Graduation

Kalei checked the information on his panel several times, still finding it hard to believe. In less than a day, his Druid and Arcanist levels had crossed the 20-level threshold without any obstruction, rising to level 28 and level 27, respectively.

Beyond that, he had also gained two personal talents: Nature Affinity and Arcane Affinity.

With these two talents, he had directly mastered four basic abilities: Nature Perception, Arcane Perception, Nature Absorption, and Arcane Absorption.

His cultivation speed and spellcasting speed were naturally much faster than before, and the power of his spells was significantly greater as well.

The reason for all of this was simply because he had received the blessing of Elune.

It had to be said that the power of a deity was truly formidable; in an instant, it had completely transformed him, resolving the problems that had long plagued him.

He felt compelled to thank Elune from the bottom of his heart, declaring that from this moment on, he was her loyal believer.

Speaking of Elune, Kalei also discovered some interesting information through the panel.

A sentence had appeared on the interface: Elune, the Guardian Deity of the Supreme Star Soul Azeroth.

Supreme Star Soul was easy to understand. According to the original background information of World of Warcraft, there existed a class of the most powerful beings in the universe known as Titans. Titans were born from star souls, and star souls were the world-souls hidden within planets.

Azeroth was an immature star soul, and the one with the most potential among all star souls. Once fully grown and matured, it could become the most powerful Titan, so calling it "Supreme" was no exaggeration.

As for what "Guardian Deity of Azeroth" meant?

As far as Kalei knew, there was still no consensus in the game regarding Elune's identity.

Some believed she was the only true god of this world, others thought she was a Titan of the Life domain, and some even believed she was a Void Lord born of light and darkness.

Yet, this phrase, "Guardian Deity of Azeroth," seemed to provide a different kind of information.

Furthermore, Kalei discovered that Elune's blessing had not only enhanced his nature energy but had also significantly increased his arcane energy.

Did this indicate that Elune mastered at least two types of magical power: nature and arcane?

It was well known that the foundation of this universe consisted of six primal forces and five elements.

The five elements were Earth, Air, Water, Fire, and Spirit.

The six primal forces were Light, Void, Life, Death, Disorder, and Order.

In the eyes of mortals, the manifestation of Light magic was the Holy Light, Void was Shadow, Life was Nature, Death was Necromancy, Disorder was Fel, and Order was Arcane.

The power of Life and the power of Order were not mutually exclusive; as a deity, it was not impossible for Elune to master two primal forces.

But if Elune mastered both Life and Order, allowing her to use both nature and arcane magic, why did the Priestess of the Moon, led by High Priestess Tyrande, reject the arcane so vehemently? Was there some secret hidden within?

The more Kalei thought about it, the more he felt it wasn't simple, and he dared not dwell on it any further.

If he kept thinking, he feared High Priestess Tyrande would come with a blade to let him taste the wrath of the Warrior of the Night, even though he had yet to meet Tyrande in person.

However, although he didn't know what was going on, since Elune had no objections to him practicing the arcane and had even bestowed a blessing upon him, he no longer feared the truth coming to light.

If anyone had an opinion in the future, he would just tell them to go argue with the Goddess.

Thinking of this, Kalei felt much better and soon lay down on his bed, falling into a comfortable sleep.

But before he could wake up, he was startled by a knock on the door.

He hurriedly put on his clothes and opened the Space Gate, only to find the young girl Dinia waiting for him outside, holding a letter in her hand.

His heart skipped a beat, and he asked hurriedly, "Dinia, what's wrong?"

Dinia handed the letter to Kalei and said, "Senior Brother Kalei, your letter."

Kalei took it and asked, "Who sent it?"

Dinia replied, "It was sent by the village chief of your village using an owl messenger."

"When was it sent?"

"It arrived before dark."

With the letter sent so urgently, could something have happened to his mother and the others? A bad premonition welled up in Kalei's heart, and he quickly opened the letter to read it.

As it turned out, things were just as he had feared: his mother and the other two had been attacked by a corrupted Furbolg on their way home.

Fortunately, the three of them had the help of a Saber, and they managed to kill the Furbolg together without any injuries, though they were quite shaken.

Even so, Kalei still felt a lingering fear. Although he had known that his mother and the others were in a state where something would eventually happen, he hadn't expected it to actually come true.

"What happened?" At this moment, Kalei's teacher, Matt Hardwood, walked over and asked.

Matt Hardwood was wearing a standard Druid robe; he looked to be in his thirties, with an ordinary appearance and a steady personality, and he spoke in a somewhat rigid manner.

Seeing his teacher approach, Kalei hurriedly bowed and said, "Good evening, Teacher."

Matt nodded and said, "Good evening, Kalei. Let's go to the living room to talk."

The three of them went to the living room and sat down. Matt said, "I see your expression is poor. Did something happen at home?"

Kalei then briefly recounted what his mother and the others had encountered.

After hearing this, Matt frowned and said, "Has the situation with the Furbolgs in Bristlelimb Village become this severe? It has actually affected Moonshadow Village."

Kalei asked in surprise, "Teacher, do you mean that something really happened over at Bristlelimb Village?"

Matt nodded and said, "Indeed, some things have happened, but it's a bit complicated to explain. Let's eat first, and we can talk after the meal."

Dinia, who was standing to the side, smiled and said, "Senior Brother Kalei, the teacher heard you were back and personally cooked some delicious food while waiting for you."

Kalei had already noticed the table laden with steaming dishes on wooden platters, including his favorite Night Elf delicacies: Moon-Marked Venison and Colorful-Fin Fish.

Setting aside his thoughts on his mother and Bristlelimb Village for the moment, he quickly smiled and said, "Thank you, Teacher. I'll go wash up and be right back."

Matt nodded with a simple "Mm," offering no further words.

Kalei made a quick trip to the washroom to freshen up before returning to the table, picking up his utensils to dine with the two of them.

He had barely taken two bites when Matt suddenly set down his wooden fork and stared at Kalei. "Kalei, have you achieved another promotion?"

Before Kalei could reply, Dinia's eyes widened; she grabbed Kalei's arm and exclaimed, "Brother Kalei, is it true? Have you promoted again?"

The promotion Matt and Dinia referred to was not about leveling up—a concept that did not exist in reality—but rather a classification Kalei's system panel used to categorize his strength in detail.

In reality, the strength of a professional was simply divided into Primary, Intermediate, Advanced, Heroic, Legendary, and Demigod; as for what lay beyond Demigod, even Kalei did not know.

Using his panel to make a rough estimate, levels 1-20 were considered Primary professionals, 21-40 were Intermediate, and 41-60 were Advanced. After level 60, a professional had to cross a massive threshold to become a Hero, at which point the panel could no longer quantify their level.

With the help of Elune, Kalei's Druid level had jumped from 13 to 28, crossing the 20-level threshold directly—effectively promoting him from a Primary Druid to an Intermediate Druid!

Kalei nodded with a smile. "Yes, it happened yesterday."

Dinia sighed, "Brother Kalei is so amazing, truly a genius!"

The corner of Kalei's mouth twitched slightly; "genius" was the last word he wanted to hear.

Matt wore a look of gratified satisfaction and nodded. "Good. You have not failed your father's expectations."

His expression then turned solemn as he announced loudly, "Kalei Nightdew, I now declare that you have graduated. From this day forward, you are a true Druid."

Kalei was stunned. "Teacher, isn't there supposed to be an examination?"

Matt replied, "Originally, there would have been, but your current capabilities have already exceeded my expectations, so it is no longer necessary."

Kalei was overjoyed. "Does that mean I have really graduated?"

Matt chuckled, "Naturally."

Damn it, fifty years! I've finally graduated! Kalei couldn't help but let out a roar, cheering aloud as his excitement overflowed.

Dinia clapped from the side to celebrate with him.

Matt watched the two of them with a face full of smiles. He had witnessed such joyful scenes many times, and each time, he felt an indescribable sense of accomplishment.

He waited for their emotions to settle before asking, "Kalei, now that you have graduated, have you thought about your future plans?"

In ancient times, those who practiced the way of the Druid primarily helped the Night Elf race fight against demons or assisted the Green Dragonflight in the Emerald Dream to maintain its stability.

But now, as more and more Night Elf practiced the Druid arts, they had more choices.

They could choose to serve in the Sentinel Corps, work and pursue advanced studies within the Cenarion Circle, or even choose to walk their own path, unbound by anyone, to realize their own dreams.

Kalei's purpose in practicing the Druid arts was to gain power to protect himself and his family. Now that he had only just begun to grasp the way of the Druid, he could not possibly give up halfway.

He thought for a moment and said, "Teacher, I have already decided. I intend to join the Cenarion Circle to work and continue pursuing the way of the Druid."

Matt was not surprised by Kalei's choice. He nodded and said, "Kalei, with your talent, joining the Cenarion Circle is not a problem. However, although you have been with me for these decades, you have yet to complete a task worth mentioning. With your current resume, I fear applying to the Cenarion Circle will not be so easy."

Kalei frowned. "What do you suggest I do, Teacher?"

Matt set down his fork, pondered for a moment, and said, "You wanted to know about the situation in Bristlelimb Village, didn't you? As it happens, I have a task here concerning that very place."

"The Circle has received word that the Furbolg of the Bristlelimb Tribe are causing chaos in Bristlelimb Village, biting many people, and I hear the wounds are difficult to heal."

"The Temple of the Moon intends to send a priestess to treat the villagers and investigate the situation. They have requested that the Cenarion Circle in Maestra send a Druid to assist with the investigation."

"Since the Cenarion Circle is short-handed, the person in charge of the town wants me to find a qualified Druid to look into it. I haven't found anyone suitable yet, so why don't you go and handle this task? It will help flesh out your resume."

Kalei asked in surprise, "Is the Circle starting to run short on personnel?"

Matt replied, "Yes, the beasts in the forest have become active again recently, and the Circle has had to dispatch more Druids to purge them and maintain the balance of the forest."

Kalei knew that the Cenarion Circle managed about thirty thousand Druids. Half were responsible for maintaining the Emerald Dream and the natural balance of the entire continent, while the other half handled the daily affairs of major towns; it was indeed easy to become understaffed.

He thought it over and realized that the task Matt proposed was likely not simple, but he was not the type to shrink from difficulty, so he did not decline.

Matt smiled. "I am glad you accepted this task. It shows that you not only have the ability to maintain nature but also the courage to do so."

He then stood up, left his seat, and went upstairs to retrieve an object wrapped in white cloth and a scroll.

Matt first handed the scroll to Kalei. "This scroll records several spells you can learn. I was originally going to give it to you after your examination, but since you have promoted again, learning these should be no trouble. Take it now."

Kalei's face lit up as he took the scroll. "Thank you, Teacher."

Matt nodded slightly, then handed over the object wrapped in white cloth. "This is a staff I used in the past. I have no use for it now, so take it as a graduation gift."

Kalei set down the scroll and took the item. He slowly unwrapped the white cloth to reveal a staff, entirely silver-white, with a crescent-moon shape at the top, emitting a faint glow.

You have discovered the weapon: Crescent Staff

Item: Crescent Staff

Quality: Fine

Normal Effect 1: Increases casting speed by 50%.

Normal Effect 2: Increases spell power by 10%.

Normal Effect 3: Increases physical attack power by 50%.

Special Effects: None

Description: A staff carved from the heartwood of a newborn oak in Moonglade, its tip naturally tapering to cradle a warm, lustrous moonstone. It makes the flow of magic smoother than ever before.

It's actually the Crescent Staff! Kalei was inwardly shocked. The Crescent Staff was a famous top-tier staff in the early days of World of Warcraft; he never expected his unassuming mentor to possess one.

Dinia, who was eating nearby, sensed the extraordinary nature of the staff and couldn't help but voice her praise.

Kalei fiddled with the staff for a few moments, clearly feeling that the speed of gathering mana had increased significantly, while the mental strain was greatly reduced. As for the spell power, no obvious effect could be seen yet, but overall, the bonus for low-to-mid-level mages was substantial.

He set the staff down and said with some hesitation, "Teacher, this staff is too precious, I..."

Matt waved his hand to cut him off. "It is indeed a fine staff, but it no longer serves any purpose for me. For years, I have been looking for a new owner for this staff. You are the student I value most, which is why I feel at ease handing it to you. Are you unwilling to accept this responsibility?"

Hearing the word "responsibility," Kalei understood how much his teacher valued him. He put the staff away, nodded heavily, and said, "Rest assured, Teacher, I will not let you down."

Matt picked up his fork again and said, "Very good. Complete this mission well, write a report to add to your resume, and applying to join the Council won't be difficult when the time comes."

Kalei said, "I understand, thank you, Teacher. I've finished my meal; when should I leave?"

Matt said, "The priestess from the Temple of the Moon will be departing shortly. This priestess will be escorted by personnel arranged by the Sentinel Corps. Go to the Sentinel Outpost to find them and head out with them."

Kalei set down his utensils, tucked the scroll from the table into his robes, wrapped the staff in cloth and slung it over his back, then stood up and said, "Alright, I'm heading over now."

Matt cautioned, "Mm, be careful when you get there. From what I understand, the Furbolg incident over there is not simple."

Dinia also chimed in from the side, "Senior Brother Kalei, be careful."

Kalei said, "I will." He then bid farewell to Matt and Dinia, stepped outside with his newly acquired staff on his back, and went to find the sentinels.