Evolution begins with an ant colony

The light around him dissipated.

Akun found himself standing in a large, expansive field with trees as far as the eye could see. The full moon hung in the sky, and a chilling night breeze blew by, waving his silver hair from side to side.

The sudden change in scenery should have been unexpected, perhaps even surprising, but he didn't look the least bit worried. In fact, he looked a bit infuriated but knew this was something he had to handle soon ever since he noticed they had been following him.

"Is your goddess really desperate to get on my bad side? I'm currently not in the mood for any of her games."

Akun said, slowly raising his head to gaze at the figures who had surrounded him: numerous men and women in white and red clothing and silver armor, the signature attire of the holy Inquisitors. Standing closest to Akun was Thorne, their captain.

Thorne smiled as he said, "You are quite bold for a heretic. I almost didn't understand why our goddess wanted the entirety of the Holy Inquisitors after you."

He lifted a dagger and pointed it towards Akun as he added, "But now I understand. You are a dragon, a being once eradicated by the gods themselves. You are an abomination walking amongst us and thus must be removed."

"Is that the story your so-called goddess made up to cover up her tracks? That her people were abominations deserving of slaughter?" Akun asked nonchalantly.

†[†Sub-Authority† AB has grown slightly.]†

"What? What are you talking about?" Thorne asked, a confused expression appearing across his face.

Akun sighed, a cold glint appearing in his eyes. "Your so-called goddess was a dragon herself, or isn't that fact included in your teaching? She betrayed her people, allowing for them to be slaughtered. It's crazy to think that such a woman even calls herself a goddess."

Thorne's eyes narrowed in disbelief and anger. "Lies! You speak nothing but blasphemy!"

"Well," Akun said, raising a brow and smirking slightly, "I guess gods can be known for many things, even being traitors."

Thorne's face twisted with rage, his grip tightening on the dagger. "Enough of your deceit, heretic! You will pay for your slander against our goddess!"

Thorne raised his hand, his voice echoing across the field. "Holy Inquisitors, eliminate this heretic!"

The Inquisitors charged forward, their weapons gleaming under the moonlight. Their voices rang out as they did.

"For the goddess!"

"Purify the abomination!"

"Drive the heretic back to the shadows!"

Watching as they charged at him, Akun remained rooted in place, a calm expression on his face.

In his head his thoughts echoed as he called out to the system.

'System, I believe you said I had awakened black magic after my bloodline awakening which includes curses and shadow manipulation?'

†[Affirmative player.]†

†[But for curses the player has to designate a condition and effect before one can be placed or activated.]†

The system's response came.
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'Is that so, then I believe only shadow manipulation will do for now.' Akun thought.

Stretching out his left hand Akun gazed at the charging Inquisitors with indifference as he thought, 'Shadow barrier.'

Shadows rippled around him, responding to his silent command. As the Inquisitors charged, he conjured a barrier of dark tendrils, which rose from the ground like a wall of living shadows, shielding him effortlessly.

One Inquisitor, brandishing a sword glowing with holy light, charged forward.

"I will cut you down, creature of darkness!" he yelled, bringing the sword down with a mighty swing.

Akun flicked his wrist, and a tendril of shadow extended from the barrier, intercepting the blade and stopping it.

The Inquisitor's eyes widened in shock, but before he could react, Akun's shadows coiled around him like a serpent, crushing him with a sickening crunch causing his blood to splatter on the shadow barrier and the floor.

The lifeless body fell to the ground, and the barrier returned to its seamless state.

"Stay in formation! Don't let his magic intimidate you!" Thorne commanded, trying to rally his forces.

A pair of Inquisitors attacked together, one wielding a spear crackling with electricity, the other chanting an incantation that summoned orbs of pure light.

"Be gone you beast!" one shouted.

The air sizzled as the spear was thrust forward, the electrified tip aiming for Akun's heart. Simultaneously, the orbs of light converged, hurtling toward him like shooting stars.

Akun's eyes glinted as he raised his hand, and the shadows responded in kind, weaving into dense, whirling shap blades that split the orbs in halfs, sending them spiraling into the sky where they exploded in brilliant flashes. With another thought, the shadows reached out, halting the spear mid-strike, causing the electricity to dissipate harmlessly.

Before the Inquisitors could react, tendrils shot out, spearing the one with the spear through the chest and lifting the chanting Inquisitor off his feet, silencing him with a violent toss that sent him crashing into the ground with bone-crushing force.

"By the goddess!" an Inquisitor exclaimed, watching as their comrades fell effortlessly. "He's a monster!"

A trio of Inquisitors charged together, their weapons imbued with elemental magic—fire, ice, and wind. The elements swirled around them in an attempt to intimidate and overwhelm him.

"Surround him!" one of them ordered. "Attack from all sides!"

Akun remained unfazed, the shadows around him swirling with increased intensity. As the Inquisitors closed in, he whispered a command, and the shadows erupted outward like a tidal wave, consuming the elements and the attackers with it.

The ground trembled as the wave of darkness swept over them, extinguishing the flames, freezing the ice in its tracks, and snuffing out the wind. The Inquisitors were enveloped, their cries of agony snuffed out as the shadows constricted and crushed them into nothing.

In the chaos, a squad of three Inquisitors attempted a desperate maneuver. The leader, a warrior with a scarred face, called out to his comrades.

"Form the Trinity Formation! Attack from all sides with everything you have!"