Stadium of the Sacred Flame.
Audience seats.
The people of Natlan offered enthusiastic applause for the birth of the new Pyro Archon.
However, there was a white-haired girl whose clapping motions were soft and light, appearing absent-minded.
"Mualani, what's wrong with you?"
Seeing his friend's distracted state, Kinich stopped his clapping and asked with concern.
"Hmph~"
"She must be jealous because she's watching her childhood friend become the Pyro Archon while she can only applaud from the audience below."
The one who spoke wasn't Mualani, but the small monster floating beside Kinich, which looked like a pixelated yellow dinosaur in its modeling.
"Ajaw, shut up."
Kinich said coldly.
"Tch~"
"Don't you two know that the truth is often hard to hear?"
"Ow, Kinich, what are you doing?!"
The yellow pixelated little dragon named Ajaw was grabbed by Kinich by the tail and flung away harshly.
Soon, it vanished into the stars on the horizon, disappearing from the sight of everyone in the venue.
"Alright, I've sealed Ajaw away now, so you won't have to hear its harsh words anymore."
Kinich said with his arms crossed.
"Mualani, what exactly happened?"
"Rios is your good friend; at the time when he defeated Mavuika, you were the happiest person."
"Why, on the day he's about to become the Pyro Archon, are you unhappy?"
The little girl with a bandage on her nose and wearing gloves lifted her head and asked.
She was Kachina from the Children of Echoes; although she looked very small, she was good friends with Kinich and Mualani.
"Am I showing it that obviously?"
Mualani grabbed her hair and smiled.
Her smile was a bit forced, lacking her usual vitality.
"What exactly happened?"
"If you tell us, we can help you too."
Kinich asked.
"Actually, it's about Rios."
"I feel like he's changed."
Mualani said.
"Rios has changed?"
Kinich thought for a moment, then said: "According to the elders in the tribe, the Sacred Flame bears the knowledge of past Pyro Archons and the leylines."
"So after entering the Sacred Flame, the new Pyro Archon can quickly obtain the corresponding knowledge and adapt rapidly to the new identity."
"But accordingly, because they receive the memories of past Pyro Archons and learn about the leylines and the Night Kingdom, their personality will also undergo some changes after becoming the Pyro Archon."
"But Rios hasn't entered the Sacred Flame yet, so he shouldn't have changed."
Kinich analyzed.
"Mualani, are you worried that after Rios becomes the Pyro Archon, his personality will change and he won't be like himself anymore?"
"With you putting it that way, even I'm a bit worried now."
Kachina furrowed her delicate brows, looking up high with a worried expression toward Rios's direction.
"No, that's not it."
Mualani smiled helplessly: "I am worried that Rios's personality might change after becoming the Pyro Archon, but right now, I'm worried about something else."
"Last night, I went soaking in the hot springs with him..."
Mualani told them about Rios's plan.
"Sus-suspend the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame's Holy Night?!"
Kachina's eyes widened after hearing Mualani's words.
"Mualani, are you sure that's what Rios said?"
Even the usually composed Kinich's expression turned surprised.
Clearly, he hadn't expected Rios to have such an idea.
This would simply destroy all of Natlan's historical traditions.
"Absolutely true."
The white-haired girl sighed softly: "I thought Rios was just joking, and I've been comforting myself with that."
"But even now, I'm still a bit worried that Rios might really want to do it."
"Your worry is normal. We're shocked too."
Kinich comforted the girl, then rubbed his chin and analyzed: "Rios is about to become the Pyro Archon soon; his perspective on things might be different from ours."
"Maybe in his view, suspending the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame's Holy Night and the Night Warden Wars is the most beneficial thing for Natlan."
"But for us right now, it's still too hard to accept."
The history of the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame's Holy Night is very long; it has become an inseparable part of the Natlan people.
And the Night Warden Wars are even regarded by the Natlan people as a matter of glory.
If these two events were canceled without sufficient reason, it would inevitably cause strong dissatisfaction among the Natlan populace.
"Yeah, that's what I think too."
Mualani placed her hands on her hips, looking toward the Sacred Flame and mumbling: "But now, all we can do is hope that Rios was really just joking."
Kachina clasped her hands together in prayer: "Please don't take it seriously."
At the Sacred Flame.
Under everyone's gazes, Rios stepped into the Sacred Flame.
The Gnosis in his hand bloomed with dazzling red light, and Archon-level elemental power filled Rios's body, elevating his strength to new heights.
The current him could probably solve the pre-god him with just a single glance.
At the same time, many memories surfaced in his mind—memories about the Night Kingdom, as well as those of past Pyro Archons.
No wonder the village elders said that after undergoing the Sacred Flame's baptism, a person's personality would change.
Having experienced so many things out of nowhere, it would be strange if their personality didn't change.
[Shock Value from Kinich +10]
[Shock Value from Kachina +10]
As Rios was digesting the extra memories in his mind, the system's voice caught his attention.
"Why did Kinich and Kachina suddenly give me Shock Value?"
"Are they that happy to see me become the Pyro Archon?"
Rios opened his eyes, his vision piercing through the Sacred Flame to find the location of Kinich and the others.
Seeing Mualani standing right beside Kinich at this moment, Rios understood the reason.
Mualani, this big mouth, couldn't hold it in and told Kinich and Kachina about last night's events, which is why these two produced Shock Value.
"Even the composed and calm Kinich is surprised by my idea, which means my idea is correct."
"It's time to bring this good news to the Natlan people."
After digesting the obtained memories, Rios stepped out of the Sacred Flame.
The instant he stepped out, he became the focal point of everyone's gazes in the venue.
Seeing this, the emcee was about to lead everyone in offering congratulations, but his sharp eyes noticed that Rios seemed to have something to say.
"Does the new Pyro Archon wish to deliver some important speech?"
The emcee thought to himself, so he stopped his actions and quietly watched the newly born Pyro Archon.
"Warriors of Natlan"
"You no longer need to fight."
Rios's voice was very soft, yet it reached the ears of everyone present.
[Shock Value +1]
[Shock Value +1]
"How did the Pyro Archon do that? We're so far away, yet we can hear what he's saying."
"It's impressive, but what did the Pyro Archon mean by those words just now?"
"What does he mean by 'no longer need to fight'?"
"Could it be that..."
Some of the smarter people in the stadium immediately realized the meaning behind Rios's words.
It was just that this matter was so shocking that even if they guessed the truth, they didn't dare believe they were correct—they must have thought wrong.
However, Rios's next words confirmed their thoughts.
"From today onward, the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame's Holy Night and the Night Warden Wars—"
"Shall come to an end!"