Chapter 120: Bee Perked Up!

Chapter 120: Bee Perked Up!

And so, Belissar decided...to check out the waiting perk choice first. Maybe whatever he got there might sway his decision...

Please select a perk:

- Piercing Stingers (Rarity: Uncommon)

- Gardener Planting (Rarity: Rare)

- Hardened Wax (Rarity: Common)

Belissar’s eyes widened. A rare perk? Most of the perks he had seen were limited to common or uncommon, so this was unexpected. Still, he wanted to consider his choice carefully, so he put aside the desire to select it immediately and read out the perks in order.

Piercing Stingers

- All stingers gain increased penetration

Well, he wasn’t sure what he expected, but that description still seemed a bit...brief. He supposed though that little more needed to be said. He had learned firsthand with the turtle shade that his bees had trouble fighting anything their stingers couldn’t pierce. This perk would directly address that issue. It needed nothing else to appeal to him.

The Flower Meadow queens need no encouragement either. They perked up and began fidgeting as Belissar read out the perk. Belissar didn’t need to ask why. They felt bad after the soldiers proved unable to pierce the turtle-shade’s defenses. This perk would help prevent that from ever recurring, make the soldier bee army strong and more capable of handing new threats in the future. It was certainly something to consider.

But well...it was the next perk he had his eyes on.

Gardener Planting

- Gardeners not only pollinate plants but carry and plant their seeds.

- Boosts seed growth of plants pollinated by gardeners.

- Boosts rate of cross-pollination of plants pollinated by gardeners.

Belissar rubbed his chin. On the one hand, for a rare perk to only affect one type of bee, the gardeners, seemed a bit limited in Belissar’s eyes. And it wouldn’t even make them any stronger for fighting shades. That made sense since gardeners were a worker evolution not meant for combat, but it still stood out to Belissar given his recent concerns regarding purifications.

But at the same time, it was a rare perk! Rare! Belissar figured there had to be some reason this one wasn’t common or uncommon. Besides, the Apiary queens seemed interested in it as well. So, Belissar took his time and thought about what he had read.

Then, he froze and his eyes went wide.

Gardeners would now help plants make more seeds and more cross-pollinated seeds, and then carry and plant them. What came to Belissar’s mind...was the recent slime flower. The slime flower that was a non-bee monster spawner. It was something he was unlikely to find in the reward choices, and even now that he had access to it the Blessing of Bees made it quite expensive. However...he had received it without spending a choice at all, and paid no mana upkeep for it. And that...was because it had grown on its own. And that meant that...plants could and had grown without Belissar spawning them directly, either as a resource node, trap, or general room feature.

So, for example, what if the gardeners helped the slime flower make seeds...and then carried and planted them elsewhere in his Tower? Could he get more slime flowers...and therefore monster spawners...without expending any mana whatsoever? What about mana flowers and their Ground and Fire versions? Additionally, if the gardeners were carrying them around...could he have them carry the seeds to other rooms? Could he put slime flowers in the Flower Meadow to reinforce the defense? What about the gravilion flowers or the thorny roses? Could he get free traps spread across the Bee Barracks and beyond? If he got new flowers, could he place just a single node and then let the gardeners spread them all across his Tower so that every hive could access them without him spending vast amounts of mana? If he made new rooms and had this perk, maybe he wouldn’t have to add as many flower nodes to them, if any.

But what if he could entice them that way? That alone could allow him to buy additional time during purifications. It would also make his traps more reliable to boot, taking some of the pressure off the soldier bee army.

Bee-Type Strength Boost (Minor)

- All Bee-type monsters receive a minor boost to strength

Belissar was about to gloss over this one...until he realized that it was not the average boost perks he saw in the daily purifications. No, this one specified that it applied not to a specific bee, but to all bee-type monsters. So, all of his monsters, at least until the slime flower did its thing.

Belissar nodded his head as his plan coalesced.

“So, I’m thinking of taking Gardener Planting for more flowers, and then one of the other perks to strengthen our defenses. Um, does anyone have another ideas? And do you like any of the next three perks in particular?”

Of course, the bees did not have any other ideas, for once he stated his the only answer he got was “whatever King chooses!” Chief Rohsuak shook her head as well. Belissar still wished she’d just tell him what she thought outright, but she apparently had no intention of defying his decision here, so he’d just go with what he thought best. As for the second choice...the Flower Meadow queens were split between Enhanced Toxins and Bee-Type Strength Boost. The First of the Fifth flew a bit unsteadily, on the other hand.

“Honey...more appealing? Make enemies want? Why want that?”

Belissar nodded at her.

“If it draws a shade’s attention, we can use it to draw it into traps.”

The First of the Fifth picked up speed, dancing to indicate her understanding...and following with a “King best king!” dance. She did not, however, indicate any specific preference for the perk after understanding it.

Belissar rubbed his chin once more, taking his bees preferences into account. Alluring Honey would work well with his traps. He hadn’t been able to rely on them in a while now...but perhaps Alluring Honey would change that? Especially if the gardeners started to spread some of the trap plants around. On the other hand, either of the other two perks would strengthen his bees directly. As powerful as traps might be, it generally came down to his bees, especially since the Hunger would ultimately adapt to the traps over time. And then, finally, Enhanced Toxins could improve both bees and traps, though it was a common perk.

Belissar glanced once more at his bees, then made his choice.

Gardener Planting selected.

Bee-Type Strength Boost (Minor) selected.

All Bee-type monsters receive a minor boost to strength!

The bees had been concerned and subdued due to the turtle-shade. They had been worried about their inability to fight. So, Belissar wanted to both make them stronger and to cheer them up. He was going to reward them for their efforts and reassure them that he believed in them. And he felt that boosting all of their strength directly was the best way to do that.

The bees all began to stir as the Tower’s mana flowed through them, the Flower Meadow queens in particular. Belissar looked directly at them and smiled.

“I’m counting on you.”

The Flower Meadow queens joined together in a salute dance, followed by all the rest.