章 13: Do you want to change?

Loki was relieved that the opponents this time were pretty much amateurs. He currently had limited amounts of mana, and his physical ability was not up to standard. He also came without sufficient preparations, which was unlike him. If they were slightly better and could react to him throwing the yarn, it would've been game over for him. Loki once again reaffirmed that he needed to get stronger quicker. He then approached the entangled Luke who was shivering in fear.

"Hey, kid, as I said before, you and your friends should probably stop while you haven't done too much. If you step into this kind of world, you'll just die quicker. This is not a world where kids like you guys should play around in. Right now, your fortunate it was I who taught you this lesson. But if you continue down this path and mess around with someone you shouldn't then the best scenario is you just die, but at worst not only you but your family, and your friends' families will disappear as well."

Luke listened to every word Loki said and felt that his person's tone sounded flippant but they also held great conviction. It was possible that this person was in a deeper part of that world. Still, based on his looks, Loki didn't seem much older than Luke. What kind of experiences would someone need to go through to have such skills. Aside from that, he was also the only person that believed he could change, that he could go back.

His family, his teachers, everyone had already given up on him. Yet this person that he just met, who he had planned to attack, was actually saying that he could go back. Luke started grinding his teeth before answering.

"What do you know, what do you even understand about me?! I can do nothing else but this. Ever since I was small, my body was larger than my peers and my looks scared a lot of people, not to mention I'm not really that smart. So no matter what I do, no matter how hard I try to be good, no one would accept me. I was always treated as the bad guy when I was not even doing anything! So in the end, if no matter what I did I was going to be the bad guy, then I might as well be a true bad guy!"

Loki was surprised by Luke's sudden outburst but with this, he finally understood a bit about this person.

'I see, he's a bit similar to her... A person that had to be what others perceived of him.' Loki couldn't help but once again remember her lonely smile at the end.

"Who cares, it doesn't matter what others think about you. What matters more is what you think about yourself. If they can't see past your looks, then that's their problem. But if you really care about what they think, then you should show them more. Show them that you can do good, prove to them that they are wrong, prove to them that you're not just a scary face. Why bend your knee and become what they think of you? Instead, you should have stood your ground and show them a different face. For a guy so large, you sure lack willpower."

When Luke heard what Loki said he blinked a few times as he couldn't believe what he heard. He once told his guidance counselor the same thing, but even he didn't believe him. Even his parents, who at first believed in him had changed. After numerous people complaining about things Luke never did, even his parents slowly believed that their son had become someone who did bad things. It has been a very long time since he met someone that actually believed in him. As he was holding back his tears, Luke felt the yarn that was entangling him loosened. He was now able to move again.

"So do you wish to change?"

"Even if I wanted to, me and my friends are in too deep. The people outside that you took care of, are part of a gang from the neighboring city. Once they learned what happened today they will come back for vengeance. Not to mention the other gangs that are in this city, once they learn that we're trying to change, they might do something."

"Oh, is that so... Hey, are those gangs considered evil?"

"Huh?" Luke was surprised by Loki's question. He wasn't expecting Loki to ask such a thing. It took him a few seconds to digest what Loki said, he scratched his head before answering.

"I don't know what you're standards are and what you consider evil, but those gangs do things from human trafficking to murder. I'm pretty sure that's evil no matter how you look at it."

"How much do you know about these gangs?"

"Not too much, since we aren't really part of their gang and just some students they want to recruit."

"Do you know someone that has more information on these gangs?"

"... Yeah, there's this one person that knows a lot about the local gangs and has some information on some of the neighboring gangs. Why are you asking all these questions?"

"Before I answer that, how about you answer my question first. Do you wish to change? Do you wish to go back and walk a more proper path?"

"I already told you, it's already too late for me and these guys..."

"Stop saying that and just answer my f*cking question, do you want to change?!" Loki looked at Luke with an extremely serious expression on his face. Seeing that look on Loki's face, Luke felt something within him stir. Luke then gnashed his teeth as he answered.

"Of course I want to change!"

When Loki heard Luke's answer for the first time since their meeting, Loki smiled. He then spoke the words that Luke would never forget in his entire life.

"Then I will help you achieve that wish of yours. For as long as the price is right and the reason is just, I will slay any and all evil. I told you before right, I'm a professional. So hire me and I will make those problems of yours, disappear."

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