Evolution begins with an ant colony

Mina's disbelief deepened as she implored Ken for an explanation. Her voice was tinged with a sense of urgency and confusion. "Explain yourself, Ken. What do you mean?"

Ken, his demeanor smug and unapologetic, leaned closer to Mina. "It's just what it sounds like," he said, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. "I wanted John to experience both physical and emotional pain, so I had my skeletons kill Chris eariler when he rushed into battle, using necromancy I then controlled his corpse. Sending him back to join John."

Mina, her voice shaking with a mixture of anger and sorrow, questioned, "Why are you doing this? What did he ever do to deserve this..."

Ken's tone shifted to anger, and he shouted at Mina as he defended his actions. "He underestimated me, telling me I was worth nothing. No one tells me that and gets away with it. And you shouldn't act like you're any better." His voice was accusing, and he continued to berate her, "Back on Earth, you always gave Akun a hard time, even though he was supposed to be your childhood friend.

Acting like some saint now only makes you a hypocrite."

Mina, overwhelmed by guilt, turned her gaze away from Ken. Her eyes reflected her inner turmoil and regret, leaving her to confront the truth behind Ken's accusations. The tension in the air hung thick as the two adversaries grappled with their emotions and the consequences of their actions.

The cries of the terrified villagers grew louder by the minute, their pleas and screams echoing through the air. Mina, unable to ignore their suffering, directed her question at Ken, her voice laced with desperation. "I know you wanted revenge on John and Chris, but what about all those people your skeletons are killing in there?"

Ken, his expression cold and detached, answered Mina's plea without remorse. "Well, all of this is just to show the Demon King my honesty and loyalty," he explained, as if it were a matter of fact. "He did make my revenge possible."

Amid the chaos, Chris's voice cut through the turmoil. He addressed Ken respectfully, referring to him as "master." Pointing towards John's seemingly lifeless body, he made a suggestion. "He should be dead by now. Try controlling him."

The village's agonizing cries continued to fill the air, contrasting starkly with the nonchalant attitudes of the two powerful figures in this tense moment.

In the midst of Ken's attempt to exert control over John through his necromantic powers, a sudden interruption shattered his concentration. An arrow, infused with holy energy, was shot with impeccable accuracy, heading straight for the hand that held Mina's hair.
Continue your journey with empire

Ken's reaction was immediate and visceral. "Aghhhh," he exclaimed in pain and surprise, his grip on Mina loosening as the holy energy coursed through him. The arrow's divine power seared his flesh, causing his hand to recoil instinctively. It was as though the very essence of his dark magic was repelled by this potent counterforce.

The moment was charged with tension as Ken grappled with the unexpected assault, his focus momentarily broken.

Ken, still reeling from the burning sensation of the holy energy-infused arrow, managed to gather enough composure to speak through his pain. His voice carried a hint of vexation as he inquired, "Who shot that?"

With a wince, Ken turned around to see a sight that sent a shiver down his spine. The holy knights, their armor gleaming with purity, were charging toward the village with unwavering determination. Each knight bore the emblem of their faith, a stark contrast to Ken's dark intentions.

The ground seemed to tremble under their approach as they closed in on the village, their collective presence a formidable force. The moment was charged with anticipation as Ken assessed the newfound threat, the gravity of the situation dawning on him.

Ken, still in pain from the holy energy-infused arrow, realized his time to react was limited.

"Damm it, it's the holy knights! I have to get out of here," he muttered in a mix of panic and frustration as he saw his elaborate plans disintegrate.

Mina, temporarily freed from Ken's grasp, seized the opportunity to put some distance between herself and him. She glanced from the advancing holy knights to the battered John on the ground. A deep desire to help him welled up, but she knew that her mana was depleted, rendering her powerless.

"Onward, knights!" Utopia's voice echoed with authority.

The holy knights pressed on relentlessly, led by Utopia. Their armored forms clanked with every resolute step. Ken's ability to command his necromantic powers seemed to falter in the face of this formidable opposition.

Ken's thoughts raced as he contemplated his next move. "I must escape," he concluded with urgency. "If they capture me now, it's all over. I'll be executed." His mind raced for a way to evade the encroaching holy knights, the desperate need for an exit burning in his veins.

With a sudden, surprising motion, wings sprouted from Ken's back, and he prepared to launch himself into the air in an attempt to escape.

Witnessing this, Utopia gritted her teeth in fierce determination. "How dare a mere demon think it can escape the holy knights," she muttered under her breath. In her grasp, her holy weapon, Quardaul, a shape-shifting weapon that could take any form she desired, had been a bow earlier, and it was through this that Ken had been struck by a holy arrow.

Now, she willed it to transform into a lance, the divine weapon shifting as quickly as her resolve. In mid-flight, she aimed it with unerring accuracy and impaled Ken from behind.

As she landed in front of Ken, she dismounted from her horse with a determined expression. "Continue outward," she ordered, her voice firm and unyielding, "cut open the gates, and go slay the undead in the village." Her body language exuded the strength and authority expected from the leader of the holy knights, her gaze fixed on the unfolding chaos as her comrades pushed forward.