Chapter 186
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 186
Chapter Title: The First Alliance
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Honeybee's military might and the overwhelming numbers of his bees.
And on top of it all, there was the political maneuvering of Jeongrichung, a master of public opinion.
Due to these factors, the fate of Russia—a land geographically part of Europe, but left masterless after its ruin by the dragon—was a foregone conclusion.
*Buzzzzzzz—*
*Buzzzzz—*
A legion of bees, exuding an incredible aura, blanketed the sky.
Most players were intimidated by the magnificent sight, but perhaps Europe's top rankers had to live up to their name.
“Th-They’re just bugs, at best!”
“Without Honeybee, we have a chance!”
“This is our land!”
They declared their intent to fight, dismissing the diminutive bees.
But their sky-high morale didn't last long.
*Bzzzzzzzz—!*
*Whiiir!*
*Fwoosh-fwoosh-fwoosh—!!!*
At the command of the ever-reliable legion commanders, the bees dove down in perfect unison, ramming into their foes.
Though the bees were small by any measure, their momentum was anything but ordinary, having grown strong and healthy on a constant diet of sweet, nourishing honey.
[The ‘Blessing of the Guardian’s Imperial Rubydot Beeswax Candle’ is applied to 3,924 allied entities within a 10m radius.]
[The ‘Blessing of the Guardian’s Eight-Hued Beeswax Candle’ is applied to 14,522 allied entities within a 30m radius.]
[The ‘Blessing of the Guardian’s Nine-Hued Beeswax Candle’ is applied to 18,102 allied entities within a 35m radius.]
…
Thanks to their abundant resources, they could use their beeswax candles without a second thought.
And besides that, didn't the bees also possess armor from reliable blacksmiths and experimental items from the Mad Inquirer?
*Thud! Thud! Craaash!*
Using the sky as their stage, the bees launched a ferocious assault.
Not only did they boast unwavering activity levels day and night, but their power surged even higher when darkness fell.
“A-Are those all really bees?”
“I-Insane… How are we supposed to win against that?”
“I must be losing my mind. Such beauty…”
A brilliant, nine-hued light glittered everywhere, like stars adorning the night sky.
Just as people, no matter how superhuman, are powerless before a natural disaster, the morale of those who witnessed this overwhelming spectacle couldn't possibly remain intact.
“I-I surrender. I give up, unconditionally!”
“There was no way we could win against Honeybee in the first place!”
“If I have to choose between land and honey, there’s only one answer.”
To stand against Honeybee.
It was a daunting prospect in terms of sheer power, but even more terrifying was the ban on processed honey products he had previously imposed on Europe.
The saying, "There are those who've never tried it, but none who've tried it only once," was bound to circulate, describing its sweet taste and astonishing effects.
The outcome was obvious when faced with the possibility of losing access to those processed honey products because of greed.
【Germany/Berial: You crazy bastards! Are you really going to hand over the land our comrades died to protect to a bunch of bugs? Are you kidding me!】
【Germany/Peak Technology: Get a grip, asshole. Since when was Russia our land? And if he halts sales of processed honey because of you, can you take responsibility for the damages?】
【UK/Prism: C’mon, he wouldn’t be petty enough to halt sales over something like this, would he?】
【Korea/Attention Seeker No.1: lol You still don’t know Honeybee. The first thing he did during the war with China was halt all sales.】
【Korea/Captain Kim Gi-chan: Selling supplies to an enemy nation during wartime isn't petty, it's common sense. It's a serious crime that could get you executed.】
The precedent set by the war with China raised the very real possibility of losing access to processed honey products.
This ignited a spark of hope among the many smaller European nations and those who had opposed the war from the start, shaping public opinion.
【France/White Will: Everyone, look! Look at the blood shed to claim this ownerless land! Look at the consequences of greed!】
【Germany/Vivace: We must correct this wrong path, even now!】
【UK/NiroWilde: Ceding the masterless land of Russia to Honeybee isn't just a loss for us! Look at Africa! Look how the land, settled by the bees under the 1st Authority, has been transformed!】
White Will and his allies seized the opportunity, launching a coordinated counter-offensive.
“Dammit! Where in the world did Lord Mosquito go!”
“To think we’d be beaten so helplessly.”
With nothing left to rally around, their defeat was total.
However, the future for those who had fanned the flames of war was anything but bright.
“You all went too far.”
“Kehahat! You love to fight so much. I’ll give you all the fighting you can handle!”
Cha Hye-rin and Murion, the king of the blue-antlered tribe, emerged from the shadows.
With each of them easily capable of taking on a hundred foes, their assassinations ensured that the European rankers who had clamored for war vanished without a trace that very day.
* * * * *
Considering the upcoming #Chapter update and the appearance of dragons and similar beings with weakened penalties, it would have been better to keep as many powerful individuals alive as possible to minimize bee casualties.
However, there are exceptions to every rule.
Seong-hyeok made sure not to spare a single one of the warmongers scattered across Europe, including Germany's Mosquito, the instigator of this war.
'Their existence is not a strength to humanity, but a cancer.'
They held the title of ranker, but their power did nothing to help humankind.
Even if the law of the jungle now ruled the world, they were beings blinded by greed, acting without a thought for the consequences.
Like the Chinese Emperor who had curried favor with the Transcendent Beings to accelerate his growth, they were nothing but pests gnawing away at humanity's future.
The disposal of these pests, unlike beneficial insects such as bees, was simple and straightforward.
【Silent Harvester: My side of the cleanup is done, Seong-hyeok. Give me the next target.】
【Honeybee: No, there are no more. You did well, Hye-rin. Tell Murion I’ve prepared cosmetics for you and a special royal jelly for him.】
【Silent Harvester: I’ll look forward to it.】
There was no method more suited for eliminating key figures than assassination.
And in this regard, didn't Seong-hyeok have a reliable ally in Cha Hye-rin?
“That takes care of the cancer for now.”
The extermination proceeded smoothly.
From punishing Mosquito, the source of the conflict, with Bee Shift…
It went without saying that this result wasn't achieved by Seong-hyeok's forces alone.
“Just like with Porr Leirenn last time. We are always grateful, Honeybee.”
“Not at all. I just did what needed to be done.”
France's White Will, Grush.
As the leader of the European Union, he possessed a vast intelligence network, one that was superior to Jeongrichung's, at least within Europe.
As the saying goes, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Their cooperation had been even more proactive than Seong-hyeok's.
But Seong-hyeok knew this wasn't a one-sided benefit.
'Judging by the public opinion reports from Jeongrichung, I’m basically their savior.'
Even within the same alliance, factions inevitably form.
Before Seong-hyeok intervened, Grush had been at a disadvantage, but now, all his problems were solved.
He'd essentially gotten everything he wanted without lifting a finger, so how could he not be pleased?
And his pleasure was matched by his generosity; Grush was no ungrateful miser.
“I don't know how I can ever repay this debt. If there is anything you desire, I will not spare any funds or manpower I can provide.”
The European Union.
A promise of unstinting support from France, one of its most powerful nations.
Of course, with over 20 billion in funds and a massive bee army, it wasn't of tremendous value to Seong-hyeok, but the important thing was that this was not a deal between 'individuals.'
This was about establishing a good relationship with the residents of Seong-hyeok's beekeeping farm and, beyond that, with the Republic of Korea.
It was the construction of a kind of alliance.
“As with Porr Leirenn, I swear that my 9th Authority Territory—no, France—will do its utmost to assist you should you ever face danger.”
Moreover, Grush was in a different league from your average, unknown ranker.
He was a top-tier ranker, holding the 9th position in the world.
“The pleasure is all mine.”
A contract sealed with a handshake, born from a mutual understanding of shared benefits.
But in this bizarre new world, it wouldn't end with a mere verbal agreement.
[You have met the conditions to form an alliance. -> A Pledge Between Territory Owners]
[Will you consent to an alliance between the 1st Territory and the 9th Territory? YES / NO]
※ Various benefits will be granted to allied regions, along with corresponding restrictions and penalties.
※ This contract can only be formed with the consent of owners holding the Authority of two or more territories. Once made, the contract is absolute until broken.
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[Alliance Benefits] - These effects apply only to members within the currently allied 1st and 9th Territories. The effects will be enhanced as the alliance expands.
※ When allied members form a party, they will receive an experience bonus.
※ A dedicated auction house for the alliance will be opened. This auction house is only accessible to allied members, and unlike the general auction house, the transaction fee is only 10%.
※ Increases the spawn rate of elite and field boss monsters within the territories. (This function can be toggled on and off, but changes can only be made with the consent of the highest-ranking territory administrator (1st Authority).)
※ If members of the alliance kill each other, they will become villains regardless of the reason. However, this does not apply if the act was in self-defense.
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The 1st Authority and the 9th Authority, respectively.
This was their own Hidden Piece, a system that applied only to them as administrators of their territories.
This was not just about sharing benefits through words.
The weight of receiving benefits from the system itself was by no means light.
Weren't the immediately visible benefits proof enough?
“…This is.”
“It’s more than I ever imagined.”
Above all, the ability to artificially control experience gain and the spawn rate of powerful monsters.
The changes this would bring were beyond question.
Leveling up was essential for any player.
It meant increased stats and the acquisition of skills.
Securing both would maximize humanity's survival rate!
The same was true for the dedicated alliance auction house.
The massive 20% fee at the auction house was a pressure, big or small, on everyone.
Reducing it to 10% was an enormous advantage for the strong and weak alike.
But the penalties that came with these benefits were by no means small.
※ If members of the alliance kill each other, they will become villains regardless of the reason. However, this does not apply if the act was in self-defense.
If Grush were to betray him, Seong-hyeok would be branded a villain, whether he liked it or not.
Until recently, he would have had to trust the bees' collective intelligence or his own intuition, but now, Seong-hyeok had no need for that.
※ Eye of Truth (Passive): Determines whether a target is speaking the truth or a lie, and reveals hidden elements in items or special objects.
The Eye of Truth, one of the powers granted by a Transcendent Being.
Using it, he saw through Grush's intentions as if he were laying them bare.
A smile crept onto Seong-hyeok's lips.
“Let’s work well together as allies from now on.”
And so, the first system-recognized alliance on Earth was forged.