Evolution begins with an ant colony
Chapter 36 Unexpected harvest

Taken aback by the unexpected invitation, Akun found himself in a state of skepticism. He looked at Melia with a blend of caution and curiosity, his thoughts racing. "Wait up. This is all intriguing, but before I decide, I gotta know more. Why does your queen want a chat with me?"

Melia chimed in, her voice carrying a reassuring undertone. "Hey, don't worry too much. If we wanted to attack your ant crew, we'd simply outnumber you. No need for elaborate strategies."

As Akun's gaze shifted towards the hive, his inner monologue began to unfold. "She's right," he mused within his mind. 'With these dragon eyes, I can see it too, just as Melia mentioned."

Akun realized that trying to attack the bees would have been a terrible idea. "We wouldn't have had a chance," he thought, acknowledging the grim reality.

Akun pondered to himself. "Well, we might not match their numbers, but if I unleashed the silver railgun now, I could wipe them out in an instant. No, firing the silver railgun would be overkill, It's better to figure out their intentions first. Taking such a drastic step without understanding their motives could cost us a potential ally."

Akun's voice carried a calm tone as he said, "Lead the way to your queen, Melia."

Leona's voice carried a concerned tone as she spoke up, "boss, do you think this is a good idea?"

Ember expressed his doubts openly, "Boss, I'm not entirely convinced about trusting these bees."

Ivy chimed in as well, "Yeah, boss, we should be cautious. Who knows what their queen might want."

Akun chimed in with a reassuring tone, "No need to worry, guys. I'll make sure nothing happens to any of us."

Their worry subsided, and a smile graced their lips. Leona then spoke up to Akun "Just make sure to come back to us soon, boss."

Ivy chimed in as well, "Yeah, boss, what she said."

Ember chimed in, a resolute tone in his voice, "Take care over there, boss. We're here, waiting for your return."

With a composed demeanor, Akun gestured for Melia to lead. "Show me the way." Melia, noticing his approach, made a friendly offer. "I can carry you up if you'd like." Yet, Akun employed his aspect power skillfully, lifting himself off the ground without effort. A look of surprise crossed Melia's face as she asked, "How are you doing that?" Akun's response held a touch of playful enigma.

"Oh, it's a secret," he answered, his eyes gleaming mischievously.

Melia's cheerful response was swift, "Sure thing, just stick with me." With a powerful flap of her bee-like wings, she took off into the air, and Akun followed suit, his movements steady as he maintained his flight alongside her.

As they neared the enormous beehive, Akun's inner thoughts rambled on. "I just hope things go well and the queen is in a good mood."

Entering the beehive through a hexagonal opening, Akun found himself pleasantly surprised by the interior's illumination.

"Whoa, this place is amazing," Akun said in awe, looking around the stunning interior of the beehive. "I'm really curious about what's making it so bright in here."

Curious about the source of the light, he began to look around. His curiosity triggered his dragon eyes, granting him insight into the surroundings.

[Item Information]

[Monster Bee Honey]

-[Great healing properties, capable of healing any wound.]

- [Glows with a soft radiance.]

- [Exquisite taste that is incredibly enjoyable.]

- [Possesses a captivating and attractive aroma.]

- [Produced by the hardworking female worker bees of the hive.]

Akun scratched his head, puzzled by what he was seeing in the statue window. "Hold on a sec," he mumbled to himself. "These bees look almost human, but how are they making honey in this form? Please tell me they're not... well, you know, pooping it out or something!"

Akun's eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of how the bees produced honey, drawing from the black dragon's memories. His face turned a deep shade of red. "Well, that's, uh... quite something," he stammered, trying to process the unusual information.

(A/N: And trust me, its not what you think, go read up how bees make honey.)

Melia glanced behind her and noticed the embarrassed expression on Akun's face. Concerned, she asked, "Is everything okay?"

Akun replied with a stutter, "Yeah, everything's fine."

Melia responded with a smile, "Okay." She then continued leading the way to the bee Queen's chambers.

As they reached the Queen's chambers, two tall humanoid female bees were present in front of a grand honeycomb door. Melia bowed and addressed the Queen, "I have brought the monster ant, my queen." The Queen commanded, "Let them in."

As the honycomb doors opned, Akun's eyes widened in amazement as he looked at the queen bee. She was like something out of a fantasy, laying there with a mix of human and bee-like features. Her eyes were a nice golden yellow hue, and her hair was this beautiful golden wave that Ren down her back, almost like it had honeycomb patterns in it.

Her wings were all colorful and kind of looked like stained glass, fluttering gently. And she was wearing clothing fit for royalty. Overall, she was like a bee queen right out of a storybook.

Surrounded by male humanoid bees, she was receiving what seemed like a relaxing massage. They worked on her shoulders and hands, creating a calming ambiance. However, as Akun and Melia stepped into her chambers, her eyes opened, and her focus shifted to Akun. A gentle smile curved her lips, showing her welcoming demeanor.

The queen then spoke up, her voice commanding attention. "Now, the rest of you should leave me to my guest."

After all the other humanoid bees left the Queen's chambers, the queen then got up and gave Akun a respectful bow, her tone formal and respectful. "Tatilia greets her master."

"What? Master!?"

Akun's surprise surged as he remembered from the black dragon's memories that he had once nurtured a tiny female bee, watching it evolve and eventually become the queen he was beholding now.

Akun's mind raced with realization. "Dose she think I'm the black dragon? This could be dangerous, I needed to adopt the persona of the black dragon to avoid the queen's aggression." He understood that if she discovered his involvement in the original black dragon's demise, there would be little chance of escaping unharmed.

"Tatilia, arise" Akun spoke, his tone commanding, "I must say, I'm truly impressed by how much you've grown and developed."

The queen gracefully rose to her feet, a smile illuminating her features. "I am genuinely delighted that I could meet your expectations, Master," she said with a sense of pride.

With an air of ownership, Akun strolled towards the queen's throne and seated himself upon it, assuming a regal posture. "Indubitably, you have exceeded my expectations," he stated, projecting an air of authority.

"I am pleased to hear that, master," the queen responded respectfully.

Akun was curious and asked, "So, how did you manage to replace me?" The queen answered, "A few weeks ago, I sensed your aura and figured your revival must have worked, master. Ever since then, I've been able to sense your aura as you moved around the edge of the forest. I was really happy when you started heading here to visit."

Akun's mind raced with concern. "Damn, that's dangerous. I can't have her keeping tabs on my every move; it's going to complicate things in the future." With a slightly assertive tone, he addressed the queen, "I would appreciate it if you refrained from doing that moving forward." The queen seemed a bit intimidated as she responded, "Yes, master."

Akun's curiosity piqued. "Anything else?" The queen hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Yes, master. I've followed your instructions and gathered the cores of the remaining two dragons after their passing."

Akun was taken back, his mind racing at the prospect. "The cores of the other two dragons?" He quickly realized the immense value they held, if I get those cores, I would easily have enough evolution points to buy the building plan. Turning to the queen, he asked her to fetch the cores.

"OK now Tatilia, present the cores to your master."

With a hint of excitement in her voice, she agreed, "Sure thing, master." Like an eager child, she hurried off, retrieving two marbles from a honeycomb in the wall. One gleamed in gold, the other a pristine white.

Akun's eyes settled on the two cores, a pleased smile forming on his lips. Tatilia gently placed them in his hands, her curiosity evident. "What do you plan to do with them, master?" she inquired.

Akun's response was direct and purposeful, "I intend to harness their power to achieve even greater strength, hopefully enough to break free from the confines of the forest's barrier." Tatilia's admiration was clear in her applause, "You have the potential to accomplish it, master."

Akun's mind raced as he pondered the situation. "Obviously that's a lie, but I need to give her an explanation that won't raise suspicion when I decide to consume the core," he thought. "But if I hesitate too much, she might become suspicious anyway." After a moment of contemplation, he made a decision. He mused, "Let's start with the golden core."