Evolution begins with an ant colony

Ken's face beamed with happiness as he stood before the group, exuding a sense of contentment. John's confusion was visible in his furrowed brows and quizzical expression as he asked, "Ken, is that you?"

The mysterious figure nodded slowly, confirming his identity. "It's me, in the flesh."
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Chris stared at Ken, his curiosity and concern warring within him. His eyes flicked back and forth, taking in Ken's changed appearance. "Dude, what happened?" he blurted out, worry coloring his voice. "The horns, the mark... and you look, well, like you aged ten years overnight!"

Mina, her gaze unwavering, wasn't about to let Ken off easy. Her voice held a steely edge as she pressed him, "Ken... Tell me you didn't do what I think you did."

Ken's lips curled into a knowing smile, a mixture of happiness and determination in his eyes. The group sensed a weighty revelation in his smile.

Mina's frustration turned into surprise as she realized the truth. "So you did then," she declared, her voice filled with amazement.

John, sensing that something significant had occurred, turned to Mina with a furrowed brow. "Hey, Mina, what did he do?"

Chris, equally puzzled, added, "Yeah, what did he do?"

Mina met their inquisitive gazes, her voice reflecting her surprise. "He sided with the demons," she disclosed, her tone tinged with astonishment. "The aura I can see around him is chaos mana, something I learned about back in the magic tower. It can only be found on demons and their kin."

The group stood in stunned silence, coming to terms with the unexpected revelation about their friend's transformation and the choices he had made.

In the background, the guards and adventurers watched the tense exchange unfold, their faces reflecting a mixture of apprehension and curiosity.

John's confusion was palpable as he asked, "So, wait, you've sided with the demons?"

Ken's response was filled with an air of smug confidence as he admitted, "Indeed, I have, and I've gained unimaginable power." He flexed his muscles, which crackled with the chaotic energy of chaos mana, emphasizing his newfound strength.

The shift in John's expression was noticeable as he inquired further, his tone growing serious. "And what was the catch?"

Ken, puzzled by the question, asked, "Excuse me?"

John pressed on, his voice unwavering. "You heard me. What did you lose to gain that power? There are never any shortcuts in life. Any that do exist come at a cost."

Ken's response was dismissive as he retorted, "I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I've lost nothing. In fact, I feel better than ever."

The guards, sensing the gravity of the situation, couldn't remain silent. One of them yelled to Ken, "Are you the one leading this undead army?"

Ken didn't shy away from admitting his intentions, his tone taking a sinister turn. "Yes, I am," he confirmed. "And I've come to run this village into the ground... and claim the lives of everyone in it." His words sent a chill through the air, and his malevolent expression left no doubt about the imminent danger the village faced.

In the midst of the tense confrontation, John couldn't hold back his curiosity and concern. He spoke up, his tone marked by genuine confusion and a hint of worry. "What did the demons offer you? Why did you decide to accept their power?"

Ken's response was laced with a touch of arrogance, and he delivered it with an air of nonchalance. "Are you saying you honestly don't know? Money, power, women, and revenge," he listed, his gestures reflecting his sense of superiority.

John, taken aback by the revelation, couldn't conceal his perplexity. "Revenge?" he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief. "Who the hell offended you of all people, making you want revenge?"

Ken's irritation was evident as he shot back, "Are you pretending to not know?"

John, now even more bewildered, pressed for an answer. "Know what?" he inquired, his gestures conveying his frustration and concern.

Ken's anger flared, and he couldn't contain his emotions any longer. He raised his voice, his body language reflecting his intense agitation. "That night that you and Chris looked down on me!" Ken shouted, his eyes burning with resentment. "For looking down on me that night, I decided to accept this power from the Demon King.

I did it so I could make both you and Chris pay with your lives for looking down on me." His words hung heavily in the air, leaving the onlookers stunned by the revelation.

As Ken reveled in his newfound power and revenge-driven motives, John's bewildered expression persisted. His confusion deepened as he sought to comprehend the gravity of the situation. "Wait, you can't be serious..." he muttered, his gestures reflecting his disbelief.

Ken's response was marked by a self-satisfied grin, as if he relished the discomfort he was causing. He taunted John with a hint of smugness, "Do you feel compelled to beg for your life yet? Sorry, I won't be listening to your petty squabbles."

Suddenly, laughter echoed through the eerie stillness of the battleground. It was a hearty, booming laugh that caught everyone off guard. Mina, Chris, Ken, the adventurers, the guards, and even the horde of undead stood in surprise, their gazes drawn to John.

Amidst his laughter, John managed to speak, his tone laced with a mix of amusement and exasperation. "Damn, you can't be serious," he chuckled. He continued, his gestures reflecting his disbelief and incredulity. "You want to have revenge because of what happened that night? Dude, that's just pathetic.

So you basically sold your soul to the Demon King just to get back at your classmates who made fun of you because of your lack of sword skills? Bro, you are so petty."

John's laughter filled the air, an unexpected and bizarre response to Ken's sinister intentions. His body language and expressions conveyed his disbelief and mockery, creating a surreal moment amidst the tension.

Amidst the surreal tension that hung in the air, John's voice remained steady, his words dripping with a strange mix of mockery and criticism. His gestures and expressions emphasized the absurdity of the situation. He gestured broadly, sweeping his arm as he spoke. "Honestly, even the villain in a fantasy novel written by a 12-year-old would have better motives."

Suddenly, a palpable shift occurred as John's tone transformed from mockery to an unwavering seriousness. He locked eyes with Ken, his gaze unyielding. "That just means you're seeking revenge because of your sense of insecurity, lack of self-confidence, inferiority complex, your fragile ego, and your poor life choices," he declared, his gestures and expressions punctuating each accusation.

"Honestly, if you really want revenge, you should just go kill yourself."

The shock of John's words rippled through the onlookers. Laughter erupted from the group behind John as the brutal truth of his words sank in. They found themselves united in amusement, a shared realization of the absurdity of Ken's vendetta.

Ken's teeth ground together, his anger intensifying as he struggled to contain his emotions.

John wasn't finished. His voice remained unwavering as he continued his critique. "And I'm not saying you're weak as you are now, quite the contrary. You're very strong. After all, it's no small feat to command a horde of undead like this one." His body language changed as he casually reached for his sword, unsheathing it in one fluid motion.

The blade gleamed in the eerie light, and he raised it to point at his neck. "But let's be real," he said, his tone unwavering. "It's all just borrowed power. You didn't work hard to achieve it, so, in a sense, you still haven't accomplished anything."

As he spoke, John's face remained stern, reflecting the seriousness of his words. His stance was resolute, and his unflinching determination was palpable. With a chilling finality, he added, "And I would rather die by my own hands than by the hands of someone as pathetic as you are." His actions and words made his intentions unmistakable, emphasizing the conviction behind his bold statement.

Chris and Mina's voices intertwined in a frantic chorus as they cried out in unison, "John, noooo." Their faces displayed a mix of anxiety, disbelief, and concern, with their gestures reflecting their distress. Chris clenched his fists, while Mina's hand reached toward John as if reaching out to stop him physically.

John, however, held his ground, his voice resolute as he reassured his friends. His gestures were confident, with a firm stance that mirrored his determination. "Relax, guys," he calmly stated, his face showing a hint of a reassuring smile. "I won't go down without a fight. I'd only consider that option if I noticed I was already in bad shape and stood no chance of winning."

Just as the tense atmosphere began to ease, an adventurer approached from behind John. This newcomer, with a rugged appearance and a hint of gray in his beard, cut a striking figure.

He was clad in worn, weathered leather armor, marked by years of use and countless battles. His hair, once a fiery auburn, had faded with time but still held a warm chestnut hue.

His eyes, an intense shade of green, gleamed with wisdom and experience. The scars on his face bore witness to a lifetime of confrontations with monsters and adversaries.

With a confident and reassuring tone, the adventurer spoke up, taking charge of the situation. "Alright, young man," he said, his voice steady and firm, "you're not going to die today. Let the adults do that. We're leaving you guys in charge of handling the demon king in the future." His hand made a sweeping gesture to encompass the young heroes and the future they represented.

"We can't have you kicking the bucket now."