Light's Dawn of Azeroth

Chapter 600, Section 61: Brother, your "City That Never Falls" is clearly a negative buff!
Led by Lothar, Archmage Antonidas, like a magical sorcerer who had stumbled into a world of mechanical science, toured the Mechagon's rather extravagant underground factories and automated assembly lines, dressed in robes completely out of place.

This is clearly an underground area armed with Titan technology. The Mechagnomes refuse to reveal where they obtained the Titan technology from, but this does not prevent them from fully mastering these technologies during their thousands of years of self-isolation and developing a technological path with its own core and characteristics.

This was something that not only Lothar, an outsider, could see clearly, but even Gerbin Mekkatorque, the "King of Dwarves," who was recognized as the smartest mind on the Eastern Continent, acknowledged it.

Inside the royal laboratory of King Mechagon, the dwarf king, along with the other high craftsmen of the Craftsmen's Council, was busy around a not-so-large mech.

That was clearly a combat mech specifically designed for "small people" like dwarfs.

It adopts a humanoid design and is assembled with a platinum shell specially made by Mechagon. It has none of the "roughness" of other dwarf creations. On the contrary, the armor fits perfectly with the internal structure, revealing a beautiful aesthetic.

However, unlike the "full-coverage" control mode adopted by human military mechs, this dwarf mech uses a 360° panoramic open cockpit without any protection.

This thing looks amazing, but it might be a bit "useless" for the driver.

When Lothar and the Archmage arrived, they saw that "brilliant" fellow Gerbin Mekkatorque climbing a ladder into the combat mech that was a full "3 meters tall".

Well, even though the King of Dwarves is sitting in his "Royal Armor," he still needs to look up to see the face of "Barbarian King" Lothar.

It has to be said, this is truly a tragedy.

However, Gelbin Mekkatorque and Lothar had a very good personal relationship, which is said to have begun when Lothar visited Ironforge when he was young.

At that time, Lothar wanted to repair his dwarven musket and mistakenly took Mekkatorque, who was visiting King Magni, as his repairman. The kind-hearted master craftsman did not mind and repaired the musket for him with his superb craftsmanship and even made some modifications.

That thing was very likely the first true repeating pistol on the Eastern Continent, and it was that pistol that later protected Lothar from many dangerous battles.

However, the reclusive nature of dwarfs meant that Gelbin Mekkatorque rarely participated in large-scale human activities.

The main problem is that there are too few dwarfs, and they simply can't withstand too much hardship.

But Lothar has already signed a series of treaties on behalf of the Stromka Empire and the mechanical city of gnomes.

The marshal hoped that the dwarfs could leave their homeland and set up engineering laboratories throughout the empire. The government allocated funds to the dwarfs to conduct research that would benefit the country, which gave many penniless but brilliant dwarf craftsmen hope of displaying their talents.

The master craftsman was also pleased with this outcome.

Gnomeregan's finances are limited, and it can't help every imaginative gnome realize their dreams. Now that the human empire is willing to help, that's naturally the best thing ever.

As for whether it is being used by humans
Well, dwarfs generally don't consider these things.

Although these little guys are noisy and neurotic, their passion for engineering makes them unwilling to think about the disgusting political factors involved.

In short, upon seeing Lothar approach, the Grand Craftsman, wearing cool dwarf engineering goggles, excitedly urged Lothar to come and see his precious treasure.

He sat in his open cockpit and yelled at Lothar:

"Hey, Lothar, come and take a look at our newly developed 'Battlefield Striker T-8000'! This is another masterpiece of dwarf engineering! Thanks to the energy batteries and ultra-high-speed precision motors provided by our mechanical dwarf partners, this powerful system, which previously only existed in the design, can finally be implemented."

The rubbish those goblins made is nowhere near as good as our treasures!

"Indeed, this thing looks cool."

Lothar also liked the design of the small mech in front of him. He stepped forward and reached out to shake hands with Gelbin. The King of Dwarfs laughed and pulled the control stick, allowing his precious mech to shake hands with Lothar.

This thing had several sets of hand armor hidden in its arms for different purposes. It was supposed to pop out a clenched fist, but instead, amidst the gasps of the crowd and the sound of machinery, a dark triple-barreled gun popped out and pressed right against Lothar's large face, making the marshal's eyes widen in surprise.

The echo of the firing pin missing its target terrified everyone, including the King of Dwarfs.

"Damn it! The fire control system mapping is wrong, Overspark and McNeil, what are you waiting for? Fix it now!"

The King of Dwarfs jumped up from his console and screamed:
"Luckily, this was just a test and no live ammunition was used. Ah, my friend, I hope I didn't scare you?"

"Heh, after being friends with you for so many years, haven't I experienced enough shocks in your lab?"

Losa, on the other hand, didn't seem to care.

He was a paladin, and even if that thing had actually fired a headshot, he could have used Divine Shield to withstand it. That was the confidence and arrogance of a "Great Lord".

Of course, Losa was also afraid.

Although I won't be killed by that bullet accidentally fired by the King of Dwarfs, it will definitely hurt a lot, damn it.

"So, will you send this mighty Striker into the battlefields of Kul Tiras?"

Losa asked a question.

Gerbin hesitated for a moment, and the King of Dwarfs sighed and said:
"We are pacifists, my friends. Although the dwarves have designed many weapons, they are all for the purpose of protecting our homeland. To be honest, I am well aware that the war you are waging is just, but I still cannot bring myself to let the dwarves join this war."

This is also why I do not allow dwarfs to participate in human civil wars.

War is no good!

Since we claim that our engineering is different from that of those wicked goblins who crave to profit from war, we must live up to our word.

However, on the other hand...

Morality only works on beings who also possess morality; for those born evil freaks, even the most stubborn and conservative dwarf need not exercise self-restraint.

Mekkatorque stroked the magnificent machine he had designed and built himself. He raised his head, his white beard trembling, a testament to the complexity and struggle within the master craftsman's heart.

But in the end, he smiled at Lothar and said:
"The Old Gods are a terrifying threat to all people. If they are not eliminated, our world will never have peace. Therefore, I make a promise to you, Lothar."

We will participate in the war to attack N'Zoth, with our spider tanks, our heavy artillery combat robots, our rotor bombers, and our armed mechs!
We will contribute to this war in our own way.

"Thank you for your help, Gerbin."

Losa responded very seriously:

"I know how difficult this decision is for dwarves, so I understand how important it is to us. Anyway, welcome to the Alliance! I also assure you that I will only call upon my dwarf friends in the most just wars."

Also, I have good news for you.

The marshal bent down and lowered his voice to the king of dwarfs:

"Ulduar will be liberated soon, and I have secured a tour spot for you and the Council of Craftsmen. The Vigilant will ensure that your activities in the Titan City are unrestricted, and all the engineering secrets there will be open to you."

Moreover, I heard that Lord Mimiron, who is suspected to be the ancestor of the dwarfs, will also be rescued.

While this may sound somewhat pragmatic, let's consider the war in Kul Tiras as a stepping stone to the holy land of engineering, my friend.

------

"The Empire's fleet has entered our waters with an arrogant attitude. Those guys are clearly looking for a decisive naval battle. I don't know where they get their confidence! They only have a ridiculous, cobbled-together fleet, but we have three destructive fleets that can be deployed at any time."

In the Proudmoore Fortress in Boralus, Lord Ashvane, who had been appointed "Regent of the Kingdom," reported righteously and indignantly to "Daelin," who sat on the throne.

But King Dalene seemed somewhat distracted.

His face was still somewhat pale. Although he had been recuperating under the careful care of the royal physicians these past few days, his condition had not improved much. On the contrary, it seemed that some unseen force was constantly "draining" King Daelin's life force, leaving him in a state of constant weakness.

Such weakness naturally prevents him from handling state affairs. In fact, His Majesty the King is currently so exhausted that he can hardly even leave the fortress to see the sights of the city.

Moreover, the country is facing a dangerous situation. The advance legion of the ambitious Anduin Lothar has landed in the Drustvar Mountains, joined forces with the traitorous Knights of House Vekres, and even launched a counterattack to recapture the important Alom Tower.

The Imperial Navy Commander was his rebellious son, Drake, who had grown rapidly during the war and dared to use his own fleet as bait to lure Duke Fariwell into launching an attack, causing a breach in the naval defenses and allowing the Empire to continuously transport soldiers to Drustvar.

All of this indicates that an attack on the Tiragarde Strait is about to be planned.

"Your Majesty, we cannot hesitate any longer."

Lord Ashvane, the Regent, offered Dale's advice with an air of loyalty:

"Your body is weak and cannot be disturbed by war any longer. I suggest you immediately move to the safer Stormsong Valley and receive care from the Tide Sages in the Temple of Storms. Your warriors and I will surely defend Tiragarde Sound and Boralus City for you."

Please don't worry about this war. The ambitious Lothar seems to have a huge advantage, but we also have our own strengths.

"The great god of the tides, N'Zoth, will protect us, just as the early inhabitants of Kul Tiras received sustenance from the tides when they first arrived here more than two thousand years ago."

"Yes, N'Zoth will always protect us."

Dale felt fatigue creeping over him. He rubbed his temples, and a voice in his mind seemed to be reminding him that there were many risks in this war and that he should summon his generals to the fortress to discuss important matters.

But his physical exhaustion and weakness prevented him from doing so, and he could only, as before, hastily entrust these matters to Lord Ashvane.

This regent of the kingdom is very capable, but perhaps a little too capable.

"Do I feel like I've become a rubber stamp?"

King Daelin, leaning on his cane, rose from his throne and smiled weakly, feeling both sadness and confusion about his situation.

Yes, he has many doubts.

For example, the four black-clad swordsmen who guard him never step into the light, and their shadows occasionally appear strangely "distorted." They can speak, but seem to prefer communicating with their eyes. They are somewhat too cold and silent.

Secondly, it seems that there are some problems with my memory, and strange "hallucinations" always pop up in front of me from time to time.

Another version of himself, dressed in "pirate attire," sails freely on the sea, battling storms and thunder. He even catches a glimpse of himself and a graceful elf lady whispering sweet nothings in a garden.

Bah! You're already in your fifties or sixties, don't you have any shame?

The king grinned.

He didn't know where these illusions came from; perhaps they were another version of himself that he longed to become?
As he thought this, he rose with a splitting headache and collapsed back onto the throne with a groan. The black-clad swordsman guarding him immediately produced an exquisite statue of N'Zoth and placed it in Daelin's hand.

The silent guard spoke in a sobbing voice:
"Pray, Your Majesty, the God of the Tides will heal your soul."

Dai Lin did not refuse.

Lately, whenever he had a splitting headache, he would use this method to relieve the pain, and it was indeed very effective. As long as he held the statue of N'Zoth and recited prayers, his mind would become unusually calm and content, and even his body would become healthier.

Logically speaking, for someone who is seriously ill, once an effective treatment has been found, they should embrace the idol and sing praises day and night.

But Dale did not do that.

He resisted this strange temptation, only grasping the idol when he could no longer resist it.

He knew that the "God of the Tides" was the native faith of Kul Tiras and the guarantee of the prosperity of the Kul Tiras navy, but he just had an inexplicable resistance to it.

The headache worsened, almost tearing Dale's head apart. He gasped for breath, gripping the cold idol, and muttered the incantation of the tides intermittently.

His spirit, like drifting smoke, rose into another world. In that warm darkness, his weakened spirit felt a smooth, tentacle-like touch, and an encouraging power filled his heart, like a lost traveler being embraced by his family.

Dale felt a sense of "closeness" from the thing that existed in the darkness.

It was the gentle call of blood ties that made him lower his guard against the darkness before him, making him want to go deeper into the darkness.

"Do not worry, Kul Tiras is protected by the tides, and the guardians of the darkness will protect your kingdom. It is our holy land, where all worldly worries and pains will be forgotten in that beautiful, sleepless dream."

The voice called out, saying:
"Blessed is your nation, for the realm of the dark light has made it an unyielding land; blessed are your people, for the power of the deep sea has forged them into invincible bodies; blessed are you, Dalene Proudmore."

In that lucid dream, you too will rise to become the mortal ruler of the Dark Empire.

"For the eternal shepherding of our flesh and blood!"

"A land that will never fall?"

Dale whispered in the darkness:
"So many places that would never fall have been destroyed by war. It's an ominous sign. The war hasn't even really started yet, and you and your servants seem to be full of confidence?"

"Heh heh, I've prepared a trap for that annoying sun, child. It's a death trap prepared specifically for him. Apart from him, we have nothing to fear in this world."

The voice emphasized it again, but Dale was still not convinced. He looked up and asked:

"What if he doesn't come? Wouldn't your trap have lost its effect?"

The voices in the darkness fell silent.

After a long time, it answered:

He will come!
Every tragedy he witnessed would sting his misplaced morality, and every cry for help would ignite his burning will.

Yes.

He is a good person recognized by all six fundamental forces, therefore he will come!

If he doesn't come, how can those weak flesh and blood who have always been protected by him withstand the divine power of the Dark Empire's resurgence?
Forget about these things; they're not good for your fragile spirit. Come, Dalene, follow our songs into the streets of Nyalosa and meet your future 'subjects'.

They should know their king, and their king should trust them.

Do not resist, do not hesitate, this is your destiny.

Dale couldn't resist the call.

He staggered into the dark twilight, as if entering another city, his "territory" that had been granted to him.

Yet at this moment, under the light of that "pale sun," and under the gaze of those strangely shaped but seemingly harmless "subjects," Dale couldn't help but recall herself hiding in the garden, kissing the elves.
"You're a lucky guy."

As he spoke these words, he followed N'Zoth's guidance into Ny'alotha in a daze. However, the next second, another drunken voice suddenly rang in King Daelin's mind:
"Who the hell is talking in my head? Come out and fight me one-on-one, you bastard!"

"Um?!"

Ps:

The King of Dwarfs, Overspark's "Gundam" is as follows:
(End of this chapter)