Chapter 276: The Night Huntress War Begins
In the heart of the Holy Fire Arena, the atmosphere was heavy with solemn purpose.
Mavuika stood before the blazing Holy Fire, her gaze resolute as it swept over the six heroes arranged in a circle around her—Mualani, Xilonen, Ororon, Iansan, Kinich, and Chasca. They were the convergence point of Natlan's past and future, the very key to turning the tide of this crisis.
"Let us begin," Mavuika's voice was not loud, yet it carried an inspiring power that reached every ear.
The six heroes exchanged a final glance, gave a heavy nod, and closed their eyes. They centered themselves, sinking their wills deep into their bloodlines, seeking the unceasing power inherited from the land itself.
Six distinct but equally formidable auras erupted from their bodies. The power of their lineage, like tangible flames, rose and swirled around them. Ancient battle hymns and prayers seemed to echo on the wind, and behind each of them, the ethereal figures of the six heroes who had brought peace to Natlan five hundred years ago manifested once more, summoned by the echoes of history.
The spectral forms overlapped with their modern-day descendants, as if transcending the very fabric of time to merge the wills and powers of two eras into one.
This potent energy, with the six heroes as its foundation, wove a complex sigil upon the ground. A torrent of power, like a hundred rivers flowing into the sea, surged toward Mavuika at its center.
She accepted the overwhelming infusion, her body trembling slightly under the strain. But the oppressive aura radiating from her began to climb at an astonishing speed. The Gnosis floated before her chest, connecting in perfect harmony with the Holy Fire and the entirety of Natlan's soil.
Mavuika's power continued to escalate, seemingly without limit. Magma seemed to churn within her crimson eyes. Her unbound, fiery red hair, which had cascaded freely down her back, now seemed to gain a life of its own, transforming into a mane of fiercely burning, ceaselessly dancing flames. This was no metaphor—it was real, a crown of fire burning with divinity and belief, whipping wildly behind her and casting her in the image of a valkyrie stepping from ancient myth.
When her power reached its absolute zenith, Mavuika's eyes snapped open. Her gaze was a torch, so intense it felt as though it could pierce the clouds and confront the Abyssal Entity directly.
She, the six heroes surrounding her, and the six ancestral figures behind them all raised their arms in unison, letting out a roar that shook the heavens.
"For Natlan!"
That cry was the final fuse.
"For Natlan!" Within the arena, every warrior still able to move, regardless of their injuries, struggled to their feet and roared back with all the strength they could muster.
"For Natlan!" The migrating civilians, who had just reached the plains near the arena, heard the call from the heart of their nation. Tears welled in their eyes as they all stopped, turning toward the distant glow of the Holy Fire to issue their own soulful response.
"For Natlan—!"
The sound waves crested, one after another, spreading from a single point to consume the entire Holy Fire Arena, then rolling outward across the surrounding plains and hills. All of Natlan's surviving people, at this singular moment, were united in heart and purpose. This was not merely a slogan; it was the most primal and powerful cohesion a nation could unleash when facing the threat of annihilation.
The sheer passion of the scene sent a tremor through the members of the Chat Group, who had just finished escorting the last batch of civilians to the designated safe zone.
"Oh my goodness… This… this is just incredible!" March 7th's voice trembled with excitement. She fumbled for her camera, aiming it at the impassioned people of Natlan and repeatedly pressing the shutter. "I have to record this! This is definitely a moment to treasure forever!"
Though the others didn't express it so openly, their hearts were just as deeply moved.
Whether it was the Astral Express crew, who had witnessed the devastation of Stellaron disasters; the Traveler and Paimon, who had journeyed through the triumphs and tribulations of Teyvat's nations; or Wise and Belle, who had seen both the chaos and order of New Eridu—they all understood just how precious, and how powerful, such unity was in a time of crisis.
If the scene of solidarity was a shock to the soul, what followed was a stunning display of divine power.
Her strength having peaked, Mavuika bent her knees slightly before launching herself from the ground. She became a crimson meteor, trailing a long, brilliant wake of fire as she shot straight toward the sky, which was shrouded in the gloom of the Abyss. Her speed was blinding; in the blink of an eye, she had ascended to the same altitude as the Abyssal Entity suspended above the chasm, confronting it from across the battlefield.
She hovered in the air, a solitary point of light in the dim world.
At that moment, Mavuika truly resembled another sun, shining resplendently over Natlan's sky. The scorching yet warm light dispelled a portion of the darkness, illuminating the countless faces below—faces filled with hope and prayer.
Buzz—!
A gigantic sun totem, imbued with the endless laws of Pyro and the very essence of life, bloomed into existence behind her. It rotated slowly, its radiance so immense that it temporarily suppressed the ominous fluctuations emanating from the Abyssal Entity.
Her clear, majestic voice resounded across the land.
"By the name of the Pyro Archon, I, Murata, declare—"
"The Night Huntress War begins!"
"The Song of Rebirth shall protect all life until the war's end!"
As she spoke, a vast protective power washed over the entire war zone. Every Natlan warrior battling the encroaching monsters felt a warm, resilient force envelop them, as if a sturdy, invisible barrier had been layered over their very lives.
"Oh my god! So cool!" Stelle was so excited she nearly jumped, her eyes sparkling as she stared at the sun-god-like figure in the sky. That burning, fiery hair instantly reminded her of someone very familiar.
"March! March, did you see that? Her hair is on fire! Don't you think Aunt Himeko should learn that move? The entrance, the aura… it's absolutely maxed out!"
March 7th, busy adjusting her camera angle, nodded emphatically. "Yes, yes, so cool! But, Stelle, I think Himeko's current hairstyle is already very elegant. And if it really caught fire… Pom-Pom would probably be the first to worry about the Express burning down, right?"
Unlike Stelle's unbridled excitement and March's enthusiastic support, Dan Heng, standing beside them, frowned slightly. He looked up at Mavuika, his mind catching on the most crucial part of her declaration.
"'Song of Rebirth… protects all life'?" he repeated the phrase softly, an instinct honed by countless battles telling him of the heavy price such a promise likely carried.
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