Chapter 2: New Century (Epilogue)
Chapter 276: Negotiation (1)
“Teacher, you are still very young. I heard that Champion Knights can live for five hundred years! You will definitely be fine~”
Rune spoke eloquently. As a player, what kind of player would he be if he didn’t know how to flatter?
Ongel was clearly intending to impart his skills to Rune. At this moment, even if Ongel asked him to call him “Dad,” it would be acceptable!
“Heh heh…” Hearing Rune’s words, Ongel burst into laughter. He shook his head and sighed,
“Those who can live for more than five hundred years are healthy individuals. I have too many hidden injuries, and my vitality has long been overdrawn. I’ll be satisfied if I can live for another ten or so years to properly teach you.”
“I will find a way to cure you.”
Rune looked at Ongel with concern.
Although Ongel was just a game NPC, he had treated Rune very well during this time, apart from his strict training.
It was difficult for him not to develop some affection for such a venerable old man.
“It’s good that you have this intention. I only have one request: after I die, please help take care of my son, Son of the North Wind Quainite. He doesn’t have your talent, and his body is like his mother’s. He can’t become a Great Hammer Warrior, but he is suitable for learning magic…”
When mentioning his son, the majestic old knight rarely revealed a hint of tenderness.
But it seemed that because his son couldn’t inherit his mantle, only a faint loneliness remained after the tenderness.
“Please don’t worry, Teacher. I will protect your son. As your disciple, this is my duty.”
Rune knelt on one knee, clenched his fist over his chest, lowered his head slightly, and gazed at the ground.
“Everyone has their own destiny. You only need to protect him for a year after my death. The rest will depend on his fortune…”
Ongel shook his head, reached out to help Rune up, and then said with a smile,
“Alright, let’s not talk about this. Today, I will teach you the first skill of a Great Hammer Warrior – Mountain Collapse Stomp.”
…
Meanwhile.
Deep within the Emerald Forest.
The Elven Royal Court.
“Your Majesty, it is already late autumn…”
The speaker was an old woman with white hair that reached her ankles.
She wore a light green elven robe, intricately and gorgeously patterned with mithril.
In her hand was a staff woven from verdant branches. At the tip of the staff, a light blue flower bloomed, with a faint glow circulating around it.
She was one of the Elf Elders, Orin Windwhisper.
She had entered the Source Mage realm more than 300 years ago, reaching level 78, and had already begun to comprehend the power of rules, touching the Legendary realm.
Orin took two steps forward and presented an astrolabe with both hands to the Elven Empress. It contained the specific results predicted by the astrologer.
“We are close to the northern lands, and it is colder here than elsewhere. The astrologer said that within the next week, the temperature will drop sharply, and the rivers will be frozen by the biting north wind. Before long, there will be a heavy snowfall.”
In front of the old woman.
On an elven throne woven from vines and blooming flowers.
Sat an unbelievably beautiful Elf Girl with hair like frost and snow, and a face of exquisite beauty.
Her eyebrows were like willow leaves, her eyes like stars, and her slender waist accentuated her charming curves.
Although not much skin was exposed, her silver, form-fitting elven armor perfectly outlined her flawless figure.
“Heavy snow…”
Her voice was as soft and moving as a mountain spring, tugging at the heartstrings.
Alice Frostwalker.
She was the Elven Empress of this generation.
She had not ruled the Elven Royal Court for long, only a few decades, and had not yet established sufficient prestige within the Elven Royal Court. Her strength had only just entered the Legendary realm.
Above her, there were two Elf Elders who were Legendary-grade powerhouses.
These two Elf Elders each commanded a faction of elves and held the core military power of the Elven Royal Court.
While outwardly obeying the rule of the Elven Empress, they were two-faced in reality. Many military orders were only feigned obedience, and they acted as they pleased.
Only Orin and another Champion Level Sword Dance Master Elder, Fernando Nightwalker, truly followed Alice Frostwalker.
The entire Elven Royal Court was roughly divided into three factions.
The radical faction, led by the Legendary Mage Elf Elder, Leskali Hurricane.
They advocated for an irreconcilable conflict with humans.
Even if it meant allying with orcs or demons, they would break through the Emerald Fortress and even attack the human empire, crushing humans under their feet to restore elven glory.
For this goal, Leskali was willing to resort to any means.
Next was the conservative faction, led by the Legendary Druid, Britt Grizzly.
This faction of elves advocated for retreating into the Emerald Forest, drawing close to nature, comprehending nature, and merging with nature, much like the ancient elves of old who remained aloof from worldly affairs.
They did not provoke the human empire, nor were they eager for revenge.
After all, with the Emerald Forest as a natural barrier and the protection of the World Tree’s remains,
humans would never be able to break in.
So, why not continue to enjoy the long lifespan of elves?
Finally, there was the reformist faction, led by the Elven Empress Alice.
She neither wanted to be so radical as to oppose humans.
Nor did she want to retreat into the Emerald Forest, preaching the stubbornness and arrogance of the ancient elves.
If possible,
she was willing to form alliances with all friendly races.
She was also willing to negotiate with humans.
To develop slowly when her strength was weak.
When her strength grew in the future, there would naturally be an opportunity to reclaim the lands occupied by humans.
At the same time, she advocated for learning knowledge from other races, such as the dwarves’ forging and rune technology, the goblins’ alchemy, the humans’ magic matrix, and the magic net that could be easily laid out using magic power.
Unfortunately, most elves were still immersed in the powerful Elven Royal Court of thousands of years ago, immersed in the past pride of elves.
They believed that elves possessed the best blacksmiths and the most advanced rune and alchemy technology.
As for the magic net laid out by humans,
it was indeed very powerful and convenient.
But every elf was an excellent spellcaster.
They possessed an elemental affinity far beyond humans, which could completely compensate for the effects brought by the magic net. Therefore, they saw no need to learn magic net technology.
Learning the technology of other races and abandoning elven technology was a blasphemy, an insult to elven culture.
Even the fusion of the two technologies was unacceptable.
They considered it a defilement.
In the eyes of most elves,
any skill from other races was utterly inferior to that of elves, not even worthy of carrying their shoes!
Every single one of them was garbage!
“The heavy snow will last for a week…”
Orin nodded and continued,
“This is the best time for us to attack the Emerald Fortress. During the snowfall, humans who fear the cold will have their fighting spirit and strength reduced due to the weather.”
“Although we will be suppressed to the Sky Knight rank by the Moonlight Sacred Well, the Emerald Fortress covered in ice and snow is more suitable for our elven warriors to operate in.”
