The Will Of The World Tree

Chapter 9 Promotional Video

Carl was twenty-two years old—average looks, average family, an all-around average college student.

However, he held a second identity: a Virtual Reality (VR) game streamer. Two years ago, when VR gaming took the world by storm, he followed his passion into the ranks of content creators. Thanks to his quick wit and sharp tongue, he managed to carve out a decent income.

Unlike most streamers who stuck to a single title, Carl specialized in game reviews. As he liked to say, though new VR games were popping up like mushrooms, not a single one had truly blown him away enough to make him stay.

In truth, his skepticism was justified. While the VR network had expanded rapidly and immersion pods were now a household staple, most engines on the market were subpar, resulting in ridiculous bugs that broke immersion. Carl made a living finding those bugs and turning them into comedy for his viewers.

Sitting at his desk with a cup of instant coffee, Carl logged into his streaming dashboard. He sighed at the metrics. Lately, the quality of new releases had been so abysmal that he hadn't even found anything worth reviewing. Many companies saw VR as a gold mine and rushed in with half-baked projects, resulting in a market flooded with "trash-tier" titles.

As a streamer with a respectable following, Carl had no interest in garbage. He only had eyes for high-budget blockbusters. After all, there was a special kind of satisfaction in finding a bug in a multi-billion dollar production.

"Haven't been on for a week. Let's see what the platform has to offer," Carl muttered, humming a tune as he clicked on the VR Game Recommendation Hub.

His eyes scanned past row after row of advertisements without stopping.

"Another high-fantasy RPG? This genre is dead in the water. And look at those effects—terrible." "A shooter? Not bad, but there are already too many good ones out there... besides, my last few videos were all FPS. I need a change of pace."

He continued scrolling, talking to himself. "Wait... what's this?"

His mouse hovered over an inconspicuous ad.

"Kingdom of Elves?"

The advertisement was understated. The cover art featured a majestic World Tree, and a beautiful, holy blonde elf praying before it with her eyes closed. While the elf was stunning, in the world of VR marketing, such art was merely "above average." Everyone knew how to make a pretty cover; the gap between the cover art and the actual game was usually a canyon.

Carl never trusted covers. What caught his eye wasn't the art, but the view count.

"Three million clicks? What the hell? Did they buy bot traffic?"

To his shock, this ad had been posted only two days ago and already boasted over three million views. His curiosity, once piqued, was impossible to suppress. He took a sip of coffee and clicked the link.

Like most ads, it consisted of a single promotional trailer and a pre-registration link. But Carl was stunned to see the comment section—over ten thousand entries. That was unheard of on this platform. He skipped the video for a moment to skim the top comments.

[Demacia]: Holy crap! Did the developers hire a movie studio for this? Look at that budget! (This was the top-rated comment.)

High fantasy? Isn't that genre obsolete? Carl's interest waned slightly, but he kept reading.

[Emperor]: Fantasy MMOs are dead. If this game actually becomes a hit, I'll eat sh*t on a livestream. (The second most popular comment, rapidly gaining likes.)

"Haha..." Carl chuckled. People these days are always looking for an excuse to eat and drink for free. He gave the comment a "like" and kept scrolling.

[Attacking Gnome]: Mind-Acceleration Technology? Sounds high-tech, but does that even exist?

Mind-Acceleration? Carl blinked. He had never heard that term before. He dug through the game description and found that the developer claimed a new breakthrough that could accelerate a player's thoughts in the virtual world.

One hour in-game equaled fifteen minutes in reality.

In other words, players would perceive four times the amount of gaming time compared to real-world time.

That's insane. There's no way that's real, right? Did some industry giant make this? Carl curled his lip in doubt. He checked the developer's name.

"World Tree Dark-Tech Co., Ltd."

He looked blank. Who were they? He had never heard of them in his life.

"Probably just another small company trying to generate hype," Carl frowned. He felt a wave of irritation. Internet companies these days are always trying to make "big news" regardless of their actual technical capabilities. He was ready to write it off as a publicity stunt.

However, considering the three million views, he decided to give the trailer a chance. "Let's see what the fuss is about. The reviews for the trailer seem decent at least."

He clicked play. The screen faded to black. Carl took another casual sip of coffee.

Then, accompanied by an ethereal song, the screen began to brighten. The first thing that came into view was a towering, magnificent World Tree.

The camera pulled back, revealing a sprawling, ornate city. Graceful, beautiful elves moved through the lush, green streets, laughing and talking—a living, breathing portrait of a civilization at its peak.

At first, Carl was indifferent, but he was quickly mesmerized by the shifting scenes. The breathtaking landscapes, the unique architecture, the noble elegance of the elves—all backed by a cheerful, hauntingly beautiful soundtrack—gave him an incredible sense of immersion.

A melodic female voice began to narrate the history of the World Tree and the Elven race on the Segas Continent.

"Interesting... the physics and models are incredibly detailed. The movements are so fluid. And this BGM? It's amazing, but I've never heard it before," said Carl. Regardless of the gameplay, the production quality of this cinematic was top-tier.

Gradually, Carl's posture straightened. He was hooked.

The story continued. Power had granted the elves a brilliant civilization, but it had also birthed arrogance. Prosperity eventually invited greed. Shadows gathered, and a crisis loomed.

Suddenly, the tone shifted. Golden light illuminated the sky. Accompanied by holy chants and battle cries, colossal, blurred figures descended.

War had begun.

Lava rained from the heavens. The earth shattered. Legions of holy angels clashed with massive Oak Guardians. The peaceful scenery transformed into a tragic, epic battlefield.

Cruel combat, dazzling magic, sprays of blood, and grand miracles...

The imagery flashed by, the tragic and cool visuals perfectly synced with the soaring, sorrowful music. Carl's eyes widened; his heart raced. An involuntary "Wow" escaped his lips. He was simultaneously amazed by the special effects and feeling a genuine sense of worry about the elves.

By the end of the war, the gods had descended into chaos. Under the weight of divine strikes, the once-lush World Tree withered and decayed. Amidst the sounds of weeping, the Elven civilization vanished into history.

With a final, mournful note, the screen went dark.

Carl, completely immersed, let out a long, heavy sigh. He felt a strange sense of resonance. "The rise and fall of a civilization..."

A moment later, the screen flickered again. A beautiful elven girl appeared. She was dressed in ornate priestess robes, kneeling in the ruins of the Temple of Nature, praying through tears to a statue.

As her prayer reached its peak, the music swelled into a crescendo. With a final, echoing note, a deafening bell tolled. The statue flickered with a faint light.

The screen went black again, and all sound fell into silence. Then, bold, artistic text appeared:

Mind-Acceleration technology: Enjoy the world at your own pace!

Intelligent AI: A gaming experience like never before!

Build the most realistic, immersive, and free epic fantasy in history!

June 1st: The VR MMO "Kingdom of Elves" officially begins its Closed Beta! Apply now!

This world is waiting for its savior!

The trailer ended. Carl sat there in a daze, still reeling from the shock of the divine battlefield.

After a long silence, he shouted at his monitor: "Holy crap! How much money did they spend on these special effects?!"