High Elves
On Floor 7, the factions you can choose from are the High Elves, Dark Elves, and Kingdom Army. According to stats from an open community poll a few years back, the selection rates were 29%, 39%, and 32% respectively. Not a huge difference, but the High Elves had the lowest pick rate, while the Dark Elves topped the list.
It's only natural since each faction offers different quests and rewards. But here's the thing—the faction known for the best rewards is actually the High Elves, the one with the lowest selection rate. The strategy guides I'd read even recommended picking them for those sweet payouts.
So why the hell does the faction with the best rewards get snubbed? A quick search for "High Elf" on the community forums tells the whole story.
Fuck, these damn pointy-eared bastards jump every time they see me and reach for their bows. I gave them gifts to raise affinity, but they give me this sour look and say they don't get human culture—fucking annoying, but whatever, I even found their treasure and chased off the army for them. And they just call me a hero or whatever bullshit while their faces twist up the second I touch them. Shit. That High Elf knight bitch got shot in the shoulder and immediately pulls her sword yelling "I knew that human scum would do this" lmao. Fuck, I should've just done illegal shit and burned down the world tree. Can't you switch factions mid-way? Fuck the rewards, I just wanna join the Kingdom Army and wipe out these high elves.
Yeah, the rewards are great and all, but High Elves just piss people off. No matter how much you cooperate, build trust and rapport, their attitude toward humans never improves.
Individual NPC personalities vary slightly by server, so maybe it's just bad luck for some challengers.
Posts bashing High Elves flood every server. Even looking at records from first-gen challengers, satisfaction was higher with the Dark Elves.
So even in our somewhat unique Tower #2661, things probably weren't much different.
The elf man who drew his dagger and charged at me the second he saw me proved it.
Elves have this image of being nimble archers.
Crack! Thud!
And it wasn't wrong—the High Elf man closed the distance in footsteps that defied gravity. No way an NPC from just Floor 7 should move that fast.
Of course, I was way beyond Floor 7 specs myself, so I could handle it. I stowed the Death Knight Greatsword I'd been dual-wielding into my inventory, swapped to my shield, and blocked the dagger.
Clang!
Fast, but the strikes were feather-light. Speed and strength go hand in hand, so there had to be some trick.
I swung my shield to deflect his arm, then reached out to pin him. But the elf man stepped back fluidly and drew another dagger from his waist, aiming for my side.
Not just fast—he had killer reaction speed too.
Due to the faction quests chaining across floors, some NPCs here exceed Floor 7 specs by a mile. They call them elite NPCs to match elite monsters—maybe this guy was one.
Crunch!
I caught the thrusting dagger barehanded with my Iron Wall skill active. With gloves on and the skill boosting me, it was no big deal.
"Wh-what?!"
He clearly hadn't expected me to grab it, his shock obvious. But even then, he swung the dagger in his other hand perfectly. Insane combat focus.
I yanked the caught dagger, then grabbed his wrist and twisted.
Crack!
The strength gap between us was like an adult man versus a kid.
"Krrk!"
His wrist twisted without resistance—way past "lightly." The dagger dropped from his hand.
I kicked it away, then grabbed his shoulder with my other hand and wrenched his arm too.
A grappling pin I'd picked up fighting the snowfield troll on Floor 5.
Thud!
I slammed the pinned elf into a nearby tree. He squirmed to escape, but with our strength difference? No chance.
Soon he gave up physical resistance and started yelling curses.
"Urk, uurg...! Let go, you filthy, ugly human scum! I won't forgive you!"
"Sigh, elf tempers live up to the hype."
"How dare an intruder in our domain lecture on manners?!"
But even his curses were kinda cute compared to Korean pad-lip spice—elf genes, I guess.
Anyway, I'd subdued him, but now what? Killing him outright would make enemies of the High Elves from the jump.
I'd end up opposing them anyway if I picked another faction, but I didn't want to burn bridges this early.
From the community bitching, letting him go wouldn't clear up misunderstandings either.
Crack!
Whoops, overthought it and gripped too hard. Shoulder popped clean out.
"Kaaaaagh! Perit! Regor! Glanielleeee! Is no one there? Help!"
Now he was screaming outright, thrashing ugly.
Thud!
That's when a heavy impact echoed from the forest edge. I turned to check, but a booming voice hit first, shaking the woods.
"Pendula Knights, 7th Seat, Perit Betra! Here at your serviceeee!"
One of the names the elf had yelled.
And the next instant, something burst through the trees.
A silhouette charged me at speeds that made a sprinting Rune Bear look like a joke.
It was a blonde elf knight clad head to toe in white armor.
Clang!
The moment I blocked her milky-white sword, I knew something was off. What the fuck, this bitch packs a punch.
I twisted my wrist to redirect and aimed for her neck. But she read it, shifting her blade too—my strike bounced off.
Bad matchup. I quickly thrust the shield from my off-hand instead.
Bam!
My shield whiffed air as her white shield cracked my jaw instead. How the hell from that angle?
I kicked off the ground and leaped back big.
The elf knight didn't press, just glared with sword ready.
Blonde hair and porcelain skin like the pinned elf, but thicker features gave a tougher, more macho vibe.
And she wasn't just looks—physically tougher too. My jaw throbbed from the shield hit.
"To dare attack His Highness Eluryon—Perit Betra won't let you off!"
I held position, eyeing her while mentally pulling up the open community. Quick searches on "Perit Betra," "Pendula Knights," "Eluryon."
The intel pieced together a seriously bad spot.
Pendula Knights housed the High Elves' named elites, tasked with royal protection. "Highness" plus the role meant the guy whose arm I snapped was their prince.
"Ha, fuck."
And this knight facing me? Elite NPC way beyond Floor 7 specs. Stronger than this floor's boss, easy.