touch his skull, and he marveled at the sensation of the breeze brushing against him, the warmth of sunlight bathing his form. It was a revelation that left him dumbfounded.

"Am I... in the mortal world?" Xalender questioned the very fabric of reality itself. "Without a summoning or a vessel? In the mortal world with my original form?" The god of death was confronted with an inexplicable twist in the tale of his existence.

Amidst the surreal experience of standing in the mortal world with his original form, Xalender was startled by Akun's voice echoing in his mind. "Xalender, focus. I want you to bring back Phenor's soul so he can be resurrected."

Xalender's ethereal eyes fell upon Akun, and a question brewed within him. "Are you the one responsible for this?"

Akun, in his usual composed manner, inquired, "For what?"

Xalender's voice retained its calm demeanor as he replied, "Bringing me to the mortal world with my original form."

Akun's response was tinged with a hint of pride. "Of course, I was the one who did it. I am your master. I can summon you to my side anytime I want."

Though Xalender felt a flicker of anger at Akun's audacity in declaring himself the master, he remained composed. His curiosity was piqued, and he needed to understand the extent of this mortal's newfound power.

With a measured tone, Xalender elucidated, "A god is not allowed to exist on the mortal plane simply because the power our bodies exhibit exudes so much energy that it could literally shatter the fabric of reality around us. That is why we can only manifest on the mortal plane through sacrifices or a vessel—a trade of plausibility.

Under no circumstances should we be able to walk the mortal plane without adhering to either of these two methods. So, I am curious and must ask: how exactly did you bring me here?"