ALL NOVEL Ch 13
Chapter 13
Numerous field bosses were introduced with the Chapter #1 update.
Of course, just as each player has different strengths and weaknesses based on their personality and karma, field bosses have different strengths and weaknesses.
And in that regard, Lich Belmorn was quite a force to be reckoned with among field bosses, as he was a Necromancer who could “produce” monsters in addition to simply regenerating them.
More than just being strong, Belmorn is also one of the luckiest of the field bosses.
First of all, as a skeletal undead, he doesn’t need to be fed, and it’s safe to say that the initial area is a graveyard, so the starting point isn’t bad.
As a Necromancer, it’s a place with all the right ingredients.
As a result, Belmorn used his powers to raise the dead in the cemetery.
“I don’t think there’s much left to use.”
But was it because they were buried so long ago?
The level and quality of the skeletons and zombies that were raised were completely out of Belmorn’s league in terms of what he wanted.
However, that didn’t mean Belmorn regretted it.
“Fresh blood. I can smell it out there.”
If he lacked an ingredient, he would just have to get it.
Ten days later, as soon as he was released, Belmorn used his army to take out the first monsters in the area.
This was not only to gain experience but also because in the case of beastly creatures like the two-headed dog, he could reanimate them as undead and make them useful for kidnapping people.
After acquiring these undead monsters, Belmorn’s actions became increasingly bold.
The scent of the living reeked strongly in their shelters.
He stormed their gathering places and obtained test subjects, reveling in the pleasure of studying their flesh and the flesh of monsters.
“Ooh, my beautiful masterpiece, arise!”
[You have fulfilled the conditions for achieving the skill -> deep study of corpses, experience in assembling corpses].
[You have learned the skill, Flesh Golem].
[The Flesh Golem responds to the call of the dead]
[Flesh Golem Level 13 (★★-)] – Elite Monster
The elite monsters that resulted from that research.
“I can’t wait to get my hands on more and better masterpieces.”
Belmorn was born here as a field boss.
As a Lich, he ultimately wanted only one thing.
To create a more powerful undead to protect him.
A passion for research that burns within him that he can’t control.
– Hey, Lich Belmorn. I need to look at something.
A command from a pet that controls the “system” that gave birth to Belmorn.
The moment he accepts it, Belmorn’s bright red pupils become dim.
“Forest, the player, must be exterminated.”
The kind of commands that are fed to him like a marionette under someone’s control.
As it ends, Belmorn’s pupils return to their normal glow.
“It must be eliminated, exterminated.”
He seems to have completely forgotten about his previous primary goal of ‘research’.
Belmorn’s current priority is the destruction of the forest.
It’s Honey Bee.
Raiding the forest where Sung-hyuk is engaged in beekeeping.
* * * * *
No player is immune to the fact that there is always a threat lurking in the world outside.
And that goes for Sung-hyuk, who has never encountered a monster before.
One day, he’ll definitely have to experience combat.
Sung-hyuk had always thought that he would be prepared for it.
[Rubigem scouting bee (★+) performs a reconnaissance].
[I found a monster!]
[Found a monster!]
[A monster has been detected!]
······.
So when the scouting bee notified him that it had spotted a monster, he wasn’t surprised.
“No matter what, this is just too severe.”
That is until he checked the information about the monster the scouting bee had spotted.
[Lich Belmorn Level 19 (★★★-)] – Field Boss Monster
[Flesh Golem Level 13 (★★-)] – Elite Monster
[Ghoul Level 8(★+)]
[Zombie Level 5(★)]
[Skeleton Level 3(★)]
······.
The first enemy that he encounters is no ordinary creature, but a field boss monster.
It’s not just any ordinary creature either.
A lich.
A tricky creature that usually appears in games as a necromancer and uses corpses as its limbs.
In fact, the number of skeletons and zombies alone is easily a thousand each, plus dozens of ghouls, as confirmed by real-time scouting bees.
Plus two elite monsters, the Flesh Golems.
“Will I ever win against them?”
Honestly, he’s tempted to pack up his stuff and his beehives and run for the hills right now.
Sung-hyuk is just a living being.
To be afraid of dying because one’s life is precious is the same as living a life as a bee.
“But if I run away now, where do I go next?”
But he instinctively realized that it wouldn’t solve anything.
Even Sung-hyuk, who doesn’t play games, can’t help but feel it.
The world around him is only just beginning Chapter #1.
And yet, he chooses to run away already?
Well, he’ll definitely be able to save his life for now.
But how will he survive the next # of chapters?
Not only is there a limit to how long he can keep running, but if he abandons all the beehives on his beekeeping farm and runs away, he’ll have an even harder time surviving.
*Thud!* *Stomp!* *Stomp!*
Moreover, the image of the skill sent by the scouting bees.
It reveals that the Lich and Undead are advancing, trampling over the flowers that the bees have tended to.
*Squish!*
“That bastard, trampling on the hard work of my children!”
The bees have been working nonstop to create a natural life for themselves.
Having spent 24 years of his life as a beekeeper, Sung-hyuk is one of those people who appreciates the value of sincerity and hard work more than anyone else.
But destroying it?
He can tolerate being humiliated.
Being from an orphanage and only interested in bees, Sung-hyuk’s life has always been one of being ignored.
But when he sees them trampling on what is essentially his home, he can’t help but feel sick to his stomach, and his anger rises to the top of his head.
*BUZZ-!!!*
*Bzzzzzzzztttt!*
And it’s the same with the bees.
“Guys, let’s take care of this with just our own crew so the queen doesn’t have to worry.”
*Weeeeeeeeiiiiiinnnggggggg—-*
*Buzzz!* *Buzzztttt!* *Buzzzzzzzz!*
His fear disappeared as if washed away.
With various processed goods and beeswax candles in hand, Sung-hyuk prepared for a life-and-death battle with the bees.
* * * * *
“What a disgusting place this is….”
By nature, the undead are a race born from death, not life.
As such, they are naturally intolerant of nature and living things that are full of life, and Belmorn is no different.
“Trample them all. My minions!”
“Grrrrr!”
“Screech! Krrrrrr!”
As soon as Belmorn’s command was given, the undead began to smash the trees and trample the flowers that had bloomed in nature as if they had been waiting for it.
Some of the flower buds hadn’t even finished blooming, but the undead enjoyed the idea of crushing natural life with their rotting and mangled body parts.
But the undead’s destruction was short-lived.
*Buzzzzzz!* *Buzzzzzz!*
*Weeeeiiiinnggggg!*
“You little bugs, swat them all!”
Surely, even if it was a crude swing, the worker bees, with less than 30 health, would die on impact.
But in preparation for this war, Sung-hyuk has not been entirely idle.
Prior to the battle here, he prepared as well.
Sung-hyuk had the bees swarm around him, and then he used an item.
________________________________
[Guardian’s Rubigem Beeswax Candle (★+)]
* Category: Consumable
* When held in hand and the word ‘use’ is spoken, ‘Guardian’s Rubigem Beeswax Candle’s Blessing’ is applied to all entities recognized as allies within a 6M (+1) radius around it.
※ Guardian’s Rubigem Beeswax Candle: Provides warmth for 60 minutes, increasing Max Health by 360 (+60) and Defense by 8 (+2). (Durability decreases by 1, no cooldown)
* Durability: 2 / 2(+1) – Cannot be repaired.
······.
________________________________
A deceptively effective item that increases maximum health and defense by ridiculous amounts for 60 minutes.
It’s even more effective against bees, which are about the size of a pinky finger.
Why?
[Guardian’s Rubigem Beeswax Candle’s Blessing applies to 1,634 friendly objects within a 6M radius].
[Guardian’s Rubigem Beeswax Candle’s Blessing is applied to 1,688 friendly objects within a 6M radius].
[Guardian’s Rubigem Beeswax Candle’s Blessing applies to 1,653 friendly objects within a 6M radius].
······.
A 6-meter radius, which a human would only be able to cover 10 people at most.
However, it could be applied to thousands of smaller bees.
Therefore, Sung-hyuk bestowed the Guardian’s Rubigem Beeswax Candle’s blessing on all the bees he sent into battle, and needless to say, the results were spectacular.
“W-What kind of bugs!”
Despite being slapped around by the undead, instead of bouncing off and dying, the bees seemed to find it hilarious.
The bees then proceed to attack the undead with their little fluffy bodies.
*Bam, bam, bam!*
An attack of tens of thousands of bee stings in the blink of an eye.
Not even the undead have the stamina to withstand the onslaught of venomous stings.
[You have killed a Zombie Level 6 (★)]. You gain experience, 8 coins, and a corpse fragment (★)].
[You have slain a Skeleton level 4 (★)]. Grants experience, 5 coins and a rusty bone fragment (★)].
[You have successfully hunted a Ghoul level 8 (★+)]. Grants experience, 12 coins, and a Mutant Corpse Fragment (★+)].
[You have killed a Flesh Golem level 13 (★★-)] – An elite monster. You will receive EXP, 950 Coins, a ★★-Item Ticket, and a Corpse Chunk (★★-)].
[You have killed a Flesh Golem Level 13 (★★-)] – An elite monster. Grants experience, 950 coins, and 2 corpse chunks (★★-)].
[You have leveled up, earning 5 stat points].
…..
The echoing announcement of a successful hunt.
In the face of overwhelming military might, the undead, regardless of rank, succumbs, and even a Flesh Golem, a monstrous beast in its own right, falls down unable to withstand the countless stings of the bee.
However, this does not mean that it is all good news.
[Rubigem Worker Bee (★) is dead].
[Rubigem Worker Bee (★) has died].
[Rubigem Scout Bee (★+) is dead].
[Rubigem Honeycomb Bee (★+) is dead].
······.
The bees use their sole means of attack, its stinger.
There’s no way Sung-hyuk doesn’t know what that means.
“Your sacrifice, Dad, will never forget.”
Unlike wasps, bee stings have a wedge-shaped structure that connects to the gut like a hook.
As a result, any bee that attempts to attack the undead will be disemboweled along with their stinger.
Even with the Guardian’s Rubigem Beeswax Candle’s Blessing, the bees cannot survive the loss of a vital organ, just as a human cannot survive the loss of a heart.
The only exception to this was the bees that stung the skeletons that were left with nothing but bones.
However, the fact remains that many bees died anyway.
But while Sung-hyuk mourns the loss of the bees, he doesn’t dwell on it.
This is how the bees, which are social insects, survive in the first place.
The sacrificial spirit of the honeybee, willing to perform selfless acts to protect their home and queen.
That’s how bees live, and that’s what inspired Sung-hyuk to delve deeper into the world of bees.
** ** **
TL/N:
1. Reference to Seoul Station Necromancer by Jin Seol-woo, Shin Ji-hun
Manhwa Chapter 5, Novel Chapter 11