Before departing, Medivh, standing atop the mountain, summoned an army of over 200 Fire Elementals one last time. They would serve to delay the demonic horde for another ten to fifteen minutes before the enemy reached the second line of defense.
With a flash of blue arcane light, Rhodes, Uther, Capurnia, and Medivh instantly vanished from the first line and reappeared at the second—the rear of the Orc and Horde combined encampment.
As they landed, the pungent scent of gunpowder and the earth-shaking roars of battle washed over them. Unlike the suffocating feeling of the first line, which had been drowned in a sea of undead and demons, this place vibrated with the rough bellows of Orcs, the war cries of Tauren, and the whistling of spears thrown by Troll Headhunters.
Thrall stood upon a temporary command platform, looking grim as he watched the main force of the Burning Legion surge down the mountain like a tide. When he saw Rhodes and the others teleport back unscathed, his expression was incredibly complex.
The Orc positions were fully prepared. Large numbers of Trolls and Tauren had gathered here, and beyond them, at the third line of defense, the Night Elf army was clearly visible to the naked eye.
"It is truly unbelievable. Rhodes, you actually held them for eight hours," Tyrande said, riding up on her Nightsaber. She and Malfurion had intended to lead an elite force to reinforce him if he faltered, but Rhodes' performance had been exemplary.
The power displayed by the Guardian, Medivh, had shocked everyone, but the turning point was the sudden internal strife within the undead army. The Burning Legion had spent hours quelling that mutiny; otherwise, the first line might not have lasted this long.
As expected of Rhodes; only this kid has that kind of strength and audacity, they thought.
"You fought well. I saw everything. You are all warriors," Thrall said from the side.
While these humans had earned his respect, most of the Orcs, Tauren, and Trolls believed it was merely a stroke of luck. No one could have predicted the undead would betray their masters, forcing the Legion to halt their advance to purge the rebels.
Thrall had witnessed the sheer brutality of those eight hours through his far-seeing abilities. The earth-shaking Titan lightning, the endless tide of elementals, the mysterious "betrayal," and finally, those black-armored knights who appeared and vanished like ghosts to shred the Eredar sorcerers—it all exceeded his expectations.
He had originally hoped the humans would suffer heavy losses so the Horde could "reluctantly" engage the enemy early, showcasing their bravery and putting the humans in their debt. Instead, these five humans (including Medivh) had stood their ground against the Legion's main force for eight hours using incredible constructs and magic.
The combat efficiency of those five humans surpassed that of an entire ten-thousand-man legion. Thrall felt a lingering fear; if the Guardian ever chose to interfere in mortal affairs, the fledgling Horde would have no one capable of matching such power.
In terms of raw individual combat prowess, Orcs feared no race. Whether it was reproductive rate or one-on-one fighting, they were far superior to humans. Their only flaws were a lack of strategic vision and a shortage of top-tier powerhouses compared to the human race.
Rhodes, specifically, seemed to hold a deep prejudice against Orcs. Thrall knew this was not a good sign and desperately wanted to improve their relationship during this war.
"Thank you for the praise. Now it's your turn, Orcs, to fight this war," Rhodes said, wiping sweat from his brow.
To be honest, without Medivh, holding out for eight hours would have been difficult. Rhodes had been watching the battlefield closely, half-hoping for the appearance of thirty or so terrifyingly powerful "adventurers"—those disorganized, jumping, multi-racial mercenaries who traditionally assisted in such historical events. But in this reality, there were no such heroes.
"We humans have kept our promise. Warchief Thrall, our mission at the first line is complete. We have severely depleted the Legion's main force, especially their ranged casters. Now, the rest is up to you," Rhodes stated.
Rhodes had over-delivered by annihilating the Eredar sorcerers. Unfortunately, the "battle settlement" rewards wouldn't trigger until the Burning Legion was completely defeated.
"Then behold the performance of the Orcs! I will prove to you our courage and our hatred for demons," Thrall roared, raising the Doomhammer. Around him, countless green-skinned Orcs raised their axes and let out a sky-rending howl.
"I'll stay behind to help you," Rhodes said suddenly. "My magic can effectively kill those demons."
Rhodes wasn't staying out of the goodness of his heart. This was a prime opportunity to farm system experience and rare loot. He planned to hide in the back and use "sniper" spells to pick off the Legion's generals—specifically the Dreadlords and Pit Lords who hadn't participated in the first assault.
"The Horde does not fear sacrifice! For Azeroth and for the future of the Horde, we will fight to the end!" Thrall shouted. "The Goblin landmines are set, and the Shamanic earth elementals and spirit wolves are on standby! I appreciate your support, but you have done your part. Go to the rear and rest."
"Lord Uther, I am not staying for the sake of these Orcs," Rhodes said with an air of noble sacrifice. "I am staying to protect Azeroth. I am staying to protect our world. I still have the strength to fight. I can provide ranged magical support; at least I can be of some help."
His words were so righteous that they moved everyone present. Even the Orcs began to look at Rhodes with admiration. Orcs respected such spirit, though they would have respected him more if he were a warrior.
Inspired, Jaina, Capurnia, and even Medivh offered to stay.
"No, just me," Rhodes said, waving them off. "I'm just providing magical support. You all need to meditate and recover your mana. The third line will need you in eight hours. Go back and rest!"
Why would you stay? Rhodes thought privately. I'm staying to farm items and steal kills. If there weren't rare resources to be had, I'd be the first one out of here.
Ultimately, the others were persuaded by Tyrande and Malfurion to retreat to the third line for rest. Rhodes remained in Thrall's camp.
"Thrall, I have a special ability," Rhodes said, looking at the Warchief. "Any Orc warrior standing near me will have their attack and defense increased. I can also cast beneficial spells on your troops."
In Rhodes' mind, the logic was simple: as long as the Orcs were under the effect of his "beneficial spells," any kills they made would count toward his own system tally. Come on, Orcs, accept your buffs!
"Sir Rhodes, there may have been misunderstandings between us before, but now, I am eternally grateful," Thrall replied, nodding with deep respect.