After the era of Warcraft ended, the classic old world era began, and the direction of this era would be decided by him, Arthas.
Whether it was to enter the Mysteries of Azeroth or the Outland Expedition, it all depended on his mood.
But before that, there was one more thing to do: clear the Undead from the lands of Lordaeron.
It was strange; more than twenty years after the Undead Scourge appeared in Lordaeron, they still occupied the Eastern Plaguelands, and no one thought of eliminating them. Letting them be was quite absurd.
Now, Arthas had not become a Death Knight, nor did he continue to believe in the Holy Light. Instead, he had forged his own unique path: cooperating with the world soul nurtured by his planet.
"What's the situation in Northrend?"
Arthas leaned lazily back in his lounge chair, gesturing with his lips towards Vashj, wanting to test her loyalty.
"Lady Vashj, would you mind coming over and massaging my legs?"
A clear test of obedience.
As one of Queen Azshara's most powerful nobles, Vashj possessed a fiefdom larger than Lordaeron, located not far southwest of Lordaeron, a two or three-day flight away.
If she wanted to do something, she could easily gather thirty to fifty thousand Naga troops and over a hundred thousand Murloc servants. She was truly someone not to be trifled with.
Upon hearing Arthas's command, she merely paused for a moment. After a brief hesitation, she nodded, with not a trace of humiliation on her face.
She grew increasingly suspicious that Arthas was West Gate Snow Flutist from ancient times. The Queen's spouse was the strongest demigod, and demigods had the characteristic of being hard to kill.
The Sisterhood of Elune and the Druid Council, formed by Kaldorei commoners, were said to be preparing to revive their demigods. As long as they found a way and accumulated enough materials, revival was indeed possible.
Such was a demigod; even if one foot had stepped into the realm of gods, they possessed extraordinary abilities.
Some demigods would be revived with the help of their followers, while others might be revived through reincarnation. Their power might be weaker at first, but they could cultivate it back later.
Like the one before her now.
Her fingers formed a gentle fist, applying just the right amount of pressure, her posture skilled, her technique exquisite, even more professional than a trained masseuse. It was hard to imagine a high-ranking leader doing such a thing.
Jandice's expression was a bit strange, and she couldn't help but marvel at her Highness's immense charm, even the Naga willingly submitted.
Weren't the Naga supposed to be brutal and fierce, fond of plundering passing ships, eating raw flesh, and drinking blood?
Why was she so different from the rumors? She seemed quite civilized. Where was her untamed demeanor? Get it back!
"Vashj, you seem very skilled at this kind of thing."
Arthas teased her. He was a patient now, so he should enjoy himself. After fighting for half his life, shouldn't he enjoy it properly?
It was a bit mocking, but what did it matter?
Vashj showed no anger at all. She was convinced that he was the reincarnation of the Queen's spouse, so she naturally didn't mind. She trusted her sixth sense; it couldn't be wrong.
Moreover, she had a little secret she hadn't revealed: she quite liked and admired Arthas. In the battle against Archimonde, he alone changed the tide of the battle, and even the Fallen Titan, whom Her Majesty the Queen could not match, had now been defeated by His Highness.
To call him invincible was an exaggeration, but truly, he had few opponents.
Her delicate hands continued to massage with just the right pressure, her tone gentle, carrying a hint of affection. It was not shameful to admire strength, and it was even an instinct for most females.
"I am the Queen's Handmaiden. I used to serve the Queen. If Your Highness becomes the Queen's spouse, it is only right for me to serve Your Highness!"
"But speaking of which, there are still some monsters beneath the sea trying to covet Her Majesty the Queen, even boldly wanting Her Majesty to become its spouse!"
Arthas's hand, holding the teacup, paused, and his tone was quite displeased.
"Who is so foolishly courting death?"
That pause confirmed Vashj's suspicion: His Highness was indeed the reincarnation of Her Majesty the Queen's spouse.
The methods of a demigod were truly miraculous. He should have been utterly annihilated in the explosion of such a transcendent energy source as the Well of Eternity, with not even his soul remaining, yet here he was, alive and well.
He might be a little weak now, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be powerful later.
Even if she had the intention of abducting Arthas, she would have to consider the attitude of the Black Dragon Aspect in her territory. That was a demigod who ascended after the War of the Ancients, genuine and without any embellishment.
And she had perfectly fused the power of the Titans and the elements, making her even more advanced than before.
Even though she wasn't here, a faint, ethereal mental presence had been watching this place. This was a warning, warning her not to act rashly.
The unspoken understanding between powerful beings didn't need words; a subtle release of aura could convey one's stance and attitude.
If Arthas was truly just a weakling, then Sinestra would not have stayed here. Finding this Black Dragon Aspect would reveal her master's whereabouts.
After all, during the War of the Ancients, the Dragon Queen had personally admitted that West Gate Snow Flutist was her master, and she said it in front of Neltharion, the King of Black Dragons, which was a bit like committing a crime in front of her husband.
But Neltharion didn't seem to have any temper about it, and even seemed a little proud.
Many thoughts raced through her mind, yet it was but a flick of a finger.
Vashj tucked her silver hair behind her ear, inadvertently revealing a blend of aristocratic elegance and charming allure. Her eyes blinked, carrying a hint of playful teasing.
"The forces under the sea are mainly divided into the Naga Legion led by the Queen, and the Murloc Legion led by the Elemental Lord Neptulon. They also enslaved the sea monster Ozumat, that giant octopus."
"Because it's underwater, it's difficult for other races to help, besides the Naga."
The underwater environment is different from land. Not only is there the resistance of seawater, but hitting a punch and being able to exert half your strength is already very impressive; usually, only one-tenth remains.
Speed is also severely limited; there's no way to accelerate, and no way to launch large-scale military operations.
The underwater pressure alone could crush a person into a meat pie. You can't go to the ocean without some serious skills.
Now that N'Zoth was gone, the Elemental Lord Neptulon naturally became more assertive. As for whether he truly coveted Azshara as Vashj claimed, that would only be known after a beating.
Never mind why he was beaten; if it was a misunderstanding, then beat him half to death as a deterrent.
If it was true, then he would simply have to be killed, and the next obedient Elemental Lord chosen.
Elemental Lords would always exist, but whether they would be the same soul was certainly not the case.
Elements would always exist in Azeroth; this was an inseparable force. Elements would inevitably have a Lord as their leader, to govern and command them, lest they go berserk and cause a great catastrophe.
This was similar to how the Undead Scourge had to have a Lich King to command them, but it was even more advanced than the Lich King.
The Undead could be continuously hunted down and annihilated until nothing was left, but elements could not all be destroyed, as that would cause elemental imbalance.
Imagine a world without fire; how would one cook meals then?
"It seems he truly is courting death. We need to speed up the demon situation. Don't conserve energy if you can use a portal. Tonight, I want to see Demons being sent over."
Arthas had to cut short his vacation. This feeling of lounging and being pampered was truly enjoyable.
But as a man, the pillar of the family, he had to step up now.
Azshara was his spouse in every sense, so how could he allow others to defile her? He had no self-green-hat-wearing complex; a man could be disciplined, but not self-cuckolded.
Feeling His Highness's faint anger, which contained an ultimate destructive aura within its calm, even she felt a slight tremor of fear.
This was undoubtedly the Queen's spouse!
"As you wish, your command, my will."
Vashj bowed her head even more respectfully, her legs pressed together, her tone becoming more seductive. If the timing wasn't wrong, she would have offered herself to him.
"Alright, go and execute the order. Let me see your sincerity and your capabilities. Don't disappoint me. Azshara can't wait much longer."
Arthas reached out and pinched her chin. This was an audacious flirtation; if he had encountered a tough person, he would probably be in trouble.
But Vashj's submissive expression, if known by her priests and generals, would surely make their jaws drop. This was far too compliant; was this still the brutal Naga?
"Your will."
Vashj bowed slightly and slowly retreated a sufficient distance before turning and walking into the sea. Amidst the swirling mist, she transformed from her Highborne form to her Naga form.
She used her Highborne form on land and her Naga form in the sea, switching freely between the two without any impact on her spellcasting or daily life.
Now that the power of the Old Gods was weakening, she too was affected. If left unchecked, it would not be good for the Naga, and might even shake the Queen's rule. This matter needed to be resolved immediately, and it had to be resolved.
Returning to the Town Hall, precious gems were everywhere, as were portraits of Arthas, showcasing luxury and authority.
In Sinestra's words, her master was the King of Lordaeron and the leader of the Alliance. All human hope now rested on her master, and he needed to constantly display his authority to inspire genuine worship from more people.
A leader should be high above, relatable, but not connected to the Shadowlands.
When everyone genuinely worshipped Arthas, proposing the unification of all human kingdoms would be a natural progression.
As for commercial control, winning over nobles, dividing and weakening, and finally encroaching, those were matters for later.
For the first time as a leader, he held a meeting, not inviting Uther and Mograine, as they had other matters to attend to outside.
Mograine was responsible for clearing the ruins of Lordaeron, handling logistics, assisting Dathrohan in dealing with the wandering Undead in the south, and taking Kael'thas, pursuing the human traitor Barov Family.
He also thoughtfully dispatched Archmage Modera, one of the Six Council of Dalaran, to assist. Her main responsibility was to monitor the movements of the Dreadlord and inform them of the Dreadlord's vile tactics of killing enemies, possessing their bodies, and using their positions to create internal chaos and strife.
Both Dathrohan and Mograine were hot-tempered Paladins, easily susceptible to such tricks. This was where an experienced Archmage was needed to oversee and monitor. She didn't need to fight outside, just to regularly check important figures daily to see if they had been possessed.
Mages were professional in this field. They might not understand how to possess, but they certainly knew how to prevent possession.
Uther, Fording, and Bridget led the Silver Hand to eradicate the Undead in the Eastern Plaguelands and mark out the Plague zones from the habitable areas.
Regarding the Plague, he still needed to travel to Kalimdor to find the Night Elves and utilize the local Dryads for dispelling and restoration.
Only the Dryads possessed this unique dispelling ability, while ecological restoration required the help of Druids. These nature-loving Druids were very willing and eager to help.
They were all part of the same Alliance; cooperating with humans was always better than cooperating with Orcs.
This time, Jaina, Sylvanas, Vereesa, Sinestra, and Onyxia were present, all women, not a single man.
Upon their arrival, Ilucia and Jandice, mother and daughter, served green tea as handmaidens.
To have two Archmages as maids, apart from the Naga, only Lordaeron had such confidence.
"The Second War is over, but there are still many things in the world that need to be dealt with. We cannot relax."
"Just now, Queen Azshara's Handmaiden found me. They need help. Trade and transport cannot do without the Naga's assistance. If they were to maliciously interfere, no ships could pass through the oceans."
"Jaina, help me contact the Night Elves and ask them to send a Dryad unit to help restore the lands corrupted by the Undead Scourge and the Burning Legion. Give them the best treatment, don't be afraid to spend money. Money can be earned again, but if land lies fallow, there will be no continuous income."
Jaina was the leader of the Alliance during the Second War. As Arthas's wife and the future Queen of Lordaeron, she held natural and legitimate rights.
"I understand. I'll contact her using remote magic later. Thanks to The Maelstrom being repaired, our watchtowers along the route can act as conduits, allowing communication between the Eastern Kingdoms and Kalimdor."
This was a good thing. In the absence of satellite technology, only magic could achieve long-distance communication.
Technology was amazing, and magic was equally amazing.
"Sylvanas, how are the Elves doing recently? I heard that some Undead, freed from the Lich King's control, found you? Don't be nervous, I don't mind cooperating with the Undead. They do indeed have their unique advantages."
Arthas nodded, turning to look at the Ranger-General, his wife, whose golden hair was streaked with silver, highlighting her unique charm.
These were some changes after using death magic. Queen Sylvanas didn't become a banshee, but she still mastered necromantic power, and he didn't know if it was a good thing or a bad thing.
Hearing this, and knowing her husband didn't mind, Sylvanas finally breathed a sigh of relief. The usually resolute Ranger-General even showed a hint of shyness, lightly biting her red lips.
"My dear, I didn't mean to hide it. I was still in negotiations at the time."
Arthas interrupted her apology, glancing at all the women present, not even missing the two Archmage handmaidens.
"I know, I understand. You don't need to apologize."