Game of the World Tree

Nightingale thought with a hint of disbelief as she moved forward along with her younger siblings alongside the players who were currently escorting them.

Thinking about the symbol the female mage had just gestured upon her chest, Nightingale was filled with skepticism but also a tiny bit of curiosity.

Her assumptions can’t be wrong…she was certain it absolutely can’t be wrong!

For she had seen the elders within her clan use that particular symbol so many times before!

It was the religious symbol of the ancient divine matriarch of the elves—the great world tree that once controlled the divinity of nature, life, and the authority of the elvenkind!

However, if Nightingale’s understanding was correct, the world tree had already fallen a thousand years ago…

And it was precisely because of the fall of the world tree which led to the eventual decline of the elvenkind.

In Nightingale’s memory, the elders of her clan always reminisced about their past glory, while feeling nostalgia and devotion for the elven goddess.

But as someone belonging to the new generation of elves, Nightingale didn’t have much sentiment in regards to the already befallen patron deity of theirs.

Since she was born, she had always been wandering about this matters.

To her, the world tree was merely just an existence depicted within the old legends, an antiquated symbol of their past glorious history long lost in the annals of time.

But now… someone had suddenly told her that the world tree had apparently returned?

If it was said by another race, then Nightingale wouldn’t have believed any of it and simply regard it as pure nonsense but the ones who told her were elves themselves!

Granted, these peculiar elves are rather strange in the head, but they didn’t have any reason to lie to her especially in regards to a matter as serious like the revival of their patron deity.

If these strange elves aren’t lying at all…

T-Then…could it be true?

If it was indeed real, then the current situation of the elves would probably drastically change soon…

Although Nightingale herself didn’t harbor nor believe upon their kind’s own religious faith, she also knew how important the belief in the true gods are for any sentient race living within Saigües.

Essentially put, faith brought upon protection towards those who believe in it!

It’s just that…even if the world tree really had somehow miraculously returned, then so what?

The elven silver civilization at its peak a thousand years ago was still defeated by the gods and the current elven race have long since declined and is a shell of its former glory.

Could the world tree really change everything?

In Nightingale’s view, even if their patron god returned, it would still all be futile if the elvenkind themselves as a whole didn’t change itself at its core.

After all…most members of their race especially the older ones are too pedantic and stubborn, to the point of being so ridiculous!

With a skeptical attitude, Nightingale chose to follow these strange elves and see for herself…

Accompanied by Little Salty Cat and the others, Nightingale and the others shortly arrived at a hidden teleportation array.

The material of this formation looks brand new, as if it has just been recently built. It also still looks incomplete, and a strange female elf is adjusting it continuously.

“Big sister, how much longer?” Little Salty Cat asked.

“It’s almost done. The mana here is a bit chaotic, and I need to add a few more stable runes to the formation,” Another female elf said while adjusting the formation.

A teleportation formation…

Nightengale pondered as she critically examined the array.

Seeing the pensive look upon the ashen-haired maiden, Little Salty Cat smiled and said, “This formation is connected to Meryer, the black dragon’s castle. When we get there, you’ll be able to easily confirm whether what I said is true or not.”

The distance between the two teleportation formations is also limited.

Moreover, with the players’ current understanding of the game’s runology as well as the scarcity of raw materials, they can only establish mid-range teleportation formations.

The maximum range of a mid-range teleportation array does not exceed 100 kilometers. Therefore, the formation in Rivendell can only be connected to the Black Dragon’s castle near the caverock tribe.

Currently, the order of connection for the teleportation formations is: Elven Town→Florence→Black Dragon Castle→Rivendell, similar to four maps in an online game.

In addition, the operation of the teleportation formation also consumes quite a lot of energy. It’s operation also depends on the mana lingering within the air and the magic stones used as a catalysts upon the array.

When the teleportation is activated, the mana consumption of the formation will drastically increase. The consumption rate will be proportional to the mass of the transported substance being transmitted and will also be affected by its stored energy.

Of course, the elven clan is highly proficient in runes, resulting in a significantly lower mana consumption for the teleportation array they created.

As long as the mana within the magic stones is not entirely depleted, the array can continue to be used indefinitely.

Moreover, the Rageblaze clan has also many magic stones.

Also, after searching the caverock tribe, the players found even more materials in the orc leader’s tent. Therefore, the mana consumption needed for the teleportation array is nothing to them.

The black dragon’s castle?

Nightengale’s heart skipped a beat.

If she remembered it correctly, that place was near the orc stronghold!

Wait…could it be that everything they said was really true?

After a moment, HootyBird finally stabilized the magic of the teleportation array and activated it.

“Okay, its now already activated.”

The pink-haired mage then walked forward first and stood up right in front of the formation. She then turned her body around and sweetly smiled at Nightingale.

“Shall we go?”

Nightingale hesitated for a moment, and then beckoned for her younger siblings to follow behind her.

After stepping inside the array, a sudden flash of light blinded her eyes, and Nightingale felt as if she had passed through an invisible barrier. The cold and humid air within the ruins suddenly became refreshing and dry instead in an instant.

After a moment, before she could even see her surroundings clearly, several loud and rowdy noises instantly bombarded Nightingale’s ears upon her arrival.

“Haha! The formation activated successfully!”

“A new map is now available! A new map is opened for us to explore! Let’s go guys!”

“Wait! Don’t go just yet, look, someone is teleporting over!”

Soon, the light caused by the array gradually dissipated and Nightingale’s vision slowly returned to normal.

Right then, Nightingale was instantly taken aback.

W-What’s happening?

“So many…e-elves!?” The grey-eyed maiden couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

She found herself standing amidst an ancient castle, and the hall was crowded with all kinds of elves, numbering at least a hundred or so.

And at the entrance of the hall a little farther away, she could even see a long queue of long-eared people lining up, with no end in sight…

Elves!

So many elves!

W-What is this…surely there must be at least a small clan currently gathering here, right?

What’s more, she also noticed that their hair colors are all vastly different as well!

Nightingale was completely shocked and inadvertently opened her mouth wide, feeling as if she was currently in a dream…

And when some players who were queuing up in the hall to enter the new map called Rivendell saw the group of Nightingale, their eyes lit up in total fascination.

“Its that NPC girl from the broadcast! She seems to be called Nightingale!”

“A new NPC!”

“Oh look! There are also a few younger elves as well!”

“Ahhh… so cute…”

“I heard that Miss Nightingale’s jobclass is a thief, and she has some excellent skills…”

“Whoa, a new jobclass! Maybe we can learn some new skills as well!”

“How are you, Miss Nightingale!”

They all started to greeted them warmly, which startled Nightingale and her siblings.

W-Wait…

How do they even know her name?

Wait a minute…

She have never seen any of them before, yet these people already know that she is a thief?

Nightingale fell into a deeper shock.

At the same time, she couldn’t help but feel her face burning up in embarrassment…

Seriously, even she herself didn’t think that being a thief are a commendable profession…

But being excitedly called out by a group of strangers like this is tantamount to a public execution!

“Miss thief, look over here! I have a hunter jobclass, would I be able to switch to a thief profession like you?”

“Hello, Miss Thief!”

All sorts of strangers were happily greeting her as if they were her long time friends.

Nightingale: “…..”

E-Embarrassing…

This is just too embarrassing!

She instinctively stepped back and protected her younger siblings as she recoiled from the bizarre warm welcoming greetings of these strangers.

“Don’t be afraid, this is our companion.”

At this moment, a deep and powerful voice sounded behind her.

Nightingale felt a warm big hand upon her shoulder, which lessened her tension and made her feel reassured.

She then turned her head around and saw Boxlunch looking at her calmly, with comforting eyes.

Companion…

Nightingale took a deep breath…

They… so they have already gathered so many of their own people?

Seeing that Boxlunch had drawn close and protected Nightingale and her siblings, the other players immediately booed.

“Dammit! Boss Box, are you hitting on her already?”

“I didn’t expect you to be this kind of person…”

“What a shocker! The top player in the whole server actually going all lovey-dovey with an NPC…”

Boxlunch: “……”

As he listened to the players’ various teasings, his face turned somewhat dark, and Boxlunch instinctively let go of his hand resting upon her shoulders.

“Go away.” He curtly said to the rowdy crowd.

Seeing Boxlunch getting angry, the players who teased him shrank their necks and simply laughed in a mischievous manner.

Nightingale: “……”

“Get out of the way! Everyone, move over! We still doing our quest!” Little Salty Cat shouted as she squeezed through the crowd.

“Huh, have you not finished your sidequest yet?”

“I’m so jealous… “

“Enough talking, let’s just go.”

“Yeah… let’s just enter the new map.”

The other elves sighed and made way for the group.

After that, most people no longer paid attention to Nightingale and her group but shifted their attention back to the new map as they entered the magical array excitedly.

However, some people still stayed behind and enthusiastically approached Nightingale and her group.

“Hi, Miss Nightingale! My name is Demacia. Do you need a guide?” He said enthusiastically before adding,

“Um… I’ll show you the way but can you teach me some skills of thieves in return?”

“Miss Nightingale! How are you! Let’s be friends!”

Nightingale: “……”

Elves have always been proud and elegant. Even in their interactions with their own fellow clansmen, they often remain polite and courteous even after knowing the other party for a long time.

However these guys have no semblance of the elves proprietary at all.

Nightingale didn’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing and all she could ever do was to sigh as she turned her head sideways in order to observe the scenery outside the castle window.

As she carefully examined her surroundings, Nightingale’s eyes widened instantly as she focused her attention upon a particular area that’s rather familiar to her.

That hillside if she remembers it right…

Was where the caverock tribe once stood!

But now it seems that orc stronghold had been reduced into ruins…