The internal structure of Naxxramas was intricately complex, thick with the stench of rotting undead and the sticky odor of cobwebs.
Rhodes led the way, his greatsword, Verdict of Light, shining with a divine radiance that dispelled all evil.
Sandro followed beside him, looking somewhat helpless. Please, Boss, the Light is powerful, but consider my feelings. I'm undead, and you have Ghost Dragons and Dread Knights in your ranks too.
"Master, I don't believe the Power of Light is necessary for the time being," Sandro suggested.
"Haha, sorry, sorry! I know. I forgot about you guys for a second. First stop: The Arachnid Quarter! Let's see if my 'old friends' are still around." Rhodes's lips curled into a smirk.
This was his first "raid" since arriving in Azeroth; he was genuinely looking forward to it. Once I'm done here, I'm hitting Blackrock Mountain. I have to get my hands on the Brotherhood Shall Not Fail (AL).
The tunnels of the Arachnid Quarter were draped in thick webbing. Countless small spiders and venomous creepers surged from the shadows. However, they couldn't even get close to Rhodes's main force.
Rhodes raised his hand and began layering support spells from Heroes of Might and Magic III: Shield, Stone Skin, Haste, Bless, and Bloodlust.
"Power Liches, volley!"
Dozens of Power Liches raised their staves simultaneously. Dark green Death Clouds shot into the spider swarm like artillery shells. Death energy erupted instantly; swaths of spiders dissolved into putrid slush within the corrosive mist, their hard carapaces offering no protection.
"Vampires, clear the stragglers. Avoid the large targets," Sandro commanded.
Hundreds of Vampires transformed into streaks of blood-red bat shadows, weaving through the remaining spiders. Their claws and fangs precisely harvested any survivors with silent efficiency.
Soon, the team arrived at the lair of the first boss—Anub'Rekhan. The massive Crypt Lord brandished his sharp, scythe-like forelimbs, letting out a piercing hiss.
Seeing the giant beetle-spider, Rhodes flashed a long-lost smile. Good to see you again, old friend.
"Foolish intruders! You dare step into my domain? My children, feast upon them!"
With Anub'Rekhan's roar, countless small spiders burrowed out from the ground, forming a chitinous tide.
"Child's play. Holy Light Elements, purify them!" Rhodes snapped his fingers.
Against such low-level minions, there was no need to deploy his elite troops. The Holy Light Elements were enough. They hovered in the air, spreading their holy wings and radiating searing Light. Every undead and insectoid creature in the vicinity took damage. Even Rhodes's own Vampires winced a bit, though their life-leeching abilities kept them from being taken down.
"Master, the Holy Light Elements' attacks might cause friendly fire. I believe the undead troops can handle this," Sandro noted.
"Don't be in such a hurry! Let me have some fun too." This was "Musou Mode" raiding—the equivalent of a Level 100 maxed-out player farming a legacy raid. Rhodes wasn't about to pass up the chance to play.
Azerothian arcane runes flared in Rhodes's hand. A terrifying Flame Strike was unleashed. Unlike a normal mage's spell, this one was amplified by Rhodes's Mastery of Fire Magic and his raw Power attribute. Furthermore, he infused it with Holy Light.
A searing Holy Firestorm swept through the entrance. The sanctified flames dealt extra damage to the dark creatures. The swarm crackled and popped in the heat, instantly vaporized. Sandro sighed; it seemed he wouldn't get much of a chance to perform. As long as the Master was happy.
"Magic Elements, Diamond Golems, Gold Golems—front and center! You're the tanks now," Rhodes shouted excitedly.
The army of constructs and elementals advanced with heavy thuds, soaking up Anub'Rekhan's Impale and Locust Swarm. The Diamond Golems' high physical defense and near-total magic immunity made the Crypt Lord's scythe attacks look pathetic.
"Now! Dread Knights, charge! Aim for the joints!"
A squad of elite Dread Knights charged, their massive cleavers whistling through the air as they hacked at Anub'Rekhan's leg joints. These were "fresh" Dread Knights Rhodes had saved up, not yet upgraded to Death Knights by Strongk.
Rhodes raised Verdict of Light high: "Light, heed my call! Holy Shock!"
A massive pillar of gold crashed from the ceiling, slamming into Anub'Rekhan's head. The violent clash between Light and Undeath made the creature wail in agony, its movements freezing.
"It's over." A deep ball of dark energy coalesced at the tip of Sandro's staff. An Shadow Bolt from Azerothian death magic, mixed with a Weakness curse from the HoMM system, pierced through Anub'Rekhan's core.
The giant Crypt Lord collapsed, motionless.
Sorry, Master, but I need to level up too. I'll take the last hit!
Rhodes turned around, squinting at Sandro with a look of displeasure. This old guy actually dared to steal my kill? Doesn't he know I'm the designated 'Kill-Securer' here?
"Ahem... Master, we should continue. To meet Grand Widow Faerlina," Sandro said awkwardly.
Rhodes smiled and said nothing. Fine, they were his subordinates; a kill for Sandro was a kill for the team. Sandro needed the levels. Unfortunately, the giant spider didn't drop any loot. How unprofessional.
Grand Widow Faerlina: Once a high-ranking member of the Cult of the Damned under Kel'Thuzad, she now bred countless arachnids in the depths of the fortress. A poison specialist, she knew exactly how to make mortals suffer.
The team soon encountered her, surrounded by fanatical followers. "Ah, new sacrifices! My children, give them the embrace of death!" Clearly, she didn't realize the level of "abnormality" she was facing.
Faerlina raised her hand to cast Poison Nova, but Rhodes was ready. "Dispel it! Archangels!"
"Her followers empower her and explode! Clear them first!" Rhodes shouted, reciting the mechanics. He wanted to follow the "strategy guide" strictly, but his three Archangels basically asked: Master, what's a 'strategy guide'?
The Archangels drew their greatswords and charged with shields raised. After a flurry of clanging metal and holy explosions, the Grand Widow was beaten into a state where she could barely care for herself. She was left wondering: Who am I? Where am I? Where did these freakish angels come from? I couldn't even beat one, let alone three.
"Master, show a little mercy," Sandro coughed, stepping to Rhodes's side. "This widow is one of Kel'Thuzad's direct subordinates. If you want to recruit him, it's better not to kill her."
Rhodes's lip twitched. Fine. The bosses in Naxxramas seem a bit... fragile.
"Fine, don't kill her. Take her prisoner." Rhodes nodded, tossing the half-dead widow to a Dread Knight to be slung over a horse.
Maexxna: The giant spider from the depths of Northrend was dismantled by the Dread Knights in less than two minutes. Her death was gruesome.
In the Construct Quarter, the air smelled of formaldehyde and rotting flesh. Rhodes didn't even bother to lift a finger. The Holy Light Elements simply "cleared the room" with bursts of energy. Grobbulus, the poison-dripping giant, was blasted into fragments by a combined volley from the Light Elements and Power Liches before his "slimes" could even pose a threat.
Finally, they reached Patchwerk, the "War Golem" of Naxxramas, famed for his unparalleled physical destruction. "Patchwerk want to play!" he bellowed, launching a Hateful Strike.
"Forget it! Just play however you want! Ignore the mechanics!" Rhodes sighed.
The Diamond Golems and Gold Golems tanked the hits effortlessly. Patchwerk's massive hooks did nothing to their metallic and crystalline hides. In less than two minutes, the "God of War" of Naxxramas collapsed peacefully.
Just as Rhodes and his team were heading toward the Plague Quarter, Kel'Thuzad himself arrived, leading his Death Knights and several Frost Wyrms.
The Final Boss had arrived early.