Elf Kingdom: Game of the World Tree

Azazel ultimately chose to fight again.

There was no other reason.

Even though it was quite frustrating, it was better than giving up the fight and seeing those long-eared folks' petty victorious looks.

Of course, how frustrated and miserable Azazel felt inside was unknown.

Time numbed people.

This was true for the Demon God as well.

Fight after fight and revival after revival, Azazel felt like he was becoming a soulless construct puppet.

The only comfort was his faint connection with the demon thralls in the maze, using it to pit them against the elves, a little nasty trick against those players entering the maze.

However, his control meant to disgust the elves and disrupt their actions added some challenge and fun to the Demon Maze...

In short, as time passed, the operation of the Demon Maze fell into place.

Eve was quite satisfied with Azazel, who had become an adequate dungeon boss under the dual guidance of players and seals.

"Not bad, looks like Azazel has adapted to the maze, becoming boss-shaped. It's truly no surprise since this Demon God has been sealed countless times, adapting so well."

She nodded slightly.

At first, she was worried that this guy couldn't handle the relentless attacks from players and would go on strike.

But the truth proved that the players were even more formidable than she imagined.

And Azazel's pride was more intense than she thought.

When they collided, a wonderful chemical reaction occurred. Even if Azazel felt disgusted, he couldn't stop.

...

With the opening of the Demon Maze, players had new objectives. The number of Black Iron Level players reaching the max level increased during this period.

Of course, there were those who earned silver rank advancement slots.

However, they were few.

Reaching an excellent or above evaluation was truly difficult, and the reward wasn't guaranteed either.

Overall, the number of silver players remained very rare.

This fit Eve's plan.

Quality over quantity in high-end players.

Achieving the maximum with the least divine power was the best.

Even the newly promoted players were outstanding ones selected through the Demon Maze.

They were dedicated, grinding hard, with commendable combat instincts.

Prime harvesting material.

The Demon Maze became a paradise for Black Iron Level maxed players and silver players.

However, not all Black Iron Rank players poured into this new instance.

Only a few could obtain silver rank advancement slots.

Most players, after reaching level 40, doubted they could become part of that select few in the Demon Maze.

Moreover, many believed there might be similar drops in new hidden quests.

Thus, with more reaching max level, players entered a frenzy of exploring new maps.

Exploring new maps was the most likely way to encounter hidden quests.

This was a shared belief among players.

Though Eve limited the players' activity range to within 500 kilometers around the Silent City State Alliance, none had traversed the entire map, even with 60,000 players.

The map was enormous and three-dimensional.

The complex Underworld greatly expanded the actual area of the map.

Players, busy leveling up before, rarely focused on exploring the entire map, except for those obsessive about it.

Now, many finally started doing so.

Players began exploring further north and west of the Elf Forest, constantly updating the monster database.

Players were advancing and developing.

Eve's believers didn't lag behind either.

With her name as the Goddess of Life spreading after the victory of the underground war, and news of her protecting the Elf Clan released, new elves and half-elves began arriving at the Elf Forest.

Of course, after returning, most half-elves chose bloodline purification before the goddess's statue at the Life Temple, reverting to true elves.

The Silent City State Alliance, formally allied with the Elf Forest, returned a large number of elf slaves after the war.

Shortly, the number of elves in the Elf Forest surged again, doubling to nearly 5,000.

Of course, their strength also noticeably improved.

Natural Saintess Alice, Divine Favored Ail, and the old priest Samir, already silver-ranked professionals, benefited from Eve's power, all growing stronger.

Other elves progressed as well, advancing as the shackles of bloodlines broke and magic power returned.

Black Iron Upper became the main force among the elves.

The fastest had reached the peak of Black Iron Rank, just like the players.

The emergence of silver-ranked elves seemed only a matter of time.

However, even with player influence, the elves' love for peace remained hard to change.

Except for a few young elves who mingled with players, most remained gentle and low-key.

As a result, their presence in the Elf Forest was overshadowed by the increasingly active players.

Of course, no one dared ignore their power.

Especially those abundant "harvested crops" needing to complete tasks...

Eve was very satisfied with the development of the Elf Forest.

Snowballing growth led to faster development.

As Eve watched the Chosen City with satisfaction, she suddenly turned her attention to distant Feilengcui.

...

Feilengcui.

This former Elf Holy City was regaining its vitality with the return of elves.

Ruined buildings were completely restored, and new gardens rose from the ruins.

The once legendary city, dazzling with elven charm and natural beauty, finally reincarnated after a thousand years.

Elves and players of various kinds busily moved through the city.

Every elf wore a happy smile.

Among the crowd, a gracefully poised, tall elf strolled leisurely.

With radiant blonde hair, his eyes were as bright as stars.

Even among elves, his appearance was exceptionally handsome, equal to Serandir, the Primordial Elf.

Oddly, as dazzling as a star, neither elves nor players noticed him.

Walking, he looked around.

His gaze held a touch of nostalgia and recollection:

"Feilengcui... It's been a thousand years since I last came here."

"I never thought I could see this beautiful city reborn."

With that, his gaze fell upon the temple in the city.

His sight lingered on the symbol of the Life Scepter atop the temple.

His lips curled slightly, and his voice carried a hint of curiosity:

"Goddess of Life?"

"Who... are you really?"

——————

Let me explain, a lot of readers have been asking if I'm leaving. This book is still under the old contract, and it's not even halfway written, so it will definitely continue here until next year. You can rest assured to read it.

As for a new book or contract, that might not be until next year, and who knows what might happen by then.

There have been some issues for a while, but they've only recently erupted. This matter has grown significant, beyond its initial reach, with many authors and influencers voicing out. Everyone's waiting for an official announcement from Yuwen; there should be a result within three days. Don't panic.

There are many rumors online, true and false. Don't get caught up in them. For detailed understanding, read up on some prominent bloggers, like Squid or Toad.

There's not much else to say. After all, I'm just an obscure writer.

I hope everyone stays calm, doesn't believe in or spread rumors, and views the issue rationally. Everything will pass!