Evolution begins with an ant colony

Akun found himself in a rather unexpected situation, with Chrono Nexus standing before him, her demeanor a mix of anticipation and shyness.

Akun, with a furrowed brow, mumbled with a tone of confusion, "You want to be allowed to follow me around?" He lifted his left eyebrow, a gesture of curiosity, as he sought more answers from the goddess.

"Yes, Master!" replied Chrono Nexus. Her voice was soft, tinged with a bit of nervousness. Her hands fidgeted together behind her back, a sign of her flustered state. She avoided direct eye contact, casting her gaze elsewhere.

Observing her behavior, Akun couldn't help but muse inwardly. "She looks like some shogun manga heroine trying to make a confession to the protagonist. Don't know why she is acting like this, but I did promise her I'd give her something. I just don't know if I can allow a goddess to follow me around like a puppy on a walk. That would be awkward."

Akun then mused further as he narrowed his gaze, "Why does she want to follow me around anyway? Curiosity? Adventure? I honestly have no idea, and what's up with that shy behavior of her's is so suspicious. Does she want to secretly spy on me?"

Suddenly, the system's voice echoed in Akun's head, †[The player is overthinking this. It's obvious what the goddess wants.]†

Akun asked curiously, "What is it? I would love it if you could tell me because I honestly have no idea."

The system then replied, †[The goddess wants the player's attention and is interested in the player.]†

Akun then responded with a serious tone, "System, if that was your attempt at a practical joke, it wasn't funny."

Akun then let out a sigh as he placed his hand on his forehead, saying, "This is how it's gonna be. You can only be at my side for 6 hours a day. I can't have a goddess following me around all day. Not only will your presence make my people tense, but I don't think I'll be able to have any peace of mind." His words were directed at Chrono Nexus.

Chrono Nexus wore a rather surprised expression as she paused momentarily before saying, "Thank you, master. So when will the 6 hours start?"

Akun then replied swiftly, "That will be tomorrow. I have other things to check out, and I honestly don't want to have to handle your drama in front of my people."

Akun then turned around as he said, "Okay, I'll be leaving now."

Chrono Nexus then blushed as she spoke with enthusiasm, "Alright, master, I'll see you tomorrow."

Gazing at her momentarily before leaving the library, he observed her rather enthusiastic demeanor after receiving his reply, prompting him to muse, "Hope I'm not turning into one of those dense protagonists that doesn't know when a girl is making a move, because that statement the system mentioned about her is starting to disturb me." He then let out a sigh as he muttered, "Whatever.

It's about time I head back home."

Reality around Akun seemed to fade as he slowly found himself hovering outside the ant city. It was slowly becoming dawn, and the inhabitants of the ant city started to exit their homes and go about their daily activities.

A soft wind blew by, swaying Akun's hair from side to side. He wore a smile on his face as he gazed down at his people who were now okay. He caught a glance of the mother and child he failed to save back then, stepping out of their home with the other father and husband; they all seemed rather cheerful.

Akun then proceeded to land in his ant city, his legs touching the ground with a soft thud.

Akun then slowly began to walk from the heart city towards the castle. As he approached, he glanced at the ant city inhabitants, the happy expressions they all wore on their faces making Akun smile as he walked past them. Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire

One of the Kingin children noticed Akun as he was walking past on the road and pulled the sleeve of their mother, pointing and saying, "Look, Mom, it's our liege."

The child's mother waved at Akun, as did his father, both greeting, "Good morning, my liege."

Akun waved back, replying, "Good morning to you too."

As Akun strolled past his people, a genuine smile graced his lips. The assurance that his tribe was now safe brought a profound sense of relief, allowing him to cast aside the haunting memories of that fateful night. The prospect of reuniting with his people was now a reality.

Amidst the cheerful greetings and waves from the inhabitants, Akun's internal reflections took a more serious turn. In his role as the tribe's ruler, he vowed to prevent the tragedy that had befallen them from ever occurring again. His fists clenched, a silent oath echoed in his mind – a solemn promise to safeguard his people.

Upon reaching the imposing castle that stood as a proof of his leadership, Akun found himself briefly halted by the scene before him. The sight elicited a whirlwind of emotions, a kaleidoscope of joy, pride, and relief.

Ember, standing before him with a fervent gaze, couldn't contain his excitement. His hair danced in the breeze, framing his enthusiastic expression. With genuine admiration, he exclaimed, "My liege, you did it!" The tone shifted, becoming more somber as he fought back tears. Raising his hand to cover his eyes, Ember continued, "You saved all of them, just like you said you would."

Leona stepped forward, positioning herself in front of Ember. Placing her right hand on his left shoulder, she directed his gaze toward Akun and warmly uttered, "Welcome home, my liege."

Before him stood all the ant guardians, including Nadalin and Phenor. They had gathered to extend their heartfelt welcome to their liege.

Following the merging of the timelines, Ember and some other ant guardians retained memories of the alternate timeline, preserving their soul essence. While some guardians did lose those memories, those who retained them shared the remarkable tale of Akun's achievements.

The guardians, shocked and overjoyed, eagerly awaited the return of their liege, acknowledging the extraordinary feat he had accomplished. Although unaware of the intricacies, they understood that such an accomplishment was no easy task.

Akun, seeing his beloved friends and comrades in one piece, standing alive and healthy before him, felt genuine happiness. A small tear gathered in his eyes, which he quickly wiped away with his left hand. With a happy tone, he replied, "I'm glad to see you all in good shape, and I'm glad to be back home." He made a genuine smile, closing his eyes and blushing slightly.

The guardians, witnessing their liege in such a state, had their already high spirits elevated.

"My liege is truly amazing," Phenor mused as he gazed at Akun.

Reflecting on the unique set of hair in front of his head resting on his shoulders, the black star, and the aura about him, Phenor continued, "I don't know what he has been through to accomplish what he did, but with that distinctive appearance, it's almost as if he will soon ascend to godhood." Phenor smiled, musing further, "A truly remarkable man indeed."

Leona mused, "Our liege is more of a father to all of us than a ruler—a man who possesses wisdom beyond his years and the drive to achieve his goals, no matter how impossible they seem. He is truly a blessing to us all."

Akun then commanded the guardians, as well as his trusted second and third in command, to rise. They all heeded his command and rose to their feet, wearing genuine smiles.

Glancing at the faces of all the guardians, Akun added, "Having lost a lot that day," his tone somber, "I've come to the realization that I haven't really connected with my people or any of you yet. So, to that end, I would like for us to organize a festival of some sort. Let us all celebrate while we let our hearts out."

Akun's words seemed to have elevated the spirits of the guardians as they all shouted in celebration.

Oliver then playfully remarked, "Hey guys, how about we have a drinking contest?"

"A drinking contest?" all the other guardians echoed in curiosity.

Oliver then explained with a glint in his eyes, "Yes, we'll see which of us can drink the most amount of fruit shakes before passing out."

Zara then mumbled, "I don't know, but with the way you are talking, I have this itchy feeling you are planning to cheat."

Oliver then yelled, "Oh, come on, we haven't even started yet, and you are already throwing out baseless accusations. Maybe you are scared too much fruit juice can't fit in that little tummy of yours. Maybe you are just scared you'll lose miserably."

Zara then wore a serious expression as she said, "Mind you repeat what you just said."

Oliver then smiled as he said, "Like I said, you must just be scared."

Akun, seeing their rather lively exchange, couldn't help but smile as he mused, "There is truly no place like home."