Preparing for War with Killer Bee

Melissa and I woke up the next morning.

We returned to our lodgings.

Even when Lucy-nuna saw us, she didn’t say much.

It seemed she already knew this would happen.

I didn’t want to hurt Lucy-nuna’s feelings, so I paid a little more attention to her.

Around lunchtime, Lucy-nuna, Melissa, Winston, Ctilla, and I gathered at Ctilla’s house to discuss our future plans.

Ctilla told us the information the Slime Kingdom had gathered about the Killer Bees.

“The elite of the Killer Bees are encircling the Slime Kingdom. That’s why the Slimes can’t get out.”

I asked a question I had.

“Can’t you break through at one point?”

“Even if we did, the damage would be immense. Slimes don’t sacrifice their comrades.”

“Is the Killer Bee Kingdom surrounding this Slime Kingdom?”

“According to our exploration team, who risked their lives to find out, the Killer Bee Kingdom is located to the south of the Slime Kingdom. Those surrounding us must be the Killer Bee Kingdom’s army.”

“I see. What does the Killer Bee Kingdom look like?”

“It’s said to be a giant yellow structure with countless hexagonal holes built on the ground.”

Lucy-nuna asked.

“Doesn’t it require a lot of food to maintain the Killer Bee Kingdom?”

Ctilla replied.

“Perhaps that’s why they periodically launch large-scale invasions of our kingdom to hunt Slimes in large numbers.”

“I see.”

“Fortunately, the Queen-nim is strong, so she’s preventing us from being completely conquered.”

This time, Winston asked from a strategic perspective.

“Tell us about the Killer Bees’ combat methods and strong individuals.”

Ctilla explained.

“Killer Bees fight by applying the poison from their tail stingers to their weapons. It’s deadly to Slimes, but I don’t know how it will affect other races.”

“Are there any ranged attacks or magic?”

“Killer Bees use javelins. Poisoned javelins shot from high places are very deadly. And among them, those wearing flower crowns on their heads and holding wooden staffs can use magic.”

“What kind of magic do they use?”

“As for defensive magic, they can summon hexagonal shields, and for offensive magic, they use poison magic and wind magic.”

“Who are the strong ones?”

“The Killer Bee Queen is a powerful magician. I’ve seen the Killer Bee Queen summon a giant swarm of locusts. Many elite Slimes, weakened by poison, were devoured by those locust swarms. The Killer Bee Queen is guarded by 10 Valkyries. The Valkyries are very strong.”

“I see. It won’t be easy.”

“In my opinion, your strength is no less than theirs.”

“Even so, it will be difficult to kill the Killer Bee Queen and the 10 Valkyries with just us.”

“Haha. Slimes don’t abandon their comrades. The Queen-nim has given you a mission, but if you ask, all Slimes will participate in your plan.”

I was surprised.

‘Are Slimes really saints?’

I asked with a serious face.

“Are you really saying that all Slimes will help us fight the Killer Bees?”

“Yes. You are already friends of the Slime Kingdom, and this is also for the sake of the Slime Kingdom. All Slimes will participate willingly.”

Melissa said with wide, surprised eyes.

“I heard Slimes are weak against Killer Bees.”

“I know. But we would rather fight than abandon our comrades. We Slimes can gladly die for our comrades.”

“Are you sure it’s not just Ctilla-ssi who thinks that way?”

“No. All Slimes will think the same way. I can feel your strong presence. You are the jokers who came to the Slime Kingdom to strike down the Killer Bees. No Slime will pass up this opportunity. But first, we must come up with a viable plan.”

I replied.

“I understand. Can the Queen-nim participate in this plan?”

“The Queen-nim must protect this kingdom. She will only participate if the plan ensures that there is no damage to the kingdom and that we will definitely win.”

“I see.”

Winston summarized.

“So, we somehow have to break through the Killer Bee army and the 10 Valkyries and cut off the Queen’s head.”

Ctilla said.

“You won’t be able to just cut off the Queen’s head. Eventually, you will have to dismantle the Killer Bee army and kill all 10 Valkyries as well. Our Queen-nim is demanding the Killer Bee Queen’s head, taking all of that into account.”

Even if we knew where the Killer Bee Kingdom was, we couldn’t just go straight there.

I asked my team members for ideas.

“Does anyone have a good plan?”

Winston said.

“My lord. How about asking the Giant Ents for help?”

“Let’s hold off on that for now. I don’t want to sacrifice the Giant Ents to help the Slime Kingdom.”

This time, Lucy-nuna raised her hand enthusiastically.

“Me! I have one!”

“What is it?”

“I’m a pharmacist, right? Can’t I research the Killer Bees’ venom and create an antidote?”

Ctilla shouted excitedly.

“That’s a great idea! If we can solve the Slimes’ slowing down, we can fight the Killer Bees on equal terms.”

I was puzzled.

“Come to think of it, why didn’t you think of making an antidote?”

“Not only is it difficult to obtain the poison, but touching large amounts of poison melts the Slimes, making it impossible with our abilities. We also don’t develop resistance. It seems to be a situation that has evolved over a long time as Killer Bees and Slimes have evolved together.”

Winston asked about the Slimes’ combat methods.

“Do Slimes have ranged attacks? Close combat alone is disadvantageous against aerial forces.”

Ctilla said.

“We have Slimes that shoot projectiles, such as Fire Slimes, Ice Slimes, and Poison Slimes. And there are also Slime Cannons.”

“What are Slime Cannons?”

“We put Wind Slimes into a cylinder that is closed at the bottom. If you put another Slime on top of it, the Wind Slime shoots it upwards with a powerful gust of wind. It goes higher than you think. And Slimes are only slightly stung when they fall to the ground.”

“Heo. Slimes also possess good combat techniques.”

“Until now, the Slimes shot by the cannons were poisoned by the Killer Bees’ poison and couldn’t do anything in the air. If there was no poison, they could inflict damage.”

“Does the Slime Kingdom possess Killer Bee poison?”

“No, we don’t.”

I made a final decision.

“Then let’s go outside and catch Killer Bees for now. And Lucy-nuna, analyze the poison and make an antidote.”

“Okay!”

—————–

The four of us and the Iron Slime Ctilla headed to the border of the Slime Kingdom.

Winston was transformed into a Beastman, and Melissa was transformed into a quadruped.

I ordered Melissa.

“Melissa. Find the Killer Bees nearby.”

“Leave it to me! Sniff! Sniff!”

Melissa quietly led us in one direction.

After going some distance, we saw 10 Killer Bees flying at tree height.

I said.

“Let’s catch those Killer Bees. Ctilla-ssi, could you act as bait?”

“I understand. I’m an Iron Slime, so I can withstand it to some extent. If I bring the enemies, hide and then ambush them.”

“If Ctilla-ssi is in danger, I’ll go help you right away.”

Ctilla approached the Killer Bees at a fast pace.

We dug into the ground covered with bushes and hid, leaving only our heads out.

After waiting for several tens of minutes, Ctilla slid towards us at a fast pace, with 10 Killer Bees chasing behind him.

The Killer Bees were focused on Ctilla and hadn’t noticed us yet.

Ctilla got closer and closer to us.

20m, 10m, 5m, 1m…

Just before the Killer Bees passed over our heads, we all jumped out of the holes at once and ambushed the Killer Bees.

As I jumped high, three Killer Bees passing by me looked at me with bewildered eyes.

I shot tentacle spears from my body.

Two Killer Bees failed to defend and were pierced by the tentacle spears, dying instantly.

The remaining Killer Bee deflected the incoming tentacle spears with the shield it was holding, changing their trajectory.

The Killer Bee tried to escape by changing its path.

My tentacle spear bent and wrapped around the Killer Bee’s waist.

The Killer Bee screamed.

“Kyaaaaak!”

The Killer Bee grabbed the spear it was holding in reverse and tried to stab my tentacle.

I put strength into the tentacle and slammed the Killer Bee into the ground.

Kwang!

“Kkeueuk….”

The Killer Bee just fainted.

Looking at my team members, they had all killed the other Killer Bees.

Ctilla approached us and shouted in an excited voice.

“We killed 9 Killer Bees and captured 1! It’s a great victory!”

I expressed my gratitude to Ctilla.

“Ctilla. Thank you for acting as bait on purpose.”

“Didn’t we achieve results like this? It’s okay.”

We took the Killer Bee corpses and the unconscious prisoner and returned to the Slime Kingdom.

Ctilla announced the victory to the Slimes, jumping ppyong ppyong.

“Our new friends caught the Killer Bees!”

Many Slimes approached us and praised us, jumping ppyong ppyong.

“You caught the Killer Bees, thank you!”

“Thank you!”

Lucy-nuna said.

“Ctilla. I need a space to research the Killer Bees. I also need various herbs and poisonous plants.”

“There’s an empty dome near the Adeben Poison Moss Field, so I’ll give it to you. And I’ll introduce you to the Slimes who run the plant fields. They will be happy to help.”

“Ah. Thank you.”

Winston asked me.

“My lord. What should we do with the unconscious prisoner?”

“Infect it with a brain-parasitic tentacle and extract information.”

“Good idea.”

I placed the brain-parasitic tentacle on the nose of the unconscious Killer Bee.

The tentacle went right into the nostril.

Ttiriring

[Would you like to spend 20pt to learn brain connection with a bee (科) monster?]

“Yes.”

Now this Killer Bee will be our important source of information.

We headed to the Killer Bee research facility that Lucy-nuna had newly received.

Even in the research facility, Lucy-nuna continued to request various furniture and items from Ctilla.

Ctilla faithfully responded to all requests.

Before we knew it, the research facility had become similar to the workshop in the basement of the Bradon Village Potion Shop.

Just then, the tentacle-infected Killer Bee woke up and greeted us.

“Hello~”

“Yeah. What’s your name?”

“I don’t have a name.”

“What? How can that be?”

“Killer Bees only have names for the Queen, Valkyries, and heroes.”

I looked at the other team members and asked.

“What should we call her?”

Melissa raised her hand, saying, “Me, me!”

“Lily! Lily!”

I gave the Killer Bee a name.

“You are Lily.”

“Ah, thank you! Wow! I have a name!”

“Tell me everything you know about the Killer Bee Kingdom.”

“Okay~~!”

——————–

As we listened to information from Lily, it was time for dinner.

Our share of Horned Rabbits was delivered.

Each tentacle has a different way of eating.

Winston likes to transform only his face into a Beastman and chew it up.

Melissa sticks a tentacle tongue into the head and sucks out the brain first.

Melissa says that the brain of a living creature that is still throbbing is delicious.

Lucy-nuna sucks the plump buttocks with her tentacle tongue first.

I just eat from wherever I grab it because I don’t want to think about it one by one.

Come to think of it, Lily was starving.

I asked Lily.

“Lily. What do you eat?”

“You can just give me flowers or Horned Rabbits.”

“Don’t you eat Slimes?”

“How can I eat them when Master is on the Slimes’ side? This body says that Slimes are the most delicious, but I can eat other things too.”

Ctilla sighed.

“Heo. If they didn’t eat us and ate other things. Killer Bees are really greedy.”

Lily replied.

“Killer Bees really like eating Slimes. Other things feel like side dishes.”

“That’s really unfortunate. If you become friends with us, we could give you Horned Rabbits and breeding methods.”

I asked Lily something I was really curious about.

“Ahem. Where do you guys poop after eating?”

The atmosphere froze for a moment.

Everyone looked at me with an expression as if they had seen something they shouldn’t have.

I decided to just come out openly and confidently.

“No. I can ask, right? Aren’t you curious?”

Lily said shyly.

“Perhaps…. Is Master into that kind of thing? If you really want that, I need time to prepare….”

“No! I’m not trying to do that! It’s pure curiosity!”

After a bit of commotion, we were able to hear the truth.

The leader of the Killer Bees is connected to the bee’s abdomen attached to the butt, and they poop through the anus below the tail stinger.

I had to apologize for talking about pooping while eating.

I couldn’t bring myself to ask Lily to show me her anus.

We listened to information from Lily and went to sleep when it got dark.

Lily’s lodging was decided to be a small dome next to our lodging.

When we explained the situation, the Slimes accepted it as a concept of a defector.

Lily decided to generously provide the poison from her tail stinger for Lucy-nuna’s research.