Andy slowly walked out of the Temple of Elune. He didn't ask why Malfurion wasn't the one presiding over the defense. He knew that the elf Archdruid wouldn't be appearing anytime soon.
Tyrande didn't ask how long Malfurion's dream journey would last, either. She firmly believed that her beloved could handle anything and bring back a way to solve every problem in the real world.
Andy hadn't given Tyrande's final request much thought. It was only a matter of time before outsiders invaded. Even if Tyrande hadn't asked him to get involved, he would still do his best to protect his friends in this world.
But before all that, he still needed to figure a few things out. When King Ursal had suppressed him so thoroughly that he couldn't fight back, he'd heard a voice in his mind—the voice of a notification that his attributes had increased. It seemed there were things about the Monster Spirit system he still didn't know.
Ever since Andy had acquired the Elf System, he'd never taken the time to properly study its functions. He'd only used it when necessary, mostly as an alarm clock or GPS, much to the Monster Spirit's constant disdain. The most important thing to him now was that the Monster Spirit could help him use his skills properly—the ones Nathas had left behind that required a combination of magic!
Andy lay on the broken bed in his little hut, eyes closed. He was exhausted. He'd gone nearly a day and a night without sleep while trying to kill Ursal. But he had no plans to sleep just yet. Instead, he kept his eyes closed and communicated with his parasitic system.
"Elf, what was that Eaglehorn Bow activation yesterday?" Andy asked. "I was almost beaten to death by Ursal, so how did I suddenly become so strong?"
"Didn't you notice that you're different from before?" the Elf System asked.
"What am I supposed to notice? I just feel exhausted!" Andy rolled his eyes inwardly.
"Of course you're exhausted. It's a side effect of raising your attributes!" the Monster Spirit said. "It's because of you, really. You used up all the energy you gained from your improved abilities, so it'll take longer to recover than before. How could you not be tired?"
"Improved attributes?" Andy looked confused.
"Hmph. Do you think this system is just a tool for using additional magic? Something you can use as an alarm clock or GPS whenever you feel like it?" The Elf System threw a tantrum.
"Then what else can you do?" Andy asked. "How come I never noticed you had any other functions?"
"Are you trying to make me lose my mind? Then who do you think gave you your attributes?" The Monster Spirit was clearly angry. "Yesterday, you activated your Eaglehorn Bow in a moment of danger. That bow carries attributes from this world. When you activated it, the system unlocked a new function: attribute growth! The Eaglehorn Bow's attributes were added to your own. And you can only absorb and increase your attributes through items that carry this world's attributes." The Monster Spirit explained everything in one breath.
"Oh!" Andy exclaimed inwardly.
"Understand now?" the Monster Spirit asked.
"Not really," Andy honestly replied, earning the Elf System's scorn.
"If you don't understand, why are you exclaiming?" the Monster Spirit snapped. "To put it simply, you can improve your abilities with items from this world!"
"You're a terrible support system!" Andy suddenly grew excited. "You had something this useful and only told me now?"
"You idiot! What good would it have done to tell you earlier? System functions are activated under specific conditions, and that depends entirely on you!" The Monster Spirit wanted to bite Andy, if only it had a mouth. "Let me show you something."
A screen-like display suddenly appeared in front of Andy's closed eyes. He didn't need to open them; virtual things like this appeared directly in his mind.
"Th-this looks like an attribute panel?" Andy asked uncertainly.
"It is an attribute panel, and it's yours!" the Monster Spirit said. "It displays your main attributes."
"Strength 20, Agility 20, Intelligence 20... 20... 20..." Andy stared until his eyes nearly crossed. "Why are they all 20?"
"Some of those points came from the Eaglehorn Bow! Don't complain that it's too little. Your attributes grow at a different rate from ordinary people's—you're ten times faster than they are!" the Monster Spirit explained.
"Then what's this?" Andy asked, pointing to a bright square in the upper-right corner. "Apprentice Ranger?"
"That shows your class attributes," the Monster Spirit said. "It currently displays your class level. And here's something else: your class can be upgraded, and each level gives you different abilities!"
"How do I raise my class level?" Andy hurriedly asked. Being able to use other abilities was what he cared about most.
"Improve your attributes. Once they reach a certain peak, you can upgrade your class level and unlock new abilities." The Monster Spirit sounded like a teacher, patiently answering Andy's questions one by one. "For now, you should focus on improving your attributes."
Andy willed the attribute panel hovering before him to disappear. Improving his attributes wasn't that simple. His eyelids were too heavy to keep open. His head lolled to one side, and he fell fast asleep.
The bright morning sun slowly climbed over the land, shining down on Teldrassil, the World Tree. The birds and beasts in the forest began to stir again, filling the air with birdsong and animal cries.
After finishing her prayers, Tyrande didn't dismiss her priests. Instead, she led them out of the Temple of Elune and began blessing the devout people gathered there.
The crowd around them grew denser. Not only residents of Darnassus but also merchants who had traveled from far away hoped to receive the High Priest's personal blessing. Tyrande raised her hands, closed her eyes, and tilted her head toward the sky. In a soft voice, she said, "May the Moon Goddess light your way!" A milky radiance spread over the crowd. The people immediately felt peaceful and refreshed.
The crowd gradually quieted. That was the effect of Tyrande's blessing. A moment later, everyone offered Tyrande their heartfelt greetings. Ordinary people always regarded the divine priestess with reverence.
She would have to give many more blessings like this. The square outside the Temple of Elune couldn't hold everyone, and the effort took a great deal out of Tyrande. The priests wanted to take over for her, but she refused. Though the priests' combined blessings were no less effective than hers, she still wanted to complete the task herself. After today, no one knew whether they would ever see a scene like this again.
Before you continue