Die?
Upon hearing Rios's words, the flames that had just risen in many people's hearts were immediately extinguished.
If it were asking them to battle Abyss monsters, then even death would be nothing to fear.
But to lose their lives in a contest against the Pyro Archon—that would be a bit... too not worth it.
"I'll go!"
At that moment, the white-haired girl jumped down from the audience seats.
"Rios, I'm really angry right now."
Mualani pointed at him and said: "Later, I'm definitely going to beat you until you're searching for your teeth on the ground, and then you'll explain to me why you're shutting down the Pilgrimage of the Returning Flame's Holy Night."
Probably in all of Natlan, only Mualani dared to speak to Rios in such a tone.
"Mualani, she she she, how did she just go down there?"
Kachina had only just understood the situation when Mualani had already jumped down with her weapon.
"You can feel that Mualani is indeed very angry right now."
Kinich said, then manifested his weapon from the air in front of him.
Kachina was startled upon seeing this: "Kinich, you're going too?"
"Yeah, although it might not make much of a difference, I don't want to just sit idly by."
Kinich said.
"Then, I'll go too..."
Seeing that both her good friends were going, Kachina also wanted to enter the arena.
"Kachina, you don't need to force yourself."
After saying that, Kinich leaped forward, also landing in the arena.
At the same time, Iansan from the People of the Abyssal Waters, Chasca from the Scions of the Canopy, and the other warriors of Natlan also arrived in the arena.
"The people of Natlan truly do not fear strife, huh."
"Even when the opponent is a god, that's the case."
When Rios saw so many people wanting to battle him, not only did he not feel angry in his heart, but instead, he felt gratified.
This was the Natlan people as he remembered them.
Rios glanced at the system's Shock Value—it had already broken through the 3000 mark and was approaching 3500.
If in this battle, he defeated Mavuika and the others with an absolute posture, the Shock Value might even exceed 4000.
"The start time will be up to you to decide; if you want to discuss tactics, now's the time."
After Rios finished speaking, he crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
"He's really quite composed."
Mualani curled her lip: "Although Rios has always loved to show off like this since before, this is the first time I can't laugh about it."
"After all, he's the Pyro Archon now; dealing with us probably isn't any harder for him than crushing an ant." Kinich said, "So what should we do now?"
"If it's about lasting 2 seconds under the Pyro Archon, then I suggest everyone run away in different directions."
"That way, the chances of someone lasting the seconds will be very high."
"A very good strategy." Mavuika nodded, "However, for the Pyro Archon, our movement speed is still too slow."
"I propose that one person confronts the Pyro Archon head-on, while the others escape as much as possible."
"The one to confront the Pyro Archon can be me."
Mavuika patted her chest and said.
"That's too dangerous."
"The Pyro Archon might just use a bit more force, and you could shatter into pieces."
Kinich said.
"Even if it's dangerous, we must go."
Mavuika clenched her fist: "Moreover, I don't think Rios will kill us."
"I haven't sensed any killing intent from him toward us."
"...Alright then." Kinich had no choice but to agree to Mavuika's tactic.
"I want to battle Rios too." Mualani said with one hand on her hip, "Watch me give him a good lesson later."
"Then I'll battle the Pyro Archon too."*2
Iansan and Chasca said at the same time.
"Running away isn't our style of combat, after all." Iansan scratched her hair, smiling awkwardly.
Her stature was small, but her courage was in no way lacking.
Upon hearing this, Kinich let out a light sigh: "Sigh, the two fastest runners are actually staying behind to fight."
Chasca had a weapon that could fly in the sky, and Iansan from the People of the Abyssal Waters was extremely adept at running.
For these two to not join the escape group but instead stay to confront head-on truly made Kinich feel that the prospects were utterly bleak.
The group quickly finalized their plan.
Mavuika, Mualani, Iansan, and Chasca would confront Rios head-on.
Kinich and the other warriors would try every means to escape and last for 2 seconds.
"Pyro Archon, we can begin!"
As soon as Mavuika's words fell, she raised her greatsword and slashed toward Rios.
As a former Pyro Archon, she knew that Rios would definitely be able to react.
The fire element turned the green greatsword burning red, containing powerful destructive force.
Even a powerful Abyss Herald would find it hard to escape being bisected at the waist when facing this assault.
However, Rios completely disregarded Mavuika's slash.
In the instant Mavuika declared the match's start, he opened his eyes and, without a bow, made the motion of drawing one.
In the next instant, flames gathered in his hand, forming the shape of a bow.
His other hand formed an arrow of flame.
"Every arrow finds its mark." In the moment of release, Rios recalled Mondstadt's premier Pyro bowman and thus used the voice line from when the other released their Burst.
Mavuika with her greatsword, Mualani charging with her weapon, Iansan and Chasca following closely behind.
And Kinich and the others who had turned to flee.
In an instant, they were all pierced through their bodies by the flaming arrows Rios shot, their movements freezing in place as if time had paused.
Thud.
Thud.
Slowly, the warriors fell to the ground one after another.
In the end, even Mavuika had no strength left to stand.
It was only in the moment before collapsing that she used the last bit of strength in her body to thrust her greatsword into the ground, propping up her frame.
"Mavuika, you've already lost."
Rios said.
"Yeah, I've already lost."
Mavuika smiled, but her face was pale: "I never imagined that right after obtaining the Gnosis, you could already wield elemental power so proficiently."
"Back in my day, I caused quite a bit of trouble..."
Before she could finish her words, Mavuika's eyelids drooped, and her entire body collapsed along with the others.
All those who challenged the Pyro Archon had been defeated.
The Pyro Archon had even used just one move to simultaneously take down all of Natlan's high-level combatants!
"How are we supposed to fight this?"
"Even Mavuika and the others couldn't last a second; even if all of us went up, it wouldn't make a difference."
In the hearts of the Natlan people in the stadium, the idea of opposing the Pyro Archon was completely extinguished.
Asking them to fight the Pyro Archon was worse than asking them to fight the Abyss.
"Send them to the treatment room."
"The cost of treatment will be covered by me."
After saying this, Rios once again turned into flames and vanished from everyone's sight.