Chapter 698

Game of the World Tree

【 ELVES 】

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A defensive holy barrier?

Was I wrong? Could these humanoid monsters not be elves after all?

As he looked at the familiar glow in the distance, Cypher once again began to doubt himself.

Although he was not a first or second beta tester, he had played the game for over a year and considered himself quite familiar with Elven Kingdom.

According to the game’s lore, a holy barrier could only be deployed by a city with a temple that enshrined a true god’s divine statue. Moreover, without the blessing and favor of their respective patron deity, such a barrier could not function at all.

Therefore, the presence of such a holy defensive barrier here meant that these humanoid monsters were backed by a certain god.

However, elves were supposed to worship no deity other than the Goddess of Life.

Unless this holy defensive barrier belonged to the Goddess herself.

But that possibility was even more puzzling…

Since, if this holy barrier truly were empowered by the Goddess, then given her benevolence, how could she allow a group of her elven believers to live in such a decrepit place?

And worse, how could she allow them to become something neither fully human nor fully monstrous?

Yet their city’s distinct elven architectural style, the familiar elven language, and their similar physiques with unmistakably pointed ears all clearly indicated that these humanoid monsters were indeed elves.

So, what exactly was going on?

Maybe these elves had defected from their original faith to another god, and their grotesque appearance was the result of that betrayal?

Cypher could not make sense of it.

No matter what, his sense of caution rose sharply, and he prepared himself for the worst.

Until I fully understand the situation, I must be extremely careful…

He thought to himself.

“Unsullied One, hurry up!”

Just as Cypher stood staring blankly at the distant city, a hoarse voice came from up ahead.

It was the monster named Dorei.

While Cypher had been lost in thought, the group had already moved far ahead.

Unsullied One?

Cypher froze slightly.

At Dorei’s rebuke, the dozen or so humanoid monsters in front stopped at the same time and turned back to look at Cypher, who was still standing in place.

Cypher felt his scalp go numb after being silently stared at by more than ten monsters with terrifying auras.

He swallowed hard, forced a strained smile, and hurried to catch up to them.

Only after he rejoined their group did the monstrous elves resume their advance.

The elderly monster at the front, dressed in tattered robes, frowned at Cypher and scolded him with clear displeasure.

“Unsullied One. Do not be careless and end up falling behind. Until we enter the city, the danger lurking in the surroundings will not be completely gone.”

Although the old monster’s tone was harsh, Cypher was momentarily stunned.

He could sense a trace of concern in his words, akin to that of an elder reprimanding a junior.

For a brief moment, Cypher inexplicably felt a warmth in his heart.

These elven monsters… although they possessed terrifying appearances and were steeped in a spine-chilling aura, did not seem to be evil…

And what did “Unsullied One” mean anyway? Was it referring to him? Was it because his body lacked the abscesses, tumors, and grotesque deformities that marred the others?

He could not help but ponder these questions silently.

Following the monsters who appeared to be elves, Cypher headed toward the city gate.

The surroundings were extremely quiet, broken only by the sound of breathing and footsteps.

This unnerving silence, in which lack the usual background music he was accustomed to, filled Cypher with an indescribable sense of oppression.

He couldn’t help but glanced at the system clock to see how long he had been trapped in this strange world, only to find, to his surprise, that the system’s electronic watch was malfunctioning as well.

It had not completely stopped, but seemed to be under some form of interference, lagging so severely that each second took an unnaturally long time to pass, leaving it utterly useless for keeping track of time.

With a sigh, Cypher withdrew his gaze and simply applied a [Enhanced Perception] buff to himself. The buff lasted up to twenty minutes, which he could conveniently use as a substitute to properly measure time.

At this moment, the group finally arrived at the city gate.

Looking at it, the gate stood nearly thirty meters tall and looked extremely ancient, giving an impression even more dilapidated than the ruins in the Elven Forest.

It was tightly shut, covered with claw marks and blackened bloodstains. The same was true of the city walls on both sides.

This made Cypher suspect that the city was frequently besieged by some kind of fearsome creatures.

When he examined the claw marks more closely, he keenly noticed that some of them looked oddly familiar, almost identical to the traces left by demons in the Labyrinth Dungeon.

These marks… could these be demon claw marks?

Cypher thought, his heart stirring.

As he curiously inspected the gate and walls, the elderly monster standing at the front of the group called out toward the top of the city gate.

“Kastel, open the gate. We are back.”

A few seconds later, Cypher saw a head cautiously peek out from above the gate.

It was another grotesque-looking humanoid monster.

The creature’s face broke into a horrifying expression of joy as it exclaimed excitedly.

“Lord Gando, you have returned!”

After saying this, he disappeared once more from above the city gate and a couple of minutes later, the massive gate began to open slowly, accompanied by a series of creaking sounds.

Only then did Cypher realize that the structure of the city gate was far more complex than it appeared from the outside. It was not a single layer, but a composite construction of three inner gates and three outer gates. Together, they formed a barrier at least twenty meters thick, with astonishing defensive capability.

“Let’s enter the city.”

Said the elderly monster named Gando.

Following the group, Cypher passed through the gate. After they entered, the gates behind them closed again, layer by layer, with deliberate slowness.

They emerged from the dark passage of the gate, and the view ahead gradually brightened.

Cypher had officially entered this dilapidated city.

Inside, buildings filled the city in dense clusters, spreading outward in a radial pattern toward the city center, while the terrain rose steadily the farther inward one went.

The streets were winding, paved with broken stone slabs, identical in style to those of the elven cities within the Elven Forest.

At the end of the roads, a towering temple could be faintly seen at the very center of the basin and the highest point of the city.

The temple was identical in appearance to the pre-renovation temples of Mirovia and Florence. The central pillar of light within the pale golden holy barrier rose skyward from that very location.

This was, without question, a genuine elven city.

Aside from its state of decay and its massive defensive walls, it was no different from Mirovia or Florence.

Right now, the city felt somewhat deserted.

There were few pedestrians on the streets, and those who could be seen in the vicinity were mostly hurrying along with quickened steps, as if eager to reach shelter as soon as possible.

Most of the houses lining the streets had their doors tightly shut, though faint light could be seen shining from their windows.

Clearly, the city was not uninhabited. Rather, most of its residents were staying inside their homes.

Near the city walls, however, there was considerably more activity. Large numbers of elven monsters clad in tattered armor were climbing up onto the walls, their expressions tense and hurried.

It looked as though they were preparing for battle.

This caused Cypher to recall the claw marks he had seen on the walls earlier, as well as the “black tide” mentioned by the elderly monster named Gando.

Speaking of which, he could see the older man standing apart, pensively looking up at the sky.

Following his gaze, Cypher realized the streaks of lightning had completely vanished by now, leaving only thickening clouds beneath the pale glow of the city’s barrier.

The elder’s expression grew grave.

“The black tide is coming. Everyone, return to your homes at once. Those assigned to rotation duty should rest for now, then head to the walls to relieve the next shift,” Elder Gando said, turning to the group.

After speaking, he looked again at Cypher and addressed the gaunt monster beside him.

“Dorei, take this Unsullied One to your home and let him stay there for awhile. After the black tide passes, I will personally bring him to the temple to pay respects to Lady Aurora.”

He then examined Dorei from head to toe, his gaze lingering on the festering tumors that had grown increasingly severe on his body. After a moment of hesitation, Elder Gando spoke in a low voice.

“You do not need to participate in the city’s defense this time. Stay with Estelle instead for the time being.”

The gaunt monster, Dorei, fell silent for a moment before slowly nodding.

Elder Gando finally withdrew his gaze. However, just as he was about to turn away, the elderly man paused slightly, hesitated, and suddenly tossed a dagger that glimmered with silvery light toward Cypher.

Cypher was taken aback and instinctively caught it.

It was a dagger engraved with intricate magical patterns, seemingly forged from mithril. Out of habit, Cypher appraised it and was surprised to discover that it was a silver-grade weapon of epic-purple quality, with a purification effect.

“Keep this for self-defense. If necessary… do not hesitate.” Gando said.

Self-defense?

Do not hesitate… to what?

Cypher was stunned.

Wasn’t it supposed to be safe inside this city?

The elder did not explain further as he turned and walked toward the direction of the temple.

The others in the group also departed in haste, and before long, only Cypher and Dorei remained.

Cypher opened his mouth, intending to say that he wished to go to the temple as well.

Based on his past experience, the temple was always the ideal place to gather information.

Although he did not know which god these elven monsters worshiped, from his observations, it did not appear to be an evil god.

If it was not an evil god, then there was little to worry about anyway. Since as a Chosen One, he could not reveal the Goddess’s secrets in the first place due to the system automatically censoring his speech.

Under these circumstances, the best option would be to investigate the temple.

However, looking at Dorei standing beside him, with his cold gaze and terrifying aura, Cypher ultimately kept silent.

“Follow me,” Dorei said in a hoarse voice.

After speaking, the man took the lead and walked toward one side of the street.

Cypher hesitated briefly, then followed.

Lightning no longer flashed across the sky, but the rolling clouds grew ever more violent.

A howling wind swept through the city, sounding like the wails of malevolent spirits.

A faint mist began to spread through the streets. Even under the glow of the holy barrier, visibility continued to decline.

A sense of unease gradually spread through Cypher’s heart.

He shuddered, unconsciously quickened his pace, and felt somewhat reassured only after staying close behind Dorei.

After walking for an unknown length of time, Dorei finally stopped in front of a dilapidated building.

Cypher observed that the light emanating from its windows was noticeably brighter than that of the neighboring houses.

Dorei approached the door. His tumor-covered eyes softened, revealing a fleeting trace of gentleness. Raising his right hand, tipped with sharp nails, he knocked lightly on the door with great care.

“Knock… knock… knock…”

“W-Who is it?!”

A clear, youthful voice responded from within, tinged with timidity, as though belonging to a frightened little rabbit.

“Estelle, it is me,” Dorei said hoarsely.

Though his voice was rough, it carried an unprecedented gentleness, prompting Cypher to glance at the man instinctively.

The next moment, accompanied by a creaking sound, the door opened a narrow crack.

Light spilled out, and Cypher seemed to catch sight of a pair of ice blue eyes, shining brilliantly under the lamplight.

Then, those bright eyes suddenly lit up even more.

The door was pulled fully open from within, and a small figure burst out like a joyful fawn, throwing herself into Dorei’s arms amid an excited cry.

“Daddy!”

It was sweet and clear voice.

At the sight of the small figure rushing out, Cypher widened his eyes and parted his lips slightly in shock.

It was a young girl, about eleven or twelve years old by human standards.

She wore an ill fitting, worn robe and was barefoot.

Unlike Dorei, whose body was covered in lesions and tumors, the little girl possessed smooth, delicate skin like Cypher’s.

Her profile was refined and lovely, with her aqua blue hair flowing down her back, radiating youthful beauty.

She looked like an angel descended from the heavens.

Under the lamplight spilling from the house, the little girl and the grotesque monster stood embracing one another, forming a stark contrast that left a deep, lasting impression on Cypher.

When he noticed the girl’s clear pointed ears, Cypher’s gaze sharpened.

“An elf,” he murmured unconsciously.

An elf.

This girl, who had just called that humanoid monster Dorei her father, was in fact a young elf.

Moreover, judging by her hair and eye color, she belonged to the Azurefrost clan, whose members were rare even amongst the elves living in the Elven Forest.

At this realization, Cypher could not help but look more closely at Dorei. Only then did he notice that Dorei’s dry, sparse hair also carried a faint aqua blue hue, and that the dull sheen in his cloudy eyes was the same as the girl’s.

Turns out, he was very likely an elf as well.

And also a member of the Azurefrost Clan.

At this point, all doubt vanished from Cypher’s heart.

Without question, these terrifying, monstrous beings were exactly what he had suspected all along.

They were all elves.

A sudden flash of insight struck him, and another old story he had once heard from members of the Rageblaze clan living in Florence resurfaced in his mind.

I remember that elf told me the primary elven clan that had once lived in the coastal city of Mirovia was the Azurefrost clan.

As such, could they be perhaps the missing elves of Mirovia?

With this thought, Cypher looked sharply at the two before him, his expression filled with uncertainty and shock.

The little girl in Dorei’s arms was brimming with joy.

Dorei, however, looked flustered.

He instinctively reached out to push the girl away, but after hesitating, he wiped his hands against himself, wrapped his frightening hands with cloth strips from his clothing, and only then gently eased her out of his embrace.

“Estelle… do not touch me. I am dirty,” he said.

His voice was hoarse, yet soft.

“Daddy is not dirty! I know Daddy worked hard hunting,” the girl replied in a sweet, earnest tone.

As she spoke, she made to pounce again, like a mischievous fawn leaping through the forest.

This time, however, Dorei avoided her.

With his cloth wrapped hands, he gently rubbed her head and said in a hoarse but tender voice, “Go… inside. It is not safe… outside.”

“Mmhmm, Estelle will listen to Daddy,” the little girl nodded.

She then turned her head and finally noticed him, giving Cypher a look full of curiosity.

Only then did he notice that the other half of her face was also covered with layers of tumor-like folds, like scars left by fire, marring what should have been a peerlessly beautiful face.

He was startled, yet when he met her pure, unblemished eyes and the sparkling light within them, a faint ache inexplicably welled up in his heart.

Cypher drew a quiet breath and offered a friendly smile.

The girl then timidly hid behind her father and peeked out from behind him, before tilting her head slightly, her eyes widening with a questioning look.

“He’s a guest,” Dorei said, pointing at him.

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