"Kaiulani, a little drink is enjoyable, but too much harms the body."
Rios said to Kaiulani, his tone more teasing.
"Don't tease me." Knowing she could still be saved, Kaiulani's mood had lightened considerably. "Rios, aren't you going to tell me about the Pyro Archon's plan from 500 years ago?"
Dying because of too much drinking was just too embarrassing. Though it counted as honor in the eyes of the uninformed, to Kaiulani, it was pure shame! She desperately wanted to change the subject right away.
"Then I'll start." Knowing the other didn't want to bring up the drinking anymore, Rios stopped wasting words and told her everything about Natlan's current state and the plan formulated by Mavuika and the other heroes 500 years ago.
"Mavuika... she's also the Pyro Archon?"
Kaiulani widened her eyes, unable to hold back an exclamation. "No wonder she's so ridiculously strong!"
In all of Natlan, aside from Rios, no one could last more than a few moves against Mavuika.
Most warriors were utterly helpless before her, and quite a few had even been struck to the point of self-doubt.
Though Kaiulani wasn't among them, she had watched Mavuika's battles up close and seen that overwhelming power that could crush everything with ease, joining the ranks of those questioning their existence.
Now, learning Mavuika's true identity, she let out a long sigh of relief, her mindset easing considerably.
Being weaker than the Pyro Archon wasn't shameful.
"But I didn't expect Natlan's situation to be this bad, with less than a year left before destruction..." Thinking of this, her newly relaxed mood instantly grew heavy again.
"As long as we get through the crisis brought by the Abyss, things will improve soon." Rios comforted her.
"You want me to stay here to awaken Natlan's six heroes?" Kaiulani guessed the reason Rios wanted her to stay.
Rios nodded slightly. "Though I'm not pinning hopes on Mavuika's plan succeeding, if we can gather the six heroes, we can initiate the Night Hunt Warden Wars."
"Then, all Natlan people can be revived through the Ode of Resurrection, minimizing casualties."
"So, you're using this opportunity to awaken a specific hero?" Kaiulani immediately understood and pressed, "Which hero needs to be awakened now?"
"You'll know soon enough." Rios didn't reveal it, merely smiling faintly.
He had no intention of telling Kaiulani the identity of the hero who needed awakening.
If this drunkard let it slip, it could lead to the awakening plan's failure—it had to be kept secret.
"I should be going now."
Rios calculated the time, thinking Mavuika and the others should have gathered enough people in the Stadium of the Sacred Flame by now and were preparing to chant the Ode of Resurrection.
Before leaving, he extended a hand toward Kaiulani. Blazing red light surged from his palm, swirling around her like flowing fire, ultimately seeping into her body.
"I've given part of my power to you," Rios said. "With this power, you'll be able to defeat any Abyss monster."
"This strong?" Kaiulani looked incredulously at her glowing body, clearly feeling an unprecedented power surging within her.
With her current strength, even if asked to fight Rios before he became a god, she would have a fighting chance.
"If possible, I hope you can also handle the Abyss monsters around the Wayob," Rios said. "Though it can't eliminate the Abyss's erosion of the Night Kingdom, it can at least alleviate it somewhat."
"Leave it to me!" Kaiulani patted her chest, vowing confidently.
Then, she leaned in closer, a fawning smile on her face. "Lord Pyro Archon, could you grant me a small request?"
"What request?" Hearing her address him as Lord Pyro Archon, Rios felt a bit puzzled.
"It's just..." Kaiulani scratched her cheek, a bit embarrassed. "Could you not tell anyone about me getting drunk and losing to the Abyss monsters?"
Such a thing was just too embarrassing—if others found out, her heroic reputation would turn into that of a bear.
"Don't worry, my mouth is the tightest in all of Teyvat." Rios chuckled. "Since you're asking me to keep it secret, how about you keep quiet about my visit here in return?"
"Of course, no problem! If anyone asks later, I'll say Lord Pyro Archon never came here." Kaiulani said very cooperatively.
Rios nodded in satisfaction and turned to leave.
But before departing, he remembered something and turned back. "Kaiulani, I can guarantee I won't spill the secret, but if your teammates accidentally let it slip, I can't be blamed."
"Oh no! And them!" Kaiulani's face changed in alarm, only now remembering her teammates weren't dead yet.
If they accidentally spilled it, her lifelong reputation would really be done for!
"They probably won't let it slip..." She dryly comforted herself. "These aren't very glorious matters—they shouldn't spread it so that all of Natlan knows, right?"
======
Meanwhile.
Stadium of the Sacred Flame.
"Kaiulani, I'm sorry!"
Two warriors were full of regret, sobbing sorrowfully.
"If I knew Abyss monsters would come to attack, I should have persuaded you to drink less!"
"Even if I couldn't persuade you, I should have drunk less myself—so I wouldn't miss my shot when pulling the trigger and let the Abyss monster hurt you..."
As the saying goes, alcohol brings out the truth. Though they knew the Ode of Resurrection would revive their sacrificed comrade soon, thinking of their comrade's death still made them cry uncontrollably, spilling all the embarrassing details from before the battle.
"So Kaiulani and them drank too much, slowing their reactions, and that's how they got killed by the Abyss monsters..." Paimon's expression turned strange.
"She always wanted to win the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame on the Sacred Night again. She finally did, but then learned there'd be no Night Warden Wars—her heart must have felt awful." Mualani sighed softly. "Drinking was probably to drown her sorrows."
"I can understand how she feels." Kachina said empathetically.
She too had put in a lot of effort to win the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame on the Sacred Night.
But if, after winning, she was told the match didn't count, her heart would surely ache.
"Lord Pyro Archon has appeared."
Kinich, who had been silent from the start, looked toward the Sacred Flame and saw a red-haired youth standing beside it.
"Lord Pyro Archon!"
"Lord Pyro Archon is here!"
Low exclamations rose from the crowd.
The people in the Stadium of the Sacred Flame, upon seeing Rios appear, knew it was time to chant the Ode of Resurrection.
Mavuika, who was organizing order, also sensed Rios's arrival. She looked up and met his gaze. After confirming his eyes, she signaled everyone to begin chanting the Ode of Resurrection.
"The story continues"
"Honor passed down through generations"
"Courage lights up the sky and earth"
"Come back, brother"
"Come back, hero"
"Burn once more..."
Under Mavuika's direction, the Natlan people present closed their eyes and sang the ballad as they always had, wanting to awaken the departed warriors.
Rios also stepped into the Sacred Flame, apparently heading to the Night Kingdom to bring Kaiulani back.
However, after the Ode of Resurrection finished chanting, when Rios emerged from the Sacred Flame, Kaiulani's figure was nowhere beside him.
"Lord Pyro Archon, what's going on?"
A confused warrior in the arena asked.
Rios's expression was grave, his voice heavy as he said, "I didn't find Kaiulani in the Night Kingdom."
[Emotion value from Natlan people +5]
[Emotion value from Natlan people +5]
"She seems unable to be revived through the Ode of Resurrection."
[Emotion value from Natlan people +10]
[Emotion value from Natlan people +10]
...
As soon as he said this, massive emotional fluctuations instantly arose among the Natlan people present, providing Rios with a flood of emotion value!