Honkai Star Rail: I Became the World Tree — Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Three Elven Tribes Reunited

Dappled sunlight filtered through the dense forest canopy, casting long, fractured shadows across the forest floor. A dozen male elves stood in a tight perimeter, their bows drawn taut and their eyes narrowed with deep-seated suspicion. Behind them, nestled in the hollows of the ancient woods, stood the largest wooden longhouse of the hidden settlement. Through its narrow windows, the anxious faces of female and young elves peered out, watching the tense standoff.

Seeing that the intruders were humans, the elven warriors shifted their stances, the creak of strained bowstrings breaking the heavy silence. They were ready to loose their arrows.

Welt stepped forward, raising his hands in a placating gesture. His voice was calm, measured, and entirely unbothered by the pointed weapons. “We mean no harm. We were sent by Irminsul to bring you back to the Holy City.”

The leading elf, a tall man with battle-scarred armor, sneered. “The Sacred Tree? If you’re going to lie, find a better excuse. Everyone knows Lord Samuel has been asleep for hundreds of years. Warriors! Attack!”

“We know an elf named Bradley,” Welt interjected smoothly, his tone cutting through the rising hostility. “He was the one who gave us your exact coordinates.” He paused, letting the name sink in. “Also, do you know a young elven girl named Anviel? She is currently safe within the Holy City.”

The leading elf’s hand shot up. The surrounding warriors instantly lowered their bows, though their hands remained near their quivers. “You know Bradley? And Anviel?”

Welt exhaled a quiet breath, adjusting his glasses. The situation was finally under control. In truth, he wasn’t worried about a physical confrontation; a quick scan revealed the strongest of these elves was merely [Level 3]. They posed absolutely no threat to the Astral Express crew. However, these were Samuel’s subjects. Out of respect for the World Tree’s reincarnation, beating up his followers wouldn’t be the most diplomatic introduction.

“That’s right,” Welt continued. “We found this hidden enclave based on the map Bradley provided.”

The leading elf slowly sheathed his blade. “Let me see this map.”

Hearing the request, Stelle casually dug into her pocket, crumpled the precious parchment into a messy ball, and chucked it through the air.

The elf caught the wadded paper with a twitching brow, carefully smoothing out the creases. As his eyes scanned the drawn lines, the harsh lines of his face softened. “This is indeed Bradley’s map. It carries the unique signature of our clan’s secret technique.” He traced a glowing, faint rune on the edge of the paper. “If Bradley wished to destroy this, he could do so with a single thought. And if he were to perish, the map would instantly turn to ash.”

Welt observed the parchment with a spark of genuine academic interest. He hadn’t expected the crude drawing to possess such complex magical properties.

“Do you believe us now?” Welt asked. “We were genuinely entrusted by Bradley to escort you back home.”

The elf nodded, his shoulders slumping slightly as years of tension bled away. “Yes. I am Nash. Tell me, is Bradley doing well?”

Welt shook his head, his expression turning solemn. “Not very well. Earlier today, my two companions here saved him from a pack of Goblins. He sustained injuries and is currently resting to recover his strength.”

Nash let out a heavy, sorrowful sigh. “Bradley is the oldest among the surviving elves in this forest. His health has been declining day by day… It is a miracle he held on this long.” He looked up, a spark of hope in his eyes. “You also mentioned Anviel. How is she? We have scoured the woods for years trying to find her.”

“She’s perfectly fine,” Welt reassured him. “We found her residing right near Irminsul.”

Nash clapped his hands together, a rare smile breaking across his weathered face. “No wonder we could never track her down! The little one has been hiding by Lord Samuel’s side all along.”

With the immediate crisis averted, the hostile atmosphere evaporated. The elven warriors relaxed their postures, and the heavy wooden doors of the longhouse creaked open. Female elves and curious children tentatively stepped out into the clearing.

March 7th immediately brightened. She dug into her dimensional pocket and pulled out handfuls of colorful sweets, happily distributing them to the wide-eyed little cuties who quickly swarmed around her legs.

While handing out a strawberry lollipop, March tilted her head, recalling Nash’s earlier words. “Uncle Nash, why were you guys looking so hard for Anviel anyway?”

Nash watched the children with a soft gaze before answering. “Because she is the mage with the highest latent talents in our entire clan. We believed that only by finding her and nurturing her magic did we have even a glimmer of hope to one day reclaim the Holy City.”

Stelle, who had been leaning against a nearby tree trunk, raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Reclaim the Holy City? You’re a bit late for that. We already did the heavy lifting for you. Aside from one annoying Goblin Warrior we couldn’t track down, every single green-skinned pest in the city has been wiped off the map.”

Nash’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief. “You’ve… you’ve already reclaimed the Holy City?!”

Stelle nodded, crossing her arms with a smug grin. “Yep! If we could have just found that last Goblin Warrior, we would’ve taken out the trash completely.”

Nash let out a breathless chuckle, shaking his head. “Of course you couldn’t find him. That Goblin Warrior didn’t escape. We sealed him deep within the Holy City Academy using a forbidden secret technique before we fled.”

Stelle’s golden eyes instantly lit up with predatory excitement. “What? You sealed him? No wonder we couldn’t find the guy no matter which trash can we kicked over!” She summoned her baseball bat with a sharp crackle of spatial energy, resting it over her shoulder. “Then we’ll just have to trouble you to undo that seal! Point me at him, and I’ll finish the job.”

Nash frowned, eyeing the glowing bat with a mix of awe and concern. “That Goblin Warrior is incredibly powerful. He slaughtered many of our best fighters. Are you absolutely sure about this?”

A dangerously playful, borderline unhinged look spread across Stelle’s face. “Oh? He’s strong? Well, I’m stronger! I am the invincible Galactic Baseballer! Wahahaha!”

Welt sighed softly, adjusting his glasses again to hide his amusement. He turned back to the elf leader. “Mr. Nash, please instruct your people to pack their belongings. We will escort you safely back to the city.”

Nash pondered for a moment, his cautious nature warring with his hope. “I appreciate the offer, but I must go with you to see the city for myself first. I cannot risk the lives of my people on blind faith.”

Welt nodded in complete understanding. Given the dire, hunted existence the elves had endured, extreme caution was the only logical response. “Alright. We leave at once.”

Before departing, Nash wove a complex series of hand seals, activating a cloaking technique that caused the village to shimmer and vanish into the surrounding foliage. With his people safely hidden, he followed Welt, Stelle, and March 7th through the dense woods, making the long trek back toward civilization.

By the time they arrived, dusk had painted the sky in deep shades of violet and bruised orange. The ruined architecture of the Holy City cast long, dramatic shadows across the cobblestones.

As they stepped into the Holy City Square, Nash froze, his jaw dropping in absolute shock.

Dozens of elves were already gathered around the central plaza, murmuring among themselves.

“This is… Sivir and the others!” Nash gasped, rushing forward. “And Gobert! You’re back too?”

A rugged male elf turned at the sound of his name. Gobert was the leader of the hidden enclave neighboring Nash’s territory. He let out a weary laugh. “Nash, you made it. A group of strangers came to my hideout today. Their leader claimed they were taking us back to the Holy City. If she hadn’t been holding Bradley’s enchanted map, I would have chased them out.” He gestured to the surrounding elves. “Like you, I came back alone first to verify the truth. Once I’m certain it’s safe, I’ll bring the rest of my tribe over.”

A female elf standing nearby crossed her arms, her expression sour. This was Sivir, the leader of the faction that had taken refuge in the damp eastern caves.

“You two had it easy,” Sivir grumbled bitterly. “I was practically dragged back here against my will.”

She shot a dark, resentful glare toward the front of the General Store. Sitting there, looking entirely bored and sipping a cup of tea, was Herta.

The puppet genius had been incredibly forceful. Sivir had merely voiced a slight doubt regarding Herta’s identity and intentions. In response, Herta had immediately ordered her summoned subordinates to tie the elves up and haul them back by force, flatly stating she didn’t have the time or the patience to bicker with primitive woodland creatures, and that they could see the truth for themselves once they were dumped in the city square.

While the three leaders exchanged their respective stories, a familiar figure limped toward them, leaning heavily on a wooden staff.

“Nash, Sivir, Gobert. It has been a long time.”

The three leaders whipped around, their faces lighting up with pure joy.

“Bradley!” Gobert cheered, rushing forward to support the elder. “It really has been too long! Tell us, is the rumor true? Has Lord Samuel truly revived?”

Bradley smiled, the deep wrinkles around his eyes crinkling with warmth. He nodded slowly. “Yes. Lord Samuel has returned to us.” He gestured toward Stelle, Welt, and the others who were currently loitering near the General Store. “The people who went to fetch you are all Heroes summoned directly by the Sacred Tree. They possess unimaginable strength, and they will help us fight back the Orcs and the creeping Chaos in the days to come.”

Nash, Sivir, and Gobert looked over at the eccentric group. Stelle was currently trying to balance her baseball bat on her chin, while March cheered her on.

“I see,” Nash murmured, a drop of sweat forming on his brow. “So… they are the legendary Heroes summoned by Lord Samuel.”

Bradley chuckled softly at their bewildered expressions. “Come. I will take you to pay your respects to Lord Samuel first. Seeing is believing.”

The three leaders exchanged thrilled, hopeful glances. “Lead the way!”

Bradley guided the trio through the winding streets, heading straight for the towering, majestic canopy of Irminsul. The air grew thicker with pure, thrumming mana the closer they got.

Beneath the massive, glowing roots of the World Tree, Samuel sat quietly. The young man was lost in deep thought, his calm, understated presence radiating an ancient, heavy authority.

The moment Nash, Sivir, and Gobert laid eyes on Samuel’s avatar, the lingering doubts in their hearts vanished completely. The sheer density of the life force rolling off him was unmistakable.

Their Lord Sacred Tree had truly returned.