Chapter 75. Senpai is so Dependable
Looking at the burly man before them, Futsu Mitama and the others fell silent for a moment, seemingly unsure of what to say.
"He was released so quickly?"
Futsu Mitama looked at Kuki Shinobu beside him and could not help asking in confusion, "That fast? They're already out?"
It had only been a week. How were these guys already out?!
This was highway robbery. In Mondstadt, Liyue, or Inazuma, people who committed highway robbery were usually imprisoned for at least twenty days, if not an entire month, before being released.
Yet only seven days had passed.
Not even ten days.
Judging by their current appearance, they might have even been released earlier.
"?"
Kuki Shinobu tilted her head slightly as well, seemingly unable to understand the situation.
Didn't Sumeru's laws stipulate a fifteen-day sentence?
How had they been released in less than ten days?
"No matter what, let's deal with them first."
Black Aila spoke calmly, clearly intending to dispose of the problem immediately. They were merely a group of small fry. There was no need to waste Young Master's time on them.
"You know them?"
Faruzan looked curiously at the group as they spoke amongst themselves, somewhat surprised that they actually knew these Eremites.
"Yes, we know them."
Aila nodded slightly, her tone calm.
"They robbed us seven days ago and were subsequently imprisoned by us. Although I don't know why they were released, it won't be difficult to send them back this time."
As she spoke, Kuki Shinobu silently pulled out her frying pan once more, apparently preparing for an encore performance.
"Let's subdue them first."
Shenhe also raised her hand, seemingly intending to resolve the matter through purely physical means.
Although they were already some distance away from Gandharva Ville, this area still fell within the patrol range of the Forest Rangers.
Once these people were subdued, the rest could simply be handed over to the Forest Rangers.
While they were discussing the matter, Shenhe and Kuki Shinobu were already preparing to act.
Meanwhile, the burly man standing opposite them still had not recognized Futsu Mitama's group.
He continued laughing heartily.
"Have you already started discussing how much Mora you're going to hand over? Don't worry, I'm not greedy. A few hundred thousand Mora will do. My brothers all rely on me to put food on the table."
As the burly man spoke, his gaze suddenly landed on the frying pan in Kuki Shinobu's hand.
The smile on his face instantly froze.
"Boss is mighty! Boss is invincible!"
"Hahahaha! The first job was unlucky! The second one is definitely easy money!"
"With Boss leading us, we'll definitely be living the good life in the future!"
"That's right! Those guys who ran away before definitely won't be doing as well as us!"
The surrounding members of the Scarlet Sand Scorpions failed to notice their leader's frozen expression and continued shouting enthusiastically.
An Akademiya Scholar!
This was a fat sheep!
As for the mercenaries and guards accompanying the Scholar?
They were nothing more than rotten fish and shrimp.
How could they compare to warriors like themselves, men who lived by the blade in the desert?
The burly man stared at Kuki Shinobu, the frying pan in her hand, and the flickering violet lightning surrounding her.
Then he suddenly roared at the top of his lungs.
"RETREAT!!!"
"Huh?"
The Scarlet Sand Scorpions members hidden around the area were momentarily stunned.
Then they saw a frying pan.
And fists.
Thwack!
Bang—!!
In less than ten seconds, every member of the Scarlet Sand Scorpions had been wiped out once again.
Only their boss remained standing.
"T-This... this... why is it you people again?!"
The leader of the Scarlet Sand Scorpions was practically on the verge of tears. He had never imagined that he would run into this group again.
He wanted to run. But he knew perfectly well that escape was impossible. Because behind him, a black-robed figure had already appeared.
Several water spheres floated quietly around that figure.
Years of surviving by the blade told him that those harmless-looking water spheres were extremely dangerous.
If even one of them struck him, he would undoubtedly die.
These people were monsters.
Absolute monsters.
Why had he encountered these monsters both the first and second times he attempted highway robbery? More importantly, hadn't they already left Gandharva Ville?
He had spent an entire day wandering around Gandharva Ville without seeing a single trace of them.
So why was it that the moment he started doing business again, they suddenly appeared?
Where had they been hiding all this time?!
The leader of the Scarlet Sand Scorpions felt utterly helpless. In truth, his strength was considered fairly decent.
But trying to rob Futsu Mitama and the others was akin to a novice adventurer in a fantasy world stepping out of town for the first time and immediately encountering the Demon King.
"Mm, it's us again."
Futsu Mitama looked at the leader of the Scarlet Sand Scorpions and stroked his chin thoughtfully.
After a moment, he chuckled.
"What a coincidence. How did you get out in such a short amount of time?"
He was genuinely curious. Although every nation had different laws, it was still rather rare for highway robbers to be released in less than seven days.
"This..."
Seeing himself captured by the exact same group once again, the leader could only answer helplessly.
"We were first-time offenders and didn't actually hurt anyone. After paying several tens of thousands of Mora in fines and signing a guarantee agreement, we were released."
Hearing this explanation, Futsu Mitama did not immediately believe him.
Instead, he turned to look at Faruzan.
After all, she was a genuine Sumeru native. Whether the man was telling the truth or lying, she would know.
Faruzan nodded slightly.
Indeed, such a regulation existed.
The law determined the severity of punishment according to the nature of the crime that had actually been committed.
Compared to other nations, the frequency of crimes committed by Eremites in Sumeru was simply too high. If it did not involve murder or successful robbery, the punishment could often be relatively lenient.
However, once murder or robbery was involved, it became an entirely different matter.
This group of Eremites had been particularly unlucky. These mysterious people were far from weak, and not only had they failed to rob anyone, they had ended up being beaten instead.
And now, they had actually tried to rob the very same group again.
Faruzan could only shake her head repeatedly, unsure of what to say.
"Sir, please, for old times' sake, let us go. We've already left a record in Gandharva Ville. If we leave another record, our Scarlet Sand Scorpions will be forced to disband before we even properly debut."
The leader of the Eremites immediately dropped to his knees before Futsu Mitama. There was nothing he could do. They had already been caught once. If they were caught again, they would truly be finished.
"Then will you dare do this again next time?" Sangonomiya Kokomi asked calmly.
Their group had no intention of letting these highway robbers off the hook. Still, that did not stop Sangonomiya Kokomi from asking the question.
"Yes!" the leader answered without hesitation.
"?"
Sangonomiya Kokomi tilted her head slightly in confusion. She had not expected the leader to answer so decisively. They had already been captured once, yet he still dared to say he would commit the crime again.
Did he truly not fear death?
"Because if we don't, we'll starve to death."
The leader glanced at Faruzan, his voice carrying obvious resentment.
"In Sumeru, the Scholars are always high and mighty, while we people of the Desert are treated as inferior. Even when we work, those people discriminate against us. I used to be a mercenary too, protecting employers just like you."
"But in the end, we were betrayed by our employer, so I swore that I would rather rob others than allow others to bully—"
"Thud!"
Before he could finish speaking, Kuki Shinobu struck him unconscious with a frying pan.
She gave him a kick and said coldly, "A man who bullies the weak."
"You certainly have plenty of twisted logic. If you were bullied, why not go after the employer who betrayed you? Why target passing merchants and civilians instead?!"
Faruzan, however, merely shook her head slightly. A trace of complexity flashed through her eyes, but she said nothing.
Because in Sumeru, the conflict between the people of the Desert and the people of the rainforest had always been significant.
Most Scholars within the Akademiya harbored varying degrees of prejudice toward those from the Desert.
There was little that could be done about it.
From a historical perspective, the relationship between the Scarlet King, worshipped by the Desert people, and Greater Lord Rukkhadevata had always been extraordinarily complicated.
At one point, they had been close friends.
Later, however, their ideals seemed to diverge, and conflict gradually emerged between them.
The God of Flowers, who had once served as a mediator between the two, perished in a disaster whose details remained unknown.
After that, the Scarlet King and the Ruler of Rainforest never interacted again.
Then came a long blank period of history, during which no one knew what had truly happened.
But the current reality was simple.
The Scarlet King was dead, while Sumeru still possessed a Dendro Archon. A nation with an Archon and a nation without one were fundamentally different. That innate disparity alone was enough to create many problems.
Faruzan herself did not discriminate against the people of the Desert.
She frequently ventured deep into the Desert and had interacted with many Eremites over the years.
Naturally, she had met both honorable individuals and utterly despicable ones.
Soon, the group of Eremites known as the Scarlet Sand Scorpions was tied up. If nothing unexpected happened, the Forest Rangers would arrive within half an hour to take them away.
After everything was settled, Futsu Mitama and the others resumed their journey toward Sumeru City.
"To be honest, we really should thank them."
As they traveled, Futsu Mitama spoke with a smile.
"Isn't there a ready-made name we can use? Scarlet Sand Scorpions. This name probably hasn't reached Sumeru City yet. Using it to register and enter the city should work, right?"
Rather than spending time coming up with various new names, it would be easier to directly borrow the name of these Scarlet Sand Scorpions Eremites and use it as their cover when infiltrating Sumeru City.
Once they entered Sumeru City, many things would become considerably simpler.
Regardless of whether the Akademiya was using the Akasha Terminal to monitor the city, Futsu Mitama already knew Nahida's approximate whereabouts.
As long as he established contact with Nahida, rescuing her would become significantly easier.
The real problem was what came afterward.
After rescuing Nahida, he would most likely have to face Dottore and Scaramouche.
Futsu Mitama was not certain whether there were any other top-tier combatants within Sumeru City.
After all, he had never completed the full Sumeru storyline before transmigrating.
And judging from Tighnari's weakened condition, the Akademiya had likely already begun the so-called God Creation Project.
At that point, if they forcibly entered Sumeru City, the question would no longer be whether the Akademiya would try to stop them.
If a battle truly erupted, it would likely become a direct confrontation between Futsu Mitama and Sages on one side, and Dottore and Scaramouche on the other.
With Sumeru City standing at the center of the battlefield.
Having already reached the Demon God Realm, Futsu Mitama understood better than anyone the level of destruction he could unleash.
If a battle of that scale truly broke out within Sumeru City—
Futsu Mitama could not guarantee that he would KILL both Dottore and Scaramouche.
However, he could guarantee one thing.
Once a battle between beings of the Demon God Realm concluded—
Sumeru City would, more or less, become history.
History in the most literal sense.
Therefore, even after meeting Nahida, the preparations that followed would still be a massive headache.
But no matter what happened, two things remained absolutely correct.
Infiltrating Sumeru City.
And meeting Nahida.
"There shouldn't be any problem."
Faruzan pondered for a moment before nodding.
"As long as the Akademiya doesn't investigate too deeply, we should be able to bluff our way through. However, if you intend to stay in Sumeru City for an extended period of time, it may become difficult. If their criminal records are uploaded into the Akasha system, you might even end up being thrown into prison."
Using the Scarlet Sand Scorpions' name to infiltrate Sumeru City was easy.
The difficult part would come later.
If the real Scarlet Sand Scorpions committed another crime and their records surfaced, it could easily implicate Futsu Mitama and the others.
After all, criminal Eremites were not allowed to remain within Sumeru City.
They would only be imprisoned.
"It's fine."
Futsu Mitama indicated that he did not care. As long as they successfully infiltrated the city, that was enough.
The rest were merely minor issues.
"..."
Faruzan watched him speak so confidently, her eyes shifting slightly as countless thoughts crossed her mind.
Was this mysterious person simply confident in his own strength? Or was it because, once they reached Sumeru City, their objective would already be complete?
Or perhaps—
His identity was so extraordinary that even if it were exposed, the Akademiya would choose to suppress the matter?
Because of Tighnari's actions, Faruzan could not help but think more deeply about the situation.
Tighnari was not the sort of person who sought favor from others.
His talent was exceptional.
If he had wished, he could very likely have become the next Sage of the Amurta Darshan. Yet because he had grown disappointed with the current Akademiya, he chose instead to remain in Gandharva Ville as a Forest Ranger.
The fact that Tighnari specifically did not want her to know this person's identity suggested only two possibilities.
Either the person was extremely dangerous or his identity was extraordinarily distinguished.
The former was clearly impossible.
Therefore, it could only be the latter.
'Who is he? Who are they?'
Faruzan found her curiosity steadily growing.
She seemed to become more interested in the identities of these mysterious individuals with every passing moment.
However, despite her curiosity, she did not press the matter. Because sooner or later, she would learn the truth.
After resolving the issue of their Eremite identities, the group continued their journey.
Following two days and one night of travel, the relationship between Faruzan and Futsu Mitama's group gradually became much closer.
Although they never removed their masks or discarded their black robes, they still managed to establish a friendly relationship under those circumstances.
Kokomi and Faruzan even became close friends.
The reason was simple.
Kokomi was eager to learn, and Faruzan was willing to teach.
One wished to learn.
The other wished to teach.
As a result, the two naturally became good friends.
However, even pleasant journeys eventually came to an end.
Now, after two days and one night of travel, Futsu Mitama and the others finally arrived at the entrance to Sumeru City.
Just like Mondstadt City, Liyue Harbor, and Inazuma City, Sumeru City also maintained checkpoints at its entrances.
One could not simply enter from anywhere.
Standing guard at the gate were members of the Corps of Thirty, whose attire differed noticeably from that of ordinary Eremites.
Sumeru did not possess conventional soldiers.
Instead, much of its security was entrusted to mercenary organizations such as the Eremites.
The Akademiya might possess its own armed forces.
However, for most public security matters, it still relied upon the Corps of Thirty.
Standing before Sumeru City, Futsu Mitama gazed at the flourishing metropolis built around the enormous sacred tree. Its layered structure, rising level upon level, filled him with a unique sense of awe.
Every city belonging to a nation governed by an Archon possessed its own distinct character. Even Futsu Mitama, who had already seen Mondstadt City, Liyue Harbor, and Inazuma City, could not help but marvel when he saw Sumeru City before him.
This city was truly both magnificent and beautiful.
His gaze then drifted toward the very top.
If he remembered correctly—
The structure of Sumeru City was divided into several layers. The lowest level housed the Grand Bazaar, along with places such as the Adventurers' Guild, the Zubayr Theater, and Café.
The middle section belonged to the Akademiya.
At the highest point stood the Sanctuary of Surasthana, the palace of Buer, the Dendro Archon.
Of course, the current Sanctuary of Surasthana was likely less a palace and more a prison for an Archon.
If nothing unexpected happened, that would be the final destination of their journey.
"Is this Sumeru City?"
Sangonomiya Kokomi could not help but exclaim in amazement, much like a country girl seeing a great city for the first time.
The sprawling city built around the sacred tree was truly breathtaking.
Although Watatsumi Island was beautiful in its own right, it had been created, in a sense, through the power of an Archon.
That was why it could exist in its current form.
As for Sangonomiya Kokomi herself, she lacked the ability to make significant changes to it afterward.
Sumeru City, however, had continued to evolve over the five hundred years following Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's passing.
According to Faruzan, aside from the stagnation of "Wisdom," Sumeru as a whole had continued to advance.
Ironically, Wisdom was precisely the nation's defining ideal.
That fact alone had nearly caused the Sages of the Akademiya to worry themselves gray.
The Sumeru City before them was likewise one of the accomplishments born from five hundred years of development.
"Yes, we've arrived."
Faruzan smiled and nodded. She looked at Futsu Mitama and the others as she said,
"Welcome to Sumeru City. Although we haven't entered yet, allow me to welcome you in advance. Now then, please follow me~"
After saying this, Faruzan led the group toward the entrance of Sumeru City.
At that moment, everyone entering the city was being inspected for dangerous weapons that might be carried inside.
"Are you kidding me?!"
While standing in line, a dark-skinned man suddenly shouted at the personnel conducting the inspections.
"I am a child of the Desert and a believer of the Scarlet King! I have the right not to wear an Akasha Terminal! Why won't you let me enter Sumeru City?!"
The armed guard standing before him replied coldly,
"This is an order issued three days ago. Anyone entering Sumeru City must wear an Akasha Terminal. Don't make things difficult for us. Rules are rules. If you refuse to comply, then you cannot enter Sumeru City."
The people standing behind the man immediately became dissatisfied as well.
"There was never such a rule before!"
"That's right! There was never such a rule before! We're only merchants passing through! Why should we have to wear one?!"
"Exactly!"
"You can't enter Sumeru City without an Akasha Terminal?! I've traveled to Mondstadt, Liyue, Inazuma, Fontaine, and Snezhnaya, and I've never seen a rule this ridiculous!"
Voices of protest quickly rose from the crowd.
In truth, most people did not particularly care whether they wore an Akasha Terminal or not.
The real issue was the attitude of the inspectors.
The declaration that anyone refusing to wear an Akasha Terminal would be denied entry instantly provoked many people.
The citizens of Sumeru were already accustomed to using the Akasha Terminal.
Most locals felt little resistance toward it.
However, Sumeru also received merchants and travelers from other nations.
Those people had no reason to accommodate such demands.
If the guards had explained things politely, many might have agreed without complaint.
But with such an overbearing attitude, how could they willingly accept it?
As a result, the argument rapidly escalated. Soon, a group of armed personnel rushed over and turned their attention toward those causing the disturbance.
They first checked whether the troublemakers were people from the Desert.
After confirming that the loudest protesters indeed possessed the characteristic dark complexion of the Desert folk, the armed members of the Corps of Thirty immediately detained them without another word.
The moment those individuals were arrested, the voices of the remaining protesters noticeably quieted.
Clearly, no one wished to continue making trouble.
It was at that moment that an Akademiya Scholar stepped forward. Adjusting his glasses, he raised his voice and addressed the crowd.
"Everyone, the requirement to wear an Akasha Terminal is an order issued by the Great Sage. The specific reason has not yet been made public, but I ask that you place your trust in the Akademiya."
"Wearing an Akasha Terminal will not cause you any harm. On the contrary, the Akademiya will soon be holding a number of events, and information regarding those activities will be distributed through the Akasha network."
"Of course, if you insist on refusing to wear an Akasha Terminal, then please return the way you came."
The Akademiya Scholar spoke with far greater courtesy than the mercenary before him.
However, the meaning behind his words was essentially the same.
However, his attitude was even more unyielding and overbearing. He directly stated that if they were unwilling to cooperate with the Akademiya by wearing an Akasha Terminal, then they should leave. There was no room for negotiation.
"Good! Good! Good!!!"
A merchant dressed in Mondstadt attire looked at the Sumeru Scholar and loudly declared,
"Is this the so-called Nation of Wisdom?! This truly opens my eyes! Forcing others to carry that so-called Akasha Terminal?!"
"Honestly! I don't know whether this thing of yours is good or not! But we Mondstadters! What we dislike most is having our freedom restricted!"
"This Sumeru City! I won't enter it! I'm leaving!!!"
With those words, the Mondstadt merchant turned around and departed. Only a handful of people followed after him. Most still endured their dissatisfaction and accepted the arrangement.
The others continued complaining in low voices, unable to understand what had happened. Only a few days ago, entering and leaving Sumeru City did not require wearing an Akasha Terminal.
But now they were required to wear one, and no explanation had been given. If there had been some particularly significant event, everyone might have felt somewhat reassured.
However, this Scholar only spoke about the convenience of the Akasha Terminal and then stated that anyone unwilling to wear it should simply return the way they came.
Wasn't that far too domineering?!
Seeing that the crowd had calmed down, the Sumeru Scholar nodded in satisfaction. As for those who had chosen to leave, he did not even spare them a glance.
Those unwilling to abide by the Akademiya's regulations could leave if they wished. After all, Sumeru City was not lacking a few merchants.
Just as the Scholar was about to leave—
"Zilaro!"
At that moment, a female voice rang out from the crowd, calling his name.
"Hm?!"
Zilaro was slightly startled. The voice sounded somewhat familiar. He turned toward the crowd and soon saw Faruzan standing there with her twin ponytails.
"!!!"
Zilaro's eyes widened instantly.
He stared at Faruzan in disbelief. As a Scholar of the Amurta Darshan, he naturally knew her. But wasn't this Senior supposed to be in the Akademiya?! When had she left?!!!
And who were the people beside her?! Why were they dressed like Eremites?
Indeed, although Futsu Mitama and the others were still wearing masks and black robes, their overall appearance made them look like Eremites at first glance.
Faruzan led Futsu Mitama and the others forward. Looking somewhat puzzled, she asked, "When was this order issued? Why don't I know about it? I've only been away from Sumeru City for less than four days. Why must people entering the city now wear an Akasha Terminal?"
The Scholar named Zilaro quickly replied, "Senior Faruzan, please come with me. This is not the place to discuss such matters."
As he spoke, Zilaro prepared to lead Faruzan into Sumeru City.
Futsu Mitama and the others followed behind. However, several members of the Thirty immediately stepped forward to stop them.
Faruzan looked at the Thirty members blocking Futsu Mitama and the others and said seriously, "They are my guards and have the right to enter Sumeru City with me."
Yet the Thirty members remained silent. They simply raised their weapons toward Futsu Mitama and the others, preventing them from stepping into Sumeru City.
Upon witnessing this scene, a crimson light flashed through Black Aila's eyes. Something hidden within the shadows was quietly beginning to awaken.
Aila, meanwhile, placed a hand upon Black Aila's shoulder.
She silently thought, Don't cause trouble for Young Master.
As herself, Aila naturally understood exactly what Black Aila wished to do.
In Black Aila's eyes, Futsu Mitama's status was supreme. He had inherited the Dendro Archon's legacy. Within Sumeru, the only existence capable of standing on equal footing with him was the Dendro Archon herself. Even the so-called Sages and the Great Sage of the Akademiya ranked beneath him.
Yet these people dared to block Young Master's path.
This was simply asking to be beaten.
I know.
Feeling Aila's restraint, Black Aila replied inwardly.
But these disrespectful fools should still be taught a lesson.
Young Master has his own arrangements. We don't need to interfere. Aila remained calm.
If Young Master was displeased, he would naturally express it. As his maids, they would then act accordingly and teach these people a lesson. But since Young Master had not said anything, it was not their place to create trouble on his behalf.
...
Black Aila fell silent, seemingly acknowledging that herself had a point.
"What are you doing?!"
Afraid that these people might offend Senior Faruzan, Zilaro immediately said, "I will personally take responsibility for these individuals. Stand down for now."
Hearing this, the Thirty members lowered their weapons and returned to their positions, continuing their duties without another word.
"Please follow me, Senior."
Zilaro walked ahead, inviting Faruzan to follow.
"Very well."
Faruzan naturally agreed and followed after him. Soon, they arrived at a secluded corner where no one else was present. Only then did Zilaro stop.
"Tell me. What has happened recently?"
Faruzan stood with her hands on her hips, appearing rather adorable. Yet in Zilaro's eyes, this Senior was anything but adorable.
Instead, she radiated authority.
Within the Akademiya, knowledge and wisdom represented everything.
Seniority was no exception.
The Faruzan before him possessed not only knowledge and wisdom, but also a level of seniority that was almost unimaginable.
Because—She was someone from a hundred years ago!!!
Everyone older than her was already dead.
Furthermore, she was one of the founders of the field of Classical Mechanics.
That level of seniority alone was enough to frighten most Scholars within the Akademiya.
Zilaro happened to be one of those frightened Scholars.
After all, there were rumors that, if nothing unexpected occurred, Senior Faruzan would eventually become the next Sage.
She might even become the next Great Sage.
She possessed both the qualifications and the seniority.
With that thought in mind, Zilaro became even less willing to offend her.
"Actually, I don't know the full details either." Zilaro lowered his voice and said, "This order came directly from the Great Sage."
"The specific reason remains unknown. Through the Akasha, the Great Sage informed us that a highly important experiment has recently entered a critical stage. Therefore, anyone entering Sumeru City must wear an Akasha Terminal. Those who refuse are strictly prohibited from entering."
As he spoke, Zilaro glanced toward the Eremite-dressed individuals behind Faruzan.
The implication was obvious.
Even her guards would need to wear an Akasha Terminal.
From Zilaro's perspective, wearing an Akasha Terminal was no great matter.
Most people were initially reluctant, but after experiencing its many conveniences, they would all praise its usefulness and begin wearing it voluntarily.
In truth, the Akasha Terminal was indeed extremely convenient.
Aside from certain Desert people who stubbornly refused to accept it, most visitors from other nations praised both Greater Lord Rukkhadevata's wisdom and the Akademiya's achievements.
This was also a source of pride for many citizens of Sumeru.
After all, a system as convenient as the Akasha existed nowhere else across Teyvat.
Wasn't that something worth being proud of?
"Is that so?"
Faruzan herself did not particularly care whether one wore an Akasha Terminal or not.
She looked toward Futsu Mitama and the others behind her and said, "They are Desert people. As for wearing the Akasha Terminal—"
As she spoke, Faruzan looked toward Zilaro.
Her meaning was obvious.
Could there be some flexibility?
After all, Futsu Mitama and the others were ostensibly her guards. It was perfectly natural for her to speak on their behalf.
Within Sumeru City, many Scholars cooperated with Eremites.
After all, entering the Desert without Eremite protection was little different from a lamb walking into a tiger's den—unless one possessed exceptional combat ability or maintained excellent relations with the local inhabitants.
"This..."
Zilaro revealed a troubled expression.
After a brief hesitation, he gritted his teeth and said, "Senior, I cannot officially approve such a request, but—one person is still considered a group. As long as one person wears an Akasha Terminal, then the entire group can be considered compliant."
As he spoke, Zilaro took out an Akasha Terminal and handed it to Faruzan.
Faruzan remained silent.
She looked toward Futsu Mitama and the others and asked, "Can you accept this arrangement?"
If Futsu Mitama and the others could not even accept this compromise, then Faruzan would have no choice but to use her authority and attempt further negotiations.
"Alright."
At that moment, Futsu Mitama nodded.
Taking the Akasha Terminal from Zilaro's hand, he said seriously, "Since this is the rule, then we, the Scarlet Sand Scorpions, are willing to abide by it."
Seeing Futsu Mitama agree, Zilaro quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Because if Senior Faruzan had personally intervened on their behalf, he truly would not have known how to handle the situation.