Azeroth: Starting with Eagle Eye in the Necropolis.

Chapter 340 New Mount: The Unicorn Sacred Beast, the Most Shameless Mount

“Oh, Lord Rhodes, do you also have a mount? Where is it? You can have someone bring it over,” the High Priestess of the Moon Goddess nodded and said.

Tyrande was brought along with this outsider to ensure his safety and to get him to the Temple of the Moon as quickly as possible.

It was a last resort. If this stranger had his own mount, things would be much easier; he could just summon it and have it follow his men.

“My mount is a summon, a divine being I obtained while traveling through other worlds,” Rhodes said, before preparing to summon his wyvern.

But after thinking about it, he stopped. The Wyvern King is an extremely fast flying mount, and it will also appear in 1 years. This time, when he came to 1 years ago, Rhodes wanted to avoid revealing any of his troops, at least those he used 1 years ago.

Therefore, Rhodes does not intend to use the Archangel of Light, the Phoenix of Light, the Elemental of Light, other elements, and the army of constructs unless absolutely necessary.

As for the Black Dragon and Titan Giant, these awe-inspiring creatures, Rhodes doesn't plan to use them, so he can only use some new units.

Fortunately, the refugees have been continuously producing units, and Rhodes now has quite a few new units under his command. Not long ago, Rhodes recruited a new level 6 unit, the Unicorn, from the operation and upgraded it into the Unicorn Sacred Beast using the Mountain Fortress.

The Unicorn is a relatively powerful Tier 6 unit. It is a Tier 6 creature belonging to the Bulwark. The Unicorn has an attack power of 15, a defense power of 14, a damage power of 18~22, a health of 110, and a speed of 9. In terms of attributes alone, it is quite competitive among Tier 6 units.

It's far more powerful than the Diamond Golem, and can even rival the Death Knight. This thing has two incredibly overpowered special abilities. The first one, as a sacred beast of the forest, is that the Unicorn can increase the magic resistance of surrounding units. This skill isn't particularly impressive in the game, and players often forget about it, completely unaware that the Unicorn has this ability.

However, this skill is extremely powerful in the world of Azeroth. It is equivalent to a passive version of a permanently activated anti-magic shield, and it can be applied to all friendly units in the vicinity. The range is also quite terrifying. The unicorn can cover several units within its own tile, while in the world of Edolas, it covers a distance of 100 meters around itself.

Gaining at least a 10% magic resistance bonus is already a very good ability.

The second ability is blindness, which is a god-tier skill in the game. Like the Thunderbird's lightning, it has a trigger probability, but once triggered, it is fatal to the enemy. The blindness in the game is very useful, and it is also a great weapon in the world of Azeroth. Rhodes once used this move to control Arthas.

When the Unicorn Sacred Beast unleashes this move, its body bursts forth with golden light, blinding the enemy. The Unicorn Sacred Beast has a very cool and handsome appearance, much larger than an ordinary horse, with a single golden horn on its head.

When Rhodes first obtained this unit, he considered strengthening it with the power of holy light, but then thought better of it. The recruitment building for the Unicorn Beast is the Forest Sanctuary, which is a unit that leans towards natural life. Therefore, the best way to strengthen it is to infuse it with life energy. This time, when he goes to the Palace of the Moon Goddess, he should have the opportunity to meet Cenarius himself. At that time, he can ask the demigod for help.

Rhodes has a very high regard for Cenarius and intends to formally establish a master-disciple relationship this time, thus completing the timeline from 1 years ago. Cenarius played a key role in controlling the situation that enabled him to successfully kill Archimonde in the Battle of Mount Hyjal, instead of letting him be killed by the explosion of the World Tree.

“My mount is special. It’s not an ordinary creature, but a partner with whom I have formed a contract. It comes from a distant realm filled with natural and sacred power, a place called the Sacred Forest.” As Rhodes explained, he raised his hand again and summoned the unicorn from the system space.

To create a sense of mystery, Rhodes also used his magical power to create some spatial effects and release a bit of life force.

A refreshing and invigorating scent filled the air, as if one were in an ancient forest after a rain, filled with the fragrance of earth and the vitality of vegetation. This pure and powerful life energy invigorated all the Priestesses of the Moon; they were all too familiar with this feeling, for it was the same power as Lord Cenarius and the Emerald Dream.

This outsider named Rhodes is extraordinary; he possesses such immense life energy, and the creature he summoned also appears to have extremely powerful life energy.

All the priestesses stared curiously at the emerald green light that Rhodes had created, hoping that something would emerge from it.

Emerald green light gathered and expanded in the open space in front of Rhodes, gradually outlining an elegant yet powerful silhouette.

As the light faded, a magnificent and extraordinary creature appeared before everyone's eyes.

It is even larger and more robust than the most magnificent night leopard, and its entire body is covered with smooth, silvery fur that shimmers like pearls in the sunlight, making it elegant and mysterious.

What is most striking is the single horn that spirals upwards on its forehead. It is not made of bone, but rather seems to be carved from the purest golden crystal. Inside, a gentle life energy flows and flickers like breath, radiating an aura that inspires peace and awe.

Its four hooves are steady, and when it steps on the ground, a faint green halo seems to ripple out from under its hooves, making the surrounding grass seem even greener and more vibrant.

It is the Tier 6 unit of the Heroes of Might and Magic Fortress faction—the Unicorn!

Its appearance instantly attracted the attention of all the Moon Priestesses. Even the most composed and dignified High Priestess couldn't help but let out a hint of undisguised amazement in her golden eyes, which were accustomed to seeing all the wonders of the world.

"So...so beautiful, so beautiful!" A young priestess couldn't help but exclaim softly, instinctively covering her mouth with her hands, her eyes filled with fascination.

This beauty is different from the splendor of arcane creations, and also different from the ferocity of wild creatures. It is a sacred, serene, and vibrant supreme beauty that perfectly matches the night elves' aesthetic of revering nature and harmony.

Another older high priestess took a deep breath, feeling the vast yet gentle life energy wash over her body. The wariness and scrutiny on her face melted away, replaced by an almost pious appreciation: "Such pure life force... I have never felt such a... radiant life aura in any of my forest allies. It is as if it were a dream beast formed from the condensation of moonlight and the essence of the forest."

Tyrande was completely mesmerized, her eyes fixed on the unicorn, her girlish heart making her utterly powerless against such a beautiful and sacred creature.

She instinctively took a small step forward, her voice trembling slightly with longing: "Lord Rhodes... what is it called? I have never seen such... such a reassuring creature. The light emanating from it feels incredibly warm, sacred..."

Without exception, all the night elves were drawn to the unicorn summoned by Rhodes. There was no way around it; when it came to a cool design and elven aesthetics, the unicorn was the perfect choice for them.

There's even a myth from the creation of Heroes of Might and Magic III that the unicorns would only accept beautiful elven maidens as riders. This is a creature that takes gender discrimination to an extreme. Unless you're a pure maiden, you can forget about riding on their backs. On the contrary, if you are a pure maiden, the unicorns will circle around you.

You could say he was as shameless as could be.

"Traveler from afar, your companion... is truly extraordinary. The life energy it carries is pure and powerful." Even the well-informed high priest couldn't help but admire it sincerely.

Rhodes smiled slightly, walked to the unicorn beast's side, and affectionately stroked its smooth neck. The unicorn beast obediently lowered its head and gently rubbed its golden horn against Rhodes's palm.

"Its name is 'Holy Radiance,' a companion I met by chance during my travels." Rhode casually gave the unicorn a name that fit the scene.

"It has a gentle nature and is close to nature. I think it would be happy to travel with you all."

The high priest nodded and said no more. "In that case, let's set off."

After introducing his companion "Holy Radiance," Rhode prepared to nimbly mount his horse—or rather, the unicorn—by pressing down on Holy Radiance's smooth back and leaping up with a slight push of his feet.

However, to Rhodes' surprise, the usually docile and obedient Saint Radiance suddenly took a step to the side, cleverly avoiding his movement. Rhodes' hand touched empty air, and he staggered, almost losing his balance.

"Huh?" Rhode was taken aback and looked at his summoned creature in confusion. What was going on?

The unicorn turned its head, snorted softly, shook its neck covered with silver tassel-like mane, and then used its golden horn to press very clearly and gently against Rhodes' chest, preventing him from getting closer to its back.

The meaning couldn't be clearer: Master, I'm sorry, but you can't ride me.

Rhodes: "..."

Rhodes recalled the famous "trait" of the Unicorn (and its upgraded version, the Sacred Unicorn), and his expression suddenly became quite interesting.

He was so focused on the stealth and coolness of the unit that he forgot about this! In the Heroes of Might and Magic universe, this thing is famously known as the "mount for pure young girls"!

You're such a jerk, you won't let me ride, huh?

The Moon Priestesses present were also taken aback by this sudden turn of events. They had been immersed in the awe and beauty brought by the holy light, but now that they saw this sacred creature actually "rejecting" its master, they looked at each other in bewilderment, their eyes filled with doubt and confusion.

Chapter 341 A Self-Aware Unit, The Miracle of the Well of Eternity

The unicorn turned its head and looked at Rhodes "innocently" with its pure golden eyes, as if to say, "Although you are my master, our rules cannot be changed. I only allow pure girls to ride me. If you are not pure, I won't let you ride me at all."

The unicorn then gracefully bypassed Rhodes and headed straight for Tyrande, the youngest member of the group.

Ah, there's a scent of purity here, such a pure young girl! This is the one I've been looking for.

It stopped in front of the young priestess, obediently lowered its head, and gently rubbed Tyrande's hand with the spiraling golden horn on its forehead, even letting out a soft, comfortable hiss, a stark contrast to its earlier attitude of rejecting Rhodes.

Rhodes' mouth gaped open in an "O" shape. Seriously? Aren't his own troops supposed to be completely devoid of intelligence? How come this guy is behaving so human-like?

Damn it, even the black dragons, titans, angels, and demons that are more powerful than you aren't as genius as you, okay?

Rhodes felt a sudden toothache as he watched the unicorn circling around Tyrande.

Tyrande was startled by this sudden closeness, but sensing the pure life force and kindness emanating from Saint Radiance, she instinctively reached out and stroked its silvery neck. Saint Radiance became even more docile, even nudging her with its head, gesturing for her to mount it.

Rhodes: "..."

High Priest: "..."

You bastard, believe it or not, I'll kill you right now and chop you into minced meat on the spot.

Rhodes was somewhat helpless. He had encountered two unicorns in the refugee camp before, and now, even if he released the other one, he figured it would just go find another innocent girl and let her ride it.

Commanding these unicorn beasts in battle is fine; they will obey orders. But if you want to ride them, that won't work.

All the Moon Goddess priests' gazes darted back and forth between the stubborn sacred beast, the innocent-looking Tyrande, and the dark-faced Rhodes, creating an extremely subtle and awkward atmosphere.

A young priestess couldn't help but whisper to her companion, "It...it seems to only like Tyrande?"

At this moment, the priestesses of the moon had very strange looks in their eyes, as if to say, "No way, this is your mount, and it doesn't like you."

You didn't obtain this sacred beast of the forest through some despicable means, did you? That's right. In the eyes of the night elves, the unicorn is also a sacred beast of the forest, because the life force emanating from it is extremely strong.

Rhodes felt his cheeks burning. He tried to remain calm, coughed, and tried to get closer to Sheng Hui again: "Sheng Hui, stop fooling around. We should get going. I advise you to be pragmatic."

However, Saint Radiance merely flicked his silver mane, once again subtly separating himself from Rhodes with his body, and firmly stood guard beside Tyrande, his posture seemingly saying: Only this pure lady is worthy to ride me.

At this moment, Rhodes could even control the unicorn to directly attack the night elves in front of him, but he couldn't stop these guys from getting close to the innocent girl.

The other Priestesses of the Moon also tried to entice the Unicorn to come over, but the Unicorn remained unmoved and stood firmly by Tyrande's side.

"Lord Rhodes, could you tell us why? It seems to only like Tyrande," the High Priestess of the Moon asked Rhodes.

She could sense that Rhodes could indeed command this powerful life-beast, but there was a crucial issue: this beast seemed to have some special qualities, or rather, some special preferences.

If one likes the natural aura emanating from the night elves, then the natural aura emanating from him and the other priests is far more intense than that from Tyrande.

So what is it? A beautiful appearance, but do animals share the same aesthetic sense?

"Ahem, he is a unicorn sacred beast. Although this guy is the darling of nature, he has some special hobbies."

"I can control it in battle, and I'd even make it die for me, but if you want to ride it, it only accepts pure maidens." Rhodes shrugged helplessly and explained the situation of the unicorn beast. If he didn't, it might cause some misunderstandings among the night elves.

After Rhodes finished explaining, an even more eerie silence fell over the scene. All the Moon Goddess priests focused their gazes on the unicorn beast again, but this time, their eyes were filled with disbelief and a hint of... disgust.

"How...how is this possible? It...it likes pure young girls?" a moon priestess said with an incredulous expression.

After all that, it turns out that this seemingly sacred and pure life-beast is actually a stubborn, lecherous unicorn that only recognizes "pure maidens."

The unicorn seemed completely oblivious to the subtle changes in the atmosphere around it, still affectionately nuzzling Tyrande's palm with its head, its pure golden eyes filled with anticipation for being petted and ridden.

Tyrande's face was so red it looked like it was about to bleed. Being "chosen" in public by such an ancient sacred beast (albeit a lecherous one) made her feel completely lost, unsure of what to do with her hands and feet.

She stole a glance at Rod's ashen face, then quickly lowered her head, her heart pounding as if she had stolen something from him.

The High Priestess of the Moon Goddess took a deep breath. Having lived for thousands of years, this was the first time she had ever seen such a bizarre thing.

She rubbed her temples: "...The will of the goddess Elune cannot be delayed. Since, uh, the sacred beast... Rodgersa, do you have any good ideas? Otherwise, you should put this mount away!"

“Haha, it’s just a mount, right? I didn’t say I only have one mount. Since he’s so eager to be ridden by a pure young girl, let’s grant his wish. Lady Tyrande, let’s see how fast this guy runs!” Rhodes said through gritted teeth.

I summoned you to show off and let me be cool, but this is what you did to me.

What could Tyrande say? She could only reply in a barely audible voice, "This, this is so embarrassing."

Then, under the expectant gaze of the unicorn and the almost murderous stare of Rhodes, she awkwardly flipped over and mounted the broad and comfortable back of Holy Radiance.

Saint Radiance immediately let out a joyful neigh, its four hooves lightly stamping a few steps on the spot, appearing extremely excited, and even showing some human-like features on its face.

The unicorn beast is completely different from the troops I used to summon! Rhodes stroked his chin, wondering what caused this.

We need to investigate this thoroughly. If this creature can truly develop self-awareness, then it means they are capable of reproduction, and it's not impossible for unicorns to appear in Azeroth.

What I find strange is why the higher-level Tier 7 units didn't develop intelligence, but this Tier 6 unit did?

Rhodes began to think about this problem carefully. It seemed that the level 6 units he had summoned since his transmigration were either elemental beings, constructs, or undead creatures, except for the Unicorn, which was the top sacred beast of the Barrier race.

Could that be the reason? But if that's the case, then the Great Demon and the Black Dragon should also possess intelligence, or perhaps, Rhodes suddenly realized something?

When he first summoned the unicorn, he had already arrived in the Ancient War era. At that time, Rhode had also released one of them and let it wander around Azshara's palace. These guys drank some water from the pool that contained the power of the Well of Eternity. Could it be because of the energy of the Well of Eternity?