Kargal approached the tree and looked at the beehive. The bees around the hive were already buzzing restlessly.
I thought Master would punish me more harshly… — he thought to himself. — I didn't expect to feel relieved by such a simple punishment.
He began climbing the tree. The dry bark creaked under his bony fingers, and the branches swayed with every movement. Sensing this, the bees drew closer, circling him angrily with furious buzzing.
But Kargal did not stop.
When he reached the branch, the bees completely surrounded him. Several tried to sting, but his skeletal body offered them no effect. Feeling this, Kargal gave a faint, almost imperceptible smile.
He grasped the beehive and tried to pull it free. But the hive was not sturdy—it began to bend. Sensing this, Kargal reduced his strength, gripped it from above, and yanked hard once at the attachment point.
The hive broke loose.
But he lost his balance.
Kargal fell downward, yet he paid no attention, holding the hive tightly. He sprang to his feet and began running toward Zaber.
The wild bees, enraged by this, nearly twenty in number, began circling him with furious buzzing. Some tried to sting, others clung to his face.
From a distance, Zaber looked at Kargal and said in a cold voice:
"If you bring even one bee to my side, you will truly be punished."
Kargal stopped for a moment.
"After all, Master… how am I supposed to get rid of them…?" he said, breathing heavily.
Zaber turned and continued walking toward their destination.
"That is your problem."
Kargal stared at Zaber's back and whispered in a tone of discontent:
"Are you mocking me, Master…?"
Zaber did not stop.
"What did you say, Kargal?"
Kargal flinched.
"Nothing, Master!" he said hurriedly and began running again, trying to escape the bees.
A barely noticeable smile appeared on Zaber's lips.
"This is your true punishment. Taking the hive was not the problem…" he said calmly. "Getting rid of them is the problem."
X suddenly burst into laughter.
"Hahahahahahaha! I was starting to worry that you had given a simple punishment. But getting rid of the bees won't be easy."
Zaber smiled faintly as well.
"I have an even better punishment in mind. But the time is not yet."
He said this to X.
X nodded in approval.
"Ha-ha… I will wait."
They continued walking until noon in this manner.
Zaber, Luna, and Gobuto stopped for lunch. Kargal could not approach—the bees still refused to leave him. Several exhausted bees had even landed on his body.
Luna and Gobuto glanced at him once and continued eating.
Kargal angrily swatted at a bee crawling on his face, grinding his teeth as he stood watching.
After lunch, they set out again.
Zaber watched the distant Kargal from afar, enjoying himself inwardly with laughter, though he tried not to show it. Luna and Gobuto were unsure whether to feel pity or amusement.
When the sun set, Zaber stopped, leaning against a tree.
"We will rest here."
His servants began setting up the tent and lighting a fire. Zaber glanced at them once and looked up at the sky. Darkness was slowly swallowing the heavens, and stars began to appear.
At that moment, a rustling sound came from the bushes.
Kargal emerged, covered in dust, with branches tangled in his head, utterly exhausted. His breathing was heavy, his movements sluggish. He handed the hive to Zaber and immediately collapsed to the ground.
Zaber took the hive and said:
"You look quite worn out. Go, rest."
Kargal lifted his head, looking at Zaber while panting.
"Thank you, Master…"
He remained lying there in that state.
Zaber carefully examined the hive. Inside were seven or eight bees still in their larval stage.
He murmured in satisfaction:
"Some material for a little experiment."
He took one of the larvae and held it between two fingers. Black mana ignited at his fingertips and slowly began seeping into the larva.
After a while, the larva twitched.
The bee inside moved strangely, wriggling.
Zaber watched it with curiosity.
In the next moment, the bee fell still.
Zaber opened the larva.
The yellow and red bee had now taken on a black and red hue. But at the same time… it was no longer alive.
Zaber examined it, then casually tossed the corpse away.
Zaber looked at the other larvae in the hive. Each one was quiet, still, yet seemed to hold untapped potential within.
"How can I infuse them with black mana…" he said in a low voice, his eyes fixed on the larvae.
X pondered for a moment.
"What are you planning?"
Zaber turned to X. His gaze was calm, but a clear purpose lay within.
"I want them. As my servants. If I can infuse them with black mana, they could evolve. But I don't know how yet."
X smiled at the corner of his mouth. The smile was not careless.
"Not all at once. Gradually, over several days, in very small amounts… that might work."
Zaber held the hive with both hands. The inside of the hive was warm, filled with the scent of life.
"We will try."
Black mana ignited from his hand. It slowly approached the larvae inside the hive. The black mana seemed to touch their surface, but Zaber stopped after three seconds.
He withdrew his hand.
"The rest tomorrow."
With those words, he stood and walked toward the tent.
He glanced back at the lying Kargal.
"Don't sleep there."
Kargal lifted his head and looked at Zaber. In his eyes, alongside exhaustion, there was an expression as if he had understood something.
"I seem to have underestimated your punishment, Master," he thought, then stood and followed Zaber.
Zaber went to the fire and sat down, turning to Luna.
"There seem to be no predatory animals around here. What happened to them?"
Luna began speaking in a polite tone. In her voice lay a heavy truth that had been repeated many times.
"For many years, humans sent troops to clear the Riza Forest. They cleaned the outer areas. Many animals fled to the central and inner regions. Troops hadn't come for a while, but adventurers took missions. They receive fifty gold for clearing any creature's nest. They also earn extra gold by selling the creatures' bodies. Thus, many animals perished. They are rarely encountered in these areas anymore."
Zaber glanced around. The silence now made sense to him.
"Understood."
He began drinking the soup.
Four days passed in this manner.
After five days of walking from the forest, they emerged. An open space came into view.
Zaber looked back—toward the forest. For a moment, he remembered Rion. Then, without saying anything, he continued on his way.
He turned to Luna.
"How much farther to the city?"
Luna had grown accustomed over time. The emptiness in her eyes had begun to fade gradually.
"One more day, Master."
Zaber thought discontentedly to himself.
I don't like walking.
Meanwhile, Zaber had been feeding the beehive with small amounts of mana every day.
Zaber had already lost a tenth of his mana—irrecoverably. If he transferred mana directly, it would be lost. If he used it for spells or mana-related abilities, it could be recovered.
He pondered, looking at his hand.
"I have learned a bit more about false aura."
He continued calmly.
"It is a combination of killing intent, anger, and hatred. I felt all of them at once, at that moment, so it turned into an aura. I can use them separately as well. When combined, it leaks steadily from the body… and makes me appear mid-level."
He smiled lightly.
"An interesting ability."
What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments. Don't forget to save it to your power stone and library. 100ps 1 bonus chapter