Archimonde was brimming with confidence. After gaining corrupted power, his first step was to destroy Nordrassil, prevent the birth of a second Well of Eternity, and completely extinguish the Night Elves' hopes of rising again.
Upon seeing that small figure, Archimonde's eyes widened, and he said triumphantly:
"The Emissary of the Moon Goddess—oh no, a human posing as an Emissary of the Scourge —I have seen through your disguise. Are you here to congratulate me on the destruction of Azeroth? I will show no mercy. The Scourge will surely perish. Perhaps you have come to pledge allegiance to the Burning Legion on behalf of Arthas. I am willing to accept this loyalty."
Archimonde harbored resentment towards Arthas's Power of Death, and although he gained new strength, he would not be satisfied with that.
Robbie floated silently in the air, staring at the great Demons, and asked, "Archimonde, you have obtained the Corrupted Power of nature. How does your strength compare to that of the Elune?"
Archimonde paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Elune must have been holding back. Even though she's in her weakest state, I'm still far inferior to her. Otherwise, the Legion's Star Destroyers would have already attacked the moon."
"Then, how does it compare to the four Old Gods at their peak?" Robbie asked unhurriedly.
Archimonde paused again, hesitated for a long time, and reluctantly replied:
"The Old Gods are a force from the Void, and even the Titans are helpless against them. At their peak, even the weakest of the Old Gods, N'Zoth, was probably more powerful than me."
Robbie chuckled, "Hidden within the Tomb of Sargeras is a group of ambitious individuals from the Void, filled with curiosity about the Fallen Avatar. Who is stronger, you or them?"
"This"
Archimonde's face darkened; the joy he felt after absorbing the Corrupted Power vanished, and after a long while, he finally spoke:
"Void Creatures vary in strength, and the Tomb of Sargeras is merely a group of avatars. I am confident I can defeat most of them. Insignificant humans, do not even think of hindering my determination to destroy Azeroth. Elune, is my partner. The Old Gods are sealed away, and the Tomb of Sargeras is just a group of indifferent onlookers. The Elemental Lords and Deathwing have already been defeated; no one can stop me."
Robbie smiled slightly, "Archimonde, that's right. No one in Azeroth can stand against you now. Here's some interesting news: the world's eyes are focused on Mount Hyjal and Nordrassil."
Archimonde frowned slightly, and his right hand reached forward, revealing a round sphere of Fel in his palm. He immediately sensed countless reconnaissance forces.
There were gazes from behind the Silithus Scarab Wall, stares from within the seal of Ulduar, and dark forces from the depths of the sea.
In the floating Hall of Valor, Odyn sits silently on his throne, gazing towards Nordrassil. In the turbulent Abyss the Underworld, Helya stands at the bow of the ship, her eyes fixed on Mount Hyjal.
Several other gazes emanated from the Tomb of Sargeras, representing different factions within the Void.
The Consortium's scouts were the most audacious; right behind Archimonde, on a branch of Nordrassil, an Ethereal was eavesdropping on their conversation.
Of course, there were also a few mortal eyes watching. On a mountain peak not far from Nordrassil, a group of Goblins from Venture Company were secretly observing Nordrassil while fiddling with a huge telescope.
Gadgetzan, Everlook in Winterspring, Booty Bay, Ratchet—the goblin consortium, fearless in its pursuit of gold, all dispatched their respective scouts.
One gaze was the most intense. Archimonde looked upwards and saw a Naaru radiating intense Holy Light beneath the Titans's defensive shield, silently gazing down.
Archimonde was somewhat surprised, but then he relaxed, a smug look appearing on his face:
"I never expected my actions to attract so much attention. It's truly an honor. Humans, do you think this can threaten me? I've known them for a long time. In this universe, who doesn't mind that it's none of their business? They won't care about the life or death of Azeroth. Your plan is doomed to fail."
Robbie shook his head. "Archimonde, you're overthinking it. Their focus isn't on you, it's on me."
"You?"
Archimonde laughed heartily upon hearing this, "That's hilarious! A mere human being, perhaps considered a top power among your own kind, but in the grand scheme of the universe, you are nothing more than a tiny grain of sand."
Robbie laughed along with Archimonde, and after they had both finished laughing, Robbie said:
"Archimonde, you should know that Ancient Gem Veins have recently appeared in the area covered by the World Tree at Mount Hyjal, yielding excellent magic gems. Our Scourge has firmly grasped control of these gem veins."
Archimonde naturally knew about the Ancient Gem Vein; Robbie had auctioned off several, and the Burning Legion also wanted to buy one at a high price, but unfortunately, their offer wasn't enough. Upon hearing this, Archimonde chuckled and said:
"What are you trying to say, human? I have obtained the Corrupted Power. After I destroy Nordrassil, all these gem mines will be mine, and you will have to return everything you once obtained."
Robbie shrugged helplessly. "You see, I knew this would happen. I'm very disappointed that the Night Elf race couldn't stop you from ascending Nordrassil. So I'm forced to reveal the truth to the outside world. Today, right here on Nordrassil, I'm going to publicly tell everyone the true origin of the Ancient Gem Vein."
Do you know the origin of the Ancient Gem Veins?
Archimonde showed great interest. Those ancient gems were incredibly precious. Archimonde originally intended to destroy Nordrassil and then study them carefully. If they could be mass-produced, they could greatly increase the strength of the Burning Legion.
Robbie looked at Archimonde with a mocking expression:
"Archimonde the Defiler, your acting is flawless. In this universe, no one knows the origins of the Ancient Gem Veins better than you. Since you're ashamed to mention it, let me tell everyone."
Archimonde was baffled and asked in confusion, "Strange, how do I know the origin of the Ancient Gem Vein?"
Robbie chuckled, offered no explanation, and turned to face the eager, expectant gazes.
"Archimonde the Defiler, the second-in-command of the Burning Legion, is incredibly large. Does anyone know what he eats and how he excretes?"
Archimonde's face darkened, and he snapped, "Damn it, shut up! This is my privacy!"
Robbie ignored Archimonde and continued, "Lord Archimonde's Staple Food is minerals rich in magic, supplemented by pure Fel energy to sustain his body. Since entering Mount Hyjal, he has been mutated by the World Tree, consuming large amounts of minerals but excreting Ancient Gem Veins."
"Shut up! This is slander, an insult to the Burning Legion."
Enraged, Archimonde punched Robbie in mid-air.
Robbie didn't dodge. Archimonde, who had absorbed the Corrupted Power, was extremely powerful. To prevent any accidents, Robbie had prepared a clone that could be remotely controlled. Archimonde shattered Robbie's clone with a single punch.
A transparent spirit emerged from the clone and then said:
"Archimonde was worried that his secret would be discovered by his colleagues, so he would always leave the Legion camp to relieve himself. Look at the shape of the gem veins above; aren't they just piles of excrement? Archimonde's desperate trade with Elune, to obtain the Corrupted Power of Nordrassil was all to keep the secret."
"You insignificant human, you have angered me. Die!"
Enraged Archimonde shattered the transparent spirit.
Just then, a shimmering magical gem fell from Archimonde's crotch and landed on the bark of the World Tree with a crisp sound.