Master of Flames

Some said the beautiful scenery and wondrous Arcane Magic of Eversong Woods far surpassed the words sung by bards. Blessed with eternal spring by the high elves, the forest was a paradise for magical life.

Golden leaves covered the sky, and anyone who looked up could glimpse the elegant, magnificent lofts of the high elves floating in midair through the gaps.

Besides ordinary creatures like lynxes and panthers, it was home to magical beings unique to Eversong Woods: beautiful Dragonhawks that floated through the air like fish, Mana Wyrms with silvery-white, transparent bodies that darted through gaps in the leaves, golden humanoid saplings and seedlings, and even some Arcane Golems created by the high elves...

'Ding...'

'You killed a lynx and gained 10 experience...'

After killing the nth lynx, Kael'thas used Arcane Torrent, then sat down on the grass and drank some water.

His depleted mana recovered quickly, but Kael'thas couldn't hide his helplessness.

Too easy...

He had brought Liadrin out to level up, but the monsters in Eversong Woods were far too weak for someone at level 10. To the astonishment of Liadrin and the guards, Kael'thas didn't even need four Frostbolts to take down each monster.

It wasn't his fault. The monsters in Eversong Woods had been left there specifically for high elf children to gain their first experience. Even the strongest were only around level 5 or 6, much lower than the level 10 Kael'thas.

Liadrin didn't even need to lift a finger. Kael'thas took care of everything with ease.

He felt rather helpless. The saplings, Dragonhawks, Mana Wyrms, and Arcane Golems might have been higher-level than the lynxes and panthers, but they were all friendly targets, and he wasn't allowed to attack them at will!

Kael'thas had killed countless monsters and finally grinded his way to level 11, but he had no patience left to stay and grind all the way to level 12.

He had learned three skills in total the previous night, so his information had changed again.

His skills were as follows:

Frostbolt - 2-second cast, consumes 5% of total mana. You fire an arrow made of ice, dealing damage to an enemy and applying a freeze effect that slows them by 60% for 15 seconds.

Ice Lance - Instant cast, consumes 1% of total mana. You fire a lance of ice, dealing damage to an enemy. Damage is doubled if the enemy is affected by a freeze effect.

Fireball - 2-second cast, consumes 5% of total mana. You launch a burning fireball, dealing damage to an enemy and applying a burning effect.

"Your Highness, I heard some murlocs have been stealing our goods along the coast of Sunsail Anchorage lately. Would you like to go there and give it a try?"

While Kael'thas was drinking, one of the guards finally stepped forward hesitantly and ventured the question.

They were attendants assigned by Kael'sala, and they would take Kael'thas to suitable places once he reached certain stages of advancement. Kael'thas had performed exceptionally well, and from the look of things, he was clearly in the late beginner stage. There was no need to stay in Eversong Woods any longer.

'Ding...'

'You have accepted the quest The Thieving Murlocs of Sunsail Anchorage.'

Kael'thas heard the system's voice. Without hesitation, he took a big swig of water and stood up.

"Let's go, then!"

As he spoke, Liadrin's eyes lit up too, because Sunsail Anchorage happened to be just the right level for her training as well.

With a swish, Kael'thas nimbly mounted a colorful Hawkstrider. He couldn't handle it himself yet, so a guard led him toward Sunsail Anchorage by the reins. As for Liadrin, she had to walk behind them.

After traveling for nearly an hour, they arrived at Sunsail Anchorage.

Sunsail Anchorage was the high elves' largest foreign port and Quel'Thalas's center for import and export trade. Large quantities of magical devices and mana crystals were exported from there every day.

Naturally, there were quite a few outsiders there. The guards didn't dare let Kael'thas enter the port. Instead, they took him over a hillside beside Sunsail Anchorage and brought him to the beach next to it.

This was one of the training grounds where beginner-stage high elf professionals completed their training.

"Look, Your Highness, those are the murlocs!" A guard in golden armor pointed into the distance. Kael'thas followed his finger and saw five or six murlocs hastily carrying goods.

The murlocs looked like fish that had grown arms and legs, making them appear exceptionally comical. Each held a wooden spike as a weapon in one hand and carried something in the other.

But... why doesn't that stuff look like goods? It looks more like garbage...

Kael'thas was rather exasperated by the discovery, but he said nothing and dismounted the Hawkstrider. He aimed at the nearest murloc, silently recited an incantation, and fired a Frostbolt straight at it.

"Croak~ Croak~~"

Xiao Ao seemed to have found an opponent worth fighting. He too jumped down from the Hawkstrider's head, croaking happily as he charged at the murloc, his rear swaying from side to side.

With a bang, the Frostbolt struck the murloc. It looked around, spotted Kael'thas and the others, and charged at him in a rage, yelling, "Wah, wah, wah!" The freeze effect took hold, slowing it to a crawl.

Kael'thas smiled and calmly prepared a second Frostbolt. Just then, Xiao Ao reached the murloc. Without further ado, he opened his mouth and fired a Fire Blast!

A barrage of flames washed over the murloc, stunning it for a moment. Its freezing body suddenly warmed up, and without hesitation, it charged at Kael'thas at breakneck speed!

"Your Highness, watch out!!"

Liadrin hurriedly cast Power Word: Shield on Kael'thas.

From ten meters away, the murloc shot a wooden spike at Kael'thas. It struck the Power Word: Shield, which shook several times but ultimately held. Kael'thas didn't dare linger. He fired the Frostbolt he had prepared, then quickly retreated to open up the distance.

Fire cancels the freeze effect!

Kael'thas broke out in a cold sweat. This wasn't a game-if that spike had hit him, wouldn't it have hurt like hell?

He had grown used to playing a frost mage in his previous life, so he had kept using Frostbolt without noticing its real drawback in reality.

"Croak~" Xiao Ao tilted his head and looked at Kael'thas in confusion. He was quite decisive, though; as if he had no concerns at all, he fired another Fire Blast at the murloc!

Damn it...

The murloc came charging at him at breakneck speed again. Kael'thas was alarmed, but he immediately calmed down. In that case, why not try Fireball?

He had never used Fireball before because there really wasn't anything remarkable about its description.

"Liadrin, protect me!"

Kael'thas shouted to Liadrin. She immediately nodded and gripped her apprentice's staff tightly.

Kael'thas immediately began chanting and quickly conjured a fiercely burning fireball before the murloc could get close.

"Fireball!"

He waved his hand, and the fireball blasted toward the murloc with searing heat.

"Boom!"

The spell had a greater effect on the murloc than Frostbolt. A wave of heat radiated outward from the murloc. It screeched in pain, and even after the spell ended, the flames burning on its body didn't go out.

The burning effect?

"Wah, wah, wah!"

The murloc charged at Kael'thas like a mad thing. Kael'thas retreated, and just then, the system notification sounded:

'Ding...'

'New trait activated...'

'You have gained the trait Master of Flames.'

'Master of Flames - Your fire damage is permanently increased by ten percent.'

Damn, no wonder people say Kael'thas is a fire mage!

Kael'thas cautiously circled the murloc, immediately settling on the direction of his future development.