Azeroth: Starting with Eagle Eye in the Necropolis.

"For the Horde! Tear these invaders apart!" The leading orc captain roared as he charged forward, raising his battle axe.

These orcs still had green skin, but their eyes had begun to turn red, and their appearance was starting to transform into that of evil orcs. They would only need to use the blood of an abyss lord once more to turn their skin red and their bodies would begin to grow demonic features, such as bone spurs or demonic horns.

"For the League! For Lordaeron! Warriors, rise to the challenge!" Rhodes declared.

The first to strike was Ashbringer. Old Mograine was fearless, and Ashbringer drew a scorching arc in his hand as he cleaved down.

Holy light and fel energy collided violently, unleashing a blinding light. The fel orc captain, along with his axe, was instantly purified by the powerful holy light, and the scorching holy light vaporized his body.

Ashbringer is extremely powerful, especially in the hands of its first master. Some people think that the strongest user of Ashbringer should be Tirion Fordring, but that is not the case.

Ashbringer – the one who truly brought this weapon to its full potential was Mograine the Elder, a formidable warrior with explosive combat power.

This left Kel'Thuzad helpless, forcing him to conspire with the Dreadlords to drown the first Ashbringer.

After obtaining this legendary weapon, Mograine's strength was actually not much less than Uther's, and he was even superior in terms of attack power and the ability to purify undead demons.

The Holy Light Judgment he created using the Shadow Crystal left behind by the Faceless Ones was actually slightly less powerful than Ashbringer's.

The battle erupted instantly. Paladins stood at the forefront, their holy light shields gleaming, blocking all the fel orc attacks. Behind them, blood elf spellbreakers nimbly weaved through the enemy lines; their double-edged swords were specifically designed to counter magical energy, proving remarkably effective against the fel armor worn by the fel orcs.

The human mages led by Rhonin and the blood elf mages led by Kael'thas chanted spells, raining down fireballs, ice arrows, and arcane missiles on the orc ranks, causing heavy casualties.

Before Rhodes could even summon his army of golden and iron men, nor release his powerful Holy Fire Phoenix, the battle was already nearing its end.

The people who joined the team this time were all top professionals. Even the weakest mage was a high-level mage, and the other paladins were not trainees.

The battle ended quickly; the small patrol of orcs was completely wiped out without causing a ripple.

Only a few members of the alliance team suffered minor injuries and recovered quickly with the help of the priests.

“These monsters are indeed born evil. Look at them, Marshal Rhodes. They have been corrupted by fel energy. Orcs are an inherently evil race,” Whitemane said.

To be honest, he used to admire Rhodes, the great hero, very much. Rhodes stood up when Lordaeron was in its most dangerous time and led everyone to protect the princess.

He also defeated the Burning Legion in the Battle of Mount Hyjal, thwarting the Legion's plot, and is a hero of the entire Alliance.

But there was one thing that displeased Whitemane: why would this great hero reach a ceasefire agreement with the Horde, and there were even rumors that he intended to conduct peace negotiations with the orcs.

These filthy orcs are invaders of a world and do not deserve to live.

“These guys are indeed quite warlike. I didn’t say orcs are good. Little girl, do you have a problem with me?” Rhodes asked, squinting his eyes.

The last time they met in Southshore, this girl was quite nice to him, but this time when they met again in the group, Sally Whitemane was not very obedient to orders.

“Don’t misunderstand, Marshal Rhodes. This girl used to admire you a lot, but she’s a little unhappy about the peace agreement you reached with the orcs. Many people in the Alliance are also unhappy about it,” Old Mograine said as he walked over.

He knew perfectly well what his adopted daughter was thinking; the Alliance members harbored a deep-seated loathing for the orc race.

Rod chuckled upon hearing this. He had thought it was something serious. Turns out, it was just this!

"I never said we were allied with the orcs. We've just defeated the Burning Legion and now we have to deal with the Scourge. We have all sorts of problems."

"Turning against the orc-led tribes now is not a good thing, but you can rest assured, I have never advocated peace with the orcs." Rhodes said with a smile.

While Thrall was around, the two sides could maintain a fragile peace, but once Thrall was gone, the true nature of the orc race would be exposed, and Rhodes would naturally not hold back.

“Grand Marshal Rhodes, maintaining peace with the orcish hordes is essential in the current situation. You are doing the right thing. There is no need to change your mind because of what some people say,” said old Mograine.

Humanity has suffered a tremendous blow, and it is absolutely not the time to go to war with the orcs. Old Mograine supports Rhodes' decision as the new Grand Marshal.

Even most veterans with strategic vision supported it, except for those whose relatives were killed by orcs in the war, such as a certain admiral.

The new Grand Marshal is having a passionate affair with the princess of Kul Tiras, and they've even become intimate. What will you do when your father-in-law demands war?

“Don’t worry, Ashbringer, I have my own strategic vision. I know when to do what and when not to do what,” Rod Mograine said.

“Then I’m relieved, Marshal Rhodes, but you must remember one thing: sometimes you have to be tough when dealing with certain people and don’t offer too many explanations,” said old Mograine.

Chapter 218 The Excited Veteran of Glory Fortress

As a top officer of Lordaeron and the high lord of the Silver Hand, Old Mograine knew all too well that as a top decision-maker, you absolutely cannot cater to everyone's wishes.

So sometimes you just need to give orders and don't explain too much to your subordinates. It's impossible to cater to everyone's feelings.

Rhodes nodded at Old Mograine's explanation. He naturally understood the reasoning, but there were practically no humans who were friendly towards orcs.

In the previous timeline, Jaina and Thrall had a good relationship, but because of his appearance, Jaina and Thrall barely interacted at all.

As for the rest of the Alliance, to be honest, they were mostly unfriendly to the orcs. The only one who ever praised the orcs was the exiled Alliance hero, Tirion Fordring.

However, this one is not one to meddle in other people's business. He is currently in seclusion. However, Rhodes is considering inviting this first paladin out after he returns this time. The Alliance desperately needs top-notch officers to keep things in order, since he can't do everything himself.

“These orcs… they seem to have their minds controlled by some more powerful force,” Prince Kael'thas said after examining the corpse of a fel orc with magic.

"Compared to them, Thrall's new tribe can be called 'civilized'."

Isn't that right? These orcs, deeply corrupted by fel energy, have already begun to transform into demons.

“It seems the situation in the Outer Realms is more complicated than we imagined. We must find General Turalyon as soon as possible. They have been holding out here for so many years, they must have gathered more intelligence,” said Archmage Ronin.

He hadn't seen General Turalyon for a long time, and so had Vereesa's sister, Lady Aurelia, who was also going to Outland this time.

Because of his wife's request, his second sister died in Silvermoon City, and his eldest sister went missing. Now that he finally has the opportunity to go to Outland, Vereesa desperately hopes to bring his eldest sister, Alleria, back.

Rhodes smiled upon hearing this and remained silent. Most of the expeditionary force was still alive, but Aurelia and Turalyon were not expected to return at the moment, as they were not in the Outer Realms.

According to the timeline, these two have been fighting in the Twisting Nether for thousands of years. Moreover, Turalyon was lightforged by Zera, the Mother of Light, and became an immortal being, so he will basically never die of old age. This perfectly makes up for the lifespan difference between humans and elves.

Thinking about this, Rhodes began to ponder his own problems. It didn't matter now, but he would always be troubled by his lifespan in the future.

In Azeroth, there are many ways to extend one's lifespan: Lightforging with the Holy Light, demonization with fel energy, undead immortality, and transformation with shadow power. In a sense, the most fundamental infusion of the six fundamental forces can make ordinary life forms immortal.

However, relatively speaking, humans can only accept holy light and life. It is definitely impossible to transform into demons or undead, and it is also impossible for shadows to become void creatures.

As for arcane energy, theoretically it would transform you into something like a Titan Guardian or a guardian dragon.

Rhodes felt that the most suitable option for him was probably life itself. According to some historical records, the Star Soul of Azeroth itself was a representation of the Force of Life.

Wilderness demigods are the embodiment of life force. If one can receive the blessing of a beloved general, then one should also receive the infusion of life energy and become an immortal being similar to a wilderness demigod.

In the 10.0 Dragon Soul expansion, several Dragon Lords who had lost their protective power, or whose Dragon Age had ended, along with the Frost Dragon Lord, were infused with Azeroth's power and regained their protective power.

It seems the best option is to cultivate a good relationship with Cenarius, help the Force of Life reach Azeroth, and then ask her to infuse me with life. If that doesn't work, then I'll choose the power of the Holy Light!

After resting for a while, the group continued their journey. Rhode rode his giant Holy Fire Phoenix into the sky and then cast a spell that allowed him to see through the earth.

Having obtained a completely new image of the surrounding terrain, Rhodes easily located Honor Hold and also observed the Hellfire Wall on the other side.

Rhodes guided the way from the sky, and the team moved forward slowly.

As they got closer to Honor Hold marked on the map, demonic activity gradually decreased, replaced by wandering, relatively "gentle" Lost Ones and strange native creatures like the Talbuk. Occasionally, they could also see some clearly man-made road signs and simple fortifications.

These Broken Ones are the product of the Draenei's degeneration due to some kind of mutation, and are now not even accepted by their own race, but in the future they will become Illidan's subordinates.

It's reasonable to see some of the remaining native creatures, such as the Tabu sheep, here, considering that it's quite a distance from our swamp. Without nearby food supplies, these veterans might not have made it this far.

In addition, there are some creatures similar to sandworms, and other small desert environment organisms, some of which even grow some plants.

"Look over there!" a sharp-eyed paladin shouted, pointing to a hill in the distance.

Following his gaze, everyone saw a simple yet prominently displayed fortress standing atop the hill, its walls constructed from local red rocks.

Human-style battlements and watchtowers are faintly visible. Most excitingly, at the highest point of the fortress, a flag, weathered yet still flying proudly—a blue flag with a golden lion—is the flag of Stormwind and the symbol of the Alliance!

“We found it! There’s no mistake, it’s the Alliance’s symbol, it’s our human architectural style,” Dathrohan said excitedly, and even the usually composed old Mograine showed a relieved smile.

"Speed ​​up! It's over there," Rhodes ordered.

The group climbed the steep mountain path, and the outline of the fortress became clearer and clearer.

They could see soldiers patrolling the city walls. The soldiers' armor was old-fashioned, with a style reminiscent of World War II, but it was polished to a shine, indicating good discipline.

As the allied forces approached the fortress gates, the defenders on the walls clearly spotted them as well.

The alarm bell rang, and soon after, the heavy gates of the fortress slowly opened with a creak, and a squad of fully armed, vigilant soldiers marched out.

The leading officer looked quite old, with graying temples, but his posture remained upright. He wore armor bearing the Stormwind emblem, but his cloak was worn and tattered.

Similar to his situation, all the veterans present were in their forties or fifties, many with gray hair. These people had been in the outer realms for more than ten years. In such harsh conditions, time passed very quickly, and they aged faster than others.

Upon seeing the approaching column, the soldiers and their commander were initially very excited, but they quickly calmed down. Because there were many demons around, they worried that this was an illusion created by the demons. It wasn't until the two columns got closer and closer to the human commander and the soldiers of Honor Hold that they realized that this did not seem to be a trick or an illusion.

These veterans of the Alliance expeditionary force scrutinized Rhodes' well-equipped, racially diverse (human, blood elf, and naga) army. Their gazes lingered for a moment, particularly on Vashj, the naga representative left behind by Illidan, and the blood elves, before finally settling on two people surrounded by the crowd in the center, whom they recognized.

Old Mograine, who made great contributions during World War II, and Dathrohan, one of the first Paladins.

The officer stepped forward, his right fist clenched and placed on his left chest, giving a standard Allied salute, his voice loud and clear without a trace of tremor:

“I am Danath Trollbane, the second-in-command of the Alliance Expeditionary Force and currently the Supreme Commander of Nethergarde. Are you… from Azeroth?”

His questions were filled with anticipation and unbelievable excitement. Clearly, after more than a decade of isolation, they could hardly imagine seeing their compatriots from their hometown again.

Rhodes stepped forward, nodded, and said.

“General Darnass Trollbane, I am Rhodes, Regent of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, and Grand Marshal of the Alliance. We have been entrusted by Princess Calia Menethil and Uther the Lightbringer to cross the astral plane and come to this world to bring you home!”

Back when he was still a very familiar Outland quest, he was the highest-ranking person in charge here. Rhodes even vaguely remembered the scene when Kidd first came here to do a quest in the game.

The words "go home" resounded like thunder in the ears of the expeditionary force soldiers, and many veterans of the expeditionary force could hardly believe their ears.

A moment of silence fell over the city and its surroundings, followed by deafening cheers and uncontrollable weeping. The suffering, sacrifices, and hopes endured for over a decade in the outer realms had finally come to an end.

They thought they would never be able to return to their hometown, never be able to return to that familiar land, but they never expected that one day the people of the Alliance would come here and come to take them home.

Danas Tallbairn, the seasoned veteran, instantly teared up. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his emotions, and solemnly saluted once more:

"Grand Marshal! You are very grateful that you came to pick us up, but you shouldn't have opened the Dark Portal. When we decided to step into this world, we never thought we would leave alive," said Darnass Trollbane.

“We didn’t reopen the Dark Portal; we came to the Outer Realms through another means. Don’t worry,” Rhodes said.

Chapter 219 Sharing Information: Azeroth and Outland, Missing?

Rhodes greatly admired these warriors from the outer realms. There was no way he couldn't admire them; when these people stepped into another world, they went with the intention of dying.

It's like a suicide squad; when you're faced with someone like that, you can't help but admire them.

Rhodes knew these people's concerns. They worried that once the Dark Portal was opened, Azeroth would be connected to Draenor once again. Draenor had now been shattered into Outland, a very dangerous world with various temporal and spatial turbulence. In addition to the native orcs, there were also races from other worlds called Voidlings.

These things are all threats. After meeting Rhodes and the others, the first thing these expeditionary forces cared about was whether or not they should open the Dark Portal, rather than follow them home.

"Another method? Then I'm relieved. Your Excellency, you have no idea how terrifying this world is. We absolutely cannot allow it to connect with our world." Danas Trollbane's eyes flashed with surprise and doubt, but more than that, they showed relief.

Darnas Trollbane stepped aside to make way, gesturing for them to enter. "Please come in, Rhodes, Grand Marshal, Lord Dathrohan, Mograine, and this must be Prince Kael'thas!"