【 HALF A YEAR LATER 】

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A clear song of birds rang through the forest, while the dense woods rustled softly beneath a cool breeze.

Sunlight filtered through the canopy in scattered shafts, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow across the forest floor.

A gust of wind swept past, and golden leaves trembled slightly before breaking free from their branches. They spun and twirled as they danced through the air, catching the light as though each leaf carried a fragment of autumn’s glow.

They drifted down in abundance, swaying gently, as though a golden rain were falling from the sky.

Only when the wind gradually subsided did the leaves lose their momentum, gliding downward at a languid pace, much like children who had finished playing and were reluctant to return home.

In the end, they settled into a crystal-clear stream that wound quietly through the woods.

The water gurgled as it flowed ceaselessly over smooth, rounded pebbles visible beneath the surface. Small, nimble fish darted through the current, flashing silver as they weaved between stones.

The leaves that touched the water sent ripples spreading outward in gentle rings, drawing the curious attention of several plump trout that swam closer.

Suddenly, a fair-skinned arm plunged into the stream, shattering the calm as water splashed high into the air.

The fish scattered in alarm, but the arm moved with surprising speed, deftly seizing the fattest trout and lifting it triumphantly above the water.

The trout struggled violently, its scales glistening as droplets streamed down, and an excited voice rang out by the streamside:

“Master! Master! I caught a fish! Haha, we can stew fish soup tonight!”

The speaker was an elven boy dressed in standard Iron-rank hunter equipment. He held the trout high above his head, a triumphant grin spreading across his face.

Hearing his shout, a magnificently equipped elven ranger pushed aside the obstructing branches and leapt lightly to the youth’s side.

Then with a casual flick of his fingers, he knocked the trout from the youth’s hand, sending it splashing back into the water below.

Freed once more, the trout bolted away like a startled rabbit, its tail flashing as it vanished into the stream in the blink of an eye.

“Damn it! My prey! Master, what are you doing?”

The elven youth cried out in dismay, staring at the empty space where his catch had been, then turning a gloomy look toward the ranger who had intervened so suddenly.

“Elven Kingdom has a built-in ecological system, and during this season, those trout migrate upstream to lay eggs,” The elven ranger smiled faintly.

“So during autumn, it is best to avoid catching them, that is, if you want more aquatic resources to spawn next year.”

The elven youth froze slightly upon hearing this, the disappointment on his face slowly giving way to surprise.

“So what people say online is actually true? The resources in this game do not respawn, but are simulated just like in reality?”

“Of course,” the elven ranger replied, nodding. “Aside from dungeons, resources and monsters here outside do not respawn.”

He paused briefly, then continued in an even voice:

“Otherwise, the monsters in the central zones of the Elven Forest would not have been hunted to extinction, nor would some guilds have started setting up breeding farms.”

“That is a bit too realistic,” the elven youth muttered, scratching his head, eyes wide with disbelief. “To the point of being almost creepy.”

“Of course it is real,” the elven ranger said with a raised eyebrow. “You have been in the game for two months already. Have you still not adapted to the game style mechanics of ElvKing?”

“It is fine, really… hehehe,” the elven youth replied, waving it off with an embarrassed laugh. “I only registered because I heard online that this game has an incredibly immersive experience, like being transported to another world. I have to say, it really is amazing!”

The boy chuckled honestly, his excitement plain to hear.

Hearing this, the elven ranger let out a soft laugh, his gaze drifting back toward the quietly flowing stream.

“By the way, how is your skill training coming along? If you think you are ready enough, I could arrange a dungeon party in a few days.”

The elven youth’s eyes lit up instantly.

“We’re finally going to the Demon Lord’s Labyrinth Dungeon?!”

The elven ranger nodded calmly.

“Of course. You are already level forty. Beyond that point, the only path forward is farming for Silver-rank advancement slots.”

The elven youth let out a long sigh, his earlier excitement mixed with a hint of frustration.

“But the level cap is sixty, right? Plus there are advanced-class promotions after that. Who knows how long it will take before I unlock everything…”

“What’s the rush?” the elven ranger replied with a laugh, lightly scolding him.

“I only just reached level sixty myself. When you truly reach that level, you will finally graduate and acquire elite status. Right now, there are fewer than ten thousand level-sixty players across the entire server, not even one percent of the total player base.”

Hearing this, the youth was momentarily stunned.

“Moreover, the drop rates in the labyrinth are currently high,” the ranger went on. “Reaching Silver rank earlier lets you take part in the extended campaign wars. Who knows, the Heavenly Crusade against the demons could begin at any moment now.”

“You mean that expansion footage the developers released earlier?”

The elven youth’s eyes brightened once more, his voice rising with excitement.

“That footage was incredible! Endless darkness, demons surging like a tide, and that epic music. It was amazing, just like watching a movie!”

“And the game’s opening cinematic too, it was fantastic!”

“The developers are truly impressive. They actually edited all the players’ personal experiences into the game’s storyline. Watching the elves grow stronger step by step was absolutely exhilarating. I was instantly hooked!”

As the youth spoke, his words tumbled out one after another, brimming with genuine enthusiasm.

Seeing this, the smile on the elven ranger’s face grew even brighter.

For a player who regarded this game as a second home, nothing brought greater joy than seeing new players develop a true sense of belonging within the world of Elven Kingdom.

That feeling was like finding a kindred spirit amid a vast sea of people, discovering companions who genuinely shared the same ideals and passions.

Likewise, watching the elven race grow step by step, raising one city after another, and seeing the reputation of their faction gradually spread across the continent was a pride shared by every player.

As he observed the older man’s smiling expression, a hint of mischief flashed in the elven boy’s eyes.

He suddenly let out a sly chuckle and said, “Also, Master, that scene where you personally spoke with the Goddess was really so touching!”

The elven ranger’s smile froze as a faint blush slowly spread across his face.

“Hubert…”

“What?—It’s true!”

“I’m revoking that silver-grade reward i told you.”

“Damn it! Master, no fair!”

The elven ranger gave a soft snort and transformed into a wisp of black mist, before slowly drifting away.

“What the hell, that’s cheating! So what if you are a Blood Elf!”

The elven youth muttered indignantly as he chased after the older man.

Thus, the two crossed several stream, leaped through the forest, glided over the grasslands, and ran along the lakeside.

A gentle, melodious elven tune echoed in the background, accompanied by the rustling of leaves in the wind and the cheerful songs of birds in the woods, together forming a harmony as beautiful as nature itself.

Upon the shimmering surface of the lake, the deep blue sky appeared like a perfectly polished mirror, clear and translucent, with wisps of white clouds drifting lazily across it.

Golden sunlight slanted down upon the water, coating it in a constantly glimmering sheen.

Farther away, trees and shrubs of varying heights were reflected in the lake. Green, gold, red, purple, leaves of countless hues blended together, weaving an intricate tapestry of color, like a magnificent and vibrant oil painting.

—No.

This splendid autumn forest scene was more like a breathtaking Masterpiece, as though an oil painting grandMaster had devoted an entire lifetime to creating it.

The figures of the two elves moved continuously, one ahead of the other.

They passed through golden wheat fields, along winding paths, and through villages where smoke coming from chimneys curled gently upward.

At last, they came to a halt before a seemingly endless road that cut straight through the forest.

A carriage was parked by the roadside. Before it stood a dragon-scaled horse, snorting softly as it lowered its head to graze on the roadside weeds.

An elven girl dressed in a white gown sat atop the carriage.

She swung her fair legs lightly while gazing up at the sky, idly waving a long stalk of wheat as though she were conducting a melody.

Hearing laughter approaching from afar, she turned her head, her aqua-blue eyes brightening at once.

However, she quickly put on an indignant expression, leapt down from the carriage, planted her hands on her hips, and shouted at the two elves running toward her.

“Brother Cypher! Hubert! You trained for far too long today! I have been waiting here for a long time!”

At the sound of her clear and pleasant voice, the elven ranger in front hopped onto the carriage and smiled apologetically.

“Sorry, Estelle. We will finish earlier next time.”

The elven boy followed behind, panting heavily and exhausted, glaring resentfully at the ranger.

“Master, you could at least wait for me! Tch, don’t you have no shame!? You, a level sixty bullying a level forty like this…”

Then he turned to the girl and greeted her enthusiastically.

“Good afternoon, Estelle!”

The elven girl glanced at the sky, now dyed red with sunset clouds, and rolled her eyes.

“What good morning? It’s already evening!”

“Come on, Grandpa Gando is still waiting for us.”

And so, the three boarded the carriage as it began to move slowly, heading toward the distance.

The elven ranger leaned back against the open carriage, picked up a kettle filled with floral tea, took a sip, and narrowed his eyes in contentment.

The cool evening breeze brushed past his head, refreshing and soothing.

The girl driving the carriage hummed an ancient tune, light and cheerful.

The beautiful forest in the distance, the quiet villages nearby, the carriage rolling gently along the winding road, and the youthful, lovely elven girl singing softly upon it.

Everything was so idyllic, much like a dreamlike fairy tale.

Swaying with the motion of the carriage, the elven ranger’s gaze grew ever gentler, a faint smile resting on his lips.

This elven ranger was none other than Cypher, the player who had completed an epic quest on his own.

Nearly half a year had passed since the Frost Elves returned, and his life here within the game had fully settled into a stable rhythm.

Several months later, the brilliant autumn arrived once more.

However, compared to a few months earlier, the Elven Forest had become far livelier.

This was not only because more than two hundred thousand Frost Elves had returned and established villages throughout the forest, but also because just over two months ago, the game underwent another version update.

After a long wait filled with eager anticipation across Earth’s internet, players finally welcomed the release of the third wave of public beta players.

This time, the devs directly opened over four hundred thousand slots at once, expanding the total player base to a full one million.

Moreover, at the same time, the official website also released an announcement.

Apart from specific version updates, starting from now on, at the beginning of every month on Earth, Elven Kingdom would regularly open a fixed number of registration slots for new players.

The massive influx of players made the Elven Forest increasingly lively.

Among all locations, because the coastal city of Mirovia had become home to the largest number of Frost Elves, it naturally turned into the primary gathering place for these new batch of players.

NPCs meant daily tasks, and daily tasks meant a steady supply of experience and contribution points.

Even though there were many ways to grind EXP, seeking out NPCs to accept tasks had always been one of the enduring pleasures for players here in Elven Kingdom.

Naturally, with the arrival of so many newcomers, many veteran players also began taking on disciples of their own.

Cypher was no exception.

Seated in the carriage and happily admiring the scenery on both sides of the road, the elven youth with the username Hubert was the disciple Cypher had picked up by chance on the day of the official launch of the third public beta.

He was also a hunter-class player and planned to follow the same ranger specialization path as Cypher after advancing to Silver-rank.

An interesting development was that as Elven Kingdom’s reputation on Earth continued to grow, more and more new players in the public beta were choosing usernames with a Western style.

Meanwhile, those absurd and immersion-breaking usernames had noticeably declined.

Over the span of just a few months, the overall strength of the playerbase had undergone dramatic changes.

The most obvious sign was the sharp increase in the number of Silver-rank players, which had already surpassed one hundred thousand and was steadily approaching two hundred thousand.

Among them, players at the intermediate Silver-rank accounted for a full quarter of all silver-rankers.

As for Cypher, who had completed a personal epic quest, he naturally obtained an intermediate Silver-rank slot and became a max-level player a week ago.

A genuine top-tier ranker.

As the carriage rolled forward at a leisurely pace, Cypher’s thoughts wandered.

The number of trees along the roadside gradually decreased, while farmland became more common.

These were small farms carved out by players using open spaces within the forest.

Although these farms were not large in scale, their yields were far from low thanks to the use of magical power.

From time to time, Frost Elves could be seen working in the fields.

They were NPCs hired by players.

They appeared to greatly enjoy tending to the crops.

Whenever they spotted the carriage, they would stop what they were doing and warmly greet Cypher.

Cypher would respond with a smile each time.

As the savior of the Azurefrost Clan, he enjoyed extremely high popularity among the elven NPCs of Mirovia.

Nearly everyone held him in the highest regard and treated him with deep respect.

Yet this situation also caused Cypher a fair amount of trouble.

He had originally assumed that his maximum reputation would allow him to accept daily tasks from the Frost Elves without any obstacles.

Instead, because they respected him too much, most of them felt embarrassed about assigning him any tasks at all.

Only Gando, Estelle, and Lady Aurora who resided in the Mirovia temple were able to ignore the savior’s halo above his head and issue some tasks to him as usual.

In a sense, it was a kind of pleasant trouble.

The carriage continued onward, and the number of pedestrians along the road steadily increased.

There were not only elves, but even more players coming and going.

After passing through a stretch of woodland, the view suddenly opened up, and the orderly white buildings of Mirovia came into sight.

Estelle guided the carriage as it slowly entered the city.

The background music shifted abruptly, becoming light and cheerful, making it feel as though one had stepped into a bustling medieval city.

The scene before them was exactly that.

The streets were filled with people and traffic, with the sound of wheels alongside the cries of vendors rose and fell without pause.

Exquisite and elegant elven buildings on both sides of the street were already adorned with decorations for the upcoming Harvest Festival, lending the city an air of celebration.

Only then did Cypher suddenly realize that there were just over ten days left until the annual Harvest Festival.

After passing through one lively street after another, the carriage finally came to a stop before a newly built tavern.

Above the entrance, a wooden signboard bore the tavern’s name, carved in neat and elegant elven script:

“Hope Tavern.”

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Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep