Azeroth: Starting with Eagle Eye in the Necropolis.

“Come and try some. This is a local specialty, magical wine from the Night Elf Empire,” Azshara said, raising a glass of wine to Rhodes.

Chapter 325: Telling Azshara about Earth and the awe-inspiring technology of humankind.

The maids moved gently and efficiently, and soon Rhodes was dressed in an elven-style bathrobe made of some kind of soft, smooth, shimmering silver velvet. Although the style was completely different from what he was used to, it was surprisingly well-fitting and comfortable.

He was led to a magnificent couch with soft cushions by the bath, where he sat opposite Azshara at just the right distance.

It must be said that when it comes to enjoyment, no one can compare to the Night Elves 1 years ago. This empire had almost reached the pinnacle of civilization.

The city of Suramar 1 years later is merely a microcosm of this era of extravagance, and is even in a state of extreme decline.

“Please, Lord Rhodes, experience the hospitality of Azeroth.” Azshara gracefully raised her glass.

Rhodes did not refuse. He tasted the strange fruit, and a sweet juice with strong energy fluctuations melted in his mouth, as if he had swallowed a small mouthful of concentrated moonlight, which invigorated him.

He took another sip of the magical wine. The rich aroma of the wine, along with a gentle yet surging magical power, flowed into his body. This magical wine was even more effective than the spring water he had just drunk. It was truly an unparalleled luxury!

Relying on the Well of Eternity, the night elves integrated magic into almost every aspect of their lives, which made Rhode marvel at the abundance and wonder of Azeroth's resources in ancient times.

“A marvelous creation, Your Majesty,” Rhodes exclaimed sincerely.

"Both the fruit and the wine contain incredibly pure arcane energy, a rarity in my journey."

That's just Ella's personality; the more you praise her, the more comfortable she feels.

The Pandaren once gave her a magnificent magical artifact, but the magic on this artifact would gradually dissipate and eventually disappear. The Pandaren's intention was to remind Azshara and the entire upper echelons of the Night Elf Empire not to abuse the power of magic or rely too much on it, as the power of magic is always fleeting and will eventually dissipate.

However, the upper elves of the Night Elf Empire completely ignored this advice and even gave generous gifts in return. In order to preserve this magical item, they continuously poured magic into it, leaving the Pandaren speechless.

My intention was to remind you not to misuse magic, that magic power is finite, but you told me instead that magic power is finite where you are, but here we have the Well of Eternity, where magic power is infinite.

Azshara smiled with satisfaction, pleased that Rhodes recognized its value. This was a top-quality wine brewed in the royal court, usually enjoyed only by her and a few top nobles.

"The blessings of the Well of Eternity pervade my empire; these are but ordinary things. Now, tell me, astral traveler, how is power manifested in your world? What is the origin of your golden 'holy light'?"

Rhodes knew that the real "interview" had begun. He put down his glass, gathered his thoughts, and began to describe a embellished story about the Holy Light.

He did not mention the Naaru or the Legion of Light, but described the Holy Light as a primordial energy existing in the universe, leaning towards order and life, which, combined with his own talents, enabled him to guide and utilize it, and most importantly, faith.

"It tends to protect, purify, and revive life. Unlike arcane magic, which seeks to understand and manipulate the laws of all things, it is closer to... a kind of faith and blessing." Rhodes finished speaking and stretched out his palm, a small ball of pure and warm golden holy light dancing in his palm.

"Interesting... It doesn't rely on the magic network, nor does it directly manipulate the elements. It's more like a harmonious unity between inner belief and external energy? This way of acquiring energy seems to depend more on the individual's 'state' than on simple knowledge and skills. Simply put, the stronger the faith, the more powerful this power is. It's a summoned power. Am I right?" Azshara asked with a smug look on her face.

“You are right, Your Majesty. You are truly wise. This power comes from faith. You can have faith in your own justice, or in the monarch you serve, or even in a goal, as long as you firmly believe that what you are doing is right and that you are fighting for justice.”

"Then the Holy Light will respond to you, and when your belief is strong enough, the power of the Holy Light will increase." Rhodes said with a smile.

Azshara's insight secretly alarmed Rhodes. As expected of the Light of Light, she had discerned some of the core characteristics of the Holy Light's power on their very first encounter.

Simply put, the power of holy light is like believing in Brother Chun (a popular Chinese internet celebrity) to gain eternal life, just like the Saint Seiya warriors' faith in Athena. The more you believe, the stronger you become.

Of course, this power cannot make you infinitely stronger; when faced with an insurmountable enemy, you will still be defeated.

"Now that you mention it, I'm a little curious about this power. About a few decades ago, a special child was born in our tribe. His eyes shone with golden light, just like mine."

"I feel that the golden light in that child's eyes is very similar to the power you've displayed," Azshara said thoughtfully.

Rod Wenyuan's heart skipped a beat. He naturally knew who the boy with golden eyes that Azshara had mentioned was—the young Eggman.

When Illidan was born, his eyes were filled with the power of Holy Light. However, Sargeras later took those eyes and bestowed upon him fel energy. In some ways, Illidan, like Kil'jaeden and Archimonde, was also personally given fel energy by Sargeras.

“The power of the Holy Light exists everywhere in this universe. With systematic learning, I believe that night elves can also master the power of the Holy Light,” Rhodes said with a smile.

“Haha, this power is indeed quite interesting. The power of faith you mentioned might be able to be concentrated in my body. As long as I have faith, I can unleash holy light. Can I understand it that way?” Queen Azshara asked.

“It’s theoretically feasible, and it’s practically feasible, but it requires systematic learning,” Rhodes said with a smile.

“That’s interesting. You can cast some Holy Light spells on me these next few days so I can feel this power, and then I’ll make my plans.” Azshara did not directly have Rhodes spread Holy Light among the night elves.

After all, it's a completely new power system, so she needs to be cautious. She needs to learn more about this traveler from another world.

“Could you tell me about your world, Mr. Rhodes? I’m quite curious about your world,” Azshara said.

"Of course, Your Majesty, I have traveled to many parts of the world, but the first one I must mention is my true homeland."

I come from a world called 'Earth', where there is no vast and boundless source of magic like the Well of Eternity, nor a race like yours that is born with the ability to wield arcane magic. There is only one intelligent race in our world.

My fellow humans, in terms of physical strength and mental talent, were initially far inferior to the night elves.

Azshara raised an eyebrow slightly, seemingly less interested in the world of the "weak." So, their world doesn't have magic either? Then how did this kid acquire the ability to perform his duties in the concession?

At that moment, Rhodes changed the subject: "But we have taken a completely different path. We have developed a power called 'technology'."

It does not rely on an innate magical affinity, but is based on the exploration, understanding, and application of the rules of the material world.

Rhodes began to describe the scene on Earth: “In our city, countless metal and glass buildings, hundreds of meters high, pierce the sky. We call them ‘skyscrapers,’ and each one is taller than your tallest palace.”

Even in the dead of night, the city shines with dazzling light, just like daytime, because we harness 'electricity'.

An omnipresent energy that powers light, machinery, and countless wondrous devices.

Seeing a glint of interest in Azshara's eyes, Rhodes intensified his efforts: "We have created metal vehicles that do not require horses or magic to drive."

These vehicles are extremely fast; they can cover a distance of several hundred kilometers in just a few hours. We have built asphalt roads that are several thousand meters or even tens of thousands of kilometers long.

We've created 'airplanes' that can soar above the clouds and circle a planet halfway in a day; we've even built 'rocket' and 'spaceship' capable of escaping Earth's gravity and flying to the moon and other planets to explore the cosmos.

Of course, this kind of exploration is currently only exploring satellites. Humans can't even go to Mars yet; they can only send some probes.

Azshara leaned forward slightly, her starry eyes revealing genuine shock for the first time. "Flying towards...the moon and stars? Relying on...metallic artifacts?"

This was practically a pipe dream for the night elves, who relied on magic for limited teleportation.

Moreover, the skyscrapers and houses where ordinary people live there are actually taller than the palace where he, the queen of the Night Elf Empire, resides.

This was something Azshara found hard to accept.

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Rhodes affirmed. This is nothing! You’re still in for a surprise.

"In the military field, the power of 'technology' is even more astonishing."

We possess a weapon called a 'missile,' capable of precisely locking onto and destroying a fortress from thousands of miles away. Its explosive power would be enough to instantly level your magnificent bathhouse and a large area around it, leaving behind a massive crater.

He gestured with his hands, trying to make Azshara understand that destructive power.

“We also have even more powerful ‘nuclear weapons.’ A single weapon like that would be enough to turn a city the size of your capital into ashes, extinguishing all life for centuries. It’s a destructive force that you can’t even imagine.”

Rhodes's description deliberately used metaphors that Azshara could understand, elevating the power of technology to a position equal to or even surpassing the powerful magic she perceived it to be.

Chapter 326 Disdain, Annoyed Azshara, Naive and Arrogant

This is a bizarre and fantastical world, completely beyond Azshara's imagination. The Night Elf Queen simply cannot fathom how such a terrifying attack could be achieved without the power of magic, destroying a city in a single blow and leaving it barren for hundreds of years.

This can only be achieved with forbidden-level magic. Even now, I cannot do this without the power of the Well of Eternity.

Azshara felt that Rhodes was lying to her, even exaggerating, which was simply too unbelievable.

"Rhodes, first of all, I want to express my welcome to you. I really welcome you to our world and will receive you with the highest honors."

You can tell me what you need, but you shouldn't lie to me like that. What you're saying is simply impossible.

Those skyscrapers, those buildings that are taller and more magnificent than my palace, are just places where countless commoners live. Are you trying to humiliate me?

On a continent, the air, sea, and land transportation is faster than teleportation magic. Compared to your world, my empire is a backwater, right?

Furthermore, the kind of thing you call nuclear weapons, if they were really as powerful as you say, would be utterly absurd. According to your logic, any country that possesses nuclear weapons could easily destroy an enemy country.

"Your world should be filled with war." Azshara slammed her glass down on the ground, her expression unfriendly.

The Night Elf Queen felt she had been deceived. She had received this visitor from another world with the highest honors, but the visitor from another world was spouting nonsense.

In her view, the world that Rhodes described simply did not exist, and nowhere could be more luxurious and exquisite than her palace.

"Queen Azshara, I can assure you that I have absolutely no intention of deceiving you. Every word I have said is true, and nuclear weapons are as powerful as I have described."

There are even more powerful hydrogen bombs. If all the nuclear weapons in our world were detonated simultaneously, the destructive power would not be much less than the explosion of your Well of Eternity.

As for the skyscrapers you suspect, the nearly 10,000-kilometer-long asphalt roads, and the various winding railways that connect several continents, allowing travel by rail, plane, or even cargo ship in a few days or even ten days without any teleportation magic, these are all real occurrences in my world.

As for the lives of ordinary people, the lives in some developed countries are completely incomparable to those in poor and underdeveloped countries.

Although my country is not a developed country, it ranks second in the world in terms of comprehensive national strength, and may even rank first in another ten years or so.

"The common people in our area don't live luxurious lives, but at least they don't have to worry about food and clothing," Rod said with a smile.

"Then prove to me that what you've said is true, and what about your nuclear weapons. Why hasn't a large-scale war broken out? Logically, with those weapons, your world should be randomly dropping nuclear weapons and destroying the entire world," Queen Azshara said.

Upon hearing this, Rhodes chuckled. He thought, "They're all talk and no action. Having a weapon of destructive power is actually safer."

Earthlings are the most qualified to say this: the reason why no large-scale war has broken out in more than 70 years and the whole world has not been at war is because of the existence of nuclear weapons.

“Pfft, hehehe, Your Majesty, first I must correct one of your misconceptions. As a ruler, if you were facing another country that was not much weaker than yours, and you had the ability to destroy it, and it also had the ability to destroy you, then what would you do?” Rhodes asked with a smile.

"Needless to say, I will not hesitate to use the most powerful weapons to destroy them and defend my kingdom," Queen Azshara said matter-of-factly.

"No, no, no, my dear Queen, quite the opposite. As a ruler, you have to weigh all the pros and cons."

You can't guarantee that while you're destroying them, they won't react and destroy you in the same way. Are you willing to gamble your life, your entire nation, and your country?

"Do you have the courage to perish together with your enemy? If not, then don't utter such words. In this world, your Night Elf Empire is incredibly powerful; no other force can compare to you. That's why you've come to this conclusion. But if an empire as powerful as yours existed, you wouldn't say such a thing," Rhodes said with a cold laugh.

In fact, Azshara was quite good in terms of appearance, talent, and intelligence, making her a qualified ruler, but this woman was too arrogant.

To put it bluntly, they haven't experienced any setbacks and think the world should revolve around them and the entire universe should center around them.

Everyone should treat her unconditionally well, and she should get whatever she wants—this is a typical fairy-tale personality.

"Heh, in the end, you're just bragging to me about how powerful your world is. According to you, what are your chances of winning a war against me?" Azshara sneered.

"What are the odds of victory? I'm sorry, Queen Elshara, I'm not very familiar with your country's military strength, so I can't make a balanced comparison," Rhodes said.

"Then let me tell you, our Night Elf Empire is incredibly powerful. We have the world's most powerful mage legion, wield powerful magical weapons, possess the most luxurious mage and warrior units, as well as mysterious druids and the protection of powerful wilderness demigods..." Azshara proudly began to introduce the detailed information about the Night Elf Empire, revealing the full extent of her empire's military strength.

In Her Majesty's view, this is the best deterrent to the enemy. Look how powerful I am, you fool, do you dare to offend someone like me?

"Pfft! Hahaha, Your Majesty, thank you for your honesty. Are you sure you have told me everything about your empire's military situation?" What a naive and innocent queen. No wonder Sargeras fooled her so easily.

Please, this is detailed military intelligence about your country. How can you just tell others like that?

If she doesn't even understand this basic principle, then this queen's reputation in Rhodes's eyes has dropped another level; she has absolutely no political acumen.

Rhodes' sudden burst of laughter caused Queen Azshara's delicate brows to furrow completely. The mockery in his laughter was undisguised, piercing her proud pride like a thorn.

The air around her seemed to freeze because of her displeasure, and the arcane energy began to stir restlessly. Clearly, Azshara was angry, and she didn't understand why Rhodes was laughing.