Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 369, Section 59: Blood Howl and Blazing Fury - Bonus Chapter for "Huo Zheng Ting Hao" Brother [15]

"Grom Grom! We can't help you anymore."

Orgrim's call made Grommash turn around.

In the wind that carried the scent of destruction, he saw the miserable Warchief being "dug" out of the ground by the blood-spitting Varok Saurfang.

The aftereffects of that devastating explosion were immense.

Despite Lady Aegwynn's spatial displacement, the orcs' landing location was not safe. The mountain they landed on was almost completely blown open, and many orcs were buried in the churning earth.

The orcs had participated in the siege of Cenarius. Although they didn't help much, they did let their weapons drink the blood of the great demon lord. They thought that the explosion would bury Cenarius completely and put an end to the tragedy of the greenskins. But they never expected that the bastard would have such an advanced skill as "double transformation".

Right before Hellscream's eyes, Cenarius transformed into some indescribable monster.

The power of death did not reduce its danger much. More importantly, Cenarius was indeed dead. How could these greenskins kill something that was already dead?

However, as long as Cenarius has not fallen, the Greenskins' "atonement expedition" is not over.

They must move on.

"You can stay here."

Grom was also injured, but he didn't care. He dragged Gorehowl and charged into the battlefield. The greenskins who could still move followed him, but they were stopped by the black soldiers wielding oak axes.

"That is a creation of death! It comes with a reaping field of the dead, which will kill any life that is not strong enough. If you go near it, you will only become its power. The cold death will not care about your thoughts."

The black soldier touched his slowly beating heart; wild life was warning him.

Cenarius, forged in the Abyss, wields the power of death and is the greatest enemy of life. Even with this spore heart providing the Black Soldier with a constant source of power and immortality, once the halberd of dominion pierces through him, the Black Soldier will still die here.

The cyclical opposition between life and death is more straightforward than the ambiguous relationship between light and shadow; therefore, there is no middle ground in the battle between the two.

The black soldier shouted:
"Stay here and witness this battle!"

He glanced outside; the howls of wolves echoed through the peaks of Mount Hyjal. Goldrin's pack was gathering and surrounding the black wolves in their own territory; a decisive battle was inevitable.

"I will not participate in the great battle between the Black and White Wolf Gods."

He said to Orgrim:
"Your battle will only begin when that creation of death falls. Be prepared."

Kargath got up to follow, but was still blocked by the Black Pawn.

He shook his head and said:

"Your poison is useless against the dead, and you also have a mission that Lecanthos needs you to undertake."

"But should we just let him go alone?"

The green-skinned assassin master roared:

"Isn't that just sending him to his death?"

"I will go help him, but the rest of you should stay away and not cause any trouble."

Black Soldier grabbed his oak axe, turned, and charged up the ravaged hill. Some warriors from the Warsong Clan, not wanting their chieftain to face the formidable enemy alone, grabbed their weapons and went to help. But when they dared to cross the line, they were slapped back by a black wolf claw.

Under the watchful eyes of the greenskins, the black wolf Lycanthos stepped heavily into the material world.

The Black Wolf God's gaze swept over the green-skinned creatures before it, and it whispered:

"Don't be impatient, just wait here! There will be plenty of battles for you to fight. Grom Hellscream has already embraced the determination to die, and this is the end of his life-changing journey. He will put an end to the past for you, but the power to the future must be earned by yourselves."

After saying that, Black Wolf squatted down on the spot.

Surrounded by green-skinned warriors, they gazed at the battle on the high ground, a battle destined to involve few.

The Greenskins' journey in Azeroth will end today, and Lykanthos, as their faith and god of death, will witness it all.

It will draw its fighting spirit from its own retinue for the final battle with Goldrinn.

The white wolf was approaching, and the black wolf sensed it very clearly.

Goldrind led the hunting party with murderous intent. The most dangerous and ancient hunting party had also awakened. Lecanthos was not entirely sure whether the greenskins could break through the ambush today and cross the line of death to reach the future.

But both sides have done their best, so let's leave it all to fate.

On the scorched battlefield of the World Tree Highlands, the battle between the Warlord of the Abyss and the Vigilant shattered the pale and brilliant light. Both sides fought with all their might, but the great balance between life and death had not yet been broken. This allowed the dead to be suppressed in the world of the living, and also made this version of Cenarius less intimidating and destructive than the previous Great Demon Lord.

Even without using the power of the world, the Vigilant can fight it to a draw or even subtly suppress it.

"This release of energy is similar to that of the Destroyer Maronos."

Black Soldier, leaning on his oak axe, said to Grom beside him, who was sharpening Gorehowl's blade with a whetstone:

"But it is already undead; the Force of death has granted it a near-immortal existence. Hatred tells me that in this situation, the only way to temporarily dispel the blessing of death is to use the Force to counteract it, but I am not a living being."

"It's the same with fel energy. There's no hierarchy among the six elemental forces. Gul'dan told me that."

Hellscream interrupted the Black Soldier, tossing aside the whetstone in his hand. He stood up, wiped the mud off his face, and, panting, said:
"Isn't fel energy the most destructive force of the Force? Even immortals would be pulverized in the face of sufficiently powerful destructive force."

"Gorehowl does indeed harbor Manonos's destructive desires, but that's not enough."

The black pawn said:
"You're just a half-demon, fel energy won't respond to you willingly. What are you doing?!"

He reached out and grabbed Grom's wrist. Just as Hellscream was about to drink a vial of blood reeking of sulfur, Black Soldier barked:

"what is this?"

Grom glanced at him, shrugged, and said:

"The blood of Manonos! I had Kargath collect it for me during the previous battle. Don't look at me like that, Black Pawn. Without Diakum's help, we would have had a hard time winning against the Destroyers."

That's something that willpower and anger can't help us achieve. The difference in life rank isn't so easy to bridge, and the rage Draenor bestows upon the orcs requires sufficient life force to be perfectly driven.

But I no longer have that much time to continue growing.
I've had enough of living!

I don't want to go on anymore. I've struggled all this way just for this moment.

I am not the one who can open up the future for you; Orgrim is.

I'm just an executioner, a thug, all I know how to do is kill, not lead.

This is the only thing I can do after making such a grave mistake.

I am only a half-demon, and fel energy will not embrace me willingly. But drinking this mouthful of demon blood will allow me to completely embrace fel energy. I will transform into the monster I hate most and use that power to utterly destroy our enemies.

Then, I will die here, I will vanish into thin air.

Diakum will help me rest in peace. The demons he purified will never be resurrected. That's the only perfect ending a worthless person like me deserves.
Are you going to stop me?

The black pawn remained silent.

He looked at the boiling demonic blood in Grom's hand.

He wanted to say a lot in that instant, but in the end, he could only let out a sigh, loosened his fingers, and watched Grom tilt his head back and drink the bottle of demon blood in one gulp. With the sound of the bottle falling to the ground and shattering, Grom curled up in pain.

It was as if a green light had ignited and burst forth within his body, causing his heart to beat like a war drum.

Drinking the demon blood a second time completely transformed Grom into a demon. His green skin rapidly changed as he became filled with rage, eventually turning into a blood-red monster. Bone spikes pierced his skin, his fangs became even more ferocious, and the anger in his eyes turned into crimson flames.

Grom's life force and power surged like a rocket.

The Black Pawn seemed to hear Manonos's maniacal laughter, and Grom's character and mind were indeed very appealing to the Fel Force.

He gave him immense power, causing green magic-forged crystals to grow from Hellscream's fingertips, and scorching jets of air from his nostrils to burst forth as real flames, as if an incredibly powerful magic engine had been installed inside this red-skinned ferocious beastman.

It roared.

The even larger creature stood up, its armor shattering and falling to the ground.

When Grom Hellscream raised Gorehowl, Mannoroth's destructive urges transformed into an extreme hellish roar within the battleaxe, causing clusters of Sulfuras fire to swirl around it, making even the Black Soldiers feel the heat.

"I don't need your help."

Grom said in a hoarse voice:
"Witness me! Bring news of my death back to Draenor. Do not whitewash me. Tell every orc of my sins and my mistakes, so that they may know the tragic end of blindly pursuing power."

I abandoned my wife and children, I was once obsessed with war, I drank demon blood, thinking it would make me stronger.

but no.

The source of power has never been the desire for destruction!
Without something to protect, there will be no burst of power.

They must be warriors, not destroyers.

"And what about you, Grom?"

The black pawn asked loudly:

What do you want to protect right now?

Old Hou didn't answer, but gave him a smile that was both ferocious and relieved.

Then, Hellscream began to run.

His feet sank into the ground, each step igniting a surge of fury and power, etching footprints into the cracked earth, and transforming his rage into crimson armor, which then erupted across his狰狞 (zhengning - ferocious/hideous) face. As the wolf spirit tattoo illuminated, the red orc leaped to his feet, gripping his battle axe high above his head, and unleashed his first strike at the dying creature before him.

The War King and the Vigilant, who were engaged in a frenzied sword fight, both looked up at the same time.

The former seemed to see the fel energy gathering behind Grom and transforming into the Dark Titan's rebuke, while the latter withdrew amidst the flashes of holy light, handing the battlefield over to the orc sinner who had come to die.

Fate stubbornly tries to push the already altered trajectory back onto the so-called "right track." This weak resistance is met with disdain by Diakum, but just like the war on the Arathi Highlands, a group of sinners want to repent, and the Vigilant is naturally happy to help them.

The Holy Light teaches people to bravely confront the mistakes of the past.

As the leader of the People of Light, Diakum should rightfully return this power of atonement to those destined for exile.

But as Grom's Bloodhowl cleaved through the Soulsteel armor of the Abyss-Forged Warlord, shattering the cold Soulsteel into pieces, the Vigilant, wielding the Holy Blade, turned around in surprise.

He sensed a very unique "flame" igniting not far behind him.

Then, Dick saw that familiar figure emerge from the dissipating dust.

The vigilant smiled. Look, the "chosen one" he had created was about to intervene on the battlefield.

Yes, after working so hard for so long, how can I let fate, which is already showing signs of fatigue, steal the spotlight?
------

Garrosh's current state is very strange.

Xiaohou believed he should be dead, but he was still alive.

But the feeling of not having a heart beating in his chest was strange. He did not become weak because of it. On the contrary, with each breath after getting up, he could feel the scorching flames bursting from his "heart" to his limbs and bones.

It was as if he wasn't breathing air into his lungs, but gasoline, and his crystal heart was the ignition valve, scattering the flames and igniting every wisp of the surging power that entered his body.

His anger changed.

Griseda and Gayala's desperate attempt to revive a hopeless case actually produced a miraculous effect.

That burning anger endowed him with an indescribable talent, making the anger that originally required reason and willpower to control incredibly smooth in his hands, turning it into an instinct as natural as breathing, eating, drinking, and sleeping.

Garrosh staggered forward, only to be stopped by Gaiara, who whispered something in his ear, but Garrosh couldn't quite make it out. He wasn't really willing to stop now; he was somewhat dazed, as if he had been pulled back from a journey to the underworld and was still a little lost.

Griselda kept slapping him in front of his face, trying to bring him to his senses.

But Xiaohou only felt something on the high ground in front of him attracting him. It was a very familiar sound, like an old man roaring, along with his insane axe.

I also have an axe.

Little Roar looked down at the elven battle axe he was holding.

This thing is a legendary weapon that Griselda acquired from the high elves. It is said to be of very poor quality and is one of the defective products that the Quel'dorei use to intimidate people.

But Garrosh didn't care. The axe was sturdy enough, with a blade that remained sharp without needing to be sharpened, a moderate weight, and sharpened at both ends. It was perfect for chopping off heads.

Since acquiring this axe, I have used it to achieve countless victories, and it will continue to accompany me into the next battle.

Yes, fight!
At this moment, Xiao Hou suddenly felt a stroke of good fortune.

He finally realized what was attracting him from ahead.

A battle I absolutely cannot miss, a battle I must participate in, a battle that can be called "inheritance," a battle that concerns the future of the Warsong Clan.

I can't miss it.

"Step aside"

He said it in a low voice.

The sound interference was like the deep, resonant beat of a war drum. Griselda was startled. Gaiara tried to pull him back, but Garrosh shook his head and broke free.

He swayed as he dragged his Destruction Axe forward, climbing the high ground of the fiercely fighting World Tree. His anger continuously poured power into his body, making Garrosh like an inflated balloon.

He was in great pain, and he knew he had to unleash the power he had been accumulating within him.

He saw the War King of the Abyss Forged, like a centaur engulfed in eerie green flames, locked in a fierce battle with a crimson-skinned fel orc. The clash between death and fel energy caused the green flames and red rage to materialize into illusions that were locked in combat.

Garrosh also noticed that there was a person standing on each side of the battlefield as if they were witnesses.

Those two guys were strong, but they had no intention of getting involved in the fight. They were like bloodthirsty spectators watching a gladiatorial contest, with other creatures flying around in the sky.
Yes.

There are strange creatures in the sky too.

Garrosh looked up and saw that the cold door, which only the dead could see, had cracked open. Several ominous bird-men with black wings were emerging from the door, swirling towards the battlefield. They carried cold black chains in their hands, seemingly trying to disrupt this epic battle.

They're dreaming!
Little Roar began to charge, his rage, fueled by his fury, spreading across his battle axe and body as if it were his own arm.

He was angry, but he was also calm.

He calculated the direction and force of his charge, leaped into the air at the right moment, and swung his battle axe in a wide arc, cleaving a black birdman in two to the latter's astonishment. The black chains fell down and were then picked up by Little Roar.

It felt incredibly cold to the touch, and seemed to carry some kind of aura of death.

Strange runes shimmered on each chain, seemingly possessing their own life. They vanished rapidly in Little Roar's hands, as if these things shouldn't be held by a living person. Yet, Old Roar on the battlefield was bound by the chains that had been thrown down, dragging him away from the battlefield.

Roaring, the old man infused the fel energy even more fiercely, breaking free of his chains as he watched the Abyssal Warlord soar into the sky.

He knew that guy was going to run!

Its evil master is calling for its return; if it escapes here, the Greenskins will have to cross the chasm of life and death to find it in another world.

No!

I had promised myself that I would end the past here.

"die!!!"

Roaring roar leaped up, his Bloodhowl unleashing the War Frenzy of the Destroyer, and with the blessing of Fel Fury, it transformed into a thick, flaming blade that viciously slashed into Cenarius the Abyss's neck.

The sharp blade slid across, shattering the armor of the Abyss Forger and revealing the strange, morbid, and tormented spirit within.

"Kill me and give me peace."

Cenarius screamed in agony.

It prayed for rest, knowing what being dragged into the abyss meant.

But the shattered soul steel seemed to regenerate, trying to restrain and control the spirit once more. Meanwhile, the Abyss Forger's heavy hoof slammed into Grom, slamming him to the ground, and Bloodhowl was thrown out of his grasp and crashed to the other side.

"boom"

Grom crashed to the ground.

He glared angrily at the Abyss Forged Undead that was flying into the sky.

He failed; he couldn't capture the monster.

but.
"Lok-tar ogar!!!"

The figure that looked almost exactly like him took his place, engulfed in rage, and soared into the sky like a raging fire god.

He roared, like a true hellish howl, clutching a battle axe, the Fallen Bloodhowl, a battle axe that seemed to harbor the fighting spirit of a great demon, yet it was happy to execute a malevolent soul that had to die here.

Under the watchful eyes of the old roar, Bloodhowl slashed into the forehead of the ferocious Abyss Forger with perfect aim and posture.

As he descended between the two corners of the Soul Steel, he vaguely saw the phantom of Manonos brutally tearing apart the dead creature with its claws, then slicing it apart as the blades of flame slid across it.

Like a lingering trace of flame in the stark black and white sky, it completely shattered another tragedy shaped by death in the shadows.

The orc wielding Bloodhowl landed on the ground, with the completely disintegrated Abyssal Soulsteel falling to the ground behind him.

The shattered runes of domination dimmed, and Cenarius's remnant spirit, which should have died, wailed as it transformed into a ball of flame in the air, while the sparse black grievances vanished with the wind.

Cenarius is dead.

Now it was truly dead, even its last spiritual essence transformed into a ball of mental energy, extremely rare in the material world, floating like a point of light in the clearing sky.

The gates of death closed once more, leaving only a sigh, before sunlight shone through the broken clouds, falling directly on the young orc who had turned around.

He looked at Lao Hou, and Lao Hou looked at him too.

The crimson orc rose, took a few steps forward, and picked up the Doom Axe that Garrosh had dropped.

He laughed.

Under Diakum's gentle gaze, Grom Hellscream bowed gratefully to the Watcher, thanking him for giving the opportunity to execute him to another member of the Grom Hellscream family, the Good One of the Light, who mercifully gave the opportunity to his own son.

What a perfect ceremony of inheritance!

It felt just like that rainy night years ago when I personally snatched this battle axe from my father's hands.

"Demons killed by Bloodhowl cannot be resurrected."

The old man, wielding the Doom Axe, roared menacingly at Garrosh in the light:
"Come on, child, do what you must do, kill this demon before you!"

(End of this chapter)