Don continued farming steadily, pushing deeper into the Lost Jungle.
With each kill, something within him sharpened. His movements became cleaner, more refined. The hesitation that lingered at the start of his journey had long since vanished, replaced by a quiet, almost instinctive confidence. Every step, every strike, every retreat flowed into the next with seamless precision. There was no wasted motion, no unnecessary risk. Only efficiency. Only control.
And slowly, the environment around him began to change.
The dense forest thinned. The towering trees gave way, their shadows retreating as the canopy above opened into a wide, exposed clearing. Light spilled down freely now, illuminating the ground in uneven patches. At the center of it all, a massive depression carved into the earth, and within it, a gigantic beehive.
Don stopped in his tracks.
"What the hell…"
For a brief moment, even he couldn't hide the shock in his voice.
The hive was enormous, easily five to six meters in diameter. Its structure loomed like a living monument, its surface layered with perfectly formed hexagonal cells, each one large enough to fit a human head. The pattern was flawless. Too flawless. Almost unnatural.
Bees crawled in and out constantly, their movements relentless, their buzzing overlapping into a deep, vibrating hum that seemed to resonate through the ground itself. The entire structure pulsed with life.
Don felt it, a faint pressure, subtle but real. His heartbeat quickened slightly. After everything he had just gone through, after all the grinding, all the fights, all the near-death moments, he had reached this point.
He opened his status panel.
[Bane]
[Race: Human]
[Class: Rogue]
[Level: 9 (1%)]
[HP: 270]
[Physical Attack: 462–487]
[Physical Defense: 57]
[Magic Defense: 57]
His lips pressed together slightly. A full set of White Iron equipment, everything except a cloak. In the early game, this level of gear wasn't just decent. It was strong. More than strong. Worker Bee Heavy Strikes that once felt overwhelming now barely chipped away at him, reduced to single-digit damage. He felt grounded, stable, almost unshakable.
Without hesitation, Don began circling the hive. Any bee that drifted too close died. He killed and killed, but as time passed, his expression slowly shifted. A slight frown formed. The pace had changed. From level nine to level ten, the difference was drastic, the experience required had more than tripled. Even Enhanced Worker Bees barely moved his progress bar now. Less than one percent per kill.
'So this is the bottleneck.'
The realization settled in quietly. The system wasn't just rewarding progression. It was controlling it, forcing players to slow down, to struggle, to prove themselves before granting access to class advancement.
Don exhaled slowly. 'Looks like need to change spots soon. Their numbers is just too much'
But just as the thought formed, the ground trembled.
A low, heavy vibration spread beneath his feet. The beehive shook violently. The buzzing intensified. Then something moved inside. A shape. Large. Disturbing. And then it emerged.
A massive, grotesque figure crawled out from one of the oversized cells.
Don's eyes widened. "No way."
The creature was enormous and bulky, its body swollen with thick, layered segments that gave it a grotesque, almost suffocating presence. It was nearly as tall as he was, its mass radiating a sense of raw, oppressive weight. Its wings were larger, heavier, each beat carrying a deeper, more violent sound. This wasn't a Worker Bee. This was something else entirely.
Don's gaze sharpened instantly. He checked its attributes.
[Jungle Queen Bee]
[Grade: Normal Boss]
[Level: 12]
[HP: 30,000]
[Physical Attack: 93–98]
[Physical Defense: 220]
[Magic Defense: 200]
[Skills: Heavy Strike, Paralysis Attack]
Silence. For a brief moment, everything seemed to still.
Then Don exhaled slowly, and a grin spread across his face. 'Jackpot.'
This wasn't just another monster. This was opportunity for massive experience, rare drops, high-grade equipment. Everything he needed to widen the gap even further was standing right in front of him.
But reality followed just as quickly. His eyes narrowed slightly. Even with his current defense, the Queen's attack was lethal. He couldn't afford mistakes. Not even one.
And then the real problems surfaced.
First, the surrounding bees. Worker Bees and Normal Bees still patrolled the area. Their numbers was great, If he mishandled aggro, if he pulled too many, he would be overwhelmed instantly. Second, players. This wasn't a private dungeon. Anyone could walk in, anyone could see him, and if they did, they wouldn't hesitate. They would kill, steal, and take everything.
Don's gaze grew colder. He needed control. Position. An escape route.
This wasn't paranoia. This was experience, years of gaming, years of real decisions under pressure. You never go all-in without a fallback. Never.
His mind moved rapidly, processing the terrain from every angle. Then an idea formed. He reached into his inventory and pulled out a Giant Bee Stinger; a quest item, simple and stackable. He had more than enough, so using a few didn't matter.
His eyes scanned the clearing again. The path he had come from was too narrow, too restrictive. If things went wrong, retreating there would trap him. But ahead, another opening, two to three meters wide. A natural choke point. Perfect. Behind him, the hive continued to release Worker Bees at intervals. If used properly, they could become a barrier, a living shield. Low-level players wouldn't be able to push through easily.
A faint smile curved his lips.
Without hesitation, Don moved. His steps were light as he slipped along the edge of the clearing, positioning himself precisely where he wanted. Then he raised the Bee Stinger, aimed, and threw it.
The stinger cut through the air like a javelin, spinning once before striking the Queen Bee directly in the abdomen.
[202!]
The damage was minimal, but that didn't matter. What mattered was the reaction.
The Queen Bee let out a furious, thunderous buzz. Its wings roared, and then it charged. Fast. Far faster than its massive body should have allowed. Don's eyes flickered with surprise.
'That speed…'
But even as he retreated, something else caught his attention. The surrounding Worker Bees didn't follow. They continued their routines, unbothered, uninvolved. Strange, but he wasn't about to complain.
He exhaled slightly. That simplified things. But as he moved backward, his eyes swept across the terrain ahead, and his expression tightened. The ground was open. Too open. No trees, no obstacles, nothing to break line of sight. His original plan, kiting, using terrain, controlling distance, was no longer viable.
Don slowed for just a moment. Then a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
'Fine. If I can't kite, then I'll fight you head-on.'
He opened his inventory quickly and paused. Eight potions left. His expression hardened. Eight chances, that was all he had. If he miscalculated, if he made even a single mistake, he wouldn't just lose the fight. He would lose everything. A level. Time. All his momentum.
Silence settled around him. The Queen Bee's buzzing grew louder, closer, heavier. Each second, it closed the distance.
Don tightened his grip on the dagger. His breathing slowed, steady and controlled. His mind cleared, every variable, every risk, every possible outcome lined up, calculated, and weighed.
Then his gaze sharpened completely.
'If I'm going to do this, I have to win.'