Belysra sat on the grass, drenched in sweat, too afraid to move. A long, narrow, crescent-shaped blade hooked around her neck, its fierce aura stinging her skin.
Knowing that any movement would mean certain death, she reluctantly said, "I surrender."
Unas moved the scythe away with satisfaction, growing increasingly fond of the weapon.
After the priestess impulsively challenged him to a duel, the Paladin naturally accepted, but he didn't expect it to end so quickly.
The Scythe of Elune was more powerful in Unas's hands than in the Wolf King's. With all his might, the blade created clear spatial rifts wherever it passed, extinguishing all the priestess's spells and preventing them from getting close to the Paladin.
Unas used his Instant Wings to burst into high speed and easily close the distance to his opponent. He activated the white light emanating from the artifact, unleashing the wolf god's ferocious will. The priestess's head felt like it had been struck by Warhammer, and she fell into a daze for several seconds, becoming a lamb to the slaughter.
The Paladin helped the distraught Elf to her feet. "Don't worry," he said, "Once the Worgen in Gilneas are pacified, I will hand over the scythe to you."
Belysra nodded silently. Although she couldn't believe what the human was saying, she had nothing to say after losing the duel.
After sending the female Elf away, Unas was too excited to sleep and continued practicing in the open space in front of the Tent, striving to master this incredibly powerful weapon as soon as possible.
In the following days, led by Sixinlang, the Restoration Army wiped out several large wolf packs, easily captured hundreds of Worgen, and many smaller wolf packs also surrendered one after another.
The wolf king's remaining power certainly played a significant role, but the main contributor was the Paladin wielding the divine weapon.
He can unleash the Wolf God's Will on the Scythe of Elune to the fullest extent, making him a more terrifying presence than the wolf king to those wild Worgen.
After losing the duel, Belysra disappeared for a whole day and didn't reappear until the next day. Unas was really afraid that she had just run away, so he comforted her for a while. The female Elf said that she accepted her loss and would no longer hold a grudge.
With hundreds of Worgen prisoners suddenly appearing, Unas desperately needed her Potions. The two collaborated on a research project and quickly found a way to restore the Worgen's sanity.
The Goldrinn died in the War of the Ancients ten thousand years ago. The curse was not his intention; the tragedy of the Worgen was mainly caused by the abuse of Druid shapeshifting magic.
As Unas gradually became familiar with the scythe, he was able to imbue himself with the residual Wolf God's Will within the artifact. This not only greatly enhanced his various attributes but also exerted a powerful mental suppression on the Worgen, guiding their minds.
With the addition of the priestess's Tranquility spell and the secret potion for purifying the mind, most Worgen can regain a balance between their animalistic and human nature, and restoring their sanity will be a natural outcome.
The two went a step further, combining artifacts, secret medicines, and magic into a Balance Ritual, which greatly improved the efficiency of healing Worgen.
Meanwhile, the Restoration Army launched attacks from all directions to wipe out the remaining wolf packs, and the number of Worgen prisoners increased every day.
Belysra's stockpile of secret medicines was far from sufficient, so she had no choice but to offer up the formulas and rely on the army's manpower to collect herbs from the Forest on a large scale.
Everyone was extremely busy, devoting themselves to this matter for a full two weeks, and almost wiped out the wolf pack in the Forest.
Nearly two thousand Worgen were captured, and most of them successfully regained their senses. Among them, nearly a hundred with higher talent awakened their Polymorph and were able to transform back into humans, which greatly encouraged the other Worgen.
After regaining their senses, many Worgen experienced dramatic physical changes that greatly affected their emotions. Now that they had hope of returning to human form, their morale immediately soared.
Sixinlang was one of those who mastered the Polymorph. He transformed back into a burly, one-armed man, spending his days following the Paladin around like a lapdog eager to please its new master.
Unas didn't treat him badly either. He was temporarily put in charge of the newly formed Worgen Corps. Sixinlang had more subordinates at his disposal than before, regaining the prestige of the wolf king, except that he now had a superior.
With proper training, the Worgen's high mobility makes them a formidable force, but unfortunately, the Paladins don't have much time for that.
The Redridge Mountains are urging us onward, and war with the Old Horde has already begun.
Gilneas is also unstable. The latest news is that King Genn has ordered the summoning of all lords, but has omitted the Crowley family, which is clearly a prelude to taking action against them. The Crowley family had already returned to Stormwind City the day before yesterday to prepare for their return journey.
Gilneas is of paramount importance in the northern campaign and cannot be lost. Unas has dispatched three thousand Restoration Army and one thousand newly formed Worgen troops, led by Vanessa, Nightmoon, the Priestess, and Sixinlang, to Stormwind City to meet with Crowley, and then together they will sail to conquer Gilneas.
If VanCleef's fleet successfully retrieves the treasure, they should have arrived at Tol Barad Island by now, where Vanessa can reunite with her father.
With the aid of Defias' main fleet, Crowley might be able to dethrone King Genn.
Unas also secretly instructed Nightmoon and Belysra to contact the Wolf Cult, saying that if they could unite with the Gilneas wolves, their chances of winning this battle would greatly increase.
But if things don't go well, Unas will personally lead the main force of the Restoration Army; in his mind, Gilneas is a must-take.
As for the Redridge Mountains, it is currently the Alliance's main target, and he must personally lead his troops there to make an appearance. The old marshal has provided a great deal of assistance to the Restoration Army, and the two are the closest allies and partners in both public and private matters.
Now that the old marshal is in power, Unas can make full use of this resource. It can be said that at this moment, Stormwind City's interests are Unas's interests.
Moreover, the Restoration Army conquered the Westfall and half of Duskwood, and the Prince of Lordaeron's prestige grew daily. His goal was to achieve continuous victories, rapidly increasing his prestige and power until he surpassed all other Alliance members.
By then, the entire Alliance will be under his leadership, and he will no longer need to rely on anyone else.
Three days later, in Lakeshire.
"My God, what kind of monsters are those!" A porter was so frightened that he dropped the grain on his shoulder and tried to run away, but his legs went weak.
The busy crowd looked up and saw a large pack of giant, upright wolves marching in formation down the street behind them. Their robust physiques, wild fur, and ferocious fangs were awe-inspiring; there was no doubt that they were a group of terrifying beasts.
The crowd screamed in unison.
What are the guards at the town entrance doing?
Why wasn't this a wake-up call?!
"Run!"
"Wait!" The pale-faced foreman forced himself to remain calm. "Captain Dejia is right behind us!"
Indeed, the young captain of the guard rode his warhorse cautiously behind the giant wolves, accompanied by an unfamiliar black-haired human Knight.
Knowing that the giant wolves were not intruders, the porters ran to the roadside in fear and dared not make a sound.
But as more and more giant wolves poured into the streets, screams of the townspeople came from the surrounding houses, and the sound of doors slamming shut created a chaotic scene.
"I apologize for the spectacle, Your Highness." Captain Dejia's expression was grave; observing these terrifying giant wolves up close made him even more cautious.
Unas smiled and said, "It was my mistake; I didn't order the scout to explain clearly."
That being said, the townspeople's panic was exactly the effect he wanted. Worgen were terrifying, Bloodlust monsters in human legends, and bringing a large pack of wolves into the town would surely be shocking.
This is a quick way to gain fame; once the townspeople know that the wolves are harmless, they will naturally become curious about their leader.
Lakeshire has now become the logistical base for this war. News travels fast, and within two days, the legend of the wolves of Unas will surely be known to everyone in the Redridge Mountains, and the name of the Prince of Lordaeron will be something no one dares to underestimate.
This was important for a newcomer and his newly formed army, so he took only this thousand wolf soldiers and arrived at the front line as quickly as possible, while the Restoration Army would take another three or four days to catch up.
"I need a lot of meat." Worgen can eat vegetables, but meat is definitely more to their liking.
"Of course, our Lakeshire's fresh fish is a famous local specialty." Captain Dejia agreed easily, even though during the war, all kinds of food were scarce resources.
Unas nodded in satisfaction. "Thank you. We will repay Lakeshire for their hospitality on the battlefield."
The captain tilted his head in salute. "It is my honor to entertain you."
After a satisfying meal in Lakeshire and a night's rest, Unas set off early the next morning and arrived at the front line in less than half a day.
The general situation of the battle can be inferred from the truckloads of wounded soldiers being transported back along the way, and the Blackrock Path that was almost stained with blood; it must have been quite fierce.
Blackrock Path is a major thoroughfare between the Redridge Mountains and Burning Steppes, and the Alliance headquarters is located in the valley to the right at the end of the trail.
The overall commander of this operation was General Havel-Dragonbane of the Seventh Legion. He came from humble beginnings and rose to the rank of general in the Storm Elite Army entirely through his military achievements. His military capabilities are beyond doubt.
At the start of the war, the two sides engaged in fierce fighting on the Blackrock Path, resulting in countless deaths and injuries, until scouts found a path on the eastern foothills that led directly to the plains.
Haval immediately mobilized his elite troops, taking a detour through this path to launch a surprise attack on the rear of the Old Horde, causing chaos in the Orcs battle formation, and thus taking Blackrock Path in one fell swoop.
Looking around, the valley was filled with banners, and almost all the armies had sent out some troops under the old marshal's urging. The Restoration Army was the last to arrive.
The arrival of the wolf pack caused chaos in the military camp, but the army was different from the townspeople, and the disturbance was quickly suppressed. After the report was given, the logistics officer nervously placed the wolf pack on the outermost edge, right next to the Dark Iron Dwarves.
Ninety-five of the Worgen were able to transform back into human form. The Paladin assigned them to fetch Tents, supplies, and other logistical resources, and they quickly settled the camp.
Just as Unas was about to ask someone for information, the Dark Iron General from next door showed up uninvited, which surprised Unas quite a bit.
Because he plundered too much money in Shadowforge City and became one of only two foreign lords, the Highlord of Dark Iron, apart from Sena-Spark who fought alongside him, had long harbored resentment towards him.
During the joint operations in the Westfall, the Dark Iron General who was dispatched this time was only subject to Rendaen's orders, and treated him with official business, rarely taking the initiative to talk to him.
Now that he had the opportunity to build a closer relationship, he naturally couldn't be negligent, and he quickly welcomed General Dark Iron into his main tent.
"General Lieyan, how have you been?"
The Paladin had only met this Dark Iron General a few times. He should be a Hill Lord, of the same rank as Unas, so there was no need for the paladin to be overly humble.
Lieyan, however, was not very polite. He immediately began to marvel at the Worgen. He was only satisfied after learning the "story" of subduing the Worgen from Unas, but then he started to complain about the unfairness of the Alliance.
It turned out that Rendaen was very satisfied with his smooth entry into the alliance after attending the summit. To show his sincerity, he sent a full 6,000 troops this time, giving the Alliance a lot of face.
However, the Alliance did not give General Lieyan any face. Compared to Bronzebeard and Wildhammer, Dark Iron had always had a bad reputation, and newcomers were always bullied.
Therefore, the Dark Iron was always assigned to borderline missions, either protecting the flanks or clearing the battlefield. They neither achieved anything nor made any mistakes, so the supplies they received were the least and the worst, and they were looked down upon by other armies.
Unas patted his chest and boasted, "Remember how you distinguished yourself in the Westfall? Don't worry, General, this is no problem for me." He thought to himself, "Bragging is free."
General Lieyan was overjoyed and, unusually, offered the Paladin a few compliments before the two began discussing serious matters.
"His Majesty has instructed me to inform you to return to Shadowforge City as soon as possible; the anomaly at Molten Core requires your assistance in resolving."
Unas asked curiously, "Coordination? What exactly happened?"
Lieyan recounted that about a month ago, the magical gates of Molten Core suddenly collapsed, and hundreds of low-level Fire Elemental elementals poured out, only to be quickly wiped out by the Boiling Water Elementals guarding the underground Hot Springs River.
This sudden change caused all the Fire Elementals within Molten Core to become agitated. With both sides losing their barriers, a great war was imminent. Duke Hydraxis suspected that someone was deliberately sabotaging the conflict to provoke a war between Shadowforge City and the Fire Elementals.
At this stage, the most suspicious party is undoubtedly the Old Horde. Rendaen ordered a city-wide search, but instead of finding the traitor, he discovered a traveling Archmage. With his help, the gates to Molten Core were resealed.
However, the Archmage said that the seal was not perfect and required the crystal core of a fire giant as a casting material to ensure the seal was stable. In the battle at the Imperial Palace, the one who swallowed the fire giant Geddon was none other than the molten giant king Bael'Gar, who had been subdued by Huoye.
When Unas waged war on the Venomspider Gorge, he used the method of splitting his body to teleport all the Molten Giants to the Canyon. After the war, he did not send them back to Blackrock Depths because he found it troublesome.
Rendaen had no choice but to send someone to the Canyon to negotiate, but Bael'Gar completely ignored him. The Paladin and Huoye were not there, so no one could command him.
The Archmage wanted to go to Bael'Gar in person, but was firmly refused by the Canyon's guards; no one would rashly allow a strange Archmage into their territory.
The Teleportation Array was controlled by the Blood Elf Mage Corps; if they didn't agree, no one could get through, and the matter was thus put on hold.
After listening to the Dwarf general's detailed explanation, Unas remained doubtful and asked, "What is the name of that Archmage?"
"He calls himself Deen, is proficient in wind magic, and has now rendered great service, earning His Majesty's high regard."
Unas racked his brains, but had never heard of the name before. He asked suspiciously, "The magic gate to Molten Core just collapsed, and he appeared right after. Isn't that too much of a coincidence? Doesn't Your Majesty have any doubts?"
After Shadowforge City joined the Alliance, it became completely open to the outside world. Curious adventurers and merchants with a keen sense of smell flocked in, creating a chaotic scene. This suddenly appearing Archmage seemed very suspicious.
"I can't guess what His Majesty is thinking. Anyway, you should go back as soon as possible and resolve this matter."
Unas remained noncommittal—the names of the wind Archmage, Bael'Gar, and the fire giant Geddon swirled in his mind. He vaguely grasped something crucial, but couldn't quite recall it.
"By the way," General Lieyan said, "The weapon the Thorium Brotherhood you seems to be finished. Guild Master Orphest is urging you to go back and collect it."
"A weapon?!" Unas exclaimed, the blurry key suddenly becoming clear— the Thunderfury!
He had only done the Thunderfury quest once in his previous life, and he couldn't remember the detailed process, but he hadn't forgotten the most crucial thing about the quest: the Windseeker's Shackled Skull, which was divided into two halves, dropped by the Molten Core mini-bosses Geddon and Garr respectively.
In the ancient times before the ancient era, before the many creatures of Azeroth were born, the world was ruled by elemental beings.
The wind and Fire Elemental are mortal enemies. In a war, the wind elemental prince Thunderaan was killed by Firelord, and his soul imprint was split in two and sealed into two Arcane Artifacts, which were entrusted to Geddon and Garr respectively.
In modern times, a loyal servant of the Wind Prince wanted to resurrect his master, so he issued a quest to collect the Shackled Skull, which is the origin of the Thunderfury quest.
Unas still remembered that the NPC for the Thunderfury quest Demitrian, and the name was so similar to that of the current Archmage Deen; this was no coincidence.
It seemed necessary to speak with this person. After thinking for a moment, he said, "If I leave so soon after arriving, it might displease the various armies of the Alliance. Let's wait a few days and find an opportunity to talk."
He remained as steady as a mountain; with the Scythe of Elune in hand, he was no longer in such a hurry to wield the Adamantite spear.
If that wind- Archmage were truly the Wind Prince's servant, he would be even more anxious than him.
Lieyan hadn't expected the Paladin to change his mind so quickly, and shrugged, saying, "Anyway, I've conveyed His Majesty's orders. Do as you please."
After seeing General Dark Iron out of the camp, Unas was about to go back to rest for a while when he saw a large army marching from the central camp in the valley.
It turned out that the generals of the various armies had just finished a military conference and, upon hearing that a new Worgen army had arrived, all came to see what was new and exciting. Even the commander-in-chief Haval, came.
Unas had nothing to hide. After exchanging pleasantries with everyone, he ordered the Worgen to come out and line up, demonstrating a few of the most basic military formations.
The newly formed army, having only been established for a few days, was naturally in disarray, but no one dared to underestimate this wolf army. The Worgen's assault formations looked uneven and became a mess after running a short distance, but their Charge speed was faster than that of human cavalry. With a little training, they would definitely be a formidable weapon on the battlefield.
General Haval stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming. He was well-versed in military affairs and naturally recognized the potential of the Wolf Army.
A general from Ironforge marveled and asked what everyone was thinking, "How did Your Highness tame these beasts?"
"Please don't call them beasts," Unas said with a righteous air. "They were originally human, but unfortunately they were lost for a time, and now they have finally returned to their humanity."
He summoned a Worgen who could transform back into human form, demonstrated the transformation between humans and werewolves on the spot, and then explained the origins of the wolf god's curse to everyone.
This move was mainly to dispel people's Heart of Fear of the werewolves. He was about to fight alongside the Allied Forces, and he didn't want the Restoration Army to be ostracized like the Dark Iron Dwarves.
The generals nodded repeatedly, their wariness lessening considerably. Having seen enough of the spectacle, they all took their leave, except for Haval remained.
Unas dismissed the wolves and then welcomed the commander-in-chief into the camp.
Haval cut to the chase. "The next phase of the operation is about to begin, and I expect your Wolf Army to shoulder the heavy responsibility."
Unas readily agreed, "No problem, General, please give your instructions."
Haval spread out the map he carried with him and recounted the contents of the war meeting. "We are currently on the south-central border of the plains, far from Blackrock Spire in the northwest corner. The Old Horde have three large defensive fortifications in between: Cinder Rock Stronghold, Klesher Crossroads, and Blackrock Citadel. We must conquer these three places before we can reach Blackrock Mountain."
Looking at the three red dots that were almost in a straight line on the map, Unas could imagine the difficulty involved.
Haval then pointed to a mountain peak in the northeast, marked with a large red dot. "This place is called Dreadmaul Rock. A large Ogre clan has settled here. According to scouts, they have long since joined the Old Horde. If our army advances northwest, these Ogres will threaten our flank and rear, so we must eliminate them first."
Unas nodded. Looking at the map, the Dreadmaul Rock and Cinder Rock Strongholds were positioned in a pincer movement, flanking the Alliance's main base. Attacking one side would inevitably lead to being exploited by the other.
The Alliance has assembled nearly 50,000 troops here, far exceeding the Old Horde. However, the Orcs, Trolls, and Ogres are naturally stronger and more physically stronger than humans. Human armies often need to have a numerical advantage to be able to match these alien races. Fighting on two fronts is still a major taboo.
Haval replied, "The main force of the Orcs suffered a setback at Blackrock Path and has now retreated to Cinder Rock Stronghold. If we attack Dreadmaul Rock, they certainly won't stand idly by, so we must contain them. The orcs are very good at assaults, and I was prepared for heavy casualties to stop them. But your wolf army has impressed me. If we can unleash their potential, it might greatly reduce our casualties."
Unas said, "I would like to hear the details."
"Worgen are very fast and explosive, so we'll maximize that. I'll provide you with a batch of high-quality lightweight leather armor so the entire Worgen can be equipped with it."
Unas was overjoyed and said, "Thank you for your generosity."
Although he obtained a large amount of spoils from Defias, the bandits' equipment varied widely according to their preferences. When arming the Worgen, he could only let them choose freely, so the wolf pack basically wore a mix of different types of armor, including cloth, leather, chainmail, and even plate armor, which looked very mismatched.
"And the weapons? The weapons you gave them are a complete mess, with swords, spears, halberds, and all sorts of things. Some people are even empty-handed. This is so unprofessional. They should be made to have a standardized version."
Unas blushed and could only nod. He couldn't very well say that some Worgen were used to their claws and voluntarily gave up using weapons.
"To take advantage of their speed, we must reduce their weight. I suggest using only lightweight shortbows and daggers."
"No problem."
Haval generously replied, "I'll provide those too."
Unas nodded repeatedly, thinking to himself, "You have money, so you can do whatever you want."
"Such extreme equipment means the wolf pack can't fight the Orcs head-on, which is something you must try your best to avoid. I only need you to do one thing: harass the enemy, endless harassment. You must keep the Orcs from having any peace, so that our army will have enough time and space to eliminate the Ogres of Dreadmaul Rock."
"General, rest assured, I guarantee the Orcs won't be able to cross this line," Unas boasted, drawing an arc on the map between Blackrock Path and Cinder Rock Stronghold.
Haval laughed heartily, "I admire your confidence! The Gryphon Riders of Aerie Peak and several light cavalry units I've selected from various armies will fight alongside you. The Orcs are in your hands now."
Unas thumped his shoulder, "I will certainly not fail the general's expectations!"
Haval acted swiftly and decisively, providing all the promised equipment, weapons, and supplies that very night. Unas felt that this man was trustworthy and was determined to wage a brilliant intelligence war.
The first step is to eliminate Horde scouts around the camp, rendering the Horde blind within a radius of at least twenty miles.
Previously, due to the aerial patrols of the Gryphon Riders, the Horde's scouts were mostly focused on concealing themselves. The sudden appearance of the wolf army dealt them a fatal blow, because the Worgen have an extremely keen sense of smell, and the stench of the Orcs and Trolls is like a beacon in the darkness.
Unas set off overnight, personally leading the attack, dividing his forces into groups of ten Worgen, totaling one hundred groups, to launch a full-scale annihilation of enemy scouts in the wild.
The Old Horde were caught off guard. They were scattered across the vast Burning Steppes in reconnaissance teams of three or four people. When they encountered combat groups composed of Worgen and Gryphon Riders, they were destined to be annihilated.
Within three days, all the spies around the Alliance camp were wiped out. The Orcs commander at Cinder Rock Stronghold suddenly discovered that the intelligence network had been blocked, and he had no way of knowing the Alliance army's movements. He had no choice but to ask the rear for a precious team of dragon riders.
The Black Dragon Prince bestowed upon the Old Horde only young dragons, numbering less than thirty, each a valuable asset in battle.
The young dragon already possesses the ability to unleash its Dragon's Presence and breathe fire. The Worgen, unable to reach their enemies in the sky, are helpless. Although the Gryphon is a bird of prey, it is far inferior to the young dragon in both attack power and flight speed.
The dragon riders would hide when they encountered large groups of Gryphon Riders, but would charge at lone or small groups. In a short time, they broke through the information blockade and discovered that the Alliance's main force was attacking Dreadmaul Rock. The Orcs army at Cinder Rock Stronghold immediately mobilized.
Unas could not stand idly by in this situation. His short-range flight speed far exceeded that of the young dragons, and only he could deal with the Orcs dragon riders.