Game of the World Tree - Chapter 4

Chapter 4: A Band of Orc Hunters
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations

Deep in the forest of elves, a group of hunters, consisting of orc mercenaries, were shuttling carefully.
“Hurry up! You good-for-nothings! If the target runs away, you will receive no dividend this month!”
Captain Rock held a mace made of animal bones as he cursed fiercely.
Rock kicked the ass of one of his orcs and turned around. His originally grim expression suddenly dissipated as he looked toward the towering World Tree, a long distance away, with a smile. But his sharp teeth and ugly face made his appearance particularly ferocious.
“Ha ha ha, the great priest was right. As long as we stay near the World Tree, we will definitely catch these stupid long-ears!”
Thinking of the probable gain in the near future, Rock was full of anticipation.
Since the War of Gods 1,000 years ago, the Mother of Nature as the main god of elves had fallen, the World Tree had withered, and the power of elves had plummeted, as a result of their loss of the protection of their true god.
As the most beautiful, elegant, and long-lived race on the continent of Sagas, elves had been completely reduced to slaves in great demand 1,000 years ago.
A young female elf could be sold at an exorbitant price in the human world!
Even an adult male elf was sought-after in advanced slave markets!
The orc tribe who originally lived on the edge of the forest of elves made their fortunes by capturing elves and selling them to the human world.
This was especially the case for Rock, who had hunted more than 10 elves. He was considered rich in the entire tribe including the royal family of the orcs.
“After this deal, I will propose to Pyrrho and then buy a property in the city of Chaos to bid farewell to the barbaric mercenary life.”
Rock thought happily.
“Chief… We have found the target, a total of two! One is female, absolutely fine! No… She is superb!”
Suddenly, a scout’s surprised voice came from the front.
Rock got excited as he instantly picked up his mace, “Fools! Pick up your weapons! Hurry to encircle them, and be careful not to expose yourselves. If anyone dares to blow it, I’ll smash his head!”
…
Alice and Samuel left the Temple of Nature and remained silent the whole time.
The elf maiden turned to look at the withered giant tree with red eyes.
This was the last time they came to worship…
Every time, she hoped to be able to awaken the Mother God. But every time, she was only left disappointed.
Now, even as a saint of natural religion, she had to admit that the main god of elves might have completely fallen indeed…
Since the main god had fallen and there was no heir to the royal family, the kingdom of elves had long been broken. Elves scattered as they fled and the great Silver civilization became a part of history…
Under the threat of hunting bands, all the remaining elves had to hide.
There seemed little hope for the future of elves.
Thinking of the evil bad guys who regarded elves as goods, hunted and humiliated them ruthlessly, Alice almost gritted her teeth.
However, she felt quite powerless.
Without the protection of their god, elves had long lost their original mighty power.
“I don’t know after 100 years, how many elves will still be there…”
The maiden sighed softly.
Samuel, the elderly priest, grew quiet.
100 years…
Would there really be 100 years?
Elves… had already failed to form a group.
Even if elves regained power now, they would hardly be able to revive their former glory without the blessing of the Mother God and a sufficient population.
The two walked quietly in low spirits.
Suddenly, Samuel’s expression changed as his two sharp ears twitched.
He straightened his body instantly, stretched out to break off a twig, took it to his nose, and sniffed slightly. Then, his face changed dramatically.
“Oops! There are orcs!” 1
Before he finished his words, the grass around them immediately rang out. With roars of excitement, a dozen ferocious, ugly huge bodies emerged from the ambush and tightly encircled the two.
They were caught in the ambush!
The two elves’ faces changed drastically as they looked at the sudden appearance of the orcs. They instantly stood back-to-back and drew their magic staffs and weapons.
A dozen orcs greedily stared at the elf maiden. Their lascivious, evil gaze was so piercing that Alice’s body shuddered.
Looking at the familiar costume, the elf maiden grew wildly angry…
They were confronted by a band of orc hunters!
Samuel, the elderly priest, looked solemn. Gritting his teeth, he shouted, “I’ll hold them back. You run!”
After these words, he yelled loudly and started chanting a spell. Then, he transformed into a four-meter-tall black bear! 1
This was his druid skill, with which he was able to transform into another natural creature, in a short time, and gain 70% of its power.
The giant bear he transformed into was a powerful, third-stage magic beast unique to the forest of elves, with the power of High Iron!
Facing the threat from the giant bear, the orc mercenaries were slightly disturbed and everyone’s expression became grim.
Nevertheless, before Samuel, the giant bear, had time to carry out his attack, a huge mace abruptly came flying through the air and hit the bear’s chest and abdomen hard.
With the cracking sound of bones being fractured, the giant bear let out a cry of pain, spat blood, hit the ground with his whole body, and turned into the elderly elf again.
But now, the elderly priest was already badly mangled, falling down unconscious into a pool of blood…
With just one blow, his most powerful fighting force was abolished.
“Ha ha ha, he is too weak.”
The orcs cheered, and then slowly gave way to an orc chief, who was three meters tall and as stout as a hill of flesh. It was Rock.
Rock picked up his mace from the ground and licked the blood dripping from the edge of the bone spur, with a look of sarcasm in his eyes.
Alice looked at him in shock as her voice involuntarily trembled, “This… How can this be?”
The ranking of the elderly priest was 30, which was already at the top of Intermediate Iron.
There was only one situation where the chief could defeat him in an instant…
High Iron!
This chief was absolutely High Iron!
Moreover, he probably reached the top of High Iron! His ranking could have been 40!
The gap of 10 rankings could end in a crushing defeat.
For a moment, she unexpectedly felt complete despair.
She turned to glance at the withered World Tree, and her eyes were full of sorrow.
“Mother God, is this your punishment for us?”
“Ha ha… Mother God? Your mother tree has long been burned down by the gods 1,000 years ago.”
Glancing scornfully at the distant giant tree, Rock licked the corner of his lips and shook his head.
He was very satisfied with the blow he had just struck. Just a few days ago, he had finally reached the ranking of 40, the top of High Iron. There was only one ranking left from Silver.
Great Father on high! After this deal, I will also have the funds to prepare for Low Silver, and become the most powerful one among the orcs.
Rock thought happily.
He glanced at Alice from head to toe, with a flicker of surprise in his eyes. He could not hide the excitement in his face:
“Sure enough, she is a good thing! Very good, those human beings must like her!”
After these words, he looked toward the maiden and threatened her, “If you surrender, you can suffer less…”
“Ha ha ha…”
The orcs around also laughed intuitively.
Alice’s eyes were full of anger. She took a deep breath, drew her magic staff, and was ready to fight desperately.
Nevertheless, before she had time to act, Rock’s figure flashed slightly. With a snapping sound, her weapon was taken away.
“Too weak… How can they boast of being the Silver Race?”
The orc’s voice was filled with sarcasm.
The Silver race…
Upon hearing this word, Alice became even sadder.
In the distant past, when elves were still under the protection of their main god, every adult elf had at least the power of Silver.
And the race that reached Silver in adulthood was also called the Silver Race.
At that time, how brilliant was the elf civilization? Countless elves were of Legendary and Half-godly rankings…
But now, even a Professional High Iron was rare…
Worse still, elves were bullied by the orcs, who were barely called the Iron Race!
Alice clenched her fists with a sense of grief.
“Ha ha ha, now, do you still think you have other choices?”
Rock ridiculed her.
Alice glanced at him in hatred and sadness.
Alice felt cold and despair as she thought of those elves who lost their families or their lives during the plunder and killings, and of the untold suffering of those elves who had been sold as slaves…
Gradually, she calmed down.
The elf maiden closed her eyes and started singing quietly…
Several repressed magic waves spread outward from the blonde elf.
Rock’s expression changed, “No, she is going to kill herself by reversing her magic power. Hurry up and stop her!”
The chief’s words instantly caused uproar in the orc crowd.
Rock was even more indignant.
A living elf was a treasure, while a dead one was nothing more than a corpse!
Alice pursed up her lips tightly. At this moment, memories came flooding back…
She remembered that 200 years ago she was still living happily with her mother…
She remembered the moments that every elf was devoutly praying to the Mother God when her race still existed…
She remembered the scene in which she was chosen as the last saint of nature after her mother died of illness…
With a drop of crystal tears rolling down, Alice chanted the last spell and instantly detonated her faith power!
Bright light radiated from the maiden like the golden sun.
Rock’s features were distorted as he shouted aloud,
“Hurry to stop her…”
Before he could finish his order, the sight before his eyes suppressed his words.
An indiscernible wave passed by. The light on the maiden flickered, and then withered like a pierced balloon… In an instant, peace reigned again.
It seemed that nothing happened just now.
Suddenly, the atmosphere became weird.
Looking oddly at the dazed elf maiden, Rock swallowed his heart that had jumped to his throat, and then laughed, “You are good-for-nothing!”
Alice stared at her hands in a daze while murmuring constantly, “Why not…”
“I did chant the correct spell… What happened just now…”
“Mother God… Can’t I even master my own life…”
Looking at the dazed elf maiden, Rock was relieved. Then he pouted to his orcs, “Tie her for me! Be careful not to hurt her!”
He finished speaking, but his orcs did not act.
Rock frowned, “Why are you standing still? Go to work quickly!”
The orcs still did not act, but instead watched Rock in horror and retreated.
“What are you doing?”
Rock’s expression hardened, for he was now really angry. His fury was continuously rising.
A strong orc gazed at something behind Rock in a daze, swallowed the saliva in his mouth, and then stretched out his quivering hand. He sounded a bit hoarse,
“Chief… Be… Behind…”
Behind?
Rock’s eyebrows rose.
A cool breeze blew from behind with the smell of soil. A huge shadow covered them all.
Rock’s heart raced as a minor upset began to spread over his chest latently.
Rock murmured as he turned around warily…
His expression instantly froze.
Behind him, a more than 30-meter tall, giant tree man was standing there, gazing at him with an ice-cold expression.
His sturdy body blocked out the sun and sky, and the intense pressure created an oppressive, stifling atmosphere…
Rock’s pupils constricted slightly as he looked at the horrible figure.
He widened his eyes and his mouth in shock. He was puzzled and sounded a bit hoarse, “Oak… Oak guard?”
Glancing at him coldly, Berserker sounded icy and emotionless. “What did you say just now?”