Chapter 161
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 161
Chapter Title: A Kindred Spirit
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Their names alone were a far cry from Korean.
Three Westerners.
The reason they'd come to the apiary was just as Seong-hyeok had expected.
“A life in this world. We wish to spend it with you and your people, permanently.”
So they had come seeking to become residents.
Of course, having two level 58 players and one level 60 player join them would be a massive boost to the farm's strength.
But simply recruiting them because they were strong wasn't necessarily the best approach.
Just as the saying goes, an enemy within can be more fearsome than an enemy without.
If they turned hostile, their power would make them quite a headache.
However, Seong-hyeok had a way to deal with that.
“Please wait there for a moment. This will only take a second.”
“We will gladly oblige.”
*Bzzzz~*
*Bzzzzzzzz~*
At Seong-hyeok's call, a small swarm of bees stopped their work and approached.
The bees then began to frisk them, so to speak.
They flew around the Westerners, gauging their ‘goodwill’ and ‘hostility’.
*'No hostility.'*
The instinct of the bees, united by their hive mind.
For now, there was no sign they intended to betray Seong-hyeok, let alone the bees.
But that didn't mean their goodwill was 100% pure, either.
*Bzz- Bzzbzzbzz-*
*Bzzzzzzzzz---*
As if sensing an unsettling current, the bees nervously clung close to Seong-hyeok.
Through the Bee-Link, their feelings were transmitted directly to him.
*'…What is this?'*
Their intention felt neither hostile nor friendly toward the bees, but rather carried a familiar energy.
But the answer to his curiosity didn't take long to arrive.
“Well now. My apologies. If one wishes to become a resident, one must pay a fitting price. Allow me to show you the cards I'm holding.”
The white-haired old man stroked his rather long beard and let out a hearty laugh.
Mark Thomas, level 60 and seemingly the leader of the Westerners, acted as if he had no ulterior motives whatsoever.
Raising both hands, he approached Seong-hyeok and took a simple action.
[Player Mark Thomas (Crazy Science) is revealing his Job Specialization.]
In this topsy-turvy world, it was everything.
The revealing of one's job, an act that could even expose one's weaknesses.
The old man's nickname.
Crazy Science said it all.
Seong-hyeok realized what emotion he was directing at the bees.
*'The thirst for inquiry.'*
How could he ever forget it?
It was the very emotion that had defined his own life, the one he had dedicated to his 24 years of living solely for bees.
The old man's job was quite familiar to Seong-hyeok.
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[Job Specialization - Mad Inquirer]
* Insane Thirst for Inquiry: When engrossed in the study of something, concentration temporarily increases significantly. To an insane degree.
* Awesome Inventions: Grants a bonus upon successful crafting.
* The Inquirer: Gain a large amount of experience when attempting to craft, regardless of success or failure.
* Power of the Inquirer: Gain stat points upon successfully researching and crafting an item for the first time. The amount of stats gained is determined by the grade of the completed item. (Creations to date: 1,328 -> Accumulated Stat Increase: 2,654)
* ???
______________________________
Mad Inquirer.
It was a 5-star unique job, one that could be called another of Seong-hyeok's karmic destinies.
* * * * *
Seong-hyeok and Mark Thomas.
From race to age,
and even the environments they had lived in, they were different, yet they shared one thing in common.
The karmic fate of becoming fixated on one thing and delving into it to the point of madness.
Was it because of this?
“I've had a fine time observing your work. From the elixirs that invigorate even this old body to the chemical bombs. It was a truly spectacular and magnificent sight.”
Thomas drew closer, speaking as if they were already old friends.
There was a good reason why he spoke with such deep impression, as if he had witnessed the bombing with his own eyes.
[The Transcendent Being, Gaze of the Mad Inquirer Bo, gives an awkward cough.]
The Gaze of Bo, one of the Transcendent Beings who had, it was no exaggeration to say, spent a great deal of time with Seong-hyeok.
Mark Thomas was none other than the one who had formed an Incarnation Contract with that very same Gaze of Bo.
Since he'd already revealed his job, there was no need to hide his Transcendent Being.
Besides, the fact that he was the incarnation of the Gaze of Bo was a welcome development for Seong-hyeok.
“It's a bit disappointing sometimes, you know. Seeing my contracted Transcendent abandon me to go watch you whenever you get absorbed in your research.”
[The Transcendent Being, Gaze of the Mad Inquirer Bo, says your creations lack charm and are too much like yourself.]
He couldn't be trusted 100%, but among the Transcendent Beings, Bo was an ardent supporter who had often taken his side and provided substantial sponsorship.
He was far from being an enemy in the first place.
Especially when considering the influence of incarnations like Yeon Su-hee, the Master of the World Tree, and Kang Yeon-ah of the Large-Scale Dimensional Tunnel, they were on a completely different level from ordinary players.
“My friend. Would you be able to allocate an area here for us?”
“B-Be my guest.”
Their relationship had suddenly broken through the wall of age and been elevated to friendship.
Well, that aside, the truly important matter came next.
*'Come to think of it, why is he empty-handed?'*
Setting aside the jobs of his assistants, Jack Malone and Rachel, the Mad Inquirer was clearly a production class.
His job specialization alone showed that he had completed over a thousand inventions.
But through what happened next, Seong-hyeok learned the reason why Thomas was wearing nothing but his clothes.
*Click- Shhhhhhhhhh-*
With a peculiar sound, a single item was placed on the ground.
Like a sponge soaking up water, it instantly expanded into a massive structure—the Mad Inquirer's laboratory.
“Friend. Come on in. I have plenty of inventions your little friends might be able to handle.”
His joining would stir up quite a storm for the bees.
* * * * *
[Field Boss Monster 'Great Swamp Warrior Haruk Lv. 49 (★★★★★+)' and its minions have appeared.]
[Swamp Lizardman Lv. 40 (★★★★+)] - Elite Monster
[Field Boss Monster 'Red-Faced Cyclops Riverpum Lv. 51 (★★★★★+)' has appeared.]
...
Due to the World Tree's third growth, monsters began appearing faster and stronger than ever.
Was it the influence of holding such a priceless treasure?
“Krrk, krrrk!”
“Kwooooooar-!!!”
Normally, monsters of different species would have fought amongst themselves.
But the lizardman horde and the cyclops,
along with other monsters, had formed a single team here, charging toward the apiary where the World Tree and the Wild Hive were located.
Dozens of field boss monsters and hundreds of elite monsters.
On top of that, a human-wave attack by a countless number of other monsters.
It was a truly terrifying wave of monsters, but to the residents watching, it was almost laughable.
“Whew, another huge swarm.”
“Perfect for a warm-up.”
“Compared to the Monster Gate, this is a piece of cake.”
“If you have the energy to talk nonsense, put it into the fight. If you let your guard down and die, I'll chase you to hell and sting you myself.”
“Haha. Don't you worry, Captain.”
It was a scene that had become all too familiar.
Of course, the monsters, strengthened by the World Tree's third growth, were something to be wary of, but were they the only ones who had grown stronger?
[Go Dal-su Lv. 60 (Not a Villain)]
[Han Jong-su Lv. 59 (Not a Villain)]
Go Dal-su and Han Jong-su, who had once vied for the 1st and 2nd spots in Korea's official rankings.
Well, their rankings had long since been pushed down by Honeybee's existence, but the levels of these two veterans, who had been through thick and thin, were certainly nothing to scoff at compared to the monsters.
[Baek Seol-hyeon Lv. 51 (Not a Villain)]
...
The other residents were in a similar state.
And was that all?
*Bzzzz~*
*Bzzzzzzzz~*
The bee legion, appearing anytime, anywhere, the moment the apiary detected danger.
Anyone who underestimated them based on their tiny little bodies was in for a rude awakening.
*BZZZZZZ-!!!*
The majesty of the bee legion, far outnumbering the swarming monsters.
Moreover, the bees no longer had just Bee Armor.
*Bzzzzzzzz~*
The blacksmiths had only focused on attack and defense power.
But the power of the Mad Inquirer, added to their midst, was beyond imagination.
*Tick, tick- Fwoosh! KABOOOOM-!*
A deafening roar, like a bomb exploding.
But what was dishing out damage amidst the chaos was not an 'explosion'.
______________________________
[Madman's Rocket Booster (★★★+)]
※ Caution! Due to its minuscule size, control-related systems are not applicable.
* Classification: Weapon, Armor
* Attack Power +130(+35), Defense, Magic Resistance +95(+20)
※ Rocket Acceleration: Accelerates at an explosive speed for 1 minute. The effect is amplified the faster the wearer's movement speed. (Cooldown: 5 minutes)
※ Barrier: Absorbs 1,000 damage. However, if the barrier is destroyed, it requires recharging. (Cooldown: 30 minutes)
* Description: A ★★★+ grade rocket booster engraved with the 'Madman' keyword. It has been custom-made in a mini size and flies at incredible speeds when activated. A barrier serves as a safety device to protect the wearer.
______________________________
*Shhhhiiiing- Slice- slish-slice-slice-!!!*
The rocket booster, personally custom-made by Thomas to fit the bees' bodies.
Ssing-ssing-i's Eight-Swords Style, brandished using the acceleration from the explosions, was practically an aerial grinder.
And for a Mad Inquirer who had completed over a thousand inventions, this was not the only thing that could help the bees.
*(I made this with the bees' greatest strength, their hive mind, as a reference. I hope you like it.)*
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[Madman's Chain Link (★★★)]
※ Caution! Due to its minuscule size, control-related systems are not applicable.
※ This equipment can be worn by up to 50 individuals.
* Classification: Weapon, Armor
* Per Individual: Attack Power +3(+1), Defense, Magic Resistance +5(+1)
※ Chain Formation: Maximizes attack and defense capabilities depending on the stance taken.
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The Madman's Chain Link, an item Thomas had handed over with a laugh.
If Ssing-ssing-i's rocket booster boasted overwhelming attack power, this item enhanced the versatility of the worker bees.
*Clank- Clank-clank- Thunk!*
The bees, now bound together at specific intervals.
“Kyaaaaak!”
Against the ensuing monster attack, the worker bees clustered together without any signal, forming the shape of a shield.
[Chain Formation, Shield, is now active.]
[Defense is increased by 150% for 10 seconds.]
It was similar to how they had once formed a bait ball like a school of sardines, but this time it didn't lead to a drop in morale.
Instead, they could now effectively utilize it for defense.
After a successful defense, what came next was obvious, wasn't it?
*Bzzzzzzing!*
[Chain Formation, Sword, is now active.]
[Attack Power is increased by 80% for 5 seconds.]
The monsters' formation crumbled under the barrage of attacks that poured out after the defense.
“Ha, hahahat. Things are getting more and more reliable.”
“I'll second that.”
“Alright, let's finish off our share!”
The addition of the Mad Inquirer was like gaining a one-man army.
He was only one man, but the changes he brought to the bees were just getting started.