"This distance is quite long... Good thing I have plenty of characters built for map exploration."
Because this was a system-generated map, over ten times larger than the original game map, traveling from the Sumeru Desert to Natlan would take a considerable amount of time.
After a painstaking journey to reach Natlan's borders, Chen Xiyao suddenly noticed a comment in the chat mentioning a Teleport Waypoint nearby.
"Huh?! What?!"
Chen Xiyao opened the map, zoomed in, and indeed found an activated Teleport Waypoint about 200 meters ahead of her character.
"Waaaah! Why didn't you guys tell me sooner?! I've been running for over half an hour!"
The chat erupted in laughter. Chen Xiyao sulked for a moment before turning her attention to carefully observing Natlan's terrain.
It certainly lived up to its reputation as the nation of fire. Even just looking at it, she could feel the heat radiating off the screen, clearly hotter than any other region.
-
Natlan.
Lumine and Paimon had also teleported to the Sumeru Desert and journeyed all the way here, getting lost twice along the way. After five days, they finally reached Natlan.
"We're finally here! Where should we go first?"
Lumine: "Let's head that way. There should be signs of human habitation over there."
The pair set off again, unaware that they were heading straight into the territory of the Children of Echoes.
-
Meanwhile, in the Scions of the Canopy Tribe:
Before a certain dwelling, Ishkab emerged from her home. She first refilled the bowl of fresh water and candied fruits placed beside the house, then checked the medicinal herbs drying nearby.
Glancing at the sky to confirm no rain was expected that day, Ishkab removed her apron, revealing the practical outfit she wore beneath.
It was a set of clothing designed for action—perfect for the day ahead.
Ishkab had long, warm gray hair, a gentle smile that never faded from her face, and calm, compassionate eyes. She carried the faint scent of herbs and wore a colorful braided cord gifted by her tribe.
At that moment, Kinich also emerged from his home, clutching a large flatbread his sister had just baked.
Seeing his sister dressed for action, Kinich hastily swallowed his mouthful of food and asked, "Sister, are you joining this year's Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame?"
Ishkab turned, nodding with a warm smile.
"I missed last year's pilgrimage. As the Scions of the Canopy's 'Returning Flame,' I must strive to uphold our tribe's honor."
Ajaw interjected, "You wouldn't understand Sister's motives, you little rascal! Hurry up, we need to leave!"
Ignoring Ajaw, Kinich asked his sister, "Shall we set off together, Sister?"
Ishkab replied, "You two go ahead. I still need to prepare a few things. Look how impatient Ajaw is getting."
Ajaw mumbled, "I... I'm not that impatient..."
Rolling his eyes at Ajaw, Kinich said, "Don't worry, I'll wait for you, Sister."
This time, Ishkab didn't refuse. She retreated inside to prepare, while Kinich and Ajaw waited outside.
-
As Kinich waited, his thoughts drifted back to the past.
His father had been a drunken, gambling bastard. His parents fought constantly throughout Kinich's childhood, until his mother finally couldn't endure it any longer and left the family.
Kinich was too young to understand then, only remembering the hardship they faced after leaving home. Many days they went hungry.
His sister matured earlier than he did and had always taken care of him, always thinking of him first when there was good food.
When young Kinich asked his father about their mother's whereabouts, he was brutally beaten. His sister shielded him from their father's rage and took him away to hide.
Later, when they returned, they discovered their father had drunkenly stumbled off a cliff to his death.
From that moment on, his sister had been his sole caregiver, though both of them were still under six years old.
Kinich's sister had apprenticed with the tribe's medicine man, venturing into the mountains to gather herbs and earn money to support their family. To Kinich, she was his most important relative—both sister and mother.
Though only a few minutes older than him, she carried the entire burden of their family on her slender shoulders. Yet even under such strain, she treated everyone she met with kindness.
No matter how wild Kinich acted outside, he could always come home to a warm meal prepared by his sister's own hands. This was his haven, his home.
It was precisely because of his deep respect for his sister that he allowed Ajaw to tease and disrespect him, but he would never tolerate Ajaw being rude to her.
This was his bottom line.
Ajaw, to his credit, had never crossed that line. Kinich knew that anyone who spent enough time with his sister would find it impossible to speak harshly to her.
Because his sister was simply perfect!
-
"Let's go, Kinich. And Ajaw."
Ishkab had already opened the door and stepped outside, a small bag slung over her shoulder. Kinich recognized it well—his sister carried it almost every time she went out.
"Hurry, hurry! This Sacred Dragon can't wait any longer!"
Ajaw devoured the last bit of his flatbread in one bite and darted ahead like a shot.
Ishkab and Kinich followed behind.
"Oh, Ishkab! Are you heading to the Pilgrimage of the Return of the Sacred Flame? Good luck!"
"Little Ishkab , Grandma's chickens have been laying lots of eggs lately. Stop by sometime and take some home to replenish yourself."
The road to the Stadium of the Sacred Flame was crowded with people, and they encountered many along the way. Everyone greeted Ishkab with smiles.
However, they completely ignored Kinich and Ajaw, who were walking beside her.
Compared to Ishkab, Kinich and Ajaw weren't as well-regarded in the Tribes.
As they left the Tribes, the crowd thinned. Ajaw grumbled, "Those jabbering fools are so annoying! They're just wasting this Sacred Dragon's precious time!"
No sooner had he finished complaining than he muttered to himself, "Damn it, I should have grabbed another flatbread..."
Hearing this, Ishkab reached into her small bag and pulled out a pancake, handing it to Ajaw as he hovered in the air.
Ajaw's eyes widened. "Th-th-th-this..."
Ishkab explained, "I saw you only ate one pancake earlier, and based on your usual appetite, that wouldn't be enough. So I brought you another one."
"Don't give it to me!"
Kinich reached for the pancake, but Ajaw snatched it away with lightning speed. His face flushed crimson as he snapped, "Sister brought this for me! If you want one, go get your own, you jerk!"
"Tch~" Kinich clicked his tongue, annoyed that he'd been a fraction of a second too slow.
Just then, Ishkab pulled another pancake from her bag and handed it to Kinich.
"Here, you too. No matter how busy you are, don't forget to eat properly. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Once you've had breakfast..."
Ishkab began her usual lecture as they walked, while Kinich and Ajaw silently munched on their pancakes, not uttering a word.