Chapter 176
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 176
Chapter Title: A New Farm in Africa
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The territory defined by the Power of One was limited to a radius of 1,000 kilometers.
It was an overwhelming size, encompassing all of South Korea and even extending overseas, rivaling the range of the Third-Divinity World Tree.
Yet, even a territory that vast couldn't help but feel small before the African continent.
At best, it could influence one country. If strategically placed, perhaps two or three at most.
But Seong-hyeok thought differently.
Just like his beekeeping farm in Korea, the true heart of this new branch was never about the range of the territory.
Bzzzz~
Bzzzzzzzz~
“Yes, I’m thinking the same thing you are.”
Even now, bees that had embarked on long journeys in search of flowers were returning to Seong-hyeok, wiggling their behinds.
Their wings were a symbol of freedom, and the same was true for the bees that spawned within the territory, a product of the Honeybee Guardian's title.
Whoooosh-
[Activating the Power of One.]
[A territory of One has been designated in a 1,000 km radius around the user.]
[Monster Marks are now available. Current uses remaining: 30 / 30]
[Due to the effect of the Honeybee Guardian title, bees will now begin to spawn within the territory.]
As he used the power, the great African land began to tremble.
The conditions Seong-hyeok had proposed to the numerous African nations to accept his beekeeping farm were, in fact, half-true and half-false.
What did that mean?
Bzz~ Bzzzzzz~
Bzzzzzzzz~
Swarms of countless bees began to spawn throughout the 1,000-kilometer territory.
As mentioned before, they spread their delicate yet vibrant wings of freedom, flying not only within the territory but also pushing far beyond its borders.
The bees acted as if nothing could ever hold them back.
As bees who lived and died for flowers, it was obvious what their first target would be.
Shhhhh-
Like avatars of tenacious life with a long history, flowers bloomed, stubbornly existing even in this chaotic world.
They were the bees' target.
Vrrrrrr-
Foraging for nectar was a perfectly natural part of a bee's life.
Though born in a different dimension, once a bee, always a bee. The little creatures buried themselves in the flowers, wiggling their plump behinds as they reveled in the floral scents.
Swoosh-
Bzzzzzzzz~
Was their greed insatiable, even with their mouths full of nectar?
Using sight, smell, and even the pheromones they emitted to communicate, the swarms of bees sought out more flowers.
To an uninformed observer, they might have looked like plunderers sucking the flowers dry, but that was far from the truth.
Bzzzz-bzzzz-!!!
With their bodies covered in pollen, the bees' true purpose was revealed when they buried their heads and bodies into other flowers.
[The bees' pollination is in progress.]
[The growth rate and nutritional value of pollinated flowers and crops will increase significantly.]
Shedding their plunderer's guise, the bees became matchmakers for the flowers, bringing stamen and pistil together.
One might wonder what use there was in increasing a few flowers in the vastness of nature, but one thing should not be forgotten.
The phrase, now practically the bees' motto: "Though your beginning was small, your latter end will be very great."
As if they understood this, the bees' activity quickened.
Bzz~ Bzzzzzzzz~
Only a small number of flowers had survived in Africa.
But the changes brought about by the bees—helping them bear seeds by matchmaking pistil and stamen, and breathing new life into them—were slow but substantial.
[A cluster of flowers has been discovered.]
[A cluster of flowers has been discovered.]
[A cluster of flowers has been discovered.]
…
Not even a full day had passed since the territory was established, yet notifications from the scout bees were already pouring in.
What could this signify?
“I knew I could count on you, my little friends!”
Perhaps influenced by the game-like elements of this world, the number of flowers increased in the blink of an eye.
[The Bee Leader ‘Tetrok Queen Bee (★★★+)’ and her Tetrok bees have appeared.]
[The elite bee ‘Tetrok Steel Legion Commander Bee (★★★)’ has appeared.]
[A swarm of ‘Tetrok Worker Bees (★★)’ has appeared.]
…
On top of that, new queens began to appear, just as he had anticipated.
Bzzzzzz~
Seong-hyeok's second beekeeping farm, a new branch spreading across the dimensions, was now on the fast track to success, thanks to the countless bee swarms that had heard of this new hot spot and come to set up shop.
* * * * *
Humans had gained superhuman strength by acquiring levels and classes.
However, they weren't the only ones to receive such benefits.
“Grrrrrr!”
“Keeek! Kee-eek!”
The various animals and insects that had always inhabited Africa's jungles and savannas—from powerful carnivores like lions and crocodiles to herbivores like elephants and zebras—had also grown stronger.
Having survived in a world of eat-or-be-eaten, they achieved high levels amidst the competition with humans and monsters, forming societies of their own.
But that didn't mean the humans of Africa had been pushed aside by the animals.
There was a reason humans reigned as the most adaptable species, the lords of all creation.
They lacked the sharp teeth and claws of a predator or the swift feet of a zebra or gazelle, but the indigenous people of Africa possessed the collective strength to survive in the jungle, as well as the wisdom to use it.
Moreover, living in a place like Africa, they had even acquired their own unique boons.
“One drop of this will knock out an elephant.”
“Thank you as always, old man Kong.”
From those with unique classes that allowed them to concoct even more potent poisons from the venom of powerful snakes and frogs native to Africa, to others...
“Uuuuuuh-!!!”
“Graaaawr!”
“Prrooooooo~”
“Well done, Toki.”
“You worked hard on the hunt.”
There were even those with the Tamer class who raised powerful animals like gorillas, lions, and elephants.
The humans of Africa had survived in the jungles and grasslands through various means, but they weren't without their own problems.
“Ugh! R-run!”
“Dammit. Menous. What are we supposed to do about that thing?!”
“I heard it succeeded in breeding recently. All of Menous's offspring are elites. Same-level opponents don't stand a chance.”
Does a powerful presence always make itself known?
Named creatures, the best of the best, had grown strong by hunting large numbers of monsters, animals, and humans in the jungles and savannas.
Beasts like Menous, the giant hippo, and Nellop, the hyena that devoured everything in sight, were continuously expanding their territories and displaying aggression towards humans.
In truth, coexistence was likely impossible.
In the current world, respawning monsters were both a crisis and an opportunity to gain experience and loot.
Why would they look kindly upon competitors who reduced their share, even if monsters spawned in large numbers?
“Kuaaang- Ggu-eong!”
“You damn bastards!”
Their encounters always resulted in bloodshed, a relationship where they desperately tried to avoid each other.
But unexpectedly, shattering that terrible relationship turned out to be quite simple.
Rumbbbble---
“…Huh? Wh-what is this?!”
“Gueooong?”
The ground shook as if an earthquake had struck.
For a moment, they thought a natural disaster had hit, but this was no quake caused by nature.
“Chik! Chijijik!”
“Kieeeek! Kieeeeeeek!”
“Ggu, ggueooooh!”
“Good heavens!”
What emerged from the cracked earth were what seemed to be thousands of moles and hundreds of Venus flytraps.
And if that were all, it would have been manageable.
But as if backed by some formidable patron, they were clad from head to toe in shimmering armor, their claws perfectly optimized for digging.
Before seeing them, one would never have believed they were moles based on their gear alone.
However, the humans and the giant hippo couldn't remain stunned for long.
Because…
“Chik! Chik-chik!”
“Kyaaaaaaak!”
The moles charged forward, led by giant earthworms and Venus flytraps.
Or more precisely, before Digking Mollin and Predatory Flytrap Kazax, their opponents were easily subdued without even putting up a proper fight.
* * * * *
Losses were inevitable, whether in migratory or stationary beekeeping.
Knowing the value of his bees better than anyone, Seong-hyeok hadn't come to Africa empty-handed when starting his second farm.
“Protectors are always necessary.”
His main base in Korea was already reasonably secure, thanks to its various residents and bees.
That allowed Seong-hyeok to find adaptable units to bring with him, and his choice fell upon one of the best combinations: the Digs and the Venus flytraps.
Rumb-b-b-ble---
The rumbling of the earth continued.
Seong-hyeok knew exactly what it was.
“Those Digs. They're really having a field day.”
They were mercenaries deployed to ensure the survival of the bees, the future heart of his second farm.
At the farm where the World Tree was located, they couldn't quite assert themselves due to the presence of other powerful forest races like the High Elves and the Blue Antler Tribe, but here, it was a different story.
With the Venus flytraps on their backs, the Digs had become the apex predators of this region.
And armed to the teeth with weapons from the blacksmiths and inventions from the Mad Inquirer, how could they not be?
“Still, I asked them to minimize casualties, so they'll protect the others, right?”
Survival of the fittest.
While the strong taking everything was one way to do things, Seong-hyeok's approach wasn't that of a plunderer.
Just like his bees, who lived in harmony with nature, Seong-hyeok hoped to live without bloodshed among the people and wildlife of Africa, especially since his territory had been welcomed.
Furthermore, to smoothly fend off the upcoming #chapter updates and ???-grade monsters, it was wise to keep potential assets—both players and animals—alive.
Indeed, unlike in Korea, where most animals failed to survive against monsters and humans, Africa still teemed with diverse fauna.
In environments like the jungle and savanna, there were plenty of creatures Seong-hyeok had never seen before.
“New types always bring unique benefits.”
Just as having a player with a unique class like the Mad Inquirer had an enormous impact, there were bound to be many animals with their own distinct, unique classes.
* Effect: You will have a friendly relationship with all forest species, including fairies. As long as you do not attack first, they will trust you.
Besides, Seong-hyeok and ten others possessed the "Friend of the Fairies" title, which ensured the best possible friendly relations with forest species, didn't they?
Whether it would apply to the animals of Africa was uncertain, but it was better than nothing.
“…Alright, time for me to get back to my real job.”
Although Seong-hyeok now had massive shelters and territories in both Asia and Africa, as a bee lover and beekeeper to his core, he felt an itch in his hands and returned to Korea.