Elf Kingdom: Game of the World Tree

Chapter 21: Chapter 21 Is this a Hidden Plot? (Please Vote for Recommendation!)

Editor: Henyee Translations

Three Earth days had passed since the closed beta of “Elf Kingdom,” while twelve days had elapsed in the Segis Continent.

As time went by, more and more of the three hundred players leveled up to level 10.

Demacia was no exception.

As early as the day before, he had become a level 10 power-type player.

However, the experience required to advance from level 10 to level 11 far exceeded the players’ expectations, requiring a whopping 10,000 points.

Meanwhile, advancing from level 9 to level 10 required only 3,000 points.

...

Over the past few days, players had nearly figured out how to gain experience in “Elf Kingdom.”

Currently, it seemed there were only two ways: completing quests or killing monsters like in other games to level up.

Unlike other games, the special effects after killing monsters were incredibly realistic, with a level of graphic violence that made players wonder how the game passed censorship. Initially, many players were not accustomed to it, but over time, they became numb to it…

After all, it was claimed to be the most realistic virtual game! If players couldn’t handle it, they could always choose to pixelate the bloody graphics in the game system.

After reaching level 9, players were divided into two factions regarding advancing further.

The more conservative players, like Cuckoo Bird, chose to stay in the camp, planning to continue leveling up by completing tasks to reach Black Iron.

The other faction, consisting of eager adventurers, chose to leave the safety zone of ten kilometers in radius, seeking their fortune outside.

Chopping down trees or killing monsters would earn some experience points, but the creatures in the safety zone were too weak, and the earned experience was pitifully low, far less than tasks.

So some players suggested that once their strength was sufficient, they should venture beyond the safety zone, hoping to find powerful monsters that could provide ample experience.

Some players decided to leave the safety zone after reaching level 9, exploring the dark areas and hoping to stumble upon wild creatures that offered experience points.

As it turned out, their choice was not wrong. That very day, a player named “Boxed Lunch” led a team and encountered a level 9 Forest Python outside the safety zone, and after slaying it together, they gained considerable experience points.

When the news reached the camp, it caused quite a stir, enticing many players.

Several players who originally planned to level up to 11 by completing tasks even directly joined those daring pioneers.

However, most people chose to follow the system’s newbie guidelines, safely leveling up through tasks.

After all, as one’s level increased, the game’s death penalty also became harsher. Nobody wanted to accidentally fall back to square one and start over from scratch.

In fact, the game’s god-level difficulty resurrection mechanism had already drawn complaints from some players, who had vented their frustrations on the official forum countless times… Eve was considering making improvements.

Moreover, even with the graphics pixelated, the bloody scenes from fighting monsters made some players uncomfortable. Thus, in the end, only a few players chose to take risks, and most were male.

Demacia, however, became interested in exploration. He had died a few times before reaching level 5 and had to grind relentlessly to catch up, while at this very moment, Li Mu and Cuckoo Bird were already racing towards Black Iron!

He did not want to fall too far behind Brother Mu, so he finally chose adventure and enlisted three other level 10 male players who were also seeking their fortune.

The four of them, three power types and one spellcaster, decided to leave the safety zone and explore the dark area together.

…

The further they got from the safety zone, the denser and more challenging the vegetation in the Elf Forest became.

Demacia and his group moved through the forest, using weapons to clear a path while staying alert to their surroundings, looking for possible monsters.

“There are so many plants, it’s hard to walk.”

“It is a primeval forest, after all.”

“Brother Demacia, is your information reliable? Is there really a Forest Python here?”

“Don’t worry! Absolutely! I bought the information with a Solar Cedar from ‘Boxed Lunch,’ who saw it with his own eyes.”

As he listened to his teammates’ inquiries, Demacia patted his chest with assurance.

Since resources were not abundant, the currency system in Elf Kingdom had not been established. Players could only barter. However, Eve had designed a contribution system to replace currency, which would officially launch after players reached level 11.

“I see!”

After hearing Demacia’s explanation, the players felt much relieved.

The group continued their journey.

A few hundred meters away from Demacia and his group, a pair of bright, shining eyes watched everything intently.

It was Berserker, the Oak Guardian.

Berserker was hiding in the gap of ancient trees, observing the players with a shivering Goblin in his hand…

He had caught this Goblin at the edge of the Feilengcui Ruins, possessing level 10 strength, but it was already half-dead from his beating.

Berserker was holding the Goblin as if it were a baby chick while keeping an eye on the players’ movements.

Demacia and his party hadn’t noticed they were being watched. They continued to chat quietly as they progressed.

“How far have we walked out?”

“Almost seven kilometers from the safety zone.”

“Shh, keep it down, this is not the safety zone. If we encounter Black Iron-level creatures, we’re doomed.”

Suddenly, walking at the front, Demacia’s expression changed, and his pointed ears twitched.

He gestured for silence and whispered to his teammates, “Quiet! I think I heard something!”

His tone was strained with a hint of excitement.

The group immediately quieted down, instantly becoming highly alert.

They crouched down, held their breath, and opened their eyes wide to observe the surroundings.

“Yah yah yah yah!!!”

Suddenly, a sharp, shrill voice came from the front, startling a flock of birds.

The players tensed up and quickly drew their weapons.

“Yah yah yah—!”

The screams grew closer, tinged with madness.

The players tightened their focus, quickly adopting battle stances, their hearts pounding.

“It’s ahead…”

Demacia said gravely.

Just as he finished speaking, the underbrush ahead rustled, and a thin green-skinned creature burst out.

This creature was dressed in tattered clothes, with a ferocious expression and eyes full of bloodshot veins, charging towards them as if possessed.

“Gob…Goblin?!”

The players all shouted in unison.

The lone spellcaster cast an identify spell, his eyes lighting up:

“Level 10! But it seems to be injured!”

“It doesn’t have a weapon!”

“It’s so fierce! Is it not afraid of us?”

Demacia’s eyes gleamed with a trace of excitement, he waved his large sword and excitedly said, “Who cares?! It’s free experience! Let’s take it down!”

“Get it!”

“Don’t let it escape!”

The others shouted as well.

Then, shouting “Wah Wah,” they swung their wooden swords at the Goblin.

But to their surprise, the Goblin did not dodge at all, directly crashing into their attacks, blood splattering everywhere, and perished under a rain of blades.

In its final moments, a hint of relief flashed through its eyes.

The hidden war ritual slowly activated, causing the Goblin’s body to age in an instant, disintegrating into ashes in the blink of an eye.

Simultaneously, the system alerted the four players that they had received experience points.

Yet at that moment, the four players were momentarily stunned.

“Why didn’t it dodge?”

“*It seemed like it was seeking death…*”

“*I also thought that, as if something was chasing it.*”

“Ugh… Pull me up, I’m feeling queasy from the blood…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Wait, what’s this?”

Suddenly, one player crouched down, rummaging through the ashes of the Goblin, and pulled out a shiny crystal.

It was an irregular pale green crystal that seemed to contain a mysterious power.

“Huh? A drop item?”

“Could it be a gemstone?”

“Let me appraise it… Huh? Unable to appraise it. Could it be a quest item?”

The players were a bit excited, yet a little puzzled.

At this time, the underbrush ahead rustled again, and a massive figure loomed over the four players.

Berserker walked out from the forest and stood before them.

Looking at the suddenly emerged Oak Guardian, towering over thirty meters tall, the players couldn’t help but swallow…

“Holy shit! What is that?”

“Tree-man?”

“So…so big…”

Demacia thought for a moment and then brightened up:

“It’s the Oak Guardian! We’ve encountered the Oak Guardian!”

“Oak Guardian? The rare NPC Mu mentioned before?”

“That’s right! It must be! I’ve seen the screenshot!”

Having said this, Demacia suddenly realized:

“No wonder the Goblin was running for its life, the Oak Guardian must have been chasing it…”

Saying that he paused…

Wait…

Could it be that they had snatched the Oak Guardian’s prey?

The other players also thought of this, exchanged glances, and then somewhat cautiously looked up, ready to bolt if necessary.

They had already learned that NPCs in this game could not be judged by other games’ standards. NPCs here also had emotions, and even though the Oak Guardian was part of the nature faction, they hadn’t interacted with it yet…

What if it had a bad temper…

Looking at that over thirty-meter-tall figure and its fierce appearance, everyone felt a little intimidated.

This giant didn’t look easy to deal with…

Yet, what happened next left them astonished.

They saw the enormous Tree-man stop abruptly, bow slightly to them, and draw a natural symbol on its chest with its hand, speaking in a deep voice like an old gentleman:

“Honorable Chosen Ones, thank you for vanquishing this evil thief for me. To express my gratitude, I can grant you one appropriate request.”

They glanced at each other, seemingly not yet comprehending the Oak Guardian’s words.

“Thief?”

“Is it about that gemstone?”

“One request?”

Suddenly, Demacia felt invigorated, as if he had realized something.

He slapped his thigh and said:

“You fools…! Hidden quest, it must be a hidden quest! We’ve stumbled into a hidden storyline!”