Chapter 250: Natlan's All-Out War Begins
Just as Lumine was about to inquire about the specific use of this "Holy Night Weaver"—
"Oh no! Traveler! Paimon! So you were here!"
Kachina burst into the room, her face a mask of anxiety. She was bent over, hands on her knees, her breathing ragged and desperate. It was clear she had sprinted the entire way.
"Something terrible has happened!" Kachina's voice trembled, laced with panic. "The Abyss… the Abyss has launched a full-scale attack! Right now, all across Natlan, our tribes are under siege by Abyss monsters!"
She straightened up, her eyes wide with fear. "They're everywhere! The pressure on our defenses is immense; the tribes are urgently calling for support!"
"What?!"
The single word hung in the air as every heart in the room seemed to leap into their throats. All thoughts of the ancient name they had just been discussing were instantly banished, replaced by the cold dread of imminent war.
Lumine was on her feet in an instant, her golden eyes sharp and resolute. There was not a shred of hesitation in her voice. "Let's go. We need to find Mavuika immediately and see how she's coordinating the response!"
The group raced through the corridors, making for the core command area of the Holy Fire Arena at their fastest speed.
Inside, the Pyro Archon Mavuika stood before a vast, detailed map of Natlan. Her brows were drawn into a tight, worried line as she rapidly issued a volley of commands. Around her, warriors bustled back and forth, relaying battle reports and dispatching orders. The atmosphere was a suffocating blanket of tension and grim purpose.
Seeing Lumine and her companions rush in, Mavuika dispensed with all pleasantries, her tone grave and clipped.
"The situation is dire," she began, her voice a low rumble. "This invasion from the Abyss is unmatched in its scope, covering nearly every major settlement in Natlan. Not only did they mobilize with unnatural speed, but their numbers far exceed any previous record. And most —"
Mavuika's finger jabbed down, heavily tapping several locations on the map. "We're seeing new types of Abyss monsters in some areas. Creatures that have never appeared in Natlan before."
Her expression darkened further. "We have no information on their characteristics or weaknesses. Our warriors are finding it incredibly difficult to deal with them!"
After this brief, grim summary of the battlefront, Mavuika's bearing shifted, the decisiveness of a war god taking over. Her gaze was sharp as flint as she began making clear, rapid-fire arrangements for the key personnel present.
"Kachina, Xilonen! You two will immediately lead a team of elite warriors and return to the Children of Echoes Tribe. Reinforce them at all costs!"
"Citlali! You are responsible for the defensive line of the Main Tribe of Smoke Mysteries. You must hold it!"
"Iansan and Chasca received the early warning at dawn. They've already rushed back to their respective tribes to organize the defenses."
The orders were received with sharp, affirmative nods. Without a word of hesitation, the named warriors turned on their heels and departed for their designated battlefields.
In an instant, the ancient land of Natlan was completely enveloped by the shadow of war and the encroaching threat of the Abyss. A full-scale defensive battle for the very survival of their civilization had just begun its bloody prelude.
Mavuika's gaze finally settled on Lumine and Paimon. In her eyes, which usually burned like brilliant flames, there was now not only gravity but also a deep, unconcealed concern.
Her voice dropped, low and serious. "Lumine, Paimon, this counterattack from the Abyss, in both scale and intensity, far surpasses anything recorded in Natlan's history."
"Logically, this shouldn't be happening," she mused, her finger unconsciously tapping the edge of the map. "You helped us purify an encroached Wayob, which should have weakened the Abyss's power here. We shouldn't be seeing a rebound this fierce."
She paused, her brows knitting together tightly. "The most likely explanation is that the root of the problem still lies within the Night Kingdom. There may have been some serious, unforeseen change there."
Her eyes flickered with a darker possibility. "Or… there's another, worse scenario. The Abyss has become aware of the changes happening in Natlan, and they… have decided to escalate their overall encroachment on our nation. If that's truly the case…"
Mavuika looked up, her gaze locking with Lumine's. Her tone became incredibly solemn, carrying a rare hint of a plea.
"Then Natlan may truly be at a critical juncture between life and death. Lumine, Paimon, I want to implore you for your help. I want to ask you to fight alongside Natlan."
However, her tone softened almost immediately, a friend's concern breaking through the leader's hardened exterior. "But at the same time, I understand that you are not citizens of Natlan. You have no obligation to live or die with this land."
"If… if the battle truly deteriorates beyond recovery, and Natlan's defense line is on the verge of collapse… you should leave. Use your own methods and get out as quickly as possible. Survival is more important than a meaningless sacrifice."
"How could you say that!" Paimon immediately zipped forward, waving her small hands frantically as if to physically bat away the heavy, despairing atmosphere.
"Mavuika, don't say such disheartening things! So what if it's just a bigger-than-usual Abyss invasion!" she chirped, trying to inject some optimism into the room. "With us, and all of Natlan's powerful warriors united as one, we'll definitely be able to hold them off! Don't talk about things like falling or not falling; it's so unlucky!"
But at that moment, Lumine's heart was far from as optimistic as Paimon's words.
Listening to Mavuika's grim analysis and feeling the suffocating tension that permeated the Holy Fire Arena, a thought flashed through her mind like a bolt of lightning.
'If… if Dan Heng and the others were right… if their conjectures about the Chat Group's 'anchor points'and its ability to'respond to members' needs' are true…'Her mind raced, a desperate idea taking hold.'Then right now, Natlan needs help! It needs more power! Chat Group, please… give us a World Commission! Let our friends come and help Natlan! Help us protect the struggling spark of civilization on this land!'
The thought became an incredibly strong and clear plea in her mind, a silent prayer sent out into the void.
As if in direct response to her most urgent, innermost call—
[System Notification! A World Commission has been activated!]
A virtual interface, glowing with an ethereal blue light, materialized in the consciousness of every member of the Chat Group as the familiar system notification chimed.
[Large-Scale Team Cooperation Commission: The Defense of Natlan!]
[Difficulty: Medium ~ Hard (Fluctuates based on support area and Abyss intensity)]
[Team Limit: 5 (Multiple teams can accept simultaneously, but must specify a support target)]
[Mission Reward: 300 ~ 600 Group Points (Evaluated based on mission completion, strength of monsters killed, and number of civilians rescued)]
[Commission Details: Chat Group members may form up to five teams and independently choose a designated tribe within Natlan that is currently suffering from an Abyss invasion to support. Please do your utmost to rescue trapped civilians, clear Abyss monsters in the area, and assist in stabilizing the defensive line.]
[Commission Tip: The Abyss consciousness seems to have detected Natlan's will to resist, as well as the presence of external variables. Abyss monsters in various locations have received an unknown enhancement. Please proceed with caution and provide support as quickly as possible.]
[Note: The number of casualties among the indigenous civilians in the mission area will be directly linked to the final mission reward. Please protect innocent lives to the best of your ability and thoroughly eliminate the Abyss threat.]
[After accepting the commission and selecting a tribe to support, a cross-world teleportation mechanism will be activated, delivering you to the vicinity of that tribe. Please be ready for battle at all times.]
"Whoa! It's a World Commission from the Chat Group!" Paimon was the first to exclaim in surprise. She quickly turned back to Mavuika, whose expression was still grave, but Paimon's tone was now significantly lighter.
"Mavuika! This time, we might really be saved! The friends who helped rescue Kachina from the Night Kingdom last time—they came through this! They're coming to help again! With them here, we'll definitely be fine!"
Lumine, however, had no time to ponder the deeper meaning behind the Chat Group so "coincidentally" aligning with her desperate wish.
With the crisis unfolding around them, every single second counted.
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