Teyvat – Natlan – Fatui Camp
"Lord Capitano, we've obtained the latest intelligence regarding the Pyro Archon."
A Fatui agent hurried forward.
"Report."
A tall, masked man spoke, his voice deep and steady.
"It has been several days since the new Pyro Archon suspended the Sacred Night of the Return of Flame. The people of Natlan remain dissatisfied."
"Every day, someone challenges the Pyro Archon. The result is always a crushing defeat."
"Even Citlali of the Masters of the Night-Wind confronted him personally, yet she ultimately failed to change his decision."
The agent finished his report.
"…Even Citlali made a move?"
Capitano's tone shifted slightly.
"Yes. We sent personnel to monitor her movements, but they were discovered and led into her formation. They only managed to withdraw after considerable difficulty."
"That's to be expected."
Citlali was an elder who had lived for an unknown length of time.
She had witnessed multiple generations of Pyro Archons rise and fall.
Her extraordinary talent, combined with a lifespan far exceeding that of ordinary humans, made her the most formidable shaman among the Masters of the Night-Wind.
The Fatui's plans in Natlan required her cooperation.
However, before that, Capitano had another priority.
"Natlan's Pyro Archon is too young. He does not understand the true horror of the Abyss."
"If the Gnosis remains in his hands, not only Natlan, but perhaps all of Teyvat could be imperiled."
Though Capitano was human, his strength was said to rival that of an Archon.
Even against one of The Seven, he was qualified to stand as an equal.
If he chose to act, seizing the Pyro Archon's Gnosis was not impossible.
At that moment, the Fatui agent continued:
"There is, however, something unusual."
"According to Natlan's records, the Sacred Flame is sustained by the 'Flame of Contest' born from the warriors' battles during the Sacred Night of the Return of Flame."
"But despite the festival being suspended for so long, the Sacred Flame has not weakened. On the contrary, it burns even brighter than before."
Not only the Fatui, but even Natlan's own people were puzzled.
Without the Flame of Contest, the Sacred Flame should have gradually dimmed.
Yet instead of fading, it blazed even more intensely.
"You're saying the new Pyro Archon has found another method to sustain the Sacred Flame?"
Capitano lowered his gaze toward the agent.
"That cannot be confirmed."
"But based on current intelligence, the new Pyro Archon, Caelus, indeed wields methods different from those of his predecessors."
"Different methods…"
Capitano reviewed the information in his mind.
Born among the People of the Springs, Caelus had displayed combat strength surpassing adults even as a child.
During the Rite of Succession to determine the Pyro Archon, he crushed every opponent with ease. Even Mavuika lasted less than half a minute.
After undergoing the Sacred Flame's trial, he should have upheld Natlan's traditions like the Archons before him.
Instead, he abolished the Sacred Night of the Return of Flame—and even halted the Night-Warden War alongside it.
On the day he announced the decree, he defeated all who opposed him.
Everyone had assumed that without the Flame of Contest, Natlan's Sacred Flame would inevitably extinguish.
Yet through unknown means, Caelus kept it burning—ensuring Natlan remained shielded from Abyssal corruption.
"Caelus's thinking differs from every previous Pyro Archon."
"And he possesses abilities we do not yet understand."
"If it is him… perhaps he can understand my proposal."
"Perhaps a negotiation is possible."
Capitano had not come to Natlan merely to seize the Gnosis.
He needed its power to save a Natlan on the brink of devastation.
His philosophy had always conflicted with that of previous Pyro Archons. Force had seemed the only option.
But if Caelus truly thought differently, perhaps conflict could be avoided.
Capitano was about to summon a Fatui diplomat to request an audience.
However, the diplomat approached on his own.
"Lord Capitano, urgent news!"
He knelt on one knee.
"The Pyro Archon has proposed a transaction with us."
"…A transaction?"
Capitano found this unexpected.
He had brought only a small elite force. Their supplies were limited to their own needs.
What could the Fatui possibly offer an Archon?
"It can't be my head, can it?"
"What does Natlan's Pyro Archon want?" Capitano asked.
"The Pyro Archon requests…" The diplomat hesitated.
"He wants Delusions."
"…Delusions?"
Capitano repeated the word, ignoring the latter half of the message.
Delusions were devices developed by the Fatui to imitate Visions, allowing their wielders to command elemental power.
However, Delusions corroded the user's life force. Excessive use caused irreversible damage—and could even result in death.
Even the Fatui did not distribute them carelessly.
Only those prepared to endure the consequences wielded them.
"A Pyro Archon asking for Delusions modeled after the Gnosis…"
A bold speculation surfaced in Capitano's mind.
"Could he be planning to…"
---
Sacred Flame Arena – Office of Affairs
Caelus sat with his fingers interlocked, brows furrowed in apparent deep contemplation.
The secretary assisting with administrative matters glanced at him in surprise.
"His Excellency looks so serious… He must be considering a matter of national importance."
Her guess wasn't entirely wrong.
Caelus was indeed pondering something important.
Just not what she imagined.
"Why is the player base only focused on my gender?"
Through the system interface, Caelus could observe discussions in the players' world.
He had expected debates about his policies or Natlan's storyline.
Instead, the entire community was arguing about the Pyro Archon being male.
Posts and videos flooded in—hundreds of them—yet hardly any discussed the plot itself.
"Then again, players don't know Natlan's internal history."
"They have no idea how important the Sacred Night of the Return of Flame is to its people."
"It's normal they wouldn't understand."
After scrolling through endless discussions, Caelus finally sighed.
He opened the system shop once more.
The first
item displayed caught his attention.
[Mass-Production: Pyro Vision]
[Price: 3000 Emotion Points per unit]
[Unlock requirement: Analyze and deconstruct a Vision, Gnosis, or Delusion]