World Tree Is Dying

Now, standing in the aftermath of battle, surrounded by the blood and body remains of Kobolds, his disgust reached its peak or to be exact the original owner.

'I'm gonna have to do something about this.'

Without hesitation, he left behind the Giants Golem and three hundred Huntresses to clean up the battlefield. Meanwhile, he led Elaria and the rest of the army back to their territory

…..

The moment they returned, everyone erupted in cheers.

Joyous voices filled the air, and a sea of beautiful elven women gathered around Renjiro. Their radiant eyes shone with admiration, and they showered him with poetic praise in the melodic Elven tongue.

Among the elves, the Elf King was more than just a ruler. And now, their young king had led them to victory, crushing the greedy, wretched Kobolds under his command. 

To them, it was a sign of divine favor—proof that their Goddess of Nature had blessed him. Their admiration for Renjiro soared to an unprecedented heights.

Lorien, the mage and leader of the Mage squads, stepped forward. Her emerald eyes sparkled with emotion as she clutched her staff tightly.

"Your Majesty!" she called, her voice trembling with passion, and loyalty like emotions. "You have led us to victory! We no longer have to abandon our homes and flee into the unknown! You have protected us and all the people here!"

Renjiro smiled.

"My dear Lorien," he said, his voice steady and confident. "Remember this, the Goddess watches over us. No evil race shall ever defeat us. Not the Kobolds, not the orcs, not even the demons or the Goblins."

"But know this, one victory means nothing. We must win more battles. We must become stronger. We must reclaim our former glory and build a country worthy of our race, where people can live without any fear or anything!"

His words struck like thunder.

The three elven leaders of army standing nearby, along with the entire crowd of elves, froze in place. An empire? Could it really be possible? 

Renjiro raised his voice, his golden eyes burning with determination. He reached out and took Elaria's delicate hand, holding it firmly as he spoke.

Renjiro's grip on Elaria's hand tightened. His voice rang with authority.

"I, Renjiro Mikazuki, King of the Elves, swear upon my faith in the Goddess… that I will restore the Elves' former glory that once belonged to us! I will wage war! And those who carry the blood debt of our fallen kin—shall pay the price in their own blood!"

He stopped as he took a small breath and then continued his speech.

"The Goddess' divine light will shine upon us! We shall conquer our enemies and their land! Wherever the Goddess can see, that land shall belong to the Elves!"

For a brief moment, silence filled the air.

Then… a thunderous roar of elven voices shook the entire settlement. The elves exploded into cheers, their eyes burning with passion. Even Elaria and the three elven Leaders looked at Renjiro with fervent admiration.

"Humans, Beastkin, Dwarves, Dragons… They broke the Treaty of the Five Races. They betrayed us. They trapped us within the Forest, denying us the lands that were rightfully ours."

…

…

…

"They must repent!"

The elves went wild. In this moment, these once-pure, gentle, and noble beings were branded by the fires of war.

Because their hearts burned with fury. It had been their ancestors who had fought back the Demons and saved their land.

Yet who had reaped the benefits? Not them. 

Instead, it was the other races who had claimed the land and wealth, while the Forest Elves, once rulers of the land that belonged to them, were driven into exile, their numbers dwindling to the brink of extinction.

This was injustice! The entire elven settlement roared with rage. Even the younger elves, mere children with soft, cherubic faces, clenched their tiny fists, vowing to follow their great King Renjiro in rebuilding the Country or in fantasy terms 'Empire'.

Elaria stood beside Renjiro, her violet eyes brimming with emotion.

"Your Majesty…" she whispered, her voice trembling with hope. "What you just said… is it…?"

Renjiro met her gaze and understood what she was trying to say and he nodded.

"Of course." To him, rebuilding the Elven Empire was not just a speech thing, it was one of the ultimate missions given by the system. He had no choice but to see it through.

And besides, he had come to this fantasy game-like world. If he did not leave behind a legend to be remembered for generations, it would be like wasting the system potential.

Elaria's delicate hands trembled.

"I believe in you, Your Majesty! You will succeed!" Looking at her beautiful, ethereal face, Renjiro felt a surge of determination. Even if it was just for her, he would make her proud, he would make his subjects proud.

….

One chest after another, brimming with gold coins, was carried into the grand hall.

Lorien, the leader of the Mage squads, stepped forward, her expression respectful.

"Your Majesty," she said, bowing deeply. "This is the wealth we recovered after cleaning the battlefield, a total of 30,000 gold coins. In this battle, we slayed 5,000 Kobolds. However, we lost 36 brave soldiers, with over 200 wounded…"

Renjiro listened silently. Then, he spoke firmly.

"Do not grieve, Lorien. The fallen have returned to the embrace of our Goddess. In the divine realm, they shall watch over us, forever protecting our people."

Lorien's eyes, shimmering with small tears, gradually filled with resolve.

"You are right, Your Majesty." She clutched her staff tightly. "Their will and spirit will always remain with us. In the Goddess' divine realm, they shall achieve eternal life."

Renjiro nodded, then raised his right hand.

Instantly, the chests of gold burst open. The glimmering coins rose into the air, transforming into streaks of golden light that vanished into his body.

Lorien's eyes widened in shock, but before she could ask anything, Renjiro turned to her and smiled.

"My dear Lorien, take me to the World Tree." Lorien's expression darkened.

"Your Majesty…" She lowered her head. "The World Tree is dying." Renjiro, however, showed no disappointment. Because he knew something they didn't. He could fix the tree. He could restore its lost power. 

Renjiro took a step forward, his voice steady and filled with authority. "The Goddess has granted me a divine gift. With her power, I shall heal the World Tree. And soon, our people will once again be born from its branches, as we were in the days of old!"

"Your Majesty?!"

Lorien's mouth fell open, stunned beyond words.