Do You Believe in Ghosts?

"All right, Your Highness... let's go out! Now that you have a sword, let's go learn some close combat!"

Although Mephistes had thought there was no rush, it looked like his student would be staying on the battlefield for a long time. Without a shield, he really was in some danger. It would be fine for him to learn some basic melee techniques, as long as he didn't start learning skills too soon.

"Oh, yes!"

Kael'thas followed him out.

There was something worth mentioning here. In the game, Blood Elves didn't have Warriors at first. But in this world, High Elves now had every class except Shamans, Druids, Death Knights, and Monks. There were even rumors that one or two had followed the humans and become paladins.

However, only a few High Elves had the physique to become pure melee combatants, so classes like Warriors and rogues were extremely rare. Some were very powerful, though there were too few of them to form a separate unit.

High Elves were a race that could be said to use magic even to go to the toilet. More than ninety percent of their class holders belonged to magic-using classes.

Of course, most rangers among them could handle close combat. Rangers were not a purely ranged class and could also perform quite well in melee. Unfortunately, they couldn't compare to genuine melee troops!

So, although High Elves looked extremely powerful on the surface, they also had a very vulnerable side...

If they had stronger melee combatants to protect the spellcasters and let them deal damage more effectively, who in this world could defeat this kingdom?

Kael'thas sighed and followed Mephistes until they found a Warrior.

"Audilon Firewing, at your service, Your Highness..."

When the High Elf Warrior bearing the Firewing surname saw Kael'thas, he bowed in a loyal salute.

"Ding..."

"Audilon's loyalty to you has increased to 80..."

Firewing was a surname, but also a unit. In the game, it belonged to the royalist faction, a unit loyal to Kael'thas of the Sunstrider Family that was headed for destruction...

"Sinua'manore (pleased to meet you)."

Thinking of their fate, Kael'thas returned the salute with mixed feelings.

Mephistes then told Audilon why they had come.

"It is my honor..."

Audilon gladly accepted the request. He drew his sword and began instructing Kael'thas.

It was really just the basic stances for swinging, slashing, and blocking with a sword. They were dull and tedious, without the slightest trace of beauty.

High Elves' physiques favored agility over strength, and Kael'thas seemed to have inherited that trait perfectly, so his progress was less than encouraging.

"That covers the basic movements. For the rest, Your Highness, you'll have to practice until you've mastered them yourself!"

Since he couldn't teach him any skills, Audilon soon finished. This world wasn't a wuxia world. Combat was about speed and effectiveness, and there were no overly elaborate sword techniques.

"But there's really no need for you to learn these things, Your Highness!"

Audilon continued.

"Why?"

Kael'thas put his sword back in the necklace and wiped away his sweat, wondering why Audilon had said that.

"Because we'll protect you, Your Highness! We won't let any enemy touch you!!"

"..."

What a naive and endearing bunch.

Kael'thas was somewhat moved. He hadn't been very interested in swordsmanship, but hearing that made him feel that he had to learn some melee skills after all.

I'm going to become stronger than anyone else. I don't want to be the kind of coward who can only hide behind others...

What he didn't realize was that it wasn't that he had no interest in melee combat, but that he subconsciously didn't want to fight up close. Having transmigrated into a world so full of war, who would willingly take up a weapon and hack at enemies in close combat when they could be a ranged spellcaster? This was no game. Blades and spears flew all around, and close combat was far too intense and dangerous.

"How was it?"

Mephistes asked on the way back to the room.

"It seems I can't become a Warrior..."

Kael'thas shook his head. His physique wasn't suited to a strength-based class like Warrior, and the system had already made him a High Elf Arcane mage. It probably couldn't give him an auxiliary class as well.

"But it doesn't matter..."

He looked back at the bright, sunlit sky and said confidently, "I already know what direction to take..."

Kael'thas remembered the prince's seven weapons in the game and recalled the magic swordsmen described in many novels. He felt he could use magic to create the sword techniques he needed for melee combat.

If I don't have enough strength, I'll make up for it with magic! All I need... is to be more agile...

By imbuing the sword with magic, as long as he could land hits and block attacks, the magic would sweep toward his enemies, and nothing would be a problem.

"Ding..."

"You have triggered the first quest in the Enchant Weapon quest chain!"

"Quest completion condition: imbue your weapon with a spell of your own creation."

"Quest completion reward: your mastery of the modified weapon will rise to excellent!"

"Note: weapon mastery levels, from lowest to highest, are: ordinary, excellent, elite, legendary, epic..."

"Ding..."

"Weapon Mastery System triggered. The Weapon Mastery System has begun repairs..."

"Ding..."

"Weapon Mastery System repairs complete..."

"Ding..."

"Status panel has met the requirements for an upgrade. Updating..."

Weapon mastery:

One-handed sword: melee weapon, deals damage. Mastery level: ordinary. (Spells available for enchantment: none)

...

It updated...

Kael'thas stared at his status panel in disbelief. He had received a quest chain and gained a Weapon Mastery System. It looked like he might need to try out more weapons in the future.

Who would have thought that, as a mage, the first weapon he mastered would be a one-handed sword instead of a staff!

"What's wrong?"

Mephistes thought his student was acting a little strangely. Every now and then, he would suddenly space out for no apparent reason.

"It's nothing..."

Kael'thas hastily gathered his thoughts and shook his head. Then, as though he had suddenly remembered something, he frowned.

"Master, do you believe in ghosts?"

"..."

"Waaah~~"

Someone beside him ran off in tears again...