Chapter 177
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 177
Chapter Title: Friend of the Bats
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Bzzzz~
Buzzzzzzzz~
“Haha, that’s right, little ones. Did you miss your daddy that much?”
Buzz, buzz~
It hadn’t been long since he’d left for Africa to expand his multi-base, but the bees immediately started rubbing against Seong-hyeok as if overjoyed to see him.
And true to their adorable appearance, the affectionate creatures had prepared more than just a warm welcome.
[Honey is ready for harvest!]
[Honey is ready for harvest!]
[Honey is ready for harvest!]
…….
This wasn’t just from the bees being born right now, but from the entire, countless legion of bees currently at the apiary.
The amount of honey that filled the hives with each round trip was already substantial, but did the bees ever rest after just one journey?
Bzz~ Bzzzzzz~
Whirr~ Whoosh~
As if diligence had been injected into their very beings.
The swarm of bees made several round trips a day at a minimum, sometimes even double digits, lost in their workaholic frenzy.
How could he not break into a wide smile at the sight of these admirable creatures?
“You guys are the reason I love my life, really.”
A fatherly smile spread across his lips.
With that, Seong-hyeok rolled up his sleeves and prepared to get to work.
“I'm always grateful, everyone.”
Was it true that even the most difficult and arduous tasks become easier when done together?
As the bees buzzed around the hives, he scooped out the honey that filled them to the brim. Now, with a skill level of 77.
The honey extraction process, carried out flawlessly using his Godly Beekeeping skill, which boasted his highest skill level.
The sweet aroma of honey mixed with the fragrance of acacia and various other flowers was so strong it seemed to seep into his very being!
Moreover, this fragrance wasn't just spreading during the extraction process.
Bzzzzzz~
Bzzzz~
The sight of the bees returning home, their bodies covered in clumps of pollen.
They regurgitated the honey they had collected inside the hive and set off on their journey once more.
Even during these round trips, the fragrance spread in all directions.
“It feels like I'm drunk on flower scents 365 days a year.”
“Hahaha! The scent is so nice, you don't even need to bathe.”
“Mister, you should still wash up! We built the facilities for a reason, you're being gross!”
Regardless of the season, a collaboration of flower and honey scents spread out from the apiary.
The synergy of the two scents created a vibrant atmosphere nearby, filled with laughter, and Seong-hyeok was just as happy to see the residents pleased.
Buzzzzzzzz~
All of this was, without a doubt, a miracle brought about by the bees.
Furthermore, in this bizarre world.
Did the game's system itself know how precious these bees were?
“Things have definitely gotten a lot better since the Landmark.”
As if by design, starting with the Land of Milk and Honey, various Hidden Pieces had appeared, providing immense help to the bees.
Among them, the Bee Landmark he had recently acquired through the effects of his bee rental business brought benefits beyond imagination.
* Effect - Land of Bees (Passive): During pollination, the nectar held within becomes richer, and the fragrance of the flower is captured more than twofold.
* Effect - Power of Flowers (Passive): For each flower within the effective range, the bees' attack power and defensive capabilities increase by 1%. (Stacks up to a maximum of 30%)
The effects were incredible just by reading them.
But they were even more potent when experienced firsthand.
“Both are formidable effects.”
The Land of Bees made the flowers, the bees' food source, even more delicious.
Thanks to this, Seong-hyeok could ensure the full essence of acacia, Korea's representative floral honey, was perfectly infused, and the resulting cycle didn't end there.
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[Guardian's Ruby Gem Acacia Honey Tea (★★★+)]
* Classification: Consumable
* Upon consumption, restores 750 (+100) Health and Mana over 30 seconds along with a feeling of satiety. Additionally, grants immunity to cold for 60 minutes and imbues you with the scent of acacia.
※ Scent of Acacia: Grants complete immunity to all types of infectious diseases and increases movement speed by 30%. A faint trace of this effect is left behind, allowing it to be shared.
[Guardian's Peridot Acacia Honey Soap (★★★+)]
* Classification: Consumable
* Applies 'Acacia Honey Hygiene' to the user, along with a sweet fragrance.
※ Acacia Honey Hygiene: Grants immunity to the effects of ★★★+ grade poison for 180 minutes and increases all stats by 2. (Durability -1, Cooldown 180 minutes)
* Durability: 30 (+8) / 30 (+8) - Cannot be repaired.
[Guardian's…….
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Seong-hyeok's crafting skills were second to none when it came to bee-related items.
The various processed goods born from his craft, including the honey tea and honey soap.
Regardless of the type, they all boasted outstanding options and exuded the uniquely fresh and lively scent of floral honey.
“With this, washing up is no problem.”
The honey soap, in particular, sold out the moment it was listed on the Exchange, thanks to its considerable sweetness and the cost-effectiveness of being usable 30 times!
He was already satisfied with having established a reliable pillar for his finances, but the Landmark's effects brought more than just monetary gain.
“Of course. Is there anything more blissful than not hearing the death notification for my bees?”
Not a single bee had been sacrificed since the dragon subjugation.
The secret to their survivability involved various factors, such as the increased number of residents and superior equipment.
But the simplest and most significant reason was the 'Power of Flowers'.
For each flower near a bee, its attack and defense increased by 1%.
An option that boasted absurd efficiency, stacking up to a maximum of 30%.
While it might not be very useful in an area with few flowers, it was unparalleled at the apiary.
“This is their home ground.”
A feast of robustly growing flower clusters bloomed in every direction.
This place was the bees' own domain, where they could always operate at maximum effectiveness.
“Phew, does that take care of the backlog for now?”
He had harvested all the honey the bees had worked so hard to fill the hives with.
All that was left was to create processed goods to list on the Exchange and develop new products by combining various processing methods.
A task he would proceed with, beaming with excitement about what to make.
However, something stopped Seong-hyeok in his tracks.
[Monster detected!]
[Monster detected!]
[Monster detected!]
…….
“…Are those bats?”
Africa, a land that was now a haven for not only the bees nesting there, but also for various plants, animals, and players.
Was that why?
Chirrrrr-
The sight of fruit bats flying amicably alongside the bees, dealing with monsters as if they were cooperating.
The reason the fruit bats were able to form this rarely seen symbiotic relationship with the bees was simple.
Flap, flap—whirrrr—
Crunch, crunch—sluuuuurp—
The plump, sweet fruits that formed after the bees naturally pollinated the flowers while collecting nectar.
The fruit bats were the ones devouring them.
Chirrr- Chiiiiii-!!!
As if they had never tasted anything so delicious.
A multitude of bats cried out with mournful chirps as they relentlessly stuffed fruit into their mouths.
Unlike the bees controlled by Seong-hyeok, the reason such a large number of these creatures had gathered was, in hindsight, simple.
[Player detected!]
The belated notification of a player's discovery was accompanied by the sight of a small child standing beneath the bats.
“Hmm? This doesn't seem half bad.”
The second apiary.
Under the surveillance of the scout bees, which served to both patrol the territory and screen for talent, he had hooked a promising one.
* * * * *
A 5-star unique class, Friend of the Bats.
With the advent of this bizarre world, the reason Jjiru had accumulated the karma to receive this class was simple.
For some reason, the young child had been abandoned in a cave since birth and survived alone.
He grew up knowing the bats he first encountered there as his parents and siblings, and as a result, he accepted the class through karma higher than anyone else's.
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[Class Specialization - Friend of the Bats]
* Friend of Bats: Increases affinity with all species of bats from all dimensions by 100%.
* Ultrasound Amplification: Triples the ultrasound efficiency of allied bats within a 10km radius.
* Gigantification Bat: Bats taken as familiars will gradually grow in size each time they consume high-quality prey.
* Solidarity with Friends: The Friend's stats increase according to the number and level of bats within a 388km radius. However, this effect is halved if the bats die or move farther away.
* Bat Soul Cave: Can store 13,800 bats. (Storage capacity increases with level)
* ???
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The various benefits befitting a rarely seen 5-star unique class.
Jjiru used this to increase his own survival rate, as well as that of his bats.
“Chirrr~ Chiruru~”
Fwump-fwump-fwump-
Countless bats gathered at Jjiru's cry, which sounded like an emission of ultrasound.
Among them were not only fruit bats, whose main diet was fruit, but also carnivorous and blood-sucking types.
Some that would even attack bees.
Countless species gathered, but none of them laid a finger on the bees.
“Chirururururu!”
Jjiru's command, which controlled all the bats.
Before this absolute power, the omnivorous and carnivorous bats obeyed Jjiru's words without so much as gulping.
“Chiruru.”
To Jjiru, the bees were like saviors who had saved the lives of the dying fruit bats.
He believed he was keeping the bees alive for his own use.
But could Jjiru have ever imagined?
The swarm of bees flying leisurely amidst the bats that could have eaten them.
Their confidence stemmed not only from their relatively large numbers; they weren't relying solely on numerical superiority.
Buzzzzzzzz-
Buzzzzz~
Ssing-ssing-i, boasting four pairs of eight-bladed wings, flew in as if showing off a rocket booster.
The reason it broke through the bats' encirclement in the blink of an eye to arrive before Jjiru was obvious.
Tsssss-
Vwooom-
If Jjiru was the master of the bats, then Seong-hyeok was the master of the bees.
Chirurururu!
Shaaaaaa!
At Seong-hyeok's surprise appearance—having used the Bee Teleportation he'd left in Africa for emergencies—the bats swarmed him like a mountain, but no matter what they did, they were no match for him.
It wasn't something to brag about, but he was the man who had taken down three dragons.
To someone like him, the bats' ultrasound and physical attacks were child's play.
Shushushuk-
Pukpukpukpuk!
A barrage of Bee Sting Acupuncture spread in all directions.
“Ch-Chirurururu!!!”
Was he distressed by the sight of the bats falling one by one, pierced by needles the size of his forearm?
Or did he instinctively realize he was outmatched?
With a quick decision, he called back the bats and approached Seong-hyeok.
Seeing the boy's large eyes welling up with tears, perhaps saddened by the death of his bats, Seong-hyeok felt as if he were looking at a kindred spirit, and the corners of his mouth lifted.
“Don't worry. No one died. In fact, after a good long nap, they'll wake up with even more energy.”
“…Ch-Chiruu?”
“Umm… You understood that, right?”
The language barrier, one of the greatest benefits of this bizarre world.
But perhaps because it was never a human language to begin with, just sounds like ‘Chiru, Chiruu’?
The boy’s language wasn’t being translated at all.
However, that wasn't much of an obstacle for Seong-hyeok.
“Well, I'll just have to adapt somehow.”
Seong-hyeok was already one with the bees, his body capable of communicating through body language.
“Let's have a quiet chat. Little friend.”
As they say, an eye for an eye, and a weirdo for a weirdo.