Saga couldn’t intercept Archimonde’s escape, so he turned his gaze towards the Doomguards.

The Doomguards, engaged in battle with the demigod guardians, had no chance to flee.

Saga joined the fray, and with the cooperation of other guardians, the Doomguards were swiftly annihilated.

After dealing with the Doomguards, Saga looked at the King of the Forest and said:

“I heard that you were close to the White Stag King.”

“I regret its death. My condolences.”

Cenarius, the King of the Forest, shook his head and said:

“The Wild Gods are immortal; they do not die. As long as Azeroth exists, so do the gods.”

“The White Stag King’s death is temporary. Its spirit still watches over and protects us from Azeroth.”

Though he said this, the sadness was inevitable. The White Stag King could be resurrected, but Cenarius didn’t know how long it would take.

“Just a temporary death?”

“These guardians might be manifestations of Azeroth’s consciousness.”

Listening to the King of the Forest, Saga pondered.

“The demon we faced was incredibly strong, likely a recently summoned demon commander.”

“It’s injured now and must have retreated to the Well of Eternity to recuperate.”

Saga thought for a moment and said in a deep voice:

“While it’s injured, let’s gather the guardians and launch an all-out attack on the Well of Eternity. We can’t let the White Stag King’s death be in vain; this is a great opportunity for a counterattack.”

Now, with the White Stag King’s death as the price, the guardians had defeated the largest demon legion, and Archimonde was injured.

Moreover, many demon leaders had fallen to Saga’s claws.

The lower, middle, and upper tiers of the demon legion were all in a weakened state.

Before more demons could arrive and before Archimonde could recover, launching an immediate counterattack on the Well of Eternity was the best choice.

There was no time to mourn the White Stag King’s death. The guardians, sharing Saga’s thoughts, steeled themselves.

The counterattack against the Burning Legion was about to begin.

But before that, Saga and the guardians, having gone through many battles, needed some time to rest.

The Eternal Barrier was indestructible, even Saga’s Annihilation Dragon Breath couldn’t completely break through it. To counterattack the Well of Eternity and truly end this war, Saga and the other guardians needed to be at their peak strength, to break through the Eternal Barrier in one go. Otherwise, no amount of fighting would be meaningful if they couldn’t break the defense.

Although they were not in the best condition, Saga and the other guardians were not seriously injured.

This kind of rest, purely due to exhaustion, wouldn’t take long.

“Just in time, while we recuperate, more guardians are coming from the distant edges of Azeroth.”

“When they arrive, we’ll gather all the guardians and launch a counterattack on the Well of Eternity while the demon legion is still weak!”

The King of the Forest nodded heavily, his expression solemn and serious.

Deep inside, he was filled with anger towards the demon legion, but the King of the Forest hadn’t lost his reason, knowing that now wasn’t the best time for a counterattack.

“Hello, Hyperion.”

“We’ve heard about you from Cenarius, a being not yet a demigod but capable of creating miracles, stronger than many demigods.”

At this moment, a bear guardian, covered in thick, solid fur, spoke in a deep, resonant voice.

“Seeing you now, your reputation is well-deserved.”

A female storm crow demigod, surrounded by wisps of storm, said in a light, graceful voice.

Looking at Saga, whose golden scales shone brilliantly, Aviana, the storm crow, was filled with admiration.

Being a demigod born of nature, not of any specific species, the storm crow had a diverse aesthetic sense similar to dragons. Now, she was amazed by Saga’s beauty and strength, feeling a strong affection.

On the other side, a demigod guardian resembling a giant boar, with thick skin and a rough voice, said:

“The demon that killed the White Stag King claimed to be the commander of this Burning Crusade, named Archimonde the Defiler.”

“It was incredibly powerful, capable of killing the White Stag King. If not for your arrival driving it away, we might have been in danger too.”

Saga shook his head slightly and said humbly:

“The Defiler was seriously injured, already at the end of its strength. Even without my arrival, it would likely have chosen to retreat rather than continue fighting you.”

Saga paused and looked at the King of the Forest, asking:

“Any news from the guardian dragons?”

Having been moving around, hunting demon leaders, Saga hadn’t seen any guardian dragons or even ordinary dragons.

And when he tried to contact Ysera through mental means, he received no response.

In Saga’s perception, Ysera seemed to be busy with something.

The King of the Forest thought for a moment and said:

“The guardian dragons and their dragon armies are gathered at Wyrmrest Temple, planning something. They haven’t shown themselves to deal with the demons yet.”

The storm crow said softly:

“The guardian dragons must have their own considerations. They wouldn’t abandon Azeroth.”

Saga’s eyes flickered, deep in thought.

“The Dragon Soul. The Black Dragon King should have successfully forged it.”

“The guardian dragons are likely charging the Dragon Soul, intending to use it against the Burning Legion.”

“I just wonder if the Black Dragon King can be trusted. The violent emotions I sensed from him were no illusion.”

Saga thought silently.

“Let’s hope everything goes smoothly.”

“If we can unite the power of the five guardian dragons and their dragon armies, the counterattack on the Well of Eternity will be much easier.”

Saga then returned to the Emerald Dream to rest.

Meanwhile, the guardians, while recovering, were also traveling across Azeroth, contacting more guardians and other races besides the night elves, gathering their strongest to prepare for the counterattack on the Well of Eternity.

However, when the bear guardian arrived at Ravencrest’s domain, he was met with a closed door.

Ravencrest’s domain was the territory of the night elf lord Ravencrest.

It was also the base of the largest night elf resistance force.

Ravencrest was not a highborne elf; he was born an ordinary elf but showed exceptional talent from a young age. He became one of the demigod powerhouses of the Dark Night Empire, second only to Queen Azshara. Because he wasn’t of highborne origin, he was more caring towards the common people, earning the love of ordinary night elves and the respect of the highborne due to his immense strength.

When the vanguard of the Burning Legion descended through the Well of Eternity, they immediately massacred the elven main city of Aesarin.

Upon confirming this, Ravencrest used his charisma to quickly form a powerful resistance force, consisting of both ordinary and highborne elves. Except for those who followed Queen Azshara into the Burning Legion, Ravencrest gathered almost all the high-level combat power of the Dark Night Empire.

Ravencrest’s domain was the only force that successfully resisted the demon attacks on its own, without the protection of numerous guardians.

Under Ravencrest’s leadership, the night elf resistance force even launched a counterattack towards the elven main city of Aesarin, hoping to reclaim it.

Among the countless races and forces trampled by the demon legion, this was an anomaly.

However, Ravencrest was not perfect.

This lord shared a common flaw with most night elves, caused by the Dark Night Empire’s strength:

A disdainful attitude towards other races.

Ravencrest refused all suggestions to ally with the earthen, tauren, bear people, and other races. Although he acknowledged the dragons’ strength and the high regard of the guardian dragons, he feared the dragons might devour his envoys. Thus, he forbade any night elf from seeking aid from the dragons during the fight against the legion.

He was also absolutely loyal to Queen Azshara, refusing to believe she had any dealings with the Burning Legion.

Every time he led the night elf army into battle against the demons, Ravencrest would use the queen’s name as a battle cry.

Even when Rhonin and Krasus presented magical recordings of Queen Azshara on a throne surrounded by demons, Ravencrest remained unconvinced. He stubbornly believed that Queen Azshara was under the demons’ control, not acting of her own will, and thus he aimed to lead an army to reclaim the main city and rescue the queen.

Due to his distrust of other races and even the guardians,

When the bear guardian arrived and spoke of gathering Azeroth’s forces to counterattack the Well of Eternity, Ravencrest firmly refused.

“Guardian, the Dark Night Empire does not need the assistance of foreign races.”

“This demon invasion is just one of the setbacks in the empire’s development, unable to end the glory and brilliance of the Dark Night Empire.”

Sensing the lord’s stubbornness, the bear guardian did not continue to persuade him after being rejected.

Time was pressing, so the guardian left Ravencrest’s domain and headed elsewhere.

Afterwards,

Ravencrest, after some deep thought, decisively led his troops to march towards the elven main city of Aesarin.

During his conversation with the bear guardian, Ravencrest learned of the demon legion’s current weakness and believed it was the best time to counterattack the Well of Eternity and rescue Queen Azshara.

Rhonin and Krasus, staying in Ravencrest’s domain, tried to dissuade him, but they couldn’t shake his determination.

Ravencrest was a formidable warlord, having fought numerous battles and secured many territories for the Dark Night Empire. His decisions were not easily swayed.

Boom!

Massive war trees led the way.

Giant eagles and chimeras soared in the sky.

Night saber knights leaped through the mountains.

The elven army advanced smoothly, easily crushing any scattered demon forces they encountered.

Until they reached a rugged area.

A large demon legion was stationed there, confronting the elven army.

Dreadlords, Doomguards, demon swordsmen, Infernals, and berserk demons all stirred upon noticing the elven army.

At the same time,

Gazing at the densely packed demon army covering the surrounding mountains and forests, Ravencrest’s expression turned serious, and he became vigilant.

“This demon legion seems different.”

His seriousness and vigilance were not due to the sheer number of demons.

After all, the night elf army here was also strong and had previously defeated similar-sized demon legions.

Ravencrest felt uneasy because, in the typically chaotic demon legion, he saw order. Different demons stood together in an organized manner, without friction or clashes.

Moreover, the demons suppressed their violent and bloodthirsty nature, not charging immediately but observing the elven army.

This was highly unusual.

Suddenly,

A pale green light appeared, forming the projection of Archimonde the Defiler.

The demon commander, still recovering, sent a fel projection to this place.

Besides his immense combat power, Archimonde was also a competent commander. Under his command, the demon legion had conquered countless worlds.

It was Archimonde’s command that turned the previously chaotic and flawed demon legion into a cohesive, formidable force.

“A bunch of overconfident insects.”

Archimonde’s projection raised a hand, pointing at the elven army.

At the same time, the demons roared and howled, coordinating with each other to form an orderly battle formation, advancing towards the elven army.

A coordinated demon legion was vastly different from a chaotic one.

Facing Archimonde’s commanded demon legion, the pressure was overwhelming, like a tidal wave crashing down.

Even before the close combat began, Ravencrest felt the immense pressure.

Taking a deep breath, Ravencrest drew his cross sword, pointing it at the demon legion.

“For Azeroth! For the Dark Night Empire! For Queen Azshara!”

He shouted, his firm voice reaching the skies.

The night elf army began to march, advancing towards the demon legion under Ravencrest’s command, echoing his battle cry.

“For Azeroth!”

“For the Dark Night Empire!”

“For Queen Azshara!”

In an instant, the two legions clashed.

Centered around their demigod leaders, numerous legends and ordinary soldiers engaged in fierce combat.

The ground began to shatter, and the mountains trembled.

Boom!

A war tree swung its powerful arm, crushing a circle of small blade demons like ants.

But in the next moment, a green, flaming meteor descended, smashing the war tree into pieces, turning it into shattered wood.

The ‘meteor’ unfolded, revealing a towering Infernal demon.

At the same time, under the support of a giant ancient tree of wisdom, a group of night elf mages constructed powerful spells, launching long-range attacks on various demons.

But their safe attacks didn’t last long.

Boom!

The ground beneath them suddenly cracked.

A horde of molten demons, with lava flowing on their bodies, erupted from the ground, slaughtering the fragile night elf mages at close range and destroying the ancient tree of wisdom.

A legendary giant eagle soared in the sky, spitting lightning to kill the demons below.

But demon sorcerers conjured fel chains, dragging the giant eagle to the ground, where berserk demons tore it apart.

Under Archimonde’s command, the demon legion learned various tactics and coordination.

He was like a maestro, with each demon as a note, forming a powerful symphony that crushed the elven legion.

Ravencrest also employed various strategies to counterattack.

But due to his inferior command skills and experience compared to Archimonde, all resistance was futile, and they were continuously pushed back.

At the same level, individual demons were often much stronger than night elves, and the demon legion here was more powerful than the elves.

With Archimonde’s exceptional command, the demon legion could achieve victory even against stronger forces.

Moreover, the demon legion was already stronger than the night elf legion.

The scene under the sky was almost a one-sided massacre.

Watching his warriors fall to the demons’ claws, Ravencrest felt a heavy heart, knowing he had lost. He prepared to order a retreat to preserve as much of his forces as possible.

At that moment,

The already dim sky suddenly darkened further.

The sound of wings flapping grew louder, approaching continuously.

Ravencrest looked up, slightly stunned.

Black dragons, red dragons, blue dragons, green dragons, and bronze dragons. Led by the five guardian dragons, a large number of powerful dragons descended to the battlefield.

“Demons, face the power of us dragons!”

The dragon legion joined the battle, like a shot of adrenaline, saving the night elves from defeat.

Meanwhile, under the watchful eyes of the guardian dragons,

The Earth-Warder, the Black Dragon King, tightly gripped the golden disc, his cold gaze sweeping across the battlefield.

“Naltherion, it’s your turn. Let’s test the power of the Dragon Soul.”

The Red Dragon Queen said.

As if not hearing her, the Black Dragon King didn’t respond. He simply raised the Dragon Soul high with his powerful dragon arm.

Buzz!

In an instant, the Dragon Soul lit up, emitting a brilliant light through the Black Dragon King’s claws, like a burning sun. The terrifying energy within made even Archimonde’s eyes narrow, his expression changing slightly.

Boom!

A destructive beam shot out.

In an instant, the beam evaporated the ground, turning thousands of demons to ash, including two demigod demon leaders. The surrounding mountains were also obliterated by the beam’s residual energy, as if they had never existed.

This terrifying destructive power shocked everyone present.

The intense battle even paused for a moment.

“This thing might allow my master to descend directly to Azeroth!”

Archimonde stared at the Dragon Soul, his eyes burning with desire.

At the same time, seeing the impressive effect of the attack, the guardian dragons were not pleased but frowned.

Because,

While killing thousands of demons,

The Dragon Soul’s energy also killed hundreds of non-legion dragons and many elves fighting the demons.

With the Black Dragon King’s wisdom and gentle nature, he shouldn’t have done such a thing.

“Naltherion, what’s going on? Can’t you control the Dragon Soul properly?”

“If it’s indiscriminate, we need to be more cautious in using the Dragon Soul.”

The Blue Dragon King said in a deep voice.

The other guardian dragons also stared at the Black Dragon King.

Thinking of Saga’s warning, the Green Dragon Queen had a bad feeling.

At that moment, amidst the smoky battlefield, the Black Dragon King remained silent, like a volcano about to erupt. His wise and calm eyes slowly filled with bloodshot veins.

Meanwhile,

Looking up at the sky, seeing the Black Dragon King’s display of power,

Rhonin and Krasus, mixed in the elven army resisting the demons, suddenly felt their minds go blank.

A memory of the Black Dragon King, previously lost, surged back, filling them with dread.

In the future,

This Black Dragon King, the beloved Earth-Warder, would be known by another, more infamous name.

—The Destroyer, Deathwing!