The doors and windows of the quiet infirmary were closed, and only a little light seeped in through the cracks in the curtains and melted into the fluorescent lamps.

Before Saya could ask in surprise, "Why is everyone here?", the three people who symbolized the top leadership of the Flame People had already stood up together-

Bow deeply to the stranger.

"On behalf of all the Flame People, I thank you for your help. The young patriarch's voice blended with the sound of the rain as if it were an ethereal chant, "Your bravery has saved the lives of countless warriors and allowed them to return safely." From now on, I "recognize" you as the Patriarch - you will always be a friend of the Flame People at all times. ”

Maybe the people in front of him were too solemn, and Xiao Ye stood in place for a while before he suddenly realized something.

"It's just a gesture, you don't have to be so polite. Compared to this ......" She took two steps forward and cautiously looked at the girl-like successor standing on the right, "Sister Harina, is your injury okay......?

Before he could finish speaking, Harina had straightened up and said with a smile, "It's all right—now I'm healthy enough to beat twelve tourists with my bare hands." ”

Sayo: "......"

I don't know if it's her delusion, obviously she was just thanked, but now she feels a murderous aura in Qingna......

Well, not an illusion.

Before Saya could figure out what was going on, the captain of the guard had already come out with a straight face, his brows furrowed enough to kill three electric bugs.

"I'm grateful for what you've done, and disappointed at the same time. Jing Mu said sternly, "It seems that the day before yesterday, I didn't take your safety education to heart. ”

He didn't give Saya a chance to interject at all, and threw out voice packets with themes such as "The danger of attacking the enemy from high altitudes", "The danger of having many enemies", "If you act without reporting and getting permission, you should be beaten", "Seven ways to die in free fall", etc., bombarding the children on the other side with a stunned face and no idea where they are.

During the whole course of the lecture, Haruna wore a standard smile like a businessman, and Karinori suddenly became interested in the embroidery of the lines on the sheets, completely ignoring the eyes of the lecturer asking for help. When Jingmu showed a reluctant expression of "although I still want to say it, I have to pause when I am serious" and closed his voice, Xiaoye felt that his whole soul was in a trance.

"Right...... I'm sorry......" she tried to make a final argument with a mosquito-covered face, "I shouldn't have acted without considering your feelings...... But、But I'm sure I'm safe。 ”

The patriarch's keen interest in the texture of the sheets evaporated instantly, and he raised his eyes to look at the bewildered girl, deciding to bypass the question of "what you should consider is not our feelings, but yours" first—he dared to swear that this person's personal feelings were by no means panic and fear, but rather heart-wrenching thoughts such as "this fight is super cool" and "three minutes and twenty seconds of electric flashes can be changed to Yan Hui" - and instead said, "You mean to ensure your safety by falling from the sky?"

"I think 'falling' in air combat is also a convenient way to get out of the war. Xiao Ye honestly explained his tactical layout, completely unaware that the three people on the opposite side didn't want to hear this, "At that height, I'm sure I'll land safely - ah, of course, thank you for saving me, it's much more 'decent' than my own landing method." ”

“......”

Ye's fifteen-year-old face suddenly showed a look of wanting to set fire to the building, and after a few struggles, he still relented.

"Okay. I know that young trainers can only see ahead, and I used to do the same - this topic has been revealed first, and we didn't call you here to give you a special lecture. The red-haired patriarch said angrily.

Xiao Ye nodded his head in a regular manner, but in fact, he was already crying like a conch in his heart - it was clear that he had been specially trained!

"First of all, I need to confirm one thing. Karma sat up straight, "Saya, after experiencing today's danger, do you want to leave Mt. Aso as soon as possible, or do you want to stay?"

"Stay, of course. Sayo replied without thinking.

karma nodded, not surprised by this very "young trainer" answer.

"Now that you have chosen to be one of the 'warriors', we should tell you the meaning of this battle, both morally and justifiably. ”

The young patriarch began his story—it was a very short story, summed up in just a few words.

In ancient times, the sacred bird with its red-colored feathers lived in the valleys of the southern kingdom along with its worshipping people. The land burned by the fire of the Divine Bird became fertile, and crystals condensed the energy of the fire gradually appeared in the lava where the Divine Bird lived, providing a home for the people to live and work in peace and contentment.

Five hundred years ago, the Flame People were caught up in a war. The sacred birds that sheltered them were battered in the war and almost dying, and had to lie dormant in the lava of Mt. Aso for a long time to recover from their injuries.

The Sacred Bird's wounds were so severe that it had been asleep for five hundred years—until now, the god of Niwa was finally about to awaken from its long slumber.

"The festival of fire is chosen on the day of the year when the lava is most active", which was not a ritual rule in the era when the sacred bird had not yet been injured. As the habitat of the sacred birds, the lava of Mt. Aso is closely related to it, and the active meaning of the lava means that the consciousness of the sacred birds is active, and only by choosing this day for the fire worship festival can they dance with the awakened god Niwa.

"However, this time is different. Karma shook his head slightly, "In the eyes of humans, five hundred years is an incredible amount of time, but for the gods who live a long life, it is just a sleep. Its memories are still in the midst of the war of 500 years ago, and when it wakes up, it may feel like it is still fighting the enemy to the death, and it will become angry and even spread to other nearby islands. ”

"The wrath of the sacred bird can be devastating – that's why we didn't invite tourists this year and want you to leave before the fire festival as well. ”

Xiao Ye nodded, indicating that she understood what the patriarch meant.

"...... on how to deal with the awakening of the flame bird"

"Of course, we had a plan. Jing Mu took over, "We have made two preparations - on the one hand, we will select elite fighters for combat training in case of emergency, and on the other hand, we have 'Wupei Drums'. ”

The stranger was stunned for a moment, and vaguely understood something, "Is it the drum that was stolen by the wind thief?"

The successor, whose hair was adorned with flowers, let out a "hmm".

"Unlike the waist drum used in dance, the Upe drum is a treasure that has been handed down 500 years ago, or even more. Its unique sound can travel for tens of miles, and our ancestors used it to communicate with Niwa-sama, a 'language' that is more powerful than human words and can convey will directly to the gods. Harina explained softly, "Therefore, we believe that by beating the Upei drum, we will be able to soothe Niwa-sama's pain and convey our hearts." ”

- Now, however, the vital drum is nowhere to be found.

"The true method of making the Upe drum has long since been burned in that battle five hundred years ago. That's why we're going to do whatever it takes to get back the last drum. Jing Mu summed it up simply.

All the doubts have been answered, and the information obtained so far has been connected into a complete line in Saya's mind.

"I see. After a moment of silent thought, she responded.

"It's just, I have a question. Whether you're looking for a Upe drum or dealing with a flaming bird, the more people you have, the more sure you should be. Why don't you ask the police for help?"

This is also a question that Xiao Ya has been puzzled about for a long time. At the dinner the day before, she had overheard someone mention that the theft of the Hoppe drum had not been reported to the police department — just as the Flames didn't want anyone to interfere with it.

It stands to reason that the theft of important cultural heritage is enough to mobilize a large number of police officers to search the mountains, and even to dispatch members of the Enforcement Division or the Search Division. And as long as the information that the flame bird is about to awaken and may bring harm to the surrounding area, the armed forces of the four major departments will also become the help of the flame people, which is far more secure than fighting alone.

After the tourist asked this question, the three people on the opposite side fell silent in unison.

“...... I'm sorry. The young patriarch replied apologetically, but in a resolute tone, "We have our own reasons. ”

"Alright. Harina clapped her hands, interrupting the stagnant atmosphere, "The explanation is basically clear. Sayo, if you have time tonight, would you like to go and see our 'Don't Let Niwa-sama Lose Your Temper' training?"

"Of course, I'd love to. Xiao Ye blinked, deciding to ignore the strange name for a moment, "Do I need to participate in practice?"

"No, no, you just have to watch. Haruna smiled and curled the corners of her eyes, "Everyone's fighting style is different, and our training style is not suitable for you. As for why I want you to visit, you'll know when the time comes. ”

"Yes, I see. ”

As she spoke, Haruna muttered to Saya about the time and place of the secret training. Sayo finally gets a chance to seriously ask about Hauna's injuries - and the answer she gets is not the kind of "I can beat up a bunch of you".

Her injuries were on her back, and the bleeding was frightening, but fortunately, the wound did not hurt her internal organs, and her recovery in recent days has been stable. Although I can't exercise vigorously yet, I can walk and stand in my daily life.

"It's almost time to start preparing for the dinner, right?" Kari looked at the wall clock on the wall, "We ......"

Before the words could be spoken, a loud noise came from the horizon, rumbling and flooding the entire valley.

The sound was very strange, like thunder, like a roar, like a man singing. Rocks, trees, and walls of houses seem to be unable to stop its propagation, and powerful sound waves hit the eardrum of the person, causing the heart to beat violently.

When Saya realizes that this is the characteristic sound of the missing giant Upe drum, she sees that karma's expression has changed.

The young patriarch always smiled merrily like a young man, and never showed such a terrible look in front of the tourists that could not be concealed, and even his red eyes were illuminated by the angry firelight.

"Jingmu. ”

"Yes. ”

Needless to say, the middle-aged man jumped out of the window with a gloomy face. A few seconds later, a flame grenade representing an "emergency gathering" exploded in the sky.

The aura of slaughter enveloped the valley in the name of the flames.

====================

Small Theatre:

Flamebird: (up non-existent ears) Let me hear your wishes again......

Mountain Folk A: I want to join the "Niwa-sama Don't Lose Your Tantrums"!

Mountain Folk B: I hope that the training of the Niwa-sama Fire Rangers will be easier today!

Mountain Folk C: I want to be the commander of the "Don't Let Niwa-sama Fly Everywhere Special Force"!

Shanmin D: I'm not good at fighting, but I'm willing to give supper to the "Niwa-sama obedient Einsatzgruppen"!

Flame, Sluggish Face, Bird: ...... Are you, my people, the time of rebellion come?