Chapter 63: When Power Overflows

Cutting down the bees, I climbed the mountain.

According to what Sprout had told me, that bastard Crowde was on the mountainside.

Crowde seemed desperate to stop me from approaching, constantly sending swarms of bees.

I swung Arca at the swarms.

Was it because I had obtained the Sword’s Humming through the hidden quest?

I had realized the secret contained in Arca.

The blue blade, as tall as a third-floor apartment, swung horizontally yet did no harm to the mountain at all.

That’s right.

With the blue blade, I could cut only what I wanted to cut.

I didn’t cut the mountain’s trees or rocks—only the swarms of bees.

[The World Tree Sapling warns that another swarm of bees is flying toward you.]

[It says these ones are even stronger than before.]

As soon as I read Sprout’s warning, a black swarm of bees appeared.

Just as Sprout said, they looked much fiercer.

If the ones before had been regular worker or scout bees, these were clearly specialized for combat.

They were about one and a half times bigger, and their pincer-like jaws had grown in proportion.

But the biggest change was at the end of their abdomens—their stingers.

I wasn’t even sure if you could call something the size of my forearm a “stinger.”

“Phew!”

Breathing heavily, I pulled Arca back.

Then I quickly swung it horizontally.

Without harming the lushly grown trees, I cut down only the swarms of bees.

The reason I could cut just what I wanted like this was because Arca’s blade was formed from the World Tree’s mana.

It was like a gentle touch.

Although, when aimed at monsters, it was an attack that could smash their heads in, when used for Sprout, it had simply transferred mana instead.

In other words, it all depended on how I used it—on my intention.

“Even if they’re stronger…”

They were only imaginary beings, but Arca had cut down Cyclops as well.

These hornets, bigger though they might be, had no chance of surviving.

Bees cut in half fell to the ground in droves.

Of course, since there were so many, some still charged at me.

Those that reached me met my warm left hand and died as their heads were smashed.

[The Sapling says it senses a repulsive aura right in front of you.]

[It feels mana surging violently.]

[This is a flow you’ve experienced twice before.]

[The Sapling is certain the enemy is about to “transform,” and warns you to be careful.]

“Thanks!”

I thanked Sprout for the warning and swung Arca.

The endlessly appearing swarms of bees fell with ease.

Crowde surely didn’t expect to stop me with just these bees.

He must have sent them just to buy time for his transformation.

Well, it didn’t matter.

Thanks to the Sword’s Humming, I was gradually becoming more skilled with Arca. The longer he stalled, the stronger I became.

Soon, the buzzing of the bees faded away.

I had killed every last bee that attacked me.

“World Tree Slash.”

Mana flowed from my hand into Arca.

That mana enveloped Arca’s blue blade.

At that moment,

[The Sapling feels that the previously surging mana has calmed down.]

Sprout sent me a message.

The wildly surging mana had calmed.

That could only mean one thing.

“Has the transformation finished?”

[The Sapling agrees with the caretaker’s words.]

[It adds that the repulsive aura is rapidly approaching.]

“Just as I thought.”

Kim Jeongcheol, who transformed into a bat.

Yongdushik, who insisted he was both mosquito and centipede.

So far, I had faced two of Crowde’s executives, and they had one thing in common.

They all radiated overwhelming confidence, babbling about their power.

I figured this one would be the same.

Like the others I had faced, he’d be drunk on his newfound strength, unable to think straight.

Like a drunk who loses judgment and charges in recklessly.

I used World Tree Slash expecting just that.

Thanks to having gathered ten doses’ worth of Warm Touch, mana covered Arca’s blue blade.

“Baek Dowoon!”

From above the mountain, a woman’s voice called out to me.

I also heard the thudding of falling trees.

I frowned at the noisy commotion and looked up.

I saw something descending, knocking trees over as it came.

It was clearly one of the transformed demon’s minions.

“Of course it’s a bee.”

As expected, it had the form of a bee-human.

Half bee, half human, it flew at me at great speed.

I immediately used World Tree Slash on the bee-human.

Just like swatting at a buzzing mosquito.

“…!”

I expected the crescent-shaped mana to fly out, as usual.

But I was wrong.

The mana that flew forward was the size of a half-moon.

The half-moon-shaped mass of mana cut down everything in its path.

Trees, rocks, even one of the bee-human’s legs.

I had only intended to hit the bee-human. I hadn’t meant to cut the trees or rocks at all.

It seemed I’d lost control of my power.

I hadn’t fully controlled the mana stored in Arca.

“Kyaaak!”

Even with its left leg cut off, the bee-human didn’t stop screaming in pain.

With the long stinger attached to its right arm, it charged straight at me.

That black stinger looked just like a lance aimed by a knight on horseback.

It looked sharp enough to pierce tree bark.

Just as that thought crossed my mind, a scene flashed in my head.

It was me, drawing Arca up to block the stinger.

The Sword’s Humming skill must have activated.

In that instant, it showed me the optimal way to use my sword.

“…!” “Die, Baek Dowoon!”

There was no time to be impressed.

The bee-human flew up to me in an instant and stabbed with its stinger.

Just as the scene in my head, I drew Arca up to block, instead of swinging it horizontally.

KWAANG!

A thunderous crash echoed.

Dust billowed into the air.

The bee-human stared blankly at the unscathed Arca, even after its stinger had been blocked.

It looked as if it couldn’t believe what had happened.

“No way, no way…!” “You lot are always like this. How long are you going to react that way?” “Gasp!”

I reached out toward it with my right hand.

It flapped its wings desperately, trying to escape my grasp, but my hand was much faster.

With my right hand, I grabbed its neck, preventing it from running away.

It felt both soft and hard at the same time, like grabbing a bug.

“I can’t let go of this!”

It swung its right arm to break my grip.

The stinger on its right arm grazed my cheek.

And my Barkskin was still fully activated.

Now I understood why it looked so bewildered just moments ago.

I also couldn’t believe my cheek had been scratched as if Barkskin weren’t even there.

I hadn’t even cloaked myself in sword energy—how had it managed that?

“…I should do something about that arm first.” “Hmph! You think you—”

It kept blabbering, but I didn’t listen.

I roughly slammed its body to the ground with a sweep of my right hand.

Then I stomped hard on its chest with my left foot.

It was impossible to tell if it felt like a human body or an insect’s.

“Aaagh!”

Even as I pinned it underfoot, the bee-human glared up at me.

Its eyes were wild with fury.

I reached out and grabbed Arca.

As I moved to cut off its stinger,—

BOOM!

Its right arm exploded.

The Arca that had been in my hand flew out and stabbed into the ground.

Had it fallen just a little to the left, I’d have cut off the bee-human’s neck.

Thankfully, it only sliced a bit of its wing.

“…What the?”

Caught off guard, I looked at my right arm.

It was in a dreadful state.

The explosion had happened at my elbow, and though the arm wasn’t completely detached, it dangled by a strip of flesh.

I wondered if the bee-human had done this and looked down.

“……”

No, that wasn’t it.

It, too, was staring at its right arm in shock, just like me.

So what had caused this?

And why wasn’t I healing like usual?

[The Sapling says it’s due to mana oversaturation.]

Just as I was puzzling it out, Sprout explained.

Mana oversaturation?

[Currently, more mana is flowing through the caretaker’s body than you can handle.]

[That, combined with using skills in rapid succession, caused your body to break down.]

[The Sapling advises you to finish this quickly and then prune yourself.]

Ah, so that’s what it was.

Knowing the reason put me at ease.

How could Sprout possibly know everything?

I nodded, and then I saw it.

A smile spreading across the bee-human’s face.

A smile filled with hope that it could survive.

“Yeah…!”

All of a sudden, the bee-human’s will to live ignited.

A desperate hope for survival.

Crazy bastard.

“You used all those powerful skills in a row—of course there had to be a penalty! Self-destruct already, you stupid bastard!”

It even started to laugh loudly.

Anyone would think it was me underfoot, not it.

I pressed harder on its chest with my foot.

Its laughter turned into screams of pain.

“Hahaaargh!”

I figured it was time to break its spirit.

“Damn it, what a pain.”

I exaggeratedly grabbed my dangling right arm and tore it off.

It hurt, but since I did it myself, I could bear it.

With my severed arm, I smashed it down on the creature’s head.

“Aaagh!”

I looked down at the creature as it writhed in pain.

Was it really so bad to be hit on the head just once?

My face reflected in the bee-human’s black eye.

My reflection was smiling.

Unlike the twitching corners of the bee-human’s mouth.

“You, you monster…!” “Monster? Hey, anyone would call you the monster here.”

I tossed away the severed arm as I spoke.

With my left hand, I picked up Arca.

As I’d intended, I sliced off its right arm.

The bee-human screamed and thrashed about.

“Stop pretending it hurts.”

At my words, the bee-human grit its teeth and glared at me.

Despite screaming in pain a moment ago, its pride was still intact.

Its glare was nothing but ferocious.

Those fierce eyes seemed to be telling me that it wasn’t pretending—it really was in pain.

“Don’t you think the children you killed hurt more?”

“Ha! You think I’m like those brats?”

“What?”

“I—”

I smacked its face with Arca.

Because its mouth was open, a few of its teeth flew out.

“I didn’t ask you to answer.”

“…!”

It glared at me.

But it didn’t open its mouth again.

It must have realized that if it did, it would get hit just like before.

“You made one mistake.”

I placed Arca on the bee-human’s body.

When the sword made from the World Tree touched it, the bee-human’s body went limp.

Judging by its face, it seemed unable to muster any strength.

Of course.

These were creatures so foul that even Sprout described them as disgusting.

There was no way it could be fine with Arca, a branch of the World Tree, touching its body.

“…!”

I sat down on Arca, pinning it by the hips.

“You messed with someone you never should have touched.”

“…Ridiculous. Are you saying that’s you?”

“No, I’m not talking about myself.”

With my left hand, I stroked the bee-human’s cheek.

It shuddered at my touch, as if my hand disgusted it.

“Choi Claudia.”

“The Head Sister? Why should I care about that bitch?”

“She’s my person.”

“What?”

“I can’t stand it when someone hurts the people I care about.”

“…Don’t, don’t make me laugh!”

The bee-human screamed.

It looked at me as if I was spouting complete nonsense.

It was a look I knew all too well.

I’d seen it often throughout my life.

“You should have just messed with me. Then you could have at least died painlessly.”

I gave it a sweet smile and raised my index finger.

The bee-human’s eyes bulged.

It must have seen me splitting bee heads open with that finger and assumed its own would end up the same way.

Of course, I had no intention of doing that.

That would be far too merciful a way to kill it.

With the index finger that had used Warm Touch, I tapped my own leg.

“……??”

I began pruning.