Chapter 159
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 159
Chapter Title: The World Tree's Third Awakening
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And for good reason. Thanks to the poison immunity granted by his class-specific Honey Jar, Seong-hyeok was completely immune to the harmful effects of toxins. But was he the only one on this farm?
The bee venom from his bees already boasted immense damage.
Sure, they had bee venom honey candies before, but it was always better to have more countermeasures than fewer.
“Now I can use it more aggressively.”
He no longer needed to hold back when allies and enemies were mixed in a fray.
But the joy was short-lived.
Seong-hyeok’s research was far from over.
“Shall we finish this up?”
Poisons didn’t only have to evolve to inflict harm.
Take the Star Sapphire Healing Venom Bees, for instance. Didn’t their venom restore vitality instead of causing damage?
And such special friends still existed.
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[Imperial Topaz Rapid Bee Venom (★★★)]
* Classification: Consumable, Material
* When consumed by a bee larva, it rapidly increases its growth rate. When consumed by a queen bee, it slightly enhances her egg-laying speed.
* Description: A ★★★-grade bee venom collected from an Imperial Topaz Nurse Bee. It is rich in unique nutrients, making it the finest supplement for bees.
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The Nurse Bee’s rapid bee venom.
It had the effect of increasing the egg-laying speed of the queens, arguably the most critical aspect of the apiary.
Feeling as if he’d found an oasis in a desert, Seong-hyeok resumed his work.
* * * * *
The changes brought by the evolution of the five queens.
Like puzzle pieces that were always meant to be there, the new higher-tier and elite bees naturally blended into the apiary.
Wheee~
Wheeeee~
Some tended to the small honey-grape vines they were raising, while others, like kindergarten teachers, meticulously cared for the larvae.
But were the bees’ strengths limited to production?
They were, after all, the swarm under the command of Seong-hyeok, the Honeybee Guardian.
As creatures far from ordinary, they were not to be underestimated in combat.
Bzzzz-!!!
Stab! Stab!
The Twin Fangs struck with fangs that boasted overwhelming attack power.
But in this topsy-turvy world, high risk often came with high reward.
As a price for their all-out offense, the Twin Fangs had pathetic defense despite being elite bees. But bees never fought alone.
Whiiir!
Tsssss-
Bee reinforcements arrived one after another.
From Deundeun-i, who drew aggro by growing massive, to Ssing-ssing-i, who slaughtered enemies with blade-like wings, and Teunteun-i and Dongchung-i, who scattered poison and spores in all directions.
The elite bees, each with their own distinct flair, put on a spectacular show.
But that didn't mean the other bees were useless.
The worker bees, which made up the absolute majority of the swarm, and the higher-tier elite bees scattered among them.
The true power of the bees was unleashed only when they gathered, forming a celestial wave of myriad colors.
“Kruk, krrruk!”
“Keuk! Keuk!”
Like a school of sardines in the sea.
The monsters were horrified as the bees took the form of a gigantic creature.
Their high levels granted them proportionally high intelligence, which, ironically, only served to crush their morale and make them flee.
Wheee~
A commanding presence that overwhelmed the enemy with sheer momentum.
Of course, the bees weren't about to let monsters that had crossed into their territory go back peacefully.
Bzzzz-
An obsession that made them chase a marked enemy to the very end.
Once the monsters were herded into the desired direction, the battle was as good as over.
Rumble-
The ground split open, revealing the Dig tribe and a giant earthworm.
But the real showstopper was yet to come.
Chomp! Chomp!
If the bees were the rulers of the sky, the Predatory Venus Flytraps, who worked alongside the Dig tribe, were the traps of the earth.
No matter how elite or field-boss-class a monster might be, there was no way it could withstand a pincer attack from above and below.
“Ki, kieeeeek……”
With a final scream, the monsters became high-quality fertilizer for the Predatory Venus Flytraps.
Wheee~
Afterward, all that remained were the bees, doing their joyful butt dance as they buried their heads in flowers.
* * * * *
The queens’ efforts brought about a flourishing bee population.
An overflowing number of bees and plants bloomed throughout their territory.
And above all, the presence of the ‘World Tree’ created the ultimate synergistic cycle.
[A Star Sapphire Worker Bee (★★★-) has made contact with Praepion’s World Tree Flower (Divinity). Its growth is promoted, and its nutrients are slightly increased.]
[A Garnet Gem Worker Bee (★★★-) has made contact with Praepion’s World Tree Flower (Divinity). Its growth is promoted, and its nutrients are slightly increased.]
[A Star Sapphire Healing Venom Bee (★★★+) has made contact with Praepion’s World Tree Flower (Divinity). Its growth is promoted, and its nutrients are slightly increased.]
…….
Tens, hundreds of times a day.
Tens of millions of bees engaged in pollination.
Thanks to them, the apiary was always full of honey, and the World Tree reciprocated in kind.
[A Praepion’s World Tree Fruit (★★★★-) has grown on Praepion’s World Tree 2nd Stage (Divinity).]
[A Praepion’s World Tree Fruit (★★★★-) has grown on Praepion’s World Tree 2nd Stage (Divinity).]
After flowers bloom, fruits are bound to follow.
Due to the bees' frequent visits, the World Tree's fruits were quite sizable.
Their taste and effects were exceptional, and they had long since become an essential ingredient for festivals or when crafting valuable, premium processed goods.
Moreover, the rewards from the World Tree, which was growing vigorously alongside the bees, didn't end there.
“Seong-hyeok. I think the World Tree is about to undergo its third growth spurt.”
“Already?”
“It’s all thanks to these cute little bees.”
The power of nature reveals its brilliance over time.
A considerable amount of time had passed since the World Tree's second growth.
On top of that, the bees' ceaseless pollination had been constantly infusing it with energy.
“Congratulations. And I’ll be counting on you in the future.”
“Hoho, of course. This is good for both of us, so do as you please.”
The World Tree had become as much a symbol of the apiary as the bees themselves.
Perhaps the tree, a mother of life, had sensed Seong-hyeok's intentions despite being a plant.
Creaak- Craaack-
Whoom- Whoooom-
Right on cue, the sounds of roots and branches shifting could be heard.
Then, the World Tree began to expand, emitting a brilliant light.
“The scale gets more incredible each time.”
He had been surprised during its second growth, and the third was just as astounding.
If things went wrong, beehives could be destroyed, and residents or bees could be crushed. But Seong-hyeok remained calm.
“I had a feeling this would happen.”
This wasn't his first time witnessing the World Tree's growth.
Having already experienced the misfortune of a destroyed beehive, it was only natural to be prepared the second time around.
Wheeeee~
The bees, who were becoming more and more like their master over time, stuck close by, and the World Tree’s third growth proceeded without any accidents.
But was the tree’s growth limitless?
Creak- Cruuunch!
Whee, wheeing?
“Uh, wait? Su-hee? How long is this going to keep growing?”
“Well… about that. It seems the bees’ natural pollination is causing it to grow much larger than a typical third-stage growth.”
“……”
The sheer size of the World Tree easily broke through the generous limits Seong-hyeok had set.
For a moment, he worried it might pierce the sky like Jack’s beanstalk, but he quickly realized the immediate danger.
RUUUUMBLE--!!!
“Everyone, evacuate! Prioritize your lives over the items in the warehouse!”
The World Tree’s growth assault left a more intense impression than any monster raid, prompting Seong-hyeok to issue the apiary’s first-ever emergency evacuation order.
* * * * *
Wheee~
Wheeeing~
Bzz! Bzz!
The scene resembled a military headcount.
Perhaps thanks to Seong-hyeok’s quick judgment, there were no casualties among the bees or the residents.
It was a great relief, but another problem remained.
“Aaargh! D-Do you know how much all that was worth?”
“Oh, all that precious honey is gone!”
“I should’ve grabbed a few bottles of honey wine when I had the chance!”
The World Tree’s overgrowth had far surpassed expectations.
In the process, its roots had spread in every direction, causing something akin to a massive earthquake.
The ground had been torn asunder, and nearby buildings like the warehouses had simply collapsed.
Naturally, the processed honey products stored inside were destroyed along with them—a terrible disaster.
Was that why?
“S-Seong-hyeok. I’m truly sorry. W-What on earth should I do…?”
Yeon Su-hee stood trembling, at a complete loss.
Seeing the usually steadfast elder so shaken, Seong-hyeok pulled himself together.
“It’s alright, you don’t have to be so sorry. As you can see, no one died, right?”
The damage was limited to the warehouses and the smithy located near the World Tree.
While the value of the lost processed honey products amounted to tens of millions of silver, Seong-hyeok wasn’t too concerned.
“We can always make more processed honey products.”
“……”
As long as he had his bees, honey and coin were always replaceable.
Besides, this wasn't a monster attack.
It was a consequence of the apiary’s World Tree achieving its third stage of growth.
In the end, the tree’s growth would mean more flowers and leaves, and a significant improvement in quality—that was an undeniable fact.
“Please pour that sense of apology into the World Tree’s growth.”
“Thank you… truly, Seong-hyeok. And thank you too, you little ones.”
Wheeeing~
Comforted by Seong-hyeok and the bees, Yeon Su-hee managed to compose herself.
What she would do next was obvious.
“Here. I’ll share the information I gained from the World Tree’s growth this time.”
Now larger, the World Tree began to emit an even more abundant and powerful energy.
Its power was truly astonishing.
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[Praepion’s World Tree 3rd Stage (Divinity)]
* Guardians: Mach, Mungchi, Nareu, Serian
※ Time for flowers to bloom on the 3rd Stage World Tree: 3 days, 13 hours (Growth period and grade can be accelerated through additional effects.)
* The World Tree’s buffs and debuffs are applied to all entities and objects within a 1,000KM radius.
※ World Tree’s Vigorous Vigor: Increases allies’ attack power and movement speed by 15%. All bees’ honey storage +12.
※ World Tree’s Embrace: The growth rate of all growable natural vegetation and crops in the vicinity is accelerated by 280%, and the appearance rate of rare natural vegetation is greatly increased.
※ World Tree’s Pressure: Decreases enemies’ attack power and movement speed by 25%.
※ Nature’s Shield: Envelops all personnel within the area in a shield made of natural energy. The shield’s effectiveness is maximized when the area is rich and abundant with plants. (Cooldown: 24 hours)
※ Perfected Fruit: Slightly increases the grade of materials obtained from all vegetation within the area, including the World Tree.
※ World Tree’s Luck: Increases the Great Success rate for all crafting-type activities conducted within the World Tree’s domain.
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Not only had the range expanded to a whopping 1,000KM, but the World Tree’s buffs and debuffs had also been enhanced across the board.
And was that all?
For Seong-hyeok, a beekeeper who frequently crafted processed honey products, the ‘World Tree’s Luck’ and ‘Perfected Fruit’ effects were a godsend.
Moreover, since this would also apply to the blacksmiths, it would serve as a tremendous catalyst for improving the residents’ combat power.
But this was a World Tree that had achieved its third stage of growth.
It would be absurd for it not to grant a Hidden Piece, just as it had during its second stage.
[Special Condition, you have met the requirements for the Tree of Life’s Awakening. -> World Tree’s 3rd Growth]
“Just as I expected.”
This was the first ‘Awakening’ of a Hidden Piece he had encountered in this topsy-turvy world.
It may have destroyed a few warehouses and a lot of processed honey, but he couldn't forget that the World Tree was always prepared to give back much, much more.