Rhodes stood atop the Golem's head, arms crossed, in an incredibly striking pose. This massive wooden giant was his creation. If he wanted to, he could position himself within its chest, neck, or even have its skull encompass him for better defense.
But sometimes, it wasn't necessary. With his current power, once this technique was unleashed, the giant was a force of destruction. Moreover, Rhodes could further enhance its offensive and defensive capabilities by adorning it with a Holy Light armor, and even manifest various weapons for it to wield.
A Holy Light construct, being pure energy, became incredibly draining once it reached a certain size without structural support. At his current strength, a several-dozen-meter Light Giant could only be maintained for a short period, not for sustained combat. This wooden giant, however, was different. It could fight for extended periods, and with a Holy Light armor draped over its non-pure energy form, the drain on Rhodes was minimal. This was the advanced application of the technique.
The wooden giant slowly raised its right arm, its massive wooden fist clenching, then unleashed an ethereal punch at a nearby, uninhabited stone hill.
BOOM!
The hammer-like hand slammed into the hill. With a deafening roar, an entire layer of rock from the hilltop exploded into dust, sending shattered stones flying. The terrifying power sent chills down the spines of Cenarius and Malfurion, who watched from the side.
The wooden man stood silently in the center of the training ground. Rhodes, perched on its head, felt the steady, mountain-like presence of the wooden giant beneath his feet. Cenarius gazed up at the eighty-meter behemoth, his eyes reflecting a complex mix of pride in his disciple's achievement and awe at such power.
What kind of genius mind could devise such a terrifying tactic? This wooden giant's size alone already surpasses most Wild Gods.
"Rhodes," Cenarius's voice broke the silence. "This spell you've created... it transcends the scope of ordinary Druids. This isn't summoning; this is creation."
Malfurion, standing beside his teacher, was equally stunned. He could feel the immense life energy surging within the wooden giant. It wasn't just simple plant growth; it was the raw power of nature molded into a new form of warfare. The sheer power displayed by this wooden giant was enough to directly confront an army of tens of thousands. But what about its specific defensive capabilities?
"Its purely wooden core is both its greatest weakness and its strength, Rhodes. Tell me, how much fire can this Holy Light armor withstand?" Cenarius asked. The massive wooden giant certainly exuded an intimidating presence. In close-quarters combat, even a Wild God would gain no advantage against it.
However, a critical question arose: what about its magical defense? For instance, wood's greatest fear was fire, especially the high-temperature flames generated by magic. If it couldn't defend against fire magic, then this spell was just an impressive facade, highly draining of life force, and ultimately impractical—despite how cool it looked. If it couldn't handle fire, Rhodes would be better off fighting in his true form.
"And energy supply," Malfurion added. "It appears stable now, but under high-intensity combat, with the dual drain of maintaining the armor and your own spellcasting, how long can your mana pool sustain it? Ten minutes? Half an hour? This determines whether it's a decisive trump card or a line-holding bulwark."
The questions posed by Malfurion and Cenarius were direct and incisive. The giant looked formidable, but there were many factors to consider.
"Teacher, Malfurion, first, regarding consumption: I've given this wooden giant a core. If I choose, it can sustain combat for over an hour. As for defense, I selected fire-resistant timber and incorporated life energy for enhanced protection; ordinary magic is no issue. For specialized fire magic, I actually have an advanced version of this technique: giving it a layer of armor." Rhodes said with a smile.
"Armor?" Malfurion looked bewildered, his gaze returning to the towering wooden giant.
Are you serious? An eighty-meter-tall giant? Just to create armor for it would require enough steel to equip an army of tens of thousands.
And ordinary steel wouldn't offer better protection than its own inherent toughness! The sheer mass required to support such a colossal structure was immense; these woods were already harder than steel. So, what would he use for armor? While Druidic spells included a Thorns Aura, that relied on plant spikes for deflection, not actual armor. How would Rhodes make armor?
Cenarius, equally curious, knew his disciple possessed exceptional talent and wielded powers beyond the norm. Perhaps he would have an unexpected answer. "Show us your idea, Rhodes. What will you use to make this armor?"
Rhodes, still atop the giant's head, smirked. He clasped his hands together again, but this time, the power he invoked was not life energy, but immense Holy Light. After Azeroth infused him with life energy, Rhodes's base attributes had increased, making his Holy Light even more potent.
"Holy Light Transmutation: Construct, Holy Grand Armor!"
Ohm— A pure golden, divine light descended, pouring from Rhodes into the wooden giant below him. The deep brown surface of the wooden giant, where the dark green life energy veins pulsed, suddenly ignited like fuses. Golden light erupted from the base of those veins!
The golden Holy Light didn't merely wrap the wooden body; it spread, thickened, and shaped itself along the pre-existing network of life energy veins, rapidly forming thick, angular armor plates adorned with divine relief patterns. Shoulder pads towered like castles, the breastplate was as thick as a mountain wall, and the arm and leg guards combined flexibility with protection, connected by flowing golden light that hummed faintly.
This time, Rhodes manipulated Holy Light to perfectly replicate every detail, each segment intricately crafted, precisely mirroring the form of a magnificent suit of armor. Only with his skill and imagination could Holy Light be wielded with such artistry; other Holy Light users, even with theoretical knowledge, couldn't achieve it.
In mere moments, the once rustic wooden giant had transformed into an eighty-meter-tall divine war colossus, clad in dazzling golden heavy armor! Sunlight cascaded across the armor, reflecting a majestic brilliance that was almost impossible to look at directly. The energy radiating from it, a blend of life's resilience and Holy Light's ferocity, slightly warped the surrounding air.
"This... this is solidifying Holy Light as physical armor, conducted through a network built of life energy?" Cenarius's massive deer eyes were filled with wonder. As a demigod, he could perceive the essence of the armor more clearly.
Malfurion was utterly astonished. Rhodes had demonstrated Holy Light to him recently—a divine energy with both offensive and healing properties, a positive primal force like the life energy they practiced.
"This is another clever application of the wooden core," Rhodes explained. "The Holy Light armor provides excellent magical protection, impervious even to fel or shadow magic. Moreover, Holy Light can be used for ranged attacks. I can conjure bows and arrows or other weapons of Holy Light to arm the giant."
"Perhaps you could also develop vine-type entanglement skills," Malfurion suggested, his eyes brightening. "For example, add two special types of plants around your wooden giant: spiky plants that release thorns, or plants that release hypnotic pollen, or even plants that secrete corrosive acids. You can find seeds for all of these in the jungle, Rhodes. Plants also have many types of ranged attacks."
Rhodes nodded approvingly, giving his senior brother Malfurion a thumbs-up. It was an excellent idea. The versatility of plants could sometimes surpass even Holy Light, with carnivorous plants, poisonous plants, and hypnotic plants—all of which could be integrated into the wooden giant.
Cenarius pondered for a moment, then took a step forward with his massive hooves. "Theory needs practical testing, Rhodes. Let your creation take one of my attacks."
Before his words finished, without much visible effort, Cenarius merely lifted a forehoof and gently stamped the ground, beginning to channel a nature spell.
BOOM!
The solid ground of the training area suddenly cracked open with countless fissures. Seven or eight colossal, living roots, as thick as barrels and covered in thorns and nodules, burst from the earth. Like tentacles from the abyss, they savagely lashed out from different angles at the Holy Light-armored wooden giant's legs and torso! The surging natural power within the roots was enough to easily tear through steel and collapse city walls.
Facing the demigod's sudden attack, Rhodes's eyes narrowed. The colossal wooden giant displayed surprising agility for its size. Its left leg retreated half a step, its center of gravity sinking, and its right arm, covered in thick golden armor, flashed out like lightning, precisely blocking and seizing the first massive vine striking at its chest!
Thump! A dull thud echoed as the wooden giant's palm met the root. Golden Holy Light and green natural power fiercely clashed, hissing. The wooden giant's arm remained unmoving, firmly absorbing the immense force that could have shattered a city wall.