(The pacing of the previous chapters was a bit slow, so the next two chapters will move faster.)
---
Kachina stood before the defensive turret.
Before she even had the chance to steady her breathing, a blazing fireball came whistling straight toward her!
"So fast!"
Facing the overwhelming pressure of the fireball at close range, Kachina finally understood why so many seasoned warriors had been defeated.
Its terrifying speed, combined with flames hot enough to scorch flesh, left almost no time to think as it bore down on her.
But Kachina was no ordinary warrior.
The instant the fireball closed in, her figure flashed aside, narrowly avoiding the first strike. Without pausing, she shifted again, evading the second and third shots in rapid succession.
"What incredible speed!"
"Kachina, nice dodge!"
Seeing this, the warriors of the Children of Echoes cheered her on, hoping she could hold out just a little longer.
But what Kachina did next left them staring in stunned silence.
As the defensive turret continued firing relentlessly, she leapt and spun with flawless precision, dodging each incoming fireball as though performing an acrobatic routine.
Forget being struck—the flames didn't even brush the hem of her clothes.
A minute passed. The training mode ended, and the defensive turret powered down.
"S-She succeeded?"
"Kachina actually dodged every single shot?"
The warriors were stunned. None of them had expected that Kachina—the one they had previously underestimated—would clear the turret's trial.
No one suspected the turret had gone easy on her. They were all experienced fighters; they could clearly see that its assault hadn't weakened in the slightest.
"Kachina, I had no idea you were this strong."
"During the upcoming Pilgrimage… and when we face the Abyss, we'll be counting on you."
The warriors who had originally planned not to partner with her during the Sacred Night of the Flame's Return immediately changed their tune, their eyes now filled with admiration.
"Mhm…"
Surrounded by praise, Kachina couldn't suppress the smile tugging at her lips. A long-lost sense of pride rekindled within her heart.
Afterward, she jogged back to Caelus and bowed deeply.
"Thank you, Lord Pyro Archon."
"If it weren't for your guidance, I wouldn't have performed so well," Kachina said earnestly.
Such a polite kid—she even remembered to thank me.
"There's no need to thank me."
Caelus shook his head in response to her gratitude.
"What truly ignited the flames of victory was the courage within your heart."
He had originally wanted to say she had the eyes of a lion. But in Natlan, fire metaphors were far more fitting.
[Emotion Points from Kachina +100]
It was a pity Kachina wasn't one of Natlan's Six Heroes. Otherwise, hearing those words just now might have triggered an awakening on the spot.
---
After Xilonen adjusted the defensive turret's training parameters, the warriors of the Children of Echoes resumed their evasion drills.
Once training concluded, Caelus followed Xilonen away from the Children of Echoes tribe to the home of her aunt, Tlazplli.
Xilonen knocked on the door.
"Aunt, it's me, Xilonen."
Soon, the door opened. A middle-aged woman with leopard ears stood inside, it was indeed Xilonen's aunt, Tlazplli.
"Xilonen? What brings you here?"
Tlazplli glanced at her niece, then at the red-haired young man standing beside her. Her pupils contracted sharply.
"L-Lord Pyro Archon?! Why are you here?!"
Her expression stiffened instantly, and a flash of uncontrollable panic crossed her eyes, like someone harboring a guilty secret.
Xilonen frowned slightly in confusion but still smiled.
"Aunt, even if you're meeting the Lord Pyro Archon, there's no need to be so startled."
"You haven't done anything wrong. The Lord Pyro Archon isn't here to punish you."
"Ah… R-Right," Tlazplli forced a laugh. "I was simply surprised that the Lord Pyro Archon is so young."
In truth, she feared that her scheme,using her adopted daughter as a vessel for sacrifice,had been exposed.
"Speaking of which," Tlazplli quickly changed the subject, "why did you suddenly come to visit?"
Xilonen produced a vial of medicine and explained,
"The Lord Pyro Archon has developed a potion capable of repairing damage caused by the Abyss,even restoring lost memories."
"Aunt, didn't your daughter, Little Nechca, lose her memories after being injured by Abyssal Monsters? With this potion, she can recover," Xilonen said.
Without waiting for Tlazplli's reply, she continued,
"The Lord Pyro Archon is also curious about its effects and wishes to witness the moment Little Nechca regains her memories."
"Aunt, please call her out. She can finally remember again."
"Th-This…"
Tlazplli's expression stiffened.
Her real daughter had long since died beneath the claws of Abyssal Monsters.
This medicine would be utterly useless.
It couldn't possibly bring the dead back to life… could it?
"Xilonen, you know my daughter's health has never been good," Tlazplli said with a strained smile. "It's worsened lately. I'm afraid she won't be able to handle such sudden treatment…"
As usual, she tried to use the child's frail health as an excuse to deflect the situation.
Just then
Thud.
The sound of something heavy hitting the floor echoed from deeper inside the house.
"That came from Little Nechca's room." Xilonen's leopard ears twitched, instantly pinpointing the direction. "What happened to her?"
"She probably just stumbled," Tlazplli said with an awkward laugh. "Excuse me, Xilonen, Lord Pyro Archon, I'll go check on Little Nechca first."
"As for the potion… perhaps next time…"
She turned
And froze.
The Lord Pyro Archon was already standing in front of Little Nechca's bedroom door.
Just moments ago, he had clearly been outside the house.
Did the Lord Pyro Archon just… teleport?
"Tlazplli, I'm the one who should apologize," Caelus said calmly. "For entering your home without permission."
"But I'll be seeing your child first."
With that, he opened the door under Tlazplli's horrified gaze.
Moments later, a little girl rushed out.
"Little Nechca?"
Xilonen's expression faltered. The girl's appearance seemed slightly different from what she remembered.
Before she could ask anything, the child darted behind Caelus and cried out loudly:
"Lord Pyro Archon! That woman isn't my mother, she wants to kill me!"
Before Xilonen could even react
Thud.
Her aunt collapsed to her knees.
"The plan to resurrect Little Nechca… has failed…"
"It's all over…"
Kneeling on the ground, Tlazplli looked utterly devastated, tears streaming down her face.
In her mind, with the Lord Pyro Archon present, even if she possessed divine power, it would be impossible to complete the ritual and have her daughter reborn within the li
ttle girl's body.
Watching her kneel and weep, Caelus couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
"Kneeling, crying, confessing on the spot… What is this? A scene out of Detective Conan?"
...
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GIVE ME YOU POWER STONES.