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[Alps]

Ander nodded. "So, before heading to Hearthglen, where will you have them undergo Holy Light infusions?"

Forseti pondered briefly. "The Alps. It's nearby and has a challenging climate, which will prepare the paladins for the Antarctic environment."

He retrieved a map and pointed out the Alps in southeastern France to Ander. "Right here. Take them there tomorrow. I'll return to Asgard first."

"Understood."

The next day, Forseti returned to Asgard via the Rainbow Bridge.

Before departing for Earth, he had asked Eir to ensure regular care for the Thunder Tree species. These trees required special attention unlike regular flora, and leaving them solely in the hands of Shilut left Forseti somewhat concerned.

Upon his return, Eir was in the medicinal garden.

"Forseti, come see," she exclaimed eagerly. "The tree has sprouted!"

Already? Forseti was surprised. He looked over and saw a sapling about the length of a finger emerging from the soil. It was slender and green, resembling a hair strand but straight as an arrow.

The seedling branched out on either side, slender yet equally straight, resembling a figure with outstretched arms.

Gazing at this sapling, which bore a resemblance to the ancient guardian tree's protective spirit—a towering tree man hurling rocks to defend its domain—Forseti couldn't help but imagine.

At noon that day, Forseti entered Brian Bronzebeard's training space.

Brian, the gruff and seasoned explorer, bellowed as he activated the monster. "Don't touch anything I haven't touched before!"

Simultaneously, as Brian unleashed the creature, Forseti activated the Eye of Reckoning, its gaze ablaze with holy light.

Seven layers of ripples.

As the younger brother of the Dwarven King, Brian's prowess was evident—he had reached the seventh level, making him a renowned figure across Azeroth.

"Boom..."

As Brian pressed the button,

A gate swung open in the darkness.

Beyond the gate, a lava cavern unfolded, encased in obsidian walls with molten lava coursing through it. Waves of searing heat washed over them.

It could only be Blackrock Depths or the Molten Core.

Sure enough, amidst the black rock and blazing magma stood a towering lava giant, over ten meters tall.

"This is a Lava Destroyer, servant of the Fire Demon King!" Brian exclaimed, his excitement palpable as he turned to Forseti. "Warrior, let's slay it together!"

With that, Brian brandished his warhammer and charged at the Molten Core Destroyer.

Despite his short stature, Brian's charge was swift. In moments, he closed in on the Molten Core Destroyer and leaped.

"Boom!" The impact sent a cascade of gravel and magma flying from the Lava Destroyer's frame.

In retaliation, the Molten Core Destroyer swiped, striking Brian and sending him hurtling through the air, leaving a crater in the ground.

Observing through the Eye of Reckoning, Forseti discerned the Molten Core Destroyer was also at the seventh level.

After a brief hesitation, Forseti decided to join the fray.

After sending Brian airborne, the Molten Core Destroyer turned its attention to Forseti, its visage twisted with rage amidst its black stone and magma features.

Capitalizing on the distraction, Brian roared and exerted all his strength, lifting the Molten Core Destroyer's foot and toppling it.

"Boom--"

The colossal form crashed to the ground, causing the earth to tremble.

With the flames surging behind him, Forseti charged with the Sword of Demon Slaying, delivering a decisive blow to the Molten Core Destroyer's countenance.

The lava giant was Ragnaros' minion, guardian of the Molten Core's entrance. Every adventurer entering the Molten Core would confront two such lava giants.

This Lava Destroyer, a superior breed among the Lava Giants, surpassed its brethren in strength.

Forseti battled a seventh-level foe in the training space for the first time, recognizing the Lava Destroyer as a formidable adversary among seventh-level entities.

Thanks to Brian Bronzebeard's assistance, they eventually prevailed.

Exhausted but victorious, the nearly indiscernible Molten Core Destroyer yielded its spoils to Forseti.

Three items lay before him: the [Book of Experience: Grimmang the Incinerator], [Enchantment: Tibu Blazing Rune], and [Hydrasia Water Elemental Friendship].

Each held allure for Forseti, prompting him to scrutinize them closely.

Grimmang the Incinerator, one of Molten Core's top ten bosses and the Fire Lord's capable lieutenant, stood at the eighth level. Given this, challenging him was beyond Forseti's current capabilities.

[Hydrasia Water Elemental Friendship]

[Instruction: ... random summons of a water elemental in the training space for battle support, reusable.]

This revelation intrigued Forseti. Beyond Zhou Zhuo and Brian, additional avenues for reinforcements in the training space were now apparent.

Considering his options, Forseti focused on the [Enchantment: Tibu Blazing Rune].

Tibu's Blade ranked among Azeroth's most prestigious weapons, often commanding exorbitant prices at auction. Naturally, Forseti held it in high regard.

Reflecting on this, the Tibu Blazing Rune was no ordinary enchantment, as expected.

[Enchantment: Tibu Blazing Rune]

[Explanation: ... imbues weapons with potent flame capabilities, transforming them into a fiery manifestation, transcending their original form.]

Forseti's eyes gleamed with renewed purpose.

Transform a weapon into a form of fire?

The image of Tibu's flaming rune suddenly flashed through Forseti's mind, causing his heart to race.

However, both the Demon-Slaying Sword and the Rivendell Sword were already enchanted and functioning well. It would be a waste to simply cover them. If he wanted to use the Tibu flaming rune, he would need to forge another suitable weapon.

He had several blueprints in mind, such as the Sulfuron Warhammer, Thaurissan's Warhammer, and the Arcanite Axe... Of course, there were also numerous lower-level blueprints.

Should he craft a Sulfuron Warhammer?

Forseti pondered. The Sulfuron Warhammer was undoubtedly excellent, not low-level, and could even be evolved into an orange-tier hammer, though its production costs were somewhat high.

He decided to consult with the dwarves in Nidavi later.

Having spent some time in Asgard, Forseti primarily observed and tended to the saplings guarding the ancient trees.

To his satisfaction, the guardian tree saplings grew surprisingly fast, exceeding his expectations. During the initial days of germination, they could grow more than ten centimeters daily, showcasing rapid development.

A month passed, and the ancient guardian tree had already reached a height of three to four meters, comparable to regular trees. While its growth rate had slowed, it still added a few centimeters daily, trending towards stability.

Standing over three meters tall, the ancient guardian tree now exhibited a treelike form. Its branch-like arms could move, and two fissures resembling eyes appeared on its trunk.

However, like a human newborn opening its eyes for the first time, the tree-man had yet to develop consciousness.

Human infants lacked mental faculties upon first opening their eyes, and similarly, tree-people typically possessed significantly slower intellectual development, often lacking any awareness.

Thus far, the guardian of the ancient tree had only shown slight reaction to Forseti's sudden presence, occasionally shifting its branches.

Moreover, it remained stationary, silently absorbing sunlight and rain, awaiting further development.

Observing the ancient guardian tree before him, Forseti contemplated its future.

Given its current growth trajectory, the ancient guardian tree would eventually tower tens or even hundreds of meters in height, its appearance resembling that of a tree-man. Such a sight would certainly attract attention in Asgard, possibly even prompting Odin to express interest through Heimdall's eloquence.

Consequently, Forseti considered relocating the guardian tree away from Asgard and transporting it to Hearthglen. The remote outpost required a vigilant guardian, and maintaining the ancient tree in Asgard served little practical purpose.

As per Tome's instructions, the ancient tree guardian, with its now-open eyes, boasted exceptional vitality, capable of thriving in diverse extreme environments. Planting it in Antarctica posed no issue.

Forseti reached a decision and fetched a shovel, preparing to dig up the ancient guardian tree.

Yet, after a few shovelfuls, the ancient guardian tree suddenly trembled, emitting a series of creaking sounds: "Kakakaka..."

In an instant, much to Forseti's astonishment, the ancient guardian tree uprooted itself from the soil. Its trunk curled, roots coiled together to form legs, transforming into a stooped tree-man.

Already capable of assuming a tree-man form? Forseti marveled.

"Om!" Shilut, standing nearby, jumped in surprise, fixating on the newly transformed tree-man.

"It's alright, Shilut. You'll get used to it," Forseti reassured, then turned towards the ancient guardian tree and attempted, "Return to the ground."

However, the guardian tree offered no response, merely gazing blankly.

"Become a tree."

Still no response from the ancient guardian tree.

Forseti fell silent, pondering the situation. Employing physical gestures, he tested several commands, but the ancient guardian tree, evidently incapable of comprehension, remained motionless, akin to an inert figure.

He reluctantly lifted the ancient guardian tree and pressed it firmly into the ground.

Finally, this action elicited a response: the tree-man's legs reverted to roots, entwining with the soil and returning to its original state.

Forseti nodded. Thus far, the ancient tree guardian displayed no capacity for understanding verbal commands. His only recourse lay in employing physical methods to convey intent and effectuate transformations between tree and tree-man forms.

Later, Forseti convened with several other Paladins in Asgard,

Accompanied by Shilut and the ancient guardian tree, they journeyed to Earth together.

---

The scene at the Alps bore a striking resemblance to the Himalayas, albeit less grandiose, with its vast expanse of ice and snow-capped mountains.

During the fourteenth century, the Alps remained largely uninhabited, with scant human activity.

Thus, no one took notice as, unbeknownst to all, stone structures had gradually materialized deep within the Alps.

Amidst these stone structures, over a hundred robust youths engaged in vigorous sparring matches: some wrestled bare-handed, while others wielded wooden swords and shields, their cries echoing amidst the icy terrain.

In the midst of this, several golden rainbows streaked across the sky, descending to reveal several figures—Forseti and his companions, astride their Celestial horses.

"My lord." A youth rushed up to Forseti.

"Where's Ander?" Forseti inquired, scanning the surroundings.

Who designed these stone buildings? Forseti wondered . Though rough, they strangely appealed to his aesthetic.

"He's instilling holy light into Baka," a young man pointed towards a stone house.

Forseti nodded, then carried the ancient guardian tree to an open space. Despite its ability to transform into a tree-man, it moved too slowly to follow commands, so he carried it on his shoulders.

Finding a suitable spot, he gently planted the ancient guardian tree, its roots intertwining with the earth, taking root and becoming a tree.

"Grow here," Forseti patted the ancient guardian tree, though knowing it likely didn't understand.

Next, he led Brunnok, Skurge, and others into Ander's stone house, where Ander was channeling holy light into Baka.

"You're all here," Ander greeted them with surprise.

Forseti smiled, "Of course. There are 120 reserve Paladins; you alone wouldn't be enough."

Humans required less time than Asgardians for holy light infusion, yet it still took months, not brief compared to human lifespans.

More Paladins would expedite the process.

That day, Forseti and Ander alternated shifts, channeling holy light into Baka. In just ten days, the first human Paladin was born.

Baka, like them, imbued holy light into other Paladins. Their numbers grew, and the infusion quickened.

Within a few years, all 120 Alps inhabitants completed the infusion, becoming Paladins.

"Mount up!" Forseti commanded. Over 120 Paladins summoned their Celestial horses, bathing the snowy clearing in golden light.