Chapter 86: Bee Wars
Unfortunately, the production process was not going smoothly. Athena had found it so difficult under the guidance of that strict goblin, and now that she was producing independently without his guidance, it was still quite challenging.
Fortunately, she had learned the production techniques before, so even though the success rate was only one out of ten, she was still able to produce many explosive balls due to the ample supply of materials.
The giant bees who helped her transport materials could often hear huge explosions coming from the beehive as Athena became more proficient with the stacking of materials, the explosions became increasingly terrifying.
Athena decided to place the materials outdoors and have them brought to her one by one by Mikmik, to prevent any materials from being destroyed by explosions.
Because she was the one producing the explosive balls, even if they were unstable, she was able to extend the time before they exploded.
So every time she saw one about to explode, Athena quickly stored everything into her system backpack and rushed out.
The sound of a massive explosion echoed in the beehive, and the flames inside could still be seen vaguely, but because they couldn't burn, the flames quickly extinguished, leaving only extremely high temperatures.
Athena stood outside the beehive, quietly waiting for the fire inside to die down before entering again.
She felt like she was on the verge of a breakthrough. At this rate, she might be able to produce ordinary-quality explosive balls by the end of the day. By then, she would be able to control the stability and explosion time of the explosive balls.
Previously under Mu's guidance, he had taught her everything he could in the shortest amount of time, imprinting it all into her mind.
And now all she needed to do was accumulate experience and practice these operations over and over again, with the support of the giant bee colony.
This allowed her to quickly become proficient in these operations.
Athena gave the explosive balls she produced to Agasi, who then brought them to the Hive Queen. However, she did not hand over all of them, keeping some for herself.
She was like a mad scientist, constantly producing explosive balls in the beehive.
Sometimes, after several consecutive explosions, when her mindset collapsed, she would mutter to herself like a crazy person and become irritable.
Then she would start the even more frantic process of producing explosive balls, completely immersing herself in it. Mikmik would carefully place down the materials and quickly run away when he saw her.
More and more explosive balls piled up on the side.
The Hive Queen obtained these Explosive Balls and only after examining them closely did she truly understand how terrifying they were. In addition to Agasi leaving to search for materials, another bee queen came to her side, making a total of four. The three bee queens previously sent out due to the chaos in the central area had now returned to her side.
Before the chaos erupted, it was not advisable to invest too much high combat power as they were to fight other monsters later. The Hive Queen had said she could further enhance the power of these Explosive Balls, which was indeed true. All the Explosive Balls brought to her from Athena were suspended in mid-air.
A golden light flashed in the Hive Queen's ruby-like eyes, and the Explosive Balls in front of her followed suit, emitting faint light. The shell, originally encased in ordinary soil, had become smooth and glossy, exuding a terrifying aura.
This was the Hive Queen's unique skill: she could enhance these weapons by one grade. While she couldn't enhance grades that were too high, she had no trouble enhancing inferior quality to common quality.
Athena was still producing continuously, ensuring that these Explosive Balls would play a crucial role in the upcoming battle for Dark Fruit.
Perhaps this time, their Yellow Bee Colony could surpass the Black Bee Colony. The hive of giant bees was quiet, except for the Yellow Bees continuously being sent to the central area of the Black Forest to die, foreshadowing the imminent war that would affect the entire forest.
Meanwhile, a strange situation had developed in the central area where players had joined forces with the Yellow Bee Colony. By joining them and discovering the contribution shop, they had already sided with the Yellow Bee Colony.
In order to earn more contribution points, they joined the war, protected by the Yellow Bee Colony, which significantly reduced the pressure compared to being surrounded by both colonies. With the support of the Yellow Bees, the players were virtually invincible, pressing the Black Bee Colony into a corner.
Countless casualties had befallen the Black Bee Colony, and their bee queen was furious, unable to understand how these small insects could suddenly change sides. In desperation, she had to send a distress signal to the main hive, hoping for reinforcements to counter the growing threat posed by the Yellow Bees.
The continuous supply of troops to the battlefield was crucial to maintain their strength and ward off potential dangers in the upcoming attack. Only with thousands of giant bees could they withstand the impending crisis.
On the other end of the Black Forest, beyond the transparent barrier, lay the nest of the Black Bee Colony. If the Yellow Bee Colony's nest resembled giant beehives, like numerous beasts piled together, the Black Bee Colony's hive was akin to a high-rise building, showcasing their advanced civilization with dignity and grandeur.
The most prominent feature was the exquisite transparent hive, guarded by five Bee Queens outside, while inside, there were various furniture items, exquisite ornaments, and the ground covered with skins of other monsters.
Compared to the hive where the Hive Queen of the Yellow Bee Colony resided, it was significantly larger. With long, jet-black hair reaching the ground and a pair of bee wings on her back, the Hive Queen of the Black Bee Colony possessed a humanoid form. Her skin was as smooth as jade, her figure proud.
Although she had a pair of captivating fox-like eyes, unfortunately, they had no whites, only a dark, ominous void that made onlookers shudder and feel a sense of foreboding.
While teasing a saber-tooth tiger, watching it struggle in vain and seeing its despair, her mood suddenly turned jubilant. But upon receiving information from the Black bee queen in the central area, her expression changed, and the amusement faded. She lightly tapped the giant tiger's head, turning it into a mist of blood that vanished.
"Why are people from the Third World getting involved? Berry, what are you up to? Collaborating with people from the Third World, I'll wipe you all out!"