The sudden appearance of Flying Squirrel in the Sakura Sanctuary wasn't random—it all had a reason.
The "Four Strategists" had left an impression, albeit a small one. They were a decent team, but their recklessness in front of Flying Squirrel had already earned them a bad ending. Watching it back then had left him with lingering regret—especially for that girl, Arshel. She still had two adorable little sisters waiting for her at home, yet she had been taken out so easily by the Bone King.
There was no reason for Flying Squirrel to spare the Four Strategists, yet a personal favor from a friend carried weight, and so he agreed to let them live.
Of course, the reprieve wasn't unconditional. They could leave alive—but only if they signed a contract with Flying Squirrel: they were forbidden from revealing anything about Nazarik Tomb, and they were obliged to assist the tomb whenever it needed their help.
Hekkeran wanted to refuse, but he had no choice. From the previous exchange, it was clear that the skeletal figure towering before them was one of Nazarik Tomb's masters. Aurelia's power had already crushed their morale; now the appearance of an undead, radiating an aura of utter despair, made their hopelessness even deeper.
Aurelia, at least, still looked human, but Flying Squirrel's very presence—even just his appearance—was enough to make them question the morality of any interaction. Making a deal with an undead… how was that any different from dealing with a demon? Could they trust him? Or would agreeing to his terms cost them their very souls?
"I agree to sign the contract, as long as you let us leave safely," Arshel said, stepping forward before Hekkeran could voice hesitation.
Unlike Hekkeran, Arshel possessed the Clairvoyant Eyes, allowing her to perceive the true gap in strength between them and their opponent. Aurelia's power alone had been enough to drive them to despair, and Flying Squirrel—who had just appeared and saved their lives—was even harder to gauge because of the ring he wore. Yet it was clear from Aurelia's deference toward him, and how easily he had deflected her attacks, that his strength might surpass even hers.
What did it matter if the deal was with an undead? Survival was all that mattered. Arshel's two younger sisters were waiting at home, and her parents—still indulging in their aristocratic lifestyle—were beyond saving. She could not imagine the despair her sisters would face if she died here.
"A wise choice. And you?" Flying Squirrel's voice boomed. "Will you sign the contract and leave alive, or will you meet the same fate as the others—becoming research subjects or rations for Nazarik Tomb? Keep in mind: if it weren't for my companion pleading on your behalf, no human who entered Nazarik would have survived intact, let alone alive."
Arshel's decisiveness pleased Flying Squirrel. Hekkeran and the others, hesitating, only showed that they didn't yet grasp the situation. Honestly, if not for the favor being returned to a friend, Flying Squirrel wouldn't have considered letting them leave at all. The tomb was far more important to him than any Empire operatives barging in, and the Four Strategists were insignificant in comparison—they had no special talents, no value worth noting.
"Do not worry. I have no interest in harming you further. You aren't even worth my attention. I am sparing your lives solely because a friend asked. You have one minute to decide. If you remain silent after that, I will have no choice but to apologize to my friend… and not to you."
Flying Squirrel's offer was conditional: he wanted to preserve the safety of Nazarik Tomb. Though the Four Strategists knew little about the tomb, there was always a risk they might leak information to the Slane Theocracy. Refuse the contract, and Flying Squirrel would imprison them in Nazarik forever. In a way, that would still honor the friend's request: keeping them alive without killing them.
Faced with the choice between death or eternal servitude, the strategists hesitated only briefly before finally deciding, guided by Arshel's advice. In her eyes, in front of such a powerful undead, they were nothing—mere ants. If their opponent truly wanted to eliminate them, there would be no need for negotiation.
Moreover, it was clear from his words that in Nazarik Tomb, death was often the most merciful escape. The Empire operatives who had entered the ruins alongside them had met grim ends—so grim that even death had been a luxury.
"Lord Anzu, Lady Aurelia, this exploration of the ruins was commissioned by the Empire. So many top-tier operatives entered the ruins, yet only we emerged unharmed. If we are questioned about what happened, how are we supposed to answer?"
The Four Strategists had ultimately submitted. Having witnessed even a fraction of Nazarik Tomb's power, they abandoned their last traces of resistance. Those massive Death Knights they had seen—they, even together, could barely hope to defeat a single one. And in Nazarik Tomb, those Death Knights were nothing more than high-tier fodder.
Against such overwhelming might, what could even the Empire hope to achieve?
And yet, the worst part for them was the realization that the contracts they signed forbade them from revealing anything about Nazarik Tomb. Any violation would result in their erasure—permanent, unrecoverable.
Even so, walking out alive gave them one chance: when the Empire's emperor inevitably summoned them, how could they answer his questions without risking their lives?
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