Chapter 735

Chapter 735: Fighting Darkness with Darkness

“Did you have a better idea?” Troteman asked.

“Though everyone might need to prepare themselves mentally…”

As Jesse spoke, he took a piece of a Centaur soul from his bag, closed his eyes, and chanted the summoning incantation.

Dark energy swirled around him, and the nearby trees rustled from the airflow caused by the shifting space. Jesse pointed ahead, tearing open a rift in the Twisting Nether. A blood-red demon dog tumbled out, landed on the ground, and struggled to stand. Jesse quickly recited the naming incantation for Annihilan.

“Alright, you are Dazhalm too.”

Aside from “Dazhalm,” Jesse had forgotten all the other names left on the list Mor’zul gave him. He decided every Felhound he summoned from then on would be called Dazhalm to avoid wasting time.

The soldiers around watched in astonishment as the demon was summoned openly, raising their weapons but unsure whether to aim at the demon or at Jesse.

“This… this, Master Seso…” Troteman clearly struggled for words.

Jesse said, “I didn’t expect you to accept this demon right away, gentlemen. But it’s truly useful. Think of it as a walking bomb. If it pounces into the enemy crowd, it harms them. If you get too close, it could hurt you too.”

Troteman replied, “My belief is simple, Master. If you’re sure it obeys your commands completely, kills enemies efficiently, and doesn’t harm our own, I can accept it.”

“No problem.” After speaking, Jesse commanded the Felhound in Demonic, “Charge in and clear the path. Take down those warlocks, Dazhalm—their magic is all yours.”

The imposing Felhound roared excitedly and fiercely darted through the door. Jesse looked at Troteman and said, “Let’s follow.”

Inside the Tower of Ilgalar, several tall Gnoll Guardians hid, with Gnoll crossbowmen and warlocks watching from above, ready to attack intruders. But they never expected a savage demon to burst in!

The leading shield-bearing Gnoll was knocked down by the powerful demon dog, its throat torn apart instantly. The Gnoll crossbowmen and warlocks above panicked, firing arrows and chanting Shadow Bolt spells. The arrows did nothing to the Felhound, and the Shadow Bolts were easily resisted.

On the Dark Portal frontlines, Felhounds swarmed in groups, blocked and destroyed by Alliance forces like cannon fodder because they faced the Alliance’s finest troops—excluding the Draenor expedition—including Kirin Tor Battle Mages and Ironforge axe guards.

When a Felhound, especially the powerful one Jesse summoned, charged into the Gnolls’ ranks, it was like a starving wolf rushing into a flock of sheep—not a weak forest wolf, but a Worg separated from its tribe in Elwynn Forest!

Of course, though the Felhound was fiercer and stronger than the Gnolls, it couldn’t handle several armored, spiked-club-wielding elite Gnoll warriors. These Mage Tower guardians were far bigger and tougher than average Gnolls. After being thrown into chaos by the sudden demon dog attack, some Gnolls regrouped to rescue their fallen comrade.

Fire burned in Jesse’s eyes as he summoned a layer of Dark Protection. He cast Fear on the nearest Gnoll, making it flee in terror. Then he shot a Shadow Bolt directly into the group surrounding the Felhound.

The shadow explosion tore apart the targeted Gnoll. The Gnoll crossbowmen above shifted their aim to Jesse, and a warlock cast a Curse of Agony at him. The curse bypassed the Dark Protection and hit him directly.

But with Mage Armor’s protection against evil, the pain meant nothing to Jesse.

Even without Mage Armor, it wouldn’t have affected him much—he could feel this Curse of Agony was weaker than what Surena had cast.

The Gnoll warlocks above relentlessly fired Shadow Bolts at him, uncaring of their magic. Bolstered by the Mage Tower, their spells were stronger than Jesse expected. Yet he pushed forward, channeling his blood magic power, and raised his hand toward the Gnoll crossbowmen preparing for another shot.

A surge of blood-red power shot from his palm, catching three crossbowmen above. One warlock sensed Jesse’s dangerous magic and stepped back behind a platform, saving his life.

But Jesse didn’t care about one or two escaping. He yanked his arm, and the blood-red threads snapped taut, violently pulling down another warlock and the crossbowmen. They crashed through the railing, tumbling down with cries.

One crossbowman was torn apart by Gorefiend’s Grasp, falling headless. The other two fared little better—even if alive, the hard fall left them badly hurt.

At that moment, a Gnoll warrior who survived Jesse’s Shadow Bolt attack swung its club at the Dark Protection. After enduring arrows, Shadow Bolts, and this final blow, the shield shattered. It released a powerful shadow blast that flung the warrior away and cleared the area.

Several Gnolls already weakened by shadows were knocked unconscious. Shadow corrosion burned their clothes black and scorched their skin as they howled and rolled into corners.

The Felhound scrambled out of the Gnoll corpses and rushed up the stairs without hesitation, continuing to hunt down the Gnoll warlocks as ordered.

Less than half a minute after Dazhalm charged in, the ground floor was cleared. Troteman and the soldiers who followed stared at the scene: about eight dead Gnolls littered around, with shadow corrosion everywhere. Some stayed silent; others gasped.

Jesse deeply felt that after long training and battles against terrifying foes, his magic had grown stronger than he could grasp.

Malin had said magic strength and energy limits improved through constant use and familiarity with casting.

Compared to practicing in the Wizard’s Sanctum Mage Tower or the Mage Quarter gardens, real combat sped up growth far more.

According to Stonewatch Keep soldiers, the dark-pelted Riverpaw Gnolls near Stonewatch were fiercer than Elwynn’s Riverpaw Gnolls. Recalling his past fights against them in Westbrook Forest while hunting Hogger, Jesse knew he was nothing like his old self now.