Naz'jatar, the capital of the Naga Empire, the location of Queen Azshara's palace, and the underwater city closest to N'Zoth's sealing place, Nyalotha.
This heavily defended city is primarily built upon the ruins of Suramar sunken into the sea, and ancient Night Elf Empire structures entwined with seaweed can be seen everywhere within the entire Naz'jatar Metropolitan Area.
Andreas had to praise the exquisite craftsmanship of the ancient artisans; even after being submerged in the sea for ten thousand years, these buildings largely remained intact.
Aside from the damage caused when the land sank into the sea, most ancient Night Elf Empire buildings, including Azshara's Eternal Palace, maintained their appearance from ten thousand years ago.
Following the three joint Flying Fleets, the Night Elf Republic army landed in the southern part of the underwater city, where Naga were relatively few, and quickly began constructing a Vanguard Camp.
Allies from the Alliance, the Horde, and the various races of Azeroth were still on their way. Before the reinforcements arrived, the Night Elves had to hold the front line against the Naga counterattack.
Deep-sea fish struggling desperately could be seen everywhere on the ground of Naz'jatar, which still retained residual seawater. Having left their familiar marine environment, these fish would likely soon die from lack of oxygen.
Malfurion, who loved nature, silently apologized to these marine creatures in his heart, but he had little time now for compassion.
Unsurprisingly, the Naga whose home turf was attacked swarmed out like a disturbed hive.
The scope of the underwater land sectioned off by Andreas using the Tidestone was different from the 8.0 version map. Numerous coral reefs and scattered ancient Night Elf Empire structures could be seen surrounding it.
Judging from the distribution of the buildings, this area should still be the outskirts of Naz'jatar.
The Naga attacking the camp looked stronger than the individuals encountered before; they were likely Elite Guards dedicated to protecting the capital.
A female Naga spellcaster with four arms commanded loudly from the rear, "Attack! Drive these landlubbers out of Naz'jatar, for Queen Azshara!"
Compared to their swift movement in the water, the Naga's activity on land was noticeably sluggish.
The battlefield created by Andreas using the Tidestone not only weakened the Naga's home-ground advantage but also allowed many land races, including the Night Elves, to maximize their strength.
Although the Night Elves had prepared a lot of Deep-Sea Combat Equipment, fighting the vast numbers of Naga underwater meant these preparations were merely a drop in the bucket.
The Deep-Sea Combat Forces were currently patrolling and intercepting in the sea surrounding Naz'jatar, preventing more Naga from reinforcing the city, and were also under great pressure.
Possessing three Demigods, Andreas couldn't be bothered to get too entangled with these insignificant enemies attacking the camp in waves.
Malfurion equipped the aegis of aggramar and completed his Great Bear Transformation, charging into the Naga formation first—or rather, first bear forward.
The aegis of aggramar, integrated with the Druid transformation, greatly enhanced Malfurion's physical defense and magic resistance, causing most attacks hitting him to be repelled by the impossibly hard defense, leaving the attackers' hands numb.
Shandris also activated fixed-point sniping mode, entrusting the Sentinels to Daelin and Leticia, while she stood in the camp, precisely sniping enemy officers.
While Malfurion and Shandris spearheaded the charge on the front lines, Andreas temporarily suppressed his boiling blood, calmly remaining in the rear to coordinate operations.
This battle concerned the future of Azeroth. Celeste put aside her reluctance and worry for little Sirius, entrusting him to the care of the household maids and butler, and followed her family to Naz'jatar.
"Celeste, Aurora, how is the Portal Array coming along? How much longer until it's set up?"
"About twelve—no, ten minutes!"
As the leader of the Mage Corps, Celeste was guiding a group of Highborne Arcanists to expand the scale of the Portal Array.
Fortunately, Naz'jatar possessed extremely abundant Arcane Network energy. The giant portal leading to Suramar City, maintained by Elisande using the Nightwell's energy to tear open the spatial passage, was rapidly taking shape.
The Joint Armies of the various races of Azeroth were converging on Suramar. This temporary Legion-level portal would transport their main forces directly to the rapidly constructed front-line military camp.
The camp chosen by the Night Elves was located on a coral reef highland. Leveraging the terrain advantage, the deployed Bombardment-Type Arcane Golems and Flying Fleets could relatively easily hold off the Naga attacking from below.
Malfurion and Shandris were fighting with gusto. With their tacit coordination, the casualty rate among the Naga officers in the attacking formation sharply increased.
Losing their commanding officers, even the most elite soldiers would become disoriented under the enemy's fierce artillery attack.
The hastily organized Naga army's decline was becoming apparent, barely maintaining the attack solely through the soldiers' formidable physical conditioning and the discipline instilled by strict training.
Just then, an unfamiliar army suddenly attacked from the flank of the Naga formation.
The number of reinforcements was small, fewer than 2,000, but they seemed very familiar with the Naga's combat habits, choosing an assault point right at the choke point of the Naga formation.
The connection between the front and rear formations was severed by the sudden attack. Unable to coordinate, the Naga finally couldn't hold on and quickly retreated under the shouts of the remaining officers.
Andreas stopped the soldiers who instinctively wanted to give chase, "Don't pursue! First, establish the Front-Line Base. Our comrades in the rear are still waiting for the Portal Array to be set up. We'll have plenty of opportunities to fight the Naga later."
After the Naga retreated, Andreas turned his attention to the reinforcements lingering outside the Night Elf military camp.
'These people...'
Andreas felt that this group of underwater Humanoids looked somewhat familiar.
Celeste tilted her head, trying hard to recall, and after a few seconds, she suddenly slapped her hand. "Aren't these Murlocs? Although their appearance looks slightly different."
Once Celeste mentioned it, Andreas quickly recalled the records about Naz'jatar in his memo.
The leader of the Humanoids soon arrived in front of the heavily guarded Night Elf camp.
"Guests from afar, we are the Swordfish-folk of the Wave Blade Clan. We have important matters we wish to discuss with your leader."
After regaining his composure, Andreas quickly ordered the camp guards to let them pass and guided the Swordfish-folk into the camp.
The leading Swordfish-folk introduced himself very courteously upon meeting Andreas, acting nothing like a savage species that hadn't received civilizing influence.
"Greetings, outsiders. I am Okani, the Swordmaster and leader of the Wave Blade Swordfish-folk."
Andreas was unfamiliar with the Swordfish-folk's etiquette, so both sides maintained a courteous yet slightly distant attitude while probing each other.
"I am Andreas, Speaker of the Night Elf Republic. Thank you for your timely assistance."
"Not at all."
A smile appeared on Okani's fish-like face. "Even if we hadn't helped, it would only have been a matter of time before you crushed the Naga offensive."
"The Swordfish-folk have been enemies with the Naga for thousands of years. We are willing to ally with any enemy of Azshara to fight the Naga together."
The Blade of the Tides Clan, where Okani belongs, is just one of countless Swordfish-folk Clans in the ocean.
As the Clan whose residence is closest to Naz'jatar, the Blade of the Tides is considered the most powerful group among the Swordfish-folk, similar in status to the Orcs' Warsong Clan.
The Naga are the undisputed dominant race in the great sea; even powerful Sea Giants and Water Elementals find it difficult to stand against them alone when they appear in swarms.
For the Blade of the Tides Swordfish-folk to be able to settle near Naz'jatar under the intense oppression of the Naga is already a remarkable achievement.
According to Okani's description, the Blade of the Tides has about fifty thousand combat personnel hidden throughout Naz'jatar.
Although their numbers are small compared to the Naga, they have developed many useful tactics during their years of fighting the Naga and are very familiar with Naga combat habits, ensuring they are not disadvantaged in guerrilla warfare.
To avoid having their base attacked by angry Naga, the Swordfish-folk do not have long-term settlements. They live a life of constant migration across the vast ocean, a custom said to have persisted for thousands of years.
After communication and inquiry by Andreas, it was basically confirmed that the Swordfish-folk and the Murlocs of Pandaria are likely close relatives, possessing almost identical body structures, differing only slightly in features.
Compared to the Murlocs, whose overall shape is rounder and temperaments are milder, the Swordfish-folk have more angular features, giving them a fierce, menacing appearance.
Although they do not actively seek battle, the Swordfish-folk are more proactive than the Murlocs when faced with war.
Their warriors are highly experienced in underwater combat, and Andreas, Malfurion, and others believed that an alliance with the Swordfish-folk would have a significant positive impact on the Azeroth Allied Forces' military operations in Naz'jatar.
Since both sides were willing to join forces against the Naga, a formal alliance was a natural consequence.
As the leader of his people, Okani immediately presented the Night Elves with a great and helpful gift—a detailed topographical map of Naz'jatar.
"A large number of our people are spread across the southern outskirts of Naz'jatar. The Naga's influence in this area is relatively weak, and we frequently fight them to compete for survival resources."
The map Okani provided was not made of paper, as paper cannot be preserved long-term underwater.
The map of Naz'jatar was carved inside a large, snow-white seashell. Although the style was rudimentary, the divisions of Naz'jatar could be clearly seen.
The area where Andreas and the others were currently located was the Swordfish-folk Activity Zone. To the north was a complex terrain area known locally as the Boiling Highlands, where Naga defenses began to grow denser.
West of the Boiling Highlands is the Seaweed Forest. As the name suggests, this area once housed a large amount of seaweed, but with the Tidestone draining the seawater, the forest seaweed that was previously floating in the water has now flopped over.
The indigenous inhabitants of the Seaweed Forest are the Fish-folk. Like most Fish-folk, the local residents have been enslaved by the Naga and are likely to be hostile to the Azeroth Allied Forces, requiring caution.
North of the Boiling Highlands is the palace complex of Azshara's Eternal Palace, which is the core area with the tightest Naga defenses.
Okani offered his views on the advance route for the Azeroth Allied Forces.
"I do not recommend attacking the Eternal Palace directly. Advancing through the Boiling Highlands to attack the Eternal Palace will stretch your supply lines thin, and attacks from the Naga and Fish-folk on both flanks will greatly impact your frontline operations."
The Fish-folk west of the Boiling Highlands will undoubtedly come to the aid of the Naga when they face a crisis.
The Coral Forest to the east, and even the Suramar Ruins further east of the Coral Forest, are areas where large numbers of Naga civilians reside, and naturally, a considerable number of Naga troops are stationed there for defense.
Andreas pointed at the area of the Suramar Ruins and asked thoughtfully, "So, the best approach is to first eliminate the threat of Naga and Fish-folk flanking attacks, remove concerns about the rear, and then launch a full assault on the Eternal Palace?"
Okani nodded, "Yes, that is the safest method."
"The Naga Military Zone is located just north of the Coral Forest. In the Suramar Ruins, the furthest east, you might find some hidden allies, which should help with the final decisive battle."
"Allies?"
Andreas asked, surprised, "What do you mean by that?"
Okani scratched his head. "Hmm... I don't know how to explain it. According to my Clan's Seer, a group of Lobster-folk who also oppose the Naga live in the Suramar Ruins."
"However, these Lobster-folk are unintelligent, and for many years we haven't found a way to communicate with them amicably. You can try using your own methods."
Andreas' expression shifted, and he turned to look at Malfurion, who was stroking his long beard.
The Archdruid nodded knowingly. "If we can tear a hole in the Coral Forest defense line, I will personally go and see if I can persuade the Lobster-folk to assist us in attacking the Naga."
...Having essentially finalized cooperation with the Swordfish-folk, both sides decided to simultaneously advance toward the Boiling Highlands and seize this central, well-connected undersea hub.
Before that, however, Okani needed to arrange for his people to notify the scattered, nomadic Swordfish-folk villages, and the Night Elves also had to defend their Vanguard Camp, whose defenses were not yet fully established.
According to Okani's description, although the area where they had landed was controlled by the Swordfish-folk, many Naga forces were still scattered nearby.
Furthermore, south of the Swordfish-folk Activity Zone, at the Tidestone Falls, there was a medium-sized Naga Settlement. Upon learning of the invaders, they would certainly launch continuous attacks against the Night Elves' camp.
As the Local Experts of Naz'jatar, the Swordfish-folk's knowledge and advice were crucial to the Night Elves. Okani's clear and concise analysis gave Andreas a relatively clear plan for the subsequent route of action.
"First, we must focus on defense, withstand the Naga's fiercest counterattacks, and as soon as reinforcements from the other races arrive, we can first breach the Tidestone Falls, secure our major rear area, and then advance toward the Boiling Highlands."
"Once we take the Boiling Highlands, the Allied Forces will be able to advance or defend as needed, and our operational space and initiative will be greatly improved."
Having determined the strategic direction, the Night Elves immediately deployed a large number of construction arcane golems to accelerate the construction of the camp's defensive fortifications.
In the early hours of the morning, Andreas yawned, put down his work, and prepared to recover his energy through meditation.
When he looked up at the high point of the coral reef, Andreas was surprised to find Leticia and Celeste standing side-by-side on the platform, gazing far off toward the northeast of the camp.
'Northeast, the Suramar Ruins?'
Letting out a silent sigh, Andreas tiptoed up behind the two women.
"Leticia, don't overthink things."
With his left hand resting on Celeste's shoulder, Andreas patted Leticia's head with his right.
"Lady Faelithris is now Azshara's attendant. As long as we breach the Eternal Palace, we will see her again eventually."
Leticia shook her head. "I'm not worried about Mother. After this period of adjustment, I have gained clarity."
"Regardless of why Mother chose to side with Azshara, I have no right to blame her, as I was powerless to help her escape her fate."
"It's my issue." Celeste took a deep breath and continued, "I don't know if it's my imagination, but I always feel like there is some presence in the Suramar Ruins attracting and calling out to me."
Andreas' expression shifted. "Could it be..."
Celeste tightly pursed her lips, looking somewhat nervous. "I don't know. At least I can confirm that whatever is calling me is not a living creature. I just don't know if it was deliberately placed there."
Frankly speaking, Andreas did not hold much hope that Celeste's mother had survived.
As a member of the Sunstrider Family, Celeste had proudly mentioned that her mother possessed considerable Arcane skill. While not on the level of her father Dath'Remar, she had been fairly well-known in the Highborne circles of Suramar.
By comparison, Leticia's mother Faelithris had never stood out in terms of personal power.
The less powerful Faelithris became Azshara's handmaiden, whereas Celeste's mother vanished without a trace—most likely perishing in the Sundering.
After Azshara was transformed into a Naga by N'Zoth, she tried to save as many of her drowning subjects as she could, but her reach was limited. Hundreds of thousands of Night Elves had fallen into the sea; Azshara could not rescue them all.
Azshara had reason to save Faelithris: the Yuege Family had suffered because of her trust in demons, and Azshara herself had vowed to preserve the Yuege line.
The Sunstrider Family had no such fortune. Andreas refused to believe the wise queen had been unaware of Dath'Remar's uprising.
If Lady Sunstrider truly had not survived, the call Celeste now felt was probably the last keepsake her mother had left behind.
Andreas gazed through the pre-dawn night toward the distant ruins of Suramar. Strange, ray-shaped creatures flitted through the sky above; below, lightless Suramar lay deathly still.
Patting Celeste on the shoulder, Andreas consoled her, "Let's head back for now. The time isn't right. Once we secure Boiling Highlands, I'll accompany you to investigate."
'Let's hope this isn't a trap baited by someone with ill intent.'
…At dawn the next day, Celeste, Leticia, and the other Night Elves who still clung to Mortal habits were still asleep, while Andreas and Shandris had long since regained their vigor.
The shift-working Arcanists had finally stabilized the spatial passage to Suramar. Reinforcements marched out of the portal in tight formation.
The first wave of aid was composed of the earliest arrivals—Draenei, Gilneans, and High Elves, all staunch allies of the Night Elves.
"Sniff… sniff…"
In Worgen form, Genn's nose was extremely keen. He wrinkled it in growing disgust.
"Pah! Stinks of fish."
Prince Liam quietly reminded him, "Father… please mind your manners."
After the Worgen affliction, the once-proud Genn had let himself go, abandoning both the Greymane clan's isolationism and, apparently, any notion of royal decorum while transformed.
Andreas and the accompanying Velen paid no heed—honest behavior beat smiling on the surface while cursing within.
Sun King Kael'thas likewise cared little for ceremony. Raised by Celeste, young Kael was bold and uninhibited, a far cry from the delicate, indecisive prince of history.
Glancing left and right, the Sun King asked, "So this is Naz'jatar, capital of the Naga? Why is it so desolate?"
Andreas explained, "We're only on the outskirts of Naz'jatar. The Naga's core settlements lie further north."
Velen smiled and added, "The outskirts are perfect. We won't face an immediate, frenzied assault from the main Naga force, giving us ample space and time to plan our next moves."
"On that note—"
Andreas introduced the Swordfish-folk of the Waveslash Clan. "Thanks to unexpected local help, we've already drafted a rough strategy. Please take a look and share your thoughts."
"…I see."
Velen stroked his beard thoughtfully. "A very clear map of the factions. With the Swordfish-folk as guides, we can cut down the time we'd otherwise spend groping blindly in unfamiliar territory."
Kael'thas asked, "So our first priority is to hold off the Naga attacks from the north while doing our best to break through the Tidestone Falls in the south?"
"Exactly," Andreas said gravely. "The Alliance armies still need several days to arrive from the Eastern Kingdoms. The Horde set out early from Tanaris aboard our Flying Fleets, but crossing the ocean also takes time."
The First, Third, and Fourth Flying Fleets ferried the Night Elves' main host to Naz'jatar first; the Second Flying Fleet carried the Horde from southern Kalimdor.
The Horde had started earlier and their transports were faster, yet given the straight-line distance to the Broken Isles, both factions would likely reach Suramar one after the other.
Andreas only hoped the two bitter rivals wouldn't come to blows in Suramar itself.
With the combined might of four nations, Andreas was confident he could hold off the Naga's relentless assault while still siphoning enough troops to smash through Tidestone Falls.
After discussion, it was decided that Andreas and Velen would remain at camp to keep receiving reinforcements from Suramar.
Jarod would lead the bulk of the four-nation host in a direct push on Tidestone Falls, aiming to seize the Naga stronghold and secure the rear as quickly as possible.
Of the three airborne fleets, two would accompany Jarod; only the Fourth Flying Fleet would stay behind. Swordfish guides would show the army the optimal route.
Genn and Kael'thas would march with Jarod, each leaving part of their force to help the Night Elves defend the camp.
Among those staying was Alleria Windrunner. Before the Naga attacked, the eldest Windrunner arrived to pay a visit, accompanied by a golden-haired male ranger.
"Long time no see, Andreas."
Alleria was as brisk as ever. The ranger behind her saluted the command tent with perfect precision.
Andreas smiled and nodded. "Indeed. Vereesa says you've been rather busy lately."
Alleria sighed. "Yes. The Sun King has folded the Farstriders into the regular army. All that slack discipline has to be retrained—cost me no end of trouble."
"Oh, right—"
Alleria gestured toward the handsome ranger behind her. "My adjutant, Halduron Brightwing."
"Don't be fooled by his stiff manner; the man's a complete stoic—quite the player when off duty."
Halduron's solemn face turned pained. "…General, this is my first meeting with Speaker Moonshadow—could you spare me some dignity?"
Andreas merely chuckled. Among High Elves, self-disciplined families like the Windrunners or Lor'themar were the exception.
Led by Silvermoon's old nobility, a life of luxury had spread to Eversong's commoners; knowing how to enjoy oneself was their hallmark, and Halduron was simply one of many.
Since they were in a military camp, the banter remained light and soon turned to the war.
Halduron's expression became serious again. "According to Farstrider scouts, the Naga's second wave should hit very soon."
Alleria added gravely, "I've heard about the last defense. This time the Naga are better organized and more ferocious. We'd best prepare our defenses in advance."
Andreas said confidently, "No need to worry. Last time we faced an attack, our preparations were insufficient, and the fortifications weren't even finished."
"This time is different. The heavy artillery-type arcane golems are set up, and the thorn vines and trenches are ready. Let them come."
As magitech technology gradually advanced, the Night Elves' warfare methods were also undergoing a subtle transformation.
Against ordinary mobs, the well-equipped Night Elf army could simply F2A and steamroll over them.
The Naga's total forces were so massive that they had reached a point where quantity leads to quality change. When on the defensive, Andreas would make all necessary defensive preparations to minimize losses and maximize the difficulty for the enemy to break through.
The Night Elves, possessing powerful firepower, needed to delay close-quarters combat as long as possible, allowing the heavy artillery in the rear and air support from the sky to inflict as many casualties as possible.
Barbed wire was too low-tech; the Druids' enhanced thorn vines could better obstruct enemy attacks.
Under the watchful eyes of Alleria, Archbishop Nelly, Prince Liam, and others, the first wave of the Naga army's assault was blocked by the sturdy thorn vines.
The Night Elves hiding in the trenches could avoid the Naga's thrown harpoons and magical attacks to the greatest extent, dealing massive damage to the Naga by raining down volleys of arrows.
"Boom!"
A deafening roar of cannon fire erupted from the artillery positions behind the camp. The heavy artillery-type self-propelled arcane golems, with their four support legs extended, pressed deep marks into the ground.
Large-caliber magitech cannons blasted the Naga positions without mercy. The long-range sharpshooter squad, under Shandris' command, raised their bows and aimed.
"Fire!"
The bows held by these specially selected Sentinels were several sizes larger than ordinary shortbows. When they drew the strings to the full, the muscles in their arms bulged visibly.
Magitech energy arrows with incredible piercing power were fired in waves. The front-row Naga fell one after another, and the arrows continued through to the ranks behind, dealing area damage in a way that differed from a rain of arrows.
Alleria was quite interested in the enhanced magitech longbows used by the sharpshooters.
Nowadays, the High Elves have also begun to widely adopt magitech weapons. With their magical prowess, they can produce high-quality equipment, though their production volume is relatively low.
"Andreas, can these special longbows be sold? I'd like to purchase a batch for the Rangers."
Andreas nodded and said, "Of course. Let the people from the relevant departments handle the negotiations."
Although the High Elves appeared slender, their muscle density was not poor; their foundation as former Night Elves remained.
For instance, Alleria and Halduron could easily draw these special magitech longbows, and most rangers' arm strength was also quite impressive.
Under the Night Elves' comprehensive defensive system, once the Naga broke through the first layer of thorn vines, a second and third layer would immediately stand in their way.
The campers in the trenches continued to fire volleys of arrows, and the roar of the magitech heavy machine guns, mounted under multiple layers of protection behind the trenches, never ceased.
The four-nation alliance raiding Tidestone Falls left behind many ranged units for defense. Alleria, Nelly, and others led their rangers and mages into the fray.
Two magitech heavy machine guns formed a crossfire network on both sides of the line. The charging Naga were like sitting ducks waiting for execution by firing squad, held at bay outside the defensive line.
If they were fighting in the sea familiar to the Naga, while magitech weapons wouldn't be rendered unusable like gunpowder weapons, the Naga's movements would be much more agile. A fixed defensive line wouldn't be as effective in water, where buoyancy acts in all directions.
Precisely because of this immense advantage in the sea, the Naga had never developed an air force, as it was meaningless to them.
The disadvantage of lacking aerial bombardment was fully exposed under the assault of this multi-layered crossfire network.
Previously, when setting up positions near the shore, trenches were impractical due to the tides. But on solid land, the Naga's disadvantage was starkly apparent.
Perhaps realizing that this method of attack was simply throwing lives away, the Naga commander finally ordered a retreat after leaving behind over ten thousand mangled corpses.
Far away in the Eternal Palace, Azshara also fell into contemplation. Such a defensive formation was indeed difficult to breach, especially for Naga who had lost their home-field advantage.
"Very well, let's abandon active assaults for now. We shall also dig in and prepare our own defensive positions."
Azshara leaned lazily against her throne and issued her orders. "I want to see if the Night Elf Republic can be as formidable on the offensive as they are on the defensive."
...Tidestone Falls
The alliance forces, taking the initiative, first used their aerial advantage to conduct a sweeping bombardment of the Naga on the ground.
Although the Naga's technology appeared primitive, they had, after all, inherited a portion of the Night Elf Empire's technological legacy.
Anti-aircraft harpoons designed for underwater use could pose a threat to the flying fleet in the sky.
Jarod, stationed on the flagship's bridge, calmly ordered, "Fleet, disperse. Use mobile guerrilla tactics to evade anti-aircraft fire. paratroopers, prepare for deployment; prioritize neutralizing the enemy's anti-aircraft weapons."
Since flying warships had been developed, the corresponding paratroopers were naturally part of the plan.
The Night Elf fleet, having traveled a long distance, dropped a large number of paratroopers from the sky. Once on the ground, they assembled at top speed and dismantled the Naga's anti-aircraft harpoons one by one, following Jarod's orders.
The cavalry units charging from the ground arrived shortly after. The Draenei's Elekk Paladins, shielded by golden "eggshells," led the charge, crashing into the Naga positions with their pole-hammers.
Unlike the Draenei's heavy cavalry, the High Elves took a completely different approach. Their Hawkstriders were light and swift, allowing the rangers to fire their bows while in full stride.
"Mobile Firing!"
Ranger-General Sylvanas continuously drew her bowstring, leading the High Elf rangers in mounted archery by example.
The Gilnean Worgen units, led by Ivar, sprinted on all fours. The feral Worgen tore into the Naga with tooth and claw upon entering the formation, their savage momentum putting immense psychological pressure on the enemy.
The connection between Tidestone Falls and the Boiling Highlands was severed by the Night Elf vanguard, cutting off all communication. With insufficient preparation, the Naga were eventually overrun by the alliance forces led by Jarod.
Meanwhile, the second wave of alliance forces, led by the Tauren and darkspear trolls, entered Naz'jatar through the portal. By then, the battle near the vanguard camp had long ended, and the alliance soldiers were clearing the battlefield.
As Cairne and Ulan were getting on in years, they sent their children, Baine Bloodhoof and Mayla Highmountain, as military leaders to gain experience.
"Huh?"
Baine looked at the corpse-strewn battlefield in confusion. "It's over already?"
Vol'jin chuckled with the low, raspy voice typical of Trolls. "Don't be in a hurry, young Bloodhoof. This battlefield was just a vanguard position; the truly difficult fighting is yet to come."
After Azshara abandoned her proactive attacks and took a defensive stance, the soldiers of the vanguard camp suddenly found themselves with free time.
With Tidestone Falls breached and the hidden threat in the rear eliminated, Andreas launched a tentative attack on the Boiling Highlands while waiting for reinforcements from the Alliance and the Horde to arrive.
It turned out that the Naga, when focused on defense, could exert quite impressive combat power within their own lair.
The defensive positions firmly blocking the path to the Eternal Palace were laid out like a bristling porcupine, with countless anti-air harpoon cannons forcing the high-altitude flying fleets to return empty-handed.
The Naga, having started setting up their defensive lines in advance, built most of the harpoon cannons behind the coral reef mountains, making it difficult to hit them accurately with long-range shelling.
Naga witches casting joint spells summoned dark clouds and lightning high in the sky, and the harsh environment significantly reduced the effectiveness of the flying fleets.
Andreas frowned as he looked at the meticulously drawn map. "To breach the Naga positions now, I'm afraid we can only resort to a brute-force assault regardless of the losses."
"As Okani said, the threat to the flanks has not yet been resolved; it is not yet the optimal time for a general offensive."
The Coral Forest and the Kelp Forest each possessed a Naga defensive stronghold: the Terrace of Athaya and the Terrace of Zanj'ir.
These two strongholds guarded two other routes leading to the Eternal Palace. If a three-pronged attack could be launched, the overstretched Naga defensive lines should be easier to break through.
Just as Andreas had feared, as the third wave of reinforcements from various international neutral organizations arrived, the Alliance and the Horde did indeed meet in Suramar at roughly the same time.
When enemies meet, their eyes blaze with hatred.
If it hadn't been for the host, Elisande, using the power of the eye of amanthul to give both sides a warning and forcibly separating them by freezing time, the Horde and the Alliance would have already come to blows in Suramar.
Andreas had originally thought the current Horde was far behind the Alliance in military strength, but the allies who arrived alongside the Orcs left him quite surprised.
First were the helpers Go'el recruited in Northrend through personal charisma; the Taunka, who had always claimed neutrality, finally agreed to join the Horde under Go'el's persistent persuasion.
The alliance with the Taunka expanded the Horde's sphere of influence in the Borean Tundra. The thick-skinned Taunka possessed significant combat power; in terms of sheer durability alone, they were stronger than the Kalimdor Tauren and the Highmountain Tauren.
Next were the Forsaken, who were nearing the end of their rope.
Because the undead are very sensitive to the aura of the living, Prisim had been unable to plant scouts in Stratholme. Andreas didn't even know when the Forsaken and the Orcs had established contact and subsequently joined the Horde's camp.
The brutal battle for Lordaeron had made Nathanos realize the reality: to ensure the continued survival of his kin, the strength of the Forsaken alone was far from enough.
Nathanos, who had changed his surname to Blightcaller, proactively sent undead divers to swim to the Borean Tundra to contact Go'el's Orc Horde. He expressed a willingness to join the Horde, provided that the Horde offered assistance to the Forsaken.
The Orcs had also experienced the Scourge's chaos, and Go'el was quite wary of these undead who claimed to possess their own free will.
After a period of secret contact, Go'el tentatively determined that the Forsaken under Nathanos' command would not be as insane as the Scourge undead.
At least, not for the time being.
The Horde indeed needed more allies now. After some discussion with Jorin, DrekThar, and others, Go'el finally agreed to accept the Forsaken.
Aside from the Goblins, who were few in number but possessed decent technological strength, the Horde's final heavyweight ally made Andreas' jaw drop: it was actually the Jungle Trolls of the Gurubashi.
According to the intelligence sent back by Prisim, the first group the Orcs had actually contacted was the Drakari Empire of ZulDrak.
But these Frost Trolls had long since resigned themselves to their fate under the discipline of the Night Elves; at least in the land of Northrend, they did not want to take any action that might cause a misunderstanding with the Night Elves.
Even Zandalar, their suzerain nation, had failed to persuade the Drakari to come out and stir up trouble, so naturally, the Horde couldn't manage it either.
It was unclear if Go'el had intentionally made a feint; his true target was not the Drakari Empire, but the Gurubashi Jungle Trolls adjacent to the Kingdom of Stormwind's territory.
Go'el had never given up on the idea of finding more living space for the Horde. As Freya gradually took over the Sholazar Basin, the last direction for expansion around the Borean Tundra was blocked, forcing Go'el to look elsewhere.
Stranglethorn Vale was a good place. The Jungle Trolls, plagued by internal unrest, could not control the entire Stranglethorn Vale, and the area near the southern cape was occupied by Goblins who had evacuated from the Kezan archipelago.
Goblins are an incredibly greedy race; for the sake of gold coins, they would not hesitate to sell their own mothers.
While not all Goblins would be so frenziedly heartless, believing in a Goblin's moral baseline is itself an unreliable proposition.
Due to his outstanding abilities and his low-key, down-to-earth nature, Jorin Deadeye, who had escaped from Draenor, was gradually being groomed by Go'el as his right-hand man and successor.
Under the Warchief's orders, Jorin secretly infiltrated Stranglethorn Vale.
Several Trade Princes of the Goblins had jointly built a port city called Booty Bay at the southern cape, where they spent all day in endless power struggles.
After disguising himself, Jorin personally joined one of the factions to gather intelligence. After months of observation, he finally identified a Goblin with potential who retained a basic conscience.
This Goblin, named Gazlowe, received a promise from Jorin that he would help him become the most powerful Trade Prince and unify all the Goblins under him.
After a series of maneuvers, assassinations, and alliances, Gazlowe successfully emerged from the internal strife among the Goblins of Booty Bay.
The vast majority of the powerful Trade Princes were sent to the bottom of the sea, while a few fled in panic, leaving Gazlowe as the sole leader of the Goblins.
With the Goblins' help, the Orc forces finally penetrated the southern part of Stranglethorn Vale without the Alliance noticing.
Jorin did not stop his actions. After several failed attempts at contact, he finally secured an opportunity for a face-to-face dialogue with the high-ranking members of ZulGurub.
As the suzerain of the Gurubashi Empire, the Gurubashi clan had been living quite miserably in recent years. After driving out the Darkspear clan, the ambitions of the Bloodscalp and Skullsplitter tribes had grown larger and larger.
Although the Jungle Trolls had briefly united to attack the human territories in Duskwood under Zandalar's mediation, the Jungle Trolls were forced to retreat back to Stranglethorn Vale once Zandalar signed a peace treaty with the Night Elves first.
Zandalar's reversal infuriated the Gurubashi leadership, and Bloodlord Mandokir publicly swore that he would no longer follow Zandalar's orders.
However, as the suzerain clan of the Jungle Trolls, the Gurubashi showed clear signs of decline in the civil war. Aside from still holding their capital, ZulGurub, they had no advantage against the Bloodscalp and Skullsplitter clans.
Mandokir was worried sick about the future of the Gurubashi clan when an Atal'ai hexxer named Jin'do suddenly approached him.
Jin'do promised to bring the Gurubashi clan back to its peak, on the condition that the entire Gurubashi tribe worship the great Blood God, Hakkar.
Just as Mandokir was caught in a dilemma, an envoy from the Horde established contact with him after bypassing the numerous blockades of the Bloodscalp and Skullsplitter clans.
What Hakkar was and what the consequences of worshiping him would be—as a descendant of the Gurubashi clan that had once experienced the chaos of the evil god—Mandokir knew perfectly well.
Unless driven to the end of his rope, Mandokir would not make this most dangerous choice.
Jorin, claiming to be an advisor to the Warchief of the Horde, happened to request an audience at this time. The Bloodlord, trapped in a dilemma, saw a glimmer of light in the endless darkness.
By the time Prisim's latest report reached Andreas' hands, the Gurubashi Empire's civil war had essentially concluded.
With the help of an elite Orc squad led by Jorin, Bloodlord Mandokir successfully assassinated Jin'do the Hexxer in a sneak attack, but Hakkar managed to strengthen himself and enter the physical world by devouring Jin'do's soul.
In this state, Hakkar lacked sufficient power of faith to sustain him, making his connection to the physical world extremely unstable.
Taking advantage of Hakkar's weakened state during his incomplete manifestation, the Horde elites led by Jorin and Dranosh defeated him in one fell swoop, driving Hakkar out of Azeroth once more.
With the Horde's assistance, Mandokir led his army to defeat the rebellious Bloodscalp and Skullsplitter clans, executed their chieftains, and reclaimed control over the Gurubashi Empire.
Having gained powerful reinforcements once again, the Horde's confidence was bolstered significantly, but more problems followed.
The newly recruited allies lacked coordination; forcing them together failed to create a result where one plus one was greater than two.
When the Horde and the Alliance met in Suramar, the Horde appeared to be in high spirits on the surface, and the Alliance could not easily see the unresolved hidden troubles within the Horde.
As the two factions stood on the brink of conflict, the Zandalari Trolls led by Princess Talanji watched from the sidelines, enjoying the spectacle.
Although Elisande intervened in time to stop them before the fighting started, it was clear from the hostile glares between the Alliance and Horde soldiers that expecting sincere cooperation was impossible.
Andreas was no peacemaker; the hatred between the Alliance and the Horde had nothing to do with him. As long as their conflict did not harm Azeroth, they could fight however they pleased.
However, now was not the time to let the Alliance and Horde tear each other apart. Azeroth's final global threat, N'Zoth, was still alive. Fighting now would only make N'Zoth, who was watching from the shadows, laugh with joy.
The Old Gods were masters of manipulation. Once N'Zoth caught a psychological vulnerability during the Alliance and Horde's cooperation, he could easily incite infighting between the two factions.
The solution was simple: have them advance separately.
After the final batch of reinforcements arrived, the total number of the Azeroth Allied Forces was quite impressive.
Following a discussion among the racial leaders, the Alliance and the Zandalari Trolls would advance west toward the Seaweed Forest, defeat the local Murlocs, capture Zin-Azshari's Terrace, and open the path to the Eternal Palace.
The Horde, along with various neutral factions, would attack the Coral Forest to the east, while the Night Elves stayed behind to face the main Naga force directly in front of the Eternal Palace.
Facing the elites gathered from all over Azeroth, the Naga defensive positions on the Boiling Highlands were finally breached.
However, these elite Naga were not routed despite their defeat; they conducted a fighting retreat from the ruined fortifications, falling back to the Eternal Palace's complex to hold their ground.
Compared to the temporary defenses on the Boiling Highlands, the Eternal Palace, as the heart of the Naga Empire, possessed fortifications that were on an entirely different level of strength.
The walls were mounted with numerous anti-air harpoon cannons, and a layer of Arcane energy shielding could be faintly seen around the palace's perimeter.
The Allied Forces launched a probing attack, but even saturated fire coverage failed to break through the royal city's shield in a short time.
Considering that the threats from the left and right flanks had not yet been eliminated, the Allied Forces set out according to the tasks assigned in the military council.
Andreas breathed a sigh of relief as he watched the Alliance and the Horde strike out in two different directions.
He had put in a great deal of effort to mediate the conflicts between the two factions during the joint military council.
"Jarod, I'll leave the task of attacking the Eternal Palace to you. I have some personal business to attend to."
Jarod did not press for the reasons behind Andreas' personal business and readily accepted the role of commander-in-chief, taking charge of the camp on the Boiling Highlands.
This camp had been seized from the Naga; being close to the palace, ancient Night Elf-style architecture could be seen everywhere.
Under Andreas' direction, the Night Elves renovated this former Naga camp, extending the trench and barbed wire tactics from the rear.
While the Alliance and Horde led their respective forces to attack the flanks, Andreas had Jarod quietly conduct tunnel warfare beneath the trenches, using tireless arcane golems to dig more interconnected underground passages, aiming to reach the palace directly... The Horde, along with Quel'Thalas, Gilneas, the Tauren, and other races, advanced toward the Terrace of Elun'alor in the northern Coral Forest, clearing out scattered Naga wandering nearby along the way.
Andreas temporarily set aside his frontline military duties and, together with his family, secretly followed behind the Horde army through the Coral Forest, slipping into the edge of the ruins of Zin-Azshari further to the east.
Strictly speaking, all of Naz'jatar was the ruins of Zin-Azshari; the ruins mapped out by the Swordfish-folk likely referred to the core urban district of the ancient era.
The closer they got to the center of the ruins, the stronger the calling Celeste sensed became.
As Celeste's emotions grew increasingly agitated, Andreas and Shandris became more and more cautious.
The ruins of Zin-Azshari were haunted by a large number of ghosts of deceased Night Elves. Even after ten thousand years, their resentment had not dissipated, making it difficult for them to return to the Shadowlands on their own.
Not all the ghosts were malevolent spirits full of spite; like Prince Farondis and his people living in the Azsuna region, a small number of Highborne ghosts retained a certain degree of sanity.
However, the reason these ghosts remained rational was not that they were particularly calm, but simply because their memories were stuck in the time before the destruction of Zin-Azshari.
By communicating with these ghosts, Andreas' group obtained some useful intelligence.
According to these ghosts, the reason the central district remained so intact was entirely due to Azshara's full efforts to protect the city when it was about to be swallowed by the flood.
These ghosts did not even know they had long since died; their memories remained at the final moment of their lives.
Leticia spoke too quickly and revealed the information that they were already dead. These partially sane ghosts immediately turned dark, transforming into vengeful spirits that frantically attacked Leticia.
After purifying the ghosts with the Holy Light, Andreas gave Leticia a sharp rap on the head in annoyance.
"That's for your loose tongue."
Leticia rubbed her head sheepishly. "Hehe~ I won't do it again."
The Druids who had been traveling with Andreas' family parted ways with them before entering the urban area of Zin-Azshari.
Malfurion led this group of Druids, who excelled in beast-taming, to turn south, heading all the way to the Makrura's habitat under the guidance of the Swordfish-folk.
Even after ten thousand years, a dense Arcane aura still lingered within the ruins of Zin-Azshari, with the shattered ley lines spewing energy outward haphazardly.
Some ghosts and local deep-sea creatures had been corrupted and mutated by the Arcane energy, and they would actively attack any creatures passing through the ruins.
"I still remember this place."
Leticia used her moon wheel to "deliver" a vengeful spirit, tilting her head as she looked at the familiar streetscape nearby.
Celeste also spoke up with nostalgia, "This is Carmesil Street, the passage connecting the Zin-Azshari noble district to the palace."
Once the two former residents of Zin-Azshari spoke, Andreas roughly determined where the calling Celeste sensed was coming from.
"So, the target is in the Temple of Elun'alor just ahead?"