Chapter 107
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 107
Chapter Title: Basilisk Scale Evolution
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107화
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[Notification]
※ A Greed-tinged Basilisk Scale (★★★★★+) has been used as a supplementary material. -> Choose carefully. A catalyst of a higher grade can sometimes lead the medium in an unintended direction.
[Evolution List]
* Evolution of Endless Greed: All stats of the Diamond Geumgang Queen Bee and the bees in its swarm will increase dramatically. However, due to their endless greed, they will devour all surrounding honey. / There is an extremely low probability of creating a Diamond Geumgang Angler Legion Commander Bee (★★★★★+), an elite bee.
* Evolution of Maddened Greed: All stats of the Diamond Geumgang Queen Bee and the bees in its swarm will increase dramatically. However, due to their maddened greed, they will attack everyone except their own swarm, unable to distinguish friend from foe. / There is an extremely low probability of creating a Diamond Geumgang Killer Bee Legion Commander Bee (★★★★★+), an elite bee.
* Basilisk Scale Evolution: The defensive capabilities of the Diamond Geumgang Queen Bee and the bees in its swarm will increase dramatically. / There is an extremely low probability of creating a Diamond Geumgang Scalelisk Legion Commander Bee (★★★★★), an elite bee.
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“…I knew it would be something like this.”
Anxious feelings have a way of being right.
The three ‘???’ evolution paths held astonishing contents.
A 5-star+ grade elite bee and a dramatic increase in ‘all stats’ were tempting powers, but they concealed a trap.
An obsession with honey, and an aggression that didn't distinguish between friend and foe.
Of course, Seong-hyeok wouldn't be attacked due to his class specialization, but he wasn't the only one on the bee farm.
“That could have been a total disaster.”
The shelter’s population had grown considerably, thanks to the Forest Tribe and various other reasons.
While it was true that the bees were Seong-hyeok’s number one priority, were the Diamond Geumgang the only bees under his command?
From the Ruby Gem, Peridot, and Imperial Topaz to the Poison Amethysts belonging to Greendale.
If he had to choose between all of them and the Diamond Geumgang, it would have given him a massive headache.
“It’s a good thing I found out now.”
*Buzzzzzzz~*
The queen, whose charm lay in her docile affection, befitting her large size and pure white color.
To ensure he didn't lose this adorable creature, Seong-hyeok’s choice of evolution was already set in stone.
“I can just aim for a higher grade in the next evolution.”
[You have selected an evolution path. -> Basilisk Scale Evolution]
[The Diamond Geumgang Queen Bee (★★★★) evolves into the Diamond Geumgang Queen Bee (★★★★★).]
…….
It was a path with no penalties, even if it was slightly weaker than the other evolution trees.
That was the method of bee evolution Seong-hyeok pursued.
* * * * *
The Greed-tinged Basilisk Scale.
As a 5-star+ item and a top-tier evolution material obtainable only by hunting a disaster-class boss monster, the benefits it conferred were by no means trivial.
“Oh my, are you all wearing a second layer of armor?”
“Keep protecting us well, little ones.”
*Bzzzz~*
*Buzzzz~*
Was it because their numbers were so vast that they couldn't help but stand out?
The first thing that caught the eye were the worker bees, which made up the majority of the swarm.
The Diamond Geumgang worker bees, encountering various residents as they flew to and from the farm, showed off the scales that had sprouted like armor all over their bodies, looking utterly adorable as if they were boasting.
But as Seong-hyeok would say.
The charm of bees wasn't limited to just being cute.
The scales that had sprouted on these bees, with their chameleon-like charm, didn't just end with increasing their defensive capabilities.
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[Bee Scale (Lv.2)]
* Type: Skill
* Mana Cost: 0
* Effect (Passive): Sheds 1 to 2 Bee Scales every 24 hours.
* Effect - Hardness of New Scales (Passive): Each time a new scale grows, Defense and Magic Resistance permanently increase by 1.
* Description: An ability acquired by absorbing a Greed-tinged Basilisk Scale. As new scales grow at regular intervals, the old ones fall to the ground. As the level increases, more scales can be shed, and the grade of the scales improves.
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It was the skill, Bee Scale, that had been added to all Diamond Geumgang bees through this evolution.
With each passing day, new scales sprouted, permanently increasing their Defense and Magic Resistance by 1.
And was that all?
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[Diamond Geumgang Bee Scale (★★+)]
* Type: Material
* Description: A ★★+ grade Diamond Geumgang Bee Scale. It can be processed in various ways.
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“They’re good enough to blow the hardness of most minerals out of the water.”
“Hoh, with this, we can craft armor on a completely different level from the bee armor we’ve made so far.”
“Bring them to us as soon as you have a supply. We’ll repay you with the finest equipment.”
The old scales automatically fell off as new ones grew in.
Depending on how they were used, these could potentially become essential materials for creating custom equipment for the bees.
For instance, this meant that with a little effort, bees of other species, not just the Diamond Geumgang, could also enjoy the benefits of the scales, albeit to a lesser extent!
*BUZZZZZZZZ-!!!*
*Buzzz-Buzzz-Buzzz-!!!*
Furthermore, the achievements of the Diamond Geumgang bees from this evolution didn't stop there.
An increase in defensive capability.
For a tank, that was tantamount to an increase in attack power.
Naturally, the one who showcased this achievement most powerfully was none other than the original master tanker, Deundeun-i.
*Tssssss-!*
The Basilisk Scale was an additional boon for Deundeun-i, who already boasted high tanking power.
His stats, boosted through gigantification, already gave him a tanking ability that was second to none on the farm. Adding the defensive increase from the scales made him incredibly tough, beyond what words could describe.
“Kieeeeeeek!?”
“Kwoooooooar!”
*Bzzzzing!*
Deundeun-i’s sturdiness allowed him to stand firm even amidst a thunderous onslaught of attacks from countless monsters.
One might think this is what a tank should do, but the monsters swarming in now weren't your average run-of-the-mill creatures from outside.
They were elite-grade monsters, drawn in by the World Tree, treasure items, and wild beehives.
While others struggled to hold even one, Deundeun-i, true to his name, held off multiple of them by himself.
*BUZZZZZZZZ-!!!*
“Take them down one by one so we don't draw aggro!”
“Push them back!”
And naturally, while Deundeun-i held the monsters' attention, the other bees and combat personnel were not idle.
It was a hunt where they meticulously took down the tricky elite monsters one by one.
The presence of a tank holding the enemy's attention made a world of difference in the safety of a battle, like the difference between heaven and earth.
While Deundeun-i alone was enough to bring such peace of mind, the bees’ potential for growth didn't end there.
“Welcome, little friend.”
*Buzzzzz~*
[The Diamond Geumgang Bee Larva's Pupa (★★+) has completed its emergence process.]
[A Diamond Geumgang Scalelisk Legion Commander Bee (★★★★★), an elite bee, is added to the swarm of the Diamond Geumgang Queen Bee (★★★★★).]
The majestic presence of a new Legion Commander Bee, spreading its sturdy wings after emerging from its pupa.
If Deundeun-i was a tank focused on defense, the Diamond Geumgang Scalelisk Legion Commander Bee was a version focused on offense and disrupting the enemy.
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[Diamond Geumgang Scalelisk Legion Commander Bee (★★★★★)] - Elite Bee
* Skills: Foraging (Lv.6), Poison Sting (Lv.6), Flight (Lv.7), Tough Body (Lv.7), Beelisk Scale (Lv.6), Petrifying Gaze (Lv.5), Legion Commander's Command (Lv.4)
* Honey Storage: 0 / 650(+108)
* Health: 1,250(+450) Mana: 1,120(+530)
* Attack: 120(+32) Defense: 50(+15) Magic Resistance: 50(+15)
[Beelisk Scale (Lv.6)]
* Effect (Passive): Sheds 2 to 6 Beelisk Scales every 24 hours.
* Effect - Hardness of New Scales (Passive): Each time a new scale grows, Defense and Magic Resistance permanently increase by 3.
[Petrifying Gaze (Lv.5)]
* Type: Skill
* Mana Cost: 1,000
* Effect (Active): For 20 seconds, petrifies any target that makes eye contact, immobilizing them. (Cooldown: 60 minutes)
* Effect - Crack of Petrification (Passive): Reduces the defensive capabilities of the petrified target.
…….
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Doldor-i’s game-breaking ability not only petrified enemies it made eye contact with, rendering them immobile, but also reduced their defensive capabilities.
Perhaps due to the strength of the effect, the duration was a mere 20 seconds, but this was a problem that could be easily solved.
After all…
“There’s no problem as long as I increase their numbers.”
Bees symbolized abundance.
This applied to nature, like flowers and trees, and bee byproducts, but strictly speaking, it also referred to the queen's egg-laying, which produced countless new bees every day.
In other words, they were also abundant in reproduction.
Even with a short 20-second duration, if Doldor-i’s numbers grew to 10, then 100, this critical weakness could be offset.
“Alright then, work hard for the farm from now on.”
*Buzzzzzzzing~*
The amazing world of bees, growing stronger and more numerous through evolution, gaining only countless advantages.
Seong-hyeok, captivated by the near-infinite charm of his bees, hurried to collect honey as he always did.
* * * * *
Following the Bee Cocoons, a new byproduct had been added: Bee Scales.
Just like with the cocoons, the amount obtainable from a single bee was quite small, but when that number reached the hundreds of thousands, it was a different story.
[You have found a Diamond Geumgang Bee Scale (★★+)!]
[You have found a Diamond Geumgang Bee Scale (★★+)!]
[You have found a Diamond Geumgang Bee Scale (★★+)!]
…….
When the time came for the scales to be shed, countless scale fragments were found all over the bee farm.
The quantity was so large that he couldn't imagine harvesting it all by himself, but the bee farm wasn't a one-man operation.
“The blacksmiths are waiting, so let’s give it our all!”
“Heh heh. Compared to digging for ginseng, a job like this is a piece of cake. It is!”
Was it because they had all become veterans through long experience?
Or was it thanks to the power of the natural health food that was bee byproducts?
The scale harvest began with energetic movements from young and old alike.
Their speed was so fast that anyone with a gathering-related class from the outside would have been flabbergasted!
“The experience from this is surprisingly good.”
“It’s nice to have another sweet bonus.”
“It’s a shame it only applies once.”
In any case, the tens of thousands of smoothly collected Bee Scales were sent straight to the forge, to be reborn as artistic pieces of equipment.