Chapter 702 Deal With A Devil [Pt 2]

Chapter 702 Deal With A Devil [Pt 2]

"I only wanted to live..."

Justin wanted to live for his family—for the ones he cared about most—so he could return home one day. That desire turned into obsession after witnessing death for the first time.

First it was with Adam, and then during the Dungeon Rescue of Brutus, he witnessed even more people perish. Despite performing his role well, he found himself at the edge of death so may times.

To many, he was always the optimist—the jovial guy with no care in the world.

But inside... he was being torn apart.

He had countless nightmares of death that it eventually caused him so many sleepless nights. All of this compounded, becoming worse by day.

Until...

'I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!'

Justin grew desperate.

So desperate in fact that he made a deal with Adrien at the time, after being offered a way to preserve his life and escape death.

He would need to become an Undead—a high-class one, of course, but still an Undead.

With this new change of race, he would be immune to fatal damage and a lot of Status Conditions that would adversely affect humans. He would no longer need to sleep, hence preventing the nightmares from plaguing him.

Best of all... he would become stronger.

With all of these on the platter, there was already very little chance that he could refuse. However, Adrien also threw one more thing into the mix.

"I'm working on something that'll get all of us home. Join my side, and you can be a part of it."

"Why would you choose to go this far for me?" Justin spat out.

He was a traitor who backstabbed everyone and was working secretly for a deserter. He hid his strength in critical moments, and even though it was likely that he could have prevented Eric's death, he did no such thing.

Even he hated himself for all of these, and yet...

"I quite like you, Justin. I believe you have potential, and I suspect it's why Adrien chose you as well..."

"R-really?"

"Of course not. Pfft! You're just easier to manipulate because you have things you hold dear, and a very strong desire to achieve your dreams." Ater laughed, causing Justin's slightly hopeful face to crumble in an instant.

He never once thought of himself as special or especially intelligent, but this was the first time hearing that he was easy to manipulate.

"Listen well. The most difficult people to control are those who have nothing to lose. As long as stakes exist, there will always be those who can see them."

Justin didn't even have the chance to process what Ater said before he was bombarded with another volley of information.

"I am the person you've been talking to all week, not Adrien. I'm certain he doesn't know the recent occurrences in the Capital. Even if he does, it is only to the extent that Master does, which is why I've intentionally limited the information I distributed... just in case..."

"Y-you were—?!"

"Yes. I have been observing you for some time too. Adrien's little dog... sniffing for clues and information for your owner. Well, I don't want that for you, Justin. You deserve better, you know?"

"W-what? Isn't that what you're trying to turn me into? A loyal dog?"

"I'm more of a cat person, you know? But that's besides the point." Ater shrugged those words away as if they were nothing.

"I want you to be my subordinate, Justin. I treat my subordinates well, you know? And if you agree... everything you desire will be yours."

Justin watched Ater in silence, waiting for a few moments before getting the inevitable question.

"So... what do you say?"