Fake.
Fake.
Everything is fake.
Mualani has not been demoted to a four-star.
Kinich has not changed from Dendro to Pyro either.
The Pyro Traveler certainly doesn't have some bizarre "Super Night Soul" mechanic that sounds like it wandered in from another game.
Fan Shu wanted to keep deceiving himself, but he couldn't. He had to accept reality.
"I can't even roast HoYoverse this time."
Fan Shu felt helpless. The upcoming characters in the next version had no obvious flaws to criticize. They had strong kits and smooth gameplay. There was nothing worth attacking.
He could only wait for future character releases.
At the end of the Special Program livestream, the official Genshin Impact account released a Natlan teaser.
The first to appear were Mualani, Kachina, and other characters arriving in the next version.
They seemed to be preparing for some kind of grand event. From them, the focus gradually expanded to other Natlan characters.
Then the scene shifted to an arena.
A red-haired woman dressed in what looked like black motorcycle gear stood at the center, delivering a speech.
After finishing, she looked up toward the young man seated high above and called out in a firm voice:
"Lord Pyro Archon, will you take part in this grand ceremony?"
The camera rose, revealing Natlan's Pyro Archon to everyone watching.
"He's actually pretty handsome."
The Pyro Archon of Natlan was a young man with crimson hair and golden eyes. His features were strikingly handsome. Even Fan Shu had to admit it.
With that face alone, his banner revenue would not be low.
As a rational meta player, Fan Shu only acknowledged the looks.
But for players who adored attractive characters, the reaction was completely different.
[Change of plans. I'm skipping Kinich. Saving Primogems for the Pyro Archon!]
[Lord Pyro Archon, we love you!]
[Lord Pyro Archon! Lord Pyro Archon!]
The chat flooded instantly when Caelus appeared, nearly lagging the livestream.
Many had already decided to pull for him, even if it meant buying multiple 648 Genesis Crystal packs.
Naturally, others were speculating about Natlan's story.
In Xiao Mu's livestream:
"The Pyro Archon really is handsome."
Xiao Mu scratched his head but didn't explicitly say he would pull.
He C6R5'd every character anyway. Would he skip the Pyro Archon?
[The red-haired woman before him… could she be the previous Pyro Archon?]
Someone asked.
[Very possible. The Pyro Archon statue looks similar to her. And Liben mentioned the current Pyro Archon only recently took office. She might be the former one.]
"Oh?"
Xiao Mu frowned. "So Natlan has two Pyro Archons?"
[The teaser shows Natlan characters participating in what looks like a massive competitive event. The current Pyro Archon seems indifferent, while the former Pyro Archon stands opposite him questioning him.]
[Liben said the current Pyro Archon suspended an important Natlan tradition shortly after taking office. It could be this event.]
[Maybe the current Pyro Archon wants to cancel it, but the former Pyro Archon leads opposition.]
[Natlan might split into factions. When we arrive, we'll side with the former Pyro Archon and oppose the current one.]
[Oppose the Pyro Archon? Are you serious?]
[We struggled against The Knave. If we fight the Pyro Archon, aren't we getting one-shot?]
Xiao Mu frowned.
This sounded familiar.
Last year, before Fontaine's release, leaks claimed Fontaine would split between two Hydro Archons. Navia as the former, Furina as the current. Players would help Navia defeat "evil Furina."
Total nonsense.
"Stop spreading that."
"Keep it up and I'll mute you."
Xiao Mu refused to believe the Pyro Archon had a hostile relationship with the red-haired woman.
The Pyro Archon had a youthful build, while the red-haired woman was mature and imposing.
A young man versus a mature woman?
He'd obviously get completely outplayed.
—
After Caelus finalized the character design and teaser, discussion in the player world exploded.
Some analyzed character kits. Some obsessed over aesthetics. Others speculated about Natlan's story.
Most concluded that Mavuika was the previous Pyro Archon, and Caelus the current one.
They believed Caelus was unpopular and that Mavuika would lead Natlan against him.
This was the Nation of War, after all.
"Close enough. Don't guess again."
Mavuika was indeed a former Pyro Archon.
But from 500 years ago.
As for Natlan's "war," it was a war against the Abyss. The Holy Night of Returning Flame was merely a selection ritual.
"Whatever. As long as it earns Emotion Points."
Inside the Affairs Office, Caelus prepared to go celebrate the influx of Emotion Points.
Then someone entered.
"Auntie Atea? What brings you here?"
Seeing her at the door surprised him.
"What, unhappy to see me?" Atea teased.
"Never," Caelus replied. "If I offend you, I'll lose hot spring privileges for life."
Atea was a respected warrior of the People of the Springs. After being injured fighting the Abyss, she shifted to logistics and supervised the hot springs.
"Careful what you say," Atea laughed. "I wouldn't dare offend the great Pyro Archon."
"Besides, didn't you summon me?"
Right.
The System Shop had refreshed recently, offering potions that repaired bodily damage and cleansed Abyssal corruption.
Many Natlan warriors were sidelined by lingering injuries. If healed, they could return to combat strength.
After purchasing the potion, Caelus immediate
ly thought of Atea.
He had just been too busy to follow up.
"Atea," Caelus said, taking out the potion.
"Would you like to return to the battlefield?"
...
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