Chapter Summaries

At the game company’s virtual office, Zhang Xinghun presented a four-stage expansion plot centered on Azathoth, Elemental King, and his plan to alter the Prime Material Plane’s timeline. Xiao Yu and Leah Bloodmoon learned the roles planned for their territories, while the expansion’s later stages remained partly undecided.

• Xiao Yu answered Zhang Xinghun’s questions about Lost Island, saying Wotkud commanded the territory, a few naga remained, and Leah Bloodmoon guarded the Elemental Throne with dark shamans.
• Zhang Xinghun outlined the first stage, in which Azathoth would invade Sky World with an elemental army before adventurers defeated the invasion.
• Zhang Xinghun explained that the second stage would send the Alliance and Horde to Lost Island, where players would defeat Wotkud and Azathoth’s projection.
• Zhang Xinghun described the third stage, in which the factions would attack the Elemental Throne, defeat Leah Bloodmoon, and learn of Azathoth’s timeline-altering ritual.
• Zhang Xinghun said the fourth stage would take adventurers into the Elemental Plane to defeat the Elemental Princes and Azathoth at the Immortal Throne.

Zhang Xinghun explained how the expansion’s stories and character deaths would be shaped by the players’ performance, while Xiao Yu negotiated for Azathoth to be sealed rather than killed. After Xiao Yu recalled the heroes connected to Azathoth, Zhang Xinghun singled out Esmehalda as a potential focus for the Elemental King’s story.

• Xiao Yu argued that Azathoth should survive the expansion, and Zhang Xinghun agreed that the Elemental King could be sealed in the Twisting Nether instead of killed.
• Zhang Xinghun outlined how elemental bosses, other monster factions, and independent storylines would contribute to the expansion and future expansions.
• Zhang Xinghun explained that players would improvise during events, with hero deaths and leadership roles depending on performance; the heroes realized their standing with Xiao Yu could affect their prospects.
• Xiao Yu listed the heroes who had met Azathoth, including Esmehalda, Mofeitosi, Bolvar, Maiev Shadowsong, and Medivh.
• Zhang Xinghun identified Esmehalda as a promising story character, and the mage raised her hand before he gave Xiao Yu a suggestive smile.

Xiao Yu and the gathered Alliance and Horde heroes discussed which characters would die during the Elemental Tide, since the game company could only influence events rather than control them. They agreed to put forward NPCs as the main casualties, leaving Xiao Yu to kill the chosen targets when the event began.

• Xiao Yu reassured Mofeitosi, Esmehalda, and several female heroes that he would avoid killing them during the event.
• The heroes proposed NPCs as casualties, and the Alliance debated whether Varian, Bolvar, or other leaders should die.
• Mofeitosi warned General Raymond that Katrana Prestor was the black dragon princess Onyxia, then opposed sacrificing Bolvar and suggested Marshal Maxwell instead.
• Alliance heroes also suggested Marshal Windsor, and they ultimately chose Windsor and Maxwell as their casualties.
• Horde heroes argued over possible targets, then settled on Varimathras and General Nazgrel to die during the Elemental Tide.

Xiao Yu read the official novel based on Azathoth’s rise and learned that Sky Game Company had released the companion card game Sky Heroes. He turned three of his characters into exclusive cards, including a mythic Azathoth card that amazed the other players.

• Xiao Yu spent the month helping writers and checking on the nearly completed Immortal Throne.
• Xiao Yu read the finished first volume of Rise of the Elemental King, which told how Azathoth defeated Ragnaros and became the Elemental King.
• Leah Bloodmoon told Xiao Yu about the newly launched Sky Heroes, where players could turn eligible story characters into exclusive cards.
• Xiao Yu created cards for Azathoth, Eric the Goblin Pyromancer, and Raglios, the Balrog Lord.
• Xiao Yu showed Leah Bloodmoon and Big Water Cunt his mythic Azathoth card, drawing the other players’ attention.

Xiao Yu showed his cards to the crowd, learned about Mofeitosi’s secretive card, and was summoned to meet Li Mingfei. Li Mingfei explained his class-based office design before telling Xiao Yu he knew what had happened that day.

• Xiao Yu displayed his three cards, and the crowd focused on his mythic Azathoth, Elemental King card and discussed Naiser’s card.
• Mofeitosi privately showed Xiao Yu his legendary card, whose Deathrattle risked revealing that Mofeitosi was a black dragon.
• Xiao Yu noticed Phoenix looking at him as if she recognized him, then Ma Xiaoyun summoned him to meet her boss.
• Ma Xiaoyun offered Xiao Yu ten thousand credits for his exclusive card, but he refused and went up to Li Mingfei’s office.
• Li Mingfei described the elevator as a symbol of class and order, served Xiao Yu iced black tea, and said he knew what had happened that day.

Li Mingfei explained the expansion’s card system to Xiao Yu, discussed why he had parted ways with Shen Yuan over their differing views of games, and offered Xiao Yu a 27-million endorsement deal. They toasted the expansion’s launch in three days, leaving Xiao Yu eager for what came next.

• Li Mingfei apologized for Liu Wei and the betting company’s scheme, then explained that the expansion’s cards had hidden settings and attributes based on their in-game experiences.
• Li Mingfei revealed that Shen Yuan had designed the card game, and said he had forced Shen Yuan out of the company because they disagreed about making games realistic.
• Li Mingfei asked how Xiao Yu viewed games, and Xiao Yu said real life mattered more than a game.
• Li Mingfei offered Xiao Yu 27 million to endorse Thunderbolt Flying Cars, and Xiao Yu accepted.
• Li Mingfei and Xiao Yu toasted the expansion’s launch in three days.

Alliance leaders gathered in Stormwind to address a surge in elemental activity, but Varian Wrynn rejected a mysterious raven-shifter’s warning of imminent world-ending calamities and had him imprisoned. That evening, Varian met the prophet again in the dungeon.

• Malfurion Stormrage warned the Alliance leaders that nature’s disturbances signaled an approaching storm, while Magni Bronzebeard dismissed the threat as a Horde conspiracy and argued with Jaina.
• Varian Wrynn ended the argument and assigned General Raymond and Lord Mephist to investigate the elemental unrest.
• A black raven entered Stormwind Keep, transformed into a black-robed figure, and foretold that elemental fury would bring the world to the brink of destruction.
• Marshal Maxwell and Jaina urged Varian to hear the stranger, but Varian ordered the guards to take him to the dungeon.
• Varian met the black-robed man again in the dungeon that evening.

Varian Wrynn and Jaina Proudmoore questioned a black-robed prophet who foretold an elemental invasion of Stormwind City and Orgrimmar three days later. Varian prepared Stormwind’s defenses, and he and Jaina waited on the city walls as the predicted attack approached.

• Varian Wrynn questioned the black-robed man, who asked for Jaina Proudmoore to join them.
• The prophet predicted that Azathoth would lead an elemental army through a rift to attack Stormwind City and Orgrimmar at nine in the morning, three days later.
• The black-robed man hinted that an invisible hand controlled their fates, then vanished from the magic-suppressing prison after snapping his fingers.
• Varian decided to prepare for the invasion and asked Jaina to help him face the crisis.
• Varian summoned Stormwind’s marshals and generals, arranged the city’s defenses, and persuaded other Alliance leaders to stay.
• Three days later, Varian and Jaina waited on the walls of Stormwind Keep for the appointed time.

Varian and Jaina noticed adventurers suddenly returning to Stormwind City in huge numbers and prepared for the coming war. Outside the city, Leah Bloodmoon completed a ritual that summoned Azathoth’s manifested avatar into the Prime Material Plane, where adventurers gathered to face the enormous boss.

• Varian and Jaina saw adventurers reappear across Stormwind City, and Varian ordered his generals summoned to prepare for war.
• A guard reported that adventurers were talking about an expansion launch and a powerful boss appearing that day.
• Leah Bloodmoon led the Elemental Cult’s dark shamans in a summoning ritual outside Stormwind City, sacrificing a sunstone to call Azathoth.
• Xiao Yu accepted Leah Bloodmoon’s summons from the Immortal Throne.
• Azathoth appeared as a gigantic 9-skull boss with 27.83 million health, and nearby adventurers rushed to prepare for the fight.

Azathoth began the Elemental Tide by flying to Stormwind City and opening gates to the elemental planes, unleashing widespread destruction. Stormwind’s defenders and adventurers fought back as the legendary event officially began.

• Adventurers fled or prepared to fight when Azathoth arrived, while one eager warrior was killed by dark shamans before reaching him.
• Xiao Yu transformed into a Chaos Dragon, flew above Stormwind City, and announced that the Elemental King had returned.
• Azathoth used Elemental Gate to tear open a fissure, allowing earth elementals to pour into the city.
• Azathoth summoned fire, water, and wind elementals, triggering volcanoes, floods, hurricanes, earthquakes, and lightning across Stormwind City.
• Stormwind’s defenders and tens of thousands of adventurers attacked the elemental creatures as the system announced the start of the Elemental Tide.

The Elemental Tide overwhelmed Stormwind City's defenses as elemental elders and four elemental lords joined the attack, while adventurers fought back for the loot. Azathoth faced Varian Wrynn and the Alliance heroes above the cathedral, but he held back from killing Varian and the king escaped his grasp.

• Alliance soldiers and adventurers fought the elementals around Stormwind City's Elemental Gates, briefly stabilizing the battle.
• Dozens of elemental elders and four elemental lords emerged from the gates, devastating the city's defenders and spreading the battle into surrounding areas.
• Adventurers separated and defeated elemental elders for their loot while Stormwind's defenders held off the elemental lords.
• Alliance heroes surrounded Azathoth above the cathedral, and Varian Wrynn attacked him after demanding to know why he had turned against Stormwind.
• Azathoth caught Varian in his dragon claw but remembered he was not supposed to kill important plot characters, and an archbishop's Divine Protection freed Varian.

Azathoth fled Varian and the assembled heroes, then staged a battle with Mofeitosi that led to Marshal Maxwell's death. He captured Long Ao Jiutian and offered him a chance to join the Elemental King's faction, but bit down as Long Ao Jiutian's Divine Shield expired.

• Varian's allies and other heroes drove Azathoth from the cathedral, and Azathoth sent Gangdake to fight them as he flew away.
• Azathoth fought Mofeitosi and his Dragon Knight Order, then lured Mofeitosi toward Marshal Maxwell's troops.
• Mofeitosi turned aside, leaving Marshal Maxwell exposed, and Azathoth seized and killed the Alliance commander.
• Azathoth attacked Long Ao Jiutian II, captured him, and offered him a chance to swear allegiance to the Elemental King.
• Long Ao Jiutian hesitated over the system's allegiance prompt as his Divine Shield expired, and Azathoth bit down.

Phoenix, Kaya Shadowhunter, and Esmehalda arrived to fight the Elemental King, and Esmehalda faced Azathoth alone after sending the others to evacuate civilians. Though she held her own and won the crowd’s admiration, she appeared exhausted as Azathoth prepared a powerful attack.

• Phoenix used Divine Protection to save Long Ao Jiutian, and Kaya Shadowhunter freed him from the Chaos Dragon’s claw with Moon Goddess Arrow.
• Long Ao Jiutian retreated behind his adventurers while Esmehalda confronted Azathoth and refused his offer to rule at his side.
• Azathoth unleashed Meteor Storm, but Esmehalda protected the three heroes with an elemental resistance barrier and countered with Pyroblast.
• Esmehalda teleported Phoenix and Kaya Shadowhunter away to evacuate the crowd, then fought Azathoth alone, dodging and countering his attacks.
• Esmehalda pierced the Chaos Dragon with an Arcane Energy Ray, but exhaustion left her struggling to stand as Azathoth offered her one last chance to submit.
• Esmehalda refused to surrender, and Azathoth began gathering a powerful spell.

Xiao Yu’s Meteor Burst Strike nearly overwhelmed Esmehalda, but Phoenix rescued her before Khadgar arrived and took command of the fight. With Gangdake and Kal Evilflame dead and six powerful mage lords surrounding Azathoth, Xiao Yu chose Maigeluoen as his next target.

• A system notification reported that Varian Wrynn, Raymond, and Malfurion had slain Gangdake, prompting Xiao Yu to prepare his attack on Esmehalda.
• Xiao Yu launched Meteor Burst Strike, but Esmehalda survived by using Ice Block, and Phoenix caught her as she weakened.
• Khadgar arrived, praised Esmehalda for holding off the Elemental King, and sent her away to recover.
• A system notification reported that Kaya Shadowhunter, Magni Bronzebeard, and Mekkatorque had slain Kal Evilflame.
• Rhonin, Khadgar, Jaina, Feierdenan, Aier sha Moonfire, and Maigeluoen teleported in to surround Azathoth.
• Xiao Yu decided to target Maigeluoen, judging him a less important figure than the other mages.

As Azathoth, the Elemental King, faced defeat in Stormwind City, he killed Maikeluoen before the Alliance heroes destroyed his avatar and banished him to the Elemental Plane. The new expansion began, while the surviving NPCs were left amid the battle’s destruction.

• The Alliance and adventurers defeated the elemental army and the other Elemental Lords, leaving Azathoth as the last enemy in Stormwind City.
• Azathoth killed tens of thousands of adventurers with powerful spells as they and the heroes steadily wore down his health.
• Azathoth targeted Maikeluoen, shattered his magic shield, and killed him with a Hammer of Chaos.
• The Alliance heroes struck Azathoth until his health ran out, and he declared that their battle was only the beginning before being banished to the Elemental Plane.
• The system announced the start of the Rise of the Elemental King expansion, and the adventurers logged off as NPCs remained among the ruins.

After Stormwind City survived the elemental invasion at terrible cost, the mysterious figure warned Varian that more battles lay ahead. Xiao Yu returned to the Immortal Throne, reviewed the Sky World 2.0 update, and went to meet Li Mingfei.

• Varian blamed himself for Stormwind City's losses, but Jaina reassured him that he had done well.
• The mysterious figure told Varian that many people had anticipated the invasion and prophesied that an expedition to the Lost Island would cost more lives before bringing further conflict.
• Xiao Yu returned to the Immortal Throne, lamented the loss of his 200,000 elementals, and logged out as the game prepared to update.
• Xiao Yu read the Sky World 2.0 update details, which introduced new playable races and monsters, BGM systems, new worlds, and the Elemental King storyline.
• Xiao Yu arrived at the game company, where the heroes congratulated him, and Ma Xiaoyun told him that Li Mingfei wanted to see him.

Xiao Yu discussed his role as the Elemental King with Li Mingfei, who warned him that the Destroyers' Alliance might try to kill him or sabotage the expansion. Xiao Yu returned to the Immortal Throne for a meeting, where the assembled elemental lords seemed unusually restless.

• Li Mingfei told Xiao Yu to follow the script as the World Destroyer and explained that he was an actor meant to stir up trouble without actually destroying the world.
• Li Mingfei described his idea for Earth Online, where players could use attributes to gain advantages in a realistic version of Earth, and Xiao Yu admitted he would play it.
• Li Mingfei warned Xiao Yu that Abbas and other eliminated bosses and heroes had formed the Destroyers' Alliance and might target him or the Alliance and the Horde.
• Li Mingfei told Xiao Yu to stay in the Immortal Throne except when the story required him to appear, and Xiao Yu agreed before leaving.
• Xiao Yu returned to the game and joined the elemental lords gathered in the council hall, where they seemed unusually restless.

After the elemental lords questioned his disastrous campaign, Xiao Yu faced his role as the expansion’s final boss and agreed to help Shen Yuan with a fight. Wearing an amulet that hides him from divination, he joined Shen Yuan and the sages at a temple, where they prepared to face an Old God.

• Neptulon questioned Azathoth about the failed invasion, but Xiao Yu intimidated the elemental lords into accepting his authority.
• Therazane warned Azathoth to keep his promise of a glorious future for the elemental race, while Xiao Yu reflected that adventurers would eventually defeat and kill him.
• Shen Yuan offered Xiao Yu a test amulet that could block Li Mingfei’s divination, and Xiao Yu put it on before leaving through a portal.
• At a temple, Xiao Yu reunited with Medivh, Merlin, and Naiser and met Kairoz and Ner'zhul, whom Shen Yuan revealed he had secretly rescued and restored.
• Xiao Yu sensed a powerful presence behind the temple doors, and Shen Yuan said they were there to fight an Old God.

Xiao Yu joined Shen Yuan and the Council of Sages at Ulduar to help collect blood from Yogg-Saron, an Old God whose immense magical power made him difficult to fight. After summoning an army and sealing the area, they opened the prison’s inner doors and charged into the hall where Yogg-Saron was held.

• Shen Yuan explained that the Council of Sages needed blood from Yogg-Saron and asked Xiao Yu to help, since Yogg-Saron’s magic could overwhelm even Naiser.
• Xiao Yu agreed and recognized Ulduar as the place where Yogg-Saron was imprisoned in Northrend.
• Ner'zhul, Naiser, and Xiao Yu summoned armies of undead, demons, and elemental creatures through their gates.
• Shen Yuan ordered Kairoz to keep the Eye of Time running and Merlin to activate the Fate-Shrouding Barrier.
• The Council’s army pushed open the inner doors and charged into the gloomy, ice-covered hall.

Shen Yuan’s group entered Ulduar to take a piece of Yogg-Saron, fought the Old God, and escaped with a tentacle. Kairoz used the Eye of Time to return them to a timeline where their actions and the keeper’s death had never happened, though the artifact’s power was nearly spent.

• The group found Yogg-Saron sealed beneath Ulduar, with the Tear of the Goddess of Aurora set in the sword pinning him down, and Shen Yuan warned them not to free him.
• Xiao Yu struck Yogg-Saron as Azathoth, but the Old God’s feigned surrender failed to fool the group, and his attempt to tempt them unsettled some of Naiser’s demons.
• Shen Yuan demanded part of Yogg-Saron’s body, and the group attacked as the Old God unleashed spells and sent his tentacles against them.
• Xiao Yu transformed into a Chaos Dragon and drew a tentacle taut, allowing Naiser to sever it; Merlin sealed the piece in a bottle as Yogg-Saron’s blood mutated their summoned creatures.
• Shen Yuan ordered the group to retreat before Yogg-Saron broke free, and Kairoz explained that they could escape the consequences by switching timelines with the Eye of Time.
• Kairoz activated the Eye of Time, restoring the original timeline and erasing the group’s entrance and the keeper’s death, but the artifact’s golden light nearly faded.