The Ancient Tree of Wisdom

Looking in the direction Miss Christine had left, a few wisps of clouds drifted across the azure sky.

Roy was indeed a little homesick.

This time, after being away from home for more than a year, I thought I was just using my vacation to guide the Silver Moon Elf Warrior of the Silver Pegasus Legion and help them get familiar with the Pagisto Plateau as soon as possible. I never expected that it would be the plateau they were leaving behind that Roy was left behind.

He first reorganized the Gemstone Mine on the plateau, and later led the Half-Elf Warrior to resist the Highland Slavers...

In fact, Roy hadn't expected the headhunters to be so easily defeated.

This time, he led his Half-Elf Warrior to the Empress Ivini Islands, where they encountered troublesome Gray Dwarf Bandit once again.

This is the Endless Sea. The Three-Masted Sailboat of the Gray Dwarf Bandit are much larger than the medium-sized ships of the elves. Although they are not as fast as the medium-sized ships, these Three-Masted Sailboat are equipped with many Sky-Shooting Ballista, so they are not afraid of the Silver Pegasus Knights' attacks from the sky.

These Three-Masted Sailboat could store large quantities of supplies, so these Gray Dwarf Bandit lived on their ships. This was also the case during the struggle for the Empress Ivini Islands; if they couldn't win, they would simply sail away.

Whenever a thick fog rolls in at sea, these Gray Dwarf Bandit hide within it, attempting to seize control of some of the surrounding islands...

The mixed-race Half-Elf Warrior Half-Elf Warrior he brought had always lived on the highlands and were not skilled in naval warfare, so Roy could only assign them to various small islands in the West Reef Islands.

The Half-Elf Warrior can use the island's forests to wage jungle warfare against the Gray Dwarf Bandit...

There are about a thousand wounded Elf Warrior recuperating on the main island of the West Reef Islands, so Roy cannot take leave to return to Castleton City at this time.

Roy conducted a survey in the camp and found that at least half of the Half-Elf Warrior in the camp could not swim...

So Roy has been arranging for the Half-Elf Warrior to undergo physical training on the beach these past few days, as well as learning to swim and use Flying Fish Boat.

These Half-Elf Warrior have a strong learning ability; they can swim two laps in the sea almost on their very first dive.

However, Roy required the Half-Elf to be able to float in the sea for days and nights without drowning, without any external assistance. This required the Half-Elf to train in swimming every day to increase their affinity with Water Elemental...

Operating the Flying Fish Boat is not easy either. This shuttle-shaped boat is very similar to a kayak. It can carry up to three Elf Warrior. The boat has paddles on both sides that look like cicada wings. Normally, it can be propelled by ordinary oars on the sea, but as long as there is wind, it can spread out the paddles and ride the wind.

These agile little fishing boats are usually used by the elves for fishing, and they can travel faster at sea than medium-sized sailboats.

Roy hoped that Half-Elf Warrior in the Guard Regiment would learn to pilot these small boats.

Although all the Flying Fish Boat on the main island were destroyed in the battle, the Silver Moon Elf on the main island had shipbuilding craftsmen, and in just two days, ten brand-new Flying Fish Boat appeared on the dock.

In fact, Roy's flying Flying Fish Boat piloting skills were quite good; he learned them from Duke, the Boss of the Grocery Store in Castleton Harbour.

There are Coral Reef reefs all around here. You can row a small boat and cruise around the sea, and you can see the fish hiding in the Coral Reef very clearly.

A week later, Commander Berkeley's rear supply corps arrived at West Reef Islands West Reef Islands. In addition to the normal supplies, he also brought Roy a large number of Fletched Arrow, Fishing Net, and animal traps, all of which Roy had requested.

Five medium-sized sailboats, laden with cargo, were moored at the dock, and Commander Berkeley directed his men to unload supplies from the ships.

Upon seeing Roy arrive at the dock, Commander Berkeley strode over and said to Roy with a smile:

"I heard you won a great battle in West Reef Islands. Well done, Roy!"

Roy smiled but didn't continue the conversation. Instead, he said to the Commander Berkeley, "Commander Berkeley, you've arrived just in time..."

The two walked from the dock toward the temporary camp.

Just outside the woods of the makeshift camp were dozens of wooden cages, filled with Gray Dwarf Bandit whose feet were shackled.

Roy pointed at the Gray Dwarf prisoners of war and said to Commander Berkeley, "Take these Gray Dwarf prisoners of war away. There are no extra resources on the island to support them."

The Commander Berkeley nodded and agreed, "Yes, that's why I came here."

Through these cages, Roy led Commander Berkeley into the temporary camp, where a group of Half-Elf Warrior were practicing swordsmanship in a forest clearing.

Roy led Commander Berkeley to a tree where a wooden table and several chairs were set up. On the table was a nautical chart that clearly marked the distribution of the West Reef Islands and the deployment of troops on each island.

Commander Berkeley looked up at the hammocks set up in the trees in the woods, then took out a Parchment Scroll from his pocket and handed it to Roy.

"What's this?"

Roy took the phone and asked.

Commander Berkeley replied with a smile, "This is the official designation of the Pagisto Half-Elf Guard Regiment. With an official designation, the Guard Regiment will be considered an unofficial combat unit of the Silver Pegasus Legion. You can design a battle flag for the Guard Regiment according to your own ideas. Congratulations, Commander Roy!"

Roy unfolded the Parchment Scroll, on which were written the words ' Pagisto Half-Elf Guard Regiment '. Below this line of writing were several red stamps. Roy thought the characters on the stamps must be in Ancient Elven Language, because he didn't recognize a single one of them.

Roy thought that the Guard Regiment already had an official designation when he last went to Queen Ivini Island.

I never expected there to be such a Parchment Scroll.

Roy knew that Commander Berkeley had come from another island, so he asked him:

"What's the situation on the other islands?"

When Commander Berkeley heard Roy's question, he gave a wry smile and said, "The Fifth Silver Pegasus Battle Group left in such a hurry, what do you think they could do?"

"..."

Roy was surprised to find that reinforcements were arriving at Empress Ivini Islands one after another, and the situation there was still not optimistic.

There really isn't a good solution; this archipelago is just too vast.

"When Talin Island was attacked by the Gray Dwarf Bandit, the Fifth Silver Pegasus Battle Group arrived and found that the Gray Dwarf Bandit had driven more than 300 Silver Moon Elf residents to the beach and cut off their throats."

The Commander Berkeley looked rather grim as he said these words.

Roy hadn't expected these Gray Dwarf Bandit to slaughter the Silver Moon Elf on the island. It seemed these Gray Dwarf Bandit were determined to fight the Silver Moon Elf to the death.

This is the situation the Silver Moon Elf least wanted to see.

The elves respected life more than the Gray Dwarf, and they were also more afraid of death...

Commander Berkeley continued, "Currently, the Gray Dwarf Bandit ' fleet has occupied more than a dozen islands in the eastern part of the Empress Ivini Islands and is building fortifications and bunkers on the islands. Although the Silver Pegasus Battle Group is powerful, its five chapters simply cannot cover all the small islands."

Roy was surprised that they had occupied the small islands on the eastern outskirts of Empress Ivini Islands so quickly. He thought that the Gray Dwarf Bandit ' fleet was probably able to invade the West Reef Islands because of this.

The Commander Berkeley continued:

"The Gray Dwarf Bandit would raid the islands every time they were caught in the fog, and once they captured an island, they would kill all the elves on it..."

"..."

Roy thought to himself: Luckily, the Gray Dwarf Bandit didn't take over this island, otherwise the situation here might have been even worse.

For the Half-Elf of West Reef Islands, danger was ever-present. During this period, grey Gray Dwarf Bandit Gray Dwarf Bandit were frequently active, and whenever there was heavy fog at sea, they would suddenly appear...

Although the West Reef Islands are the furthest from the Eastern Islands, we cannot let our guard down...

On the Pagisto Plateau, Roy led his Half-Elf Warrior to defeat the headhunters.

Now, he has to lead this group of Half-Elf Warrior to guard the West Reef Islands, and Roy feels a headache just thinking about those fierce and cruel Gray Dwarf Bandit.

Commander Berkeley rushed over, unloaded the supplies, took the Gray Dwarf prisoners of war away, and then left overnight.

The Supply Ship convoy still needs to travel to other islands for resupply...

Roy had just seen Commander Berkeley off at the dock when he turned around and saw the old Silver Moon Elf standing at the edge of the dock, surrounded by piles of Wooden Box, squinting at him.

Roy figured the old Silver Moon Elf was looking for him, so Roy strode over.

The old Silver Moon Elf glanced at the still-unfinished dock and said to Roy, "Gray Dwarf Bandit Gray Dwarf Bandit visit this place every year, but their numbers are nowhere near as large as this time. As long as they dare to come ashore, we'll take up our weapons and wait for them on the dock. Those Gray Dwarf Bandit usually won't disembark and fight us when they see that we have a large number of people on our island..."

"This year is a little different; there are just too many Gray Dwarf Bandit."

The old Silver Moon Elf then looked at Roy and asked him:

"Aren't you curious... why we left the Elf Continent and went to live on a remote island?"

"..."

Roy hadn't really thought about any of that. What was so strange about living on such a beautiful island? But since the old Silver Moon Elf had asked, Roy nodded to play along.

"Come with me!"

After the old Silver Moon Elf finished speaking, he hunched over, leaned on a cane, and walked up the hillside along the Forest Path.

He walked slowly, with Roy following behind.

He had no idea where the old Silver Moon Elf was taking him.

They continued walking up the hillside, first passing through the village where the Silver Moon Elf lived, and then following the path in the dense forest for a while, until the Forest Path under their feet was completely blocked by a thick forest and bushes, Roy found that there was no way forward.

The old Silver Moon Elf approached the thicket of thorny bushes and, surprisingly, took a step towards one of them without any expression.

To Roy's astonishment, the dense Thorn Vines in front of him suddenly receded to the left and right, and then a winding Forest Path reappeared before Roy's eyes.

The old Silver Moon Elf stepped onto the path and continued up the hillside.

Roy followed behind the old Silver Moon Elf, curiously looking around. He had a strange feeling; he suddenly felt as if the trees around him were breathing...

This isn't surprising at all; many plant-type magical beasts can do that, so Roy thinks there might be a plant-type magical beast hiding in the forest.

He looked around warily, but after walking for a while, he still didn't find anything...

Just as Roy was about to ask the old Silver Moon Elf why he had been led here, a giant tree, hundreds of meters tall, suddenly appeared in the dense forest. It was tightly packed with the surrounding trees, and Roy found that the tree was ridiculously large. Its trunk diameter was probably over a hundred meters, and its aged bark was like a stone wall. On top of that, a blurry face was growing out of the trunk.

As Roy tried to approach, the entire canopy of the tree began to shake violently...

At this moment, the old Silver Moon Elf beside him stopped, but Roy couldn't help but continue walking forward.

Roy felt a strange call resounding in his heart.

The old Silver Moon Elf, leaning on his cane, said to Roy, "The Ancient Tree of Wisdom Cenarius, is calling you. You may approach him and speak with him."

Roy looked up at the towering ancient tree in front of him.

Only then did he realize that the giant tree in front of him was actually an Ancient Tree of Wisdom, no wonder a group of Silver Moon Elf were willing to settle here.

Roy had seen a book about these ancient trees in the library across from the Elf Academy.

It is said that Ancient Tree of Wisdom accumulate a wealth of knowledge over the long course of time, and all of this knowledge is etched into their annual rings...

The Ancient Tree of Wisdom has not yet fully manifested a face, so it cannot speak yet.

Roy mustered his courage and stepped forward, placing one hand on the tree trunk. Instantly, a powerful and warm spiritual force enveloped him completely.

It made him feel as if he were submerged in a bottomless abyss, with inexplicable forces surging from all directions, threatening to tear him to shreds...

Just as Roy was filled with trepidation, a pure life force emanated from him, establishing a spiritual connection.

"Child, I can sense the divine power within you, yet it is completely different from that of other Priest I have ever seen. Those Priest obtain their divine power by praying to the gods, while you draw upon the Holy Light Particle around you. Therefore, even without divine blessings, you still wield the power of holy light."

Roy looked up at the Ancient Tree of Wisdom and asked, "So, do you know what kind of path I should take?"

"Your path is different from those Priest '. Let me think about it carefully..."

The Ancient Tree of Wisdom paused for a moment before speaking to Roy again:

"I don't know what the path is like. I'm just a tree, and I've never seen other elves walk this path, so I can't give you any answers. You have to find it yourself. But I can see some glimpses of the future through the Wheel of Fortune..."

"Child, you do not belong to the Elven World. When you gain wings, you will leave this continent..."