ALL NOVEL Chapter 81: A Fragile Truce
Athena Ravencroft gripped her black abyss axe tightly. Though the two giant bees had been blasted back, they hadn't lost their combat capabilities. Their ferocity remained undiminished, far beyond her ability to handle alone.
The two queen bees, eyes filled with suspicion, watched her intently, their attention fixed on the remaining three explosive orbs in her left hand. Understanding the gravity of the situation, Athena signaled for Mikmik to step forward.
In an instant, Mikmik appeared beside the queen bee, whose body trembled slightly, likely due to the sensitivity brought on by laying eggs. The two queen bees’ auras surged to an intimidating peak, resembling demons clawing their way out of hell.
Mikmik, unfazed, casually rolled one of the explosive orbs with his forepaw. His piercing gaze, blood-red eyes filled with bloodlust, locked onto Athena. The killing intent emanating from him was overwhelming, like waves crashing against her, promising to tear her to pieces if he so wished.
Athena felt a weight in her heart but didn't let it show. Instead, she smiled and raised her hands in a gesture of surrender. "Let's talk."
The black giant bees weren't swayed by her gesture, though they didn't act rashly. They knew they had failed in their duty by allowing her to infiltrate.
They emitted a series of sounds that Athena couldn't comprehend. Gradually, the sounds shifted, becoming more human-like, until finally, they spoke in a broken but understandable human language.
"Human… what do you want?"
"Hurry… have that creature move away from the queen. If anything happens to her, you die too!"
Listening to their halting words, Athena remained motionless, careful not to push them any further.
"You want the dark fruit, while I only need some leaves and bark from the tree. I think we can negotiate. Are you sure you won't reconsider?" Athena’s smile remained, though she knew that she and Mikmik could teleport back to their previous location. However, a battle had likely erupted between the players and the giant bees, making both options dangerous. Besides, she had no idea what might happen before they could teleport away.
Initially, her target had been the queen bee, hoping to use her as leverage to claim the fruit. But once she arrived, she realized it was beyond her grasp, something she couldn't possess or handle.
Power can still dominate the ends regardless of meticulous planning. Sacrificing that one huh?
Thus, she decided to settle for leaves and bark, items of no value to the giant bees. Threatening the queen’s safety would surely make them agree.
"You want the tree's leaves and bark?" Their speech was now clearer, free from the initial stuttering.
They couldn't understand why a human would want such useless items. To them, all the tree’s valuable essence was concentrated in the fruit, which held the power to renew their lives and alter their species' fate.
"Yes, I don't want to harm your queen. Otherwise, I wouldn't make it out of this forest alive."
"I'll stay here. If anything happens to your queen, you can retaliate immediately."
The murderous gleam in the queen bee's eyes didn't diminish. Athena had infiltrated their nest without them noticing, and Mikmik was an enigma.
"Why should we trust you?"
Athena didn’t respond. Instead, she raised her hand, showing the explosive orb and three additional fire enhancers. Her smile vanished, replaced by a cold, stern expression.
"No tricks. We have enough here to destroy us all."
"You know I can teleport. If I cause an explosion here, I can disappear instantly." Athena’s face, which had been warm and friendly, turned icy. Her gaze at the two queen bees was filled with menace and indifference. Her demeanor was that of a complete madwoman, making her threats all the more real.
The second queen bee, who had been silent, ceased her movements. Though Athena claimed to seek negotiations, it was a thinly veiled threat. They knew nothing of her other capabilities, but she had already infiltrated their nest.
"Alright," the queen bee finally relented, the venom in her voice still evident. "You get your leaves and bark. But if you double-cross us, we'll make sure you pay with your life."
With a slight nod, Athena lowered her hands, signaling Mikmik to step back from the queen. "I hope we can both walk away from this. Your queen's safety is my priority too."
The tension in the air remained thick, but a fragile agreement had been reached. Athena knew the danger wasn't over, but she had managed to negotiate her way out of immediate peril. Now, it was a matter of collecting what she needed and leaving before anything could go wrong.
"Fine, we'll give you the leaves and bark. Now, leave!"
Athena lowered her hand but did not retreat. "No need to worry. I'll stay here as a guarantee. It should make you feel more secure, right?"
The atmosphere was tense and eerie. The queen bee lay weakly on the ground while Mikmik continued to play with the explosive orb. After a sharp glance from Athena, he finally settled down. The two queen bees watched Mikmik’s actions nervously, their eyes flickering with anxiety. Athena stood on one side of the hive, watching them closely.
She wasn’t in a hurry. Even though the fruit had already started to grow, its slow maturation meant that more would be needed later.
Finally, one of the queen bees broke the silence. "We need to send a message to the bee guards by the tree. Otherwise, we can't get what you need."
"Yes, and we cannot harm the tree before the fruit matures. It would slow down its growth."
Athena leaned against the hive, listening to the queen bees. This was to be expected; now was not the right time.
"Of course, take your time. I’ll wait here patiently."
Silence descended once again. Though the deal had been struck, neither side lowered their guard. The tension was palpable, like a tightly wound string ready to snap at any moment.
After a long pause, Athena spoke first. "Are there only two lord-level units in the Black Forest?"
It didn’t make sense. The Black Forest, designated as their main battlefield by the system, a place favored by darkness, surely housed more than just lord-level units. If the dark fruit was as important and miraculous as they said, it would definitely attract other creatures.
The black giant bees and yellow giant bees might be the only lord-level factions, but there had to be other powerful monsters lurking. These creatures, unable to nourish the tree with their flesh and blood, were likely waiting for the fruit to mature. Once it did, they would certainly emerge to seize it.
"Ridiculous!" one of the queen bees spat, clearly annoyed.
The other queen bee, calmer, regarded Athena silently. The anger in its eyes faded, replaced by the haughty demeanor of a true monarch.
"Of course not. This place is much larger than you can imagine."
As expected, they had only explored a small fraction of the Black Forest. Other areas, likely hidden behind barriers like the hive, awaited their discovery.
