Rios's voice reached the ears of everyone in the Stadium of the Sacred Flame.
The faces of the Natlan people first showed expressions of astonishment, followed by bewilderment, and then shock.
"What did the Pyro Archon say?"
"He said the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame's Holy Night and the Night Warden Wars are to be terminated!"
"This is our Natlan's tradition—how can it be stopped just like that!"
"Without the Night Warden Wars, how are we supposed to earn honor?!"
"Forget about honor—if the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame's Holy Night is also suspended, then we won't be able to sustain the Sacred Flame's burning through our struggles."
"Natlan will be done for!"
The stadium instantly became noisy, with people unable to believe that the Pyro Archon would make such a decision, feeling bewildered and fearful about their future lives.
"Rios really said that."
Mualani's eyelids drooped slightly, her red beautiful eyes looking toward Rios standing high up, revealing a trace of worry and unease in her gaze.
"The stadium has already become chaotic."
"No, it's not just the stadium—after this, the entire Natlan might become chaotic."
Kinich quickly thought of the grim future.
"The Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame's Holy Night and the Night Warden Wars are really going to be suspended?"
Kachina was still immersed in her shocked emotions.
She had put in so much effort for the sake of participating in the Night Warden Wars—was it all going to be for nothing now?
"Don't worry, things still have a chance to turn around."
Kinich comforted her: "The people of Natlan place exceptional importance on these two events, even more so than their own lives."
"There will definitely be someone who stands up to resist."
High up in the Stadium of the Sacred Flame.
Rios could hear the commotion from below the stage, but he didn't care about it.
His attention was entirely on the system's prompts.
[Shock Value from Mualani +10]
[Shock Value from Kachina +20]
[Shock Value from Mavuika +100]
...
The Natlan people continuously provided Shock Value to Rios, and in the blink of an eye, it had already surpassed 1000.
That meant Rios could now sustain the Sacred Flame's burning through the system.
The duration of sustenance would be a full year!
That was enough time for the Traveler to head to the next nation!
"Rise a bit more"
"Rise even more"
Rios wouldn't be satisfied with just 1000 Shock Value.
He wanted more.
However, the rise in Shock Value suddenly became slow.
Rios looked out and saw a streak of red flame descending from the audience seats to the arena, attracting the gazes of everyone present.
Red long hair like burning flames, pupils as brilliant as the sun, wearing black biker attire.
It was none other than Mavuika, Natlan's strongest warrior aside from Rios.
In the competition for the position of Pyro Archon, Mavuika had also advanced through the rounds without a hitch, making it to the finals with absolute dominance.
If Rios hadn't been even stronger, the one who would have become the Pyro Archon now would have been her.
In the eyes of the Natlan people at this moment, only Mavuika could represent them and question the new Pyro Archon.
"Pyro Archon, why are you suspending the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame's Holy Night?"
Mavuika lived up to expectations, showing no fear of the new Pyro Archon's prestige whatsoever, voicing the thoughts of everyone present.
"Mavuika..."
Hearing Mavuika's form of address for him, Rios couldn't help but chuckle.
In the original work, Mavuika had been the Pyro Archon 500 years ago.
To complete the plan to save Natlan, she had come to the era 500 years later and become the Pyro Archon once more.
Now, she had to address Rios as Pyro Archon just like a normal Natlan person.
It had to be said that her capacity to endure was truly strong, and she was also giving Rios quite a bit of face.
However, Rios's actions had clearly disrupted her plan to save Natlan, forcing her to step forward and question him.
"Mavuika, are you defying a divine order?"
Rios said faintly, yet his words emanated a powerful pressure.
If it were an ordinary person, they would have long been scared to the point of weak legs by this pressure.
But Mavuika, as a former Pyro Archon and also a warrior of Natlan, was unaffected and conversed in a normal tone.
"Pyro Archon, I'm merely voicing the doubts in everyone's hearts on their behalf."
"The Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame's Holy Night and the Night Warden Wars hold great significance, relating to the spiritual faith of the Natlan people, while also affecting their life and safety."
"If the Pyro Archon doesn't provide a suitable reason, I believe it will be psychologically difficult for the people of Natlan to accept this matter."
Mavuika said.
After she finished speaking, the people in the audience seats also chimed in agreement.
"Yeah."
"Pyro Archon, you must give us a reason."
"To have us accept the suspension of the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame's Holy Night and the Night Warden Wars without any explanation"
"We can't do it!"
Kinich looked at the red-haired woman below the stage, nodding slightly: "Mavuika has stirred up everyone's emotions; now all of them want to seek an explanation from Rios... the Pyro Archon."
"Could that persuade Rios to abandon his plan?" Kachina asked with concern.
"Hard to say." Kinich shook his head, "But at least everyone is united together now."
Rios looked at the stadium that had become noisy once more and refocused his attention on the system.
[Shock Value +1]
[Shock Value +1]
...
Under Mavuika's lead, the people in the stadium became extremely agitated, providing Shock Value once again.
"Then, let's make the performance even more exciting."
Rios's body turned into a streak of red blazing flame, vanishing from everyone's sight.
"Did the Pyro Archon flee?"
"No, he's in the arena!"
The people initially thought the new Pyro Archon couldn't withstand the pressure and had slipped away.
But when they looked down, they discovered that Rios had somehow arrived in the arena.
"Pyro Archon..."
"He couldn't be about to fight Mavuika, could he?"
The Natlan people couldn't help but worry.
Before obtaining the Gnosis, Rios's strength had already far surpassed Mavuika's.
After obtaining the Gnosis, Rios's strength had advanced by leaps and bounds even more.
If they really fought, it wouldn't even qualify as a battle—it would only be a one-sided crushing.
However, Rios's actions exceeded everyone's expectations.
"Those who share the same objections as Mavuika, you can all step forward."
"If you can last 2 seconds in a battle against me without being defeated."
"I'll cancel my decision."
"How about it?"
Rios extended two fingers, smiling confidently as he said.
"Battling the Pyro Archon?"
"Lasting 2 seconds?"
The warriors of Natlan felt a moment of temptation upon hearing this.
This was an opportunity to battle the Pyro Archon, after all.
Even if they lost, it would still be an honor.
Hadn't the guy next door, that certain bounty ninja, bragged for decades about his active battle with the First?
If they also went down to battle the Pyro Archon, they too could boast for decades.
"Of course, you might also die."
Rios's words shattered the warriors' fantasies.