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"..."
Hearing Mualani's words, Rios merely kept a straight face, without answering.
But even without an answer, this silence seemed to be tacitly affirming Mualani's statement.
[So the Pyro Archon already knew the Ode of Resurrection couldn't revive people, that's why he suspended the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame on the Sacred Night.]
[I don't understand; why didn't the Pyro Archon just explain it clearly? Why insist on using a forceful method to suspend the event?]
[Kachina told us before that the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame on the Sacred Night is practically Natlan people's faith, and winning in the competition is an enormous honor for them.]
[If the Ode of Resurrection can't revive sacrificed warriors, then the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame on the Sacred Night and the Night Warden Wars would be completely meaningless; in the future, when encountering Abyss monsters, everyone could just go up themselves—no need to participate in the competitions at all.]
[If the Ode of Resurrection losing its effect were made public, Natlan people might feel like they've lost their faith, as if the sky is falling.]
[Combined with what Mavuika said earlier, Natlan's ley lines can hold out for at most one more year; the Abyss will definitely launch attacks during this time. At that point, Natlan people who have lost their will to fight would probably struggle to exert their original combat power.]
[So, the Pyro Archon said nothing and forcefully halted the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame on the Sacred Night with a tough stance, all to concentrate everyone's attention and resentment on him, so they wouldn't suspect the Ode of Resurrection's effectiveness.]
[Just like this time, the Pyro Archon told the Natlan people that the Ode of Resurrection wasn't useless, but Kaiulani didn't participate in a Night Warden War, so that's why she couldn't be revived with the Ode of Resurrection.]
[The Pyro Archon bore everything...]
[Isn't this what a god should do?]
[That's what you're saying, but the Pyro Archon isn't some 500-plus-year-old monster like Venti or Nahida; he's just a teenager in his teens.]
[After understanding Natlan's plight, he decisively made this decision, bearing the misunderstandings and curses of the entire nation—I think that's truly remarkable.]
[Heartbreaking; he's still a child.]
[Anyone else just want to laugh like me? Earlier I saw someone analyzing that the Pyro Archon was colluding with the Abyss.]
[Seeing your message, I can't help but laugh too—who on earth came up with the idea that the Pyro Archon is colluding with the Abyss?]
Looking at the players' barrage, the corners of Rios's mouth twitched slightly.
So he was this amazing, huh.
He had thought suspending the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame on the Sacred Night and the Night Warden Wars was just to gain emotion value, but unexpectedly, it led the players to misunderstand.
Probably, in Mualani's and the players' hearts, he had already become a "tragic hero" who, for the sake of protecting Natlan, was willing to bear ten thousand curses.
"Mualani, even if you understand, my decision won't change."
"Instead of dwelling on this, let's hurry and bring Kaiulani back."
"That place is probably swarming with Abyss monsters now... With her strength, she won't hold out for long."
Rios deliberately made the situation sound severe.
With Kaiulani's current strength, those Abyss monsters truly weren't enough for her to handle.
Even that Abyss chanter from the plot would probably be smashed around like Hulk tossing Loki.
But naturally, he wouldn't say this; instead, he had to claim Kaiulani's situation was very dangerous, and if they didn't act soon, she might die under the claws of the Abyss monsters.
"Lord Pyro Archon, won't you take action?" Kinich asked puzzledly. "If it were you going to save Kaiulani, you'd surely bring her out easily."
Rios shook his head. "I still need to check if there are any more Abyss monsters appearing within Natlan's borders."
"In my judgment, this Abyss monster attack was premeditated."
Everyone hearing this was slightly stunned.
"Aren't Abyss monsters supposed to lack intelligence?" Kachina asked doubtfully; this didn't match what she had heard from the elders in her tribe.
"Monsters lack intelligence, but the existence controlling the monster attacks has it." Rios said. "Both Kaiulani and Iansan were attacked; their commonality is that they are winners of the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame on the Sacred Night, and neither was by my side."
Kinich immediately understood. "Lord Pyro Archon, you mean the Abyss monsters specifically targeted them?"
If the victims had something in common, it meant it wasn't indiscriminate attacks, but premeditated.
"I think the Abyss also understands that the Ode of Resurrection has lost its effect, and knows that once this spreads, it will cause a massive impact on Natlan people's morale."
Rios said, "Earlier, by halting the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame on the Sacred Night and the Night Warden Wars, I prevented them from having the chance to spread this."
"But now..."
"Everyone held an informal Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame on the Sacred Night to uphold tradition, yet it drew the Abyss..." Mualani drooped her brows, taking over Rios's words.
The girl's eyes fluctuated slightly, her words carrying sadness and sorrow.
Kaiulani had finally achieved victory, but unbeknownst to her, she had already been targeted by the Abyss monsters behind the scenes.
"Fortunately, Lord Pyro Archon insisted on not holding the Night Warden Wars; otherwise, it really might not have been possible to fool everyone present." Kinich finally realized the deeper meaning behind Rios's tough attitude.
If Rios had indulged everyone in continuing the Night Warden Wars, then when casualties occurred, everyone would know the Ode of Resurrection had lost its effect, and the consequences would be unimaginable.
Fortunately, Rios's attitude was firm, preventing things from developing to an irreparable point.
[Holy shit, so this is how the Pyro Archon was thinking!]
[Damn, the Abyss is actually this clever, knowing that killing Kaiulani would let everyone know the truth about the Ode of Resurrection failing.]
[If the Pyro Archon hadn't forcefully stopped the competition, Natlan would probably have been in chaos long ago.]
[The Pyro Archon and the Abyss fighting wits in the shadows, step by step—it's like Zhongli faking his death; I'm sweating all over, my brain couldn't even keep up—this wave of intellectual battle is unbeatable.]
[The one above sure isn't kidding, right?]
[Fast-forward to never daring to post abstract stuff again.]
[Woo woo woo, I was wrong; I just cursed him as a dictator, but he was protecting everyone's faith.]
[He's only in his teens... and has to bear all this alone.]
[Wait, the Pyro Archon not personally going to save Kaiulani now—is there deeper meaning to that too?]
[Definitely! He has to hold the center, preventing the Abyss from striking elsewhere and causing more chaos.]
[And if he personally intervened, wouldn't it make the problem seem even more severe, needing a god to step in?]
[Keeping the status quo and letting tribal warriors handle it instead makes the people feel things are still under control.]
[His mind is too deep... doesn't seem like a teenager at all.]
[Hoyoverse is really good at contrasts; the Pyro Archon looks like he doesn't scheme much, but every step has profound meaning.]
"Rios," Mualani clenched her hands, her gaze regaining its firmness, "How much longer can Kaiulani hold out?"
"I'm going to save her now!"