Facing the fan of blades thrown by Maiev, Illidan showed no intention of retreating; the fel energy within him instantly erupted under his will.
Illidan's speed also increased again in that instant, his figure even exceeding Maiev's capture limit, moving through the fan of blades like a ghost.
The sounds of blades colliding and spinning rang out continuously, countless blades were sent flying and cut apart by Azzinoth, scattering across the ground.
The green light and shadow had merged with the humid air by the coast, leaving trails of green. Maiev instinctively raised her glaive, but was directly sent flying by an immense force.
The Warden twisted her body in mid-air, landing steadily on the soft sand, but as soon as she landed, Illidan's next attack struck again.
Maiev gritted her teeth; Illidan's relentless pressure made it difficult for her to use Blink to evade attacks. This guy was cunning, even abandoning magic attacks that required preparation time, constantly using close-quarters combat to prevent her from retaliating.
After absorbing the energy of gul'dan's skull, Illidan's strength was beyond what Maiev could contend with, and most of the Warden unit that could have helped her were wounded in the previous explosion.
Sending them in now would only be sending the Wardens to their deaths for nothing.
As her thoughts raced, Maiev barely fended off Illidan's storm-like assault, each swing of his crescent-shaped twin blades aimed at a fatal spot.
Watching her Mistress gradually fall into an extremely dangerous situation under Illidan's assault, Nasa struggled to get up from the ground, but she also knew that going up now would only distract Maiev and cause her trouble.
Finally, the Azzinoth twin blades parried Maiev's glaive, and the sharp warblades directly slashed towards Maiev's throat.
Although the Warden's armor almost protected every vital point on their entire body, this armor offered little protection against Azzinoth.
As soon as this strike landed, there was no doubt that Maiev's battle armor would be cut open, and her fragile throat directly severed by the warblades.
At the critical moment, Maiev instead abandoned the idea of dodging backward. Her body strangely tilted forward, as if welcoming Illidan's warblades and offering up her vital point.
Illidan didn't know why Maiev made such a move, but just as the warblades were about to cut Maiev's throat, Illidan suddenly felt a powerful magical energy erupt behind him.
This even exceeded his reaction limit; several thick vines, like forearms, suddenly shot out of the ground, firmly wrapping around Illidan's arm that wielded the warblades. Maiev's glaive took the opportunity to flick upwards.
"Clang! Crack!"
The sound of two weapons colliding rang out. Illidan blocked Maiev's attack with his other unconstrained hand. The edge of Azzinoth firmly jammed the glaive, and the disparity in strength prevented Maiev from advancing further.
"Stop, my brother! It's not too late to turn back now!" Malfurion's shout echoed behind Illidan. The Arch Druid controlled the arm-thick vines, tightly binding Illidan's arm.
And those vines, nourished by magic, continued to grow, climbing from Illidan's arm, wrapping around his shoulder and waist, attempting to prevent Illidan from exerting force.
The muscles, strengthened by fel energy, were like steel, stubbornly resisting the contraction of the vines. Maiev's warblades, pressed forward with all her might, were still firmly blocked by Illidan.
"The hilt of those flying blades... hidden seeds?"
Only then did Illidan understand the cause and effect. After all, on the soft sand, a Druid would need suitable casting materials to grow vines so quickly.
"They were living wood blessed by Druid magic. I gave the Arch Druid a message before pursuing you—surrender, Illidan."
Maiev tapped her left foot on the ground, leaping into the air and kicking Illidan's warblades. She used the recoil to disengage from Illidan's side.
Illidan was neither angry nor frustrated; he still looked calmly at Maiev, "Well, Warden, you are indeed an experienced hunter, and my brother, you always appear so timely."
"Illidan, you don't have to do this. Come back with me. I might be able to use the power of the forest to purge the corruption from you!"
Malfurion had not given up on persuading his brother to change his mind. Although Illidan had committed many unforgivable grave sins in the eyes of others, he still believed from the bottom of his heart that his brother had been controlled and seduced by demons.
Who knew that upon hearing Malfurion's persuasion, Illidan suddenly let out a low laugh, and then the laughter grew louder and louder. He said in a tone full of sarcasm, "Oh, come on, Malfurion, the power of the forest can purge the corruption of fel? Look at your precious forest, what a mess the demons have made of it!
You are a complete fool. The power of nature cannot save us at all. It will only wear down your will and prevent you from fighting strong enemies."
Towards the end of his words, Illidan's voice grew rougher and rougher. It was as if something within him was awakening. Malfurion, who had been at ease, suddenly felt immense pressure.
Under everyone's gaze, Illidan's already much taller-than-elf body began to swell even more. His already impossibly strong muscles continued to grow, and a black mist infused with fel energy gradually began to envelop his body.
"You don't understand anything at all, you know nothing. The Druid path you follow is nothing but a complete joke in the face of the Legion!
Malfurion, come on, face my wrath, and let me show you how worthless the beliefs and power you hold sacred truly are!"
Accompanied by roar after roar, Illidan was like an ignited powder keg. Endless green flames ignited on his body, which was completely shrouded in black mist. He had completely lost all elven features, transforming into an embodiment of terror.
The dark demon opened his eyes, burning with dark green fel energy. The vibrant vines were easily torn apart like noodles, and the fel flames rising around Illidan instantly burned them to ashes.
"Damn it, Illidan, you're completely beyond saving!" Maiev was both shocked and angry. She hadn't expected Illidan to still have reserves, but this seemed to have completely turned him into a demon.
"Beyond saving? Maiev, you're wrong, I'm perfectly fine!"
The moment the last syllable was uttered, Maiev also vanished from her spot. She suddenly appeared above Illidan's head, the valiant Warden wielding her blades, descending like a meteor from mid-air.
"Bang!"
What struck back at Maiev was not Azzinoth, nor a fel spell, but merely a massive palm. The Warden didn't even react before she was seized by the throat by the Demon Hunter.
The weapon in Maiev's hand fell to the ground. She struggled to punch Illidan's arm. At this moment, she felt what it meant to have an absolute disparity in strength.
"Farewell, Warden!"
Magic runes lit up on Illidan's arm, and terrifying fel energy gathered there. In the blink of an eye, the struggling Warden in his hand would turn into ashes consumed by fel.
"Stop!" Seeing this, Malfurion no longer held back. He poured all his strength into activating the seeds that Maiev had previously buried on the beach.
This was not a forest, and his power could not be fully unleashed, but with the help of these seeds, he should at least be able to stall...
A roaring ring of fel flames responded to Malfurion. His spell was not yet fully unleashed before it was consumed by Illidan's fel flames, and all Illidan did was gently flap his wings.
Illidan suddenly turned around, ready to display Maiev's painful struggles before Malfurion, to see what expression his brother would have.
But the moment he turned, he froze.
He saw a familiar slender figure standing behind Malfurion, her bright eyes filled with disbelief and shock.
"Ty... Tyrande."
"I thought that was just an exaggerated description, but... Illidan..." The Priestess of the Moon lowered her head, seemingly unwilling to look at Illidan's grotesque demonic appearance.
Illidan, seeing Tyrande's reaction, seemed to be thinking something, but he released his grip on Maiev's neck and casually threw the Warden aside.
Seeing this, Malfurion quickly used a Druid spell to catch Maiev, moving her away from Illidan.
The black mist on him also receded at this moment, and Illidan returned to his half-elf, half-demon appearance.
"Cough, cough... cough, cough!" Maiev struggled to prop herself up, breathing heavily. The Wardens nearby rushed to Maiev's side, helping their Mistress up.
Illidan waved his hands, and the Azzinoth warblades embedded in the ground spun into his grasp. The Demon Hunter said nothing, merely flapping his wings, his figure transforming into a soaring arrow that vanished from the elves' sight.
Malfurion frowned, gazing at the direction Illidan had departed, and after carefully sensing for a moment, he slowly spoke, "He... is gone."
Tyrande merely nodded, saying nothing else. She stroked Ash'alah's head, the expression in her eyes complex—was it disappointment in a friend, or regret for a loved one?
No one knew, but the Priestess's heart must have been sorrowful, for another once-intimate friend had chosen a path from which there was no turning back.
"Arch Druid... we... should not have let Illidan leave. He will bring more suffering to this world!" Maiev, supported by Nasa, came to Malfurion and Tyrande's side.
"We couldn't keep him," Malfurion shook his head. "My brother's power has exceeded our imagination. To truly stop him, we must be fully prepared."
Maiev was silent for a moment, because Malfurion had indeed hit the nail on the head. She had indeed overlooked Illidan's increase in strength before, and had still been thinking of using her usual methods of pursuing prisoners to deal with him.
"Where did he go? The area east of Azshara should have been swallowed by the Endless Sea long ago," Tyrande suddenly asked.
Malfurion replied, "I don't know, but he definitely flew eastward. Any further east, and the spirits of nature can't give me answers either."
"I will continue to complete my mission and bring him back to the prison. The sacrifices made by the Wardens and elven soldiers cannot be in vain," Maiev said with some resentment.
"Wait a moment, Warden Shadowsong, your injuries are not light." Malfurion temporarily suppressed Maiev's pain with a spell, then asked, "What's going on with that temple over there?"
"I'm not sure, but I'm afraid Illidan might have lured my people in, leading us into a trap he set," Maiev said, looking at the temple where the fel energy pillar was gradually fading, also a bit confused.
"This... Mistress, our people never lost track of Illidan. He never left our sight, so it should be impossible for him to have had the opportunity to set up a trap." Nasa's words made Maiev's guess impossible as well.
After a brief silence, Malfurion and Maiev suddenly said in unison, "Unless he had other helpers."
"This is not good news. For over ten thousand years, I've never quite understood some of my brother's actions. He always does things I never expect."
Malfurion stroked his beard, completely unable to figure out when Illidan, who had been imprisoned for ten thousand years, had found aid.
"However, for now, let's return to the tribe. Once everyone is settled, we can discuss Illidan's matter. And Maiev, your injuries also need time to recover."
Maiev sighed, knowing that a forced pursuit was not realistic now. "Alright, Arch Druid."
...
On a small island tens of kilometers from Azshara's coast, Illidan descended from the sky. He let out a long breath, seemingly burdened by worries.
"Lord Illidan, we have been awaiting your arrival for a long time."
A voice suddenly came from the empty coastline, but Illidan was not at all surprised.
"It seems she has agreed to our cooperation again."
"Yes, esteemed Lord Illidan, I am the Queen's handmaiden. You may call me Vashj."
The Naga, with a snake-like body and six arms, emerged from the sea. She respectfully bowed to Illidan, "Those Night Elves just now had a few troublesome characters. We could have helped you get rid of their entanglement."
"No need, Vashj. They've retreated on their own now. I know my brother well; he won't make unnecessary trouble. However, that woman from the Shadowsong family... never mind. If she follows, deal with her."
Illidan thought of the Warden, who was somewhat obsessive about pursuing him. Maiev couldn't cause him much obstruction, but she was indeed a considerable nuisance.
"These problems are not important. We must leave Kalimdor quickly. You should have seen the signal I sent earlier. Are you all ready? I don't have much time."
"Of course, Lord Illidan, we can depart at any time."