"Ding! Current Level: 45."
"Ding! You have learned a new skill: Execute."
"Execute: Attempt to terminate an enemy's life with your weapon. Can be used when the enemy's health is below 35%. Deals 300 damage. If the target is successfully killed, all cooldowns are reset. Cooldown: 5 seconds. (Un-evolved)"
When Arthas saw this skill, his brow furrowed. What kind of skill was this? Three hundred damage? Right now, even the weakest elemental minion had nearly three thousand health. This was probably a skill even a dog wouldn't use! A single Avenger's Shield could wipe out elemental minions; even against the charge of a Core Hound, it only took two or three hits. There was absolutely no need for a finishing move like Execute. Was this just for laughs?
After a brief complaint, Arthas stopped paying attention to the skill, dismissing it as a joke.
Over a dozen two-headed Core Hounds were sprinting across the ground, their frenzied appearance reminiscent of zombie dogs. Arthas couldn't help but shudder; it was too disgusting. The skin of the Core Hounds was cracked, oozing magma, and their faces were so distorted they were barely recognizable—as if they had been forcibly reshaped into this terrifying form.
Swoosh! He repeatedly threw his shield, but the Core Hounds were too fast, already pouncing in front of him. Having no choice, he abandoned his offensive and used his shield to bash them back!
Awoo! A two-headed Core Hound's maw clamped down on the shield, its sharp fangs nearly piercing through the metal. However, in the next second, the force of the damage reflection shattered the hound's teeth and caused its head to explode.
Sizzle, sizzle!
Arthas's armor hissed as it was splattered by the exploding magma. He shook himself to fling the liquid fire off. The searing pain made his eyes turn red with rage. He launched a counterattack, actively charging and slamming into the Core Hounds. In the process of knocking them back, he followed up with sword strikes, decapitating them.
"Arthas, are you alright?" Alleria shouted, rapidly drawing her bow and firing arrows to clear out the nearby hounds, her expression filled with concern. She loved her husband deeply and didn't want anything to happen to him.
"I'm fine, don't worry! I'm doing great!" Arthas roared, cleaving his sword into the head of a pouncing hound. Pain was nothing. As long as his health didn't hit zero, he wouldn't die—this was the benefit of the system template!
The two brothers, Nefarian and Sabellian, located Majordomo Executus. The two Black Dragons exchanged a glance and dove down, swatting away the elemental minions blocking their path. With a flick of their tails, they smashed seemingly solid stone giants in half!
By the time Majordomo Executus looked up, it was too late. The two Dragons launched magic at him from both sides. Intense waves of heat struck him; even as a Flamewaker, he felt the stinging pain.
"It is useless! Haha! Foolish Black Dragons! Ah!"
Just as Majordomo Executus was gloating, two massive dragon claws seized him, ruthlessly tearing his arms away. Nefarian then grabbed him and took flight again. The entire process took less than ten seconds.
Dealing with a boss was just that efficient!
Huff, huff!
On the other side, Arthas stood panting, leaning on his sword, his body drenched in sweat. A massive Core Hound lay dead before him. This hound was constructed entirely of stone, an ultimate manifestation of a fire creature. After a furious charge, it had slammed into Arthas's shield. Although the impact had nearly killed Arthas, he had survived; it was the beast that died! It had been killed by the sheer force of the damage reflection, its stony body shattering into pieces.
"Ding! Current Level: 46."
"Arthas: Race: Human. Age: 14. Level: 46. Stats: Strength: (100) 560, Agility: (50) 510, Intellect: (80) 540, Mastery: (100) 560, Versatility: (100) 560, Critical Strike: 70% (At same level; increases/decreases by 1% for every level of difference), Critical Damage: 300%. Block: 100%."
"Ding! You have learned a new skill: Divine Shield."
"Divine Shield: Surround yourself with Holy Light, becoming immune to all damage for ten seconds. Cooldown: 24 hours. (Un-evolved)"
This skill actually brought a look of joy to Arthas's eyes. Now, this was a good skill! Why were Paladins so tough? Besides being able to fight, heal, and mitigate damage, they had a window of invincibility. Once Divine Shield was activated, the user would glow with golden light, becoming impossible to kill even if a god descended!
In the distance, Nefarian flew back, holding a half-dead Flamewaker in his claws before dropping him to the ground. "This is Majordomo Executus. I've already crippled him."
Arthas walked over and stepped on Majordomo Executus, pointing his longsword at the creature's heart. "Take us to Ragnaros!"
"No! He will kill me!" Executus seemed terrified of Ragnaros. Clearly, the Firelord was not an easy master to serve; his subordinates feared him immensely. A balance of kindness and authority is the way to lead; pure brutality only breeds resentment and rebellion.
"If you don't take us, I'll kill you right now! You have no choice. Go wake Ragnaros, and then you can get lost!" Arthas sneered. Ragnaros had been slumbering. When he was first summoned to Azeroth, he had used almost all his energy to create the Burning Steppes. Altering the geography like that didn't come without a price. It had nearly exhausted his power, forcing the Firelord into a long dormancy to recover by consuming elemental essence. Did he think he could just show off and then hide away?
Executus bit his lip. "Do you keep your word?" His expression was still filled with dread.
"Take us to Ragnaros. Once he is dead, he won't be able to cause you any trouble. Banished back to the Elemental Plane, he can never return. You can lead us to him without worry. Hurry, before my master changes his mind; this is your only chance to live!" Nalice, who had been working silently, suddenly spoke up, using a mix of threats and persuasion. She acted as if she were content being enslaved by Arthas, appearing resigned to her fate.