Chapter 8: Mualani: The Fatui Can Enter, But I Can't?
After using Shock Value to sustain the Sacred Flame's burning, Rios began to think of ways to enhance the Natlan people's combat strength.
After all, Natlan's leylines were indeed on the verge of collapse; even if the Sacred Flame could still burn, Abyss monsters would still invade.
In the original work, the Natlan people's battles with Abyss monsters resulted in heavy casualties, and many hadn't realized the war would come so quickly.
Moreover, at that time, Mavuika had exhausted her power as the Pyro Archon to sustain the Sacred Flame's burning and could only join the battlefield as an ordinary Vision holder.
In other words, before Mavuika obtained the power of the Shade of Death, the Natlan people were fighting the Abyss monsters without any divine assistance.
The current situation was somewhat better than in the original work.
The Sacred Flame could continue burning, and Rios hadn't lost his power as the Pyro Archon.
Even if the Abyss began a large-scale invasion now, Natlan's casualties would be far fewer than in the original work.
However, Rios still felt it necessary to improve the Natlan people's strength.
The mass-produced Visions in the system mall caught his eye.
First off, the mass-produced Visions weren't actually Gnoses.
They merely imitated Delusion technology to allow ordinary people to wield elemental power.
Unlike Delusions, however, mass-produced Visions wouldn't harm the user.
During the production process, the system would draw a portion of the Gnosis's power, thereby avoiding harm to the user.
According to the system, the drawn portion of the Gnosis's power was renewable.
As long as Rios, as the Pyro Archon, rested properly, it could recover quickly.
If the rest time wasn't sufficient, he could forcibly enhance his strength through the system mall to achieve recovery.
"I already have Visions, I already have the Gnosis; all that's left is the Delusions."
Earlier, Rios had sent people to communicate with the Fatui, demanding they hand over the Delusions to pay rent for their activities in Natlan.
He didn't know if the captain's personality would allow him to agree to Rios's request.
If he didn't agree.
Then Rios would have no choice but to go against the original plot.
Not having the captain, as a Fatui Harbinger, seize his Gnosis.
But instead, he would proactively go to the Fatui camp to rob them of their Delusions.
======
At the same time.
At the door of the announcer's booth.
The white-haired girl was shouting at the entrance.
"I want to see Rios!"
"Let me in right now!"
Mualani was making a huge ruckus outside, clamoring to see the Pyro Archon.
But the two burly men standing at the door of the announcer's booth were utterly unaffected by Mualani, remaining motionless in place.
"Mualani, stop shouting."
"The Pyro Archon has said that no matter what, we can't let you in."
The burly man said somewhat helplessly.
Ever since Rios became the Pyro Archon, Mualani had come to the announcer's booth to make a scene almost every day.
Regarding Rios's suspension of the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame's Holy Night, even the burly men as guards felt dissatisfied.
But seeing that the Sacred Flame was completely unaffected and the Abyss invasions were far fewer than usual, their objections weren't as strong anymore.
Though they didn't know what Rios had done, they knew Rios must have done something to make Natlan more peaceful than before.
Even if his methods differed greatly from those of past Pyro Archons, as long as it benefited Natlan, they had to follow the Pyro Archon's arrangements.
After her clamor proved fruitless, Mualani left with a face full of disappointment, rejoining her friends not far away.
"Sigh, Rios still won't see me."
Mualani sighed, her eyes full of disappointment, lacking her usual liveliness.
"Haha, I told you, he's definitely abandoned you all."
"He's become the Pyro Archon now, while you small fries are still so trash."
"If it were me, I'd look down on you too and keep my distance."
Ajaw twisted its butt in the air, shouting loudly as if it were the one who had become the Pyro Archon.
In the next moment, Kinich's palm came down, flattening Ajaw against the ground.
"Sorry, Ajaw said something wrong again."
Kinich said in a flat tone.
"It's fine, I'm used to it." Mualani curved her lips into a smile, but it was too forced, making her look very tired.
Seeing this, Kinich said: "Mualani, I suggest you stop thinking about the Pyro Archon's matters for now."
Mualani widened her eyes in surprise: "Kinich, even you've given up resisting?"
"Don't tell me you think Rios's actions are right too?"
Facing the girl's questioning, Kinich calmly explained: "After suspending the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame's Holy Night, the Sacred Flame wasn't affected, and the frequency of Abyss invasions has been much lower than before."
"Though we don't understand the Pyro Archon's actions, based on the current situation, his methods are indeed correct."
"As long as no problems arise later, I believe more and more Natlan people will support the Pyro Archon's actions."
"Mualani, your recent state isn't right; you should go back to the People of the Springs to rest."
"But..." Mualani bit her lower lip lightly, "If Rios's actions are right, then why won't he tell us the reasons behind them?"
"Why won't he see us even now?"
"Aren't we good partners?"
Kinich couldn't immediately respond to Mualani's words.
After a moment of silence, Kinich said: "Perhaps he has considerations as the Pyro Archon."
"..."
Mualani lowered her head and said no more, lost in thought about something.
At that moment, Kachina, who had been unable to get a word in, suddenly exclaimed: "Look, it's Fatui people!"
"Fatui?"
Mualani and Kinich were both startled.
In any nation, the Fatui had no good reputation.
In most cases, treating them directly as enemies was no issue.
"What are the Fatui here for? Could they be trying to assassinate Rios?!" Mualani said tensely.
"The ones who came are Fatui diplomats, so they should just be here to negotiate." Kinich, with his sharp eyes, identified the other party's identity.
"The Fatui all wear eyepatches and look pretty similar—how did you recognize them?" Mualani asked in surprise.
"There are some differences in the clothing details." Kinich said with his arms crossed, "Since they're diplomats, there's no need to be too tense."
"But, is the Pyro Archon going to cooperate with the Fatui?" Kachina said somewhat fearfully.
She had heard from her parents that the Fatui were very, very bad.
"Don't worry, Rios absolutely won't let him in."
Mualani placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest: "Even someone like me, who grew up playing with Rios from childhood, can't enter the announcer's booth—let alone the evil Fatui?"
"Even if he's a Fatui diplomat, the guards will throw him out."
Mualani said confidently.
"But that diplomat has already gone in."
The recovered Ajaw floated in the air.
"What did you say?!"
Mualani looked toward the announcer's booth in shock, seeing that the doors had indeed opened, and the eyepatch-wearing Fatui diplomat had walked in openly.
"The Fatui can enter, but I can't?"
Mualani was utterly stunned.
[Shock Value from Mualani +20]