Evolution begins with an ant colony

As they locked gazes in their gigantic forms, alternate Akun's thoughts raced. "Damn it, I never saw this coming. Not only is he in a giant suit of armor, but he seems to have more experience using our †Authority† than me."

As Akun fixed his gaze on the metallic form of alternate Akun's dragon, his resolve flashed in his eyes. "Instead of just gazing at each other like this, I will be taking the first move," he declared. The robo stone golem crouched down slightly, then propelled itself forward with an overwhelming force.

The motion sent shockwaves rippling through the surroundings as the stone giant charged ahead, holding its massive stone sword.

Closing in for a decisive vertical slash, the dark silver dragon responded with a swift rotation, utilizing its tail as a swift countermeasure against the incoming sword. The clash of stone and silver created a dazzling display of sparks, echoing the intensity of the confrontation between the two colossal beings.

Meanwhile, back at the dryad tribe, as all the other tribe leaders managed to assemble, Elder Sylara diligently treated their wounds. She also attended to the elders, demonstrating a mix of skill and compassion. Once everyone was healed, the elders and tribe leaders gathered for a crucial discussion.

Leandor, spoke up, "Now that we are all here, how exactly do we plan to free ourselves from that... 'thing'?"

Skalathar, a cautious leader, offered his perspective, "He is far too strong. The fact that he hasn't invaded all our tribes and enslaved our people is more than enough reason to not provoke him."

Aelorin, known for her diplomatic approach, interjected, "Child, are you forgetting what happened to my tribe? We haven't done anything yet, so why did he invade us?"

Arachneia, a stern and pragmatic leader, chimed in, "Your tribe was planning to go to war with his. Technically, you had this coming." The tension in the air grew as the leaders grappled with the weight of their decisions and the challenges ahead.

Thalanor, enraged by Arachneia's statement, retorted with narrowed gaze, "How dare you say such, and is that any way to speak to your elders? Correct yourself right this instant."

Aelorin intervened calmly, addressing Thalanor, "Easy, Thalanor. We are in no position to be looking for a superior standing. You forget we all went up against that man, and we lost."

Thalanor, having cooled down, responded, "If that is what you want, then I shall listen to your request. No need to mention our past failure." He added, "But what's up with you calling that child a man?"
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Aelorin paused before replying, "How could I refer to such a being as anything else?"

Thalanor pouted as he replied, "He is a child regardless. It doesn't matter if he's very strong or was even a god. The fact remains we are his elders, and when he and I meet again, I shall make him kneel and give us the respect we rightfully deserve." His statement elicited questionable glances from everyone, including the dryad elders.

Thalgar walked up to Elder Thalanor, placing a hand on his shoulder as he spoke, "No one doubts your abilities, Elder. But such a feat is not something I think even a dragon child would be able to achieve. Nevertheless, it is adorable that you have such spirit."

Suddenly, Skalathar spoke up, "Is every single one of you forgetting there were two of them? I do. After being forced out of the castle by that invisible force, I was surprised when I encountered the same figure outside. At first, I thought it was some sort of illusion, but I learned the hard way it wasn't."

Seraphina spoke up, adding, "And we shouldn't forget all these massive tremors that have been shaking the entire forest." Just as she finished her statement, another massive shockwave echoed, sending cracks spreading across the cobblestone floor of the Dryad tribe.

Vaelon chimed in, saying, "The sound of the source seems to be coming from way in the distance, and yet the power is still so strong."

Leandor added, "After one of them dropped me from his grip, I was able to catch sight of both of them leaving by flight. I overheard they wanted to talk about something important."

Elder Aelorin gestured inquisitively, saying, "They must be the source of these massive tremors. Their strength is truly terrifying to witness. But what could they be up against? What being in this forest would they need to command such power because they were up against it?"

Elder Sylara then spoke up, suggesting, "What if they had a disagreement, and they are actually up against each other? After all, it was just mentioned that they wanted to have an important decision. They must not have seen eye to eye, resulting in a battle between them." The revelation seemed to send a shiver down the spines of the tribe leaders and elders alike.

Elder Thalanor stood tall, as he confidently declared, "If they are having a battle, it is inevitable one will triumph over the other, and once they do, they would be severely weakened, allowing us to ambush him and put an end to him, then and there."

The eyes of the other elders and tribe leaders present widened with hope and anticipation, their expressions shifting from uncertainty to newfound hope.

Elder Nyressa, with a gentle smile, reached out and patted Thalanor's shoulder, acknowledging his insight. "Excellent idea. Seems even though it has been thousands of years since the dragonic war, you are still as sharp as ever."

Sylara, her wise eyes reflecting approval, added, "Certainly, just as she said. Well thought, Thalanor."

Aelorin, with a subtle nod, chimed in, "Well thought indeed," her expression conveying a mix of respect and contemplation.

Skalathar, the lizardmen leader, leaned forward, a questioning expression on his scaled face. "But how exactly do we reach there and prepare our ambush? I may not be certain of it, but I am vaguely aware that the place of this battle should be thousands of miles away."

Upon hearing that statement, the dryad elders exchanged knowing glances, a shared understanding reflected in their eyes. Their attention then turned to Elder Aelorin, who wore a confident smile.

Aelorin, with grace in her movements, stepped forward. Her voice, though calm, carried a subtle air of authority as she declared, "Leave getting there in my capable hands."

Meanwhile, The loud voice of the system echoed within Akun's mind, delivering a cautionary message that rippled through his thoughts.

[Notice to the player, using your †Authority† as a means to command this massive structure will have a far more significant impact on speeding up the process of one of you being erased than the †Chronos Ruler† †Authority†.]

[It is advised that the player stops this madness immediately, else an unpredictable future is all that awaits the player.]

The ominous warning lingered in the air, adding a layer of uncertainty to the unfolding confrontation.

As Akun swung his massive stone sword alongside the relentless onslaught of his stone golem, he retorted to the system's warning inwardly, "System, I'm in no position to do that now. If I did, I'd be completely defenseless.

It's unfortunate, but I will have to continue like this until only one of us is left standing." The weight of the impending clash hung in the air as he grappled with the consequences of his chosen path.

As the goddess of time, Chrono Nexus, urgently transmitted her voice into Akun's mind, he observed the other Akun, encased in his dark silver dragon form, ascending into the sky, preparing for an imminent attack with its menacing dragon maw wide open.

Akun replied, his eyes fixed on the impending clash, "What is it?"

Chrono Nexus's voice echoed with urgency, "Master! Something is happening! The Book of Existence is about to erase either you or your alternate timeline double. Some sort of page has appeared, and it has your name spelled twice with your authority in the middle. Both names seem to be flickering."

What she meant was clearly illustrated in her words: (Akun -- †Grate Extreme Chaos† -- Akun.)

She referred to the gigantic golden book housed in the library of time and existence, the Book of Existence. The revelation cast a shadow over the unfolding battle, introducing an element of uncertainty that resonated deeply within Akun's consciousness.

As Akun processed the sudden revelation, he couldn't help but mumble in disbelief, "What? What happened to all the time we had left?"

In response, the system's voice echoed urgently in Akun's head, delivering the unsettling news, [Notice to the player!!]

[The time left has been significantly cut down!!]

[Time now left is 00:02:59]

As Akun's eyes widened with disbelief upon seeing the countdown, he exclaimed, "You can't be serious! Only 3 minutes left!?" The gravity of the situation pressed upon him as the urgency of the dwindling time added an extra layer of intensity to the already high-stakes confrontation.

In a tense moment, alternate Akun unleashed a colossal silver railgun attack from his dragon maw. The bullet, propelled with tremendous speed, streaked toward Akun. In the midst of this imminent threat, both Akuns found themselves lost in contemplation, a shared realization echoing in their minds: "So before the next 3 minutes, one of us will have to die."