"You could've become the 6th trusted subordinate of mine with your great skills and intelligence. There's also something about you that excites me, but I guess you aren't as ambitious as I thought," stated the one-eyed demon after settling down and taking a seat.
It was weird to be complimented by the man that nearly killed him merely seconds earlier, but Xavier was more cautious of the 5 elite guards who had spread around the room once again.
As soon as their boss mentioned Xavier becoming the 6th to work closely under him, they all gave him hostile looks, and it was evident they were against that happening.
But they were also the ones that had just saved Xavier's life and, seeing that he truly didn't intend to work under their boss, they eased up slightly.
However, they were relieved, not out of jealousy, but weirdly out of concern for their boss to whom they were completely devoted.
In their eyes, there was too much they didn't know about Xavier. From the fact that he had watched 2 people get killed without batting an eyelid, he clearly wasn't your average street fighter.
And even after almost being killed, he still managed to remain calm, making them wonder just what kind of person he was.
But since he seemed intelligent enough to be able to understand their intentions, they would rather keep him away from their boss, and in the process help him out, since he also seemed to want to do the same.
-
"Am I free to leave?" asked Xavier bluntly, wanting to get as far away from the one-eyed demon as quickly as he could, still able to feel the clutches of the giant man around his neck.
The one-eyed demon took a moment to think about it before responding with a question of his own.
"Before I decide, what do you think about what you just saw me do and what I just did to you? How do I know that you won't report me to the police?"
However, unlike what the one-eyed demon and his 5 elite guards expected, Xavier started to laugh.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt"Are you being serious? Do you really expect me to believe that you are afraid of the police? And do you really think that they would even believe what I have to say if I even spoke to them? And although I didn't want to see those 2 women get killed, it's not like I owe them anything. As for you trying to kill me, it was just a joke, right?"
Xavier's response was honest and ended with obvious sarcasm, which was far from what they were expecting from him after he nearly lost his life due to speaking out of place.
Most, after experiencing what he just did, would barely be able to speak out of fright, but despite the gap in power between him and the one-eyed demon being clear, he had no reason to fear him.
And hearing his response, the one-eyed demon chuckled.
But what Xavier said next didn't get as positive of a reaction...
"But you didn't really want to kill them or attack me, did you?" questioned Xavier, who knew he was overstepping his boundaries, but decided to take the risk.
The one-eyed demon appeared invincible in almost every way, with him being unrivalled in combat and having an army of loyal and capable subordinates, but he seemed to have one weakness.
It was none other than his mental and emotional instability that must have a reason behind it.
However, upon asking his question, Xavier noticed that the one-eyed demon's 5 elite guards shook their heads and were almost warning him to stop talking and quickly leave.
And he quickly realised the reason for that...
-
"So what are you trying to say? Are you calling me crazy?!"
The giant man seemed to be offended by Xavier's words as he sat up and started to become angry once again.
Xavier already knew what could happen if the one-eyed demon lost his temper, and it happened so frequently that he was even starting to pity his 5 elite guards who had to clean up all the mess he caused.
But despite that, he didn't hold back his thoughts and spoke his mind.
"Crazy. Well, you tell me. Do you display wild and aggressive behaviour without much control over yourself?"
Xavier was digging himself a deeper hole, but seeing the mixed reaction he was getting from the one-eyed demon, he felt that he was on the cusp of discovering something about him.
However, the real question was whether he could find out what he was looking for before being attacked by the one-eyed demon...
-
The one-eyed demon sat there for a moment before responding to Xavier, and he was clearly furious, but also seemed willing to talk, which surprised even his 5 elite guards.
"I can assure you that I am not crazy, but I can't say that I'm not either. However, let's talk hypothetically. Let's say you don't have complete control of yourself when you do something bad. Does that make you a bad person?"
His question came with a solemn look in his eye that even the 5 closest people to him hadn't seen in a long time. Even Xavier was thrown off guard by it.
Of course, there was still lingering aggression from the one-eyed demon, but his question seemed genuine and made Xavier start to have second thoughts about the previous hatred he held towards the one-eyed demon.
However, that didn't change the fact that he just killed 2 innocent women in front of him and attempted to kill him, then shook it off as if it was nothing.
That was also the least of what he had done, and there was plenty more he had done that warranted much more than just hate.
And with all of that in mind, Xavier gave his honest answer, which wasn't the answer that the one-eyed demon wanted to hear.
-
"Let's say I know that when I drink alcohol I do bad things, and yet I continue to drink and don't seek help. Then I am indirectly committing bad, right? So in my opinion, you are bad, very bad, and that's coming from someone who also can't call themselves good."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm"So you think that I don't suffer huh? You think I want to be, act and look like this?!" he yelled, seemingly starting to lose himself once again.
However, despite him getting up and approaching Xavier, he didn't back down and looked him straight in the eye.
"Who am I to judge? I'm not God. But you asked for my opinion and I gave it. And I think you also agree with it."
"Even with all the money, power and influence you have, you still feel empty, because you don't realise what you have and don't have anything you cherish. These 5 probably care about you more than you care about yourself for some reason, and you know what your names are in the criminal underworld."
"The one-eyed demon and the bloodhound. Both are insane and cannot think for themselves. Are you intending to allow mere nicknames to define your entire persona and life?"
After saying that, Xavier took a step back, in case the one-eyed demon suddenly attacked him a second time, not wanting to fall into his clutches once again.
However, he had surprised even himself with how much he had, and for some reason, he almost pitied the one-eyed demon.
Of course, pity was the last thing he needed or deserved, but he could see that he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.
No matter what he did, he'd always be defined and judged based on his past and appearance. It was also too late to try to change or get the help that he needed.
And after all that Xavier said, that realisation started to sink in with the one-eyed demon who strolled back to his sofa, grabbing a bottle of wine along the way.
-
Drowning out his thoughts with alcohol, he started chugging the bottle that seemed expensive, before speaking.
"Give him his money and get him out of here, and also send me a bunch of food and booze," he instructed his 5 most trusted subordinates, who nodded their heads as soon as he did.
With haste, they walked over to Xavier, who picked up his duffel bag, before leading him out of the lounge.
And despite a lingering stench of blood starting to form in the lounge, they didn't bother bringing it up to their boss. They knew that it wouldn't bother him in the slightest, and when he was in such a state, it was best to leave him alone.
However, after getting some of their subordinates to deliver food and alcohol to the one-eyed demon as per his request, they didn't let Xavier leave straight away and dragged him into a small room.