Chapter 4: Half-Beast Hunting Team

In the depths of Elf Forest, a hunting team composed of Half-Beast mercenaries was carefully weaving through.

"Hurry up! You useless trash! If you let the target escape, don't even think about getting your share this month!"

The team leader, Stone, was holding a club made of beast bones and cursed viciously.

After kicking one of his subordinates in the butt, Stone turned around, his originally sinister expression instantly dissipated, grinning as he looked towards the towering World Tree in the distance, but his sharp teeth and ugly face made him look particularly ferocious:

"Hehehe, the priest is right, as long as we wait near the World Tree, we'll definitely catch those stupid long ears!"

Thinking of the possible spoils to come, Stone grew even more anticipatory.

Ever since the War of the Gods a thousand years ago, when the Mother Nature who was the Main God of Elves perished, the World Tree withered and decayed, the Elf Clan lost the True God's blessing, plummeting in racial strength.

And as the most beautiful and graceful race on the Segis Continent, with their long lifespan, Elves have been hot commodities for slave trading over the past thousand years.

A young female Elf can sell for an exorbitant price in the Human World!

Even adult male Elves are in high demand in the upscale slave markets!

The tribes of Half-Beasts living on the edges of Elf Forest have grown wealthy by capturing Elves to sell them into the Human World.

Stone is no exception; he has already hunted more than ten Elves, and even if counting the Half-Beast Royal Family, he could be considered a wealthy man within the entire tribe.

"After this job, I'm going to propose to Biluo, then buy a property in the City of Chaos and bid farewell to the barbaric mercenary life for good."

This is what Stone was gleefully thinking in his mind.

"Boss... we've found the targets, two in total! One is female, definitely top-notch! No... she's the finest!"

Suddenly, the excited voice of a Scout came from ahead.

Stone was invigorated in spirit, and instantly gripped his Wolf Fang Club:

"Idiots! Draw your weapons! Let's quickly surround them, be careful not to expose ourselves, anyone who messes this up, I'll smash his head!"

...

Alice and her companion had left the Nature Temple, silent all the way.

The Elf Girl looked back at the withered giant tree, her eyes reddening.

This was their last worship...

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

Now, even she, the Holy Daughter of the Nature God Sect, had to admit that the Elf Main God might have truly fallen completely...

With the Main God's fall, the Royal Family extinct, the Elf Kingdom shattered long ago, its people scattered and fleeing, their once dazzling Silver Civilization become history...

Under the threat of the hunting team, the remaining clan members could only hide in secrecy.

The future of the Elves, seemed devoid of hope.

Thinking of those bastards who saw their clan members as goods, mercilessly hunting and violating them, Alice nearly ground her teeth to dust.

But she felt powerless.

Without the Divine's blessing, the Elves had long lost their once formidable power.

"I wonder how many of us will be left in a hundred years..."

The girl sighed faintly.

Old Priest Samir remained silent.

A hundred years...

Will there really be a hundred years?

The Elf Clan... they don't even have a complete group left.

Even now, if they regained their strength, without the Mother Goddess' blessing, without enough population, it would be very difficult to return to their former glory.

The two quietly walked on, their moods heavy.

Suddenly, Samir's expression changed slightly, and his pointed ears twitched.

He abruptly straightened his body, plucked a branch and sniffed it at his nose, then his face turned pale.

"Damn! Half-Beasts!"

Before his words fell, the surrounding bushes rustled loudly, and with excited howls, over a dozen ferocious and monstrous figures emerged from the ambush, surrounding the two completely.

They were ambushed!

Facing the sudden appearance of the Half-Beasts, both elves' complexions changed drastically, as they immediately leaned back to back, drawing their Magic Wands and weapons.

The dozen or so Half-Beasts greedily gazed at the Elf Girl, their lecherous looks sending shivers down Alice's body.

Seeing their familiar attire, endless rage surged in the Elf Girl's heart...

They had encountered a Half-Beast Hunting Team!

Old Priest Samir's expression turned solemn, as he clenched his teeth and roared:

"I'll hold them off, you run!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he let out a high shout and chanted a fluctuating spell, transforming into a four-meter-tall black-brown bear!

This was his Druid skill, which allowed him to temporarily transform into another natural creature and gain 70% of its strength.

The bear he transformed into was a unique and powerful tier-three Demon Beast from the Elf Forest, possessing the strength of Black Iron Upper Rank!

Sensing the bear's momentum, there was a slight disturbance amongst the Half-Beast mercenaries, and everyone's expression became serious.

However, before the transformed Samir could attack, a massive Wolf Fang Club suddenly flew over, striking hard against the bear's chest and belly.

Along with a "crack" of breaking bone, the bear let out a pained howl, spitting out fresh blood before crashing to the ground, reverting to the old elf's form again.

But at this moment, the old priest lay unconscious in a pool of blood, his body blurred from injuries...

Just one strike, and their strongest fighter was disabled.

"Heh heh heh, so weak."

The Half-Beasts let out cheers, then slowly parted, allowing a three-meter-tall, mountain-like Half-Beast leader to walk through, none other than Boulder.

Boulder picked up the Wolf Fang Club from the ground, licked the dripping blood off the bone spikes with a mocking look in his eyes.

Alice watched incredulously, her voice trembling:

"How... How is this possible?"

Old Priest Samir had the strength of level 30, already at the pinnacle of Black Iron Middle Rank.

To defeat him in an instant, there was only one possibility...

Black Iron Upper Rank!

This leader was definitely Black Iron Upper Rank!

And likely at the pinnacle of it—level 40!

A level difference of 10 was a crushing disparity.

For a moment, she felt a limitless despair rising within her.

She turned back to look at the withering World Tree, her gaze filled with sorrow.

"Mother Goddess... Is this your punishment for us?"

"Heh heh... Mother Goddess? Your mother tree had already been burned by the gods a thousand years ago."

Boulder glanced disdainfully at the distant great tree, licked the corner of his mouth, and shook his head.

He was very pleased with his own strike. Just a few days ago, he had finally advanced to level 40, reaching the pinnacle of Black Iron Upper Rank, only one level away from the Silver Tier.

Father God above! After this deal is done, I too will have the funds to prepare for the promotion to Silver Lower, becoming the most powerful person among the Half-Beasts.

Rock thought gleefully.

He sized up Alice from head to toe, a flash of amazement in his eyes, while his face couldn't hide the surprise:

"Indeed, she's good merchandise! Not bad, not bad, those humans will definitely like her!"

Having said that, he turned to look at the girl and threatened:

"Behave yourself, and you might suffer a bit less..."

"Hehehehehe..."

The surrounding Half-Beasts also let out knowing chuckles.

Alice's eyes were filled with anger, she took a deep breath, drew her Magic Wand, prepared to fight for her life.

However, before she could act, Rock's figure flickered slightly, and with a "snap", her weapon was sent flying.

"So weak... and you call yourself of the Silver Race?"

The voice of the Half-Beast was full of mockery.

Silver Race...

Hearing these words, Alice's heart sunk even more.

In the distant past, when the Elf Clan was still protected by the Main God, each adult Elf had at least the strength of a Silver rank.

And the race that matured into Silvers was likewise known as the Silver Race.

What splendor did the civilization of the Elves hold back then? Legends, Demigods... they were a common occurrence...

And now, not even an individual of the Black Iron Upper rank could be mustered...

Moreover, to be insulted by the Half-Beasts, barely acknowledged as the Black Iron Race!

Alice clenched her fists tight, her heart filled with grief and rage.

"Hey hey hey, do you still think you have another choice at this point?"

Rock taunted.

Alice gave him a resentful look, her heart despondent.

Thinking of her kin, broken and destroyed in the plundering and killing, thinking of the tragic fate of her fellow slaves, Alice's heart grew colder and more desperate...

Gradually, she calmed down.

The Elf Girl closed her eyes, beginning to chant silently...

Suppressive magical fluctuations spread out from the blonde Elf at the center.

Rock's face changed:

"Not good, she's trying to reverse the flow of Magic Power to seek death, stop her quickly!"

Hearing the leader's words, the Half-Beasts became agitated.

Rock was even angrier in his heart.

Alive Elves were treasures, dead, they were just bodies!

Alice pursed her lips, at this moment, her heart filled once again with memories...

Those were the joyful times she lived with her mother two hundred years ago...

Those were the moments when the clan still existed, and everyone prayed devoutly to the Mother Goddess...

Those were the scenes when her mother passed away, and she was chosen as the last Natural Saintess...

A crystal tear rolled down, Alice uttered the final spell, instantly detonating her faith!

A brilliant radiance blossomed from the girl's body, like a golden sun.

Rock's facial features twisted, and he roared:

"Stop her..."

Before he could finish his command, the scene before him made him choke back his words.

A subtle fluctuation passed by, and the light on the girl flickered, then deflated like a punctured balloon, returning to calmness in an instant.

As if nothing had happened.

The atmosphere turned somewhat eerie for a moment.

Rock looked at the somewhat bewildered Elf Girl with a strange gaze, swallowed his heart back into his throat, and then chuckled with a "heh":

"Waste!"

Alice looked blankly at her hands, muttering incessantly:

"Why didn't it work..."

"I didn't chant the spell wrong... What just happened..."

"Mother Goddess... can I not even control my own life..."

Watching the dazed Elf Girl, Rock breathed a sigh of relief, then motioned to his left and right with a mumble:

"Tie her up! Be careful not to hurt her!"

After he finished speaking, his underlings did not move.

Rock frowned:

"What are you standing around for? Get to work!"

The Half-Beasts still did not move, instead they all looked at Rock with terror, retreating constantly.

"What are you doing?"

Rock's expression sank slightly, truly a bit angry, with rage steadily rising.

A burly Half-Beast stared dumbfounded behind Rock, swallowing a mouthful of saliva, then extended trembling hands, with a somewhat hoarse voice:

"Boss... behind... behind you..."

Behind?

Rock's brow furrowed.

A cool breeze carrying the scent of soil blew from behind, a vast shadow covering everyone.

Rock's heart skipped a beat, a vague unease spreading in his chest.

Muttering under his breath, Rock turned around warily...

His expression froze instantly.

Behind,

A thirty meter tall giant Tree-man stood there with an icy gaze.

The robust body blocked out the sun, the immense pressure making the air seem stagnant...

Looking at that terrifying figure, Rock's pupils shrank slightly.

His eyes widened in horror, and with a voice dry and incredulous, he uttered:

"Oak... Oak Guardian?"

Berserker's indifferent gaze swept over, his voice cold, without a hint of emotion:

"What did you just say?"