"You! How is that possible?"
Archimonde's body trembled slightly, his pupils contracted, an expression of disbelief on his face. He never expected that the other party would dare to do this, and actually succeed!
This is impossible, absolutely impossible, it must be an illusion, right?
Doubled attributes, along with a greater casting range. Fine lines connected from the Demons of the Burning Legion to Arthas, continuously draining their life force. Even the weakest Felhound could provide 0.01 attributes when killed, while the strongest Doomguard could provide 1 full attribute. At this point, not draining them to death would be a disservice to himself.
Drain, drain mercilessly! As long as they don't die, drain them to death!
His enlarged size made him an easy target to be focused down.
Rain of Fire, Fel Energy Fireballs, arrows, and cannons all rained down on Arthas, but his health bar didn't even budge, as he fiercely absorbed life.
The damage dealt wasn't regenerating as quickly as he healed. As long as they couldn't instantly kill him, he could fully recover in less than a second.
Occasionally, his health would drop a little, only to immediately fill up again.
At this moment, he hadn't learned the Thorns Aura that could reflect damage, otherwise, he could stand still and reflect the Demons to death, truly a stand-and-fight scenario.
"Nothing is impossible, Archimonde. Don't you realize you've been tricked?"
"Sargeras doesn't care about you at all. He's letting you die because he has another ally."
"Do you know where souls go after death? The Shadowlands! And do you know where the Shadowlands are? You don't know."
"You only need to know that Sargeras started this war to send souls into the Shadowlands, to extract soul essence for his ally."
"You and Kil'jaeden have both been used. Everything he told you was false. Haha, how foolish. You, who pride yourself as one of the three smartest Eredar leaders, have been played for a fool by a fallen Titan."
"Do you know why he sought out you, Kil'jaeden, and Velen?"
Arthas wasn't in a hurry to act. His Avatar state allowed him to be immune to the negative effects of overusing Void Absorption, such as madness, rage, or bloodlust. These were all extremely negative emotions. Absorbing attributes from others was a very pleasant experience, but the subsequent negative emotions were so intense that even a crematorium wouldn't be enough.
Archimonde wasn't a fool. The feeling the other party gave him was very familiar, and whether it was 'pedicures and massages' or not, he was being controlled to death.
If the opponent could kill him, it proved they had the ability. Since they had the ability, they likely wouldn't bother lying.
So what was the truth? Sargeras did bring them Fel Energy, but the improvement from Fel Energy was very limited, not powerful enough to single-handedly annihilate an army.
This made him very angry. He hadn't thought about it before because his retreat was cut off, and his home planet had become the Burning Legion's base.
What could he do? Perhaps he subconsciously avoided thinking about it. Sargeras's wrath was not something he could bear, nor something Kil'jaeden could bear, not even if the two of them combined their strength.
"What exactly do you want to say?"
Archimonde was furious. He knew he shouldn't listen; this was not a secret he was meant to hear.
But everyone has curiosity, especially when it involves their own vital interests, they only become more reckless and frantic.
What was this secret? What was Sargeras hiding? Was he just treating them like fools?
Damn it! What is the truth!
I can't take it anymore, my head is itching so much, it feels like I'm growing a brain!
Looking at the impotently enraged Archimonde, the Titan energy emanating from him made Arthas feel a chill.
This was the Titan's suppression of a demigod!
It wasn't enough, far from enough. He needed more attributes to truly suppress Archimonde.
"I'm just telling you, pies never fall from the sky, only poison, you idiot. I don't need to tell you the truth. If you can't figure it out, then go back to the Twisting Nether and think it over."
Arthas moved. He already felt a hint of savagery.
With just a stomp of his foot, the shockwave caused Demons five miles away to sway, lose their footing, and fall to the ground.
"Don't think I'm afraid of you, you ant! Don't try to deceive me! I will break your bones inch by inch and make you speak clearly!"
Archimonde's Fel Energy-burning fist was now encased in a gauntlet, inscribed with strange patterns, subtly exuding a unique pressure.
The air vibrated, constantly being squeezed out and rushing back in, creating a dual field of attraction and repulsion. His immense size didn't affect his speed. Though seemingly slow, his fist had expanded to fifteen meters, and the surrounding twisted field was enough to create a hundred-meter confinement effect.
Unlike Kil'jaeden, who was a pure mage, Archimonde followed the path of a battlemage, using spells to enhance himself and apply various beneficial effects.
The magical flow on his gauntlet imbued his attacks with Fel Energy corrosion. Once it struck a target, the energy would surge into the enemy's body, causing secondary damage, reducing casting speed, and applying a marked debuff. This not only increased damage but also prevented evasion, as the marked target would be relentlessly focused until death.
Countless self-proclaimed strong opponents had died under his fists. Archimonde preferred to pummel enemies into submission with his fists rather than use spells. When his opponents were on their last breath, he would grab them, twist their necks, and watch their despairing eyes. The surging thrill was something he couldn't control.
After absorbing enough souls, the enlarged runeblade pulsed with a flowing light, and countless bound souls could be vaguely seen roaring, struggling as they were refined. Their mournful wails, though formless and invisible, chilled the heart, making even a seasoned veteran like Archimonde feel a shiver of fear.
What in the world was that thing?
He was no stranger to souls, but such grotesque souls were a first. Even before getting close, the chilling aura made him feel a tightening sensation. Was this fear?
Clang!
The sonic boom from the collision swept across half the battlefield. High-level professionals could barely endure it, but those with lower strength were simply shaken to death, without a trace of pain.
Energy surged like a tide, forming an invisible tsunami of sound waves. Both Legion Demons and the Anti-Legion Coalition forces could only desperately flee, leaving a battlefield they could no longer participate in.
"Run! Retreat! Get out of the battlefield!"
Ravencrest endured a severe headache, using magical transmission to call out to the coalition forces present.
Night Elves, Tauren, Dryads, Keepers of the Grove, and Mantid now only wished they could run faster. This was no longer a question of courage, but a complete inability to intervene in such a battle.
Each clash between fist and runeblade sent out ripple after ripple of destructive force, culminating in terrifying mushroom clouds that chilled the heart. The courageous had already died; the less courageous, who ran faster, might still survive.
As the coalition retreated, the Burning Legion pressed forward. Without high-ranking demon commanders, they had only one thought: charge forward and tear apart The Legion's enemies.
The vacuum zone was occupied by Legion Demons, surging forward in a black tide, not waiting for the coalition soldiers to re-establish defensive lines.
The wave from behind surged again. Demons on the battlefield, running, found themselves falling to the ground. Their limbs had been shattered by the sound waves, and the aftershocks from the vibrating earth shook the already incapacitated Demons to death again!
This was power beyond the limits of a demigod, an unknown realm of existence, a strength that neither Azshara nor Kil'jaeden could comprehend.
The decisive battle between the two strongest demigods was also forced to be canceled due to the aftershocks. They could continue to fight, but there was no need. Any spell cast would be brutally shattered, and their own auras would become chaotic.
Even if they stayed, they would only endure the shockwaves, not observe the battle. Who would watch a show at the cost of getting injured?
That wasn't watching a show; that was inviting misery upon themselves!
Fortunately, the mage units still had the Brilliance Aura buff. Under anti-magic shields, they slowly retreated, also able to resist the Felhound's Mana Burn to a certain extent.
Kil'jaeden looked at the immensely powerful Arthas, a flicker of unwillingness in his eyes. Would The Legion's first defeat occur here?
Even he couldn't withstand such an opponent. With a look of resentment, he began to order a halt to demon summoning, concentrating all energy on summoning Sargeras.
Even if only one of his hands came through, it should be enough to easily deal with Arthas!
"Archimonde, delay him as long as possible. I will summon the Master."
After saying that, he entered the palace, using the energy of the Well of Eternity to enlarge the portal. The Eredar mages were clearly incapable of this step; only he could do it himself.
Upon hearing this, Archimonde's anger flared, rising so intensely that it couldn't be contained by a coffin lid.
What did that mean? What exactly did that mean?
Did it mean he was no match for Arthas? What kind of demonic joke was that? How could he not be a match?
He still had fragments of the Argus world soul. Even if it meant fighting to the death, he wouldn't retreat a single step.
He could be resurrected after death, and many doubts would only be resolved after demonstrating his usefulness and loyalty. Even if he planned a rebellion, he had to achieve victory first.
Dying heroically in a losing battle, wouldn't such a display reassure Sargeras?
He would definitely uncover the secret. If Arthas was lying to him, he swore he would completely destroy Azeroth, leaving nothing behind!
And if Sargeras had deceived him, even if the fallen Titan was invincible, he would find a way to make that Titan regret it.
Rumble!
Each time the sound waves spread, the ground was shaken up, and the air, unable to withstand the force, cracked and exploded.
The battlefield had completely become a vacuum zone, with only Archimonde and Arthas fighting. Even the Demons dared not approach; they, too, were afraid.
Fearlessness in the face of death was one thing, but knowingly charging forward to certain death was foolishness.
Demons weren't stupid; they were just desperate.
When Kil'jaeden's order came down, merely instructing them to defend the city of Sin'Dorei, these Demons surprisingly sighed with relief.
It felt good not to have to die. It wasn't that they were afraid of death, but such a death was too painful, definitely not what they wanted to endure.
Two mountain-like giants on the battlefield, two god-like figures. The coalition had retreated twenty miles away, yet they could still feel gusts of strong wind.
Within a twenty-mile radius of their battle, the earth was shaken loose, and dust filled the air. Not a single plant remained intact; the lush, towering trees had long been razed to the ground, their roots shattered.
Flying green shoots were tossed into the air, and before they could fall, they were shaken into dust.
Even the piled-up corpses were shattered by the battle's aftershocks. Dark green blood flowed across the land, seeping into the ground, destroying all nutrients, and overflowing into Fel Energy corruption pools that reeked of sulfur. This area would be unable to recover its ecosystem for a long time, requiring Dryads to constantly dispel it with life energy to restore it to its previous state.
As the aftershocks spread again, Archimonde crushed another fragment of the Titan world soul, reinforcing his waning power. Despite the intense pain in his body, as muscles and bones were crushed by power beyond their capacity, he gritted his teeth and persevered.
His conviction sustained him in battle. Even if he became crippled after this, he would kill Arthas at all costs.
This was no longer about conviction; it was pure shame at being unable to defeat a native he had always considered an ant. He was Archimonde!
Damn fellow, what kind of look is that? How dare he look at him like that!
Bastard! Insolent!
Arthas also felt an uncontrollable frenzy. The eyes hidden beneath the Helm of Domination gradually turned crimson, an impulse to tear everything apart.
He consciously guided Archimonde beneath the city walls, where he could still harvest the life of Demons through Void Absorption, converting it into an endless supply of attribute points.
Slaughter! Madness!
The urge to destroy everything—this was the unique influence of Fel Energy, chaotic and disorderly, allowing no trace of order to exist.
The absence of any order was the universe's most primal essence. The attribute points brought by Fel Energy would affect the host for a certain period. Only by overcoming emotional influence was one qualified to use Fel Energy. This was different from the Fel Energy granted by the system, more directly facing the essence of one of the six fundamental forces of the universe.
Avatar could grant immunity to crowd control effects, but not damage.
The negative effects of Void Absorption grew stronger, to the point where he, too, became violent, his body radiating a thick killing intent. Waves of soul wails from a spiritual level, the tragic cries, sent shivers down one's spine.
Archimonde grinned, swinging his fist. Each blow was equivalent to an attack from a world soul Titan. Even with damage reduction, Arthas was constantly pushed back.
Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, his smile growing more savage. Pain could alleviate his violent tendencies.
"Bleeding, so this is what bleeding feels like, so beautiful. Archimonde, I will leave your corpse intact for dissection."
"When your family is paralyzed and unable to care for themselves because of you, I will personally end their lives. The Eredar will be annihilated, your world soul beyond salvation!"
"Now, please don't cry. Come and fight me. I will personally kill you in the Twisting Nether. Before that, you will have the honor of witnessing Argus's demise. Don't cry, crying also takes time, hehe!"
Arthas's deep voice—this was a soul-binding melody from hell!