Chapter 55
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: Unexpected Allies
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“Grrrroooaaar-!!!”
“Grrr! Grrroooaar!”
Two bears charged forward with a ferocious roar.
As he watched them through the eyes of his scout bees, Seong-hyeok thought to himself.
“There’s no safer way to deal with monsters than using the bees.”
After all, the bee legion was a force that would be endlessly replenished over time by the Queen and the Princess.
That was why, when dealing with ordinary monsters, Seong-hyeok usually tried to minimize sacrifices by using items, spending the rest of his day on beekeeping and crafting.
But the story changed when the opponent was a field boss monster.
Lich Velmoren and the Spreading Slime Mold Stinger.
Dealing with those two had resulted in a number of casualties incomparable to fighting regular monsters.
Sure, he could play it safe and utilize the battle-specialized Indigo Venom Acid or the Self-Destruct Bees, but wasn't it better to conserve them if he could?
[Honeybee: The targets will be here soon. Stay out of the way.]
[Explosion is Art: What are you planning to do, sir? I can help…]
[Honeybee: No, don't worry. Just hide somewhere nearby where you won't be seen.]
[Explosion is Art: Yes! Understood!]
In that case, the most reliable method was to use a finished product, befitting his production class.
In other words, using items.
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[Meticulous Rubydot Dark Indigo Bee Venom Bomb Trap (★★★★-)]
* Classification: Consumable
* When placed on the ground and the keyword ‘Use’ is entered, it will be installed after 10 seconds. When crushed by a certain amount of weight, it will explode, dealing critical damage to all entities within a 79(+23)M radius and inflicting ‘Dark Indigo Bee Venom Poisoning.’
※ Attack Power 4,700~6,560 (Varies based on proximity)
※ Dark Indigo Bee Venom Poisoning: The poisoned target loses 87(+37) health per second for 10 minutes. It also causes the flesh to rot, inflicting immense pain and reducing movement speed by 10%. (Max 5 stacks)
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A powerful trap made from ‘Dark Indigo Bee Venom,’ which he had prepared just in case, thanks to the surplus of venom from Teunteun-i and the Lilies.
The explosion alone dealt massive immediate damage, followed by 87 damage per second for 10 minutes.
That was a total of 52,200 damage, and if it stacked five times, the poison damage alone would reach a staggering 260,000.
Of course, being field boss monsters, their defense and magic resistance would mitigate some of the damage, but it would be far from weak.
Besides, this wasn't all Seong-hyeok had prepared.
“To protect the bees, it’s time for me to step up.”
He was a production class, a beekeeper, but his body had grown strong from consistently consuming items that permanently boosted his stats.
Furthermore, as the guardian of bees whose main weapon was poison, Seong-hyeok had his own unique method of doping.
*Stab— Stab—*
Seong-hyeok took out a bee sting needle and, as if it were second nature, used it on himself.
But this was different from the bee sting acupuncture he used on the residents.
This needle was coated in an ominous, dark-red liquid.
It was covered in Dark Indigo Bee Venom.
[The effect of the poison on the Insect King Prainkito is greatly amplified.]
[Bee Sting Acupuncture Great Success! The Honeybee Guardian’s blessing is temporarily bestowed upon the designated player.]
[Bee Sting Acupuncture’s Turbulent Dark Indigo Bee Venom Arm is applied.]
[Bee Sting Acupuncture’s Turbulent Dark Indigo Bee Venom Leg is applied.]
※ Bee Sting Acupuncture’s Turbulent Dark Indigo Bee Venom Arm: For 90 minutes, arm grip strength is greatly enhanced, and Strength increases by 85.
※ Bee Sting Acupuncture’s Turbulent Dark Indigo Bee Venom Leg: For 90 minutes, legs will not feel fatigue, and Agility and Control increase by 50 each.
※ Warning! The injection of potent bee venom will be accompanied by extreme pain!
Was it because he had mixed in such a powerful poison?
The aggressive stat boosts were on a whole different level than before.
But surprisingly, as a production class player who had an abundance of everything,
this wasn't all Seong-hyeok had.
From Rubydot Pills to Propolis Film, cosmetics, soap, and bee venom honey tea.
As if preparing for a full-body tonic, he gathered them all and consumed them without a second thought.
And for the grand finale, he used the Clown Juice!
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[Guardian's Rubydot Dark Indigo Bee Venom Clown Juice (★★★★-)]
※ Remaining maturation period 298 days (When maturation is complete, the toxic effects will be neutralized.)
* Classification: Consumable
* Upon consumption, the entity will experience symptoms of extreme high fever and delirium, and ‘Guardian’s Rubydot Dark Indigo Bee Venom Agony’ will be applied.
※ Guardian’s Rubydot Dark Indigo Bee Venom Agony: For 120 minutes, Strength increases by 3 times (+1x). However, if consumed before the toxicity is neutralized, 8 Strength will be permanently lost. (Cooldown 60 minutes)
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[You have been poisoned by Guardian’s Rubydot Dark Indigo Bee Venom Agony.]
…….
Many of these items, using bee venom as they did, came with significant penalties, so an ordinary player wouldn't dare consume them despite their effects. But Seong-hyeok had no need to worry.
[The Honeybee Guardian’s class specialization, Honey Poison Immunity, is activated.]
[You are completely immune to the harmful effects of bee poison.]
His versatile class specialization, which had undergone a massive re-evaluation, granted him complete immunity, blocking all harmful effects.
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[Yu Seong-hyeok]
* Level: 28
* Health: 5,430(+1,100) Mana: 4,970(+1,400)
* Attack Power: 1,356(+1,088) Defense: 339(+95) Magic Resistance: 273(+105)
* Strength: 1,002(+931) Agility: 246(+105) Stamina: 288(+75) Control: 239(+150) Mentality: 258(+55)
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Was it thanks to the Clown Juice, with its absurd option of tripling his Strength—a buff on a completely different level from the others?
Unlike the other four stats, his Strength was conspicuously doped.
His blood vessels, his heart…
Seong-hyeok could feel an incredible, surging power boiling within his body, a strength almost too much to contain.
*Bzz— Bzzzzzz—!*
*Buzzzzzzz—!!!*
As if worried about the impending battle, the bees buzzed their wings, signaling their desire to participate.
Their admirable resolve to fight to the death at any moment was certainly reassuring, but Seong-hyeok patted their rears and shook his head.
“My bees. This time, you just provide cover fire from behind with your venom and venom bombs. Leave the rest to your dad.”
Seong-hyeok's stats, honed by beekeeping and nourishing foods, and his gear, armed with his capital, were anything but weak.
From now on, when facing powerful adversaries, Seong-hyeok wouldn't hide behind his bees. He would step forward himself to minimize their sacrifices.
“But these things… why are they taking so long?”
It was about time for the giant bear couple to arrive, yet there was still no sign of them.
When Seong-hyeok checked on the situation through the scout bees attached to them, he couldn't help but be dumbfounded.
“What the…?”
The information sent by the scout bee was clear.
There, the pair of giant bears were sprawled out together, flailing weakly, neatly poisoned with five stacks of the trap's venom.
* * * * *
Field boss monsters were not opponents to be trifled with.
Seong-hyeok, who knew this better than anyone from his two previous battles and the countless sacrifices of his bees, had spared no expense in his preparations.
But what was this?
“Well, I’ll be. This is absurd.”
The two giant Asiatic black bears were whining, their tongues lolling out as if they were about to die at any moment.
But in a way, it was to be expected.
The potent toxicity of the Dark Indigo Bee Venom he had created.
And Cheon-su’s trap-making skill, which had maximized its effect.
Thanks to the combination of these two factors, and the use of five such powerful traps, the bears were dying in real-time.
“Well, can’t be helped.”
But rather than feeling regret or disappointment, Seong-hyeok found himself smiling.
This meant that if he properly installed and stacked multiple Dark Indigo Bee Venom Bomb Traps, the resulting damage was powerful enough to easily neutralize even a field boss monster.
This wasn't because these field bosses were weak.
Quite the opposite.
It meant the firepower of the processed goods created from his experimental spirit had become incomparably stronger than before!
“I’ll just consider the doping a health supplement.”
Since he didn’t suffer any penalties, and it made his skin more radiant while improving his joints and vigor, it wasn't a bad outcome for Seong-hyeok.
He was about to finish off the giant Asiatic black bear couple with his Strength of over 1,000, thinking of it as a nice body boost, when it happened.
“Whimper, whimper…”
“Grrr! Grrroooaar!”
The larger bear, which appeared to be the male, had a higher level.
Its eyes met Seong-hyeok’s, and despite its poison-wracked body, it struggled to its feet.
Was it planning a last-ditch counterattack, as befitting a field boss monster?
The thought had barely crossed his mind.
But instead of attacking, the bear suddenly bowed its head to Seong-hyeok, as if prostrating itself.
It was a posture of complete submission, like a deep bow.
At the same time, a notification sound echoed in Seong-hyeok’s ears.
[You have met the conditions for a quest grant. -> Complete submission of a field boss monster]
[Recognizing your overwhelming Strength and their own plight, the giant Asiatic black bear couple submits to you.]
[Special Quest, The Giant Asiatic Black Bear Couple’s Obedience, has been granted.]
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[Special Quest: The Giant Asiatic Black Bear Couple’s Obedience]
- The field boss monsters, a giant Asiatic black bear couple, have completely lost their will to fight in the face of your overwhelming Strength. -
※ The level 24 (★★★+) giant Asiatic black bear is currently pregnant. If you save the lives of the female and her unborn cub, the giant Asiatic black bear couple will offer you their absolute loyalty.
* Failure Condition: Death of the giant Asiatic black bears
* Reward: Loyalty of the giant Asiatic black bear couple
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“……?”
A field boss monster surrendering was completely unexpected.
“It can turn out like this?”
As they say, no action in this world is ever truly wasted.
Now that his Strength had surpassed 1,000, it seemed their wild instincts had keenly sensed the overwhelming power he projected as a dominant player.
“Hmm, killing them for loot is good, but being able to command specific individuals like these might be better.”
Honestly, if these bears had killed even a single bee—especially a worker bee—he would have executed them without a second thought, obedience be damned. But thanks to the command of Teunteun-i and the Lilies stationed here and there, not a single bee had been sacrificed.
Moreover, it said the female was ‘pregnant.’
That meant that even creatures classified as monsters could potentially be raised and bred like livestock.
[A Transcendent Being, Prepion, the Goddess of Abundance, assesses that the giant Asiatic black bear species is well worth raising.]
[A Transcendent Being, the Great Golden Goblin Lord Macerti, eagerly awaits your decision.]
[A Transcendent Being, Sion the Patient, holds their breath as they watch you choose.]
…….
The Transcendent Beings watched his dilemma with amusement or offered advice.
Sparing them would mean he, and the four residents, would miss out on the experience, 20,000 coins, and a 2-Star+ item gacha ticket.
It was a shame, but Seong-hyeok looked not at the ‘present,’ but at the ‘future’ of his farm with the addition of the giant bears, and took out his bee sting needle.
“Gr-grrroooar!”
The male bear recoiled at the sight of the menacing needle, moving to protect the female.
“Don’t worry. This isn’t to kill you.”
“Whimper…”
But perhaps it was a testament to the intelligence of bears, which are known to be quite smart animals.
As if it understood Seong-hyeok's words, the bear’s posture quickly softened.
“First, you need to regain some energy, so eat this. It should suit your taste.”
He handed them honey-pickled apples and mushrooms made by Yeon Su-hee.
The items had some health recovery effects, and the two bears’ eyes widened as they devoured them greedily.
The rest was simple.
Just as poison can become medicine depending on its use, a single sheet of paper separating the two.
Using his bee sting acupuncture with the bee venom, Seong-hyeok successfully detoxified both bears in an instant.
“Grrroooaar!”
“Grrroooar!”
[You have cleared the Special Quest, The Giant Asiatic Black Bear Couple’s Obedience.]
[As a reward, you have gained the loyalty of the giant Asiatic black bear couple.]
Even monsters know how to repay a kindness.
The bears rubbed their brown fur against Seong-hyeok, expressing their gratitude for saving their lives.
But there was one thing Seong-hyeok had misunderstood.
[You have cleared the Special Quest, Subdue the Giant Asiatic Black Bear Couple.]
[As a reward, you will receive experience, 20,000 coins, and a ★★+ Item Gacha Ticket.]
“Oh, this is a jackpot.”
The quest objective was to ‘subdue’ them.
It wasn't to kill or hunt them, but to completely thwart their aggressive intentions. By earning their loyalty, the system had recognized it as a successful subjugation.
“Killing two birds with one stone.”
He didn't get any loot, but he had managed to clear both quests.
And perhaps it was a sign from the heavens, telling him not to waste the time his various buffs were still active.
[Lured by the sweet scent of wild honeycombs, Carapace Giant Hornets have begun to invade the territory!]
[Provoked by the greed of Macerti’s Golden Goblin Mine, Foothill Orcs have begun to invade the territory!]
[Monster discovered!]
[Monster discovered!]
…….
A series of warning notifications rang out, as if begging to be killed.
“Grrroooaar!”
“You’re pretty quick on the uptake for a creature of your appearance, aren’t you?”
As a field boss monster and a bear with a keen sense of smell, it seemed to have sensed the change in the forest. The two giant Asiatic black bears offered their backs, as if telling him to get on.
Having become useful mounts, the two began a fierce sprint towards the hornet nest and the orc settlement.