Chapter 78
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 78
Chapter Title: The World Tree's Blessings
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[Using skill, Guardian's Automatic Honey Extractor Beehive Crafting (Lv.1).]
[350 Mana will be consumed.]
[Are there any items to be used as additional materials? YES / NO]
The notification that popped up asked the same question as the basic beehive crafting skill.
Seong-hyeok, of course, had additional materials ready. He took out two types of plywood, the queen bee cocoons, beeswax, propolis, and other various byproducts, then selected YES.
[Manual crafting has been selected. Please begin crafting the Automatic Honey Extractor Beehive. Time remaining: 2 hours.]
※ Warning! If crafting is not completed within the time limit, the materials used will be destroyed.
And so, the manual crafting of the Automatic Honey Extractor Beehive began.
When it came to anything related to his bees, Seong-hyeok was always serious.
But even meticulousness has its varying degrees of intensity, doesn't it?
*Stab— Stab—*
[Bee Sting Acupuncture Great Success! The Honeybee Guardian's blessing is temporarily bestowed upon the designated player.]
[The Concentration Point of Geonchug-i's Bee Venom is applied.] x3
※ Concentration Point of Geonchug-i's Bee Venom: For 120 minutes, your nerves will be focused, increasing Control by 50 and the probability of obtaining a high-quality crafted item by 10%.
As his Bee Sting Acupuncture skill level had risen, the power of the sting now applied up to three buffs.
Among them, Seong-hyeok had recently discovered Geonchug-i's venom. Applying it to the needle and pricking the same spot, he steeled his resolve and gathered his focus.
"Shall we begin?"
A skill with a whopping four-day cooldown.
Moreover, this was the first time he was crafting a beehive with an 'automatic honey extraction' function. Aware of its importance, Seong-hyeok poured his heart and soul into the work.
“…”
He was so engrossed that despite his high stamina, beads of sweat began to form on his forehead and drench his body.
Even so, Seong-hyeok didn't even think of wiping the sweat away, nor did he open his mouth, completely absorbed in his craft.
*Bzz— Bzzzzzz—*
*Swish— Swoosh—*
Perhaps Seong-hyeok's will to build a home for them was transmitted through the Bee Link.
A few bees that had been flying off to work sensed Seong-hyeok's presence and condition, plucked a leaf, and gently wiped the sweat from his brow.
At that moment.
Was it a reaction to the bees' admirable gesture?
[The aura of Freprion's World Tree Leaf (★★★+) seeps in.]
[For 60 minutes, Control and Mentality will increase by 8, and a clear state of mind will be maintained.]
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[Freprion's World Tree Leaf (★★★+)]
* Classification: Consumable, Material
* When consumed or touched, the aura contained within Freprion's World Tree Leaf will imbue the body.
※ Aura of the World Tree Leaf: For 60 minutes, Control and Mentality will increase by 8, and a clear state of mind will be maintained.
* Description: A ★★★+ grade World Tree Leaf obtained from Freprion's World Tree. Even in its unprocessed state, it holds the inherent power of the World Tree, clearing the mind.
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Whether the bees knew about this effect or not, he had unintentionally discovered the power of the World Tree Leaf.
The stat increases to Control and Mentality were helpful for crafting, but what was even better was the maintenance of a 'clear state of mind.'
'...How refreshing.'
It was a feeling of refreshment, like turning on an air conditioner in the sweltering heat.
It allowed his focus to flow naturally without being disrupted.
For Seong-hyeok, who had been immersed in crafting for over an hour, this was an incredible advantage.
'Trust your dad. I'll build you the best house.'
If only to build a proper home for his commendable bees, Seong-hyeok's hands moved even faster, empowered by his newly cleared mind.
And perhaps what is called 'devotion' has some influence on the game's system as well.
[Automatic Honey Extractor Beehive Crafting Great Success! The Honeybee Guardian's blessing is bestowed upon the beehive.]
[Guardian's Extra-Large World Tree Automatic Honey Extractor Beehive (★★★★-) has been crafted.]
A notification sound came with the finishing touch.
The result broke through the 3-star grade of his previous beehives, landing squarely at a 4-star-minus grade.
"Phew. This is somehow more intense than combat."
The crafting process felt even more difficult than his fight against the Emperor, the strongest foe he had ever faced.
But as they say, no pain, no gain.
What Seong-hyeok obtained after overcoming the difficult moment was beyond imagination.
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[Guardian's Extra-Large World Tree Automatic Honey Extractor Beehive (★★★★-)]
* Classification: Other
※ Automatic Honey Extraction: When honey status reaches 100%, honey is collected and byproducts are generated nearby. (Cooldown: 12 hours)
※ Naban's Acceleration Tunnel: Increases the movement speed of bees entering or exiting this beehive by 30% for 10 minutes. (Cooldown per bee: 30 minutes)
※ World Tree's Abundance: Slightly increases the amount of honey obtained during collection.
* As a side effect of the Steadfast keyword's disappearance, the beehive's durability and defense have been further increased.
* Currently empty.
* Accommodable Population: 0 / 583,000 (+188,000)
* Current Honey Status: 0%
* Vitality: 35,000 (+10,000)
* Defense: 422 (+183) | Magic Resistance: 371 (+136)
* Durability: 1,355 / 1,355 (+285)
* Description: A ★★★★- grade extra-large World Tree automatic honey extractor beehive inscribed with the Guardian's keyword. Using two types of vibrant plywood and queen bee cocoons as additional materials has imbued it with durability and special effects. Additionally, it will automatically begin collection when a certain amount of honey is filled.
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An enormous, extra-large beehive capable of housing a staggering 583,000 bees.
And perhaps because he used expensive plywood and branches from the World Tree, the options attached to the beehive were generous enough to put most weapons to shame.
The movement speed buff, which would be a great help to the bees on their nectar-gathering expeditions, along with the additional collection amount increase, was more than enough to satisfy any beekeeper.
"Well, the most important thing is still the automatic collection, I guess."
The alpha and omega of an automatic honey extractor beehive was its ability to collect honey automatically.
Of course, it had a cooldown, likely to prevent exploitation, but given its vast capacity, it would take a long time for the honey to reach 100% anyway, so it was by no means a bad thing.
"So I get both efficiency and convenience."
A reliable contributor that would bring great convenience for his future outings.
Now that the sturdy love house was complete, only one thing remained.
"By the way, whose house should this be?"
There were currently three types of bees on Seong-hyeok's farm: Ruby Gem, Peridot, and Imperial Topaz.
Thanks to Seong-hyeok's mediation, these bees got along without fighting, but since they produced different types of honey, it was impossible for them to live together in the same hive.
Did the bees know this as well?
*Bzzzzzz—!*
*Bzz! Bzzzzz!*
*Buzzzzz—*
The three types of bees rubbed against Seong-hyeok, trying to act cute to be chosen for the completed love house.
However, sorry to two of them, the owner of the completed beehive had already been decided.
"This is for the Imperial Topaz bees."
The Ruby Gem bees, being his first, already occupied the largest share of the beehives, while the Peridot bees were specialized in venom gland evolution, making them more suited for collecting bee venom than honey.
On the other hand, the Imperial Topaz bees, despite their characteristically fast production rate, were severely lacking in hive space.
Due to various circumstances and interests, the owner of the love house was chosen.
*Bzz—! Bzzzzzz—! Wiggle-wiggle—*
*Bzzzz...*
The victors and losers were decided.
Unlike the Imperial Topaz bees, who were vigorously wiggling their behinds in a dance of joy, the Ruby Gem and Peridot bees looked as if they'd lost everything.
Their behinds drooped as they put their dejection on full display.
For some reason, their appearance was so cute he wanted to watch a little longer, but teasing them further might cause the bees to sulk.
"Ahem."
Seong-hyeok, who loved all his bees equally and without prejudice, cleared his throat and patted their drooping behinds.
"Don't be too disappointed. I can just make yours next time. Right?"
*Bzzzzzz!*
It wasn't like he would only ever make one love house.
At his comforting words promising to make theirs next, the bees perked up as if they had never been sad.
"Then I'll be counting on you all from now on."
With the birth of a new home, the bees dedicated themselves to their work with even more diligence.
Seong-hyeok and his bees.
The two existences, having become so alike while walking a single path, began their work diligently, as they always did.
"Alright, let's get to work!"
*Bzzzzzz—!*
They began to work earnestly.
***
Freprion's World Tree.
A tree of life that proved its worth by its mere existence, bestowing various buffs and debuffs on its surroundings.
But the true value of the World Tree did not end there.
The function of the World Tree's leaves, which the bees had shown him while he was crafting the automatic honey extractor beehive.
Seong-hyeok, who had already known the exceptional nature of the World Tree's branches through the crafting process, came to the fresh realization that none of the byproducts obtainable from the World Tree were to be discarded.
"Perfect timing."
Having experienced firsthand how maintaining a clear state of mind affected crafting, Seong-hyeok instantly identified where this effect was needed most.
"Su-hee. Would it be alright to designate the blacksmiths as the primary recipients of the leaves we get from the World Tree?"
"Do as you please, Seong-hyeok. We wouldn't have been able to get the World Tree this quickly without your help, after all."
The blacksmiths' workshop was a place of harsh labor where, even if it was at Seong-hyeok's request, each person was crafting over a thousand sets of bee armor a day.
Into this hellscape unfolding under Kim Cheol-gang's direction, Seong-hyeok delivered Freprion's World Tree Leaves, using them as a soothing agent to slightly lower the extreme difficulty.
"And it would probably be more efficient to use this rather than the leaves."
"Thank you."
Of course, using a processed product was more effective than using a simple primary product.
The production-class players, who lived and died by processing, would never use the World Tree Leaves in their raw state.
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[Bountiful World Tree Leaf Tea (★★★+)]
* Classification: Consumable
* Upon consumption, the individual will feel full, 'Aura of the World Tree Leaf' will be applied, and a warm, clean feeling will be imparted.
※ Aura of the World Tree Leaf: For 90 minutes, Control and Mentality will increase by 11 (+2), and a clear state of mind will be maintained.
...
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A tea made by warmly brewing the World Tree Leaves for easy consumption.
The ripple effect of supplying this tea, with its enhanced effects and duration, to the blacksmiths in large quantities was beyond imagination.
"Ooh! I don't feel tired at all!"
"An idea! Good ideas are bubbling up!"
"Hell has become heaven!"
The tedious, repetitive process of crafting bee armor, which had been so mind-numbing until now, had the effect of a drug that made it enjoyable!
There's nothing better than when a task you hated becomes something you want to do.
Empowered by the World Tree Leaf Tea's ability to maintain a clear state of mind, the total amount of bee armor produced by the blacksmiths instantly more than doubled.
*Bzz— Bzzzzzz—!*
*Buzzzzzzz—!*
As the production of bee armor proceeded smoothly, the number of bees wearing armor began to increase one by one.
Among them, some even began to specialize the armor's function in different ways, such as increasing movement speed for collection and mobility instead of raising shock absorption purely for body-slamming attacks.
Research was proceeding in various ways, not just focusing on combat and reducing casualties.
"I never imagined a single leaf could do all this."
"It's not just any leaf, it's a World Tree leaf."
The change brought about by a common leaf found on trees and plants.
But since it was a byproduct of the 'World Tree' and not something ordinary, it was perhaps only natural for such a miracle to occur.
[Ruby Gem Worker Bee (★★+) has come into contact with Freprion's World Tree Flower (Divine). Growth is promoted, and nutrients are slightly increased.]
[Ruby Gem Worker Bee (★★+) has come into contact with Freprion's World Tree Flower (Divine). Growth is promoted, and nutrients are slightly increased.]
[Imperial Topaz Silkworm Bee (★★★-) has come into contact with Freprion's World Tree Flower (Divine). Growth is promoted, and nutrients are slightly increased.]
...
Moreover, the bees and the World Tree.
The miracle brought forth by the world's greatest beneficial insect and the tree of life was only just beginning.
[Freprion's World Tree Fruit (★★★+) has grown on Freprion's World Tree 1st Stage (Divine).]
[Freprion's World Tree Fruit (★★★+) has grown on Freprion's World Tree 1st Stage (Divine).]
[Freprion's World Tree Fruit (★★★+) has grown on Freprion's World Tree 1st Stage (Divine).]
...
"Seong-hyeok! The World Tree finally bore fruit!"
The result of the bees' continuous natural pollination.
After a long period of patience, the flowers of the World Tree had finally borne fruit.