Chapter 16
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: The Peridot Queen Bee
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Having lost many bees in the previous battle with Belmorne, the most efficient way to replenish their numbers was to increase the number of queen bees, the very source of production.
“This is purely a matter of luck…”
Was it because people, like pets who come to resemble their owners, have a tendency to want to resemble what they like?
To be honest, influenced by the bees who diligently worked to produce results, Seong-hyeok wasn't one to favor achieving good outcomes through sheer luck.
But when faced with something where the element of ‘luck’ played a major role, a person’s heart was bound to change.
Seong-hyeok clasped his hands together and rubbed them, his wish sincere.
“I’ll cultivate nature as diligently as I can, so please, just this once, let good fortune be on my side.”
Hoping that if he was going to get something, it would be a 3-star+ queen bee—the highest grade capturable with the skill—rather than a 1-star queen bee, the lowest, Seong-hyeok activated the skill.
[Using skill, Dimensional Queen Bee Capture (Lv.3).]
[The Honeybee Guardian's net is cast into the dimension.]
The same notification as the first time he used it appeared.
Normally, the next message would announce the success or failure of the capture.
But at that moment, a notification Seong-hyeok had never expected struck his ears.
[Due to the intervention of a special power, for this one attempt, your luck will be raised to its maximum value, MAX.]
“Huh?”
The intervention of a special power, and with it, MAX luck?
It was the first time he’d heard such a notification in all his twenty levels, but Seong-hyeok instinctively felt it wasn't a bad thing.
After all, MAX luck meant the highest possible luck factor would be at play, right?
And as if to prove it, the capture notification that followed was more than enough to make the corners of his mouth curl up to the heavens.
[Capture successful! Would you like to register the Peridot Queen Bee (★★★+) to your number of owned individuals? YES / NO]
※ Selecting NO will result in a failed capture.
“Gasp!”
News of capturing a 3-star+ queen bee, the highest possible tier.
Without a moment's hesitation, Seong-hyeok chose YES.
[The Peridot Queen Bee (★★★+) is registered to player Yu Seong-hyeok. Current number of queen bees owned: 2 / 3]
*Bzzzzzzzz-*
With the registration notification, a green-hued queen bee approached Seong-hyeok.
Was it because she was a 3-star+ bee from birth?
Unlike the fluffy and chubby Ruby Gem Queen Bee, who had a rather cute charm, the Peridot Queen Bee’s appearance was slender, reminiscent of a paper wasp, and exuded a sharp, incredibly fierce aura.
“Hello, Your Majesty.”
But Seong-hyeok wasn't the least bit intimidated by her appearance.
To him, the Honeybee Guardian, any bee, regardless of its appearance, was bound to be adorable. Besides…
*Bzzzz- Bzzzzzz-*
[The Honeybee Guardian's class specialization, Loved by Bees, is activated.]
[The Peridot Queen Bee (★★★+) shows you boundless favor.]
Ultimately, as long as the Peridot Queen Bee belonged to the ‘bee species,’ she couldn’t help but show infinite goodwill to Seong-hyeok, who possessed a class specialization that maxed out his affinity with them.
“Alright, let’s have a look.”
Stroking the head of the Peridot Queen Bee as she nuzzled against the back of his hand, Seong-hyeok casually examined Her Majesty’s status.
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[Peridot Queen Bee (★★★+)]
※ Stinger organ has undergone 1 evolution.
※ Poison sac organ has undergone 1 focused evolution.
* Has not yet found a home.
* Swarm size: 0
* Growth Rate: 0%
* Available Higher-Tier Eclosion Paths: Peridot Indigo Poison Acidic Bee (★★+) -> 1.3%(+0.3), Peridot Indigo Poison Self-Destruct Bee (★★+) -> 1.3%(+0.3), Peridot Heavenly Indigo Poison Legion Commander Bee (★★★) - Elite Bee -> 0.055%(+0.015)
* Spawning Speed: 1 per 2 minutes
* Hatching Speed: 14 hours
* Eclosion Process: 33 hours 30 minutes
* Skills: Spawn (Lv.4), Queen's Pheromone (Lv.4), Stinger (Lv.6), Flight (Lv.5), Queen's Pheromone - Poison Sac Enhancement (Lv.2)
* Health: 215(+50) Mana: 540(+180)
* Attack: 58(+13) Defense: 8(+3) Magic Resist: 4(+1)
* Description: A ★★★+ grade Peridot Queen Bee that inhabits the dimension ‘Poisonlands of Graham.’ Unlike other bees, Peridot bees are characterized by their extremely aggressive nature and a potent indigo poison. When placed in a hive to begin spawning, you can obtain Peridot Honey, which has an exquisite tangy kick from the poison.
※ This is an owned queen bee. Its stats are partially boosted according to the owner's level.
[Queen's Pheromone - Poison Sac Enhancement (Lv.2)]
* Classification: Skill
* Mana Cost: 200
* Effect (Active): For 20 minutes, increases the poison reserves and recovery speed of all bees in the swarm within a 2km radius by 20%. (Cooldown: 20 minutes)
* Description: Emits a unique queen bee pheromone to enhance the poison reserves and recovery speed of bees in the swarm. As the level increases, the effect can reach a wider radius, and the poison reserves and recovery speed will increase.
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“…”
Seong-hyeok was momentarily speechless as he reviewed the Peridot Queen Bee’s information.
He had expected her to be superior to the 2-star Ruby Gem Queen Bee, given her 3-star+ grade from birth.
But when he lifted the lid, what was this?
This didn't just exceed his expectations; it blew past them and drilled straight to the planet's core.
Focused evolution of the stinger and poison sac organs.
Not only had she already completed two organ evolutions, but she also had three higher-tier eclosion paths, one of which was even an ‘Elite Bee.’
Furthermore, she had a pheromone skill that enhanced the amount of poison, the bees' only weapon. It was perfection, lacking nothing.
*Bzzzzzzzz?*
As Seong-hyeok’s hands trembled at this phenomenal information, the Peridot Queen Bee tilted her head as if to ask what was wrong.
To others, her appearance might be terrifying enough to make them flee in horror, but to Seong-hyeok, even that was just adorable.
“Long live the Queen!”
*Bzzzzzz- Bzzzzzz-!*
A green-hued queen bee had been added to Seong-hyeok’s farm.
Though her beginnings were humble, Seong-hyeok knew her end would be not just great but would lead to a tremendous increase in combat power. He cherished the new queen and cheered for her triumphantly.
* * * * *
The Peridot Queen Bee possessed powerful combat capabilities, with her poison-related organs having already evolved twice.
However, that didn't mean she only had advantages.
“...Looking at it this way, the difference in numbers is stark.”
Unlike the Ruby Gem Queen Bee, which laid six eggs per minute, the Peridot Queen Bee laid only one egg every two minutes.
A simple comparison showed a difference of more than tenfold, and the disparity in egg hatching speed and eclosion time was also significant.
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* Hatching Speed: 8 hours
* Eclosion Process: 18 hours
* Hatching Speed: 14 hours
* Eclosion Process: 33 hours 30 minutes
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Ruby Gem and Peridot.
With hatching and eclosion taking nearly twice as long, the speed at which their swarms gathered was vastly different. And, of course, a difference in swarm size meant a difference in the speed of honey collection.
[The Honeybee Guardian's class specialization, Guardian's Reliability, is activated.]
[Ruby Gem Queen Bee (★★)'s spawning speed is doubled.]
[Peridot Queen Bee (★★★+)'s spawning speed is doubled.]
* Guardian's Reliability: Spawning speed, hatching speed, and eclosion process of all affiliated queen bees are doubled, regardless of their location.
Of course, the effect of Seong-hyeok’s class specialization, Guardian's Reliability, which doubled the speed, was some consolation, but it also made the difference in numbers even more pronounced.
While 17,280 Ruby Gem bees were born each day, the Peridot Queen Bee could only produce a mere 1,440.
But did that mean the 3-star+ Peridot Queen Bee was weaker than the 2-star Ruby Gem Queen Bee?
If asked, one could confidently say the Peridot bees had the upper hand.
No matter how true it was that even the strongest can't withstand a swarm, the limitations of a ‘species’ clearly existed, just as a single giant hornet could slaughter hundreds of honeybees.
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[Ruby Gem Worker Bee (★)]
* Skills: Forage (Lv.3), Stinger (Lv.2), Flight (Lv.3)
* Honey Storage: 0 / 23
* Health: 45(+3) Mana: 15(+1)
* Attack: 4(+1) Defense: 2 Magic Resist: 2
[Peridot Worker Bee (★★)]
* Skills: Forage (Lv.3), Stinger (Lv.5), Flight (Lv.3)
* Honey Storage: 0 / 35
* Health: 120(+10) Mana: 35(+4)
* Attack: 23(+5) Defense: 5(+1) Magic Resist: 4(+1)
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The gap between the Ruby Gem and Peridot worker bees was immediately visible.
The lower spawning rate and longer birth cycle were offset by the Peridot bees' high attack power, which seemed to reflect their inherently aggressive nature.
Moreover, the Peridot Queen Bee had already secured higher-tier species through the evolution of her stinger and poison sac organs.
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[Peridot Indigo Poison Acidic Bee (★★+)]
* Skills: Forage (Lv.3), Stinger (Lv.6), Flight (Lv.4), Indigo Poison Acidic Sac (Lv.3)
* Honey Storage: 0 / 45
* Health: 150(+15) Mana: 305(+35)
* Attack: 34(+7) Defense: 10(+2) Magic Resist: 6(+1)
* Description: A ★★+ grade Peridot Indigo Poison Acidic Bee that inhabits the dimension 'Poisonlands of Graham.' It boasts considerable speed befitting its agile body and inflicts fatal damage on its target with the large amount of indigo poison acidic fluid stored in its poison sac.
※ This bee belongs to the swarm of an owned queen bee. Its stats are partially boosted according to the owner's level.
[Indigo Poison Acidic Sac (Lv.3)]
* Classification: Skill
* Mana Cost: All
* Effect (Passive): Reduces health by 3 per second for 1 minute. (Can be stacked infinitely)
* Description: Upon stinging, injects the entire contents of the indigo poison acidic fluid stored in the poison sac into the target. As the level increases, the poison's lethality increases.
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The first higher-tier species was the Indigo Poison Acidic Bee.
This individual’s higher attack power compared to a worker bee was one thing, but its skill was downright brutal.
An effect that reduced health by 3 per second for one minute might seem trivial at first glance.
But since there was no limit to how many times it could be stacked, the story would change if hundreds, or thousands, of them swarmed and injected their poison.
It wouldn't be 3 damage per second, but 300, or even 3,000—an absurd amount of damage that would drain away in a flash.
“Honestly, I hope I don’t have to fight if I can help it, but…”
Even after obtaining such powerful combat-oriented bees, Seong-hyeok had little desire to engage in battle.
The fate of a bee was to lose its life simply by using its stinger to protect its home.
Whether he liked it or not, a fight would inevitably result in significant losses for the bees.
That's why, if Seong-hyeok had his way, he would much rather just cultivate his farm and continue his beekeeping with his adorable bees.
“Still, it’s probably best to be as prepared as I can be.”
Well, Seong-hyeok himself knew best that things wouldn't go as he wished.
There was no guarantee that monsters like the Lich Belmorne, who had invaded before, wouldn't attack his farm again.
Fortunately, when it came to confronting such enemies, Seong-hyeok had another higher-tier Peridot bee in his arsenal.