Game of the World Tree

【 WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE A PRO? (TACTICAL RETREAT) 】

Awkward.

It was so incredibly embarrassing.

Moon Jasmine stood before the mixed-blood human girl, completely unsure of how to carry on the conversation.

When she realized the game’s proselytizing system truly required players to act like real-life missionaries to preach to these NPCs, it felt as though ten thousand alpacas were stampeding through her mind.

Her thoughts turned utterly blank in that instant.

When it came to combat, she was entirely confident as battlefields is where she thrived, after all.

But holding this weird Codex in her hands, tasked with persuading someone—even that of NPCs—was a different battlefield altogether.

Just as Jasmine was overwhelmed with embarrassment, a gentle voice broke through the silence:

It was Caesar.

He stepped past Jasmine, positioning himself in front of the mixed-blood girl, effectively shielding his companion’s awkward expression.

Simultaneously, a message from Caesar appeared in Jasmine’s chat channel:

⤷ I’ll handle this. I did some prep work beforehand and even helped compile the Codex of Life.

⤷ Wait, what?

⤷ You actually helped write this book?

Jasmine’s eyes widened in disbelief.

Still, despite her shock, she couldn’t help but feel a wave of relief.

After all, having someone step in to salvage the situation was more than welcome in her opinion.

But then, she remembered all the grand claims she had made earlier.

The thought made her want to crawl into a hole from embarrassment.

This was mortifying.

Absolutely mortifying.

Why was this game’s proselytizing mechanics so ridiculously hardcore?!

While Jasmine silently ranted about the devs’ decision to implement such a convoluted and overly demanding system, Caesar slipped naturally into his role. ℞

He opened the Codex of Life with a practiced ease and began reciting its teachings to the girl, his voice steady and soothing as if he truly believed every word he spoke.

With his naturally handsome features, golden hair catching the sunlight like spun gold, and a radiant smile that could disarm even the most guarded hearts, Caesar exuded an aura of warmth and sincerity.

His pristine white druidic robe, adorned with subtle emerald embroidery, completed the image of a compassionate and approachable figure—someone who could be trusted, like a benevolent older brother offering guidance.

In stark contrast stood Jasmine, her pitch-black armor casting a forbidding silhouette, with her expression rigid and strained.

It took only a moment for Jasmine to notice a faint blush creeping onto the mixed-blood girl’s face, a telltale sign of how disarming Caesar’s presence truly was.

“Tch…” she muttered, feeling a twinge of irritation.

Still, despite her annoyance, she refrained from interrupting at all.

Clearly, Caesar had already familiarized himself with the contents of the Codex of Life.

Whilst sporting a warm and disarming smile, he began narrating the goddess’s divinity and glorious history in the form of a story…

Initially uneasy and nervous, the mixed-blood girl gradually relaxed herself, eventually listening intently to Caesar’s words.

This otherworldly universe was vastly different from Earth in many ways.

Here, the very fabric of existence are infused with divine presence, wherein true gods held absolute dominion over all aspects of life.

Their influence was not a mere idea but a pervasive force that shaped every realm and its inhabitants.

Thus, any residents of every realm, regardless of their race or status, held deep reverence for the divine.

And it wasn’t just a matter of tradition as it was a deeply ingrained fundamental belief woven into the very core of their lives.

Even those who claimed not to believe in the gods’ direct influence never doubted their existence or greatness, which stood in contrast to Earth, where belief and faith often faced skepticism and resistance.

That’s why proselytizing here was a much simpler task.

Convincing someone of the gods’ power was not about proving their existence, but rather simply demonstrating their grandeur and benevolence.

Even non-believers, while they may not have followed any gods’ teachings, still acknowledged their might and respected their authority.

This made the act of spreading faith considerably easier—at least when it came to those who did not outright oppose divine influence.

As Caesar wove tales of the goddess’s magnificence, tying them to recent events in the demi-realm of Ouros, he explained the goddess’s deeds in detail.

The mixed-blood girl grew increasingly engrossed.

Caesar held her hand and spoke for a full half-hour before finally stopping, his throat dry.

The girl’s face was flushed—though whether from being moved by the teachings or simply flustered by such a handsome divine figure holding her hand was unclear.

When Caesar finished, she gave a small nod and stammered:

“I…I understand. I will visit the Temple of Life and…listen to the teachings of the goddess…”

“I… I have to go now. Goodbye, my lords!”

With that, the mixed-blood girl bolted like a startled rabbit.

Caesar: “…”

Jasmine: “…”

“..Did it work?”

Jasmine asked.

Caesar glanced at his task log and shook his head.

“Failed. That girl wasn’t converted at all.”

What?!

That was a failure?

Jasmine’s eyes widened in disbelief.

But that was a half-hour-long conversation!

What was the point of all that time, then?

How were they supposed to succeed in converting people’s faith?

There wasn’t even a clear standard pro they could follow!

Jusy who came up with this absurd, hardcore preaching mechanics anyway?

Did the devs want to get flamed by the players that badly?!

Jasmine was speechless, growing more annoyed the more she thought about it.

Caesar, scratching his head awkwardly, chuckled bitterly.

“This proselytizing task… seems a bit difficult, huh?”

“Difficult? It’s outright nightmarish!”

Jasmine grumbled in an irritated voice.

At that moment, she seriously considered abandoning the task altogether and going back to grinding monsters for experience.

After all, she was only Level 41 and had nine more levels to go.

She didn’t have time to waste on this convoluted proselytizing nonsense!

She wasn’t obligated to do all these things, as she wasn’t planning to become priest as her main class, after all!

“Let’s check the forums. Someone might’ve figured out some tips or tricks by now.”

Caesar thought for a moment before making this suggestion.

Jasmine nodded slightly.

The ElvKing community boasted a wealth of skilled players, each with a deep understanding of the game’s mechanics.

Whenever a new task or challenge emerged, it didn’t take long before the most experienced players discovered hidden tricks and strategies that others had missed, often sharing their findings on the forums.

As a result, the forums became a hotbed of creative problem-solving and insightful tips, fostering a culture of innovation.

Not only did tips and tricks spread quickly, but ingenious methods and unconventional strategies often emerged as well, pushing the boundaries of what was thought possible within the game.

Some were harmless, enhancing the player experience in unexpected ways, while others crossed ethical lines, bending or outright breaking the rules.

One such example was the infamous incident involving the exploitation of a binding mechanic, where players managed to scam valuable items from many NPCs.

This loophole became so widespread and disruptive that it even eventually forced the developers to step in and take action.

Moreover, as more players reached the level cap of 40, various gadgets inspired by Earth’s technology began gaining popularity within the game.

One had to admit, Elven Kingdom really do offer an impressive freedom of gameplay.

Many low-tech inventions from Earth could now be recreated in-game using various local materials.

That being said, more complex technologies were still out of the question since they required intricate and complicated mechanism to work.

But back to the present.

After some thought, Jasmine decided to check the official forums, suspecting someone might have already posted a guide to aid in their task.

However, when she opened the forums, she couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

The official forum had exploded into chaos.

And the reason?

Naturally, it was the newly introduced proselytizing mechanics, which had sparked widespread outrage.

They, after all, came here to play the game, not to be played by it!

A bizarre preaching mechanic like this was, understandably, unacceptable to many—even though most players by now no longer saw Elven Kingdom as just a simple game.

This entire proselytizing fiasco was entirely reminiscent of the map size issue.

While most were awed by the vastness of the game world, they also despised the grueling journeys required to traverse it.

The forum was filled with complaints about the “dog-shit developers” and their absurd implementation of such a convoluted system.

Jasmine clicked on a few threads, each clearly overflowing with frustration:

“What the hell is up with this preaching nonsense? My friends and I are completely dumbfounded by it!”

“Those dogshit developers! Have they lost their minds? They really made preaching just like in real-life!? Aren’t they afraid of getting reprimanded?”

“I’ve spent 20 minutes talking to an NPC, only to be treated like an idiot. Anyone else did the same?”

“I’m starting to think I downloaded a fake game…”

Strangely, seeing the shared frustration eased Jasmine’s irritation a bit.

So, it wasn’t just her—everyone was struggling as well.

“The devs really outdid themselves this time… Would it have killed them to just make the entire mechanic much simpler? I’d be shocked if anyone actually succeeds at this.”

Whilst shaking her head, Jasmine scrolled through the forums, hoping to find something useful.

But before she could dive deeper, a commotion somewhere in the city caught her attention.

Jasmine looked up to see many mixed-blood human NPCs rushing toward the city plaza.

“What’s going on?” she wondered aloud.

Caesar noticed the commotion too.

He grabbed a nearby resident and asked with a friendly smile, “Excuse me, could you tell us what’s happening?”

The resident, startled, stammered,

“M-My lord! Oh… I mean, elven lord! There’s a divine apostle treating the sick for free in the plaza. We’re going to see!”

After bowing hurriedly to Caesar, the resident rushed off.

A divine apostle?

Offering free treatment to the sick?

Jasmine froze for a moment.

The residents of the Ouros demi-realm weren’t in great health as years of life force being siphoned away had left many with various hidden ailments and diseases.

Although the siphoning had ceased when the Goddess took control of this demi-realm, the damage to the residents’ bodies couldn’t heal on its own.

While players weren’t privy to all the details, they were also aware of some of these issues.

Jasmine exchanged a glance with Caesar, and both seemed to arrive at the same conclusion.

“Shall we check it out?”

“Let’s.”

They closed the forum and followed the crowd to the city plaza.

When they arrived, they finally saw the so-called divine apostles.

A platform had been erected in the center of the plaza, and below it stood a line of stern-faced, max-level Iron-rank players.

Clad in identical druidic robes, they were treating the ailments of one local resident after another.

All of them were healing-type druid players, their usernames prominently displaying the words ‘Heart of Nature’ beneath it.

So it turned out that every single one of them was a member of Heart of Nature guild.

From the looks of it, these players had clearly planned this in advance.

Standing below the platform, they were surrounded by a throng of nervous yet hopeful NPCs.

These locals didn’t look well either—some bore visible signs of illness upon their faces, while others coughed incessantly, and many moved with clear difficulty in their limbs.

Obviously, these were all people afflicted with ailments.

The druid players, while wielding their healing magic, worked tirelessly to treat these residents in front of them, whose average strength didn’t even reach the lower Iron rank.

Emerald-green light shimmered continuously among the crowd, casting a soft glow over the scene.

Every so often, excited voices rang out, full of disbelief and joy after receiving their treatments. Their words were often tinged with tears, as the residents marveled at the miracle unfolding before them:

“M-My leg… it’s healed! My leg is actually healed!”

“My back… it doesn’t hurt anymore!”

“I… I feel full of energy for once!”

“Such powerful healing! This must be… a miracle! It has to be a miracle!”

“Thank you, my lords from the divine clan—no, thank you, great Divine Apostle of the True God!”

“Glory to the divine clan! Glory to the elves!”

Everyone erupted into cheers.

As such jubilation spread amongst the crowd, more and more locals gathered, quickly filling up the venue.

Watching this scene unfold, Jasmine and Caesar were left dumbfounded, their mouths agape.

“This… actually works?”

Then, just as the crowd reached a critical mass, a familiar figure stepped onto the platform.

It was an elven male, dressed in an elaborate white ceremonial robe, exuding an aura of authority. His every movement seemed deliberate, as though he commanded the very space around him.

His striking red hair, fiery and vivid, stood out sharply against the sea of more subdued colors, making him impossible to ignore.

It was Demacia.

In his hands, he held a heavy tome—the physical version of the Codex of Life.

With a solemn expression, Demacia slowly ascended the platform.

Standing tall, he cast an impassioned gaze over the crowd, his eyes sweeping across the sea of upturned faces, and declared in a fervent tone:

“No… The ones you should thank are not us, but the great True God, the supreme being who governs over life and nature—Her Excellency, The Goddess Eve!”

“It is by Her divine will that we are here, to offer you salvation!”

“Her Excellency, Eve, is the true creator of this world. She is the One Above All, the Mother of All Things, the Sovereign of Nature, and the Protector of the Elvenkind…”

He then dramatically paused, lifting his hand high as if to point beyond the world itself. With a flourish, he pointed a finger skyward and continued:

“Look at the skies above us. Those cracks are widening—do you know what that signifies?”

His voice dropped to a hushed, almost conspiratorial tone, heightening the tension.

“This world was created by Her Excellency, Eve. Yet, this world has turned its back upon Her.”

“And there is only one fate for such a world that abandons its God—destruction!”

“Those cracks in the sky are the harbingers of the apocalypse!”

Demacia’s stern words echoed across the whole plaza, amplified by magic.

However, his fiery explosive red hair added an unintended touch of humor to the otherwise grim proclamation.

As Demacia spoke, his expression grew increasingly sorrowful, his voice tinged with an almost mournful resonance:

“Wake up, you pitiful souls! This world is heading toward ruination. If you all remain blind to the truth, then all that awaits you is nothing but death!”

The crowd below the platform stirred uneasily at his words.

Fear and unease crept onto the faces of many.

After all, the cracks in the skies were undeniable.

They grew larger by the day, a grotesque scar in the heavens that no one could ignore.

The legends of their world’s end had long been intertwined with the myths of the God of Creation, ingrained deeply in their minds since childhood.

Previously, the Church of Creation had suppressed such fears through mind control and doctrine.

But now, with the Church dissolved and the city’s residents freed from their mental shackles, this stark reminder of their impending doom, especially from figures of divine authority, sent waves of panic through the crowd.

“W-What should we do? How can we regain the favor of Her Excellency, the True God?” one terrified voice asked.

“Of course, you can all be saved simply by renewing your faith and dedicating everything to Her Excellency, The Goddess Eve!”

A fervent voice rang out, and another “divine” figure ascended the platform.

This time, it was a stunning elven woman dressed in a pristine priestess’s gown that drew all eyes to her. Her ethereal beauty was undeniable, her presence commanding attention, compelling even the most distracted individuals to turn and stare at her.

Trailing closely behind the woman was an adorable hatchling dragon, waddling along with an almost comical determination.

It was Dongdong.

In her hands, she carried yet another heavy Codex of Life, her voice ringing out with an unmistakable aura of compassion as she spoke:

“Only by reigniting your faith in the great Goddess Eve and embracing the light within your hearts can you find salvation and be reborn anew!”

“Goddess Eve is beautiful, benevolent, merciful, and loving…”

“She sent us here to save you. When you place your faith in Her, you will naturally receive Her protection.”

“Become Her followers, and She will shield you. She will without a doubt save this world!”

“Her Excellency, Eve, holds dominion over the Divinity of Life. With Her blessing, not only can this world be saved, but you too can be reborn—restored to the peak of your health!”

“Even if you die, you will be resurrected in Her divine kingdom, where there is no strife, no sorrow, only eternal peace and happiness…”

“Only by believing in the Goddess Eve can you find redemption and be reborn!”

Dongdong’s passionate words, coupled with her sincere demeanor, left the entire crowd spellbound with her words.

Her radiant beauty was further enhanced by the magical light effects that a mage player had discreetly cast around her, making her appear even more otherworldly akin to a saintly figure embodying the very will of the True God.

Under Jasmine and Caesar’s astonished gaze, they witnessed a remarkable sight. One by one, a series of thuds echoed through the square as dozens of residents fell to their knees in complete reverence.

“I…I am willing to place my faith in the great Goddess Eve!”

“Me too! My lords! Divine Apostles! Please guide us in the faith of Her Excellency, The Goddess Eve!”

The local residents cried out earnestly.

As they prostrated themselves, Jasmine and Caesar instinctively activated their Eyes of Faith.

In an instant, they saw dozens of NPCs, once surrounded by a green aura, now glowing with a pure, radiant white—a clear telltale sign that they had become fledgling followers of Goddess Eve.

“…This method actually works?”

The two stood frozen for a moment, their minds struggling to process the overwhelming spectacle before them.

“Ridiculous…aren’t they too pro at this!?”

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