Azeroth: Starting with Eagle Eye in the Necropolis.

I can't just call her over right away and give her riding training alone!

However, since both women had spoken, Rhodes didn't say anything more. The holy light chains in his hand disappeared, and Onyxia breathed a sigh of relief, transforming back into the countess.

How awful! She was determined to make her father and brother avenge her for the humiliation she suffered today.

King Varian then warmly received Rhodes, and the two chatted happily during the banquet. Rhodes even patted Varian on the shoulder, indicating that he wanted to become sworn brothers with him.

He proposed that he be the eldest brother and Varian the second brother, but King Varian rejected this suggestion with a dark expression.

The atmosphere at the banquet subtly changed when Rhodes met Anduin Wrynn Jr.

The young prince had soft blond hair and clear blue eyes, and was very polite. But in Rhodes's perception, the child was surrounded by an exceptionally pure spirituality that was in perfect harmony with the holy light.

Rhodes put down his wine glass, his gaze fixed intently on the little prince as he greeted the guests, as if he had discovered a rare treasure.

“My dear Varian! Your son is something else!”

Varian frowned even more deeply: "Lord Rhodes, what makes you say that?"

"Holy Light! I sensed the purest potential of Holy Light!" Rhodes stood up, strode over to Anduin, squatted down, and unceremoniously pinched the little prince's cheek, his actions as intimate as if he were his own nephew or niece.

"This child is a natural recipient of divine favor, and his future achievements are limitless!"

"To entrust him to an ordinary pastor would be a waste of his talent! It would be better to have him follow me in his spiritual practice! This child is destined for the Holy Light, which means he is destined for me."

Varian, Rhodes, you son of a bitch! You've taken advantage of me enough today.

Chapter 295 A Head-on Clash, Benedictus, You Don't Deserve It

Varian's face darkened. "Lord Rhodes, Anduin's education is an internal affair of Stormwind, and also my family matter. He already has court priests providing him with his early education..."

You've gone too far, you bastard! How dare you set your sights on your own son? Anduin is your only son, the future heir to Stormwind. How could he possibly become your apprentice?

Varian absolutely could not accept his son leaving Stormwind and going to Lordaeron. What kind of behavior was that?

Young Andu was somewhat taken aback by Rhodes's sudden action, but he remained polite and did not cry or make any unnecessary movements.

The second-in-command stared wide-eyed at the "Grand Marshal of the Alliance" who had just swiftly subdued the Black Dragon. He was extremely curious about Rhodes, especially about the power of Holy Light.

Even when he was just old enough to understand things, he was already able to summon the Holy Light. Not long ago, he decided to walk the path of the Holy Light, rather than the path of his father, the path of the warrior.

"Enlightenment? How can such trivial tricks uncover the true potential of this rough gem? This child has limitless potential, and the Holy Light's affection for him is no less than mine."

He will carry out the path of the Holy Light in the future and become the spokesperson of the Holy Light. His future is limitless. Are you sure you want to hand him over to an incompetent person to teach him? Rhodes picked up his wine glass, took a small sip, and then looked at King Varian.

"You underestimate our Stormwind Kingdom, Lord Rhodes. I admit that the Silver Hand, the paladin organization of Lordaeron, is world-renowned, and as the vice-commander, your understanding of the Holy Light far surpasses that of ordinary people."

"But we have Archbishop Benedictus in Stormwind, a powerful priest who has served the kingdom for decades. I believe the Archbishop can properly educate my son," Varian Wrynn said with a sneer.

Since the death of Archbishop Alonsus Faol, Lordaeron has actually been weaker than Stormwind in terms of priests; which priest can compare to Benedictus?

Rhodes chuckled upon hearing this. Stormwind City truly is teeming with talent. The two people this king trusted were both traitors.

The infamous Archbishop of the Twilight Tribunal, a key figure who would later fall to the wrath of Deathwing, Rhodes' eyes turned to Katarina sitting to the side. Did this woman have any influence on the future Benedictus's allegiance to Deathwing, or rather, to the Old Gods?

However, Rhodes doesn't intend to expose the archbishop right now. It's more interesting to fish out the fish little by little, and besides, Onyx Isia probably doesn't know Benedictus's true identity.

Otherwise, Princess Black Dragon would have sought help from the archbishop long ago when she died, instead of watching helplessly as King Varian beheaded her.

“Varian, to tell you the truth, I’ve taken a liking to this lad! I’m going to take him as my disciple and personally teach him the Path of Holy Light!”

This is the will of the Holy Light, the prophecy of the Great Holy Light. Only I can truly teach Andu, so that he may become the greatest Guardian of the Holy Light. He will possess the skills of both a Paladin and a Priest, as well as the various special spells and combat styles I have developed.

The banquet hall fell silent instantly upon hearing this. All the nobles and generals held their breath, staring at Rhodes in disbelief. This wasn't a negotiation; it was blatant robbery!

The crown prince, the future king, is not someone you can just take on as a disciple.

To these nobles, claiming it's a prophecy of holy light is nothing but an excuse; they think it's just empty talk.

“Lord Rhodes, please respect our nation’s sovereignty,” a Stormwind general said, standing up.

“The little prince should stay in Stormwind, not follow you to pursue some path of the Holy Light. Our king is capable of taking care of his own child,” a priest said, standing up.

Varian's face flushed instantly, veins throbbing on his forehead, and his fingers gripping the wine glass turned white from the force. He forced out his words through clenched teeth, suppressing his anger: "Lord Rhodes! This proposal is unacceptable! Anduin is the prince of Stormwind, his future..."

"His future is destined to be intertwined with the Holy Light and closely linked to the fate of the Alliance!" Rhodes interrupted again, standing up as his gaze swept across the entire room before finally settling on Varian's furious face.

“I’ll repeat myself: if he comes with me, I can make him a paladin even greater than Uther, perhaps even… an ambassador of the Holy Light on earth! This is not only his opportunity, but also a blessing for Stormwind and the entire Alliance!”

"You!" Varian stood up abruptly, and Salamani seemed to sense its master's anger, emitting a faint hum. Duke Bolvar also immediately stepped forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword, and the atmosphere instantly became tense.

Jaina and Tyrion Lannister tensed up; they hadn't expected Rhodes to suddenly make such an outrageous request.

Varian had already made concessions regarding Onyxia, even hosting a banquet for Rhodes in an attempt to ease tensions, but Rhodes has once again become assertive.

The Black Dragon Princess, sitting to the side, was beaming with excitement. "Yes, yes, that's it! Let's fight! Let's fight! It would be great if we could destroy Stormwind City, and even better if we could get rid of that guy Rhodes!"

However, given Stormwind's strength, this was clearly impossible; their master's strength was far beyond what was expected.

However, Rhodes seemed oblivious to the tense atmosphere. Instead, he smiled and patted Varian's tense shoulder with considerable force, which felt like a thousand pounds on Varian's body. As a father, how could he possibly hand over his son? What kind of talk was that?

"Don't get excited, brother Varian."

"I'm doing this for your son's sake, and for the good of the alliance. Look, I've helped you eliminate such a major threat today, and I've demonstrated enough power to protect the alliance. Would I possibly harm your heir?"

Rhodes's meaning was crystal clear: I helped you, I'm better than you, so I'm in charge.

“I refuse. This is the only thing I will not compromise on, Grand Marshal Rhodes.” Varian’s refusal was firm and resolute, carrying the last line of defense and dignity of a father and king.

The air in the banquet hall seemed to freeze, all eyes focused on Rhodes, watching how he would respond to this blunt rejection.

Rhodes narrowed his eyes. Jaina, Fina, and Anveena, who were sitting beside him, looked anxious. "Please, Rhodes, don't be so domineering! Why have you suddenly become so powerful since we came to Stormwind?"

Just then, a voice rang out: "May the Holy Light guide us and quell unnecessary strife."

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw an old man with a kind face, wearing a magnificent bishop's robe and a tall crown, slowly entering the hall. He held a scepter inlaid with a huge holy light crystal in his hand, and his body was radiating an incomparably powerful holy light aura. He was none other than the Archbishop of the Holy Light Church of Stormwind, Benedictus.

"Archbishop! You've arrived." Varian's tense expression relaxed slightly upon seeing the newcomer, and many of Stormwind's nobles and generals bowed in greeting, as if they had found their pillar of support, demonstrating Benedictus's exalted status in Stormwind.

Benedictus walked between Rhodes and Varian, first nodding slightly to Varian, then turning to Rhodes.

"Your Excellency Rhodes, Grand Marshal of the Alliance, your mastery of the Path of Holy Light is astonishing, and your feat of eradicating the evil black dragon today is even more admirable."

However, His Highness Prince Anduin is not only the Crown Prince of Stormwind, but also a devout follower of the Holy Light.

Regarding his teachings, the Church of the Holy Light has its own considerations and arrangements. As the representative of the Holy Light in Stormwind, I will carefully guide His Highness and explore his potential in the Holy Light.

When he's a bit older, say fifteen or sixteen, if you're still willing to take him as a disciple, we will naturally send him to your country to receive your instruction.

Benedictus spoke very tactfully, without intending to offend Rhodes at all. He even suggested that Anduin should accept Rhodes's guidance when he was older.

The young crown prince being taken away is extremely dangerous. Even if he has royal blood, it is not a good thing for him to grow up in another country, even an allied one.

Rhodes looked at Benedictus, his smile unchanged, and gently swirled the wine in his glass. He did not immediately refute him, but instead looked at this future follower of the Old God, the Chosen of Twilight, with great interest.

"Oh? Your Excellency the Archbishop seems quite confident in your teaching abilities?" Rode asked casually, as if they were having a casual conversation.

"How about we verify it on the spot? Let's see who better represents the 'will' of the Holy Light?"

Let's put it to the test and see what it's really like.

Benedictus frowned almost imperceptibly, but remained composed: "How does Lord Rhodes wish to verify this?"

Rhodes did not answer directly, but instead turned his gaze to Anduin and beckoned to him. Anduin glanced at his father, and after Varian nodded slightly, he obediently walked to Rhodes' side and bowed.

“My child, you possess an extremely powerful talent for Holy Light. I sincerely want to teach you, and I can assure you that.”

"Now it's your turn to make the choice. In a moment, close your eyes and feel the power of the Holy Light. Just follow your heart, walk in one direction, and see who the Holy Light chooses," Rhodes said.

Rhodes was very confident in Anduin's Holy Light talent. "You're just a Shadow player, what makes you think you can compare to me?"

After a moment's thought, Benedictus nodded to Rhodes and began discussing their understanding of the Holy Light, confident that he was second to none.

Anduin closed his eyes as instructed, and his pure heart easily became immersed in the perception of the holy light.

Rhodes and Benedictus stood on either side, each unleashing their own holy light.

Two beams of blazing holy light illuminated the entire banquet hall.

Chapter 296: Anduin Achieves Complete Victory over Benedictus, Becomes His Apprentice

The atmosphere in the hall was extremely oppressive. Everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on Anduin, who stood with his eyes closed, waiting for the young prince to make his choice.

Rhodes and Benedictus stood on either side, both radiating intense holy light. Their holy light power was so great that laymen could not discern their true strength.

So he began to seek help from some priests and paladins around him. As users of the Holy Light, they should be able to tell whose Holy Light was gentler and more powerful.

But this time everyone was disappointed. Even higher-ranking priests or paladins couldn't tell that the Holy Light Archbishop's Holy Light power was indeed very strong.

But the holy light emanating from Rhodes could only be described as unfathomable. Anduin, with his eyes closed, sensed two powerful yet gentle lights. However, the little prince was hesitant to make a decision. Deep down, he wanted to stay by his father's side, but the holy light told him that following Rhodes seemed to be a better choice.

Benedictus made the first move, and a gentle yet powerful golden radiance, like the warm spring sun, spread out from him, filled with a comforting power.

The holy light seemed to carry the low murmur of a choir, solemn and sacred, inspiring awe and trust in those around them. Many Stormwind nobles and generals wore expressions of rapture and reassurance, for this was the holy light they knew and believed in, belonging to the Archbishop of Stormwind.

"Can you feel it, child? This is the teaching of the Holy Light. Let me teach you the way of the Holy Light!" Benedictus's voice was gentle and magnetic, reaching Anduin's ears through a special means. Although it had been said before that neither of them should make any sound, the power of the Holy Light often does not need to speak to transmit messages.

Rod naturally saw Benedictus's little tricks; he dared to show off his meager skills before an expert.

The holy light emanating from Rhodes possessed an indescribable penetrating power and vitality, like the rising sun piercing through the darkness, containing boundless life force and hope.

Golden flames danced around him, even faintly coalescing into phantom images of phoenixes, angels, and other holy creatures, emitting silent cries.

This holy light not only warmed people's hearts, but also inspired courage and strength within them, as if calling for battle and protection. Rhodes even secretly cast a spell to summon the holy light element.

This time, four Holy Light Elementals were summoned, all of them over 4 meters tall, with huge wings of light on their backs, and appearing in the form of beautiful women.

Rhodes has made initial improvements to the spell "Holy Light Elemental," and it has now been developed into a level 1 spell that consumes mana to summon a small number of Holy Light Elementals. Moreover, it is an upgraded version.

This spell can also be learned by priests or paladins, but ordinary paladins or priests can only summon one to assist in battle at most, but even so, it is still very powerful.

The Holy Light Elemental is a versatile character who can deal damage, tank, and heal.

These holy light elements could also be seen by the Stormwind nobles present; these beautiful and sacred creatures were awe-inspiring.

Although I had heard some rumors about the Holy Light Elemental before, this was the first time it had been summoned.

"Anduin, the Holy Light is not merely a prayer in temples, nor merely a dogma in scriptures; it is a sword in our hands, a shield to protect the weak, a flame to cleanse evil, and a source of courage to change the world!"

Feel it, master it, and don't just revere it! Besides, did you really feel pure holy light in that archbishop?" Rhodes' voice echoed in Anduin's mind.

Two distinct forces of holy light intertwined in the banquet hall, giving all onlookers a sense of awe and oppression.

However, since the appearance of the Holy Light elementals, Rhodes' Holy Light power seems to have gained the upper hand. These Holy Light elementals also chant beautiful poems, which captivate all the nobles of Stormwind.