Elf Kingdom: Game of the World Tree

Chapter 4: Chapter 4: Half-Beast Hunting Team

Editor: Henyee Translations

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Deep within the Elf Forest, a hunting team made up of Half-Beast mercenaries was cautiously threading through.

“Hurry up, you useless fools! If we let the target escape, don’t even think about getting a share this month.”

The captain, Rock, cursed viciously, wielding a wolf fang club crafted from beast bones,

Kicking one of his underlings’ butts, Rock turned around. His previously sinister expression instantly dissipated, and he looked smilingly at the distant, towering World Tree, though his sharp teeth and ugly face made him appear quite fierce,

“Heh heh heh, the priest was right. As long as we keep watch near the World Tree, we’ll definitely catch these foolish long-eared ones.”

...

The thought of the possible spoils to come made Rock’s heart fill with anticipation.

Ever since the War of the Gods a thousand years ago, the Mother Nature, the Elf Main God, fell, the World Tree withered and decayed, and the Elf Clan lost the protection of the True God, their racial strength plummeting.

And as the most beautiful and elegant race with long lifespans on the Segis Continent, the elves had long become the hot commodity in slave trade over the millennium.

A young female elf could fetch a sky-high price in the Human World!

Even adult male elves were in great demand in high-end slave markets!

Living on the outskirts of the Elf Forest, the Half-Beast Tribe had grown rich by capturing elves and selling them to the Human World.

Rock was exactly like this. He had already hunted more than ten elves, and even among the Half-Beast Royal Family, he was considered wealthy in the entire tribe.

“Once this job is done, I’m going to propose to Biluo and then buy a property in the City of Chaos, completely saying goodbye to the savage life of a mercenary.”

Rock thought to himself happily.

“Boss… We’ve spotted the targets. Two in total! One is female, definitely top-grade! No… she’s superb!”

Suddenly, the scout’s delighted voice came from ahead.

Rock’s spirits lifted, and he immediately brandished his wolf fang club,

“Idiots! Grab your weapons! We must surround them quickly, be careful not to expose ourselves, anyone who messes this up, I’ll crush his skull!”

…

Alice and her companion left the Natural Temple, walking silently.

The Elf Girl turned back to look at the withered giant tree, her eyes red.

This was their last time coming to worship…

Every time she hoped to awaken the Mother Goddess, but each time, only disappointment followed.

Now, even as the Natural Saintess, she had to admit that the Elf Main God might truly have fallen completely…

The Main God’s fall, the extinction of the Royal Family, the Elf Kingdom had long been shattered, the tribe scattered, the splendid Silver Civilization becoming history…

Under the threat of hunting teams, all existing tribesmen could do was hide here and there.

*The future of the elves seemed utterly devoid of hope.*

Thinking of those bastards who treated her people as commodities, ruthlessly hunting and humiliating them, Alice nearly ground her teeth to powder.

*But she also felt deeply powerless.*

The elves had long lost their once mighty strength without the protection of the Divine.

“I wonder how many of us will be left a hundred years from now…”

The girl sighed softly.

Old Priest Samir remained silent.

A hundred years…

*Would a hundred years really remain?*

*The Elf Clan didn’t even have a coherent tribe left.*

*Even if they regained strength now, without the Mother Goddess’s protection or enough population, it would be very difficult to return to their former glory.*

The two walked quietly, their hearts heavy.

Suddenly, Samir’s expression changed slightly, and his pointed ears twitched a bit.

His body suddenly straightened, bending a tree branch, he put it to his nose and sniffed slightly, then his face changed dramatically.

“Trouble! There are Half-Beasts!”

Before he finished speaking, the surrounding brush suddenly rustled, accompanied by excited howls, a dozen or so massive, grotesque figures emerged from ambush, encircling them tightly.

*An ambush!*

Seeing the suddenly appearing Half-Beasts, the two elves’ faces changed dramatically. They immediately stood back-to-back, drawing their magic wands and weapons.

A dozen Half-Beasts greedily eyed the Elf Girl, their lewd gazes causing Alice to tremble.

Seeing those familiar outfits, the Elf Girl’s heart surged with endless rage…

*They had encountered a Half-Beast hunting team!*

Old Priest Samir’s face was solemn, he gritted his teeth and shouted,

“I’ll hold them off, you run!”

Finishing, he let out a loud shout, chanting a rhythmic incantation, and then transformed into a four-meter-tall black bear!

This was his Druid skill, transforming into another form of natural creature for a short time and gaining 70% of its strength.

The bear he transformed into was a uniquely powerful third-level Demon Beast from the Elf Forest with Black Iron Upper Rank strength!

Sensing the giant bear’s might, a faint commotion rippled through the Half-Beast mercenaries, their expressions becoming solemn.

But before the bear-formed Samir could attack, a massive wolf fang club suddenly flew over, slamming into the bear’s chest and abdomen.

With a “crack” of breaking bones, the bear let out a pained whine, spat out a mouthful of blood, then crashed to the ground, reverting to his elderly elf form.

At this moment, the old priest lay unconscious in a pool of blood, his flesh and blood mangled…

*In just one strike, their strongest combat power was disabled.*

“Heh heh heh, so weak.”

The Half-Beasts let out a cheer, then slowly parted as a three-meter-tall Half-Beast leader, Rock, walked over.

Rock picked up the wolf fang club from the ground, licking the blood dripping from the bone spikes with a teasing look in his eyes.

Alice looked at him in disbelief, her voice trembling slightly,

“This… how is it possible?”

The old priest possessed a level 30 strength, already the pinnacle of Black Iron Middle Rank.

And to defeat him instantly, there was only one possibility…

Black Iron Upper Rank!

This leader was surely Black Iron Upper Rank!

And likely had reached the pinnacle of Black Iron Upper Rank! Level 40!

*A 10-level difference was insurmountable.*

*At this moment, a sense of hopeless despair surged within her.*

She glanced back at the withering World Tree, her eyes filled with sorrow.

“Mother Goddess… is this your punishment for us?”

Rock smirked,

“Heh heh… Mother Goddess? Your Mother Tree was burned by the gods a thousand years ago.”

Casting a dismissive glance at the distant giant tree, Rock licked his lips and shook his head.

He was very satisfied with his earlier strike; just a few days ago, he had finally advanced to level 40, reaching the pinnacle of Black Iron Upper Rank, just one level shy of Silver Lower.

*Father God above! Once this job is done, I’ll have the funds to prepare for my advancement to become the strongest among the Half-Beasts.*

Rock mused happily.

He looked Alice up and down, a flash of amazement in his eyes, unable to hide his delight on his face,

“Excellent goods indeed! Not bad, the humans will surely love her!”

Then he looked at the girl, threatening,

“Behave, and it will be less painful…”

“Heh heh heh heh…”

The surrounding Half-Beasts let out laughter amongst themselves.

Alice’s eyes were filled with anger. She took a deep breath, drew her magic wand, and prepared to fight to the death.

But before she could act, Rock’s figure flickered slightly, and with a “snap,” her weapon was knocked away.

“So weak… And you claim to be from a Silver Race?”

The Half-Beast’s voice was filled with mockery.

*Silver Race…*

Hearing those words, Alice’s heart grew even sadder.

*In the distant past, when the elves were still under the protection of the Main God, every adult elf had at least Silver strength.*

*The race that became known as the Silver Race at adulthood.*

*During that time, how brilliant was the elven civilization? Legends and demigods were everywhere…*

*Now, they couldn’t even produce a Black Iron Upper Rank practitioner…*

*More so, being humiliated by the Half-Beasts barely considered a Black Iron Race!*

Alice clenched her fists, heart filled with grief and anger.

“Heh heh heh, now, do you think you have any other options?”

Rock taunted.

Alice glared at him, feeling desolate.

Thinking of her people whose lives were wrecked by plunder and slaughter, of those sold into slavery, the more she thought, the colder and more desperate her heart became…

Gradually, she calmed down.

The elf girl closed her eyes, silently chanting…

Waves of suppressed magic power emanated from the golden-haired elf as the center.

Rock’s expression changed,

“Not good, she’s reversing the magic flow to suicide, stop her fast!”

At the leader’s words, the Half-Beasts panicked.

*Anger surged within Rock.*

*An elf alive was a treasure, while a dead one was just a corpse!*

Alice pressed her lips tightly, and at this moment, memories resurfaced in her mind…

*Those were the times two hundred years ago when she lived happily with her mother…*

*When the tribe still existed, and everyone devotedly prayed to the Mother Goddess…*

*The scene when her mother passed, and she was chosen as the last Natural Saintess…*

A crystalline tear dropped as Alice recited the last incantation, instantly detonating her power of faith!

Brilliant light burst from the girl like a golden sun.

Rock’s features twisted as he yelled,

“Stop her…”

Before he could finish, the sight before him silenced his words.

A subtle ripple passed, and the light around the girl flickered before deflating like a punctured balloon… in the blink of an eye, it returned to calmness.

The atmosphere felt eerie for a moment.

Rock looked at the bewildered Elf Girl with a peculiar gaze, forcing his pumping heart down as he sneered,

“Useless!”

Alice looked blankly at her hands, murmuring constantly,

“Why isn’t it working…”

“I didn’t chant the spell wrong… what just happened…”

“Mother Goddess… am I not even master of my own life…”

Watching the dazed Elf Girl, Rock let out a sigh of relief, then nodded towards his men,

“Tie her up! Be careful not to hurt her!”

After speaking, the Half-Beasts didn’t move.

Rock frowned,

“What are you all standing for? Get moving!”

The Half-Beasts still didn’t act, instead, they all stared at Rock in terror, continuously retreating backward.

“What are you doing?”

Rock’s expression darkened, a rising flicker of anger.

A strong Half-Beast stared blankly behind Rock, swallowing a gulp, then pointed trembling, his voice croaky,

“Boss… be…h…behind…”

*Behind?*

Rock’s brows furrowed.

A cool breeze laced with the scent of earth blew from behind, a massive shadow enveloping them all.

Rock’s heart skipped, unease slowly spreading across his chest.

Muttering quietly, Rock turned around warily…

His expression instantly froze.

Behind him,

a towering Tree-man over thirty meters tall stood there coldly.

Its massive body blotted out the sky, the enormous pressure so overwhelming it stilled the very air…

Seeing the terrifying figure, Rock’s pupils slightly contracted.

His eyes widened, jaw dropping in shock, voice tinged with hoarseness and disbelief,

“Oa… Oak Guardian?”

Basa’s cold gaze swept over him, voice icy and devoid of emotion,

“Just now, what did you say?”