Chapter 25
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: A New Commander
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Bzzzz— Bzzzz—
Buzzzzzzzzz—
Amidst the usual, unchanging atmosphere, Seong-hyeok’s bee farm was filled with diligently flying honeybees.
His eyes curved into crescents as he collected honey and venom from the ever-increasing hives and glass plates.
“Oh, my beautiful babies. You all make life worth living.”
The plump, adorable honeybees.
But these cute little creatures weren't just charming in appearance; the notifications constantly tickling Seong-hyeok's ears proved it.
[Ruby Gem Worker Bee (★★) has collected honey. Current honey status: 30.678%]
[Ruby Gem Worker Bee (★★) has collected honey. Current honey status: 30.700%]
[Ruby Gem Honey Pot Bee (★★+) has collected honey. Current honey status: 30.854%]
[Peridot Ramdok Acidic Fluid Bee (★★+) has collected honey. Current honey status: 16.643%]
[Peridot Cheonramdok Legion Commander Bee (★★★) has collected honey. Current honey status: 17.886%]
······.
Whether they were worker bees, advanced species, or elite bees, they all diligently gathered nectar from flowers and brought it back to the hive without discrimination.
[Ruby Gem Bee Larva Pupa (★★-) has completed the eclosion process.]
[A Ruby Gem Worker Bee (★★) has been added to the Ruby Gem Queen Bee's (★★★+) swarm.]
[Ruby Gem Bee Larva Pupa (★★-) has completed the eclosion process.]
[A Ruby Gem Honey Pot Bee (★★+) has been added to the Ruby Gem Queen Bee's (★★★+) swarm.]
[Peridot Bee Larva Pupa (★★-) has completed the eclosion process.]
[A Peridot Ramdok Self-Destruct Bee (★★+) has been added to the Peridot Queen Bee's (★★★+) swarm.]
······.
The queen bees tirelessly consumed royal jelly inside the hives and continued to lay eggs.
Hives that Seong-hyeok had meticulously crafted using his ‘Guardian’s Hive Creation’ skill.
Within the densely packed holes, the eggs and larvae painstakingly laid by the queen wriggled about, becoming pupae and then being reborn as diligent honeybees through the process of eclosion.
Bzzz— Bzzzz—
Buzzzzzzzzz—!
“How could anyone not find these little guys adorable?”
Perhaps it was the effect of his class specialization, ‘Beloved by Bees,’ but the bees had become particularly affectionate toward Seong-hyeok.
However, true to their diligent and group-oriented nature, their playful hovering around him was only momentary.
Soon, they would show off their stunning rear views and depart on a long journey to collect nectar from flowers.
“If heaven exists, this must be it.”
If there was one thing Seong-hyeok knew, it was the life he had dedicated solely to bees for 24 years.
For him, living among the swarms of honeybees was true paradise, a heaven on earth.
Moreover, these adorable queen bees had bestowed upon him another important treasure.
[Ruby Gem Bee Larva Pupa (★★-) has completed the eclosion process.]
[A Ruby Gem Dark Releaser Legion Commander Bee (★★★), an Elite Bee, has been added to the Ruby Gem Queen Bee's (★★★+) swarm.]
A notification that popped, distinct from the others.
From the two previous instances with the Teunteun-i, Seong-hyeok knew exactly what this notification signified.
After all, that flashy alert was like a celebratory fanfare announcing the birth of a bee belonging to the ‘Elite’ class, not just an ordinary advanced species.
“...What? Is this for real?”
Seong-hyeok couldn't believe it, even as he stared right at it.
It had taken a full three days for a Teunteun-i to be born, but a Releaser Legion Commander Bee had appeared in less than a day?
“This just goes to show how incredible their egg-laying speed is.”
The greatest advantage of the Ruby Gem bees, which compensated for their inherently lower stats compared to the Peridot bees.
It was their high spawning rate and the extremely short time required for hatching and eclosion.
That’s how a Releaser Bee had been born, despite the incredibly low 0.082% chance of an elite bee's birth.
“This is no time to be standing around.”
The birth of a new elite bee, with its unique effects and venom, held the potential to exert a massive influence on Seong-hyeok's bee farm.
Because of this, Seong-hyeok stopped what he was doing and immediately ran to see it.
Buzzzzzzzzz— Bzzz—
Did the message get through via the Bee-Link that activates automatically when he's nearby?
As Seong-hyeok ran, he encountered a large, red-colored bee, about 2cm in size.
At first glance, it was similar in size to a Honey Pot Bee, but there was a clear difference. Instead of a plump appearance, it was rather slender, possessing not only cuteness but also a very elegant demeanor.
Furthermore, what made it most special, befitting an elite bee that had undergone focused evolution of its antennae, was that its antennae were unusually long and coiled like springs, unlike those of ordinary bees.
“You must be the Ruby Gem Dark Releaser Legion Commander Bee.”
He knew it in an instant.
As Seong-hyeok reached out his hand and asked,
Buzzzz— Buzzzzzzzzz—!
Whether it was because it recognized that it had been noticed or because it saw its master, Seong-hyeok, it was hard to say.
The Dark Releaser Legion Commander Bee danced, performing an acrobatic flight as if in joy.
Like the other bees, it seemed to have cuteness as a default passive, landing on Seong-hyeok's outstretched hand and rubbing its fluffy fuzz against his skin.
But Seong-hyeok knew.
(The Ruby Gem Queen Bee and the Elite Bees born from her will be able to handle black magic.)
The Dark Essence of Lich Velmorn, used as a supplementary material during the Ruby Gem Queen Bee's evolution.
He knew that because of it, not only the queen bee but also the elite bees could wield ‘black magic’.
“Now then, let’s see...”
The uniqueness of black magic and the merits it possessed as an elite bee.
Seong-hyeok immediately checked its status.
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[Ruby Gem Dark Releaser Legion Commander Bee (★★★)] - Elite Bee
* Skills: Collection (Lv.6), Stinger (Lv.7), Flight (Lv.9), Scouting (Lv.5), Abundant Pollen Basket (Lv.5), Releaser Pheromone - Collection & Defense (Lv.3), Commander's Command (Lv.1), Black Magic - Undead (Lv.1)
* Honey Storage: 0 / 446 (+146)
* HP: 750 (+380) Mana: 1,030 (+260)
* Attack Power: 41 (+6) Defense Power: 28 (+6) Magic Resistance: 35 (+7)
* Description: A ★★★ grade Ruby Gem Dark Releaser Legion Commander Bee that inhabits the dimension 'Deltaria'. It boasts exceptionally superior sensory abilities and pheromonal power through its more developed antennae compared to other bees and is extremely intelligent. It can command a given group of bees and constantly emits a Releaser Pheromone. However, each individual can only maintain one type of Releaser Pheromone at a time. It has awakened the power of black magic due to Lich Velmorn's Dark Essence.
※ This swarm belongs to a queen bee with a master. Stats are partially increased according to the master's level.
[Releaser Pheromone - Collection & Defense (Lv.3)]
* Classification: Skill
* Mana Cost: 350
* Effect - Collection (Active): Once used, it is maintained indefinitely. Increases the honey collection speed of allied bees within a 3KM radius by 15%. (Cooldown: 120 minutes)
* Effect - Defense (Active): Once used, it is maintained indefinitely. Increases the defensive abilities (HP, Defense Power, Magic Resistance) of allied bees within a 3KM radius by 3%. (Cooldown: 120 minutes)
* Description: Applies beneficial effects to nearby bees by releasing pheromones through its developed antennae. As the level increases, it can influence a wider radius, and the effects will increase.
※ The effects of Releaser Pheromone can be stacked. (Max 10 stacks)
[Black Magic - Undead (Lv.1)]
* Classification: Skill
* Mana Cost: 200
* Currently Servitude-Capable Units: Zombie, Skeleton
* Servitude-Capable Unit Count: 50
* Effect (Active): Raises corpses within a 100M radius as undead. (Cooldown: 60 minutes)
* Description: Black magic acquired by absorbing the Lich's Dark Essence. Raises nearby corpses as undead. As the level increases, it can influence a wider radius, allowing for a greater number of undead and the ability to raise higher-tier undead.
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“...Hoh, this isn't bad at all.”
Unlike the Cheonramdok Legion Commander Bee, which was capable of long-range attacks by firing its Cheonramdok venom, this one was different.
While that elite bee possessed aggressive and dominant power, the Dark Releaser Legion Commander Bee was, in gaming terms, a kind of buffer.
A power that could selectively enhance either the collection or defensive abilities of nearby bees through its pheromones.
Of course, the queen bee could also utilize pheromones to some extent, but given her need to lay eggs and remain in the safest location, it was difficult to use her effectively. For an elite bee, however, the story was different.
“Plus, it’s infinitely maintained and stackable?”
Furthermore, the true power of the Releaser Pheromone wasn't just that its mere presence could affect countless nearby bees.
It was the fact that once used, it could be maintained indefinitely without mana cost until switched, and that it could be stacked up to ten times.
Well, to do that, he would need that many Dark Releaser Legion Commander Bees, but considering the Ruby Gem's characteristic high spawn rate and rapid hatching and eclosion process, they would certainly gather faster than the Cheonramdok Legion Commander Bees.
“And the black magic is a nice little bonus, too.”
Compared to the queen's black magic, its range was smaller and the number of minions it could control was ridiculously low, but the difference between being able to use it and not was certainly noticeable.
Moreover, considering that the queen bee couldn't easily venture into dangerous areas and that the number of Dark Releaser Legion Commander Bees would increase over time, this was more than good enough.
“I’ll be counting on you from now on, Lily.”
Bzzzing~ Bzzzzzing—!
A new commander had joined the bee battlefield as a buffer and a necromancer—the Dark Releaser Legion Commander Bee.
With the addition of this elegant elite bee, Seong-hyeok's bee farm would become a little safer and more vibrant.