Grommash Hellscream

The New Horde led by Thrall arrived before Zaela. Before any news had returned from Zaela, the New Horde spearheaded by the Warsong Clan was already nearing Thandol Span, so Rend decisively headed there to greet them.

Of course, for safety's sake, Rend still brought ten thousand troops with him. Though they would be utterly useless before Warsong Chieftain Grommash Hellscream, and though greeting him alone would have seemed more sincere and bold, Rend simply did not dare. He did not know Grommash's attitude toward him. Although scouts had already gone ahead to explain his position, he was still afraid that Grommash might be even worse than Nefarian.

Waiting on the southern side of the bridge, Rend saw dust suddenly rise on the northern side. A faint tremor traveled through the ground. Cavalry.

The Warsong Raiders, known simply as wolf riders, represented the Horde's highest combat strength. They were the cavalry that could drive back human tin-can knights and dwarven ram riders. It was precisely because of this cavalry that the Warsong Clan had been able to wage guerrilla warfare against humanity, rescuing captured orcs time and again over more than a decade.

Mounted atop the largest dire wolf, Grommash Hellscream alone was worth a thousand men. Gorehowl rested in his right hand, its blade howling in the rushing wind.

Grommash also saw Rend and the other Blackrock Orcs across the bridge. At the sight of Rend's army, he gave a disdainful snort and unleashed the overwhelming killing intent he had been concealing.

For the first time, Rend and the others felt the presence of Grommash Hellscream, the greatest warrior of the age. Kill a million and become the mightiest among the mighty. Rend did not know how many people Grommash had killed, but this killing intent surely carried the weight of tens of thousands of lives. Grommash had always loved charging at the forefront, and his iron-like will had forged this strongest of warriors.

There had never been any definitive way to determine the strongest warrior. Only in the Halls of Valor was it certain that High Overlord Varok Saurfang had been the greatest warrior of his time.

But things were different now. Many heroes were still alive. Arthas was called humanity's greatest warrior, and Varian, who had yet to be tempered in the gladiatorial arena, was indeed inferior to Arthas. The dwarves' greatest warrior was likely Muradin Bronzebeard, while the high elves' was Sallor Dawnseeker. These were the greatest warriors of the Alliance's three races.

Within the Horde, however, there had never been a clear answer. In Warlords of Draenor, Blackhan the Destroyer fought four opponents alone, killed Orgrim and Maraad, then was accidentally counter-killed by Durotan and Yrel. In terms of strength, he had been stronger than all four of them.

Kargath Bladefist, chieftain of the Shattered Hand Clan, had dueled Terokk, King of the Arakkoa. Yet judging from Grommash's attitude toward him and his performance in Highmaul, he was certainly inferior to Grommash. Before Grommash was controlled by Gul'dan, Kilrogg Deadeye had not even dared defy him. Judging by physique alone, he was far below Grommash, and neither his age nor build could compare.

Of the Seven Heroes, only Grommash and Blackhan remained difficult to rank. Both had become warchiefs through their own strength, and both had dazzling records. In Warlords of Draenor, the Blackrock Clan's loyalty to Grommash was clear. Before Blackhand died, he had said, "The chieftain needs us to forge equipment." That showed his loyalty to Grommash. Blackhand had been an immensely proud man, and the Blackrock Clan was the foremost clan. Although the Warsong Clan was formidable in battle, it could not compare to the Blackrock Clan of that era. This showed that Grommash had been able to win Blackhan's respect through his own strength.

Besides, Blackhand was already dead. Of Draenor's Seven Heroes, only Grommash, Kargath, and Lich King Ner'zhul remained.

The Saurfang brothers were also controversial. One had wounded Sargeras, while the other had brought countless Alliance players despair.

But... Broxigar's feat had a little too much uncertainty to it. No one could be sure whether Sargeras had been acting. After all, Sargeras was quite the actor; he had put on an act with Aegwynn too, while his true form had remained inside Aegwynn's body all along.

So the Horde's greatest warrior should still be Grommash Hellscream. He had killed Mannoroth, the strongest abyssal lord, twice, slain the demigod Cenarius, become Warchief of the Iron Horde through his own efforts, and conquered the Ogre Goria Empire.

Now, within that killing intent that seemed capable of destroying heaven and earth, and that iron-like will, Rend finally understood how terrifying Grommash was. It felt as though Grommash alone could charge in and slaughter him along with all ten thousand of his men, as though Rend would be splattered with blood in the next instant. He could not summon even the slightest urge to resist.

One man, one wolf, one axe—like an army of thousands. If it had to be described in one phrase, he was a match for ten thousand.

Thandol Span was very long, after all, connecting two landmasses. During the long time Grommash rode his wolf across it, Rend and his army felt as though they had spent an eternity beneath that killing intent. When Grommash finally reached a point not far before them and withdrew his aura, Rend was already drenched in sweat, his clenched knuckles white. Among his ten thousand Blackrock soldiers, several young men finally came back to themselves, dropped straight onto the ground, and gasped for breath.

"Rend Blackhand, I hope your claim that you wish to join the Horde is sincere. Otherwise, Gorehowl and I will make you pay the price." Grommash sat atop his enormous dire wolf, looking down at Rend as he warned him. In Grommash's eyes, this selfish coward who had not joined him in saving the orcs had already lost all honor. Grommash did not think him worthy of even a glance.

"Grommash, please give me one more chance. I truly betrayed the Horde in the past, but I have repented. I, Rend Blackhand, have always been a member of the Horde and am willing to serve Warchief Thrall. These are my gifts." Rend knew he could not change the old Horde members' view of the Blackrock Clan in a short time. Only Thrall, an orc raised by humans, would perhaps give someone like him, who had committed every kind of wrongdoing, another chance.

Only through his actions could he regain their trust. After handing the prepared supplies over to Grommash's Warsong wolf riders, Grommash no longer treated Rend quite so harshly, though he still found him extremely displeasing.

Rend had never personally met so many powerful figures. The memories were not the same as experiencing them himself. Grommash felt stronger than Nefarian—far stronger. Nefarian was already immensely powerful, yet Grommash gave Rend the feeling that he could kill Nefarian. To be able to confirm such a feeling meant the gap was no small matter. Grommash truly deserved to be called the greatest mortal. This strength was indeed something Garrosh could take pride in. The night elves had animal demigods to protect them, while the newly born New Horde had the war god Grommash. That was deterrence. That was the guarantee of strength: an ultimate powerhouse.