Amelia the Level Zero Hero - Chapter 197

The baby queen bastion bee knew they were in danger. Her hive was surrounded by enemies— by monsters that wanted to destroy them. She could feel their animosity bearing down on her people. She could sense their hate, even if she couldn’t understand their words.

And they were growing more bold in their attacks. Just today, a pair of giants had assailed her hive. She had to fend them off, but before she could finish the job, they had been saved by another giant.

This one had been stronger than the others. It had actually been able to hurt her, and that made her retreat back into her hive. She knew that her enemies were going to be planning a counterattack now that they had the upper hand.

So she had to prepare for their assault. Her entire hive buzzed warily, waiting for what was inevitably going to come. The only ones who weren’t tense or nervous about their current situation were the nursing bees. But the baby queen bastion bee knew that it was because they were senile.

Their old age had probably gotten to them, and they couldn’t recognize a threat even if it stung them in the face. That was why she ignored their advice. Instead, she had her colony stay on guard. And her caution paid off.

Because the counterattack eventually came.

She saw a shadow edging its way towards the hive. For whatever reason, it seemed to hesitate for a moment. Perhaps it was intimidated by her majestic presence. It shuffled its feet, turning back and calling out to a bush. And that seemed to help it regain its composure as it started forward once again, before bellowing.

“What is this? I, Jax the Forsaken Archer, have stumbled upon this nest of terrible monsters?”

The baby queen bastion bee buzzed as she heard those echoing words. She didn’t quite comprehend it, but she could sense the malintent behind what was being said. She nodded at her colony, and they looked up in response.

Prepare for battle, she sent the thought across the swarm.

And with that, she began to creep her way towards the exit of the hive.

—–

“…it appears that I have been left with no other choice. I must carry out my duty as an adventurer and exterminate this hive!” Jax called out in a monotone voice.

He wore a bored look on his face, and he lazily raised his bow as he reached for an arrow. Noele watched the scene unfold from behind a bush. Amelia was crouched next to the blonde girl.

Originally, the plan was to have Amelia waiting in the kitchen of the restaurant before she intervened. But they all decided it was better for her to wait out here as she would have a better vantage point of what was going on.

“I still don’t understand it,” Noele said as she shook her head. “Why are we doing this again?”

Amelia replied with a shrug, “The baby bastion bees have been acting up. This is the only way we can calm them down.”

“I mean, I’ve noticed that.” The blonde girl pursed her lips. She recalled how they immediately started acting up the moment Amelia had left Wolfwater. “But how do you know this is the best solution to that problem?”

“I have no idea,” Amelia said simply. “I just know I have to earn their trust.”

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Noele blinked. “And how do you know that?”

“That’s what Dorien told me. He’s the expert, not me. I’m just hoping this works.” Amelia leant back as her gaze remained fixed on Jax.

The Forsaken Archer sighed as he nocked an arrow onto his bow. “I’m going to attack the hive any second now. My bow is nocked, and I shall loose it in three, two, one—”

The arrow shot forward. It wasn’t glinting with magic or empowered by any Skill. Jax sent an ordinary arrow weakly flying towards the hive. There was a thunk. Bits of rock and stone broke off from the entrance of the hive, before a cacophonous buzzing echoed out.

Noele watched as the swarm of baby bastion bees emerged from their nest. Their red eyes were glinting, angrily glaring down at the lone elf. He rolled his eyes at their attempt at intimidating him.

“Alright, and now that you’re out of your hive…” Jax muttered to himself as he drew a glinting arrow from his bow.

The baby queen bastion bee dove down at him, followed by her colony. Noele bit her lower lip. She wasn’t worried about Jax. But she was worried about what came next.

The elf shot the glinting arrow forward, but it wasn’t aimed at any of the mass of bastion bees. In fact, with his precision, the arrow missed all of them, before it flickered with a bright light. All at once, a magical net sprung out behind the arrow.

The baby queen bastion bee’s eyes went wide. She tried to swerve out of the way, but it was too late. Her entire colony was captured by the magical net. They all collapsed onto the grassy ground, squirming and trying to escape. Unfortunately for them, they couldn’t break free.

“Now then—” Jax walked forward as he drew another arrow from his quiver. The baby bastion bees buzzed angrily, but all they could do was tremble as he approached them. “It is time to exterminate you from this world….”

—–

The baby queen bastion bee couldn’t believe it. They had fallen for a trap! This terrible pointy-eared giant had tricked them, and he had now caught them all in a massive web! This was a blunder on her part. Perhaps it was because of her inexperience, but she should have sent her army out in a wider formation. That way, they could have easily evaded this trap.

Unfortunately for her, there was nothing she could do now. She just lay there as she glared back up at her enemy. The pointy-eared giant loomed over her, his bow raised as he sneered down at her.

A green aura overcame his arrow, and suddenly a cold shiver swept over the baby queen bastion bee. Her wings stopped buzzing as her colony grew silent. She felt a strange sensation wash over her as she stared at the glowing projectile.

Was this… fear?

The baby queen bastion bee had never felt anything like this before. But she was certain of what this was. She was afraid. She had never seen such overwhelming power ever in her life. No— she never even thought such power was possible. And yet, here it was, being displayed in front of her.

Was this her end? Was she going to die here? Was her colony going to fall because she was too weak?

She wanted to rebuke these questions. But she knew that it was true. She couldn’t protect them. She couldn’t save them. It was over.

“Goodbye,” the pointy-eared giant said in a cold voice.

And he loosed the projectile at her. The baby queen bastion bee closed her eyes, unable to witness her own demise. She waited for her death. But it never came.

Slowly, the baby queen bastion bee blinked her eyes open. She looked up as her vision returned to her, and she caught a glimpse of the green aura still looming over her. But the attack didn’t reach, instead floating mid-air just before the net.

What…? She stared in confusion.

And that was when she saw the shadow standing over her. The baby queen bastion bee looked to the side and recognized who it was.

It was… the Invader?

It was the first one who dared attack her hive. The brown-haired human who tried to massacre her people. But she had fended off this giant, defeating it to reach her first evolution.

What was it doing here?

“I will not let you touch them,” the Invader said in a booming voice.

The baby queen bastion bee couldn’t understand the words itself, but she felt the intentions of it reverberate through her body. Her wings buzzed for a moment, and she turned her gaze back to the glowing projectile.

And that was when she realized the Invader was holding the glowing projectile with one hand. That was when the baby queen bastion bee realized that the Invader had saved her life.

The baby queen bastion bee could only stare in shock as the realization settled in.